# The Odyssey, Book 1: The Gods in Council; Athena Counsels Telemachus

Ὀδύσσεια · Homer · The Telemachy

The gods meet while Odysseus sits on Calypso's island. Athena, in disguise, sends Telemachus to look for news of his father. The suitors feast in his hall.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/1. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/1.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/odyssey/<line id>.m4a.

**1** ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε, μοῦσα, πολύτροπον, ὃς μάλα πολλὰ  
Tell me, Muse, of the man of many turns, who wandered
> "Of many turns": πολύτροπον is an accusative epithet of ἄνδρα, the object of ἔννεπε. It means both "much-traveled" and "of many devices," a defining ambiguity for Odysseus.

**2** πλάγχθη, ἐπεὶ Τροίης ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἔπερσεν·  
far and wide, once he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy.

**3** πολλῶν δʼ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον ἔγνω,  
Many were the men whose cities he saw and whose minds he learned,
> noos: mind, way of thinking: νόος denotes not just intellect but the whole mindset or disposition of a person. To "learn the noos" of many men is to understand their characters and customs.

**4** πολλὰ δʼ ὅ γʼ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν,  
and many the sorrows he suffered at heart upon the sea,

**5** ἀρνύμενος ἥν τε ψυχὴν καὶ νόστον ἑταίρων.  
striving to win his own life and his companions’ homecoming.
> nostos: homecoming: νόστος is the return home from war, the central theme of the poem and the root of our word "nostalgia."

**6** ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς ἑτάρους ἐρρύσατο, ἱέμενός περ·  
Yet even so he could not save his companions, hard as he strove —
> Concessive participle: ἱέμενός ("striving, eager") is a participle, and the particle περ gives it concessive force: "although striving."

**7** αὐτῶν γὰρ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο,  
for by their own reckless follies they perished,

**8** νήπιοι, οἳ κατὰ βοῦς Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο  
fools, who devoured the cattle of Hyperion the Sun —

**9** ἤσθιον· αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀφείλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ.  
and so the god took from them their day of return.
> Homeric article = demonstrative: «αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀφείλετο» ('but he took from them'): here «ὁ» is not 'the' but a demonstrative/personal 'he, that one' (Helios) — in Homer ὁ/ἡ/τό is still mostly a pronoun, and true 'the' is often left unexpressed.

**10** τῶν ἁμόθεν γε, θεά, θύγατερ Διός, εἰπὲ καὶ ἡμῖν.  
Of all this, goddess, daughter of Zeus, tell us too, from where you will.
> Aorist imperative: εἰπέ is the aorist imperative "tell!" — the poet's direct command to the Muse that frames the entire invocation.

**11** ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες, ὅσοι φύγον αἰπὺν
                  ὄλεθρον,  
Then all the others, as many as had escaped sheer destruction,

**12** οἴκοι ἔσαν, πόλεμόν τε πεφευγότες ἠδὲ θάλασσαν·  
were at home, having fled both the war and the sea;

**13** τὸν δʼ οἶον νόστου κεχρημένον ἠδὲ γυναικὸς  
him alone, longing for his return and for his wife,

**14** νύμφη πότνιʼ ἔρυκε Καλυψὼ δῖα θεάων  
the queenly nymph Calypso, bright among goddesses, kept back
> Partitive genitive: θεάων is a genitive plural, "of goddesses": Calypso is "bright among goddesses." Homeric genitives of this type single out one from a group.

**15** ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι.  
in her hollow caves, yearning that he be her husband.

**16** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἔτος ἦλθε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν,  
But when the year came, as the seasons wheeled around,

**17** τῷ οἱ ἐπεκλώσαντο θεοὶ οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι  
in which the gods had spun for him his return to his home,

**18** εἰς Ἰθάκην, οὐδʼ ἔνθα πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων  
to Ithaca — not even there was he free of trials

**19** καὶ μετὰ οἷσι φίλοισι. θεοὶ δʼ ἐλέαιρον ἅπαντες  
even among his own people. All the gods pitied him

**20** νόσφι Ποσειδάωνος· ὁ δʼ ἀσπερχὲς μενέαινεν  
except Poseidon; he raged unrelenting

**21** ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.  
at godlike Odysseus until he reached his own land.

**22** ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν Αἰθίοπας μετεκίαθε τηλόθʼ ἐόντας,  
But Poseidon had gone off to the Ethiopians, who dwell far away,

**23** Αἰθίοπας τοὶ διχθὰ δεδαίαται, ἔσχατοι ἀνδρῶν,  
the Ethiopians, who are split in two, the most remote of men:

**24** οἱ μὲν δυσομένου Ὑπερίονος οἱ δʼ ἀνιόντος,  
some where Hyperion sets, and some where he rises,

**25** ἀντιόων ταύρων τε καὶ ἀρνειῶν ἑκατόμβης.  
to receive a hecatomb of bulls and rams.

**26** ἔνθʼ ὅ γʼ ἐτέρπετο δαιτὶ παρήμενος· οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι  
There he sat at the feast and took his pleasure; but the other gods

**27** Ζηνὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν Ὀλυμπίου ἁθρόοι ἦσαν.  
were gathered together in the halls of Olympian Zeus.

**28** τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·  
Among them the father of men and gods began to speak;
> men-de / te...te pairing: The doubled τε...τε ("both...and") binds "men" and "gods" into a single formula, "father of men and gods," a standard epithet of Zeus.

**29** μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Αἰγίσθοιο,  
for in his heart he remembered noble Aegisthus,

**30** τόν ῥʼ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκτανʼ Ὀρέστης·  
whom the far-famed Orestes, son of Agamemnon, had killed;

**31** τοῦ ὅ γʼ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπεʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα·  
remembering him, he spoke out among the immortals:

**32** ὢ πόποι, οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται·  
"Ah, how mortals do blame the gods!
> aitiaomai: to blame: The verb means "to hold responsible, to accuse." Zeus's complaint—that men charge the gods for self-inflicted ruin—opens a key theme of the poem.

**33** ἐξ ἡμέων γάρ φασι κάκʼ ἔμμεναι, οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ  
They say evils come from us, yet they themselves

**34** σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἄλγεʼ ἔχουσιν,  
by their own follies have sorrows beyond their lot,
> "Beyond fate": ὑπὲρ μόρον means "beyond what is fated." Homer allows that men can bring suffering on themselves past their allotted measure, by their own recklessness.

**35** ὡς καὶ νῦν Αἴγισθος ὑπὲρ μόρον Ἀτρεΐδαο  
just as now Aegisthus, beyond his lot, took to wife

**36** γῆμʼ ἄλοχον μνηστήν, τὸν δʼ ἔκτανε νοστήσαντα,  
the wedded wife of Atreus' son, and killed him on his return,

**37** εἰδὼς αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον, ἐπεὶ πρό οἱ εἴπομεν ἡμεῖς,  
though he knew sheer ruin would come, since we had warned him first,

**38** Ἑρμείαν πέμψαντες, ἐύσκοπον ἀργεϊφόντην,  
sending Hermes, the keen-eyed slayer of Argus,
> Slayer of Argus: ἀργεϊφόντην is a fixed accusative epithet of Hermes, traditionally "slayer of Argus," the hundred-eyed guardian. Such epithets fill the metrical line.

**39** μήτʼ αὐτὸν κτείνειν μήτε μνάασθαι ἄκοιτιν·  
telling him neither to kill the man nor to court his wife;

**40** ἐκ γὰρ Ὀρέσταο τίσις ἔσσεται Ἀτρεΐδαο,  
for vengeance would come from Orestes for Atreus' son,

**41** ὁππότʼ ἂν ἡβήσῃ τε καὶ ἧς ἱμείρεται αἴης.  
once he came of age and longed for his own land.

**42** ὣς ἔφαθʼ Ἑρμείας, ἀλλʼ οὐ φρένας Αἰγίσθοιο  
So Hermes spoke, but for all his good intent he did not

**43** πεῖθʼ ἀγαθὰ φρονέων· νῦν δʼ ἁθρόα πάντʼ ἀπέτισεν.  
persuade the mind of Aegisthus; and now he has paid for it all at once."

**44** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:
> Bright-eyed Athena: γλαυκῶπις, "gleaming-eyed" or "owl-eyed," is Athena's standing epithet. Whole formulaic half-lines like this recur to introduce her speeches.

**45** ὦ πάτερ ἡμέτερε Κρονίδη, ὕπατε κρειόντων,  
"Our father, son of Kronos, highest of rulers,
> Vocative of address: πάτερ is the vocative case, the form used for direct address: "O father." Athena opens her appeal by naming Zeus directly.

**46** καὶ λίην κεῖνός γε ἐοικότι κεῖται ὀλέθρῳ·  
that man indeed lies in a death he richly deserved;

**47** ὡς ἀπόλοιτο καὶ ἄλλος, ὅτις τοιαῦτά γε ῥέζοι·  
so may any other perish who does such deeds!
> Optative of wish: ἀπόλοιτο is an optative expressing a wish: "may he perish." The optative is the regular mood for prayers and curses in Greek.

**48** ἀλλά μοι ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆι δαΐφρονι δαίεται ἦτορ,  
But my heart is torn for wise Odysseus,

**49** δυσμόρῳ, ὃς δὴ δηθὰ φίλων ἄπο πήματα πάσχει  
ill-fated man, who far from his friends has long suffered hardships

**50** νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ, ὅθι τʼ ὀμφαλός ἐστι θαλάσσης.  
on a sea-girt island, where the navel of the sea lies.

**51** νῆσος δενδρήεσσα, θεὰ δʼ ἐν δώματα ναίει,  
A wooded island, and a goddess dwells in its halls,

**52** Ἄτλαντος θυγάτηρ ὀλοόφρονος, ὅς τε θαλάσσης  
the daughter of baleful-minded Atlas, who knows

**53** πάσης βένθεα οἶδεν, ἔχει δέ τε κίονας αὐτὸς  
the depths of all the sea, and himself holds up the pillars,

**54** μακράς, αἳ γαῖάν τε καὶ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχουσιν.  
the great pillars that keep earth and heaven apart.

**55** τοῦ θυγάτηρ δύστηνον ὀδυρόμενον κατερύκει,  
His daughter holds back that wretched, grieving man,

**56** αἰεὶ δὲ μαλακοῖσι καὶ αἱμυλίοισι λόγοισιν  
and always with soft and coaxing words

**57** θέλγει, ὅπως Ἰθάκης ἐπιλήσεται· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεύς,  
she beguiles him, so that he forgets Ithaca; but Odysseus,
> thelgo: to enchant, beguile: θέλγω means to charm or bewitch, often with words or magic. It captures Calypso's seductive spellbinding power over Odysseus.

**58** ἱέμενος καὶ καπνὸν ἀποθρῴσκοντα νοῆσαι  
longing even to see the smoke rising up

**59** ἧς γαίης, θανέειν ἱμείρεται. οὐδέ νυ σοί περ  
from his own land, yearns to die. And yet your

**60** ἐντρέπεται φίλον ἦτορ, Ὀλύμπιε. οὔ νύ τʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
heart is unmoved, Olympian one. Did Odysseus not

**61** Ἀργείων παρὰ νηυσὶ χαρίζετο ἱερὰ ῥέζων  
win your favor with sacrifices beside the Argive ships

**62** Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ; τί νύ οἱ τόσον ὠδύσαο, Ζεῦ;  
in broad Troy? Why then are you so angry with him, Zeus?"
> A pun on Odysseus' name: The verb ὀδύσσομαι ("to be angry, to bear a grudge") echoes the name Ὀδυσσεύς. Homer plays on the hero's name as "the man of wrath / the one others rage at."

**63** τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·  
Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her:
> Cloud-gatherer: νεφεληγερέτα is Zeus's standing epithet, "gatherer of clouds." Though the ending looks feminine, it is a masculine Homeric formula.

**64** τέκνον ἐμόν, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.  
"My child, what a word has escaped the barrier of your teeth!
> "The barrier of the teeth": ἕρκος ὀδόντων, "the fence of the teeth," is a vivid Homeric formula for the mouth: words slip past the teeth as past a gate.
> The lost digamma (ϝέπος): «ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν» — «ἔπος» ('word') was once «ϝέπος», with initial digamma (w). Though unwritten, its ghost blocks the expected elision, leaving the hiatus «σε ἔπος» instead of «σ' ἔπος» — and the line scans once you restore the w.

**65** πῶς ἂν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐγὼ θείοιο λαθοίμην,  
How could I ever forget godlike Odysseus,

**66** ὃς περὶ μὲν νόον ἐστὶ βροτῶν, περὶ δʼ ἱρὰ θεοῖσιν  
who is beyond all mortals in mind, and beyond all in offerings

**67** ἀθανάτοισιν ἔδωκε, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν;  
he gave to the immortal gods who hold the broad heaven?

**68** ἀλλὰ Ποσειδάων γαιήοχος ἀσκελὲς αἰεὶ  
But Poseidon, holder of the earth, is forever
> Earth-holder Poseidon: γαιήοχος (earth-holder / earth-embracer) is Poseidon's fixed epithet, marking him as the god who encircles or sustains the earth. The distinct epithet ἐνοσίχθων (earth-shaker) describes his seismic power and appears at line 74.

**69** Κύκλωπος κεχόλωται, ὃν ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀλάωσεν,  
stubbornly enraged over the Cyclops, whose eye he blinded —

**70** ἀντίθεον Πολύφημον, ὅου κράτος ἐστὶ μέγιστον  
godlike Polyphemus, whose strength is greatest

**71** πᾶσιν Κυκλώπεσσι· Θόωσα δέ μιν τέκε νύμφη,  
of all the Cyclopes; the nymph Thoosa bore him,

**72** Φόρκυνος θυγάτηρ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο μέδοντος,  
daughter of Phorcys, lord of the barren sea,

**73** ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι Ποσειδάωνι μιγεῖσα.  
after she lay with Poseidon in the hollow caves.
> Aorist passive participle: μιγεῖσα is an aorist passive participle ("having been joined / having lain with"), a euphemism for sexual union. It agrees with Thoosa.

**74** ἐκ τοῦ δὴ Ὀδυσῆα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων  
Because of this, Poseidon the earth-shaker

**75** οὔ τι κατακτείνει, πλάζει δʼ ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης.  
does not kill Odysseus outright, but drives him from his fatherland.

**76** ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ἡμεῖς οἵδε περιφραζώμεθα πάντες  
But come, let us all here take thought together
> Hortatory subjunctive: περιφραζώμεθα is a first-person plural subjunctive in the middle voice: "let us deliberate together." This is the standard way Greek says "let us..."

**77** νόστον, ὅπως ἔλθῃσι· Ποσειδάων δὲ μεθήσει  
of his return, how he may come home; and Poseidon will let go

**78** ὃν χόλον· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι δυνήσεται ἀντία πάντων  
his anger, for he can in no way, against all

**79** ἀθανάτων ἀέκητι θεῶν ἐριδαινέμεν οἶος.  
the immortal gods, strive on alone against their will."

**80** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, bright-eyed Athena, answered him:

**81** ὦ πάτερ ἡμέτερε Κρονίδη, ὕπατε κρειόντων,  
"Our father, son of Kronos, highest of rulers,

**82** εἰ μὲν δὴ νῦν τοῦτο φίλον μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν,  
if indeed this is now the pleasure of the blessed gods,

**83** νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε,  
that wise Odysseus return to his own home,

**84** Ἑρμείαν μὲν ἔπειτα διάκτορον ἀργεϊφόντην  
then let us send Hermes the guide, slayer of Argus,

**85** νῆσον ἐς Ὠγυγίην ὀτρύνομεν, ὄφρα τάχιστα  
to the island of Ogygia, so that with all speed
> Purpose clause: ὄφρα introduces a purpose clause ("so that"), here with τάχιστα, "as quickly as possible." Athena lays out her plan in linked purpose clauses.

**86** νύμφῃ ἐυπλοκάμῳ εἴπῃ νημερτέα βουλήν,  
he may tell the fair-haired nymph our unerring decree,

**87** νόστον Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὥς κε νέηται·  
the homecoming of steadfast Odysseus, that he may return.

**88** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν Ἰθάκηνδʼ ἐσελεύσομαι, ὄφρα οἱ υἱὸν  
And I myself will go to Ithaca, so that his son

**89** μᾶλλον ἐποτρύνω καί οἱ μένος ἐν φρεσὶ θείω,  
I may rouse the more, and put courage in his heart,

**90** εἰς ἀγορὴν καλέσαντα κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς  
to call the long-haired Achaeans into assembly
> Long-haired Achaeans: "Long-haired Achaeans" is a recurring epithet-formula for the Greeks, marking warrior status. The hair was a sign of free-born nobility.

**91** πᾶσι μνηστήρεσσιν ἀπειπέμεν, οἵ τέ οἱ αἰεὶ  
and to renounce all the suitors, who keep on

**92** μῆλʼ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς.  
slaughtering his thronging sheep and his shambling, twist-horned cattle.

**93** πέμψω δʼ ἐς Σπάρτην τε καὶ ἐς Πύλον ἠμαθόεντα  
And I will send him to Sparta and to sandy Pylos

**94** νόστον πευσόμενον πατρὸς φίλου, ἤν που ἀκούσῃ,  
to learn of his dear father's return, if he may hear of it,

**95** ἠδʼ ἵνα μιν κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔχῃσιν.  
and so that noble fame may be his among men."
> kleos: glory, fame: κλέος is the renown won through great deeds and preserved in song—the hero's path to a kind of immortality. Here Telemachus is to earn his own.

**96** ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,  
So saying, she bound beneath her feet her lovely sandals,

**97** ἀμβρόσια χρύσεια, τά μιν φέρον ἠμὲν ἐφʼ ὑγρὴν  
immortal, golden, which bore her over the water

**98** ἠδʼ ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν ἅμα πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο·  
and over the boundless earth with the breath of the wind.

**99** εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ἀκαχμένον ὀξέι χαλκῷ,  
She took her strong spear, tipped with sharp bronze,

**100** βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν, τῷ δάμνησι στίχας ἀνδρῶν  
heavy, huge, and stout, with which she subdues the ranks of men,

**101** ἡρώων, τοῖσίν τε κοτέσσεται ὀβριμοπάτρη.  
of heroes against whom she, daughter of a mighty father, is angered.
> "Of a mighty father": ὀβριμοπάτρη is an epithet of Athena, "daughter of a strong father" (Zeus). The compound packs a whole relationship into one word.

**102** βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀίξασα,  
She went darting down from the peaks of Olympus,

**103** στῆ δʼ Ἰθάκης ἐνὶ δήμῳ ἐπὶ προθύροις Ὀδυσῆος,  
and stood in the land of Ithaca, at the gates of Odysseus,

**104** οὐδοῦ ἐπʼ αὐλείου· παλάμῃ δʼ ἔχε χάλκεον ἔγχος,  
on the threshold of the court; in her hand she held the bronze spear,

**105** εἰδομένη ξείνῳ, Ταφίων ἡγήτορι Μέντῃ.  
in the likeness of a stranger, Mentes, leader of the Taphians.
> Participle of disguise: εἰδομένη is a middle participle, "making herself look like." Athena's habit of taking mortal disguise is conveyed by this recurring participle.

**106** εὗρε δʼ ἄρα μνηστῆρας ἀγήνορας. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα  
There she found the proud suitors. They at that moment

**107** πεσσοῖσι προπάροιθε θυράων θυμὸν ἔτερπον  
were delighting their hearts with draughts before the doors,

**108** ἥμενοι ἐν ῥινοῖσι βοῶν, οὓς ἔκτανον αὐτοί·  
sitting on the hides of the oxen they themselves had slaughtered;

**109** κήρυκες δʼ αὐτοῖσι καὶ ὀτρηροὶ θεράποντες  
and the heralds and busy attendants were with them,

**110** οἱ μὲν οἶνον ἔμισγον ἐνὶ κρητῆρσι καὶ ὕδωρ,  
some mixing wine and water in the bowls,

**111** οἱ δʼ αὖτε σπόγγοισι πολυτρήτοισι τραπέζας  
while others with porous sponges wiped down the tables

**112** νίζον καὶ πρότιθεν, τοὶ δὲ κρέα πολλὰ δατεῦντο.  
and set them out, and still others carved many portions of meat.

**113** τὴν δὲ πολὺ πρῶτος ἴδε Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής,  
Godlike Telemachus was by far the first to see her,
> "godlike" Telemachus: A standard formulaic epithet, literally "godlike in form." Homer applies such fixed descriptors to many heroes regardless of context.

**114** ἧστο γὰρ ἐν μνηστῆρσι φίλον τετιημένος ἦτορ,  
for he sat among the suitors with his heart grieved,

**115** ὀσσόμενος πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν  
imagining his noble father in his mind, in case from somewhere he might come

**116** μνηστήρων τῶν μὲν σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείη,  
and scatter the suitors throughout the halls,

**117** τιμὴν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχοι καὶ δώμασιν οἷσιν ἀνάσσοι.  
and hold the honor himself and be lord over his own house.
> Optatives of wish: Both verbs are present optatives expressing the content of Telemachus' hoped-for scenario. The optative often marks unreal or merely imagined situations in Homer.

**118** τὰ φρονέων, μνηστῆρσι μεθήμενος, εἴσιδʼ Ἀθήνην.  
Thinking of these things, sitting among the suitors, he caught sight of Athena.

**119** βῆ δʼ ἰθὺς προθύροιο, νεμεσσήθη δʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
He went straight to the doorway, indignant in his heart

**120** ξεῖνον δηθὰ θύρῃσιν ἐφεστάμεν· ἐγγύθι δὲ στὰς  
that a stranger should stand long at the doors; and standing near her

**121** χεῖρʼ ἕλε δεξιτερὴν καὶ ἐδέξατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,  
he took her right hand and received the bronze spear,

**122** καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and speaking to her he addressed her with winged words:
> "winged words": One of Homer's most famous formulas, introducing direct speech. The image is of words flying swiftly from speaker to listener.

**123** χαῖρε, ξεῖνε, παρʼ ἄμμι φιλήσεαι· αὐτὰρ
                     ἔπειτα  
"Welcome, stranger; you will be treated kindly among us; and then later,

**124** δείπνου πασσάμενος μυθήσεαι ὅττεό σε χρή.  
once you have tasted dinner, you shall tell us what you need."

**125** ὣς εἰπὼν ἡγεῖθʼ, ἡ δʼ ἕσπετο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.  
So saying he led the way, and Pallas Athena followed.

**126** οἱ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἔντοσθεν ἔσαν δόμου ὑψηλοῖο,  
And when they were inside the lofty house,

**127** ἔγχος μέν ῥʼ ἔστησε φέρων πρὸς κίονα μακρὴν  
he carried the spear and set it against a tall pillar,

**128** δουροδόκης ἔντοσθεν ἐυξόου, ἔνθα περ ἄλλα  
inside the well-polished spear-rack, where also many other

**129** ἔγχεʼ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἵστατο πολλά,  
spears of enduring-hearted Odysseus were standing,
> "enduring-hearted" Odysseus: A recurring epithet of Odysseus, marking his capacity to endure hardship. Homer's epithets characterize a hero with a single fixed trait across the poem.

**130** αὐτὴν δʼ ἐς θρόνον εἷσεν ἄγων, ὑπὸ λῖτα πετάσσας,  
and he led her to a chair and seated her, spreading a linen cloth beneath,

**131** καλὸν δαιδάλεον· ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν.  
a fine and finely-wrought one; and there was a footstool under her feet.

**132** πὰρ δʼ αὐτὸς κλισμὸν θέτο ποικίλον, ἔκτοθεν ἄλλων  
Beside it he set for himself an inlaid seat, apart from the others,

**133** μνηστήρων, μὴ ξεῖνος ἀνιηθεὶς ὀρυμαγδῷ  
from the suitors, so that the stranger, troubled by the uproar,

**134** δείπνῳ ἁδήσειεν, ὑπερφιάλοισι μετελθών,  
should not be put off his food, falling among arrogant men,

**135** ἠδʼ ἵνα μιν περὶ πατρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο ἔροιτο.  
and so that he might ask him about his absent father.

**136** χέρνιβα δʼ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα  
A maidservant brought water and poured it from a pitcher

**137** καλῇ χρυσείῃ, ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,  
of fine gold, over a silver basin,

**138** νίψασθαι· παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.  
for washing; and she drew up a polished table beside them.

**139** σῖτον δʼ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,  
A respected housekeeper brought bread and set it out,

**140** εἴδατα πόλλʼ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων·  
laying on many dishes, freely giving from her stores;

**141** δαιτρὸς δὲ κρειῶν πίνακας παρέθηκεν ἀείρας  
and a carver lifted and set before them platters of meat

**142** παντοίων, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει χρύσεια κύπελλα·  
of every kind, and set golden cups beside them;

**143** κῆρυξ δʼ αὐτοῖσιν θάμʼ ἐπῴχετο οἰνοχοεύων.  
and a herald came round to them again and again, pouring the wine.

**144** ἐς δʼ ἦλθον μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα  
Then the lordly suitors came in. They then

**145** ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,  
sat down in order on the seats and chairs,

**146** τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,  
and heralds poured water over their hands,

**147** σῖτον δὲ δμῳαὶ παρενήνεον ἐν κανέοισιν,  
and serving-women heaped up bread in baskets,

**148** κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο.  
and young men filled the mixing-bowls to the brim with drink.

**149** οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.  
And they reached out their hands to the good things laid ready before them.

**150** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο  
But when they had put away their desire for drink and food,

**151** μνηστῆρες, τοῖσιν μὲν ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἄλλα μεμήλει,  
the suitors, other things were on their minds,

**152** μολπή τʼ ὀρχηστύς τε· τὰ γάρ τʼ ἀναθήματα δαιτός·  
song and dancing; for these are the ornaments of a feast.

**153** κῆρυξ δʼ ἐν χερσὶν κίθαριν περικαλλέα θῆκεν  
A herald placed a beautiful lyre in the hands

**154** Φημίῳ, ὅς ῥʼ ἤειδε παρὰ μνηστῆρσιν ἀνάγκῃ.  
of Phemius, who sang among the suitors under compulsion.

**155** ἦ τοι ὁ φορμίζων ἀνεβάλλετο καλὸν ἀείδειν.  
He struck up on the lyre and began to sing a fine song.

**156** αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος προσέφη γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην,  
But Telemachus spoke to gray-eyed Athena,
> "gray-eyed" Athena: The fixed epithet of Athena, variously rendered "gray-eyed" or "bright-eyed." The root suggests a piercing, gleaming gaze associated with the goddess.

**157** ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθʼ οἱ ἄλλοι·  
holding his head close, so that the others would not hear:

**158** ξεῖνε φίλʼ, ἦ καί μοι νεμεσήσεαι ὅττι κεν εἴπω;  
"Dear stranger, will you be angry with me at what I am about to say?

**159** τούτοισιν μὲν ταῦτα μέλει, κίθαρις καὶ ἀοιδή,  
These men care only for such things, the lyre and song,

**160** ῥεῖʼ, ἐπεὶ ἀλλότριον βίοτον νήποινον ἔδουσιν,  
easily, since they devour another man's livelihood unpunished,

**161** ἀνέρος, οὗ δή που λεύκʼ ὀστέα πύθεται ὄμβρῳ  
a man whose white bones, I suppose, are rotting in the rain

**162** κείμενʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου, ἢ εἰν ἁλὶ κῦμα κυλίνδει.  
lying somewhere on the mainland, or the wave rolls them in the sea.

**163** εἰ κεῖνόν γʼ Ἰθάκηνδε ἰδοίατο νοστήσαντα,  
If they were to see him returned to Ithaca,

**164** πάντες κʼ ἀρησαίατʼ ἐλαφρότεροι πόδας εἶναι  
they would all pray to be swifter of foot
> Optative with the particle κε: The optative with κε (ἄν) expresses a hypothetical result: "they would pray." Homer often spells this third-plural middle ending -αίατο instead of later -αιντο.

**165** ἢ ἀφνειότεροι χρυσοῖό τε ἐσθῆτός τε.  
rather than richer in gold and clothing.

**166** νῦν δʼ ὁ μὲν ὣς ἀπόλωλε κακὸν μόρον, οὐδέ τις ἡμῖν  
But now he has perished by an evil fate, nor is there for us

**167** θαλπωρή, εἴ πέρ τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων  
any comfort, even if some one of the men upon the earth

**168** φῇσιν ἐλεύσεσθαι· τοῦ δʼ ὤλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ.  
should say he will come; gone is the day of his return.
> "day of homecoming": A recurring phrase meaning the day of safe return home. To lose one's "homecoming day" is to die or be lost abroad.

**169** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·  
But come, tell me this and recount it truly:

**170** τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες;  
who are you among men, and from where? Where is your city and your parents?

**171** ὁπποίης τʼ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἀφίκεο· πῶς δέ σε ναῦται  
On what kind of ship did you come? How did the sailors

**172** ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο;  
bring you to Ithaca? Who did they claim to be?

**173** οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σε πεζὸν ὀίομαι ἐνθάδʼ ἱκέσθαι.  
For I do not think you came here on foot.

**174** καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐὺ εἰδῶ,  
And tell me this truly, so that I may know it well:

**175** ἠὲ νέον μεθέπεις ἦ καὶ πατρώιός ἐσσι  
are you a newcomer, or are you a guest-friend of my father's

**176** ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολλοὶ ἴσαν ἀνέρες ἡμέτερον δῶ  
from old? Since many other men used to come to our house

**177** ἄλλοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνος ἐπίστροφος ἦν ἀνθρώπων.  
as well, for he too was a man much given to visiting people."

**178** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, gray-eyed Athena, addressed him in turn:

**179** τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.  
"Well then, I will tell you these things quite truly.

**180** Μέντης Ἀγχιάλοιο δαΐφρονος εὔχομαι εἶναι  
I declare that I am Mentes, son of wise Anchialus,

**181** υἱός, ἀτὰρ Ταφίοισι φιληρέτμοισιν ἀνάσσω.  
and I rule over the oar-loving Taphians.

**182** νῦν δʼ ὧδε ξὺν νηὶ κατήλυθον ἠδʼ ἑτάροισιν  
Now I have put in here with my ship and crew,

**183** πλέων ἐπὶ οἴνοπα πόντον ἐπʼ ἀλλοθρόους ἀνθρώπους,  
sailing over the wine-dark sea to men of foreign speech,
> "wine-dark sea": A celebrated Homeric formula, literally "wine-faced sea." It evokes the deep, dark color of the open water rather than any taste.

**184** ἐς Τεμέσην μετὰ χαλκόν, ἄγω δʼ αἴθωνα σίδηρον.  
to Temesa for copper, and I carry gleaming iron.

**185** νηῦς δέ μοι ἥδʼ ἕστηκεν ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ νόσφι πόληος,  
My ship stands there in the countryside, away from the city,

**186** ἐν λιμένι Ῥείθρῳ ὑπὸ Νηίῳ ὑλήεντι.  
in the harbor of Rheithron, below wooded Neion.

**187** ξεῖνοι δʼ ἀλλήλων πατρώιοι εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι  
We declare ourselves to be guest-friends of each other through our fathers,

**188** ἐξ ἀρχῆς, εἴ πέρ τε γέροντʼ εἴρηαι ἐπελθὼν  
from of old, if you go and ask the old man

**189** Λαέρτην ἥρωα, τὸν οὐκέτι φασὶ πόλινδε  
Laertes the hero, who they say no longer comes to town,

**190** ἔρχεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀπάνευθεν ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ πήματα πάσχειν  
but suffers hardships apart, off in the countryside,

**191** γρηὶ σὺν ἀμφιπόλῳ, ἥ οἱ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε  
with an old serving-woman, who sets food and drink

**192** παρτιθεῖ, εὖτʼ ἄν μιν κάματος κατὰ γυῖα λάβῃσιν  
beside him, whenever weariness takes hold of his limbs

**193** ἑρπύζοντʼ ἀνὰ γουνὸν ἀλωῆς οἰνοπέδοιο.  
as he creeps along the ridge of his vineyard plot.

**194** νῦν δʼ ἦλθον· δὴ γάρ μιν ἔφαντʼ ἐπιδήμιον εἶναι,  
Now I have come; for they said that he was home,

**195** σὸν πατέρʼ· ἀλλά νυ τόν γε θεοὶ βλάπτουσι κελεύθου.  
your father; but the gods, it seems, are blocking his way.

**196** οὐ γάρ πω τέθνηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,  
For godlike Odysseus has not yet died upon the earth,

**197** ἀλλʼ ἔτι που ζωὸς κατερύκεται εὐρέι πόντῳ  
but somewhere, still alive, he is held back on the wide sea

**198** νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ, χαλεποὶ δέ μιν ἄνδρες ἔχουσιν  
on a sea-girt island, and harsh men hold him,

**199** ἄγριοι, οἵ που κεῖνον ἐρυκανόωσʼ ἀέκοντα.  
savages, who keep him there, I suppose, against his will.

**200** αὐτὰρ νῦν τοι ἐγὼ μαντεύσομαι, ὡς ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
But now I will prophesy to you, as the immortals

**201** ἀθάνατοι βάλλουσι καὶ ὡς τελέεσθαι ὀίω,  
cast it into my heart, and as I think it will come to pass,

**202** οὔτε τι μάντις ἐὼν οὔτʼ οἰωνῶν σάφα εἰδώς.  
though I am no seer, nor one who reads bird-omens clearly.

**203** οὔ τοι ἔτι δηρόν γε φίλης ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης  
He will not long be away from his dear homeland

**204** ἔσσεται, οὐδʼ εἴ πέρ τε σιδήρεα δέσματʼ ἔχῃσιν·  
now, not even if bonds of iron hold him;

**205** φράσσεται ὥς κε νέηται, ἐπεὶ πολυμήχανός ἐστιν.  
he will devise a way to return, since he is full of resource.
> "of many devices": A signature epithet of Odysseus, praising his resourcefulness and cunning. The same quality drives the whole plot of his homecoming.

**206** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,  
But come, tell me this and recount it truly:

**207** εἰ δὴ ἐξ αὐτοῖο τόσος πάϊς εἰς Ὀδυσῆος.  
are you really, big as you are, the very son of Odysseus?

**208** αἰνῶς μὲν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὄμματα καλὰ ἔοικας  
Astonishingly, in your head and fine eyes, you resemble

**209** κείνῳ, ἐπεὶ θαμὰ τοῖον ἐμισγόμεθʼ ἀλλήλοισιν,  
that man, since we used to meet often with each other,

**210** πρίν γε τὸν ἐς Τροίην ἀναβήμεναι, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι  
before he went up to Troy, where the others as well,

**211** Ἀργείων οἱ ἄριστοι ἔβαν κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσίν·  
the best of the Argives, went in their hollow ships.

**212** ἐκ τοῦ δʼ οὔτʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἐγὼν ἴδον οὔτʼ ἔμʼ ἐκεῖνος.  
Since then I have not seen Odysseus, nor he me."

**213** τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then thoughtful Telemachus answered her in turn:
> "thoughtful" Telemachus: A recurring epithet of Telemachus, marking his prudence and good sense. It is a perfect participle used adjectivally, "having understanding."

**214** τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε, μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.  
"Well then, stranger, I will tell you quite truly.

**215** μήτηρ μέν τέ μέ φησι τοῦ ἔμμεναι, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε  
My mother says that I am his son, but I myself

**216** οὐκ οἶδʼ· οὐ γάρ πώ τις ἑὸν γόνον αὐτὸς ἀνέγνω.  
do not know; for no one yet has known his own begetting on his own.

**217** ὡς δὴ ἐγώ γʼ ὄφελον μάκαρός νύ τευ ἔμμεναι υἱὸς  
How I wish I were the son of some fortunate man
> Unattainable wish: ὤφελον ("ought to have") with an infinitive expresses a wish for what is impossible: "would that I were." It conveys Telemachus' bitter longing for a different parentage.

**218** ἀνέρος, ὃν κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖς ἔπι γῆρας ἔτετμε.  
whom old age overtook among his own possessions.

**219** νῦν δʼ ὃς ἀποτμότατος γένετο θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων,  
But now, of the man who was born most ill-fated of mortals,

**220** τοῦ μʼ ἔκ φασι γενέσθαι, ἐπεὶ σύ με τοῦτʼ ἐρεείνεις.  
of him they say I was born, since you ask me this."

**221** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, gray-eyed Athena, spoke to him again:
> Epithet of Athena: The recurring formula 'gray-eyed Athena' (γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη) is a fixed epithet that fills the line's end. Such standing epithets are a hallmark of oral hexameter composition.

**222** οὐ μέν τοι γενεήν γε θεοὶ νώνυμνον ὀπίσσω  
"Surely the gods have not made your line nameless for time to come,

**223** θῆκαν, ἐπεὶ σέ γε τοῖον ἐγείνατο Πηνελόπεια.  
since Penelope bore a son like you.

**224** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·  
But come, tell me this and recount it truly:
> Imperatives in a formula: Both verbs are aorist imperatives, the standard request-formula 'tell me and recount.' The aorist here gives a simple, decisive command rather than ongoing action.

**225** τίς δαίς, τίς δὲ ὅμιλος ὅδʼ ἔπλετο; τίπτε δέ σε χρεώ;  
what feast is this, what gathering? What need brought it on you?

**226** εἰλαπίνη ἠὲ γάμος; ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔρανος τάδε γʼ ἐστίν·  
A banquet or a wedding? For this is no shared-cost meal,

**227** ὥς τέ μοι ὑβρίζοντες ὑπερφιάλως δοκέουσι  
the way they seem to me to be feasting with outrageous insolence

**228** δαίνυσθαι κατὰ δῶμα. νεμεσσήσαιτό κεν ἀνὴρ  
through the house. A man would be filled with indignation

**229** αἴσχεα πόλλʼ ὁρόων, ὅς τις πινυτός γε μετέλθοι.  
to see so many shameful things, anyone of sense who came among them."

**230** τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then thoughtful Telemachus answered her in turn:
> 'Thoughtful' Telemachus: πεπνυμένος is a perfect participle used as a fixed epithet, 'sound-minded, prudent.' The perfect denotes a settled state—Telemachus is characterized as one possessed of good sense.

**231** ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ ἂρ δὴ ταῦτά μʼ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς,  
"Stranger, since indeed you ask me this and inquire,

**232** μέλλεν μέν ποτε οἶκος ὅδʼ ἀφνειὸς καὶ ἀμύμων  
this house was once likely to be rich and blameless,

**233** ἔμμεναι, ὄφρʼ ἔτι κεῖνος ἀνὴρ ἐπιδήμιος ἦεν·  
as long as that man was still here among his people;

**234** νῦν δʼ ἑτέρως ἐβόλοντο θεοὶ κακὰ μητιόωντες,  
but now the gods have willed otherwise, plotting evil,

**235** οἳ κεῖνον μὲν ἄιστον ἐποίησαν περὶ πάντων  
they who have made him vanished beyond all

**236** ἀνθρώπων, ἐπεὶ οὔ κε θανόντι περ ὧδʼ ἀκαχοίμην,  
men, since I would not grieve so for him even dead,

**237** εἰ μετὰ οἷς ἑτάροισι δάμη Τρώων ἐνὶ δήμῳ,  
if he had gone down among his comrades in the land of the Trojans,
> Aorist passive 'was brought down': δάμη is a root aorist passive of δάμνημι, 'he was subdued/slain.' The passive frames death as something suffered at others' hands in battle.

**238** ἠὲ φίλων ἐν χερσίν, ἐπεὶ πόλεμον τολύπευσεν.  
or in the arms of his friends, once he had wound up the war.

**239** τῷ κέν οἱ τύμβον μὲν ἐποίησαν Παναχαιοί,  
Then all the Achaeans would have made a tomb for him,

**240** ἠδέ κε καὶ ᾧ παιδὶ μέγα κλέος ἤρατʼ ὀπίσσω.  
and he would have won great glory for his son in days to come.

**241** νῦν δέ μιν ἀκλειῶς ἅρπυιαι ἀνηρείψαντο·  
But now the storm-winds have snatched him away inglorious;
> The snatching winds: The Harpies (ἅρπυιαι) are 'snatchers,' here standing for the storm-winds that carry a man off without a trace. The image is of disappearance, not a marked death.

**242** οἴχετʼ ἄιστος ἄπυστος, ἐμοὶ δʼ ὀδύνας τε γόους τε  
he is gone, unseen and unheard of, and to me he has left

**243** κάλλιπεν. οὐδέ τι κεῖνον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω  
pain and lamentation. Nor do I groan grieving for him

**244** οἶον, ἐπεί νύ μοι ἄλλα θεοὶ κακὰ κήδεʼ ἔτευξαν.  
alone, since now the gods have made me other evil cares.

**245** ὅσσοι γὰρ νήσοισιν ἐπικρατέουσιν ἄριστοι,  
For all the nobles who hold sway over the islands,

**246** Δουλιχίῳ τε Σάμῃ τε καὶ ὑλήεντι Ζακύνθῳ,  
over Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus,

**247** ἠδʼ ὅσσοι κραναὴν Ἰθάκην κάτα κοιρανέουσιν,  
and all who lord it over rugged Ithaca,

**248** τόσσοι μητέρʼ ἐμὴν μνῶνται, τρύχουσι δὲ οἶκον.  
all these are courting my mother and wearing down the house.
> Present tense of ongoing harm: Both verbs are present indicative, marking the suitors' wooing and ruining of the household as continuous, ongoing action—a wrong still in progress.

**249** ἡ δʼ οὔτʼ ἀρνεῖται στυγερὸν γάμον οὔτε τελευτὴν  
And she neither refuses the hateful marriage nor is able

**250** ποιῆσαι δύναται· τοὶ δὲ φθινύθουσιν ἔδοντες  
to make an end of it; and they keep wasting away by their eating

**251** οἶκον ἐμόν· τάχα δή με διαρραίσουσι καὶ αὐτόν.  
my house; soon they will tear me apart as well."

**252** τὸν δʼ ἐπαλαστήσασα προσηύδα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη·  
Then in deep anger Pallas Athena spoke to him:

**253** ὢ πόποι, ἦ δὴ πολλὸν ἀποιχομένου Ὀδυσῆος  
"Alas, truly you greatly need Odysseus, gone so long,

**254** δεύῃ, ὅ κε μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφείη.  
to lay his hands upon these shameless suitors.

**255** εἰ γὰρ νῦν ἐλθὼν δόμου ἐν πρώτῃσι θύρῃσι  
If only he would come now and stand at the outer gate of the house

**256** σταίη, ἔχων πήληκα καὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ δύο δοῦρε,  
with helmet and shield and two spears,
> Dual: 'two spears': δοῦρε is the dual form of δόρυ, used for natural pairs and small sets of two. Homeric Greek keeps the dual alive alongside the plural.

**257** τοῖος ἐὼν οἷόν μιν ἐγὼ τὰ πρῶτʼ ἐνόησα  
such as he was when I first saw him,

**258** οἴκῳ ἐν ἡμετέρῳ πίνοντά τε τερπόμενόν τε,  
drinking and making merry in our house,

**259** ἐξ Ἐφύρης ἀνιόντα παρʼ Ἴλου Μερμερίδαο—  
on his way back from Ephyra, from Ilus son of Mermerus—

**260** ᾤχετο γὰρ καὶ κεῖσε θοῆς ἐπὶ νηὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς  
for Odysseus had gone there too on his swift ship

**261** φάρμακον ἀνδροφόνον διζήμενος, ὄφρα οἱ εἴη  
seeking a man-killing poison, so that he might have it

**262** ἰοὺς χρίεσθαι χαλκήρεας· ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν οὔ οἱ  
to smear on his bronze-tipped arrows; but the man would not

**263** δῶκεν, ἐπεί ῥα θεοὺς νεμεσίζετο αἰὲν ἐόντας,  
give it to him, for he held the everlasting gods in awe,

**264** ἀλλὰ πατήρ οἱ δῶκεν ἐμός· φιλέεσκε γὰρ αἰνῶς—  
but my father gave it to him, for he loved him dearly—
> Iterative imperfect: φιλέεσκε is an imperfect with the -σκ- iterative suffix, 'he used to love / kept loving.' Homer uses this form for habitual or repeated past action.

**265** τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς·  
such as he was then, may Odysseus come among the suitors:

**266** πάντες κʼ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε.  
they would all meet a swift death and a bitter wedding.
> 'Bitter-wedded': πικρόγαμοι is a coined compound, 'bitterly married.' The grim pun turns the suitors' would-be wedding into their doom.

**267** ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται,  
But truly these things lie on the knees of the gods,

**268** ἤ κεν νοστήσας ἀποτίσεται, ἦε καὶ οὐκί,  
whether he will come home and take revenge, or not,

**269** οἷσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι· σὲ δὲ φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα,  
in his own halls; but I bid you take thought,

**270** ὅππως κε μνηστῆρας ἀπώσεαι ἐκ μεγάροιο.  
how you may drive the suitors from the hall.

**271** εἰ δʼ ἄγε νῦν ξυνίει καὶ ἐμῶν ἐμπάζεο μύθων·  
Come now, listen and heed my words:

**272** αὔριον εἰς ἀγορὴν καλέσας ἥρωας Ἀχαιοὺς  
tomorrow call the Achaean heroes to assembly

**273** μῦθον πέφραδε πᾶσι, θεοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ μάρτυροι ἔστων.  
and speak your case to all, and let the gods be your witnesses.
> Third-person imperative: ἔστων is a third-person plural imperative, 'let them be.' Greek can command third parties directly: 'let the gods be witnesses.'

**274** μνηστῆρας μὲν ἐπὶ σφέτερα σκίδνασθαι ἄνωχθι,  
Order the suitors to scatter, each to his own;

**275** μητέρα δʼ, εἴ οἱ θυμὸς ἐφορμᾶται γαμέεσθαι,  
and your mother, if her heart urges her to marry,

**276** ἂψ ἴτω ἐς μέγαρον πατρὸς μέγα δυναμένοιο·  
let her go back to the hall of her mighty father;

**277** οἱ δὲ γάμον τεύξουσι καὶ ἀρτυνέουσιν ἔεδνα  
and they will arrange the wedding and prepare the bride-gifts,

**278** πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσα ἔοικε φίλης ἐπὶ παιδὸς ἕπεσθαι.  
very many, as is fitting to follow a beloved daughter.

**279** σοὶ δʼ αὐτῷ πυκινῶς ὑποθήσομαι, αἴ κε πίθηαι·  
And to you yourself I will give shrewd counsel, if you will heed it:

**280** νῆʼ ἄρσας ἐρέτῃσιν ἐείκοσιν, ἥ τις ἀρίστη,  
fit out a ship with twenty oarsmen, the best there is,

**281** ἔρχεο πευσόμενος πατρὸς δὴν οἰχομένοιο,  
and go to learn of your father, gone so long,

**282** ἤν τίς τοι εἴπῃσι βροτῶν, ἢ ὄσσαν ἀκούσῃς  
in case some mortal tells you, or you hear a rumor

**283** ἐκ Διός, ἥ τε μάλιστα φέρει κλέος ἀνθρώποισι.  
from Zeus, which above all brings fame to men.

**284** πρῶτα μὲν ἐς Πύλον ἐλθὲ καὶ εἴρεο Νέστορα δῖον,  
First go to Pylos and ask noble Nestor,

**285** κεῖθεν δὲ Σπάρτηνδε παρὰ ξανθὸν Μενέλαον·  
and from there to Sparta, to fair-haired Menelaus;
> 'Fair-haired Menelaus': ξανθόν, 'tawny, blond,' is the standing epithet of Menelaus, agreeing in the accusative with his name. Such name-plus-epithet pairs are formulaic building blocks of the verse.

**286** ὃς γὰρ δεύτατος ἦλθεν Ἀχαιῶν χαλκοχιτώνων.  
for he came home last of the bronze-clad Achaeans.

**287** εἰ μέν κεν πατρὸς βίοτον καὶ νόστον ἀκούσῃς,  
If you hear that your father lives and is coming home,

**288** ἦ τʼ ἂν τρυχόμενός περ ἔτι τλαίης ἐνιαυτόν·  
then, worn down though you are, you could hold out a year more;

**289** εἰ δέ κε τεθνηῶτος ἀκούσῃς μηδʼ ἔτʼ ἐόντος,  
but if you hear he is dead and no longer alive,

**290** νοστήσας δὴ ἔπειτα φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν  
then return to your dear native land,

**291** σῆμά τέ οἱ χεῦαι καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερεΐξαι  
heap up a tomb for him and pay the funeral rites

**292** πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσα ἔοικε, καὶ ἀνέρι μητέρα δοῦναι.  
in full, as is fitting, and give your mother to a husband.

**293** αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ ταῦτα τελευτήσῃς τε καὶ ἔρξῃς,  
But once you have finished and done all this,

**294** φράζεσθαι δὴ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν  
then consider, deep in your mind and heart,

**295** ὅππως κε μνηστῆρας ἐνὶ μεγάροισι τεοῖσι  
how you may kill the suitors in your halls,

**296** κτείνῃς ἠὲ δόλῳ ἢ ἀμφαδόν· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ  
whether by guile or openly; you must no longer
> Subjunctive of deliberation: κτείνῃς is aorist subjunctive in an indirect deliberative clause introduced by ὅππως, 'how you may kill.' The subjunctive marks the contemplated, not-yet-real action.

**297** νηπιάας ὀχέειν, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι τηλίκος ἐσσι.  
cling to childish ways, since you are no longer of that age.

**298** ἢ οὐκ ἀίεις οἷον κλέος ἔλλαβε δῖος Ὀρέστης  
Or have you not heard what glory noble Orestes won

**299** πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, ἐπεὶ ἔκτανε πατροφονῆα,  
among all men, when he killed his father's slayer,

**300** Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα;  
the cunning Aegisthus, who had slain his famous father?

**301** καὶ σύ, φίλος, μάλα γάρ σʼ ὁρόω καλόν τε μέγαν τε,  
You too, my friend—for I see you are handsome and tall—

**302** ἄλκιμος ἔσσʼ, ἵνα τίς σε καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἐὺ εἴπῃ.  
be brave, so that men of later days may speak well of you.

**303** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν κατελεύσομαι ἤδη  
But now I will go down to my swift ship

**304** ἠδʼ ἑτάρους, οἵ πού με μάλʼ ἀσχαλόωσι μένοντες·  
and my comrades, who must be greatly chafing as they wait for me.

**305** σοὶ δʼ αὐτῷ μελέτω, καὶ ἐμῶν ἐμπάζεο μύθων.  
Let this be your own concern, and heed my words."

**306** τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then thoughtful Telemachus answered her in turn:

**307** ξεῖνʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν ταῦτα φίλα φρονέων ἀγορεύεις,  
"Stranger, truly you speak these things meaning me well,

**308** ὥς τε πατὴρ ᾧ παιδί, καὶ οὔ ποτε λήσομαι αὐτῶν.  
as a father to his son, and I will never forget them.

**309** ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον, ἐπειγόμενός περ ὁδοῖο,  
But come, stay a while now, eager though you are for the road,

**310** ὄφρα λοεσσάμενός τε τεταρπόμενός τε φίλον κῆρ,  
so that when you have bathed and delighted your heart

**311** δῶρον ἔχων ἐπὶ νῆα κίῃς, χαίρων ἐνὶ θυμῷ,  
you may go to your ship with a gift, rejoicing in your spirit,

**312** τιμῆεν, μάλα καλόν, ὅ τοι κειμήλιον ἔσται  
a precious one, very fine, to be a treasure for you

**313** ἐξ ἐμεῦ, οἷα φίλοι ξεῖνοι ξείνοισι διδοῦσι.  
from me, such as dear friends give to friends."

**314** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, gray-eyed Athena, answered him:

**315** μή μʼ ἔτι νῦν κατέρυκε, λιλαιόμενόν περ ὁδοῖο.  
"Do not hold me back any longer now, eager as I am for the road.

**316** δῶρον δʼ ὅττι κέ μοι δοῦναι φίλον ἦτορ ἀνώγῃ,  
Whatever gift your heart bids you give me,

**317** αὖτις ἀνερχομένῳ δόμεναι οἶκόνδε φέρεσθαι,  
give it when I come again, to carry home with me,

**318** καὶ μάλα καλὸν ἑλών· σοὶ δʼ ἄξιον ἔσται ἀμοιβῆς.  
and choose a very fine one; it will earn you a fitting return."

**319** ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,  
So saying, gray-eyed Athena departed,

**320** ὄρνις δʼ ὣς ἀνόπαια διέπτατο· τῷ δʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
flying up like a bird; and in his heart
> A disputed word: ἀνόπαια is obscure even to ancient readers—taken variously as a kind of bird, 'up through the smoke-hole,' or 'unseen.' The image is of Athena vanishing in sudden upward flight.

**321** θῆκε μένος καὶ θάρσος, ὑπέμνησέν τέ ἑ πατρὸς  
she set strength and courage, and made him remember his father

**322** μᾶλλον ἔτʼ ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν. ὁ δὲ φρεσὶν ᾗσι νοήσας  
even more than before. And he, perceiving it in his mind,

**323** θάμβησεν κατὰ θυμόν· ὀίσατο γὰρ θεὸν εἶναι.  
was amazed in his heart, for he sensed that she was a god.
> Aorist middle of perception: ὀίσατο is aorist of ὀίομαι, a deponent (middle-form) verb of supposing or sensing. The middle voice fits inward, mental acts—'he sensed within himself.'

**324** αὐτίκα δὲ μνηστῆρας ἐπῴχετο ἰσόθεος φώς.  
At once the godlike man went among the suitors.

**325** τοῖσι δʼ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός, οἱ δὲ σιωπῇ  
To them a famous bard was singing, and they in silence

**326** ἥατʼ ἀκούοντες· ὁ δʼ Ἀχαιῶν νόστον ἄειδε  
sat listening; he sang of the Achaeans' homecoming,
> Nostos: the homecoming: Nostos, 'return home,' is the keyword of the whole poem. Here the bard sings of the Achaeans' return from Troy—a theme that cuts close to Telemachus' own loss.

**327** λυγρόν, ὃν ἐκ Τροίης ἐπετείλατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.  
the grievous one Pallas Athena laid on them out of Troy.

**328** τοῦ δʼ ὑπερωιόθεν φρεσὶ σύνθετο θέσπιν ἀοιδὴν  
caught his marvelous song from her upper chamber,

**329** κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
But the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope,

**330** κλίμακα δʼ ὑψηλὴν κατεβήσετο οἷο δόμοιο,  
and she came down the high stairway of her house,

**331** οὐκ οἴη, ἅμα τῇ γε καὶ ἀμφίπολοι δύʼ ἕποντο.  
not alone, for two handmaids came with her.

**332** ἡ δʼ ὅτε δὴ μνηστῆρας ἀφίκετο δῖα γυναικῶν,  
And when she reached the suitors, that radiant woman,
> "radiant among women": A formulaic epithet, literally "shining/divine of women," marking a woman of exceptional beauty or rank. Used here of Penelope as she comes before the suitors.

**333** στῆ ῥα παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο,  
she stopped beside the doorpost of the strongly built hall,

**334** ἄντα παρειάων σχομένη λιπαρὰ κρήδεμνα·  
holding her shining veil before her cheeks,

**335** ἀμφίπολος δʼ ἄρα οἱ κεδνὴ ἑκάτερθε παρέστη.  
and a faithful handmaid stood on either side of her.

**336** δακρύσασα δʼ ἔπειτα προσηύδα θεῖον ἀοιδόν·  
Then, weeping, she spoke to the divine singer:
> Aorist participle: An aorist participle of δακρύω ("to weep"), agreeing with Penelope. It frames her speech: "having burst into tears, she then spoke."

**337** Φήμιε, πολλὰ γὰρ ἄλλα βροτῶν θελκτήρια
                     οἶδας,  
"Phemius, you know many other charms for mortals,

**338** ἔργʼ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε, τά τε κλείουσιν ἀοιδοί·  
the deeds of men and gods that singers make famous.

**339** τῶν ἕν γέ σφιν ἄειδε παρήμενος, οἱ δὲ σιωπῇ  
Sing them one of those as you sit there, and let them in silence

**340** οἶνον πινόντων· ταύτης δʼ ἀποπαύεʼ ἀοιδῆς  
drink their wine; but cease from this song,
> Middle imperative: ἀποπαύεο is a present middle imperative, "cease for yourself, leave off." The middle voice turns the verb back on the subject: stop your own singing.

**341** λυγρῆς, ἥ τέ μοι αἰεὶ ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλον κῆρ  
this grievous one, which always in my breast wears down

**342** τείρει, ἐπεί με μάλιστα καθίκετο πένθος ἄλαστον.  
the dear heart in me, since unforgettable grief has struck me hardest.
> "grief unforgettable": πένθος is deep mourning; ἄλαστον means "not to be forgotten," grief that cannot be put out of mind. The phrase marks Penelope's enduring sorrow for Odysseus.

**343** τοίην γὰρ κεφαλὴν ποθέω μεμνημένη αἰεί,  
For I long, remembering him always, for such a head,

**344** ἀνδρός, τοῦ κλέος εὐρὺ καθʼ Ἑλλάδα καὶ μέσον Ἄργος.  
for the man whose fame is wide through Hellas and the heart of Argos."
> kleos: glory, fame: kleos is the renown that spreads in song and report, the reputation that outlives a man. Penelope means Odysseus' fame is known across the whole Greek world.

**345** τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then prudent Telemachus answered her in turn:
> "prudent, thoughtful": A recurring epithet of Telemachus, from a perfect participle meaning "having good sense." It marks him as level-headed and well-spoken, a standard formula introducing his replies.

**346** μῆτερ ἐμή, τί τʼ ἄρα φθονέεις ἐρίηρον ἀοιδὸν  
"My mother, why do you begrudge the trusty singer

**347** τέρπειν ὅππῃ οἱ νόος ὄρνυται; οὔ νύ τʼ ἀοιδοὶ  
giving pleasure however his mind is moved? Singers are not

**348** αἴτιοι, ἀλλά ποθι Ζεὺς αἴτιος, ὅς τε δίδωσιν  
to blame; it is Zeus, rather, who is to blame, who gives
> aitios: responsible, to blame: aitios marks the cause or guilty party. Telemachus shifts blame from the singer to Zeus, who apportions men's fortunes; the word becomes a key term in the poem's debate over responsibility.

**349** ἀνδράσιν ἀλφηστῇσιν, ὅπως ἐθέλῃσιν, ἑκάστῳ.  
to men who live by bread, to each as he wills.

**350** τούτῳ δʼ οὐ νέμεσις Δαναῶν κακὸν οἶτον ἀείδειν·  
There is no blame in this man's singing the evil fate of the Danaans;
> nemesis: righteous blame: nemesis is the indignation a deed rightly arouses, the sense that something deserves reproach. Telemachus says the singer's choice of subject earns no such censure.

**351** τὴν γὰρ ἀοιδὴν μᾶλλον ἐπικλείουσʼ ἄνθρωποι,  
for people give greater praise to that song

**352** ἥ τις ἀκουόντεσσι νεωτάτη ἀμφιπέληται.  
which comes round newest to the ears of its hearers.

**353** σοὶ δʼ ἐπιτολμάτω κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀκούειν·  
Let your heart and spirit endure to listen;
> Third-person imperative: ἐπιτολμάτω is a present imperative in the third person, "let it endure." Greek can command a third party directly; here Telemachus tells his mother's heart to bear up.

**354** οὐ γὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς οἶος ἀπώλεσε νόστιμον ἦμαρ  
for not Odysseus alone lost the day of his homecoming
> "the day of homecoming": A formula built on nostos (homecoming/return). To "lose the homecoming day" is to die abroad and never return; it recurs throughout the Odyssey.

**355** ἐν Τροίῃ, πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι φῶτες ὄλοντο.  
at Troy; many other men perished as well.

**356** ἀλλʼ εἰς οἶκον ἰοῦσα τὰ σʼ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε,  
Go into the house and attend to your own work,

**357** ἱστόν τʼ ἠλακάτην τε, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέλευε  
the loom and the distaff, and order your handmaids

**358** ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι· μῦθος δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει  
to go about their tasks; speech will be the men's concern,

**359** πᾶσι, μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοί· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἔστʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.  
of all men, and mine above all; for the authority in this house is mine."
> kratos: power, authority: kratos is dominating power or rule. Telemachus claims mastery of the household, his first assertion of adult authority in the poem.

**360** ἡ μὲν θαμβήσασα πάλιν οἶκόνδε βεβήκει·  
Amazed, she went back into the house,

**361** παιδὸς γὰρ μῦθον πεπνυμένον ἔνθετο θυμῷ.  
for she took her son's prudent word to heart.

**362** ἐς δʼ ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶ  
Going up to her upper room with her serving women,

**363** κλαῖεν ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα φίλον πόσιν, ὄφρα οἱ ὕπνον  
she wept then for Odysseus, her dear husband, until sleep,

**364** ἡδὺν ἐπὶ βλεφάροισι βάλε γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.  
sweet sleep, was cast upon her eyelids by gray-eyed Athena.
> "gray-eyed" Athena: γλαυκῶπις, the standard epithet of Athena, suggests bright, gleaming, or owl-like eyes. We keep the familiar "gray-eyed," though "bright-eyed" captures the gleam.

**365** μνηστῆρες δʼ ὁμάδησαν ἀνὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα,  
The suitors made an uproar throughout the shadowy halls,

**366** πάντες δʼ ἠρήσαντο παραὶ λεχέεσσι κλιθῆναι.  
and every one of them prayed to lie beside her in bed.

**367** τοῖσι δὲ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἤρχετο μύθων·  
But prudent Telemachus began to speak among them:

**368** μητρὸς ἐμῆς μνηστῆρες ὑπέρβιον ὕβριν
                     ἔχοντες,  
"Suitors of my mother, with your overbearing insolence,
> hubris: insolence, outrage: hubris is arrogant violence that violates due order and another's honor. The suitors' hubris, consuming Telemachus' house, is the central wrong the poem will punish.

**369** νῦν μὲν δαινύμενοι τερπώμεθα, μηδὲ βοητὺς  
for now let us take our pleasure in the feast, and let there be no shouting,

**370** ἔστω, ἐπεὶ τόδε καλὸν ἀκουέμεν ἐστὶν ἀοιδοῦ  
since it is a fine thing to hear a singer

**371** τοιοῦδʼ οἷος ὅδʼ ἐστί, θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιος αὐδήν.  
such as this one is, like the gods in voice.

**372** ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀγορήνδε καθεζώμεσθα κιόντες  
But at dawn let us all go and sit in assembly,
> agora: assembly: The agora is the gathering of the people for public speech and decision, also the place where it meets. Telemachus' call to assembly is his first formal political act.

**373** πάντες, ἵνʼ ὕμιν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποείπω,  
so that I may declare my word to you without reserve:

**374** ἐξιέναι μεγάρων· ἄλλας δʼ ἀλεγύνετε δαῖτας,  
to leave my halls. See to other feasts,

**375** ὑμὰ κτήματʼ ἔδοντες, ἀμειβόμενοι κατὰ οἴκους.  
eating your own goods, taking turns from house to house.

**376** εἰ δʼ ὕμιν δοκέει τόδε λωίτερον καὶ ἄμεινον  
But if it seems to you better and finer

**377** ἔμμεναι, ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς βίοτον νήποινον ὀλέσθαι,  
that one man's livelihood be wasted without payment,

**378** κείρετʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ θεοὺς ἐπιβώσομαι αἰὲν ἐόντας,  
then devour it; and I will call upon the gods who live forever,

**379** αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς δῷσι παλίντιτα ἔργα γενέσθαι·  
in hope that Zeus may grant deeds of requital to be done:
> "deeds of requital": παλίντιτα means "paid back, requited." Telemachus prays Zeus may bring retribution on the suitors, deeds that repay their plunder in kind.

**380** νήποινοί κεν ἔπειτα δόμων ἔντοσθεν ὄλοισθε.  
then within these halls you would perish unavenged."
> "unavenged, without recompense": νήποινος means "without penalty paid"; here, applied to the suitors' deaths, it means no blood-price would be exacted for them. The same word in 377 described the wasted livelihood for which no payment is made.

**381** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὀδὰξ ἐν χείλεσι
                  φύντες  
So he spoke, and they all bit their lips,
> "biting their lips": Literally "sinking their teeth into their lips," a vivid idiom for swallowing anger or astonishment. The suitors are taken aback by Telemachus' boldness.

**382** Τηλέμαχον θαύμαζον, ὃ θαρσαλέως ἀγόρευεν.  
marveling at Telemachus, that he spoke so boldly.

**383** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·  
Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, addressed him:

**384** Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή σε διδάσκουσιν θεοὶ αὐτοὶ  
"Telemachus, surely the gods themselves are teaching you

**385** ὑψαγόρην τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέως ἀγορεύειν·  
to be a lofty speaker and to talk so boldly.
> "lofty talker": ὑψαγόρης combines "high" and "speaker," a sneering term for one who talks big or grandly. Antinous mocks Telemachus' new assertiveness.

**386** μὴ σέ γʼ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλῆα Κρονίων  
May the son of Kronos never make you king

**387** ποιήσειεν, ὅ τοι γενεῇ πατρώιόν ἐστιν.  
in sea-girt Ithaca, though it is yours by birthright."
> "sea-girt" Ithaca: ἀμφίαλος means "with sea on both sides, sea-girt," a standard epithet for the island Ithaca, fixing its character as surrounded by water.

**388** τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then prudent Telemachus answered him in turn:

**389** Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ καί μοι νεμεσήσεαι ὅττι κεν εἴπω;  
"Antinous, will you be angry with me at what I say?

**390** καί κεν τοῦτʼ ἐθέλοιμι Διός γε διδόντος ἀρέσθαι.  
I would gladly take even this, if Zeus should grant it.
> Potential optative: ἐθέλοιμι is a present optative with κεν, expressing a polite, hypothetical wish: "I would be willing." The optative with the particle marks possibility rather than fact.

**391** ἦ φῂς τοῦτο κάκιστον ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τετύχθαι;  
Do you say this is the worst thing that can befall a man?

**392** οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακὸν βασιλευέμεν· αἶψά τέ οἱ δῶ  
It is no bad thing to be king; swiftly one's house

**393** ἀφνειὸν πέλεται καὶ τιμηέστερος αὐτός.  
grows rich, and the man himself more honored.

**394** ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι βασιλῆες Ἀχαιῶν εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλοι  
But there are indeed other kings of the Achaeans,

**395** πολλοὶ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, νέοι ἠδὲ παλαιοί,  
many in sea-girt Ithaca, young and old,

**396** τῶν κέν τις τόδʼ ἔχῃσιν, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·  
one of whom may hold this honor, since noble Odysseus is dead;

**397** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν οἴκοιο ἄναξ ἔσομʼ ἡμετέροιο  
but I will be lord of our own house
> anax: lord, master: anax is a title of lordship and mastery over a household or realm. Telemachus retreats from the contested kingship to a claim he can hold: master of his own house.

**398** καὶ δμώων, οὕς μοι ληίσσατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.  
and of the slaves that noble Odysseus won for me."

**399** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύμαχος Πολύβου πάϊς ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him in turn:

**400** Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ τοι ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται,  
"Telemachus, this surely lies on the knees of the gods,

**401** ὅς τις ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλεύσει Ἀχαιῶν·  
whoever shall be king of the Achaeans in sea-girt Ithaca;

**402** κτήματα δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχοις καὶ δώμασιν οἷσιν ἀνάσσοις.  
but may you keep your possessions and rule your own house.

**403** μὴ γὰρ ὅ γʼ ἔλθοι ἀνὴρ ὅς τίς σʼ ἀέκοντα βίηφιν  
May no man ever come who against your will, by force,

**404** κτήματʼ ἀπορραίσει, Ἰθάκης ἔτι ναιετοώσης.  
would tear your possessions from you, while Ithaca is still inhabited.

**405** ἀλλʼ ἐθέλω σε, φέριστε, περὶ ξείνοιο ἐρέσθαι,  
But I wish, my good man, to ask you about the stranger:

**406** ὁππόθεν οὗτος ἀνήρ, ποίης δʼ ἐξ εὔχεται εἶναι  
where this man comes from, of what land he claims to be,

**407** γαίης, ποῦ δέ νύ οἱ γενεὴ καὶ πατρὶς ἄρουρα.  
and where his family is, and his native soil.

**408** ἠέ τινʼ ἀγγελίην πατρὸς φέρει ἐρχομένοιο,  
Does he bring some news of your father's coming,

**409** ἦ ἑὸν αὐτοῦ χρεῖος ἐελδόμενος τόδʼ ἱκάνει;  
or has he come here pressing some need of his own?

**410** οἷον ἀναΐξας ἄφαρ οἴχεται, οὐδʼ ὑπέμεινε  
How he sprang up and was gone at once, and did not wait

**411** γνώμεναι· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακῷ εἰς ὦπα ἐῴκει.  
to be known; yet he did not seem a base man to look at."

**412** τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then prudent Telemachus answered him in turn:

**413** Εὐρύμαχʼ, ἦ τοι νόστος ἀπώλετο πατρὸς ἐμοῖο·  
"Eurymachus, surely my father's homecoming is lost.
> nostos: homecoming, return: nostos is the safe return home, the theme that drives the whole poem. Telemachus declares his father's nostos lost, that is, hopeless.

**414** οὔτʼ οὖν ἀγγελίῃ ἔτι πείθομαι, εἴ ποθεν ἔλθοι,  
So I no longer trust any message, wherever it may come from,

**415** οὔτε θεοπροπίης ἐμπάζομαι, ἥν τινα μήτηρ  
nor do I heed any prophecy that my mother

**416** ἐς μέγαρον καλέσασα θεοπρόπον ἐξερέηται.  
summons a seer into the hall to inquire of.
> theopropos: prophet, seer: A θεοπρόπος is one who declares the will of the gods, a diviner consulted for guidance. Telemachus dismisses such consultations as useless to him now.

**417** ξεῖνος δʼ οὗτος ἐμὸς πατρώιος ἐκ Τάφου ἐστίν,  
This stranger is a guest-friend of my father's, from Taphos,

**418** Μέντης δʼ Ἀγχιάλοιο δαΐφρονος εὔχεται εἶναι  
and he claims to be Mentes, son of wise Anchialus,

**419** υἱός, ἀτὰρ Ταφίοισι φιληρέτμοισιν ἀνάσσει.  
and he rules over the oar-loving Taphians."
> "oar-loving": φιλήρετμος, "loving the oar," is a fitting epithet for the seafaring Taphians, marking them as a people of sailors and rowers.

**420** ὣς φάτο Τηλέμαχος, φρεσὶ δʼ ἀθανάτην θεὸν ἔγνω.  
So Telemachus spoke, but in his heart he knew the immortal goddess.

**421** οἱ δʼ εἰς ὀρχηστύν τε καὶ ἱμερόεσσαν ἀοιδὴν  
Then they turned to dancing and to lovely song,

**422** τρεψάμενοι τέρποντο, μένον δʼ ἐπὶ ἕσπερον ἐλθεῖν.  
and took their pleasure, and waited for evening to come.

**423** τοῖσι δὲ τερπομένοισι μέλας ἐπὶ ἕσπερος ἦλθε·  
And as they took their pleasure, dark evening came upon them;

**424** δὴ τότε κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος.  
and then, longing for their beds, each went off to his own house.

**425** Τηλέμαχος δʼ, ὅθι οἱ θάλαμος περικαλλέος αὐλῆς  
But Telemachus, where his chamber within the beautiful court

**426** ὑψηλὸς δέδμητο περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ,  
had been built high, in a place with a view all around,

**427** ἔνθʼ ἔβη εἰς εὐνὴν πολλὰ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζων.  
went there to his bed, turning many thoughts over in his mind.
> "pondering anxiously": μερμηρίζω means to ponder or be torn between thoughts, often with worry. Telemachus lies awake weighing the day's events and Athena's counsel.

**428** τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἅμʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα  
And alongside him faithful, knowing Eurycleia carried blazing torches,

**429** Εὐρύκλειʼ, Ὦπος θυγάτηρ Πεισηνορίδαο,  
Eurycleia, daughter of Ops, son of Pisenor,

**430** τήν ποτε Λαέρτης πρίατο κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖσιν  
whom Laertes once bought with his own wealth

**431** πρωθήβην ἔτʼ ἐοῦσαν, ἐεικοσάβοια δʼ ἔδωκεν,  
when she was still in her early youth, and gave the worth of twenty oxen for her,

**432** ἶσα δέ μιν κεδνῇ ἀλόχῳ τίεν ἐν μεγάροισιν,  
and he honored her equally with his faithful wife in the halls,

**433** εὐνῇ δʼ οὔ ποτʼ ἔμικτο, χόλον δʼ ἀλέεινε γυναικός·  
but never lay with her in bed, and avoided his wife's anger.

**434** ἥ οἱ ἅμʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε, καί ἑ μάλιστα  
She it was who carried the blazing torches beside him, and of all

**435** δμῳάων φιλέεσκε, καὶ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα.  
the serving women she loved him most, and had nursed him when he was little.
> Iterative imperfect: φιλέεσκε has the -σκ- suffix marking repeated or habitual past action: "she used to love, kept loving." The imperfect underscores her enduring devotion.

**436** ὤιξεν δὲ θύρας θαλάμου πύκα ποιητοῖο,  
He opened the doors of the strongly built chamber,

**437** ἕζετο δʼ ἐν λέκτρῳ, μαλακὸν δʼ ἔκδυνε χιτῶνα·  
sat down on the bed, and took off his soft tunic,

**438** καὶ τὸν μὲν γραίης πυκιμηδέος ἔμβαλε χερσίν.  
and put it into the hands of the wise old woman.

**439** ἡ μὲν τὸν πτύξασα καὶ ἀσκήσασα χιτῶνα,  
She folded and smoothed the tunic,

**440** πασσάλῳ ἀγκρεμάσασα παρὰ τρητοῖσι λέχεσσι  
hung it on a peg beside the corded bedstead,

**441** βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο, θύρην δʼ ἐπέρυσσε κορώνῃ  
She went out from the chamber, and pulled the door shut by the handle
> Aorist of motion: βῆ is a short (root) aorist of βαίνω, "she went/stepped." Homer often pairs it with the infinitive ἴμεν ("to go") to mark the start of a journey.

**442** ἀργυρέῃ, ἐπὶ δὲ κληῖδʼ ἐτάνυσσεν ἱμάντι.  
the silver one, and drew the bolt home by its strap.

**443** ἔνθʼ ὅ γε παννύχιος, κεκαλυμμένος οἰὸς ἀώτῳ,  
There, all night long, wrapped in a fleece of sheep's wool,
> "all night long": An adjective used adverbially: literally "of the whole night," describing how Telemachus lay awake until dawn.

**444** βούλευε φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ὁδὸν τὴν πέφραδʼ Ἀθήνη.  
he pondered in his heart the journey Athena had shown him.
> Reduplicated aorist: πέφραδε is an aorist of φράζω formed with reduplication (πε-), "she pointed out, made clear." Despite having reduplication (πε-) that normally signals the perfect, this is an archaic Homeric reduplicated aorist: the form uses perfect-type morphology but is aorist in function and meaning. It looks like a perfect but behaves as a narrative past.

---

Source text: public domain (Homer, ancient; Greek per the Murray/Allen text via the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 3.0). English translation: © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC — original line-aligned draft, pending editorial review. Word-by-word morphology and syntax derived from the Perseus Ancient Greek Dependency Treebank (CC BY-SA 3.0); English glosses and notes © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC.