# The Odyssey, Book 12: The Sirens; Scylla and Charybdis; the Cattle of the Sun

Ὀδύσσεια · Homer · The Wanderings

The Sirens sing, and Odysseus hears them tied to the mast. The ship passes Scylla and Charybdis. His men kill the cattle of the Sun and drown.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/12. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/12.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/odyssey/<line id>.m4a.

**1** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ποταμοῖο λίπεν ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο  
But when our ship left the stream of the river Ocean

**2** νηῦς, ἀπὸ δʼ ἵκετο κῦμα θαλάσσης εὐρυπόροιο  
and came again to the waves of the wide-wayed sea

**3** νῆσόν τʼ Αἰαίην, ὅθι τʼ Ἠοῦς ἠριγενείης  
and to the Aeaean island, where are the dwellings of early-born Dawn

**4** οἰκία καὶ χοροί εἰσι καὶ ἀντολαὶ Ἠελίοιο,  
and her dancing-grounds, and the risings of the Sun,

**5** νῆα μὲν ἔνθʼ ἐλθόντες ἐκέλσαμεν ἐν ψαμάθοισιν,  
there, coming ashore, we ran the ship up onto the sands,

**6** ἐκ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βῆμεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης·  
and we ourselves stepped out onto the breaking surf of the sea;

**7** ἔνθα δʼ ἀποβρίξαντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.  
and there we fell asleep and waited for the bright Dawn.

**8** ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,  
And when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

**9** δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάρους προΐειν ἐς δώματα Κίρκης  
then indeed I sent my companions to the house of Circe

**10** οἰσέμεναι νεκρόν, Ἐλπήνορα τεθνηῶτα.  
to bring back the corpse, Elpenor who had died.

**11** φιτροὺς δʼ αἶψα ταμόντες, ὅθʼ ἀκροτάτη πρόεχʼ ἀκτή,  
Quickly we cut logs where the headland jutted farthest out,

**12** θάπτομεν ἀχνύμενοι θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες.  
and we buried him, grieving, shedding warm tears.

**13** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ νεκρός τʼ ἐκάη καὶ τεύχεα νεκροῦ,  
But when the corpse had burned, and the dead man's armor,

**14** τύμβον χεύαντες καὶ ἐπὶ στήλην ἐρύσαντες  
heaping up a mound and dragging a pillar onto it,

**15** πήξαμεν ἀκροτάτῳ τύμβῳ ἐυῆρες ἐρετμόν.  
we fixed at the top of the mound his well-fitted oar.

**16** ἡμεῖς μὲν τὰ ἕκαστα διείπομεν· οὐδʼ ἄρα
                     Κίρκην  
We then saw to each of these things; nor indeed did Circe

**17** ἐξ Ἀίδεω ἐλθόντες ἐλήθομεν, ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ὦκα  
fail to learn that we had come from Hades, but very swiftly

**18** ἦλθʼ ἐντυναμένη· ἅμα δʼ ἀμφίπολοι φέρον αὐτῇ  
she came, having dressed herself; and with her her handmaids carried

**19** σῖτον καὶ κρέα πολλὰ καὶ αἴθοπα οἶνον ἐρυθρόν.  
bread and meat in plenty and gleaming red wine.

**20** ἡ δʼ ἐν μέσσῳ στᾶσα μετηύδα δῖα θεάων·  
And standing in our midst the goddess divine spoke:

**21** σχέτλιοι, οἳ ζώοντες ὑπήλθετε δῶμʼ Ἀίδαο,  
"Reckless men, who went down alive into the house of Hades,
> Reckless ones: A reproachful word for someone hard, stubborn, or rashly bold; Circe marvels that they dared the journey to the dead.

**22** δισθανέες, ὅτε τʼ ἄλλοι ἅπαξ θνῄσκουσʼ ἄνθρωποι.  
twice-dying, when other men die only once.
> Twice-dying: A rare compound: they will die a second time, having already in a sense died by descending alive to Hades.

**23** ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ ἐσθίετε βρώμην καὶ πίνετε οἶνον  
But come now, eat food and drink wine

**24** αὖθι πανημέριοι· ἅμα δʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφι  
here all the day long; and at the showing of Dawn

**25** πλεύσεσθʼ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ δείξω ὁδὸν ἠδὲ ἕκαστα  
you shall sail; and I will show you the way and each thing

**26** σημανέω, ἵνα μή τι κακορραφίῃ ἀλεγεινῇ  
I will make clear, so that by no grievous contrivance of evil

**27** ἢ ἁλὸς ἢ ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλγήσετε πῆμα παθόντες.  
either on the sea or on the land you may suffer pain and woe."

**28** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡμῖν δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς
                     ἀγήνωρ.  
So she spoke, and our manly spirit was persuaded.
> Imperfect with augment: ἐπεπείθετο is imperfect middle, 'was persuaded'; the prefixed ε- is the past-tense augment marking it as past.

**29** ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα  
So then for that whole day, until the sun went down,

**30** ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τʼ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·  
we sat feasting on abundant meat and sweet wine.

**31** ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθεν,  
But when the sun went down and darkness came on,

**32** οἱ μὲν κοιμήσαντο παρὰ πρυμνήσια νηός,  
they lay down to sleep beside the stern-cables of the ship,

**33** ἡ δʼ ἐμὲ χειρὸς ἑλοῦσα φίλων ἀπονόσφιν ἑταίρων  
but she, taking me by the hand, apart from my dear companions,

**34** εἷσέ τε καὶ προσέλεκτο καὶ ἐξερέεινεν ἕκαστα·  
made me sit, and reclined beside me, and asked me about everything;

**35** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τῇ πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν κατέλεξα.  
and I in turn told her all in due order.
> In due order: Literally 'according to measure/portion'; a Homeric idiom for speaking properly, fittingly, point by point.

**36** καὶ τότε δή μʼ ἐπέεσσι προσηύδα πότνια Κίρκη·  
And then queenly Circe spoke to me with words:

**37** ταῦτα μὲν οὕτω πάντα πεπείρανται, σὺ δʼ
                        ἄκουσον,  
"All these things have thus been brought to their end; but you, listen,

**38** ὥς τοι ἐγὼν ἐρέω, μνήσει δέ σε καὶ θεὸς αὐτός.  
as I shall tell you; and the god himself will bring it to your mind.

**39** Σειρῆνας μὲν πρῶτον ἀφίξεαι, αἵ ῥά τε πάντας  
First you will come to the Sirens, who bewitch all

**40** ἀνθρώπους θέλγουσιν, ὅτις σφεας εἰσαφίκηται.  
men, whoever comes to them.

**41** ὅς τις ἀιδρείῃ πελάσῃ καὶ φθόγγον ἀκούσῃ  
Whoever in ignorance draws near and hears the voice

**42** Σειρήνων, τῷ δʼ οὔ τι γυνὴ καὶ νήπια τέκνα  
of the Sirens, for him his wife and little children

**43** οἴκαδε νοστήσαντι παρίσταται οὐδὲ γάνυνται,  
never stand beside him on his homecoming, nor do they rejoice,
> Aorist participle, dative: νοστήσαντι is an aorist participle agreeing with the dative 'for him': 'for the man who has come home.'

**44** ἀλλά τε Σειρῆνες λιγυρῇ θέλγουσιν ἀοιδῇ  
but the Sirens bewitch him with their clear-toned song,

**45** ἥμεναι ἐν λειμῶνι, πολὺς δʼ ἀμφʼ ὀστεόφιν θὶς  
sitting in a meadow; and round about is a great heap of bones

**46** ἀνδρῶν πυθομένων, περὶ δὲ ῥινοὶ μινύθουσι.  
of rotting men, and the skin shrivels upon them.

**47** ἀλλὰ παρεξελάαν, ἐπὶ δʼ οὔατʼ ἀλεῖψαι ἑταίρων  
But drive past them, and smear over the ears of your companions

**48** κηρὸν δεψήσας μελιηδέα, μή τις ἀκούσῃ  
with honey-sweet wax kneaded soft, so that none may hear

**49** τῶν ἄλλων· ἀτὰρ αὐτὸς ἀκουέμεν αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα,  
of the others; but you yourself may listen, if you wish,

**50** δησάντων σʼ ἐν νηὶ θοῇ χεῖράς τε πόδας τε  
provided they bind you in the swift ship, hands and feet,

**51** ὀρθὸν ἐν ἱστοπέδῃ, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ πείρατʼ ἀνήφθω,  
upright in the mast-step, and let the rope-ends be fastened to the mast itself,

**52** ὄφρα κε τερπόμενος ὄπʼ ἀκούσῃς Σειρήνοιιν.  
so that you may take delight in hearing the voice of the two Sirens.
> Dual ending: Σειρήνοιιν is a dual form, 'of the two Sirens'; Greek had a special dual number for pairs, used here for the pair of singers.

**53** εἰ δέ κε λίσσηαι ἑτάρους λῦσαί τε κελεύῃς,  
But if you beg, and order your companions to loose you,

**54** οἱ δέ σʼ ἔτι πλεόνεσσι τότʼ ἐν δεσμοῖσι διδέντων.  
then let them bind you with still more bonds.
> Third-person imperative: διδέντων is a third-person plural imperative, 'let them bind'; Greek can command people not present.

**55** αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ τάς γε παρὲξ ἐλάσωσιν ἑταῖροι,  
But when your companions have driven past these,

**56** ἔνθα τοι οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτα διηνεκέως ἀγορεύσω,  
from there on I will no longer tell you continuously

**57** ὁπποτέρη δή τοι ὁδὸς ἔσσεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς  
which of two ways your course shall be, but you yourself

**58** θυμῷ βουλεύειν· ἐρέω δέ τοι ἀμφοτέρωθεν.  
must take counsel in your heart; and I will tell you of both.
> Infinitive as command: The infinitive βουλεύειν stands for an imperative, 'you must take counsel'; Homer often uses the infinitive this way.

**59** ἔνθεν μὲν γὰρ πέτραι ἐπηρεφέες, προτὶ δʼ αὐτὰς  
On the one side there are overhanging cliffs, and against them

**60** κῦμα μέγα ῥοχθεῖ κυανώπιδος Ἀμφιτρίτης·  
the great wave of dark-eyed Amphitrite roars;

**61** Πλαγκτὰς δή τοι τάς γε θεοὶ μάκαρες καλέουσι.  
the blessed gods call these the Wandering Rocks.

**62** τῇ μέν τʼ οὐδὲ ποτητὰ παρέρχεται οὐδὲ πέλειαι  
By them not even winged things pass, nor the doves,

**63** τρήρωνες, ταί τʼ ἀμβροσίην Διὶ πατρὶ φέρουσιν,  
the timid ones, that carry ambrosia to Father Zeus,

**64** ἀλλά τε καὶ τῶν αἰὲν ἀφαιρεῖται λὶς πέτρη·  
but the smooth rock always takes one even of these away;

**65** ἀλλʼ ἄλλην ἐνίησι πατὴρ ἐναρίθμιον εἶναι.  
and the Father sends in another to make up their number.

**66** τῇ δʼ οὔ πώ τις νηῦς φύγεν ἀνδρῶν, ἥ τις ἵκηται,  
From there no ship of men has yet escaped, whichever comes,

**67** ἀλλά θʼ ὁμοῦ πίνακάς τε νεῶν καὶ σώματα φωτῶν  
but together the planks of ships and the bodies of men

**68** κύμαθʼ ἁλὸς φορέουσι πυρός τʼ ὀλοοῖο θύελλαι.  
the waves of the sea carry off, along with blasts of deadly fire.

**69** οἴη δὴ κείνη γε παρέπλω ποντοπόρος νηῦς,  
One sea-faring ship alone has sailed past there,

**70** Ἀργὼ πᾶσι μέλουσα, παρʼ Αἰήταο πλέουσα.  
the Argo, of concern to all, sailing from Aeetes;

**71** καὶ νύ κε τὴν ἔνθʼ ὦκα βάλεν μεγάλας ποτὶ πέτρας,  
and quickly even her the wave would have flung against the great rocks,

**72** ἀλλʼ Ἥρη παρέπεμψεν, ἐπεὶ φίλος ἦεν Ἰήσων.  
but Hera sent her past, since Jason was dear to her.

**73** οἱ δὲ δύω σκόπελοι ὁ μὲν οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν
                        ἱκάνει  
Now the two crags: the one reaches the broad heaven
> The two crags: δύω is dual, marking exactly two crags; the men-de structure that follows contrasts 'the one' with 'the other.'

**74** ὀξείῃ κορυφῇ, νεφέλη δέ μιν ἀμφιβέβηκε  
with its sharp peak, and a cloud wraps it about,

**75** κυανέη· τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἐρωεῖ, οὐδέ ποτʼ αἴθρη  
a dark one; this never draws away, nor does clear sky

**76** κείνου ἔχει κορυφὴν οὔτʼ ἐν θέρει οὔτʼ ἐν ὀπώρῃ.  
ever hold its peak, neither in summer nor in harvest-time.

**77** οὐδέ κεν ἀμβαίη βροτὸς ἀνὴρ οὐδʼ ἐπιβαίη,  
No mortal man could climb it nor set foot on it,

**78** οὐδʼ εἴ οἱ χεῖρές τε ἐείκοσι καὶ πόδες εἶεν·  
not even if he had twenty hands and feet;

**79** πέτρη γὰρ λίς ἐστι, περιξεστῇ ἐικυῖα.  
for the rock is smooth, like polished stone.

**80** μέσσῳ δʼ ἐν σκοπέλῳ ἔστι σπέος ἠεροειδές,  
And in the middle of the crag there is a misty cave,

**81** πρὸς ζόφον εἰς Ἔρεβος τετραμμένον, ᾗ περ ἂν ὑμεῖς  
turned toward the gloom, toward Erebus, just where you,

**82** νῆα παρὰ γλαφυρὴν ἰθύνετε, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ.  
must steer your hollow ship past it, glorious Odysseus.
> Vocative case: Ὀδυσσεῦ is the vocative, the form for direct address; Circe speaks straight to Odysseus.

**83** οὐδέ κεν ἐκ νηὸς γλαφυρῆς αἰζήιος ἀνὴρ  
Not even a man in his prime, from the hollow ship,

**84** τόξῳ ὀιστεύσας κοῖλον σπέος εἰσαφίκοιτο.  
shooting with the bow, could reach the hollow cave.

**85** ἔνθα δʼ ἐνὶ Σκύλλη ναίει δεινὸν λελακυῖα.  
There within dwells Scylla, dreadfully yelping.

**86** τῆς ἦ τοι φωνὴ μὲν ὅση σκύλακος νεογιλῆς  
Her voice indeed is no greater than a newborn puppy's

**87** γίγνεται, αὐτὴ δʼ αὖτε πέλωρ κακόν· οὐδέ κέ τίς μιν  
in size, but she herself is an evil monster; nor would anyone

**88** γηθήσειεν ἰδών, οὐδʼ εἰ θεὸς ἀντιάσειεν.  
rejoice to see her, not even if a god should meet her.
> Optative of potential: Both verbs are aorist optatives with ἂν/κε implied: 'would rejoice,' 'should meet'; the optative expresses what could hypothetically happen.

**89** τῆς ἦ τοι πόδες εἰσὶ δυώδεκα πάντες ἄωροι,  
She has twelve feet, all of them dangling,

**90** ἓξ δέ τέ οἱ δειραὶ περιμήκεες, ἐν δὲ ἑκάστῃ  
and six necks exceedingly long, and on each

**91** σμερδαλέη κεφαλή, ἐν δὲ τρίστοιχοι ὀδόντες  
a horrible head, and in it three rows of teeth,

**92** πυκνοὶ καὶ θαμέες, πλεῖοι μέλανος θανάτοιο.  
thick and crowded, full of black death.

**93** μέσση μέν τε κατὰ σπείους κοίλοιο δέδυκεν,  
Up to her middle she is sunk down within the hollow cave,

**94** ἔξω δʼ ἐξίσχει κεφαλὰς δεινοῖο βερέθρου,  
but she holds her heads out from the dreadful pit,

**95** αὐτοῦ δʼ ἰχθυάᾳ, σκόπελον περιμαιμώωσα,  
and there she fishes, groping greedily about the crag,

**96** δελφῖνάς τε κύνας τε, καὶ εἴ ποθι μεῖζον ἕλῃσι  
for dolphins and dogfish, and whatever larger creature she can seize,

**97** κῆτος, ἃ μυρία βόσκει ἀγάστονος Ἀμφιτρίτη.  
a sea-monster, of which deep-moaning Amphitrite breeds thousands.

**98** τῇ δʼ οὔ πώ ποτε ναῦται ἀκήριοι εὐχετόωνται  
By her no sailors yet have ever boasted to have

**99** παρφυγέειν σὺν νηί· φέρει δέ τε κρατὶ ἑκάστῳ  
fled past unharmed with their ship; for she carries off, with each head,

**100** φῶτʼ ἐξαρπάξασα νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο.  
a man, having snatched him from the dark-prowed ship.

**101** τὸν δʼ ἕτερον σκόπελον χθαμαλώτερον ὄψει,
                        Ὀδυσσεῦ.  
The other crag you will see lying lower, Odysseus,

**102** πλησίον ἀλλήλων· καί κεν διοϊστεύσειας.  
close to each other; you could shoot an arrow across.

**103** τῷ δʼ ἐν ἐρινεὸς ἔστι μέγας, φύλλοισι τεθηλώς·  
On it there is a great wild fig tree, flourishing with leaves;

**104** τῷ δʼ ὑπὸ δῖα Χάρυβδις ἀναρροιβδεῖ μέλαν ὕδωρ.  
and beneath it divine Charybdis sucks down the black water.

**105** τρὶς μὲν γάρ τʼ ἀνίησιν ἐπʼ ἤματι, τρὶς δʼ ἀναροιβδεῖ  
Three times a day she sends it up, and three times she sucks it down

**106** δεινόν· μὴ σύ γε κεῖθι τύχοις, ὅτε ῥοιβδήσειεν·  
terribly; may you not be there when she sucks it down,
> Optative of wish: τύχοις is an aorist optative with μή expressing a negative wish: 'may you not chance to be there.'

**107** οὐ γάρ κεν ῥύσαιτό σʼ ὑπὲκ κακοῦ οὐδʼ ἐνοσίχθων.  
for not even the Earth-shaker could save you from disaster.
> Epithet of Poseidon: ἐνοσίχθων, 'Earth-shaker,' is a standing epithet of Poseidon, the sea-god whose power even he could not use to rescue from Charybdis.

**108** ἀλλὰ μάλα Σκύλλης σκοπέλῳ πεπλημένος ὦκα  
But keeping very close to Scylla's crag, quickly

**109** νῆα παρὲξ ἐλάαν, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερόν ἐστιν  
drive your ship past, since it is far better

**110** ἓξ ἑτάρους ἐν νηὶ ποθήμεναι ἢ ἅμα πάντας.  
to miss six companions in the ship than all of them at once.

**111** ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος
                     προσέειπον·  
So she spoke; and I answered her in turn, saying:

**112** εἰ δʼ ἄγε δή μοι τοῦτο, θεά, νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες,  
"Come now, goddess, tell me this truthfully:
> Aorist imperative: ἐνίσπες is a second aorist imperative, 'tell!' — a brisk command to the goddess. Homer often uses the bare aorist imperative for a single, definite request.

**113** εἴ πως τὴν ὀλοὴν μὲν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι Χάρυβδιν,  
is there some way I might escape from deadly Charybdis,

**114** τὴν δέ κʼ ἀμυναίμην, ὅτε μοι σίνοιτό γʼ ἑταίρους.  
and yet fight that other one off, when she preys upon my men?"
> Optative of wish/possibility: ἀμυναίμην (middle optative of ἀμύνω) expresses a hoped-for possibility — 'I might ward her off.' The middle voice means defending on one's own behalf.

**115** ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων·  
So I spoke; and at once the bright goddess answered me:

**116** σχέτλιε, καὶ δὴ αὖ τοι πολεμήια ἔργα μέμηλε  
"Reckless man, even now your mind is set on deeds of war
> schetlios: A favorite word of address in Homer, half blame and half admiration: 'reckless one,' 'you incorrigible man.' Circe uses it of Odysseus's refusal to yield even to a monster.

**117** καὶ πόνος· οὐδὲ θεοῖσιν ὑπείξεαι ἀθανάτοισιν;  
and on toil. Will you not give way even to the immortal gods?

**118** ἡ δέ τοι οὐ θνητή, ἀλλʼ ἀθάνατον κακόν ἐστι,  
She is no mortal, but an undying evil,

**119** δεινόν τʼ ἀργαλέον τε καὶ ἄγριον οὐδὲ μαχητόν·  
dreadful, grievous, savage, and not to be fought.

**120** οὐδέ τις ἔστʼ ἀλκή· φυγέειν κάρτιστον ἀπʼ αὐτῆς.  
There is no defense against her; to flee from her is best.
> alkê: alkê is martial 'might' or the power to make a stand. Circe's point is brutal: against Scylla there is no alkê — courage is useless, only flight will serve.

**121** ἢν γὰρ δηθύνῃσθα κορυσσόμενος παρὰ πέτρῃ,  
For if you linger to arm yourself beside the rock,

**122** δείδω, μή σʼ ἐξαῦτις ἐφορμηθεῖσα κίχῃσι  
I fear she may dart out at you again and seize you

**123** τόσσῃσιν κεφαλῇσι, τόσους δʼ ἐκ φῶτας ἕληται.  
with all those heads of hers, and snatch away as many men.

**124** ἀλλὰ μάλα σφοδρῶς ἐλάαν, βωστρεῖν δὲ Κράταιιν,  
No, drive hard past, and cry aloud to Crataeis,

**125** μητέρα τῆς Σκύλλης, ἥ μιν τέκε πῆμα βροτοῖσιν·  
Scylla's mother, who bore her as a bane to mortals;
> pêma — a bane: pêma is 'ruin, calamity'; the phrase 'a bane to mortals' is a recurring Homeric tag for monsters and disasters.

**126** ἥ μιν ἔπειτʼ ἀποπαύσει ἐς ὕστερον ὁρμηθῆναι.  
she will then keep her from rushing out a second time.

**127** Θρινακίην δʼ ἐς νῆσον ἀφίξεαι· ἔνθα δὲ
                     πολλαὶ  
Then you will come to the island of Thrinacia; there many

**128** βόσκοντʼ Ἠελίοιο βόες καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,  
cattle of the Sun graze, and his sturdy flocks of sheep —

**129** ἑπτὰ βοῶν ἀγέλαι, τόσα δʼ οἰῶν πώεα καλά,  
seven herds of cattle, and as many fine flocks of sheep,

**130** πεντήκοντα δʼ ἕκαστα. γόνος δʼ οὐ γίγνεται αὐτῶν,  
fifty in each. They bear no young,

**131** οὐδέ ποτε φθινύθουσι. θεαὶ δʼ ἐπιποιμένες εἰσίν,  
nor do they ever die off. Goddesses tend them as shepherds,

**132** νύμφαι ἐυπλόκαμοι, Φαέθουσά τε Λαμπετίη τε,  
fair-haired nymphs, Phaethousa and Lampetie,

**133** ἃς τέκεν Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι δῖα Νέαιρα.  
whom bright Neaera bore to Helios Hyperion.

**134** τὰς μὲν ἄρα θρέψασα τεκοῦσά τε πότνια μήτηρ  
When their queenly mother had borne and reared them,

**135** Θρινακίην ἐς νῆσον ἀπῴκισε τηλόθι ναίειν,  
she settled them far off on the island of Thrinacia, to dwell there

**136** μῆλα φυλασσέμεναι πατρώια καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς.  
and keep watch over their father's sheep and his crook-horned cattle.
> crook-horned cattle: ἕλιξ ('twisted, curved') is a standing epithet of cattle, describing their spiraling horns — one of Homer's concrete fixed phrases.

**137** τὰς εἰ μέν κʼ ἀσινέας ἐάᾳς νόστου τε μέδηαι,  
If you leave these unharmed and keep your mind on your homecoming,
> nostos — homecoming: nostos, 'the return home,' is the central theme of the whole poem. Circe makes the herds the test on which Odysseus's nostos depends.

**138** ἦ τʼ ἂν ἔτʼ εἰς Ἰθάκην κακά περ πάσχοντες ἵκοισθε·  
you may yet reach Ithaca, though you suffer hardships;

**139** εἰ δέ κε σίνηαι, τότε τοι τεκμαίρομʼ ὄλεθρον,  
but if you harm them, then I foretell ruin for you,
> Subjunctive in a conditional: σίνηαι is an aorist subjunctive in a future-more-vivid condition introduced by εἰ + κε: 'if you (should) harm them.' The subjunctive marks the case as a live, threatening possibility.

**140** νηί τε καὶ ἑτάροις· αὐτὸς δʼ εἴ πέρ κεν ἀλύξῃς,  
for your ship and your men. And even if you yourself escape,

**141** ὀψὲ κακῶς νεῖαι, ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους.  
you will come home late and in misery, having lost all your comrades."

**142** ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτίκα δὲ χρυσόθρονος ἤλυθεν Ἠώς.  
So she spoke; and at once golden-throned Dawn came.
> golden-throned Dawn: χρυσόθρονος, 'golden-throned,' is a standard epithet of Dawn (and of Hera), a formula marking the break of day.

**143** ἡ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀνὰ νῆσον ἀπέστιχε δῖα θεάων·  
Then the bright goddess went away up the island;

**144** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆα κιὼν ὤτρυνον ἑταίρους  
but I went down to the ship and roused my men

**145** αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι·  
to climb aboard themselves and loose the stern cables;

**146** οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον.  
and quickly they embarked and took their places at the oarlocks.

**147** ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.  
Sitting in order, they struck the gray sea with their oars.
> the gray sea: πολιή ('gray, hoary') of the sea is a recurring Homeric epithet, picturing the pale foam-flecked water. The whole line is a formula repeated across the rowing scenes.

**148** ἡμῖν δʼ αὖ κατόπισθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο  
And for us, astern of the dark-prowed ship,

**149** ἴκμενον οὖρον ἵει πλησίστιον, ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον,  
a fair following wind that filled the sail, a kindly comrade,

**150** Κίρκη ἐυπλόκαμος, δεινὴ θεὸς αὐδήεσσα.  
was sent by fair-haired Circe, dread goddess with a human voice.
> audêessa — speaking with a human voice: αὐδήεσσα marks a goddess who speaks in human speech to mortals. It is the regular epithet of Circe and Calypso, distinguishing them from gods who keep their distance.

**151** αὐτίκα δʼ ὅπλα ἕκαστα πονησάμενοι κατὰ νῆα  
At once we set each piece of tackle in order along the ship

**152** ἥμεθα· τὴν δʼ ἄνεμός τε κυβερνήτης τʼ ἴθυνε.  
and sat down; and the wind and the helmsman held her on course.

**153** δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάροισι μετηύδων ἀχνύμενος κῆρ·  
Then, grieving at heart, I spoke among my men:
> grieving at heart: ἀχνύμενος κῆρ ('grieved in heart,' with κῆρ as accusative of respect) is a formulaic phrase for Odysseus's sorrow, repeated through this book.

**154** ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γὰρ χρὴ ἕνα ἴδμεναι οὐδὲ δύʼ οἴους  
"Friends, it is not right that only one or two should know

**155** θέσφαθʼ ἅ μοι Κίρκη μυθήσατο, δῖα θεάων·  
the oracles that Circe, bright goddess, told me;

**156** ἀλλʼ ἐρέω μὲν ἐγών, ἵνα εἰδότες ἤ κε θάνωμεν  
so I will tell them, that knowing we may either die,

**157** ἤ κεν ἀλευάμενοι θάνατον καὶ κῆρα φύγοιμεν.  
or, escaping, flee death and our doom.
> kêr — doom of death: κήρ is the personified death-spirit or appointed doom, often paired with θάνατος as here ('death and the kêr'). It names not just dying but the fate that brings it.

**158** Σειρήνων μὲν πρῶτον ἀνώγει θεσπεσιάων  
First she bade us shun the wondrous Sirens,

**159** φθόγγον ἀλεύασθαι καὶ λειμῶνʼ ἀνθεμόεντα.  
their voice and their flowering meadow.

**160** οἶον ἔμʼ ἠνώγει ὄπʼ ἀκουέμεν· ἀλλά με δεσμῷ  
She bade me alone hear their voice; but bind me

**161** δήσατʼ ἐν ἀργαλέῳ, ὄφρʼ ἔμπεδον αὐτόθι μίμνω,  
in a galling bond, that I may stay firmly there in place,

**162** ὀρθὸν ἐν ἱστοπέδῃ, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ πείρατʼ ἀνήφθω.  
upright against the mast-step, and let the rope-ends be made fast to it.
> Perfect imperative: ἀνήφθω is a third-person perfect passive imperative, 'let it stand fastened.' The perfect stresses the resulting fixed state, not the act of tying.

**163** εἰ δέ κε λίσσωμαι ὑμέας λῦσαί τε κελεύω,  
And if I beg you and order you to set me free,

**164** ὑμεῖς δὲ πλεόνεσσι τότʼ ἐν δεσμοῖσι πιέζειν.  
then bind me fast with still more bonds."

**165** ἦ τοι ἐγὼ τὰ ἕκαστα λέγων ἑτάροισι πίφαυσκον·  
So, telling each thing in turn, I made it plain to my men;

**166** τόφρα δὲ καρπαλίμως ἐξίκετο νηῦς ἐυεργὴς  
and meanwhile the well-built ship swiftly drew near

**167** νῆσον Σειρήνοιιν· ἔπειγε γὰρ οὖρος ἀπήμων.  
the island of the Sirens, for a fair, harmless wind sped her on.

**168** αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἄνεμος μὲν ἐπαύσατο ἠδὲ γαλήνη  
Then all at once the wind died, and a windless calm

**169** ἔπλετο νηνεμίη, κοίμησε δὲ κύματα δαίμων.  
came on, and some god lulled the waves to rest.
> Augmented aorist: κοίμησε is the aorist of κοιμάω, 'lulled to sleep.' This is an unaugmented aorist — the augmented form would be ἐκοίμησε — Homer routinely drops the augment for metrical convenience. The aorist captures the single decisive act of the daimôn stilling the sea.

**170** ἀνστάντες δʼ ἕταροι νεὸς ἱστία μηρύσαντο  
My men stood up and furled the ship's sail,

**171** καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν νηὶ γλαφυρῇ θέσαν, οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ἐρετμὰ  
and stowed it in the hollow ship, and then to the oars

**172** ἑζόμενοι λεύκαινον ὕδωρ ξεστῇς ἐλάτῃσιν.  
they sat and whitened the water with the polished pine blades.

**173** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ κηροῖο μέγαν τροχὸν ὀξέι χαλκῷ  
But I, with the sharp bronze, took a great round cake of wax

**174** τυτθὰ διατμήξας χερσὶ στιβαρῇσι πίεζον·  
and cut it small, and kneaded it with my strong hands;

**175** αἶψα δʼ ἰαίνετο κηρός, ἐπεὶ κέλετο μεγάλη ἲς  
soon the wax grew warm, for the great force pressed it,

**176** Ἠελίου τʼ αὐγὴ Ὑπεριονίδαο ἄνακτος·  
and the beam of the Sun, lord Hyperion's son;
> son of Hyperion: Ὑπεριονίδης is the patronymic 'son of Hyperion,' a Titan name for the Sun. Homer uses both Hyperion himself and this patronymic for Helios.

**177** ἑξείης δʼ ἑτάροισιν ἐπʼ οὔατα πᾶσιν ἄλειψα.  
and one by one I smeared it over the ears of all my men.

**178** οἱ δʼ ἐν νηί μʼ ἔδησαν ὁμοῦ χεῖράς τε πόδας τε  
Then they bound me in the ship, hand and foot together,

**179** ὀρθὸν ἐν ἱστοπέδῃ, ἐκ δʼ αὐτοῦ πείρατʼ ἀνῆπτον·  
upright against the mast-step, and made the rope-ends fast to it;

**180** αὐτοὶ δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.  
and they themselves sat and struck the gray sea with their oars.

**181** ἀλλʼ ὅτε τόσσον ἀπῆμεν ὅσον τε γέγωνε βοήσας,  
But when we were as far off as a man's shout carries,

**182** ῥίμφα διώκοντες, τὰς δʼ οὐ λάθεν ὠκύαλος νηῦς  
driving swiftly on, the speeding ship did not escape their notice

**183** ἐγγύθεν ὀρνυμένη, λιγυρὴν δʼ ἔντυνον ἀοιδήν·  
as it neared, and they raised their clear-toned song:

**184** δεῦρʼ ἄγʼ ἰών, πολύαινʼ Ὀδυσεῦ, μέγα κῦδος
                     Ἀχαιῶν,  
"Come here, far-famed Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans,
> polyainos Odysseus: πολύαινος, 'much-praised, of many tales,' is a flattering epithet the Sirens use to draw Odysseus in — fitting bait for a hero defined by his fame.

**185** νῆα κατάστησον, ἵνα νωιτέρην ὄπ ἀκούσῃς.  
halt your ship, that you may hear the voice of us two.

**186** οὐ γάρ πώ τις τῇδε παρήλασε νηὶ μελαίνῃ,  
For no one has ever yet passed by here in his black ship

**187** πρίν γʼ ἡμέων μελίγηρυν ἀπὸ στομάτων ὄπʼ ἀκοῦσαι,  
before he heard the honey-sweet voice from our lips,

**188** ἀλλʼ ὅ γε τερψάμενος νεῖται καὶ πλείονα εἰδώς.  
but he goes on his way delighted, and knowing more than before.

**189** ἴδμεν γάρ τοι πάνθʼ ὅσʼ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ εὐρείῃ  
For we know all that, in the wide land of Troy,

**190** Ἀργεῖοι Τρῶές τε θεῶν ἰότητι μόγησαν,  
the Argives and Trojans toiled through by the will of the gods,
> by the will of the gods: θεῶν ἰότητι, 'by the gods' will,' is a fixed phrase attributing human suffering and outcomes to divine purpose.

**191** ἴδμεν δʼ, ὅσσα γένηται ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ.  
and we know whatever comes to pass on the bountiful earth."
> the bountiful earth: πουλυβότειρα, 'feeding many, nourishing,' is a standing epithet of the earth. The Sirens claim total knowledge of everything upon it.

**192** ὣς φάσαν ἱεῖσαι ὄπα κάλλιμον· αὐτὰρ ἐμὸν κῆρ  
So they sang, sending forth their lovely voice; and my heart

**193** ἤθελʼ ἀκουέμεναι, λῦσαί τʼ ἐκέλευον ἑταίρους  
longed to listen, and I signaled my men to set me free,

**194** ὀφρύσι νευστάζων· οἱ δὲ προπεσόντες ἔρεσσον.  
nodding with my brows; but they fell to and rowed harder.
> Present participle: νευστάζων ('nodding, signaling') is a present participle showing action going on at the same time as the main verb — Odysseus keeps gesturing while begging silently to be loosed.

**195** αὐτίκα δʼ ἀνστάντες Περιμήδης Εὐρύλοχός τε  
At once Perimedes and Eurylochus rose up

**196** πλείοσί μʼ ἐν δεσμοῖσι δέον μᾶλλόν τε πίεζον.  
and bound me with more bonds and pressed them tighter still.

**197** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τάς γε παρήλασαν, οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ἔπειτα  
But when they had rowed past them, and no longer

**198** φθογγῆς Σειρήνων ἠκούομεν οὐδέ τʼ ἀοιδῆς,  
could we hear the Sirens' voice or their song,

**199** αἶψʼ ἀπὸ κηρὸν ἕλοντο ἐμοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι,  
at once my trusty comrades took away the wax
> trusty comrades: ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι, 'faithful companions,' is one of the commonest Homeric formulas for a crew or band of followers.

**200** ὅν σφιν ἐπʼ ὠσὶν ἄλειψʼ, ἐμέ τʼ ἐκ δεσμῶν ἀνέλυσαν.  
with which I had smeared their ears, and loosed me from my bonds.

**201** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὴν νῆσον ἐλείπομεν, αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα  
But when we had left that island behind, straightaway

**202** καπνὸν καὶ μέγα κῦμα ἴδον καὶ δοῦπον ἄκουσα.  
I saw smoke and a great wave, and heard a roar.

**203** τῶν δʼ ἄρα δεισάντων ἐκ χειρῶν ἔπτατʼ ἐρετμά,  
Then, as the men took fright, the oars flew from their hands
> Genitive absolute: τῶν δεισάντων is a genitive absolute, 'they being afraid' — a participial clause set apart in the genitive to give the circumstance for the oars flying loose.

**204** βόμβησαν δʼ ἄρα πάντα κατὰ ῥόον· ἔσχετο δʼ αὐτοῦ  
and clattered down through the current; and the ship stood still

**205** νηῦς, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτʼ ἐρετμὰ προήκεα χερσὶν ἔπειγον.  
right there, since no longer did their hands drive the tapered oars.

**206** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ διὰ νηὸς ἰὼν ὤτρυνον ἑταίρους  
But I went through the ship and urged my men on,

**207** μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρασταδὸν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον·  
with soothing words standing beside each man:
> with soothing words: μειλίχιος, 'gentle, honeyed,' modifying 'words,' is a formula for calming or kindly speech in Homer.

**208** ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ πώ τι κακῶν ἀδαήμονές
                     εἰμεν·  
"Friends, we are no strangers to trouble by now;

**209** οὐ μὲν δὴ τόδε μεῖζον ἕπει κακόν, ἢ ὅτε Κύκλωψ  
this evil that comes is no greater than when the Cyclops

**210** εἴλει ἐνὶ σπῆι γλαφυρῷ κρατερῆφι βίηφιν·  
penned us in his hollow cave by brute force.
> by brute force: βίη is sheer physical might; the -φι ending is an old Homeric instrumental case-form, 'with mighty force.' The archaic ending is typical of the epic register.

**211** ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔνθεν ἐμῇ ἀρετῇ, βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε,  
Yet even from there, by my courage, my counsel and my wit,
> courage, counsel, and wit: Odysseus credits not strength but aretê (excellence/valor), boulê (planning), and noos (mind) — the qualities that define him as the man of many devices.

**212** ἐκφύγομεν, καί που τῶνδε μνήσεσθαι ὀίω.  
we escaped; and I think we shall remember this day too.

**213** νῦν δʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες.  
Now come, let us all do as I say.
> Hortatory subjunctive: πειθώμεθα is a first-person plural present subjunctive used as an exhortation: 'let us obey.' This is the standard way Greek says 'let us...'.

**214** ὑμεῖς μὲν κώπῃσιν ἁλὸς ῥηγμῖνα βαθεῖαν  
You, with your oars, strike the deep surf of the sea,

**215** τύπτετε κληίδεσσιν ἐφήμενοι, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς  
sitting at the oarlocks, in hope that somehow Zeus

**216** δώῃ τόνδε γʼ ὄλεθρον ὑπεκφυγέειν καὶ ἀλύξαι·  
may grant us to escape and flee this doom.

**217** σοὶ δέ, κυβερνῆθʼ, ὧδʼ ἐπιτέλλομαι· ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ  
And you, helmsman, I charge you thus — take it

**218** βάλλευ, ἐπεὶ νηὸς γλαφυρῆς οἰήια νωμᾷς.  
to heart, since you handle the hollow ship's steering-oar.
> Middle imperative: βάλλευ is a present middle imperative, 'put (it) for yourself,' i.e. 'lay it to heart.' The middle voice marks the action as done in one's own interest.

**219** τούτου μὲν καπνοῦ καὶ κύματος ἐκτὸς ἔεργε  
Keep the ship clear of this smoke and surge,

**220** νῆα, σὺ δὲ σκοπέλου ἐπιμαίεο, μή σε λάθῃσι  
and hug the rock, lest she slip away from you

**221** κεῖσʼ ἐξορμήσασα καὶ ἐς κακὸν ἄμμε βάλῃσθα.  
by darting off that way and hurling us into ruin.

**222** ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δʼ ὦκα ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πίθοντο.  
So I spoke, and they quickly obeyed my words.

**223** Σκύλλην δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἐμυθεόμην, ἄπρηκτον ἀνίην,  
But I said no more of Scylla, that hopeless grief,
> "hopeless grief": ἄπρηκτος means "that cannot be dealt with, against which nothing can be done"; ἀνίη is anguish or trouble. Odysseus hides the threat because there is no defense against it.

**224** μή πώς μοι δείσαντες ἀπολλήξειαν ἑταῖροι  
for fear that, in their terror, my comrades might leave off

**225** εἰρεσίης, ἐντὸς δὲ πυκάζοιεν σφέας αὐτούς.  
their rowing and huddle themselves down inside the ship.

**226** καὶ τότε δὴ Κίρκης μὲν ἐφημοσύνης ἀλεγεινῆς  
And just then I forgot Circe's hard command,

**227** λανθανόμην, ἐπεὶ οὔ τί μʼ ἀνώγει θωρήσσεσθαι·  
for she had told me by no means to arm myself;
> Middle infinitive: θωρήσσεσθαι is a middle-voice infinitive, "to arm oneself." The middle voice marks the subject acting upon himself, here putting on his own armor.

**228** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καταδὺς κλυτὰ τεύχεα καὶ δύο δοῦρε  
but I put on my glorious armor and, taking two long spears

**229** μάκρʼ ἐν χερσὶν ἑλὼν εἰς ἴκρια νηὸς ἔβαινον  
in my hands, I went up onto the ship's foredeck,

**230** πρῴρης· ἔνθεν γάρ μιν ἐδέγμην πρῶτα φανεῖσθαι  
at the prow; for from there I expected she would first appear,

**231** Σκύλλην πετραίην, ἥ μοι φέρε πῆμʼ ἑτάροισιν.  
Scylla of the rock, who was bringing doom upon my comrades.

**232** οὐδέ πῃ ἀθρῆσαι δυνάμην, ἔκαμον δέ μοι ὄσσε  
But nowhere could I make her out, and my eyes grew weary

**233** πάντῃ παπταίνοντι πρὸς ἠεροειδέα πέτρην.  
as I peered in every direction toward the misty rock.

**234** ἡμεῖς μὲν στεινωπὸν ἀνεπλέομεν γοόωντες·  
So we sailed up the narrow strait, groaning aloud:

**235** ἔνθεν μὲν Σκύλλη, ἑτέρωθι δὲ δῖα Χάρυβδις  
on this side was Scylla, and on the other dread Charybdis
> men ... de contrast: The pairing ἔνθεν μὲν ... ἑτέρωθι δὲ sets the two monsters on opposite sides in balanced clauses, the classic Greek "on the one hand ... on the other."

**236** δεινὸν ἀνερροίβδησε θαλάσσης ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ.  
terribly sucked down the salt water of the sea.

**237** ἦ τοι ὅτʼ ἐξεμέσειε, λέβης ὣς ἐν πυρὶ πολλῷ  
Whenever she spewed it up, like a cauldron over a great fire

**238** πᾶσʼ ἀναμορμύρεσκε κυκωμένη, ὑψόσε δʼ ἄχνη  
she would seethe all over, churning, and high overhead the spray

**239** ἄκροισι σκοπέλοισιν ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ἔπιπτεν·  
fell on the topmost crags on both the rocks.

**240** ἀλλʼ ὅτʼ ἀναβρόξειε θαλάσσης ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ,  
But whenever she gulped down the salt water of the sea,

**241** πᾶσʼ ἔντοσθε φάνεσκε κυκωμένη, ἀμφὶ δὲ πέτρη  
she would show all churning within, and around the rock

**242** δεινὸν ἐβεβρύχει, ὑπένερθε δὲ γαῖα φάνεσκε  
she roared terribly, and below the earth showed through,

**243** ψάμμῳ κυανέη· τοὺς δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει.  
dark with sand; and pale fear seized my men.
> "pale fear": χλωρόν means greenish-yellow, pale; χλωρὸν δέος is a fixed Homeric phrase for the bloodless terror that drains the face of color.

**244** ἡμεῖς μὲν πρὸς τὴν ἴδομεν δείσαντες ὄλεθρον·  
We kept our eyes on her, in fear of destruction;

**245** τόφρα δέ μοι Σκύλλη γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἑταίρους  
and meanwhile Scylla snatched from the hollow ship six of my

**246** ἓξ ἕλεθʼ, οἳ χερσίν τε βίηφί τε φέρτατοι ἦσαν.  
comrades, the ones who were best in strength of hand and might.

**247** σκεψάμενος δʼ ἐς νῆα θοὴν ἅμα καὶ μεθʼ ἑταίρους  
Looking toward the swift ship and after my comrades,

**248** ἤδη τῶν ἐνόησα πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν  
I now caught sight of their feet and hands above me

**249** ὑψόσʼ ἀειρομένων· ἐμὲ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες  
as they were lifted on high; and they cried out, calling me

**250** ἐξονομακλήδην, τότε γʼ ὕστατον, ἀχνύμενοι κῆρ.  
by name, for the last time then, grieving at heart.
> "by name": A rare Homeric adverb meaning "calling each by his very name." It heightens the pathos: the doomed men name Odysseus personally in their last cry.

**251** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἐπὶ προβόλῳ ἁλιεὺς περιμήκεϊ ῥάβδῳ  
As when a fisherman on a jutting headland, with a long rod,

**252** ἰχθύσι τοῖς ὀλίγοισι δόλον κατὰ εἴδατα βάλλων  
casting bait as a trap for the little fish,

**253** ἐς πόντον προΐησι βοὸς κέρας ἀγραύλοιο,  
sends down into the sea the horn of an ox of the field,

**254** ἀσπαίροντα δʼ ἔπειτα λαβὼν ἔρριψε θύραζε,  
then catches one writhing and flings it ashore,

**255** ὣς οἵ γʼ ἀσπαίροντες ἀείροντο προτὶ πέτρας·  
so they were drawn up writhing toward the rocks;

**256** αὐτοῦ δʼ εἰνὶ θύρῃσι κατήσθιε κεκληγῶτας  
and there at her doorway she devoured them as they shrieked,

**257** χεῖρας ἐμοὶ ὀρέγοντας ἐν αἰνῇ δηιοτῆτι·  
stretching out their hands to me in their terrible struggle.

**258** οἴκτιστον δὴ κεῖνο ἐμοῖς ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσι  
That was the most pitiful sight I saw with my own eyes

**259** πάντων, ὅσσʼ ἐμόγησα πόρους ἁλὸς ἐξερεείνων.  
of all I suffered while searching out the paths of the sea.

**260** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πέτρας φύγομεν δεινήν τε Χάρυβδιν  
But when we had fled from the rocks and dread Charybdis

**261** Σκύλλην τʼ, αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα θεοῦ ἐς ἀμύμονα νῆσον  
and Scylla, straightaway then to the god's flawless island

**262** ἱκόμεθʼ· ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν καλαὶ βόες εὐρυμέτωποι,  
we came; and there were the fine broad-browed cattle

**263** πολλὰ δὲ ἴφια μῆλʼ Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο.  
and many sturdy flocks of Hyperion the Sun.

**264** δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἔτι πόντῳ ἐὼν ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ  
And then, while still at sea in my black ship,

**265** μυκηθμοῦ τʼ ἤκουσα βοῶν αὐλιζομενάων  
I heard the lowing of the cattle penned in their stalls

**266** οἰῶν τε βληχήν· καί μοι ἔπος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ  
and the bleating of the sheep; and into my heart fell the word

**267** μάντηος ἀλαοῦ, Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,  
of the blind seer, Theban Teiresias,

**268** Κίρκης τʼ Αἰαίης, ἥ μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε  
and of Aeaean Circe, who had charged me strictly,

**269** νῆσον ἀλεύασθαι τερψιμβρότου Ἠελίοιο.  
again and again, to shun the island of the Sun who gladdens mortals.
> Epithet of the Sun: τερψίμβροτος, "delighting mortals," is a standing epithet of Helios. Here it is bitterly ironic: this delight-giving god's island will bring the crew's death.

**270** δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάροισι μετηύδων ἀχνύμενος κῆρ·  
And then I spoke among my comrades, grieving at heart:

**271** κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων κακά περ πάσχοντες
                     ἑταῖροι,  
"Hear my words, comrades, hard pressed though you are,

**272** ὄφρʼ ὑμῖν εἴπω μαντήια Τειρεσίαο  
so that I may tell you the prophecies of Teiresias

**273** Κίρκης τʼ Αἰαίης, ἥ μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε  
and of Aeaean Circe, who charged me strictly,

**274** νῆσον ἀλεύασθαι τερψιμβρότου Ἠελίοιο·  
again and again, to shun the island of the Sun who gladdens mortals;

**275** ἔνθα γὰρ αἰνότατον κακὸν ἔμμεναι ἄμμιν ἔφασκεν.  
for there, she said, our most terrible harm would be.

**276** ἀλλὰ παρὲξ τὴν νῆσον ἐλαύνετε νῆα μέλαιναν.  
So drive the black ship onward, past the island."

**277** ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ.  
So I spoke, and their hearts were broken within them.
> "their hearts were broken": κατακλάω is literally "to shatter, break down." The idiom "their dear heart was crushed" expresses sudden despair, a recurring Homeric formula.

**278** αὐτίκα δʼ Εὐρύλοχος στυγερῷ μʼ ἠμείβετο μύθῳ·  
And at once Eurylochus answered me with hateful words:

**279** σχέτλιός εἰς, Ὀδυσεῦ· περί τοι μένος, οὐδέ τι
                     γυῖα  
"You are a hard man, Odysseus. Your strength is great, and your limbs

**280** κάμνεις· ἦ ῥά νυ σοί γε σιδήρεα πάντα τέτυκται,  
never tire; truly you must be made all of iron,

**281** ὅς ῥʼ ἑτάρους καμάτῳ ἁδηκότας ἠδὲ καὶ ὕπνῳ  
you who will not let your comrades, worn down with weariness and sleep,

**282** οὐκ ἐάᾳς γαίης ἐπιβήμεναι, ἔνθα κεν αὖτε  
set foot on land, where once again

**283** νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ λαρὸν τετυκοίμεθα δόρπον,  
on this sea-girt island we might cook a savory supper,

**284** ἀλλʼ αὔτως διὰ νύκτα θοὴν ἀλάλησθαι ἄνωγας  
but instead bid us wander on through the swift night just so,

**285** νήσου ἀποπλαγχθέντας ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ.  
driven from the island over the misty sea.

**286** ἐκ νυκτῶν δʼ ἄνεμοι χαλεποί, δηλήματα νηῶν,  
Out of the night come cruel winds, the ruin of ships;

**287** γίγνονται· πῇ κέν τις ὑπεκφύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον,  
how could anyone escape sheer destruction,

**288** ἤν πως ἐξαπίνης ἔλθῃ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα,  
if suddenly a blast of wind should come,

**289** ἢ Νότου ἢ Ζεφύροιο δυσαέος, οἵ τε μάλιστα  
of the South Wind or the ill-blowing West, which most of all

**290** νῆα διαρραίουσι θεῶν ἀέκητι ἀνάκτων.  
shatter a ship, against the will of the lordly gods?

**291** ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι νῦν μὲν πειθώμεθα νυκτὶ μελαίνῃ  
No, for now let us yield to the black night

**292** δόρπον θʼ ὁπλισόμεσθα θοῇ παρὰ νηὶ μένοντες,  
and make ready our supper, staying beside the swift ship;

**293** ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀναβάντες ἐνήσομεν εὐρέι πόντῳ.  
and at dawn we will go aboard and put out on the wide sea."

**294** ὣς ἔφατʼ Εὐρύλοχος, ἐπὶ δʼ ᾔνεον ἄλλοι ἑταῖροι.  
So spoke Eurylochus, and the other comrades agreed.

**295** καὶ τότε δὴ γίγνωσκον ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων,  
And then I knew that some god was plotting evil,
> daimon: δαίμων denotes a divine power, often a nameless or hostile one working against a mortal. Odysseus senses unseen divine malice behind the crew's stubbornness.

**296** καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·  
and I spoke to him with winged words:
> "winged words": ἔπεα πτερόεντα is among the most famous Homeric formulaic epithets, picturing words that fly from speaker to hearer. It recurs throughout the epics as a speech-introducing formula.

**297** Εὐρύλοχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή με βιάζετε μοῦνον ἐόντα.  
"Eurylochus, you press me hard, since I stand alone.

**298** ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν μοι πάντες ὀμόσσατε καρτερὸν ὅρκον·  
But come now, all of you swear me a binding oath:
> Aorist imperative: ὀμόσσατε is an aorist imperative, "swear!" The aorist commands the act as a single decisive deed rather than an ongoing one.

**299** εἴ κέ τινʼ ἠὲ βοῶν ἀγέλην ἢ πῶυ μέγʼ οἰῶν  
if we come upon some herd of cattle or great flock of sheep,

**300** εὕρωμεν, μή πού τις ἀτασθαλίῃσι κακῇσιν  
let no one, in wicked recklessness,
> atasthalia: ἀτασθαλίη is reckless, presumptuous wickedness, the wanton folly that brings ruin. It is the key word for the crew's later crime against the Sun's cattle.

**301** ἢ βοῦν ἠέ τι μῆλον ἀποκτάνῃ· ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι  
kill any ox or sheep; but, content,

**302** ἐσθίετε βρώμην, τὴν ἀθανάτη πόρε Κίρκη.  
eat the food that immortal Circe provided."

**303** ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀπώμνυον, ὡς ἐκέλευον.  
So I spoke, and at once they swore, as I commanded.

**304** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὄμοσάν τε τελεύτησάν τε τὸν ὅρκον,  
But when they had sworn and completed the oath,

**305** στήσαμεν ἐν λιμένι γλαφυρῷ ἐυεργέα νῆα  
we moored the well-built ship in a sheltered harbor

**306** ἄγχʼ ὕδατος γλυκεροῖο, καὶ ἐξαπέβησαν ἑταῖροι  
near a spring of sweet water, and the comrades disembarked

**307** νηός, ἔπειτα δὲ δόρπον ἐπισταμένως τετύκοντο.  
from the ship, and then skillfully prepared their supper.

**308** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,  
But when they had put away the desire for food and drink,
> Formulaic line: "When they had put from themselves the desire for drink and food" is a recurring Homeric meal-formula. ἕντο is a middle aorist, marking the men dismissing their own appetite.

**309** μνησάμενοι δὴ ἔπειτα φίλους ἔκλαιον ἑταίρους,  
they remembered then and wept for their dear comrades,

**310** οὓς ἔφαγε Σκύλλη γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἑλοῦσα·  
the ones whom Scylla had snatched from the hollow ship and devoured;

**311** κλαιόντεσσι δὲ τοῖσιν ἐπήλυθε νήδυμος ὕπνος.  
and as they wept, sweet sleep came over them.

**312** ἦμος δὲ τρίχα νυκτὸς ἔην, μετὰ δʼ ἄστρα βεβήκει,  
When it was the third watch of the night, and the stars had crossed the sky,

**313** ὦρσεν ἔπι ζαῆν ἄνεμον νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς  
Zeus the cloud-gatherer roused a raging wind
> "cloud-gathering Zeus": νεφεληγερέτα is a standing epithet of Zeus, "gatherer of clouds." The -α ending is an old Homeric nominative form for this masculine title.

**314** λαίλαπι θεσπεσίῃ, σὺν δὲ νεφέεσσι κάλυψε  
in a furious storm, and with clouds he covered

**315** γαῖαν ὁμοῦ καὶ πόντον· ὀρώρει δʼ οὐρανόθεν νύξ.  
land and sea alike; and night rose up from the heavens.

**316** ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,  
When early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,
> "rosy-fingered Dawn": The famous formula ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς fills the line-end and marks daybreak throughout the Odyssey. Such repeated noun-epithet phrases are building blocks of oral hexameter.

**317** νῆα μὲν ὡρμίσαμεν κοῖλον σπέος εἰσερύσαντες.  
we drew the ship into a hollow cave and moored her.

**318** ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν νυμφέων καλοὶ χοροὶ ἠδὲ θόωκοι·  
There were the fair dancing-floors and seats of the nymphs;

**319** καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπον·  
and then I called an assembly and spoke among them:

**320** ὦ φίλοι, ἐν γὰρ νηὶ θοῇ βρῶσίς τε πόσις τε  
"My friends, there is food and drink aboard the swift ship;

**321** ἔστιν, τῶν δὲ βοῶν ἀπεχώμεθα, μή τι πάθωμεν·  
so let us keep our hands off these cattle, lest we suffer harm;
> Hortatory subjunctive: ἀπεχώμεθα is a present subjunctive used hortatively, "let us hold off." The first-person plural subjunctive urges the group to a shared course of action.

**322** δεινοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ αἵδε βόες καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,  
for these cattle and sturdy flocks belong to a dread god,

**323** Ἠελίου, ὃς πάντʼ ἐφορᾷ καὶ πάντʼ ἐπακούει.  
the Sun, who sees all things and hears all things."

**324** ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.  
So I spoke, and their proud spirit was won over.

**325** μῆνα δὲ πάντʼ ἄλληκτος ἄη Νότος, οὐδέ τις ἄλλος  
But for a whole month the South Wind blew without ceasing, nor did any other

**326** γίγνετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνέμων εἰ μὴ Εὖρός τε Νότος τε.  
wind arise after that, except the East Wind and the South.

**327** οἱ δʼ ἧος μὲν σῖτον ἔχον καὶ οἶνον ἐρυθρόν,  
Now while they still had grain and red wine,

**328** τόφρα βοῶν ἀπέχοντο λιλαιόμενοι βιότοιο.  
they kept their hands off the cattle, longing to stay alive.
> "longing to stay alive": λιλαίομαι is "to long for, desire eagerly"; βίοτος here means life itself. The men spare the cattle only as long as their own survival does not depend on eating them.

**329** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ νηὸς ἐξέφθιτο ἤια πάντα,  
But when all the provisions had been used up from the ship,

**330** καὶ δὴ ἄγρην ἐφέπεσκον ἀλητεύοντες ἀνάγκῃ,  
and they roamed in search of game, driven by need,

**331** ἰχθῦς ὄρνιθάς τε, φίλας ὅ τι χεῖρας ἵκοιτο,  
fish and birds, whatever might come to their hands,

**332** γναμπτοῖς ἀγκίστροισιν, ἔτειρε δὲ γαστέρα λιμός·  
with bent fishhooks, for hunger gnawed at their bellies.
> bent hooks: The phrase names the curved metal fishhooks the starving men resort to, a vivid concrete detail of their desperation.

**333** δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀνὰ νῆσον ἀπέστιχον, ὄφρα θεοῖσιν  
Then I went off up the island, to pray to the gods,

**334** εὐξαίμην, εἴ τίς μοι ὁδὸν φήνειε νέεσθαι.  
in hope that one of them might show me a way to return home.

**335** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ διὰ νήσου ἰὼν ἤλυξα ἑταίρους,  
But when, going through the island, I had given my comrades the slip,

**336** χεῖρας νιψάμενος, ὅθʼ ἐπὶ σκέπας ἦν ἀνέμοιο,  
I washed my hands where there was shelter from the wind,

**337** ἠρώμην πάντεσσι θεοῖς οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν·  
and prayed to all the gods who hold Olympus;
> imperfect of prayer: ἠρώμην is imperfect middle of ἀράομαι, 'I was praying.' The imperfect frames the prayer as ongoing action interrupted by what follows.

**338** οἱ δʼ ἄρα μοι γλυκὺν ὕπνον ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔχευαν.  
but they poured sweet sleep over my eyelids.

**339** Εὐρύλοχος δʼ ἑτάροισι κακῆς ἐξήρχετο βουλῆς·  
Meanwhile Eurylochus began laying an evil plan before the men:

**340** κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων κακά περ πάσχοντες
                     ἑταῖροι.  
"Hear my words, comrades, for all the hardship you suffer.

**341** πάντες μὲν στυγεροὶ θάνατοι δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι,  
All deaths are hateful to wretched mortals,

**342** λιμῷ δʼ οἴκτιστον θανέειν καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν.  
but most pitiful of all is to die of hunger and meet one's doom.
> to meet one's doom: A formulaic Homeric phrase, literally 'to draw on one's fate,' meaning to die. πότμος is one's appointed death.

**343** ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ, Ἠελίοιο βοῶν ἐλάσαντες ἀρίστας  
So come, let us drive off the best of the Sun's cattle

**344** ῥέξομεν ἀθανάτοισι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν.  
and sacrifice them to the immortals who hold the wide heaven.

**345** εἰ δέ κεν εἰς Ἰθάκην ἀφικοίμεθα, πατρίδα γαῖαν,  
And if we reach Ithaca, our native land,

**346** αἶψά κεν Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι πίονα νηὸν  
we will at once build a rich temple to Hyperion the Sun

**347** τεύξομεν, ἐν δέ κε θεῖμεν ἀγάλματα πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά.  
and set in it many fine offerings.

**348** εἰ δὲ χολωσάμενός τι βοῶν ὀρθοκραιράων  
But if, angered over his straight-horned cattle,

**349** νῆʼ ἐθέλῃ ὀλέσαι, ἐπὶ δʼ ἕσπωνται θεοὶ ἄλλοι,  
he wishes to wreck our ship, and the other gods follow him,

**350** βούλομʼ ἅπαξ πρὸς κῦμα χανὼν ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι,  
I would rather lose my life at one gulp against the wave
> gaping at the wave: χανών (aorist participle of χάσκω, 'gape, open the mouth') pictures the drowning man's mouth open to the water — a single quick death preferred to slow starvation.

**351** ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐὼν ἐν νήσῳ ἐρήμῃ.  
than waste away slowly here on a desert island."

**352** ὣς ἔφατʼ Εὐρύλοχος, ἐπὶ δʼ ᾔνεον ἄλλοι
                     ἑταῖροι.  
So spoke Eurylochus, and the other comrades approved.

**353** αὐτίκα δʼ Ἠελίοιο βοῶν ἐλάσαντες ἀρίστας  
At once they drove off the best of the Sun's cattle

**354** ἐγγύθεν, οὐ γὰρ τῆλε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο  
from nearby, for not far from the dark-prowed ship

**355** βοσκέσκονθʼ ἕλικες καλαὶ βόες εὐρυμέτωποι·  
the fine sleek broad-browed cattle were grazing.

**356** τὰς δὲ περίστησάν τε καὶ εὐχετόωντο θεοῖσιν,  
They stood around them and prayed to the gods,

**357** φύλλα δρεψάμενοι τέρενα δρυὸς ὑψικόμοιο·  
having plucked tender leaves from a high-crowned oak;

**358** οὐ γὰρ ἔχον κρῖ λευκὸν ἐυσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηός.  
for they had no white barley aboard the well-benched ship.

**359** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ εὔξαντο καὶ ἔσφαξαν καὶ ἔδειραν,  
And when they had prayed and cut the throats and flayed them,

**360** μηρούς τʼ ἐξέταμον κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν  
they cut out the thigh-bones and wrapped them in fat,

**361** δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δʼ ὠμοθέτησαν.  
making a double fold, and laid raw flesh upon them.

**362** οὐδʼ εἶχον μέθυ λεῖψαι ἐπʼ αἰθομένοις ἱεροῖσιν,  
They had no wine to pour over the burning offerings,

**363** ἀλλʼ ὕδατι σπένδοντες ἐπώπτων ἔγκατα πάντα.  
but pouring libations of water they roasted all the entrails.

**364** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρʼ ἐκάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,  
And when the thigh-bones were burned and they had tasted the inner parts,

**365** μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν.  
they cut up the rest and pierced it on spits.

**366** καὶ τότε μοι βλεφάρων ἐξέσσυτο νήδυμος ὕπνος,  
Just then sweet sleep rushed away from my eyelids,

**367** βῆν δʼ ἰέναι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης.  
and I set out to go to the swift ship and the shore of the sea.

**368** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦα κιὼν νεὸς ἀμφιελίσσης,  
But when, as I went, I drew near the curved ship,

**369** καὶ τότε με κνίσης ἀμφήλυθεν ἡδὺς ἀυτμή.  
then the sweet smell of roasting fat came drifting round me.

**370** οἰμώξας δὲ θεοῖσι μέγʼ ἀθανάτοισι γεγώνευν·  
I groaned aloud and cried out to the immortal gods:

**371** Ζεῦ πάτερ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι μάκαρες θεοὶ αἰὲν
                        ἐόντες,  
"Father Zeus, and you other blessed gods who live forever,

**372** ἦ με μάλʼ εἰς ἄτην κοιμήσατε νηλέι ὕπνῳ.  
truly you have lulled me into ruin with this pitiless sleep.
> atê: ruinous folly: ἄτη is the blinding delusion or ruin that the gods send; here the very sleep that 'lulled' Odysseus has delivered him to disaster.

**373** οἱ δʼ ἕταροι μέγα ἔργον ἐμητίσαντο μένοντες.  
My comrades, left behind, have plotted a monstrous deed."

**374** ὠκέα δʼ Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι ἄγγελος ἦλθε  
Swiftly a messenger came to Hyperion the Sun,

**375** Λαμπετίη τανύπεπλος, ὅ οἱ βόας ἔκταμεν ἡμεῖς.  
Lampetie of the trailing robe, that we had killed his cattle.

**376** αὐτίκα δʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα χωόμενος κῆρ·  
At once, enraged at heart, he spoke among the immortals:

**377** Ζεῦ πάτερ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι μάκαρες θεοὶ αἰὲν
                        ἐόντες,  
"Father Zeus, and you other blessed gods who live forever,

**378** τῖσαι δὴ ἑτάρους Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,  
take vengeance now on the comrades of Odysseus, son of Laertes,

**379** οἵ μευ βοῦς ἔκτειναν ὑπέρβιον, ᾗσιν ἐγώ γε  
who have insolently killed my cattle, in which I

**380** χαίρεσκον μὲν ἰὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα,  
took delight as I went up into the starry heaven,

**381** ἠδʼ ὁπότʼ ἂψ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἀπʼ οὐρανόθεν προτραποίμην.  
and again as I turned back toward earth from the sky.

**382** εἰ δέ μοι οὐ τίσουσι βοῶν ἐπιεικέʼ ἀμοιβήν,  
If they do not pay me fitting recompense for the cattle,

**383** δύσομαι εἰς Ἀίδαο καὶ ἐν νεκύεσσι φαείνω.  
I will go down into Hades and shine among the dead."

**384** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα
                     Ζεύς·  
Then Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered him and said:
> cloud-gatherer Zeus: A standing epithet of Zeus. The fixed form fits the hexameter and recurs across the epic whenever Zeus speaks.

**385** Ἠέλιʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι φάεινε  
"Sun, keep on shining among the immortals

**386** καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν·  
and for mortal men upon the grain-giving earth.

**387** τῶν δέ κʼ ἐγὼ τάχα νῆα θοὴν ἀργῆτι κεραυνῷ  
As for these men, soon I will strike their swift ship with a blazing thunderbolt

**388** τυτθὰ βαλὼν κεάσαιμι μέσῳ ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ.  
and shatter it to pieces in the middle of the wine-dark sea."
> wine-dark sea: οἶνοψ, 'wine-faced,' is Homer's recurring epithet for the deep sea. We keep the familiar English 'wine-dark.'

**389** ταῦτα δʼ ἐγὼν ἤκουσα Καλυψοῦς ἠυκόμοιο·  
This I heard from Calypso of the lovely hair;

**390** ἡ δʼ ἔφη Ἑρμείαο διακτόρου αὐτὴ ἀκοῦσαι.  
she said she herself had heard it from Hermes the guide.

**391** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλυθον ἠδὲ
                     θάλασσαν,  
But when I had come down to the ship and the sea,

**392** νείκεον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλον ἐπισταδόν, οὐδέ τι μῆχος  
I rebuked them, going from one to another, but no remedy

**393** εὑρέμεναι δυνάμεσθα, βόες δʼ ἀποτέθνασαν ἤδη.  
could we find, for the cattle were already dead.

**394** τοῖσιν δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα θεοὶ τέραα προύφαινον·  
Then at once the gods showed them portents:

**395** εἷρπον μὲν ῥινοί, κρέα δʼ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσι μεμύκει,  
the hides crawled, and the flesh on the spits bellowed,

**396** ὀπταλέα τε καὶ ὠμά, βοῶν δʼ ὣς γίγνετο φωνή.  
both roasted and raw, and there came a sound like cattle lowing.

**397** ἑξῆμαρ μὲν ἔπειτα ἐμοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι  
Then for six days my trusty comrades

**398** δαίνυντʼ Ἠελίοιο βοῶν ἐλάσαντες ἀρίστας·  
feasted, having driven off the best of the Sun's cattle;

**399** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἕβδομον ἦμαρ ἐπὶ Ζεὺς θῆκε Κρονίων,  
but when Zeus, son of Cronos, brought on the seventh day,

**400** καὶ τότʼ ἔπειτʼ ἄνεμος μὲν ἐπαύσατο λαίλαπι θύων,  
then at last the wind ceased raging in its storm,

**401** ἡμεῖς δʼ αἶψʼ ἀναβάντες ἐνήκαμεν εὐρέι πόντῳ,  
and we quickly embarked and put out onto the wide sea,

**402** ἱστὸν στησάμενοι ἀνά θʼ ἱστία λεύκʼ ἐρύσαντες.  
having set up the mast and hauled up the white sails.

**403** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὴν νῆσον ἐλείπομεν, οὐδέ τις
                     ἄλλη  
But when we had left the island behind, and no other

**404** φαίνετο γαιάων, ἀλλʼ οὐρανὸς ἠδὲ θάλασσα,  
land appeared, but only sky and sea,

**405** δὴ τότε κυανέην νεφέλην ἔστησε Κρονίων  
then the son of Cronos set a dark cloud

**406** νηὸς ὕπερ γλαφυρῆς, ἤχλυσε δὲ πόντος ὑπʼ αὐτῆς.  
above the hollow ship, and the sea grew dark beneath it.

**407** ἡ δʼ ἔθει οὐ μάλα πολλὸν ἐπὶ χρόνον· αἶψα γὰρ ἦλθε  
She ran on for no long time, for swiftly there came

**408** κεκληγὼς Ζέφυρος μεγάλῃ σὺν λαίλαπι θύων,  
the shrieking West Wind, raging in a great storm,

**409** ἱστοῦ δὲ προτόνους ἔρρηξʼ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα  
and the squall of wind snapped both forestays

**410** ἀμφοτέρους· ἱστὸς δʼ ὀπίσω πέσεν, ὅπλα τε πάντα  
of the mast; the mast fell backward, and all the tackle

**411** εἰς ἄντλον κατέχυνθʼ. ὁ δʼ ἄρα πρυμνῇ ἐνὶ νηὶ  
tumbled into the bilge. And in the ship's stern

**412** πλῆξε κυβερνήτεω κεφαλήν, σὺν δʼ ὀστέʼ ἄραξε  
it struck the helmsman's head, and crushed the bones

**413** πάντʼ ἄμυδις κεφαλῆς· ὁ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀρνευτῆρι ἐοικὼς  
of his skull all together; and like a diver
> like a diver: The simile compares the helmsman's headlong fall from the deck to an acrobat or diver plunging — a brief, grim image of his death.

**414** κάππεσʼ ἀπʼ ἰκριόφιν, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.  
he plunged from the deck, and his proud spirit left his bones.

**415** Ζεὺς δʼ ἄμυδις βρόντησε καὶ ἔμβαλε νηὶ κεραυνόν·  
Zeus thundered at the same moment and hurled his bolt at the ship;

**416** ἡ δʼ ἐλελίχθη πᾶσα Διὸς πληγεῖσα κεραυνῷ,  
she shuddered through all her frame, struck by the bolt of Zeus,
> passive participle: πληγεῖσα is an aorist passive participle, 'having been struck,' agreeing with the ship (feminine). It marks the ship as the receiver of Zeus's blow.

**417** ἐν δὲ θεείου πλῆτο, πέσον δʼ ἐκ νηὸς ἑταῖροι.  
and was filled with sulfur, and the men fell from the ship.

**418** οἱ δὲ κορώνῃσιν ἴκελοι περὶ νῆα μέλαιναν  
Like sea-crows they were tossed about the black ship

**419** κύμασιν ἐμφορέοντο, θεὸς δʼ ἀποαίνυτο νόστον.  
on the waves, and the god took away their homecoming.
> nostos: homecoming: νόστος, the return home, is the central goal of the whole epic. Here the god strips it from the crew entirely.

**420** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ διὰ νηὸς ἐφοίτων, ὄφρʼ ἀπὸ τοίχους  
But I kept ranging about the ship, until the surge

**421** λῦσε κλύδων τρόπιος, τὴν δὲ ψιλὴν φέρε κῦμα,  
tore the sides from the keel, and the wave bore it bare,

**422** ἐκ δέ οἱ ἱστὸν ἄραξε ποτὶ τρόπιν. αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ  
and snapped the mast off against the keel. But upon it

**423** ἐπίτονος βέβλητο, βοὸς ῥινοῖο τετευχώς·  
a backstay had been thrown, made of an ox's hide;

**424** τῷ ῥʼ ἄμφω συνέεργον, ὁμοῦ τρόπιν ἠδὲ καὶ ἱστόν,  
with this I lashed the two together, keel and mast alike,

**425** ἑζόμενος δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖς φερόμην ὀλοοῖς ἀνέμοισιν.  
and sitting on them I was carried by the deadly winds.

**426** ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι Ζέφυρος μὲν ἐπαύσατο λαίλαπι
                     θύων,  
There, then, the West Wind ceased raging in its storm,

**427** ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ Νότος ὦκα, φέρων ἐμῷ ἄλγεα θυμῷ,  
and the South Wind came on swiftly, bringing grief to my heart,

**428** ὄφρʼ ἔτι τὴν ὀλοὴν ἀναμετρήσαιμι Χάρυβδιν.  
so that I should measure my way back again to deadly Charybdis.

**429** παννύχιος φερόμην, ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι  
All night I was borne along, and as the sun rose

**430** ἦλθον ἐπὶ Σκύλλης σκόπελον δεινήν τε Χάρυβδιν.  
I came to the rock of Scylla and to dread Charybdis.

**431** ἡ μὲν ἀνερροίβδησε θαλάσσης ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ·  
She was sucking down the salt water of the sea;

**432** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ ποτὶ μακρὸν ἐρινεὸν ὑψόσʼ ἀερθείς,  
but I, lifted high up toward the tall fig tree,

**433** τῷ προσφὺς ἐχόμην ὡς νυκτερίς. οὐδέ πῃ εἶχον  
clung fast to it like a bat. I had no place
> like a bat: The homely simile of a bat clinging to a fig tree — small and helpless against the whirlpool — undercuts the heroic scale with a vivid everyday image.

**434** οὔτε στηρίξαι ποσὶν ἔμπεδον οὔτʼ ἐπιβῆναι·  
either to plant my feet firmly or to climb up;

**435** ῥίζαι γὰρ ἑκὰς εἶχον, ἀπήωροι δʼ ἔσαν ὄζοι,  
for the roots were far off, and the branches hung high above,

**436** μακροί τε μεγάλοι τε, κατεσκίαον δὲ Χάρυβδιν.  
long and great, overshadowing Charybdis.

**437** νωλεμέως δʼ ἐχόμην, ὄφρʼ ἐξεμέσειεν ὀπίσσω  
I held on without flinching, waiting until she should vomit back

**438** ἱστὸν καὶ τρόπιν αὖτις· ἐελδομένῳ δέ μοι ἦλθον  
the mast and keel again; and to my longing they came

**439** ὄψʼ· ἦμος δʼ ἐπὶ δόρπον ἀνὴρ ἀγορῆθεν ἀνέστη  
late. At the hour when a man rises from the assembly for his supper,

**440** κρίνων νείκεα πολλὰ δικαζομένων αἰζηῶν,  
after deciding the many disputes of contending young men,

**441** τῆμος δὴ τά γε δοῦρα Χαρύβδιος ἐξεφαάνθη.  
then at last the timbers reappeared from out of Charybdis.
> came into view: An aorist passive of a verb of appearing, vividly marking the moment the mast and keel resurfaced after Charybdis swallowed and disgorged the sea.

**442** ἧκα δʼ ἐγὼ καθύπερθε πόδας καὶ χεῖρε φέρεσθαι,  
I let myself drop down from above, feet and hands together,

**443** μέσσῳ δʼ ἐνδούπησα παρὲξ περιμήκεα δοῦρα,  
and splashed down in the middle, just clear of the long timbers,

**444** ἑζόμενος δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσι διήρεσα χερσὶν ἐμῇσι.  
and sitting astride them I rowed onward with my own hands.
> dative of means: "With my own hands" stands in the dative, naming the instrument of the rowing. The Homeric form ἐμῇσι is an older variant of the possessive.

**445** Σκύλλην δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔασε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε  
But the father of men and gods did not let Scylla

**446** εἰσιδέειν· οὐ γάρ κεν ὑπέκφυγον αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.  
catch sight of me; for otherwise I would not have escaped sheer destruction.
> unreal past condition: The aorist indicative with κεν expresses a contrary-to-fact result: had Scylla seen him, he would not have escaped. The particle κεν marks the potential.

**447** ἔνθεν δʼ ἐννῆμαρ φερόμην, δεκάτῃ δέ με νυκτὶ  
From there I was carried for nine days, and on the tenth night

**448** νῆσον ἐς Ὠγυγίην πέλασαν θεοί, ἔνθα Καλυψὼ  
the gods brought me to the island of Ogygia, where Calypso

**449** ναίει ἐυπλόκαμος, δεινὴ θεὸς αὐδήεσσα,  
dwells, the fair-haired one, a dread goddess with mortal speech,
> with mortal speech: An epithet for goddesses like Calypso and Circe who can speak with human voice. It marks them as goddesses who interact directly and conversationally with mortals.

**450** ἥ μʼ ἐφίλει τʼ ἐκόμει τε. τί τοι τάδε μυθολογεύω;  
who loved me and cared for me. But why tell you this tale again?

**451** ἤδη γάρ τοι χθιζὸς ἐμυθεόμην ἐνὶ οἴκῳ  
For just yesterday I told it in your house,
> imperfect of telling: The imperfect describes the act of narrating as something done over the course of yesterday's gathering. The augment ἐ- marks the past tense.

**452** σοί τε καὶ ἰφθίμῃ ἀλόχῳ· ἐχθρὸν δέ μοί ἐστιν  
to you and to your noble wife; and it is hateful to me

**453** αὖτις ἀριζήλως εἰρημένα μυθολογεύειν.  
to tell again as a tale things already plainly spoken.
> perfect participle: "Things that have been said" is a perfect passive participle, stressing the completed, standing state of the already-told story. Odysseus refuses to repeat what is now settled and known.

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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.