# The Odyssey, Book 17: Odysseus Returns to His House as a Beggar

Ὀδύσσεια · Homer · The Homecoming

The beggar follows Telemachus to the palace. At the gate the old dog Argos knows his master and dies. Antinous throws a footstool at him.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/17. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/17.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/odyssey/<line id>.m4a.

**1** ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,  
When early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,
> The Dawn formula: This whole line is one of Homer's most frequent formulaic verses, opening a new day. 'Rosy-fingered' is a fixed ornamental epithet attached to Dawn.

**2** δὴ τότʼ ἔπειθʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα  
then indeed Telemachus bound the fine sandals beneath his feet,

**3** Τηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,  
Telemachus, the dear son of godlike Odysseus,
> Genitive of the father: The name and its epithet stand in the genitive, marking whose son Telemachus is. The ending -οιο is the older Homeric genitive singular form.

**4** εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ὅ οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει,  
and he took up the strong spear that fit his grip,

**5** ἄστυδε ἱέμενος, καὶ ἑὸν προσέειπε συβώτην·  
eager for the city, and he spoke to his swineherd:

**6** ἄττʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼν εἶμʼ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρα με
                     μήτηρ  
"Old friend, truly I am going to the city, so that my mother
> Purpose clause: ὄφρα introduces a purpose clause ('so that'), here taking a subjunctive verb. It is a common Homeric way of expressing intent.

**7** ὄψεται· οὐ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν παύσεσθαι ὀΐω  
may see me; for I do not think she will leave off before

**8** κλαυθμοῦ τε στυγεροῖο γόοιό τε δακρυόεντος,  
her hateful weeping and tearful lament,

**9** πρίν γʼ αὐτόν με ἴδηται· ἀτὰρ σοί γʼ ὧδʼ ἐπιτέλλω.  
until she sees me myself. But to you I give this charge:

**10** τὸν ξεῖνον δύστηνον ἄγʼ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐκεῖθι  
lead the wretched stranger to the city, so that there

**11** δαῖτα πτωχεύῃ· δώσει δέ οἱ ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσι  
he may beg his meal; whoever wishes will give him

**12** πύρνον καὶ κοτύλην· ἐμὲ δʼ οὔ πως ἔστιν ἅπαντας  
a crust and a cup. There is no way that I can endure

**13** ἀνθρώπους ἀνέχεσθαι, ἔχοντά περ ἄλγεα θυμῷ·  
all men, having griefs enough in my own heart.

**14** ὁ ξεῖνος δʼ εἴ περ μάλα μηνίει, ἄλγιον αὐτῷ  
And if the stranger is greatly angered, the worse it will be

**15** ἔσσεται· ἦ γὰρ ἐμοὶ φίλʼ ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι.  
for him; for I love to speak the truth."

**16** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις
                  Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then resourceful Odysseus answered him:
> "Of many wiles": πολύμητις, 'of many counsels/wiles,' is Odysseus' signature epithet. This whole verse is a stock speech-introduction formula.

**17** ὦ φίλος, οὐδέ τοι αὐτὸς ἐρύκεσθαι μενεαίνω·  
"Friend, I myself have no wish to be kept here;

**18** πτωχῷ βέλτερόν ἐστι κατὰ πτόλιν ἠὲ κατʼ ἀγροὺς  
it is better for a beggar to beg his meal through the city

**19** δαῖτα πτωχεύειν· δώσει δέ μοι ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν.  
than through the fields; whoever wishes will give to me.

**20** οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ σταθμοῖσι μένειν ἔτι τηλίκος εἰμί,  
For I am no longer of an age to stay at the steadings,

**21** ὥστʼ ἐπιτειλαμένῳ σημάντορι πάντα πιθέσθαι.  
so as to obey a master in everything he commands.

**22** ἀλλʼ ἔρχευ· ἐμὲ δʼ ἄξει ἀνὴρ ὅδε, τὸν σὺ κελεύεις,  
But go; this man will lead me, the one you bid,

**23** αὐτίκʼ ἐπεί κε πυρὸς θερέω ἀλέη τε γένηται.  
as soon as I have warmed at the fire and the day grows warm.

**24** αἰνῶς γὰρ τάδε εἵματʼ ἔχω κακά· μή με δαμάσσῃ  
For terribly poor are these clothes I wear; I fear the frost

**25** στίβη ὑπηοίη· ἕκαθεν δέ τε ἄστυ φάτʼ εἶναι.  
of morning may overcome me; and you say the city is far off."

**26** ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὰ σταθμοῖο βεβήκει,  
So he spoke, and Telemachus had gone out through the steading,
> Pluperfect of swift motion: βεβήκει is a pluperfect of βαίνω used vividly to mark that Telemachus is already striding away. Homer often uses this tense of βαίνω for completed, decisive movement.

**27** κραιπνὰ ποσὶ προβιβάς, κακὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσι φύτευεν.  
stepping swiftly on his feet, sowing trouble for the suitors.

**28** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,  
But when he reached the well-built halls,

**29** ἔγχος μέν ῥʼ ἔστησε φέρων πρὸς κίονα μακρήν,  
he set the spear he carried against a tall pillar,

**30** αὐτὸς δʼ εἴσω ἴεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν.  
and went inside himself, and crossed the stone threshold.

**31** τὸν δὲ πολὺ πρώτη εἶδε τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια,  
Far before all others the nurse Eurycleia saw him,

**32** κώεα καστορνῦσα θρόνοις ἔνι δαιδαλέοισι,  
as she was spreading fleeces over the elaborate chairs,

**33** δακρύσασα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἰθὺς κίεν· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἄλλαι  
and bursting into tears she came straight up; and around him the other

**34** δμῳαὶ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠγερέθοντο,  
handmaids of stout-hearted Odysseus gathered,
> "Stout-hearted": ταλασίφρων, literally 'enduring in mind,' is a recurring epithet of Odysseus emphasizing his patient endurance. It agrees in the genitive with his name.

**35** καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμεναι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους.  
and lovingly kissed his head and shoulders.

**36** ἡ δʼ ἴεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,  
Then out of her chamber came thoughtful Penelope,

**37** Ἀρτέμιδι ἰκέλη ἠὲ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ,  
like Artemis or golden Aphrodite,

**38** ἀμφὶ δὲ παιδὶ φίλῳ βάλε πήχεε δακρύσασα,  
and weeping she threw her arms around her dear son,
> Dual: "both arms": πήχεε is a dual form, denoting the pair of arms as a natural twosome. Homeric Greek keeps the dual alive for things that come in twos.

**39** κύσσε δέ μιν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ἄμφω φάεα καλά,  
and kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes,

**40** καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and lamenting she spoke winged words to him:
> "Winged words": ἔπεα πτερόεντα, 'winged words,' is among the most famous Homeric formulas, picturing speech flying from speaker to hearer.

**41** ἦλθες, Τηλέμαχε, γλυκερὸν φάος. οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἐγώ
                     γε  
"You have come, Telemachus, sweet light. I no longer

**42** ὄψεσθαι ἐφάμην, ἐπεὶ ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε  
thought to see you, after you went by ship to Pylos

**43** λάθρη, ἐμεῦ ἀέκητι, φίλου μετὰ πατρὸς ἀκουήν.  
secretly, against my will, for news of your dear father.

**44** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.  
But come, tell me how you met with the sight of him."

**45** τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then wise Telemachus answered her in turn:
> "Sound of sense": πεπνυμένος, a perfect participle meaning 'discreet, wise,' is Telemachus' standing epithet. The whole line is a formulaic reply-introduction.

**46** μῆτερ ἐμή, μή μοι γόον ὄρνυθι μηδέ μοι ἦτορ  
"My mother, do not rouse lament in me, nor stir my heart

**47** ἐν στήθεσσιν ὄρινε φυγόντι περ αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον·  
in my breast, when I have just escaped sheer destruction.

**48** ἀλλʼ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵμαθʼ ἑλοῦσα,  
But wash yourself, take clean garments upon your body,

**49** εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶν  
go up to the upper room with your attendant women,

**50** εὔχεο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας  
and vow to all the gods that you will offer perfect hecatombs,

**51** ῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.  
if Zeus should somehow bring about deeds of requital.

**52** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν ἐσελεύσομαι, ὄφρα καλέσσω  
But I will go to the assembly, so that I may call

**53** ξεῖνον, ὅτις μοι κεῖθεν ἅμʼ ἕσπετο δεῦρο κιόντι.  
a stranger, who followed me here from there as I came.

**54** τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ προὔπεμψα σὺν ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισι,  
I sent him ahead with my godlike companions,

**55** Πείραιον δέ μιν ἠνώγεα προτὶ οἶκον ἄγοντα  
and I bade Peiraeus, leading him to his house,

**56** ἐνδυκέως φιλέειν καὶ τιέμεν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθω.  
to entertain and honor him kindly, until I should come."

**57** ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δʼ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος.  
So he spoke, and the word remained unwinged for her.
> "The word stayed unwinged": Literally 'the word became wingless for her,' a Homeric idiom meaning she took his words to heart silently, raising no objection. It plays against the usual 'winged words.'

**58** ἡ δʼ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵμαθʼ ἑλοῦσα,  
And she washed herself, took clean garments upon her body,

**59** εὔχετο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας  
and vowed to all the gods that she would offer perfect hecatombs,

**60** ῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.  
if Zeus should somehow bring about deeds of requital.

**61** Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει  
Then Telemachus went out through the great hall,

**62** ἔγχος ἔχων· ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.  
spear in hand; and two swift dogs followed along with him.

**63** θεσπεσίην δʼ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατέχευεν Ἀθήνη·  
And Athena shed a divine grace upon him,
> kharis: divine grace: χάρις here is a radiant attractiveness that a god pours over a mortal, making others marvel at them. Athena does the same for Odysseus elsewhere.

**64** τὸν δʼ ἄρα πάντες λαοὶ ἐπερχόμενον θηεῦντο.  
and all the people gazed in wonder as he came on.

**65** ἀμφὶ δέ μιν μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἠγερέθοντο  
Around him the lordly suitors gathered,

**66** ἔσθλʼ ἀγορεύοντες, κακὰ δὲ φρεσὶ βυσσοδόμευον.  
speaking fair words, but brooding evil in their hearts.
> men/de antithesis: The line sets 'good things they spoke' against 'evil they brooded' through a δέ antithesis — the source contains no μέν, only δέ. The contrast is between the participial phrase ἔσθλʼ ἀγορεύοντες and the main clause κακὰ δὲ … βυσσοδόμευον, sharpening the suitors' two-facedness.

**67** αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν μὲν ἔπειτα ἀλεύατο πουλὺν ὅμιλον,  
But he then avoided their great crowd,

**68** ἀλλʼ ἵνα Μέντωρ ἧστο καὶ Ἄντιφος ἠδʼ Ἁλιθέρσης,  
and went where Mentor sat, and Antiphus and Halitherses,

**69** οἵ τε οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πατρώϊοι ἦσαν ἑταῖροι,  
who from the beginning were his father's companions;

**70** ἔνθα καθέζετʼ ἰών· τοὶ δʼ ἐξερέεινον ἕκαστα.  
there he went and sat down; and they questioned him on each thing.

**71** τοῖσι δὲ Πείραιος δουρικλυτὸς ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεν  
Then Peiraeus, famed for his spear, came near to them,

**72** ξεῖνον ἄγων ἀγορήνδε διὰ πτόλιν· οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι δὴν  
leading the stranger through the city to the assembly; nor for long

**73** Τηλέμαχος ξείνοιο ἑκὰς τράπετʼ, ἀλλὰ παρέστη.  
did Telemachus turn away from the stranger, but stood beside him.

**74** τὸν καὶ Πείραιος πρότερος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·  
And Peiraeus was first to speak a word to him:

**75** Τηλέμαχʼ, αἶψʼ ὄτρυνον ἐμὸν ποτὶ δῶμα
                     γυναῖκας,  
"Telemachus, quickly send your women to my house,

**76** ὥς τοι δῶρʼ ἀποπέμψω, ἅ τοι Μενέλαος ἔδωκε.  
so that I may send back to you the gifts Menelaus gave you."

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

**78** Πείραιʼ, οὐ γάρ τʼ ἴδμεν ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.  
"Peiraeus, we do not know how these matters will turn out.

**79** εἴ κεν ἐμὲ μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἐν μεγάροισι  
If the lordly suitors, in the halls,

**80** λάθρη κτείναντες πατρώϊα πάντα δάσωνται,  
kill me by stealth and divide all my father's goods,

**81** αὐτὸν ἔχοντά σε βούλομʼ ἐπαυρέμεν, ἤ τινα τῶνδε·  
I would rather you keep and enjoy them than one of these men.

**82** εἰ δέ κʼ ἐγὼ τούτοισι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φυτεύσω,  
But if I sow death and doom for them,
> "Slaughter and doom": κήρ is the personified spirit of death and fated destruction, paired here with φόνος, 'slaughter.' The verb 'sow/plant' (φυτεύσω) makes the violence agricultural.

**83** δὴ τότε μοι χαίροντι φέρειν πρὸς δώματα χαίρων.  
then gladly bring them to my house, and I will gladly receive them."

**84** ὣς εἰπὼν ξεῖνον ταλαπείριον ἦγεν ἐς οἶκον.  
So speaking, he led the long-suffering stranger to the house.

**85** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,  
But when they reached the well-built halls,

**86** χλαίνας μὲν κατέθεντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,  
they laid down their cloaks on the chairs and seats,

**87** ἐς δʼ ἀσαμίνθους βάντες ἐϋξέστας λούσαντο.  
and stepping into the polished bathtubs they washed.

**88** τοὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ,  
And when the handmaids had washed them and anointed them with oil,

**89** ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα χλαίνας οὔλας βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,  
and had thrown thick cloaks and tunics about them,

**90** ἔκ ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθων βάντες ἐπὶ κλισμοῖσι καθῖζον.  
they stepped out of the baths and sat down on the chairs.

**91** χέρνιβα δʼ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα  
A handmaid brought water for the hands and poured it from a pitcher,

**92** καλῇ χρυσείῃ, ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,  
a fine golden one, over a silver basin,

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

**94** σῖτον δʼ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,  
The honored housekeeper brought bread and set it by them,

**95** εἴδατα πόλλʼ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων.  
laying out many dishes, freely giving of her store.

**96** μήτηρ δʼ ἀντίον ἷζε παρὰ σταθμὸν μεγάροιο  
And the mother sat across from them by the doorpost of the hall,

**97** κλισμῷ κεκλιμένη, λέπτʼ ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσα.  
reclining on a chair, spinning fine threads of yarn.

**98** οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον,  
Then they laid their hands on the good things spread ready before them.

**99** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,  
But when they had put away their desire for drink and food,
> "Put away desire": A standard meal-closing formula: literally 'they sent forth the desire' for food and drink, i.e., they had eaten their fill.

**100** τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
thoughtful Penelope began to speak among them:

**101** Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ τοι ἐγὼν ὑπερώϊον εἰσαναβᾶσα  
"Telemachus, truly I will go up to the upper room

**102** λέξομαι εἰς εὐνήν, ἥ μοι στονόεσσα τέτυκται,  
and lie down on my bed, which has become for me a thing of grief,

**103** αἰεὶ δάκρυσʼ ἐμοῖσι πεφυρμένη, ἐξ οὗ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
always stained with my tears, ever since Odysseus

**104** ᾤχεθʼ ἅμʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃσιν ἐς Ἴλιον· οὐδέ μοι ἔτλης,  
went off with the sons of Atreus to Ilium. But you did not bring yourself,

**105** πρὶν ἐλθεῖν μνηστῆρας ἀγήνορας ἐς τόδε δῶμα,  
before the lordly suitors came into this house,

**106** νόστον σοῦ πατρὸς σάφα εἰπέμεν, εἴ που ἄκουσας.  
to tell me clearly of your father's return, if you heard anything."
> nostos: homecoming: νόστος is the 'homecoming,' the central theme of the whole poem. Here Penelope asks whether Telemachus learned anything of Odysseus' return.

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

**108** τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, μῆτερ, ἀληθείην καταλέξω.  
"Well then, mother, I will tell you the truth.

**109** ᾠχόμεθʼ ἔς τε Πύλον καὶ Νέστορα, ποιμένα λαῶν·  
We went to Pylos and to Nestor, shepherd of the people;
> "Shepherd of the people": ποιμὴν λαῶν, 'shepherd of the host,' is a recurring epithet for a ruler who guides and guards his people like a shepherd his flock.

**110** δεξάμενος δέ με κεῖνος ἐν ὑψηλοῖσι δόμοισιν  
and he, receiving me in his lofty halls,

**111** ἐνδυκέως ἐφίλει, ὡς εἴ τε πατὴρ ἑὸν υἱὸν  
welcomed me kindly, as a father welcomes his own son

**112** ἐλθόντα χρόνιον νέον ἄλλοθεν· ὣς ἐμὲ κεῖνος  
come home after long years from far away; so that man

**113** ἐνδυκέως ἐκόμιζε σὺν υἱάσι κυδαλίμοισιν.  
tended me kindly, together with his glorious sons.

**114** αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος οὔ ποτʼ ἔφασκεν,  
But of stout-hearted Odysseus he said he had never
> stout-hearted: A recurring epithet of Odysseus, literally 'enduring-minded' — combining the sense of patient endurance with steady resolve.

**115** ζωοῦ οὐδὲ θανόντος, ἐπιχθονίων τευ ἀκοῦσαι·  
heard a word from any man on earth, alive or dead.

**116** ἀλλά μʼ ἐς Ἀτρεΐδην, δουρικλειτὸν Μενέλαον,  
Instead he sent me on to Atreus' son, Menelaos famed for the spear,

**117** ἵπποισι προὔπεμψε καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσιν.  
with horses and a chariot well joined together.

**118** ἔνθʼ ἴδον Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλὰ  
There I saw Argive Helen, for whose sake so many

**119** Ἀργεῖοι Τρῶές τε θεῶν ἰότητι μόγησαν.  
Argives and Trojans suffered by the will of the gods.

**120** εἴρετο δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος  
Then at once Menelaos, good at the war-cry, asked me
> good at the war-cry: A stock heroic epithet, literally 'good at the battle-shout' — marking a warrior's prowess in rallying men.

**121** ὅττευ χρηΐζων ἱκόμην Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν·  
what need had brought me to noble Lacedaemon;

**122** αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τῷ πᾶσαν ἀληθείην κατέλεξα·  
and I told him the whole truth in full.

**123** καὶ τότε δή με ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·  
And then he answered me with these words:

**124** ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ κρατερόφρονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν
                        εὐνῇ  
'Shame on them! So into the bed of a strong-hearted man
> Shame on them!: An exclamation of indignation or dismay, common in Homer when a speaker reacts with outrage.

**125** ἤθελον εὐνηθῆναι, ἀνάλκιδες αὐτοὶ ἐόντες.  
they wished to lie, cowards that they are themselves.

**126** ὡς δʼ ὁπότʼ ἐν ξυλόχῳ ἔλαφος κρατεροῖο λέοντος  
As when a deer in the thicket of a mighty lion

**127** νεβροὺς κοιμήσασα νεηγενέας γαλαθηνοὺς  
has laid her newborn suckling fawns to sleep,

**128** κνημοὺς ἐξερέῃσι καὶ ἄγκεα ποιήεντα  
and roams the mountain slopes and grassy glens

**129** βοσκομένη, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα ἑὴν εἰσήλυθεν εὐνήν,  
to graze, and then the lion comes into his lair

**130** ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκεν,  
and looses a hideous doom upon them both —

**131** ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κείνοισιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφήσει.  
so will Odysseus loose a hideous doom on these men.
> hideous doom: The repetition of 'hideous doom' from the simile (130) to its application (131) seals the comparison: what the lion does to the fawns, Odysseus will do to the suitors.

**132** αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον,  
Would that — by father Zeus, Athena, and Apollo —
> wish for the impossible: The particle 'ai gar' introduces a strong wish; the verbs that follow are in the optative, the mood Greek uses for wishes.

**133** τοῖος ἐὼν οἷός ποτʼ ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐνὶ Λέσβῳ  
he were such as once in well-built Lesbos

**134** ἐξ ἔριδος Φιλομηλεΐδῃ ἐπάλαισεν ἀναστάς,  
he rose to wrestle Philomeleides out of a quarrel,

**135** κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλε κρατερῶς, κεχάροντο δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί,  
and threw him hard, so that all the Achaeans rejoiced —

**136** τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς·  
such an Odysseus, were he to come among the suitors,

**137** πάντες κʼ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε.  
they would all find a swift death and a bitter marriage.
> bitter marriage: A compact compound, 'bitter-married' — the suitors' courtship of Penelope would prove their ruin.

**138** ταῦτα δʼ ἅ μʼ εἰρωτᾷς καὶ λίσσεαι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε  
But as for what you ask and beg of me, I would not

**139** ἄλλα παρὲξ εἴποιμι παρακλιδὸν οὐδʼ ἀπατήσω,  
speak otherwise, off the point, nor would I deceive you;

**140** ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν μοι ἔειπε γέρων ἅλιος νημερτής,  
rather, what the unerring old man of the sea told me,

**141** τῶν οὐδέν τοι ἐγὼ κρύψω ἔπος οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω.  
of that I will hide no word from you nor conceal it.

**142** φῆ μιν ὅ γʼ ἐν νήσῳ ἰδέειν κρατέρʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντα,  
He said he had seen him on an island, suffering bitter griefs,

**143** νύμφης ἐν μεγάροισι Καλυψοῦς, ἥ μιν ἀνάγκῃ  
in the halls of the nymph Calypso, who holds him there

**144** ἴσχει· ὁ δʼ οὐ δύναται ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.  
by force; and he cannot reach his native land,

**145** οὐ γάρ οἱ πάρα νῆες ἐπήρετμοι καὶ ἑταῖροι,  
for he has no oared ships at hand and no companions

**146** οἵ κέν μιν πέμποιεν ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης  
to send him on over the broad back of the sea.'
> broad back of the sea: A vivid Homeric image — the sea's surface pictured as a wide, rolling 'back' to be traveled across.

**147** ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀτρεΐδης, δουρικλειτὸς Μενέλαος.  
So spoke Atreus' son, Menelaos famed for the spear.

**148** ταῦτα τελευτήσας νεόμην· ἔδοσαν δέ μοι οὖρον  
When this was done I set out for home; and the immortals

**149** ἀθάνατοι, τοί μʼ ὦκα φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἔπεμψαν.  
gave me a fair wind and swiftly sent me to my dear native land."

**150** ὣς φάτο, τῇ δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε.  
So he spoke, and stirred the heart in her breast.

**151** τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Θεοκλύμενος θεοειδής·  
Then godlike Theoklymenos spoke among them:
> godlike: Literally 'godlike in form' — a standard epithet for a handsome and noble man; here it suits a seer of divine insight.

**152** ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,  
"Honored wife of Laertes' son Odysseus,
> vocative of address: Theoklymenos addresses Penelope in the vocative case, the form Greek uses for direct address.

**153** ἦ τοι ὅ γʼ οὐ σάφα οἶδεν, ἐμεῖο δὲ σύνθεο μῦθον·  
indeed that man does not know clearly; but mark my word.

**154** ἀτρεκέως γάρ σοι μαντεύσομαι οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω·  
For I will prophesy to you exactly and conceal nothing:
> I will prophesy: Theoklymenos is a seer; this verb (manteuomai) marks formal divination, distinct from ordinary report.

**155** ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα θεῶν, ξενίη τε τράπεζα  
let Zeus now be my witness first among the gods, and this hospitable table,

**156** ἱστίη τʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω,  
and the hearth of blameless Odysseus, to which I have come,

**157** ὡς ἦ τοι Ὀδυσεὺς ἤδη ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ,  
that truly Odysseus is already in his native land,

**158** ἥμενος ἢ ἕρπων, τάδε πευθόμενος κακὰ ἔργα,  
sitting or moving about, learning of these evil deeds,

**159** ἔστιν, ἀτὰρ μνηστῆρσι κακὸν πάντεσσι φυτεύει·  
and he is sowing ruin for all the suitors.

**160** τοῖον ἐγὼν οἰωνὸν ἐϋσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηὸς  
Such a bird-omen I marked as I sat aboard

**161** ἥμενος ἐφρασάμην καὶ Τηλεμάχῳ ἐγεγώνευν.  
the well-benched ship, and I called it out to Telemachus."

**162** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him in turn:
> wise Penelope: Penelope's standing epithet, 'circumspect' or 'very thoughtful' — marking her shrewd good sense.

**163** αἲ γὰρ τοῦτο, ξεῖνε, ἔπος τετελεσμένον εἴη·  
"If only this word of yours, stranger, might come to pass!
> optative of wish: Penelope's wish uses the optative with 'ai gar', the standard construction for expressing a hope.

**164** τῷ κε τάχα γνοίης φιλότητά τε πολλά τε δῶρα  
Then you would soon know my friendship and many gifts

**165** ἐξ ἐμεῦ, ὡς ἄν τίς σε συναντόμενος μακαρίζοι.  
from me, so that anyone meeting you would call you blessed."

**166** ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,  
So they spoke such things to one another,

**167** μνηστῆρες δὲ πάροιθεν Ὀδυσσῆος μεγάροιο  
while the suitors, in front of Odysseus' hall,

**168** δίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες,  
were amusing themselves throwing discuses and hunting-spears,

**169** ἐν τυκτῷ δαπέδῳ, ὅθι περ πάρος ὕβριν ἔχοντες.  
on the leveled ground, where they kept up their old insolence.
> insolence (hubris): Hubris is arrogant, reckless violence against the proper order — the defining sin of the suitors throughout the poem.

**170** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δείπνηστος ἔην καὶ ἐπήλυθε μῆλα  
But when it was dinnertime and the flocks came in

**171** πάντοθεν ἐξ ἀγρῶν, οἱ δʼ ἤγαγον οἳ τὸ πάρος περ,  
from the fields on every side, and the usual men led them,

**172** καὶ τότε δή σφιν ἔειπε Μέδων· ὃς γάρ ῥα μάλιστα  
then Medon spoke to them; for he above all

**173** ἥνδανε κηρύκων, καὶ σφιν παρεγίγνετο δαιτί·  
was the herald they favored, and he attended them at the feast:

**174** κοῦροι, ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντες ἐτέρφθητε φρένʼ
                     ἀέθλοις,  
"Young men, now that you have all delighted your hearts with the games,

**175** ἔρχεσθε πρὸς δώμαθʼ, ἵνʼ ἐντυνώμεθα δαῖτα·  
come to the house, so that we may make ready the feast;
> purpose clause: The conjunction 'hina' with the subjunctive expresses purpose: 'so that we may prepare.' The middle voice marks the action done for themselves.

**176** οὐ μὲν γάρ τι χέρειον ἐν ὥρῃ δεῖπνον ἑλέσθαι.  
for it is no bad thing to take dinner at the proper hour."

**177** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν πείθοντό τε
                  μύθῳ.  
So he spoke, and they rose and went, obeying his word.

**178** αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,  
And when they reached the well-built halls,

**179** χλαίνας μὲν κατέθεντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,  
they laid their cloaks down on the chairs and seats,

**180** οἱ δʼ ἱέρευον ὄϊς μεγάλους καὶ πίονας αἶγας,  
and slaughtered great sheep and fat goats,

**181** ἵρευον δὲ σύας σιάλους καὶ βοῦν ἀγελαίην,  
and slaughtered fattened hogs and a cow from the herd,

**182** δαῖτʼ ἐντυνόμενοι. τοὶ δʼ ἐξ ἀγροῖο πόλινδε  
making ready their feast. Meanwhile, from the country toward the town

**183** ὠτρύνοντʼ Ὀδυσεύς τʼ ἰέναι καὶ δῖος ὑφορβός.  
Odysseus and the noble swineherd made ready to go.

**184** τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε συβώτης, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν·  
And the swineherd, leader of men, began to speak among them:
> leader of men: An honorific epithet, 'leader of men,' applied even to the loyal swineherd Eumaeus — a mark of Homer's dignity toward the humble.

**185** ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ ἂρ δὴ ἔπειτα πόλινδʼ ἰέναι
                     μενεαίνεις  
"Stranger, since now indeed you are eager to go to the town

**186** σήμερον, ὡς ἐπέτελλεν ἄναξ ἐμός—ἦ σʼ ἂν ἐγώ γε  
today, as my master commanded — though for my part I

**187** αὐτοῦ βουλοίμην σταθμῶν ῥυτῆρα λιπέσθαι·  
would rather you stayed here to guard the steading;

**188** ἀλλὰ τὸν αἰδέομαι καὶ δείδια, μή μοι ὀπίσσω  
but I respect and fear him, lest later on

**189** νεικείῃ· χαλεπαὶ δέ τʼ ἀνάκτων εἰσὶν ὁμοκλαί—  
he scold me; and the rebukes of masters are hard to bear —

**190** ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἴομεν· δὴ γὰρ μέμβλωκε μάλιστα  
but come now, let us go; for the day is far
> hortatory subjunctive: 'Let us go' uses the first-person plural subjunctive to express an exhortation to act together.

**191** ἦμαρ, ἀτὰρ τάχα τοι ποτὶ ἕσπερα ῥίγιον ἔσται.  
spent, and soon toward evening it will be colder for you."

**192** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις
                  Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then Odysseus of many wiles answered him:
> of many wiles: Odysseus' signature epithet, 'of many devices' — celebrating the cunning intelligence that defines him.

**193** γιγνώσκω, φρονέω· τά γε δὴ νοέοντι κελεύεις.  
"I know, I understand; you urge what I already have in mind.

**194** ἀλλʼ ἴομεν, σὺ δʼ ἔπειτα διαμπερὲς ἡγεμόνευε.  
But let us go, and you lead the whole way.

**195** δὸς δέ μοι, εἴ ποθί τοι ῥόπαλον τετμημένον ἐστίν,  
And give me, if you have one anywhere cut and ready, a staff

**196** σκηρίπτεσθʼ, ἐπεὶ ἦ φατʼ ἀρισφαλέʼ ἔμμεναι οὐδόν.  
to lean on, since you say the road is very slippery."

**197** ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἀεικέα βάλλετο πήρην,  
He spoke, and slung across his shoulders a shabby pouch,

**198** πυκνὰ ῥωγαλέην· ἐν δὲ στρόφος ἦεν ἀορτήρ·  
full of holes, with a twisted cord for a strap;

**199** Εὔμαιος δʼ ἄρα οἱ σκῆπτρον θυμαρὲς ἔδωκε.  
and Eumaeus gave him a staff to his liking.

**200** τὼ βήτην, σταθμὸν δὲ κύνες καὶ βώτορες ἄνδρες  
The two set off, and the dogs and herdsmen stayed
> the dual: 'The two set off' uses the dual number, a special form Greek keeps for a pair — here Odysseus and Eumaeus together.

**201** ῥύατʼ ὄπισθε μένοντες· ὁ δʼ ἐς πόλιν ἦγεν ἄνακτα  
to guard the steading behind them; but he led his master to the city

**202** πτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιον ἠδὲ γέροντι,  
looking like a wretched beggar and an old man,

**203** σκηπτόμενον· τὰ δὲ λυγρὰ περὶ χροῒ εἵματα ἕστο.  
leaning on his staff, with miserable rags about his body.

**204** ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ στείχοντες ὁδὸν κάτα παιπαλόεσσαν  
But when, walking down the rugged path,

**205** ἄστεος ἐγγὺς ἔσαν καὶ ἐπὶ κρήνην ἀφίκοντο  
they drew near the town and came to the fountain,

**206** τυκτὴν καλλίροον, ὅθεν ὑδρεύοντο πολῖται,  
the well-built, fair-flowing spring where the townsfolk drew their water,

**207** τὴν ποίησʼ Ἴθακος καὶ Νήριτος ἠδὲ Πολύκτωρ·  
which Ithacus and Neritus and Polyctor had made;

**208** ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ αἰγείρων ὑδατοτρεφέων ἦν ἄλσος,  
and around it was a grove of water-loving poplars,

**209** πάντοσε κυκλοτερές, κατὰ δὲ ψυχρὸν ῥέεν ὕδωρ  
in a full circle, and cold water flowed down

**210** ὑψόθεν ἐκ πέτρης· βωμὸς δʼ ἐφύπερθε τέτυκτο  
from a rock on high; and above it an altar had been built

**211** νυμφάων, ὅθι πάντες ἐπιρρέζεσκον ὁδῖται·  
to the nymphs, where all wayfarers used to make offerings.
> iterative imperfect: The suffix '-σκ-' marks repeated, habitual past action: travelers 'used to' sacrifice there regularly.

**212** ἔνθα σφέας ἐκίχανʼ υἱὸς Δολίοιο Μελανθεὺς  
There Melanthius, son of Dolius, overtook them,

**213** αἶγας ἄγων, αἳ πᾶσι μετέπρεπον αἰπολίοισι,  
driving goats that stood out among all the herds,

**214** δεῖπνον μνηστήρεσσι· δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες.  
for the suitors' dinner; and two herdsmen came with him.

**215** τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν νείκεσσεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν,  
Seeing them, he railed at them and spoke insulting words,

**216** ἔκπαγλον καὶ ἀεικές· ὄρινε δὲ κῆρ Ὀδυσῆος·  
outrageous and shameful, and he stirred the heart of Odysseus:

**217** νῦν μὲν δὴ μάλα πάγχυ κακὸς κακὸν ἡγηλάζει,  
"Now indeed one scoundrel is leading another scoundrel along,

**218** ὡς αἰεὶ τὸν ὁμοῖον ἄγει θεὸς ὡς τὸν ὁμοῖον.  
for a god always brings like to like.

**219** πῇ δὴ τόνδε μολοβρὸν ἄγεις, ἀμέγαρτε συβῶτα,  
Where, pray, are you taking this glutton, you wretched swineherd,

**220** πτωχὸν ἀνιηρόν δαιτῶν ἀπολυμαντῆρα;  
this loathsome beggar, this spoiler of feasts?
> spoiler of feasts: A contemptuous compound, 'wiper-clean of feasts' — a parasite who licks the dishes; vivid abuse aimed at the disguised Odysseus.

**221** ὃς πολλῇς φλιῇσι παραστὰς θλίψεται ὤμους,  
who, standing beside many a doorpost, will rub his shoulders raw,

**222** αἰτίζων ἀκόλους, οὐκ ἄορας οὐδὲ λέβητας·  
begging for scraps, not for swords or cauldrons.
> Scraps of bread: ἄκολος is a morsel or crumb of food, the small leavings a beggar asks for. The contrast with swords and cauldrons mocks him as fit only for the meanest charity.

**223** τόν κʼ εἴ μοι δοίης σταθμῶν ῥυτῆρα γενέσθαι  
If you would give him to me to be a keeper of the steadings

**224** σηκοκόρον τʼ ἔμεναι θαλλόν τʼ ἐρίφοισι φορῆναι,  
and a sweeper of the pens, to carry fresh shoots to the kids,

**225** καί κεν ὀρὸν πίνων μεγάλην ἐπιγουνίδα θεῖτο.  
then, drinking whey, he might put some fat on his thigh.
> Thigh muscle: ἐπιγουνίς is the muscle of the upper thigh, a marker of bodily strength. Melanthius sneers that even on whey the beggar might fatten up.

**226** ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν δὴ ἔργα κάκʼ ἔμμαθεν, οὐκ ἐθελήσει  
But since he has learned only evil ways, he will not be willing

**227** ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πτώσσων κατὰ δῆμον  
to set himself to work, but rather, cringing through the land,

**228** βούλεται αἰτίζων βόσκειν ἣν γαστέρʼ ἄναλτον.  
he chooses to beg, and so to feed his insatiable belly.
> The insatiable belly: The belly (γαστήρ) is a recurring driver of human misery in this book; ἄναλτος means never-filled, insatiable. Odysseus himself takes up the theme at line 286.

**229** ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·  
But I will tell you outright, and it will surely come to pass:

**230** αἴ κʼ ἔλθῃ πρὸς δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,  
if he comes to the house of godlike Odysseus,

**231** πολλά οἱ ἀμφὶ κάρη σφέλα ἀνδρῶν ἐκ παλαμάων  
many a stool flung from men's hands about his head

**232** πλευραὶ ἀποτρίψουσι δόμον κάτα βαλλομένοιο.  
will wear his ribs raw as he is pelted up and down the hall.

**233** ὣς φάτο, καὶ παριὼν λὰξ ἔνθορεν ἀφραδίῃσιν  
So he spoke, and as he passed, in his folly he kicked out
> Dative of cause: ἀφραδίῃσιν, 'out of thoughtlessness/folly,' is a dative giving the cause of the action. The plural form is common in Homer for abstract qualities.

**234** ἰσχίῳ· οὐδέ μιν ἐκτὸς ἀταρπιτοῦ ἐστυφέλιξεν,  
at his hip, but he did not knock him off the path,

**235** ἀλλʼ ἔμενʼ ἀσφαλέως· ὁ δὲ μερμήριξεν Ὀδυσσεὺς  
and Odysseus held firm. He pondered within himself
> He pondered two ways: μερμηρίζω marks the typical Homeric moment of weighing two courses of action, set out here as the 'whether... or' of lines 236-237.

**236** ἠὲ μεταΐξας ῥοπάλῳ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο,  
whether to rush at him with his club and take his life,

**237** ἦ πρὸς γῆν ἐλάσειε κάρη ἀμφουδὶς ἀείρας.  
or to lift him bodily and dash his head against the ground.

**238** ἀλλʼ ἐπετόλμησε, φρεσὶ δʼ ἔσχετο· τὸν δὲ συβώτης  
But he endured it and held himself in check; and the swineherd,
> Aorist of self-mastery: ἐπετόλμησε ('he endured, bore up') is an aorist marking the decisive act of restraint. Odysseus's capacity to hold back is a defining trait of the disguised hero.

**239** νείκεσʼ ἐσάντα ἰδών, μέγα δʼ εὔξατο χεῖρας ἀνασχών·  
looking him in the face, rebuked him, and prayed aloud, lifting his hands:

**240** νύμφαι κρηναῖαι, κοῦραι Διός, εἴ ποτʼ
                     Ὀδυσσεὺς  
"Nymphs of the spring, daughters of Zeus, if ever Odysseus

**241** ὔμμʼ ἐπὶ μηρίʼ ἔκηε, καλύψας πίονι δημῷ,  
burned thigh-pieces to you, wrapped in rich fat,

**242** ἀρνῶν ἠδʼ ἐρίφων, τόδε μοι κρηήνατʼ ἐέλδωρ,  
of lambs or kids, fulfill this longing of mine:

**243** ὡς ἔλθοι μὲν κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ἀγάγοι δέ ἑ δαίμων·  
that he, that man, may come, and a god guide him home.
> Optative of wish: ἔλθοι and ἀγάγοι are optatives expressing Eumaeus's wish that Odysseus return. The optative is the standard mood for prayers and longings like this.

**244** τῷ κέ τοι ἀγλαΐας γε διασκεδάσειεν ἁπάσας,  
Then he would scatter all the fine airs

**245** τὰς νῦν ὑβρίζων φορέεις, ἀλαλήμενος αἰεὶ  
that you now flaunt in your insolence, forever roaming

**246** ἄστυ κάτʼ· αὐτὰρ μῆλα κακοὶ φθείρουσι νομῆες.  
through the town while worthless herdsmen ruin the flocks."

**247** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·  
Then Melanthius the goatherd answered him:

**248** ὢ πόποι, οἶον ἔειπε κύων ὀλοφώϊα εἰδώς,  
"For shame! What a thing to say from this cur, skilled in spite!
> 'Cur' as an insult: κύων ('dog') is a standard term of abuse in Homer for shamelessness. The irony is sharp: Argos the faithful hound appears a few lines later (291).

**249** τόν ποτʼ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νηὸς ἐϋσσέλμοιο μελαίνης  
One day I will carry him off on a black, well-benched ship,

**250** ἄξω τῆλʼ Ἰθάκης, ἵνα μοι βίοτον πολὺν ἄλφοι.  
far from Ithaca, where he might fetch me a good price.

**251** αἲ γὰρ Τηλέμαχον βάλοι ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων  
Would that Apollo of the silver bow might strike Telemachus
> Optative curse: Like Eumaeus's prayer, this is an optative of wish (βάλοι), but turned to a malign curse. The same grammar serves blessing and curse alike.
> Apollo of the silver bow: ἀργυρότοξος ('silver-bowed') is a fixed epithet of Apollo, the archer god who deals sudden death. Here Melanthius invokes that lethal power against Telemachus.

**252** σήμερον ἐν μεγάροις, ἢ ὑπὸ μνηστῆρσι δαμείη,  
this very day in the halls, or be brought down by the suitors,

**253** ὡς Ὀδυσῆΐ γε τηλοῦ ἀπώλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ.  
just as Odysseus has lost his day of homecoming, far away."
> The day of homecoming: νόστιμον ἦμαρ, literally 'the homecoming day,' is a formula for safe return. Melanthius declares it lost, ironically as Odysseus stands beside him.

**254** ὣς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτοῦ ἦκα κιόντας,  
So saying, he left them coming on at their slow pace,

**255** αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ, μάλα δʼ ὦκα δόμους ἵκανεν ἄνακτος.  
while he himself went on and quickly reached the master's house.

**256** αὐτίκα δʼ εἴσω ἴεν, μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσι καθῖζεν,  
At once he went inside and sat down among the suitors,

**257** ἀντίον Εὐρυμάχου· τὸν γὰρ φιλέεσκε μάλιστα.  
across from Eurymachus, for him he loved the most.

**258** τῷ πάρα μὲν κρειῶν μοῖραν θέσαν οἳ πονέοντο,  
Those who were serving set a portion of meat before him,

**259** σῖτον δʼ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα  
and the honored housekeeper brought and set bread beside him

**260** ἔδμεναι. ἀγχίμολον δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ δῖος ὑφορβὸς  
to eat. Now Odysseus and the noble swineherd

**261** στήτην ἐρχομένω, περὶ δέ σφεας ἤλυθʼ ἰωὴ  
drew near and halted, and around them came the sound

**262** φόρμιγγος γλαφυρῆς· ἀνὰ γάρ σφισι βάλλετʼ ἀείδειν  
of the hollow lyre, for Phemius was lifting his voice
> The hollow lyre: φόρμιγξ is the lyre of the bard; γλαφυρή ('hollow, carved out') describes its sounding-box. The same epithet often describes ships and caves.

**263** Φήμιος· αὐτὰρ ὁ χειρὸς ἑλὼν προσέειπε συβώτην·  
to sing. Then Odysseus took the swineherd by the hand and said:

**264** Εὔμαιʼ, ἦ μάλα δὴ τάδε δώματα κάλʼ Ὀδυσῆος,  
"Eumaeus, surely this is the fine house of Odysseus,

**265** ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτʼ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι.  
easy to recognize, and to pick out among many.

**266** ἐξ ἑτέρων ἕτερʼ ἐστίν, ἐπήσκηται δέ οἱ αὐλὴ  
One part follows on another, and the courtyard is finished

**267** τοίχῳ καὶ θριγκοῖσι, θύραι δʼ εὐερκέες εἰσὶ  
with a wall and coping, and the double doors are well-fenced,

**268** δικλίδες· οὐκ ἄν τίς μιν ἀνὴρ ὑπεροπλίσσαιτο.  
stoutly made. No man could storm it by force.

**269** γιγνώσκω δʼ ὅτι πολλοὶ ἐν αὐτῷ δαῖτα τίθενται  
And I see that many men are holding a feast within,

**270** ἄνδρες, ἐπεὶ κνίση μὲν ἀνήνοθεν, ἐν δέ τε φόρμιγξ  
for the savor of fat rises, and the lyre
> The savor of roasting: κνίση is the rich smell and smoke of roasting fat, the unmistakable sign of feasting. The detail tells the disguised Odysseus how his house is being consumed.

**271** ἠπύει, ἣν ἄρα δαιτὶ θεοὶ ποίησαν ἑταίρην.  
rings out, which the gods have made the companion of the feast."

**272** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·  
Then, swineherd Eumaeus, you answered him:
> Address to Eumaeus: The poet turns to address Eumaeus directly in the second person (προσέφης, 'you said'; Εὔμαιε is vocative). This apostrophe is reserved for a few sympathetic characters and lends warmth to the swineherd.

**273** ῥεῖʼ ἔγνως, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τά τʼ ἄλλα πέρ ἐσσʼ ἀνοήμων.  
"You judged it rightly, for in other things too you are no fool.

**274** ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.  
But come, let us consider how these matters shall go.

**275** ἠὲ σὺ πρῶτος ἔσελθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,  
Either you go in first to the well-built house

**276** δύσεο δὲ μνηστῆρας, ἐγὼ δʼ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ·  
and enter among the suitors, while I stay behind here;

**277** εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις, ἐπίμεινον, ἐγὼ δʼ εἶμι προπάροιθε·  
or, if you wish, wait here, and I will go ahead.

**278** μηδὲ σὺ δηθύνειν, μή τίς σʼ ἔκτοσθε νοήσας  
But do not linger, in case someone outside should notice you

**279** ἢ βάλῃ ἢ ἐλάσῃ· τὰ δέ σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.  
and throw something or strike you. I bid you weigh this well."

**280** τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then the much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:
> Much-enduring noble Odysseus: πολύτλας ('having endured much') is one of Odysseus's signature epithets, fitting his restraint here under Melanthius's abuse. δῖος ('noble, godlike') is a general heroic epithet.

**281** γιγνώσκω, φρονέω· τά γε δὴ νοέοντι κελεύεις.  
"I know, I understand; you bid one who already grasps it.

**282** ἀλλʼ ἔρχευ προπάροιθεν, ἐγὼ δʼ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ.  
Go on ahead, and I will stay behind here.

**283** οὐ γάρ τι πληγέων ἀδαήμων οὐδὲ βολάων·  
I am no stranger to blows or to things thrown at me.

**284** τολμήεις μοι θυμός, ἐπεὶ κακὰ πολλὰ πέπονθα  
My heart is steeled, for I have suffered many evils

**285** κύμασι καὶ πολέμῳ· μετὰ καὶ τόδε τοῖσι γενέσθω·  
on the waves and in war; let this be added to the rest.

**286** γαστέρα δʼ οὔ πως ἔστιν ἀποκρύψαι μεμαυῖαν,  
But there is no hiding the belly in its craving,
> The craving belly: Odysseus now takes up the theme Melanthius used against him at line 228: the belly (γαστήρ) that drives men to shameful straits. Here he turns it into a meditation on human suffering.

**287** οὐλομένην, ἣ πολλὰ κάκʼ ἀνθρώποισι δίδωσι,  
the cursed thing, which gives men so much evil,

**288** τῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ νῆες ἐΰζυγοι ὁπλίζονται  
for whose sake even the well-benched ships are fitted out

**289** πόντον ἐπʼ ἀτρύγετον, κακὰ δυσμενέεσσι φέρουσαι.  
over the barren sea, carrying ruin to enemies."
> The barren sea: ἀτρύγετος ('barren, unharvested') is a recurring epithet of the sea, which yields no crop. The phrase grounds Odysseus's reflection in the seafaring world of his wandering.

**290** ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·  
So they spoke such things to one another;

**291** ἂν δὲ κύων κεφαλήν τε καὶ οὔατα κείμενος ἔσχεν,  
and a dog lying there raised his head and ears,

**292** Ἄργος, Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὅν ῥά ποτʼ αὐτὸς  
Argos, the dog of much-enduring Odysseus, whom long ago he himself

**293** θρέψε μέν, οὐδʼ ἀπόνητο, πάρος δʼ εἰς Ἴλιον ἱρὴν  
had reared, but never enjoyed; before that, to sacred Ilium

**294** ᾤχετο. τὸν δὲ πάροιθεν ἀγίνεσκον νέοι ἄνδρες  
he had gone. In earlier days the young men used to take him out

**295** αἶγας ἐπʼ ἀγροτέρας ἠδὲ πρόκας ἠδὲ λαγωούς·  
after wild goats and deer and hares.

**296** δὴ τότε κεῖτʼ ἀπόθεστος ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος,  
But now he lay neglected, his master gone away,
> Cast off and despised: ἀπόθεστος, a rare word, means 'unwanted, scorned, cast aside.' It captures the dog's wretched abandonment, mirroring the neglect of the master's whole house.

**297** ἐν πολλῇ κόπρῳ, ἥ οἱ προπάροιθε θυράων  
in deep dung, which before the doorway

**298** ἡμιόνων τε βοῶν τε ἅλις κέχυτʼ, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἄγοιεν  
of mules and oxen lay heaped in plenty, until

**299** δμῶες Ὀδυσσῆος τέμενος μέγα κοπρήσοντες·  
the slaves of Odysseus could cart it off to dung the great field.

**300** ἔνθα κύων κεῖτʼ Ἄργος, ἐνίπλειος κυνοραιστέων.  
There lay the dog Argos, full of ticks.

**301** δὴ τότε γʼ, ὡς ἐνόησεν Ὀδυσσέα ἐγγὺς ἐόντα,  
But then, as soon as he sensed Odysseus near,

**302** οὐρῇ μέν ῥʼ ὅ γʼ ἔσηνε καὶ οὔατα κάββαλεν ἄμφω,  
he wagged his tail and dropped both his ears,
> He fawned with his tail: σαίνω is the verb for a dog wagging or fawning in welcome. The small, precise gesture, set against the dog's ruin, gives the scene its force.

**303** ἆσσον δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτα δυνήσατο οἷο ἄνακτος  
but he no longer had the strength to come closer

**304** ἐλθέμεν· αὐτὰρ ὁ νόσφιν ἰδὼν ἀπομόρξατο δάκρυ,  
to his master. And Odysseus, looking aside, wiped away a tear,
> Looking away: νόσφιν ἰδών ('having looked aside') is an aorist participle: Odysseus turns his face so Eumaeus will not see him weep, preserving his disguise.

**305** ῥεῖα λαθὼν Εὔμαιον, ἄφαρ δʼ ἐρεείνετο μύθῳ·  
easily hiding it from Eumaeus, and at once he asked him:

**306** Εὔμαιʼ, ἦ μάλα θαῦμα, κύων ὅδε κεῖτʼ ἐνὶ
                     κόπρῳ.  
"Eumaeus, it is a real wonder, this dog lying in the dung.

**307** καλὸς μὲν δέμας ἐστίν, ἀτὰρ τόδε γʼ οὐ σάφα οἶδα,  
His build is handsome; but this I cannot tell for certain,

**308** εἰ δὴ καὶ ταχὺς ἔσκε θέειν ἐπὶ εἴδεϊ τῷδε,  
whether along with this fine looks he was also swift to run,

**309** ἦ αὔτως οἷοί τε τραπεζῆες κύνες ἀνδρῶν  
or whether he was merely one of those table dogs
> Table dogs: τραπεζεύς describes dogs kept by the table for show, fed on scraps. Odysseus's question contrasts such pampered pets with a true working hound.

**310** γίγνοντʼ· ἀγλαΐης δʼ ἕνεκεν κομέουσιν ἄνακτες.  
that masters keep for the sake of looks."

**311** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·  
Then, swineherd Eumaeus, you answered him:
> Address to Eumaeus: Again the poet addresses Eumaeus directly (προσέφης, 'you said'; vocative Εὔμαιε). The repeated apostrophe sustains the affection the poem shows toward the loyal swineherd.

**312** καὶ λίην ἀνδρός γε κύων ὅδε τῆλε θανόντος.  
"This is indeed the dog of a man who died far away.

**313** εἰ τοιόσδʼ εἴη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ ἔργα,  
If he were such in body and in deeds

**314** οἷόν μιν Τροίηνδε κιὼν κατέλειπεν Ὀδυσσεύς,  
as when Odysseus left him behind, going to Troy,

**315** αἶψά κε θηήσαιο ἰδὼν ταχυτῆτα καὶ ἀλκήν.  
you would soon marvel to see his speed and strength.

**316** οὐ μὲν γάρ τι φύγεσκε βαθείης βένθεσιν ὕλης  
No wild beast he chased could escape him

**317** κνώδαλον, ὅττι δίοιτο· καὶ ἴχνεσι γὰρ περιῄδη·  
in the depths of the deep wood, for he was keen on the scent.

**318** νῦν δʼ ἔχεται κακότητι, ἄναξ δέ οἱ ἄλλοθι πάτρης  
But now he is held by misery, and his master far from home

**319** ὤλετο, τὸν δὲ γυναῖκες ἀκηδέες οὐ κομέουσι.  
has perished, and the careless women give him no thought.

**320** δμῶες δʼ, εὖτʼ ἂν μηκέτʼ ἐπικρατέωσιν ἄνακτες,  
Slaves, when their masters no longer rule over them,

**321** οὐκέτʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐθέλουσιν ἐναίσιμα ἐργάζεσθαι·  
are no longer willing to do their work as they should.

**322** ἥμισυ γάρ τʼ ἀρετῆς ἀποαίνυται εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς  
For far-seeing Zeus takes away half a man's worth
> Far-seeing Zeus: εὐρύοπα ('wide-seeing' or 'wide-thundering') is a fixed epithet of Zeus. It lends weight to Eumaeus's bitter maxim on slavery's cost.

**323** ἀνέρος, εὖτʼ ἄν μιν κατὰ δούλιον ἦμαρ ἕλῃσιν.  
from a man, once the day of slavery takes hold of him."
> The day of slavery: δούλιον ἦμαρ, 'the day of slavery,' is a formula like 'the day of homecoming' (253) and 'the day of freedom,' naming a whole condition by its decisive day.

**324** ὣς εἰπὼν εἰσῆλθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,  
So saying, he went into the well-built house,

**325** βῆ δʼ ἰθὺς μεγάροιο μετὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς.  
and made straight through the hall to the proud suitors.

**326** Ἄργον δʼ αὖ κατὰ μοῖρʼ ἔλαβεν μέλανος θανάτοιο,  
But as for Argos, the doom of black death seized him
> Black death: μέλας θάνατος ('black death') is a recurring Homeric phrase for death's darkness. Argos dies the moment his recognition is complete.

**327** αὐτίκʼ ἰδόντʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἐεικοστῷ ἐνιαυτῷ.  
the moment he had seen Odysseus, in the twentieth year.

**328** τὸν δὲ πολὺ πρῶτος ἴδε Τηλέμαχος θεοειδὴς  
Godlike Telemachus was the very first to see him,

**329** ἐρχόμενον κατὰ δῶμα συβώτην, ὦκα δʼ ἔπειτα  
the swineherd, coming through the hall, and quickly then

**330** νεῦσʼ ἐπὶ οἷ καλέσας· ὁ δὲ παπτήνας ἕλε δίφρον  
he nodded and called him over; and Eumaeus, glancing about, took a stool

**331** κείμενον, ἔνθα τε δαιτρὸς ἐφίζεσκε κρέα πολλὰ  
that lay there, where the carver used to sit cutting much meat

**332** δαιόμενος μνηστῆρσι δόμον κάτα δαινυμένοισι·  
as he carved for the suitors feasting through the house;

**333** τὸν κατέθηκε φέρων πρὸς Τηλεμάχοιο τράπεζαν  
he carried it and set it down by Telemachus' table,

**334** ἀντίον, ἔνθα δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτὸς ἐφέζετο· τῷ δʼ ἄρα κῆρυξ  
facing him, and there he himself sat down; and to him the herald

**335** μοῖραν ἑλὼν ἐτίθει κανέου τʼ ἐκ σῖτον ἀείρας.  
took a portion and set it before him, and lifted bread from the basket.

**336** ἀγχίμολον δὲ μετʼ αὐτὸν ἐδύσετο δώματʼ
                  Ὀδυσσεύς,  
Close behind him Odysseus came into the house,

**337** πτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιος ἠδὲ γέροντι,  
looking like a wretched beggar and an old man,
> Like a wretched beggar: ἐναλίγκιος, 'resembling, like,' takes a dative. Odysseus is disguised, so the simile of resemblance underlines that this is appearance, not reality.

**338** σκηπτόμενος· τὰ δὲ λυγρὰ περὶ χροΐ εἵματα ἕστο.  
leaning on his staff, and the sorry rags were wrapped about his body.

**339** ἷζε δʼ ἐπὶ μελίνου οὐδοῦ ἔντοσθε θυράων,  
He sat down on the ash-wood threshold inside the doors,

**340** κλινάμενος σταθμῷ κυπαρισσίνῳ, ὅν ποτε τέκτων  
leaning against a cypress doorpost, which once a carpenter

**341** ξέσσεν ἐπισταμένως καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνεν.  
had planed with skill and trued straight to the line.

**342** Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐπὶ οἷ καλέσας προσέειπε συβώτην,  
Telemachus called the swineherd over to him and spoke,

**343** ἄρτον τʼ οὖλον ἑλὼν περικαλλέος ἐκ κανέοιο  
taking a whole loaf from the lovely basket

**344** καὶ κρέας, ὥς οἱ χεῖρες ἐχάνδανον ἀμφιβαλόντι·  
and as much meat as his hands could hold cupped together:

**345** δὸς τῷ ξείνῳ ταῦτα φέρων αὐτόν τε κέλευε  
"Take these and give them to the stranger, and tell him

**346** αἰτίζειν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·  
to beg, going round to every one of the suitors;

**347** αἰδὼς δʼ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ κεχρημένῳ ἀνδρὶ παρεῖναι.  
shame is no good companion for a man in need."

**348** ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον
                  ἄκουσεν,  
So he spoke, and the swineherd went, when he heard the order,

**349** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευε·  
and standing close beside him spoke winged words:
> Winged words: ἔπεα πτερόεντα, 'winged words,' is one of Homer's most frequent formulaic epithets for speech, marking the start of direct address.

**350** Τηλέμαχός τοι, ξεῖνε, διδοῖ τάδε, καί σε
                     κελεύει  
"Stranger, Telemachus gives you these, and tells you

**351** αἰτίζειν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·  
to beg, going round to every one of the suitors;

**352** αἰδῶ δʼ οὐκ ἀγαθήν φησʼ ἔμμεναι ἀνδρὶ προΐκτῃ.  
he says shame is no good thing in a man who must ask alms."

**353** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις
                  Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then resourceful Odysseus answered him:
> Resourceful Odysseus: πολύμητις, 'of many devices,' is Odysseus' signature epithet, fitting here as he plays the beggar by design.

**354** Ζεῦ ἄνα, Τηλέμαχόν μοι ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιον εἶναι,  
"Lord Zeus, may Telemachus be blessed among men,
> Vocative of address: Ζεῦ ἄνα is vocative: a direct call to Zeus opening a prayer. The infinitive εἶναι expresses the wish.

**355** καί οἱ πάντα γένοιθʼ ὅσσα φρεσὶν ᾗσι μενοινᾷ.  
and may all that his heart desires come to pass for him."

**356** ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ἐδέξατο καὶ κατέθηκεν  
He spoke, and took it in both hands and laid it down

**357** αὖθι ποδῶν προπάροιθεν, ἀεικελίης ἐπὶ πήρης,  
there before his feet, upon the shabby wallet,

**358** ἤσθιε δʼ ἧος ἀοιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄειδεν·  
and ate while the bard was singing through the hall;

**359** εὖθʼ ὁ δεδειπνήκειν, ὁ δʼ ἐπαύετο θεῖος ἀοιδός.  
by the time he had finished his meal, the divine bard left off.

**360** μνηστῆρες δʼ ὁμάδησαν ἀνὰ μέγαρʼ. αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη,  
The suitors made an uproar through the hall. But Athena,

**361** ἄγχι παρισταμένη Λαερτιάδην Ὀδυσῆα  
standing close beside Laertes' son Odysseus,

**362** ὤτρυνʼ, ὡς ἂν πύρνα κατὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγείροι,  
urged him to gather bread among the suitors,

**363** γνοίη θʼ οἵ τινές εἰσιν ἐναίσιμοι οἵ τʼ ἀθέμιστοι·  
and learn which of them were decent and which were lawless;
> Decent and lawless: ἐναίσιμος means 'fitting, righteous,' acting within proper bounds; ἀθέμιστος means 'lawless,' violating θέμις, divine custom. The pairing frames the test of the suitors.

**364** ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὥς τινʼ ἔμελλʼ ἀπαλεξήσειν κακότητος.  
yet even so she did not mean to spare a single one from ruin.

**365** βῆ δʼ ἴμεν αἰτήσων ἐνδέξια φῶτα ἕκαστον,  
He went begging from each man, moving rightward,
> Moving rightward: ἐνδέξια, 'toward the right,' marks the auspicious, customary direction for going round a group, as with passing wine.

**366** πάντοσε χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων, ὡς εἰ πτωχὸς πάλαι εἴη.  
stretching out his hand on all sides, as if he had long been a beggar.

**367** οἱ δʼ ἐλεαίροντες δίδοσαν, καὶ ἐθάμβεον αὐτόν,  
They gave out of pity, and marveled at him,

**368** ἀλλήλους τʼ εἴροντο τίς εἴη καὶ πόθεν ἔλθοι.  
and asked one another who he was and where he came from.

**369** τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·  
Then Melanthius, the goatherd, spoke among them:

**370** κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης,  
"Hear me, you suitors of the glorious queen,

**371** τοῦδε περὶ ξείνου· ἦ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν ὄπωπα.  
about this stranger; for I have seen him before.

**372** ἦ τοι μέν οἱ δεῦρο συβώτης ἡγεμόνευεν,  
It was the swineherd, to be sure, who led him here,

**373** αὐτὸν δʼ οὐ σάφα οἶδα, πόθεν γένος εὔχεται εἶναι.  
but the man himself I do not know clearly, where he claims his race is from."

**374** ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἔπεσιν νείκεσσε συβώτην·  
So he spoke, and Antinous abused the swineherd with words:

**375** ὦ ἀρίγνωτε συβῶτα, τίη δὲ σὺ τόνδε πόλινδε  
"You notorious swineherd, why on earth did you bring this fellow

**376** ἤγαγες; ἦ οὐχ ἅλις ἧμιν ἀλήμονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι,  
to the town? Have we not vagrants enough already,

**377** πτωχοὶ ἀνιηροί, δαιτῶν ἀπολυμαντῆρες;  
tiresome beggars, the spoilers of feasts?

**378** ἦ ὄνοσαι ὅτι τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν ἄνακτος  
Do you make light of it that they gather here and eat up

**379** ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, σὺ δὲ καὶ προτὶ τόνδʼ ἐκάλεσσας;  
your master's living, that you have called in this one too?"

**380** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·  
Then you answered him, swineherd Eumaeus:
> Address to Eumaeus: Homer repeatedly turns to address Eumaeus directly in the second person throughout Books 14–17 — roughly 15–20 times — making it one of the most sustained instances of narrator apostrophe in Homer, unique in its frequency among Odyssey characters. This sustained apostrophe marks tenderness toward the loyal swineherd.

**381** Ἀντίνοʼ, οὐ μὲν καλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν ἀγορεύεις·  
"Antinous, you do not speak well, noble though you are;

**382** τίς γὰρ δὴ ξεῖνον καλεῖ ἄλλοθεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν  
for who ever goes himself to summon a stranger from abroad,

**383** ἄλλον γʼ, εἰ μὴ τῶν οἳ δημιοεργοὶ ἔασι,  
some other man, unless he is one of those who serve the people,

**384** μάντιν ἢ ἰητῆρα κακῶν ἢ τέκτονα δούρων,  
a seer, or a healer of ills, or a worker of timber,

**385** ἢ καὶ θέσπιν ἀοιδόν, ὅ κεν τέρπῃσιν ἀείδων;  
or even an inspired bard, who can delight with his song?

**386** οὗτοι γὰρ κλητοί γε βροτῶν ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν·  
These are the ones men invite over the boundless earth;

**387** πτωχὸν δʼ οὐκ ἄν τις καλέοι τρύξοντα ἓ αὐτόν.  
but no one would call in a beggar to eat him out of house.

**388** ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ χαλεπὸς περὶ πάντων εἶς μνηστήρων  
But you are always the harshest of all the suitors

**389** δμωσὶν Ὀδυσσῆος, πέρι δʼ αὖτʼ ἐμοί· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε  
toward Odysseus' servants, and most of all toward me. Yet I, for my part,

**390** οὐκ ἀλέγω, ἧός μοι ἐχέφρων Πηνελόπεια  
do not care, so long as prudent Penelope

**391** ζώει ἐνὶ μεγάροις καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής.  
lives in the halls, and godlike Telemachus."

**392** τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·  
Then wise Telemachus said to him in answer:

**393** σίγα, μή μοι τοῦτον ἀμείβεο πολλὰ ἔπεσσιν·  
"Hush, do not answer this man with many words;
> Imperative 'answer': ἀμείβεο is a present middle imperative, 'do not keep answering.' With μή it forbids a continuing action, fitting Telemachus' wish that the quarrel not drag on.

**394** Ἀντίνοος δʼ εἴωθε κακῶς ἐρεθιζέμεν αἰεὶ  
Antinous is forever picking quarrels cruelly

**395** μύθοισιν χαλεποῖσιν, ἐποτρύνει δὲ καὶ ἄλλους.  
with harsh words, and he eggs on the others too."

**396** ἦ ῥα καὶ Ἀντίνοον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
Then he spoke winged words to Antinous:

**397** Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ μευ καλὰ πατὴρ ὣς κήδεαι υἷος,  
"Antinous, how kindly you care for me, like a father for his son,
> Bitter irony: ἦ here introduces a sarcastic exclamation. Telemachus 'thanks' Antinous for fatherly care he plainly does not show, the irony cutting against the suitor.

**398** ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωγας ἀπὸ μεγάροιο διέσθαι  
you who order the stranger driven from the hall

**399** μύθῳ ἀναγκαίῳ· μὴ τοῦτο θεὸς τελέσειε.  
with a word of force. May no god bring that to pass.

**400** δός οἱ ἑλών· οὔ τοι φθονέω· κέλομαι γὰρ ἐγώ γε·  
Take and give to him; I do not grudge it, I bid you do it.

**401** μήτʼ οὖν μητέρʼ ἐμὴν ἅζευ τό γε μήτε τινʼ ἄλλον  
Do not, in this, hold back out of regard for my mother, nor for any other

**402** δμώων, οἳ κατὰ δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.  
of the servants who are in the house of godlike Odysseus.

**403** ἀλλʼ οὔ τοι τοιοῦτον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα·  
But you have no such thought in your breast;

**404** αὐτὸς γὰρ φαγέμεν πολὺ βούλεαι ἢ δόμεν ἄλλῳ.  
you would far rather eat yourself than give to another."

**405** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέειπε·  
Then Antinous answered him in turn:

**406** Τηλέμαχʼ ὑψαγόρη, μένος ἄσχετε, ποῖον ἔειπες.  
"Telemachus, you windy talker, reckless in your spirit, what a thing to say!
> Insulting epithets: ὑψαγόρης is 'high-talker, bragger,' and μένος ἄσχετε means 'uncontrollable in fury.' Antinous flings mock-grand epithets to belittle the young man.

**407** εἴ οἱ τόσσον ἅπαντες ὀρέξειαν μνηστῆρες,  
If all the suitors gave him as much as I would,

**408** καί κέν μιν τρεῖς μῆνας ἀπόπροθεν οἶκος ἐρύκοι.  
this house would keep him off and away for three whole months."

**409** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, καὶ θρῆνυν ἑλὼν ὑπέφηνε τραπέζης  
So he spoke, and seizing the footstool he brought it out from under the table

**410** κείμενον, ᾧ ῥʼ ἔπεχεν λιπαροὺς πόδας εἰλαπινάζων·  
where it lay, on which he rested his sleek feet as he banqueted.

**411** οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι πάντες δίδοσαν, πλῆσαν δʼ ἄρα πήρην  
But all the others gave, and filled the wallet

**412** σίτου καὶ κρειῶν· τάχα δὴ καὶ ἔμελλεν Ὀδυσσεὺς  
with bread and meat; and soon Odysseus

**413** αὖτις ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰὼν προικὸς γεύσεσθαι Ἀχαιῶν·  
was about to go back to the threshold and taste the Achaeans' gifts,

**414** στῆ δὲ παρʼ Ἀντίνοον, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·  
but he stopped beside Antinous and spoke to him:

**415** δός, φίλος· οὐ μέν μοι δοκέεις ὁ κάκιστος
                     Ἀχαιῶν  
"Give, friend; you seem to me not the worst of the Achaeans,

**416** ἔμμεναι, ἀλλʼ ὤριστος, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆϊ ἔοικας.  
but the best, since you look like a king.

**417** τῷ σε χρὴ δόμεναι καὶ λώϊον ἠέ περ ἄλλοι  
So you ought to give bread, even more freely than the others,

**418** σίτου· ἐγὼ δέ κέ σε κλείω κατʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν.  
and I will spread your fame over the boundless earth.

**419** καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτε οἶκον ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔναιον  
For I too once dwelt in a house among men,

**420** ὄλβιος ἀφνειὸν καὶ πολλάκι δόσκον ἀλήτῃ,  
a rich man in a wealthy home, and often I gave to the wanderer,
> Iterative imperfect: δόσκον is an iterative form (with the -σκ- suffix) of the imperfect, 'I used to give again and again,' stressing repeated past generosity.

**421** τοίῳ ὁποῖος ἔοι καὶ ὅτευ κεχρημένος ἔλθοι·  
whoever he might be and in whatever need he came;

**422** ἦσαν δὲ δμῶες μάλα μυρίοι ἄλλα τε πολλὰ  
I had servants beyond counting, and many other things besides

**423** οἷσίν τʼ εὖ ζώουσι καὶ ἀφνειοὶ καλέονται.  
by which men live well and are called wealthy.

**424** ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἀλάπαξε Κρονίων—ἤθελε γάρ που—  
But Zeus, son of Cronos, laid it all waste—for so he wished, I suppose—

**425** ὅς μʼ ἅμα ληϊστῆρσι πολυπλάγκτοισιν ἀνῆκεν  
who sent me off with far-roaming pirates

**426** Αἴγυπτόνδʼ ἰέναι, δολιχὴν ὁδόν, ὄφρʼ ἀπολοίμην.  
to go to Egypt, a long voyage, that I might perish there.

**427** στῆσα δʼ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ποταμῷ νέας ἀμφιελίσσας.  
I moored my curved ships in the river of Egypt.
> Curved ships: ἀμφιέλισσα, 'curved on both ends,' is a standing epithet for ships, picturing the hull sweeping up at bow and stern.

**428** ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼ κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους  
There, to be sure, I ordered my trusty companions

**429** αὐτοῦ πὰρ νήεσσι μένειν καὶ νῆας ἔρυσθαι,  
to stay by the ships and guard them,

**430** ὀπτῆρας δὲ κατὰ σκοπιὰς ὤτρυνα νέεσθαι.  
and I sent scouts off to the lookout points.

**431** οἱ δʼ ὕβρει εἴξαντες, ἐπισπόμενοι μένεϊ σφῷ,  
But they, giving way to insolence and yielding to their own impulse,

**432** αἶψα μάλʼ Αἰγυπτίων ἀνδρῶν περικαλλέας ἀγροὺς  
at once began to ravage the lovely fields of the Egyptian men,

**433** πόρθεον, ἐκ δὲ γυναῖκας ἄγον καὶ νήπια τέκνα,  
and carried off the women and little children,

**434** αὐτούς τʼ ἔκτεινον· τάχα δʼ ἐς πόλιν ἵκετʼ ἀϋτή.  
and killed the men; and quickly the outcry reached the city.

**435** οἱ δὲ βοῆς ἀΐοντες ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιν  
Hearing the shout, they came at the showing of dawn;

**436** ἦλθον· πλῆτο δὲ πᾶν πεδίον πεζῶν τε καὶ ἵππων  
the whole plain was filled with foot-soldiers and horses

**437** χαλκοῦ τε στεροπῆς· ἐν δὲ Ζεὺς τερπικέραυνος  
and the flash of bronze; and Zeus who delights in thunder
> Delighting in thunder: τερπικέραυνος, 'who delights in the thunderbolt,' is a fixed epithet of Zeus, here invoked as he turns the battle.

**438** φύζαν ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισι κακὴν βάλεν, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη  
cast cowardly panic on my comrades, and none dared

**439** στῆναι ἐναντίβιον· περὶ γὰρ κακὰ πάντοθεν ἔστη.  
to stand and face them; for ruin closed in on every side.

**440** ἔνθʼ ἡμέων πολλοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτανον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,  
There they killed many of us with the sharp bronze,
> The sharp bronze: χαλκός, 'bronze,' commonly stands by metonymy for a weapon. 'With the sharp bronze' means with the blade or spear-point.

**441** τοὺς δʼ ἄναγον ζωούς, σφίσιν ἐργάζεσθαι ἀνάγκῃ.  
and others they led away alive, to do forced labor for them.

**442** αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ ἐς Κύπρον ξείνῳ δόσαν ἀντιάσαντι,  
But me they gave to a stranger who met them, to take to Cyprus,

**443** Δμήτορι Ἰασίδῃ, ὃς Κύπρου ἶφι ἄνασσεν·  
Dmetor son of Iasus, who ruled Cyprus with might.

**444** ἔνθεν δὴ νῦν δεῦρο τόδʼ ἵκω πήματα πάσχων.  
From there I have now come here, suffering hardships.

**445** τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·  
Then Antinous answered him and said:

**446** τίς δαίμων τόδε πῆμα προσήγαγε, δαιτὸς ἀνίην;  
"What god has brought this plague upon us, this spoiler of our feast?
> daimon: Here daimon means a divine power generally, not a named god. Homer often uses it for an unspecified supernatural agent behind events.

**447** στῆθʼ οὕτως ἐς μέσσον, ἐμῆς ἀπάνευθε τραπέζης,  
Stand off there in the middle, away from my table,
> Aorist imperative: stêthi is the 2nd aorist active imperative of histēmi (ἵστημι), "stand." ἵσταμαι is the middle/passive present form; the intransitive aorist ἔστην and its imperative στῆθι derive from the active paradigm of ἵστημι. The aorist imperative commands a single, definite act rather than ongoing behavior.

**448** μὴ τάχα πικρὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ Κύπρον ἵκηαι·  
or you may soon reach a bitter Egypt and Cyprus.

**449** ὥς τις θαρσαλέος καὶ ἀναιδής ἐσσι προΐκτης.  
What a bold and shameless beggar you are!

**450** ἑξείης πάντεσσι παρίστασαι· οἱ δὲ διδοῦσι  
You stand by each man in turn, and they give to you

**451** μαψιδίως, ἐπεὶ οὔ τις ἐπίσχεσις οὐδʼ ἐλεητὺς  
recklessly, since there is no restraint, no pity,

**452** ἀλλοτρίων χαρίσασθαι, ἐπεὶ πάρα πολλὰ ἑκάστῳ.  
in giving away another's goods, when plenty lies at hand for each."

**453** τὸν δʼ ἀναχωρήσας προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then, drawing back, Odysseus of many wiles replied to him:
> polymetis Odysseus: polymetis, "of many counsels/wiles," is a fixed epithet for Odysseus. Such formulaic epithets help fill the hexameter line and mark the hero's defining trait.

**454** ὢ πόποι, οὐκ ἄρα σοί γʼ ἐπὶ εἴδεϊ καὶ φρένες ἦσαν·  
"For shame! So your looks and your wits do not match after all.

**455** οὐ σύ γʼ ἂν ἐξ οἴκου σῷ ἐπιστάτῃ οὐδʼ ἅλα δοίης,  
From your own house you would not give even a pinch of salt to your servant,

**456** ὃς νῦν ἀλλοτρίοισι παρήμενος οὔ τί μοι ἔτλης  
you who now, sitting at another man's table, could not bear

**457** σίτου ἀποπροελὼν δόμεναι· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ πάρεστιν.  
to take a scrap of bread and give it to me, though plenty lies here."

**458** ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἐχολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,  
So he spoke, and Antinous grew angrier still in his heart,
> Augmented aorist: echolosato is an aorist middle; the prefixed e- is the past-tense augment marking completed action. The middle voice shows the anger arising within Antinous himself.

**459** καί μιν ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and glaring darkly at him he spoke winged words:

**460** νῦν δή σʼ οὐκέτι καλὰ διὲκ μεγάροιό γʼ ὀΐω  
"Now I think you will no longer pass back out through the hall

**461** ἂψ ἀναχωρήσειν, ὅτε δὴ καὶ ὀνείδεα βάζεις.  
in good order, since you fling insults at me as well."

**462** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, καὶ θρῆνυν ἑλὼν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον,  
So he spoke, and seizing a footstool he struck the right shoulder,

**463** πρυμνότατον κατὰ νῶτον· ὁ δʼ ἐστάθη ἠΰτε πέτρη  
low on the back. But Odysseus stood firm as a rock,
> Like a rock: The simile eute petre, "like a rock," stresses Odysseus's immovable self-control under the blow, a recurring image of endurance.

**464** ἔμπεδον, οὐδʼ ἄρα μιν σφῆλεν βέλος Ἀντινόοιο,  
unmoved; the missile of Antinous did not stagger him,

**465** ἀλλʼ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.  
but in silence he shook his head, brooding evil deep within.

**466** ἂψ δʼ ὅ γʼ ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, κὰδ δʼ ἄρα πήρην  
He went back to the threshold and sat down there, and set down his wallet,

**467** θῆκεν ἐϋπλείην, μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσιν ἔειπε·  
well-filled, and spoke among the suitors:

**468** κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης,  
"Hear me, you suitors of the glorious queen,

**469** ὄφρʼ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει.  
that I may say what the heart in my breast commands.

**470** οὐ μὰν οὔτʼ ἄχος ἐστὶ μετὰ φρεσὶν οὔτε τι πένθος,  
Truly there is no grief in the mind, no sorrow,
> Correlative negatives: oute ... oute, "neither ... nor," is a paired connective coordinating the two things denied. Such correlatives knit the line's clauses together.

**471** ὁππότʼ ἀνὴρ περὶ οἷσι μαχειόμενος κτεάτεσσι  
when a man, fighting in defense of his own possessions,

**472** βλήεται, ἢ περὶ βουσὶν ἢ ἀργεννῇς ὀΐεσσιν·  
is struck, whether over his cattle or his white sheep.

**473** αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ Ἀντίνοος βάλε γαστέρος εἵνεκα λυγρῆς,  
But Antinous struck me for the sake of my wretched belly,

**474** οὐλομένης, ἣ πολλὰ κάκʼ ἀνθρώποισι δίδωσιν.  
that accursed thing, which gives men so many evils.

**475** ἀλλʼ εἴ που πτωχῶν γε θεοὶ καὶ Ἐρινύες εἰσίν,  
Yet if anywhere there are gods and Furies for beggars,

**476** Ἀντίνοον πρὸ γάμοιο τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη.  
may the doom of death find Antinous before his marriage."

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

**478** ἔσθιʼ ἕκηλος, ξεῖνε, καθήμενος, ἢ ἄπιθʼ ἄλλῃ,  
"Eat in peace, stranger, where you sit, or go off elsewhere,

**479** μή σε νέοι διὰ δώματʼ ἐρύσσωσʼ, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις,  
lest the young men drag you through the house for what you say,

**480** ἢ ποδὸς ἢ καὶ χειρός, ἀποδρύψωσι δὲ πάντα.  
by a foot or a hand, and strip the skin from all of you."

**481** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως
                  νεμέσησαν·  
So he spoke, but they were all exceedingly indignant,

**482** ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·  
and one of the arrogant young men would say:

**483** Ἀντίνοʼ, οὐ μὲν κάλʼ ἔβαλες δύστηνον ἀλήτην,  
"Antinous, you did wrong to strike that wretched wanderer.

**484** οὐλόμενʼ, εἰ δή πού τις ἐπουράνιος θεός ἐστιν.  
Doomed man, what if he should be some heavenly god?

**485** καί τε θεοὶ ξείνοισιν ἐοικότες ἀλλοδαποῖσι,  
For the gods, in the likeness of strangers from far lands,

**486** παντοῖοι τελέθοντες, ἐπιστρωφῶσι πόληας,  
taking all kinds of forms, range through the cities,

**487** ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν τε καὶ εὐνομίην ἐφορῶντες.  
watching over the insolence and the good order of men."

**488** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν μνηστῆρες, ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο μύθων.  
So spoke the suitors, but he paid no heed to their words.

**489** Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐν μὲν κραδίῃ μέγα πένθος ἄεξε  
Telemachus nursed a great grief in his heart

**490** βλημένου, οὐδʼ ἄρα δάκρυ χαμαὶ βάλεν ἐκ βλεφάροιϊν,  
for the man struck, yet he let no tear fall to the ground from his eyes,
> Dual ending: blepharoiin is a dual form, "from the two eyelids." Homeric Greek keeps the dual number for naturally paired things like eyes and hands.

**491** ἀλλʼ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.  
but in silence he shook his head, brooding evil deep within.

**492** τοῦ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἤκουσε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια  
Now when wise Penelope heard of him,

**493** βλημένου ἐν μεγάρῳ, μετʼ ἄρα δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·  
struck in the hall, she spoke among her serving women:

**494** αἴθʼ οὕτως αὐτόν σε βάλοι κλυτότοξος Ἀπόλλων.  
"May Apollo, famed for his bow, strike you down in the same way!"
> Optative of wish: baloi is an aorist optative expressing a wish or curse, "may he strike." The optative is Homer's regular mood for prayers and imprecations.

**495** τὴν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρυνόμη ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
Then Eurynome the housekeeper said to her:

**496** εἰ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἀρῇσιν τέλος ἡμετέρῃσι γένοιτο·  
"If only an end might come in answer to our prayers!

**497** οὐκ ἄν τις τούτων γε ἐΰθρονον Ἠῶ ἵκοιτο.  
Then not one of these men would reach fair-throned Dawn."
> Fair-throned Dawn: euthronos Eos, "fair-throned Dawn," is a stock epithet for the dawn-goddess. "To reach Dawn" means to live to see another morning.

**498** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered her:

**499** μαῖʼ, ἐχθροὶ μὲν πάντες, ἐπεὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται·  
"Nurse, they are all hateful to me, for they plot evil,

**500** Ἀντίνοος δὲ μάλιστα μελαίνῃ κηρὶ ἔοικε.  
but Antinous most of all is like black death.

**501** ξεῖνός τις δύστηνος ἀλητεύει κατὰ δῶμα  
Some luckless stranger wanders through the house,

**502** ἀνέρας αἰτίζων· ἀχρημοσύνη γὰρ ἀνώγει·  
begging from the men, for need drives him on.

**503** ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐνέπλησάν τʼ ἔδοσάν τε,  
There all the others filled his wallet and gave to him,

**504** οὗτος δὲ θρήνυι πρυμνὸν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον.  
but this man hurled a footstool low at his right shoulder."

**505** ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἀγόρευε μετὰ δμῳῇσι γυναιξίν,  
So she spoke among her serving women,

**506** ἡμένη ἐν θαλάμῳ· ὁ δʼ ἐδείπνεε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·  
seated in her chamber, while noble Odysseus was eating his dinner.

**507** ἡ δʼ ἐπὶ οἷ καλέσασα προσηύδα δῖον ὑφορβόν·  
Then she called the noble swineherd to her and spoke:

**508** ἔρχεο, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, κιὼν τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωχθι  
"Go, noble Eumaeus, and bid the stranger

**509** ἐλθέμεν, ὄφρα τί μιν προσπτύξομαι ἠδʼ ἐρέωμαι  
come, so that I may greet him and ask him

**510** εἴ που Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠὲ πέπυσται  
whether perhaps he has heard of much-enduring Odysseus
> much-enduring Odysseus: talasiphron, "of enduring spirit," is a standing epithet for Odysseus in the genitive here, agreeing with his name. Genitive marks him as the object heard about.

**511** ἢ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι· πολυπλάγκτῳ γὰρ ἔοικε.  
or seen him with his eyes; for he seems much-traveled."

**512** τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα  
Then you answered her, Eumaeus the swineherd:
> Apostrophe to Eumaeus: The poet addresses Eumaeus directly in the second person ("you answered"), a rare touch of affection. proséphes is a second-person singular imperfect.

**513** εἰ γάρ τοι, βασίλεια, σιωπήσειαν Ἀχαιοί·  
"If only, my queen, the Achaeans would fall silent!

**514** οἷʼ ὅ γε μυθεῖται, θέλγοιτό κέ τοι φίλον ἦτορ.  
Such tales he tells, he would charm the dear heart within you.

**515** τρεῖς γὰρ δή μιν νύκτας ἔχον, τρία δʼ ἤματʼ ἔρυξα  
For three nights I kept him, three days I held him

**516** ἐν κλισίῃ· πρῶτον γὰρ ἔμʼ ἵκετο νηὸς ἀποδράς·  
in my hut; for to me he came first when he fled from his ship.

**517** ἀλλʼ οὔ πω κακότητα διήνυσεν ἣν ἀγορεύων.  
Yet still he had not finished telling of his troubles.

**518** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀοιδὸν ἀνὴρ ποτιδέρκεται, ὅς τε θεῶν ἒξ  
As when a man gazes at a singer who, taught by the gods,

**519** ἀείδει δεδαὼς ἔπεʼ ἱμερόεντα βροτοῖσι,  
sings words of longing to mortals,

**520** τοῦ δʼ ἄμοτον μεμάασιν ἀκουέμεν, ὁππότʼ ἀείδῃ·  
and they yearn endlessly to hear him whenever he sings,

**521** ὣς ἐμὲ κεῖνος ἔθελγε παρήμενος ἐν μεγάροισι.  
so he charmed me as he sat beside me in my hut.

**522** φησὶ δʼ Ὀδυσσῆος ξεῖνος πατρώϊος εἶναι,  
He says he is a guest-friend of Odysseus's house from of old,

**523** Κρήτῃ ναιετάων, ὅθι Μίνωος γένος ἐστίν.  
dwelling in Crete, where the race of Minos lives.

**524** ἔνθεν δὴ νῦν δεῦρο τόδʼ ἵκετο πήματα πάσχων,  
From there he has now come here, suffering hardships,

**525** προπροκυλινδόμενος· στεῦται δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀκοῦσαι,  
tumbling onward. He vows he has heard of Odysseus,

**526** ἀγχοῦ, Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,  
near at hand, in the rich land of the Thesprotians,

**527** ζωοῦ· πολλὰ δʼ ἄγει κειμήλια ὅνδε δόμονδε.  
alive; and he is bringing many treasures home."

**528** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him:

**529** ἔρχεο, δεῦρο κάλεσσον, ἵνʼ ἀντίον αὐτὸς ἐνίσπῃ.  
"Go, call him here, that he may tell it to my face.

**530** οὗτοι δʼ ἠὲ θύρῃσι καθήμενοι ἑψιαάσθων.  
Let these men amuse themselves, sitting at the doors

**531** ἢ αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματʼ, ἐπεί σφισι θυμὸς ἐΰφρων.  
or here within the house, since their hearts are merry.

**532** αὐτῶν μὲν γὰρ κτήματʼ ἀκήρατα κεῖτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,  
For their own goods lie untouched in their homes,

**533** σῖτος καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ· τὰ μὲν οἰκῆες ἔδουσιν,  
their bread and sweet wine; their servants eat those,

**534** οἱ δʼ εἰς ἡμέτερον πωλεύμενοι ἤματα πάντα,  
while they come to our house day after day,

**535** βοῦς ἱερεύοντες καὶ ὄϊς καὶ πίονας αἶγας,  
slaughtering our oxen and sheep and fat goats,

**536** εἰλαπινάζουσιν πίνουσί τε αἴθοπα οἶνον,  
and feast and drink the gleaming wine,
> Gleaming wine: aithops oinos, "gleaming/sparkling wine," is a recurring epithet for wine, evoking its bright, fiery color. Such fixed phrases fit the meter.

**537** μαψιδίως· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ κατάνεται. οὐ γὰρ ἔπʼ ἀνήρ,  
recklessly; and much is consumed. For there is no man,

**538** οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν, ἀρὴν ἀπὸ οἴκου ἀμῦναι.  
such as Odysseus was, to keep ruin from the house.

**539** εἰ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔλθοι καὶ ἵκοιτʼ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,  
But if Odysseus should come and reach his native land,
> Optative of future wish: elthoi and hikoito are aorist optatives in a wish or remote condition, "if he should come." The optative pictures the return as hoped-for but uncertain.

**540** αἶψά κε σὺν ᾧ παιδὶ βίας ἀποτίσεται ἀνδρῶν.  
soon, with his son, he would take vengeance for the men's violence."

**541** ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ μέγʼ ἔπταρεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ
                  δῶμα  
So she spoke, and Telemachus sneezed loudly, and all around the house

**542** σμερδαλέον κονάβησε· γέλασσε δὲ Πηνελόπεια,  
rang terribly. And Penelope laughed,

**543** αἶψα δʼ ἄρʼ Εὔμαιον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and at once she spoke winged words to Eumaeus:

**544** ἔρχεό μοι, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐναντίον ὧδε κάλεσσον.  
"Go now, call the stranger here before me.

**545** οὐχ ὁράᾳς ὅ μοι υἱὸς ἐπέπταρε πᾶσιν ἔπεσσι;  
Do you not see how my son sneezed at all my words?

**546** τῷ κε καὶ οὐκ ἀτελὴς θάνατος μνηστῆρσι γένοιτο  
By this no half-doom of death will fall on the suitors,

**547** πᾶσι μάλʼ, οὐδέ κέ τις θάνατον καὶ κῆρας ἀλύξει.  
on every one; not one will escape death and the fates.

**548** ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·  
And another thing I will tell you; lay it to heart:

**549** αἴ κʼ αὐτὸν γνώω νημερτέα πάντʼ ἐνέποντα,  
if I find that he tells all things truthfully,

**550** ἕσσω μιν χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, εἵματα καλά.  
I will clothe him in a cloak and tunic, fine garments."

**551** ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον
                  ἄκουσεν·  
So she spoke, and the swineherd went off, once he had heard her words;

**552** ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and standing close he spoke winged words to him:

**553** ξεῖνε πάτερ, καλέει σε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,  
"Stranger, father, prudent Penelope calls for you,

**554** μήτηρ Τηλεμάχοιο· μεταλλῆσαί τί ἑ θυμὸς  
the mother of Telemachus; her heart bids her ask you something

**555** ἀμφὶ πόσει κέλεται, καὶ κήδεά περ πεπαθυίῃ.  
about her husband, sorely as she has already suffered grief.
> Perfect participle, dative: A perfect active participle agreeing with the dative pronoun (referring to Penelope), marking her grief as a settled, ongoing state.

**556** εἰ δέ κέ σε γνώῃ νημερτέα πάντʼ ἐνέποντα,  
And if she finds that you tell her the whole truth without error,

**557** ἕσσει σε χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, τῶν σὺ μάλιστα  
she will clothe you in a cloak and tunic, the very things you

**558** χρηΐζεις· σῖτον δὲ καὶ αἰτίζων κατὰ δῆμον  
need most; and for bread, by begging through the district

**559** γαστέρα βοσκήσεις· δώσει δέ τοι ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσι.  
you will feed your belly; whoever wishes will give to you."

**560** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:
> Formulaic epithet: "Much-enduring noble Odysseus" is a recurring metrical epithet-phrase; the noun and its epithets stand in the nominative as the subject.

**561** Εὔμαιʼ, αἶψά κʼ ἐγὼ νημερτέα πάντʼ ἐνέποιμι  
"Eumaeus, I would readily tell the whole truth without error

**562** κούρῃ Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ·  
to the daughter of Icarius, prudent Penelope;

**563** οἶδα γὰρ εὖ περὶ κείνου, ὁμὴν δʼ ἀνεδέγμεθʼ ὀϊζύν.  
for I know much about that man, and we have shared the same misery.

**564** ἀλλὰ μνηστήρων χαλεπῶν ὑποδείδιʼ ὅμιλον,  
But I dread the throng of these hard suitors,

**565** τῶν ὕβρις τε βίη τε σιδήρεον οὐρανὸν ἵκει.  
whose violence and outrage reach the iron heaven.
> Iron heaven: Homer pictures the sky as a solid, metallic vault; the suitors' arrogance is said to strike against it, an image of limitless excess.

**566** καὶ γὰρ νῦν, ὅτε μʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ κατὰ δῶμα κιόντα  
For even now, when this man, as I went through the house

**567** οὔ τι κακὸν ῥέξαντα βαλὼν ὀδύνῃσιν ἔδωκεν,  
doing no harm, struck me and gave me over to pain,

**568** οὔτε τι Τηλέμαχος τό γʼ ἐπήρκεσεν οὔτε τις ἄλλος.  
neither Telemachus nor anyone else warded it off.

**569** τῷ νῦν Πηνελόπειαν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄνωχθι  
So now bid Penelope wait within the halls,
> Perfect imperative: An imperative form (from a perfect with present force) commanding Eumaeus to tell Penelope to wait.

**570** μεῖναι, ἐπειγομένην περ, ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα·  
eager though she is, until the sun has set;

**571** καὶ τότε μʼ εἰρέσθω πόσιος πέρι νόστιμον ἦμαρ,  
and then let her ask me about her husband's day of return,

**572** ἀσσοτέρω καθίσασα παραὶ πυρί· εἵματα γάρ τοι  
seating me closer beside the fire; for the clothes I have

**573** λύγρʼ ἔχω· οἶσθα καὶ αὐτός, ἐπεί σε πρῶθʼ ἱκέτευσα.  
are wretched. You know it yourself, since I first came to you as a suppliant."

**574** ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσε.  
So he spoke, and the swineherd went off, once he had heard his words.

**575** τὸν δʼ ὑπὲρ οὐδοῦ βάντα προσηύδα Πηνελόπεια·  
And as he stepped over the threshold Penelope addressed him:

**576** οὐ σύ γʼ ἄγεις, Εὔμαιε· τί τοῦτʼ ἐνόησεν
                     ἀλήτης;  
"You are not bringing him, Eumaeus. What does the wanderer mean by this?

**577** ἦ τινά που δείσας ἐξαίσιον ἦε καὶ ἄλλως  
Is he afraid of someone overbearing, or is he otherwise

**578** αἰδεῖται κατὰ δῶμα; κακὸς δʼ αἰδοῖος ἀλήτης.  
ashamed to come through the house? A bashful wanderer is a bad thing."

**579** τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·  
Then you answered her, Eumaeus the swineherd:
> Apostrophe to Eumaeus: The narrator turns to address Eumaeus directly in the second person ("you answered"), a rare and intimate touch reserved for him. The verb is second-person.

**580** μυθεῖται κατὰ μοῖραν, ἅ πέρ κʼ οἴοιτο καὶ ἄλλος,  
"He speaks fittingly, just as anyone else would think,

**581** ὕβριν ἀλυσκάζων ἀνδρῶν ὑπερηνορεόντων.  
shunning the outrage of overbearing men.

**582** ἀλλά σε μεῖναι ἄνωγεν ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα.  
He bids you wait until the sun has set.

**583** καὶ δὲ σοὶ ὧδʼ αὐτῇ πολὺ κάλλιον, ὦ βασίλεια,  
And it is far better for you yourself this way, O queen,

**584** οἴην πρὸς ξεῖνον φάσθαι ἔπος ἠδʼ ἐπακοῦσαι.  
to speak a word to the stranger alone and to hear him in return."

**585** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then prudent Penelope answered him in turn:

**586** οὐκ ἄφρων ὁ ξεῖνος· ὀΐεται, ὥς περ ἂν εἴη·  
"The stranger is no fool; he guesses how things may well be.

**587** οὐ γάρ πού τινες ὧδε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων  
For surely there are no mortal men anywhere

**588** ἀνέρες ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται.  
who in their insolence devise such reckless outrages."

**589** ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἀγόρευεν, ὁ δʼ ᾤχετο δῖος ὑφορβὸς  
So she spoke, and the noble swineherd went off

**590** μνηστήρων ἐς ὅμιλον, ἐπεὶ διεπέφραδε πάντα.  
into the throng of suitors, since he had told her everything.

**591** αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα,  
At once he spoke winged words to Telemachus,

**592** ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθʼ οἱ ἄλλοι·  
holding his head close, so that the others would not overhear:
> Purpose clause with optative: A negative purpose clause ("so that they would not learn") using the optative after a past-tense main verb.

**593** ὦ φίλʼ, ἐγὼ μὲν ἄπειμι, σύας καὶ κεῖνα
                     φυλάξων,  
"Dear friend, I am going off to guard the pigs and those things out there,

**594** σὸν καὶ ἐμὸν βίοτον· σοὶ δʼ ἐνθάδε πάντα μελόντων.  
your livelihood and mine; you take charge of everything here.

**595** αὐτὸν μέν σε πρῶτα σάω, καὶ φράζεο θυμῷ  
First of all keep yourself safe, and take care in your heart

**596** μή τι πάθῃς· πολλοὶ δὲ κακὰ φρονέουσιν Ἀχαιῶν,  
that no harm comes to you; many of the Achaeans plot evil,

**597** τοὺς Ζεὺς ἐξολέσειε πρὶν ἡμῖν πῆμα γενέσθαι.  
whom may Zeus destroy before disaster comes upon us."
> Optative of wish: The aorist optative expresses a wish or prayer: "may Zeus destroy them."

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

**599** ἔσσεται οὕτως, ἄττα· σὺ δʼ ἔρχεο δειελιήσας·  
"So it shall be, old friend; but go now, after your evening meal;

**600** ἠῶθεν δʼ ἰέναι καὶ ἄγειν ἱερήϊα καλά·  
and at dawn come and bring fine victims for sacrifice;

**601** αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τάδε πάντα καὶ ἀθανάτοισι μελήσει.  
all these things will be the care of me and the immortals."

**602** ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δʼ αὖτις ἄρʼ ἕζετʼ ἐϋξέστου ἐπὶ
                  δίφρου,  
So he spoke, and the other sat down again on the well-polished stool,

**603** πλησάμενος δʼ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος  
and when he had filled his heart with food and drink

**604** βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεναι μεθʼ ὕας, λίπε δʼ ἕρκεά τε μέγαρόν τε,  
he set off to go back to the pigs, leaving the courtyard and the hall

**605** πλεῖον δαιτυμόνων· οἱ δʼ ὀρχηστυῖ καὶ ἀοιδῇ  
full of feasters; and they were taking their delight in dancing and song,

**606** τέρποντʼ· ἤδη γὰρ καὶ ἐπήλυθε δείελον ἦμαρ.  
for by now the evening hour of day had come on.

---

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.