# The Odyssey, Book 23: Penelope Knows Her Husband; The Secret of the Bed

Ὀδύσσεια · Homer · The Homecoming

Penelope will not believe the news. She tests the stranger with the secret of their bed, built around a living olive tree, and he passes.

Source: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/23. Data: https://1732studios.com/books/odyssey/23.json. Audio: https://audio.1732studios.com/odyssey/<line id>.m4a.

**1** γρηῢς δʼ εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀνεβήσετο καγχαλόωσα,  
The old woman went up to the upper room, laughing aloud,

**2** δεσποίνῃ ἐρέουσα φίλον πόσιν ἔνδον ἐόντα·  
to tell her mistress that her dear husband was within;

**3** γούνατα δʼ ἐρρώσαντο, πόδες δʼ ὑπερικταίνοντο.  
her knees moved fast, and her feet stumbled with haste.

**4** στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·  
She stood above her head and spoke a word to her:

**5** ἔγρεο, Πηνελόπεια, φίλον τέκος, ὄφρα ἴδηαι  
"Wake up, Penelope, dear child, so that you may see
> Purpose clause with subjunctive: ὄφρα with the aorist subjunctive ἴδηαι expresses purpose: 'so that you may see.' This is a standard Homeric way to mark intended result.

**6** ὀφθαλμοῖσι τεοῖσι τά τʼ ἔλδεαι ἤματα πάντα.  
with your own eyes what you have longed for all your days.

**7** ἦλθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ οἶκον ἱκάνεται, ὀψέ περ ἐλθών.  
Odysseus has come, he has reached his home, late though he comes.

**8** μνηστῆρας δʼ ἔκτεινεν ἀγήνορας, οἵ θʼ ἑὸν οἶκον  
He has killed the proud suitors, who used to trouble his house,

**9** κήδεσκον καὶ κτήματʼ ἔδον βιόωντό τε παῖδα.  
and devour his goods, and bully his son."
> Iterative imperfect: The iterative suffix -σκ- on κήδεσκον marks repeated, habitual past action; βιόωντο does not carry this suffix — it is a plain Homeric imperfect middle of βιόω: the suitors 'kept on' troubling the house. Homer favors this iterative form.

**10** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered her in turn:

**11** μαῖα φίλη, μάργην σε θεοὶ θέσαν, οἵ τε δύνανται  
"Dear nurse, the gods have made you mad — they who can

**12** ἄφρονα ποιῆσαι καὶ ἐπίφρονά περ μάλʼ ἐόντα,  
make foolish even one who is very prudent,

**13** καί τε χαλιφρονέοντα σαοφροσύνης ἐπέβησαν·  
and set the feeble-minded on the path of good sense;

**14** οἵ σέ περ ἔβλαψαν· πρὶν δὲ φρένας αἰσίμη ἦσθα.  
it is they who have hurt you, for before your wits were sound.

**15** τίπτε με λωβεύεις πολυπενθέα θυμὸν ἔχουσαν  
Why do you mock me, when my heart is full of grief,

**16** ταῦτα παρὲξ ἐρέουσα καὶ ἐξ ὕπνου μʼ ἀνεγείρεις  
telling me this wild tale, and rousing me from sleep,

**17** ἡδέος, ὅς μʼ ἐπέδησε φίλα βλέφαρʼ ἀμφικαλύψας;  
sweet sleep, that bound me and wrapped close my dear eyelids?

**18** οὐ γάρ πω τοιόνδε κατέδραθον, ἐξ οὗ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
Never have I slept so soundly since Odysseus

**19** ᾤχετʼ ἐποψόμενος Κακοΐλιον οὐκ ὀνομαστήν.  
went away to see that evil Ilion, not to be named.

**20** ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν κατάβηθι καὶ ἂψ ἔρχευ μέγαρόνδε.  
Come now, go back down and away into the hall.

**21** εἰ γάρ τίς μʼ ἄλλη γε γυναικῶν, αἵ μοι ἔασι,  
For if any other of the women who serve me

**22** ταῦτʼ ἐλθοῦσʼ ἤγγειλε καὶ ἐξ ὕπνου ἀνέγειρεν,  
had come and told me this and roused me out of sleep,

**23** τῷ κε τάχα στυγερῶς μιν ἐγὼν ἀπέπεμψα νέεσθαι  
I would soon have sent her packing in bitter disgrace

**24** αὖτις ἔσω μέγαρον· σὲ δὲ τοῦτό γε γῆρας ὀνήσει.  
back into the hall; but this time your age will save you."

**25** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·  
Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered her:

**26** οὔ τί σε λωβεύω, τέκνον φίλον, ἀλλʼ ἔτυμόν τοι  
"I am not mocking you at all, dear child; truly

**27** ἦλθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ οἶκον ἱκάνεται, ὡς ἀγορεύω,  
Odysseus has come, he has reached his home, as I tell you —

**28** ὁ ξεῖνος, τὸν πάντες ἀτίμων ἐν μεγάροισι.  
the stranger whom they all dishonored in the hall.

**29** Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἄρα μιν πάλαι ᾔδεεν ἔνδον ἐόντα,  
Telemachus has long known that he was within,

**30** ἀλλὰ σαοφροσύνῃσι νοήματα πατρὸς ἔκευθεν,  
but in his prudence he kept his father's plans hidden,

**31** ὄφρʼ ἀνδρῶν τίσαιτο βίην ὑπερηνορεόντων.  
so that he might punish the violence of those overbearing men."
> Optative in a purpose clause: After the past-tense main verb ἔκευθεν, the purpose clause uses the optative τίσαιτο ('that he might punish'). Greek shifts purpose clauses to the optative in secondary (past) sequence.

**32** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡ δʼ ἐχάρη καὶ ἀπὸ λέκτροιο θοροῦσα  
So she spoke, and Penelope rejoiced, and leaping from her bed

**33** γρηῒ περιπλέχθη, βλεφάρων δʼ ἀπὸ δάκρυον ἧκεν·  
she threw her arms around the old woman, and let a tear fall from her eyes;

**34** καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and she spoke to her and addressed her with winged words:
> Formulaic epithet: winged words: 'Winged words' (ἔπεα πτερόεντα) is one of Homer's most frequent formulas, introducing direct speech. The image is of words flying like birds from speaker to hearer.

**35** εἰ δʼ ἄγε δή μοι, μαῖα φίλη, νημερτὲς
                     ἐνίσπες,  
"Come now, dear nurse, tell me truly:

**36** εἰ ἐτεὸν δὴ οἶκον ἱκάνεται, ὡς ἀγορεύεις,  
if he has really reached his home, as you say,

**37** ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφῆκε  
how then did he lay his hands on the shameless suitors,

**38** μοῦνος ἐών, οἱ δʼ αἰὲν ἀολλέες ἔνδον ἔμιμνον.  
being alone, while they always stayed gathered within?"

**39** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·  
Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered her:

**40** οὐκ ἴδον, οὐ πυθόμην, ἀλλὰ στόνον οἶον ἄκουσα  
"I did not see it, I did not learn it, I only heard the groaning

**41** κτεινομένων· ἡμεῖς δὲ μυχῷ θαλάμων εὐπήκτων  
of men being killed; we sat in a corner of the strong-built chambers,

**42** ἥμεθʼ ἀτυζόμεναι, σανίδες δʼ ἔχον εὖ ἀραρυῖαι,  
cowering in fear, and the close-fitted doors held us fast,

**43** πρίν γʼ ὅτε δή με σὸς υἱὸς ἀπὸ μεγάροιο κάλεσσε  
until your son called me out from the hall —

**44** Τηλέμαχος· τὸν γάρ ῥα πατὴρ προέηκε καλέσσαι.  
Telemachus; for his father had sent him to call me.

**45** εὗρον ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆα μετὰ κταμένοισι νέκυσσιν  
Then I found Odysseus among the slaughtered corpses,

**46** ἑσταόθʼ· οἱ δέ μιν ἀμφί, κραταίπεδον οὖδας ἔχοντες,  
standing; and around him, covering the hard-packed floor,

**47** κείατʼ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν· ἰδοῦσά κε θυμὸν ἰάνθης.  
they lay one upon another; you would have warmed your heart to see him.
> Past potential with κε: The particle κε with the aorist indicative ἰάνθης expresses an unreal past potential: 'you would have warmed your heart.' The participle ἰδοῦσα ('having seen') supplies the implied condition.

**48** νῦν δʼ οἱ μὲν δὴ πάντες ἐπʼ αὐλείῃσι θύρῃσιν  
But now they are all together at the courtyard gates,

**50** ἀθρόοι, αὐτὰρ ὁ δῶμα θεειοῦται περικαλλές,  
in a heap, while he is fumigating the lovely house,

**51** πῦρ μέγα κηάμενος· σὲ δέ με προέηκε καλέσσαι.  
having kindled a great fire; and he sent me to call you.

**52** ἀλλʼ ἕπευ, ὄφρα σφῶϊν ἐϋφροσύνης ἐπιβῆτον  
So come, that you both may enter into joy

**53** ἀμφοτέρω φίλον ἦτορ, ἐπεὶ κακὰ πολλὰ πέποσθε.  
in your two dear hearts, since you have suffered many evils.

**54** νῦν δʼ ἤδη τόδε μακρὸν ἐέλδωρ ἐκτετέλεσται·  
Now at last this long-cherished wish has been fulfilled:

**55** ἦλθε μὲν αὐτὸς ζωὸς ἐφέστιος, εὗρε δὲ καὶ σὲ  
he has come alive himself to his own hearth, and found both you

**56** καὶ παῖδʼ ἐν μεγάροισι· κακῶς δʼ οἵ πέρ μιν ἔρεζον  
and his son in the halls; and those who did him wrong,

**57** μνηστῆρες, τοὺς πάντας ἐτίσατο ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.  
the suitors — he has paid them all back in his own house."

**58** τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered her in turn:

**59** μαῖα φίλη, μή πω μέγʼ ἐπεύχεο καγχαλόωσα.  
"Dear nurse, do not yet exult and laugh aloud too soon.

**60** οἶσθα γὰρ ὥς κʼ ἀσπαστὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισι φανείη  
You know how welcome he would appear in these halls

**61** πᾶσι, μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοί τε καὶ υἱέϊ, τὸν τεκόμεσθα·  
to all, and most of all to me and to the son we bore;

**62** ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὅδε μῦθος ἐτήτυμος, ὡς ἀγορεύεις,  
but this is not a true account, the way you tell it.

**63** ἀλλά τις ἀθανάτων κτεῖνε μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς,  
Rather, some immortal has killed the proud suitors,

**64** ὕβριν ἀγασσάμενος θυμαλγέα καὶ κακὰ ἔργα.  
in outrage at their heart-grieving insolence and evil deeds.

**65** οὔ τινα γὰρ τίεσκον ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων,  
For they honored no one of men who walk the earth,

**66** οὐ κακὸν οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλόν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκοιτο·  
neither base nor noble, whoever came among them;

**67** τῷ διʼ ἀτασθαλίας ἔπαθον κακόν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
so through their own recklessness they suffered evil. But Odysseus

**68** ὤλεσε τηλοῦ νόστον Ἀχαιΐδος, ὤλετο δʼ αὐτός.  
has lost his return from Achaea, far away, and is himself lost."

**69** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα φίλη τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια·  
Then the dear nurse Eurycleia answered her:

**70** τέκνον ἐμόν, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων,  
"My child, what a word has escaped the barrier of your teeth,
> Formula: the barrier of the teeth: 'The barrier of the teeth' (ἕρκος ὀδόντων) is a recurring Homeric image for the mouth as a fence that words must pass through. Here it gently rebukes Penelope for a rash word.

**71** ἣ πόσιν ἔνδον ἐόντα παρʼ ἐσχάρῃ οὔ ποτʼ ἔφησθα  
you who said your husband would never come home,

**72** οἴκαδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι· θυμὸς δέ τοι αἰὲν ἄπιστος.  
though he is here within, beside the hearth; but your heart is always doubting.

**73** ἀλλʼ ἄγε τοι καὶ σῆμα ἀριφραδὲς ἄλλο τι εἴπω,  
Come, let me tell you yet another clear and certain sign:

**74** οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ μιν σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντι.  
the scar that long ago a boar dealt him with its white tusk.

**75** τὴν ἀπονίζουσα φρασάμην, ἔθελον δὲ σοὶ αὐτῇ  
I noticed it while washing him, and I wanted to tell you,

**76** εἰπέμεν· ἀλλά με κεῖνος ἑλὼν ἐπὶ μάστακα χερσὶν  
yes, you yourself; but he, gripping my mouth with his hands,

**77** οὐκ ἔα εἰπέμεναι πολυϊδρείῃσι νόοιο.  
would not let me speak, in the great cunning of his mind.

**78** ἀλλʼ ἕπευ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐμέθεν περιδώσομαι αὐτῆς,  
So come with me; and I will wager my own self on it:

**79** αἴ κέν σʼ ἐξαπάφω, κτεῖναί μʼ οἰκτίστῳ ὀλέθρῳ.  
if I am deceiving you, kill me by the most wretched death."

**80** τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered her in turn:

**81** μαῖα φίλη, χαλεπόν σε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων  
"Dear nurse, it is hard for you to trace the designs

**82** δήνεα εἴρυσθαι, μὰλα περ πολύϊδριν ἐοῦσαν.  
of the gods who live forever, however shrewd you are.

**83** ἀλλʼ ἔμπης ἴομεν μετὰ παῖδʼ ἐμόν, ὄφρα ἴδωμαι  
But all the same let us go to my son, so that I may see

**84** ἄνδρας μνηστῆρας τεθνηότας, ἠδʼ ὃς ἔπεφνεν.  
the suitors lying dead, and the man who killed them."

**85** ὣς φαμένη κατέβαινʼ ὑπερώϊα· πολλὰ δέ οἱ κῆρ  
So saying she went down from the upper room; and much her heart

**86** ὥρμαινʼ, ἢ ἀπάνευθε φίλον πόσιν ἐξερεείνοι,  
debated, whether to question her dear husband from a distance,

**87** ἦ παρστᾶσα κύσειε κάρη καὶ χεῖρε λαβοῦσα.  
or to stand beside him and kiss his head and take his hands.
> Indirect deliberative question: The optatives ἐξερεείνοι and κύσειε in the ἢ...ἦ ('whether...or') construction render Penelope's inward deliberation as an indirect question in past sequence.

**88** ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν,  
But when she had entered and crossed the stone threshold,

**89** ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐναντίη, ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ,  
she sat down across from Odysseus, in the firelight,

**90** τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέρου· ὁ δʼ ἄρα πρὸς κίονα μακρὴν  
by the far wall; and he sat against a tall pillar,

**91** ἧστο κάτω ὁρόων, ποτιδέγμενος εἴ τί μιν εἴποι  
looking down, waiting to see whether his noble wife

**92** ἰφθίμη παράκοιτις, ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν.  
would say something to him, now that she saw him with her eyes.

**93** ἡ δʼ ἄνεω δὴν ἧστο, τάφος δέ οἱ ἦτορ ἵκανεν·  
But she sat a long time in silence, and astonishment came over her heart;

**94** ὄψει δʼ ἄλλοτε μέν μιν ἐνωπαδίως ἐσίδεσκεν,  
at one moment she would gaze straight into his face,
> Iterative imperfect: The -σκ- forms ἐσίδεσκεν ('she would look') and ἀγνώσασκε ('she would fail to recognize') depict Penelope's wavering: again and again she looks, then again fails to know him.

**95** ἄλλοτε δʼ ἀγνώσασκε κακὰ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντα.  
and at another she failed to know him in the poor clothes he wore.

**96** Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·  
Then Telemachus rebuked her, and spoke and called her by name:

**97** μῆτερ ἐμή, δύσμητερ, ἀπηνέα θυμὸν ἔχουσα,  
"Mother of mine, cruel mother, with your unfeeling heart,

**98** τίφθʼ οὕτω πατρὸς νοσφίζεαι, οὐδὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν  
why do you hold yourself so far from my father? Why not sit

**99** ἑζομένη μύθοισιν ἀνείρεαι οὐδὲ μεταλλᾷς;  
beside him, and ask him questions and inquire?

**100** οὐ μέν κʼ ἄλλη γʼ ὧδε γυνὴ τετληότι θυμῷ  
No other woman would stand off like this, with stubborn heart,

**101** ἀνδρὸς ἀφεσταίη, ὅς οἱ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας  
from her husband, who after suffering many hardships for her

**102** ἔλθοι ἐεικοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·  
had come in the twentieth year to his native land;

**103** σοὶ δʼ αἰεὶ κραδίη στερεωτέρη ἐστὶ λίθοιο.  
but your heart is always harder than a stone."

**104** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him in turn:

**105** τέκνον ἐμόν, θυμός μοι ἐνὶ στήθεσσι τέθηπεν,  
"My child, the heart within my breast is stunned,

**106** οὐδέ τι προσφάσθαι δύναμαι ἔπος οὐδʼ ἐρέεσθαι  
and I am unable to say a word to him or to ask anything,

**107** οὐδʼ εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι ἐναντίον. εἰ δʼ ἐτεὸν δὴ  
nor even to look him in the face. But if truly

**108** ἔστʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ οἶκον ἱκάνεται, ἦ μάλα νῶϊ  
this is Odysseus, and he has reached his home, then surely we two

**109** γνωσόμεθʼ ἀλλήλων καὶ λώϊον· ἔστι γὰρ ἡμῖν  
shall know each other, and the better for it; for we have
> First-person dual: νῶϊ ('we two') is the dual pronoun, used for the intimate pair of Odysseus and Penelope. Homer keeps the dual alive for natural couples and partners.

**110** σήμαθʼ, ἃ δὴ καὶ νῶϊ κεκρυμμένα ἴδμεν ἀπʼ ἄλλων.  
signs, secret ones, that the two of us know, hidden from all others."

**111** ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,  
So she spoke, and much-enduring noble Odysseus smiled,
> Formulaic epithet: A fixed noun-epithet phrase, 'much-enduring noble Odysseus,' filling the line's end. Such epithets are metrical building blocks of oral verse.

**112** αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·  
and at once spoke winged words to Telemachus:

**113** Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ τοι μητέρʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔασον  
"Telemachus, leave your mother there in the halls

**114** πειράζειν ἐμέθεν· τάχα δὲ φράσεται καὶ ἄρειον.  
to test me; soon she will recognize me even better.

**115** νῦν δʼ ὅττι ῥυπόω, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷμαι,  
For now I am filthy, and wear poor clothes on my body,

**116** τοὔνεκʼ ἀτιμάζει με καὶ οὔ πω φησὶ τὸν εἶναι.  
and for that reason she scorns me and does not yet say I am he.

**117** ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένηται.  
But let us consider how things may turn out best by far.
> Hortatory subjunctive: First-person plural subjunctive used as an exhortation, 'let us consider.' Homeric Greek regularly uses the subjunctive this way for proposals.

**118** καὶ γάρ τίς θʼ ἕνα φῶτα κατακτείνας ἐνὶ δήμῳ,  
For even when a man has killed a single person among his people,

**119** ᾧ μὴ πολλοὶ ἔωσιν ἀοσσητῆρες ὀπίσσω,  
one who leaves behind no great host of avengers,

**120** φεύγει πηούς τε προλιπὼν καὶ πατρίδα γαῖαν·  
he flees, abandoning his kinsmen and his native land;

**121** ἡμεῖς δʼ ἕρμα πόληος ἀπέκταμεν, οἳ μέγʼ ἄριστοι  
but we have killed the bulwark of the city, the very best
> Bulwark of the city: Literally a 'prop' or 'support' of the city; the slain suitors were the leading young men whose families and faction give the killing graver consequences.

**122** κούρων εἰν Ἰθάκῃ· τὰ δέ σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.  
of the young men in Ithaca; this I urge you to weigh."

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

**124** αὐτὸς ταῦτά γε λεῦσσε, πάτερ φίλε· σὴν γὰρ ἀρίστην  
"See to this yourself, dear father; for they say your counsel is the best

**125** μῆτιν ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους φάσʼ ἔμμεναι, οὐδέ κέ τίς τοι  
among men, and no other man

**126** ἄλλος ἀνὴρ ἐρίσειε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.  
of mortal men could rival you.

**127** ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐμμεμαῶτες ἅμʼ ἑψόμεθʼ, οὐδέ τί φημι  
We will follow eagerly at your side, and I think we will not

**128** ἀλκῆς δευήσεσθαι, ὅση δύναμίς γε πάρεστιν.  
fall short in courage, so far as our strength holds out."

**129** τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς  
Then Odysseus of many devices answered him and said:
> Epithet 'of many devices': A signature epithet stressing Odysseus' cunning intelligence (mētis). It is a standard line-ending formula.

**130** τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα.  
"Then I will tell you how it seems to me to be best.

**131** πρῶτα μὲν ἂρ λούσασθε καὶ ἀμφιέσασθε χιτῶνας,  
First wash yourselves and put on your tunics,
> Aorist middle imperative: Middle voice marks the action as done to or for oneself, 'wash yourselves.' The middle is common for actions on one's own body.

**132** δμῳὰς δʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἀνώγετε εἵμαθʼ ἑλέσθαι·  
and bid the serving-women in the halls to take up their garments;

**133** αὐτὰρ θεῖος ἀοιδὸς ἔχων φόρμιγγα λίγειαν  
and let the divine singer with his clear-toned lyre

**134** ἡμῖν ἡγείσθω φιλοπαίγμονος ὀρχηθμοῖο,  
lead off for us a merry dance,

**135** ὥς κέν τις φαίη γάμον ἔμμεναι ἐκτὸς ἀκούων,  
so that anyone hearing from outside might say there is a wedding,

**136** ἢ ἀνʼ ὁδὸν στείχων, ἢ οἳ περιναιετάουσι·  
whether passing along the road, or among those who dwell nearby;

**137** μὴ πρόσθε κλέος εὐρὺ φόνου κατὰ ἄστυ γένηται  
so that no wide rumor of the slaughter spreads through the town
> Wide report: Kleos here means 'report' or 'rumor' in its plain sense of what is heard and spread, not the heroic 'glory' it often carries in epic.

**138** ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, πρίν γʼ ἡμέας ἐλθέμεν ἔξω  
of the suitors, before we have gone out

**139** ἀγρὸν ἐς ἡμέτερον πολυδένδρεον· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα  
to our farm with its many trees; and there afterward

**140** φρασσόμεθʼ ὅττι κε κέρδος Ὀλύμπιος ἐγγυαλίξῃ.  
we will consider whatever advantage the Olympian may grant us."

**141** ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ
                  ἐπίθοντο  
So he spoke, and they listened well to him and obeyed.

**142** πρῶτα μὲν οὖν λούσαντο καὶ ἀμφιέσαντο χιτῶνας,  
First, then, they washed and put on their tunics,

**143** ὅπλισθεν δὲ γυναῖκες· ὁ δʼ εἵλετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς  
and the women dressed; and the divine singer took up

**144** φόρμιγγα γλαφυρήν, ἐν δέ σφισιν ἵμερον ὦρσε  
his hollow lyre, and stirred in them the desire

**145** μολπῆς τε γλυκερῆς καὶ ἀμύμονος ὀρχηθμοῖο.  
for sweet song and for the faultless dance.

**146** τοῖσιν δὲ μέγα δῶμα περιστεναχίζετο ποσσὶν  
And the great house resounded all around with the feet

**147** ἀνδρῶν παιζόντων καλλιζώνων τε γυναικῶν.  
of dancing men and fair-girdled women.
> Fair-girdled women: A compound epithet, 'with beautiful girdles,' a conventional descriptor of well-dressed women in Homer.

**148** ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε δόμων ἔκτοσθεν ἀκούων·  
And thus would one say, hearing it from outside the house:

**149** ἦ μάλα δή τις ἔγημε πολυμνήστην βασίλειαν·  
"Truly someone has married the queen with her many suitors.

**150** σχετλίη, οὐδʼ ἔτλη πόσιος οὗ κουριδίοιο  
Hard-hearted woman, she could not bear, for her wedded husband,

**151** εἴρυσθαι μέγα δῶμα διαμπερές, ἧος ἵκοιτο.  
to guard the great house to the end, until he should come."

**152** ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε, τὰ δʼ οὐκ ἴσαν ὡς ἐτέτυκτο.  
So one would say, but they did not know how things truly stood.
> Pluperfect 'how it stood': The pluperfect of τεύχω describes a state already brought about, here 'how matters had been arranged' — that is, the real situation hidden from the speakers.

**153** αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσῆα μεγαλήτορα ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ  
Meanwhile great-hearted Odysseus, in his own house,

**154** Εὐρυνόμη ταμίη λοῦσεν καὶ χρῖσεν ἐλαίῳ,  
was bathed by Eurynome the housekeeper and anointed with oil,

**155** ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα·  
and she cast about him a fair cloak and a tunic;

**156** αὐτὰρ κὰκ κεφαλῆς κάλλος πολὺ χεῦεν Ἀθήνη  
and over his head Athena poured down great beauty,

**157** μείζονά τʼ εἰσιδέειν καὶ πάσσονα· κὰδ δὲ κάρητος  
making him taller and broader to look upon; and from his head

**158** οὔλας ἧκε κόμας, ὑακινθίνῳ ἄνθει ὁμοίας.  
she let his curling locks fall, like the hyacinth flower.

**159** ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις χρυσὸν περιχεύεται ἀργύρῳ ἀνὴρ  
As when a man pours gold over silver,
> Epic simile marker: The phrase 'as when' introduces an extended Homeric simile, comparing Athena's gilding of Odysseus to a craftsman overlaying silver with gold.

**160** ἴδρις, ὃν Ἥφαιστος δέδαεν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη  
a skilled man whom Hephaestus and Pallas Athena have taught

**161** τέχνην παντοίην, χαρίεντα δὲ ἔργα τελείει·  
every kind of craft, and he completes graceful works;

**162** ὣς μὲν τῷ περίχευε χάριν κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ὤμοις.  
so she poured grace over his head and shoulders.

**163** ἐκ δʼ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμοῖος·  
He stepped out of the bath, in body like the immortals;

**164** ἂψ δʼ αὖτις κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετʼ ἐπὶ θρόνου ἔνθεν ἀνέστη,  
and he sat down again on the chair from which he had risen,

**165** ἀντίον ἧς ἀλόχου, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·  
facing his wife, and he spoke a word to her:

**166** δαιμονίη, περί σοί γε γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων  
"Strange woman, beyond all soft women
> 'Strange one': A vocative of affectionate exasperation, addressed to someone whose behavior the speaker cannot fathom; no single English word captures it, but 'strange woman' conveys the tone.

**167** κῆρ ἀτέραμνον ἔθηκαν Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχοντες·  
the dwellers on Olympus have given you an unyielding heart;

**168** οὐ μέν κʼ ἄλλη γʼ ὧδε γυνὴ τετληότι θυμῷ  
no other woman would hold herself apart, with such a steadfast heart,

**169** ἀνδρὸς ἀφεσταίη, ὅς οἱ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας  
from her husband, who after suffering many hardships

**170** ἔλθοι ἐεικοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.  
comes home in the twentieth year to his native land.
> Dative of time: The dative case marks the time within which the return happens, 'in the twentieth year.' Greek uses the dative for the point or span of time.

**171** ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι, μαῖα, στόρεσον λέχος, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὸς  
But come, nurse, spread me a bed, so that I myself

**172** λέξομαι· ἦ γὰρ τῇ γε σιδήρεον ἐν φρεσὶ ἦτορ.  
may lie down; for surely the heart in her breast is of iron."
> Heart of iron: A vivid metaphor for emotional hardness, the heart 'made of iron'; the same image survives in modern speech.

**173** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him in turn:

**174** δαιμόνιʼ, οὔτʼ ἄρ τι μεγαλίζομαι οὔτʼ ἀθερίζω  
"Strange man, I am neither setting myself above you nor making light of you,

**175** οὔτε λίην ἄγαμαι, μάλα δʼ εὖ οἶδʼ οἷος ἔησθα  
nor am I overly amazed; I know very well what kind of man you were

**176** ἐξ Ἰθάκης ἐπὶ νηὸς ἰὼν δολιχηρέτμοιο.  
when you went away from Ithaca on the long-oared ship.
> Long-oared: A compound epithet for ships, 'with long oars,' typical of Homeric description of seagoing vessels.

**177** ἀλλʼ ἄγε οἱ στόρεσον πυκινὸν λέχος, Εὐρύκλεια,  
But come, Eurykleia, spread for him the well-made bed,

**178** ἐκτὸς ἐϋσταθέος θαλάμου, τόν ῥʼ αὐτὸς ἐποίει·  
outside the well-built bedchamber that he made himself;

**179** ἔνθα οἱ ἐκθεῖσαι πυκινὸν λέχος ἐμβάλετʼ εὐνήν,  
there set out the strong bedstead for him and throw bedding upon it,

**180** κώεα καὶ χλαίνας καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα.  
fleeces and cloaks and glossy coverlets."

**181** ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη πόσιος πειρωμένη· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
So she spoke, testing her husband; but Odysseus,
> Present participle of intent: The present middle participle 'testing' conveys ongoing purpose: Penelope speaks in order to test him. Participles often carry such circumstantial force.

**182** ὀχθήσας ἄλοχον προσεφώνεε κεδνὰ ἰδυῖαν·  
in anger, spoke to his wife, who knew careful thoughts:

**183** ὦ γύναι, ἦ μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος θυμαλγὲς ἔειπες·  
"Woman, truly this is a word that pains the heart, that you have spoken!

**184** τίς δέ μοι ἄλλοσε θῆκε λέχος; χαλεπὸν δέ κεν εἴη  
Who has set my bed elsewhere? It would be hard,

**185** καὶ μάλʼ ἐπισταμένῳ, ὅτε μὴ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν  
even for one very skilled, unless a god himself came

**186** ῥηϊδίως ἐθέλων θείη ἄλλῃ ἐνὶ χώρῃ.  
and easily, if he wished, set it in another place.

**187** ἀνδρῶν δʼ οὔ κέν τις ζωὸς βροτός, οὐδὲ μάλʼ ἡβῶν,  
But of living men no mortal, not even one in his prime,

**188** ῥεῖα μετοχλίσσειεν, ἐπεὶ μέγα σῆμα τέτυκται  
could easily pry it loose, since a great token is built
> Token / sign: Sēma means a sign, mark, or proof; here the bed itself is the secret 'token' that proves identity, a key word throughout the recognition scene.

**189** ἐν λέχει ἀσκητῷ· τὸ δʼ ἐγὼ κάμον οὐδέ τις ἄλλος.  
into the well-made bed; I worked it, and no one else.

**190** θάμνος ἔφυ τανύφυλλος ἐλαίης ἕρκεος ἐντός,  
A long-leafed olive tree grew inside the courtyard,

**191** ἀκμηνὸς θαλέθων· πάχετος δʼ ἦν ἠΰτε κίων.  
in full flourish, thick as a pillar.

**192** τῷ δʼ ἐγὼ ἀμφιβαλὼν θάλαμον δέμον, ὄφρʼ ἐτέλεσσα,  
Around it I built my bedchamber, until I finished it,

**193** πυκνῇσιν λιθάδεσσι, καὶ εὖ καθύπερθεν ἔρεψα,  
with close-set stones, and I roofed it over well,

**194** κολλητὰς δʼ ἐπέθηκα θύρας, πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας.  
and added jointed doors, closely fitted.

**195** καὶ τότʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπέκοψα κόμην τανυφύλλου ἐλαίης,  
And then I cut away the crown of the long-leafed olive,

**196** κορμὸν δʼ ἐκ ῥίζης προταμὼν ἀμφέξεσα χαλκῷ  
and trimming the trunk up from the root, I smoothed it with bronze

**197** εὖ καὶ ἐπισταμένως, καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνα,  
well and skillfully, and made it true to the line,

**198** ἑρμῖνʼ ἀσκήσας, τέτρηνα δὲ πάντα τερέτρῳ.  
fashioning the bedpost, and I bored it all through with an auger.

**199** ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἀρχόμενος λέχος ἔξεον, ὄφρʼ ἐτέλεσσα,  
Beginning from this, I planed the bed until I finished it,

**200** δαιδάλλων χρυσῷ τε καὶ ἀργύρῳ ἠδʼ ἐλέφαντι·  
inlaying it with gold and silver and ivory;

**201** ἐκ δʼ ἐτάνυσσα ἱμάντα βοὸς φοίνικι φαεινόν.  
and I stretched across it an oxhide thong, bright with crimson.

**202** οὕτω τοι τόδε σῆμα πιφαύσκομαι· οὐδέ τι οἶδα,  
So I declare this token to you; but I do not know,

**203** ἤ μοι ἔτʼ ἔμπεδόν ἐστι, γύναι, λέχος, ἦέ τις ἤδη  
woman, whether my bed is still fixed in place, or whether by now some

**204** ἀνδρῶν ἄλλοσε θῆκε, ταμὼν ὕπο πυθμένʼ ἐλαίης.  
man has set it elsewhere, cutting through the olive's base."

**205** ὣς φάτο, τῆς δʼ αὐτοῦ λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον
                  ἦτορ,  
So he spoke, and on the spot her knees and dear heart went slack,
> Aorist passive 'were loosened': The aorist middle λύτο (3rd singular of λύω), used intransitively with passive sense, is a formula for collapse under strong emotion; here Penelope's knees give way as she recognizes the proof.

**206** σήματʼ ἀναγνούσῃ τά οἱ ἔμπεδα πέφραδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·  
as she recognized the sure tokens Odysseus showed her.

**207** δακρύσασα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἰθὺς δράμεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ χεῖρας  
Then weeping she ran straight to him, and around his neck

**208** δειρῇ βάλλʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ, κάρη δʼ ἔκυσʼ ἠδὲ προσηύδα·  
she threw her arms, and kissed his head, and spoke:

**209** μή μοι, Ὀδυσσεῦ, σκύζευ, ἐπεὶ τά περ ἄλλα
                     μάλιστα  
"Do not be angry with me, Odysseus, since in all else you were

**210** ἀνθρώπων πέπνυσο· θεοὶ δʼ ὤπαζον ὀϊζύν,  
the most understanding of men; the gods gave us misery,

**211** οἳ νῶϊν ἀγάσαντο παρʼ ἀλλήλοισι μένοντε  
they who begrudged us that we should stay beside each other
> Dual participle: The form is dual, marking exactly two people remaining together — Odysseus and Penelope. Homer uses the dual for natural pairs.

**212** ἥβης ταρπῆναι καὶ γήραος οὐδὸν ἱκέσθαι.  
and take our joy in youth, and reach the threshold of old age.
> Threshold of old age: A standing metaphor in Homer, the 'threshold of old age' as the doorway one steps over into one's later years.

**213** αὐτὰρ μὴ νῦν μοι τόδε χώεο μηδὲ νεμέσσα,  
But now do not be angry with me for this, nor resentful,

**214** οὕνεκά σʼ οὐ τὸ πρῶτον, ἐπεὶ ἴδον, ὧδʼ ἀγάπησα.  
that I did not greet you so lovingly the moment I first saw you.

**215** αἰεὶ γάρ μοι θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισιν  
For always the heart in my own breast

**216** ἐρρίγει μή τίς με βροτῶν ἀπάφοιτο ἔπεσσιν  
was shuddering, lest some mortal should deceive me with his words,
> Fear clause with optative: After a verb of fearing, 'lest' introduces the feared event, here with the optative in secondary sequence: she dreaded that someone might deceive her.

**217** ἐλθών· πολλοὶ γὰρ κακὰ κέρδεα βουλεύουσιν.  
coming here; for many men plot wicked gains.

**218** οὐδέ κεν Ἀργείη Ἑλένη, Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα,  
Not even Argive Helen, born of Zeus,

**219** ἀνδρὶ παρʼ ἀλλοδαπῷ ἐμίγη φιλότητι καὶ εὐνῇ,  
would have joined a foreign man in love and bed,

**220** εἰ ᾔδη ὅ μιν αὖτις ἀρήϊοι υἷες Ἀχαιῶν  
had she known that the warlike sons of the Achaeans

**221** ἀξέμεναι οἶκόνδε φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἔμελλον.  
would bring her back home, to her own dear native land.

**222** τὴν δʼ ἦ τοι ῥέξαι θεὸς ὤρορεν ἔργον ἀεικές·  
It was a god that drove her to commit that shameful deed;

**223** τὴν δʼ ἄτην οὐ πρόσθεν ἑῷ ἐγκάτθετο θυμῷ  
and she had not stored up in her own heart, before that,

**224** λυγρήν, ἐξ ἧς πρῶτα καὶ ἡμέας ἵκετο πένθος.  
that grievous blindness, from which sorrow first came upon us too.
> atê — ruinous folly: Atê is the goddess-sent delusion or blind folly that leads mortals into ruin. Penelope frames Helen's fault as something a god put in her, not a free choice.

**225** νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἤδη σήματʼ ἀριφραδέα κατέλεξας  
But now, since you have recounted the unmistakable signs

**226** εὐνῆς ἡμετέρης, ἣν οὐ βροτὸς ἄλλος ὀπώπει,  
of our marriage-bed, which no other mortal has ever seen,

**227** ἀλλʼ οἶοι σύ τʼ ἐγώ τε καὶ ἀμφίπολος μία μούνη,  
but you and I alone, and one single handmaid,

**228** Ἀκτορίς, ἥν μοι δῶκε πατὴρ ἔτι δεῦρο κιούσῃ,  
Aktoris, whom my father gave me when I came here,

**229** ἣ νῶϊν εἴρυτο θύρας πυκινοῦ θαλάμοιο,  
who kept the doors of our close-built bedchamber for us both,

**230** πείθεις δή μευ θυμόν, ἀπηνέα περ μάλʼ ἐόντα.  
you do indeed convince my heart, hard though it has been.

**231** ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε
                  γόοιο·  
So she spoke, and in him she stirred still more the longing for tears;
> Aorist of stirring: ὦρσε is the aorist of ὄρνυμι, 'to rouse, stir up.' The aorist marks the single decisive welling-up of grief.

**232** κλαῖε δʼ ἔχων ἄλοχον θυμαρέα, κεδνὰ ἰδυῖαν.  
and he wept, holding his heart's-delight wife, who knew his loyal mind.

**233** ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀσπάσιος γῆ νηχομένοισι φανήῃ,  
As when land appears, welcome, to men swimming for it,
> Welcome land: ἀσπάσιος ('welcome, longed-for') opens an extended simile comparing Penelope's joy at seeing Odysseus to shipwrecked swimmers sighting shore. The same root recurs at line 238 and 239.

**234** ὧν τε Ποσειδάων εὐεργέα νῆʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ  
whose well-built ship, out on the deep, Poseidon

**235** ῥαίσῃ, ἐπειγομένην ἀνέμῳ καὶ κύματι πηγῷ·  
has smashed, as it was driven on by wind and swollen wave;

**236** παῦροι δʼ ἐξέφυγον πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἤπειρόνδε  
few have escaped the grey sea, swimming toward the shore,

**237** νηχόμενοι, πολλὴ δὲ περὶ χροῒ τέτροφεν ἅλμη,  
and thick is the brine crusted all over their skin,

**238** ἀσπάσιοι δʼ ἐπέβαν γαίης, κακότητα φυγόντες·  
and gladly they set foot on land, having fled disaster;

**239** ὣς ἄρα τῇ ἀσπαστὸς ἔην πόσις εἰσοροώσῃ,  
so welcome to her was her husband as she gazed upon him,

**240** δειρῆς δʼ οὔ πω πάμπαν ἀφίετο πήχεε λευκώ.  
and her white arms she would not at all let go from his neck.
> Dual: 'two white arms': πήχεε λευκώ is a dual form, 'the pair of white arms' — Homer uses the dual naturally for things that come in twos.

**241** καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισι φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,  
And now rosy-fingered Dawn would have shone upon them weeping,
> Rosy-fingered Dawn: The standard epithet for Dawn. Here it is set in a 'would have... had not' construction (the verb φάνη is unfulfilled), since Athena holds night back.

**242** εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.  
had not the goddess, grey-eyed Athena, devised otherwise.

**243** νύκτα μὲν ἐν περάτῃ δολιχὴν σχέθεν, Ἠῶ δʼ αὖτε  
The long night she held back at its setting, and Dawn in turn

**244** ῥύσατʼ ἐπʼ Ὠκεανῷ χρυσόθρονον, οὐδʼ ἔα ἵππους  
she stayed at Ocean, the golden-throned, nor let her yoke the horses

**245** ζεύγνυσθʼ ὠκύποδας, φάος ἀνθρώποισι φέροντας,  
the swift-footed, that bring the light to mortals,

**246** Λάμπον καὶ Φαέθονθʼ, οἵ τʼ Ἠῶ πῶλοι ἄγουσι.  
Lampos and Phaethon, the colts that draw the Dawn.

**247** καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ ἣν ἄλοχον προσέφη πολύμητις
                  Ὀδυσσεύς  
And then to his wife spoke Odysseus of many counsels:
> Odysseus of many counsels: πολύμητις, 'of many devices/counsels,' is one of Odysseus's defining epithets, marking his cunning intelligence.

**248** ὦ γύναι, οὐ γάρ πω πάντων ἐπὶ πείρατʼ ἀέθλων  
"Wife, we have not yet come to the end of all our trials;

**249** ἤλθομεν, ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ὄπισθεν ἀμέτρητος πόνος ἔσται,  
but there will still be ahead of us toil beyond measure,

**250** πολλὸς καὶ χαλεπός, τὸν ἐμὲ χρὴ πάντα τελέσσαι.  
much and hard, all of which I must carry through to the end.

**251** ὣς γάρ μοι ψυχὴ μαντεύσατο Τειρεσίαο  
For so the spirit of Teiresias foretold to me
> psychê — the dead man's shade: Here ψυχή means the disembodied 'spirit' or 'shade' of the dead seer Teiresias, whom Odysseus consulted in the underworld.

**252** ἤματι τῷ ὅτε δὴ κατέβην δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω,  
on that day when I went down into the house of Hades,

**253** νόστον ἑταίροισιν διζήμενος ἠδʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ.  
seeking a way home for my companions and for myself.

**254** ἀλλʼ ἔρχευ, λέκτρονδʼ ἴομεν, γύναι, ὄφρα καὶ ἤδη  
But come, let us go to bed, wife, so that now at last

**255** ὕπνῳ ὕπο γλυκερῷ ταρπώμεθα κοιμηθέντε.  
we may take our delight beneath sweet sleep, lying down together."
> Dual participle: κοιμηθέντε is a dual aorist participle, 'the two of us having lain down,' fitting the reunited pair.

**256** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him in turn:

**257** εὐνὴ μὲν δή σοί γε τότʼ ἔσσεται ὁππότε θυμῷ  
"Your bed shall be ready for you at whatever time

**258** σῷ ἐθέλῃς, ἐπεὶ ἄρ σε θεοὶ ποίησαν ἱκέσθαι  
your heart desires, now that the gods have brought you back

**259** οἶκον ἐϋκτίμενον καὶ σὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·  
to your well-built house and to your own native land.

**260** ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἐφράσθης καί τοι θεὸς ἔμβαλε θυμῷ,  
But since you have spoken of it, and a god has put it in your heart,

**261** εἴπʼ ἄγε μοι τὸν ἄεθλον, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὄπισθεν, ὀΐω,  
come, tell me of this trial, since later, I think,

**262** πεύσομαι, αὐτίκα δʼ ἐστὶ δαήμεναι οὔ τι χέρειον.  
I shall learn of it, and it is no worse to know it at once."

**263** τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις
                  Ὀδυσσεύς·  
Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her:

**264** δαιμονίη, τί τʼ ἄρʼ αὖ με μάλʼ ὀτρύνουσα κελεύεις  
"Strange woman, why do you so urgently press me
> daimoniê — 'strange one': A vocative of affectionate exasperation, literally 'one driven by a daimon.' It can scold or endear; here it is gently chiding.

**265** εἰπέμεν; αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω.  
to tell it? Still, I will speak out and hide nothing.

**266** οὐ μέν τοι θυμὸς κεχαρήσεται· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς  
Yet your heart will take no joy in it; nor do I myself

**267** χαίρω, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὰ βροτῶν ἐπὶ ἄστεʼ ἄνωγεν  
rejoice, since he bade me go to very many cities of men,

**268** ἐλθεῖν, ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχοντʼ εὐῆρες ἐρετμόν,  
carrying in my hands a well-balanced oar,

**269** εἰς ὅ κε τοὺς ἀφίκωμαι οἳ οὐκ ἴσασι θάλασσαν  
until I come to those men who know nothing of the sea

**270** ἀνέρες, οὐδέ θʼ ἅλεσσι μεμιγμένον εἶδαρ ἔδουσιν·  
and eat no food mixed with salt;

**271** οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἴσασι νέας φοινικοπαρῄους,  
nor do they know of ships with crimson-painted cheeks,

**272** οὐδʼ εὐήρεʼ ἐρετμά, τά τε πτερὰ νηυσὶ πέλονται.  
nor of well-balanced oars, which are the wings of ships.

**273** σῆμα δέ μοι τόδʼ ἔειπεν ἀριφραδές, οὐδέ σε κεύσω·  
And he told me this unmistakable sign — I will not hide it from you:
> sêma — sign, token: A sêma is a recognizable sign or proof. The recognition-tokens are a running theme of this book; here the 'sign' is the prophesied sign that Odysseus has reached the inland people.

**274** ὁππότε κεν δή μοι ξυμβλήμενος ἄλλος ὁδίτης  
when another traveler, meeting me,

**275** φήῃ ἀθηρηλοιγὸν ἔχειν ἀνὰ φαιδίμῳ ὤμῳ,  
says I have a winnowing-fan on my shining shoulder,
> 'Chaff-destroyer' — the winnowing fan: ἀθηρηλοιγός literally means 'destroyer of chaff,' a kenning for a winnowing shovel. Inland people, ignorant of oars, mistake the oar for this farm tool.

**276** καὶ τότε μʼ ἐν γαίῃ πήξαντʼ ἐκέλευεν ἐρετμόν,  
then he bade me fix my oar in the earth

**277** ἔρξανθʼ ἱερὰ καλὰ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι,  
and make fine offerings to lord Poseidon,

**278** ἀρνειὸν ταῦρόν τε συῶν τʼ ἐπιβήτορα κάπρον,  
a ram, a bull, and a boar that mounts the sows,

**279** οἴκαδʼ ἀποστείχειν, ἔρδειν θʼ ἱερὰς ἑκατόμβας  
and then to set off home and offer sacred hecatombs

**280** ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,  
to the immortal gods who hold the wide heaven,

**281** πᾶσι μάλʼ ἑξείης· θάνατος δέ μοι ἐξ ἁλὸς αὐτῷ  
to all in due order; and for me death from the sea

**282** ἀβληχρὸς μάλα τοῖος ἐλεύσεται, ὅς κέ με πέφνῃ  
will come, a death so gentle, that will slay me

**283** γήρα’ ὕπο λιπαρῷ ἀρημένον· ἀμφὶ δὲ λαοὶ  
worn out by sleek old age; and around me my people

**284** ὄλβιοι ἔσσονται· τὰ δέ μοι φάτο πάντα τελεῖσθαι.  
will be prosperous. All this, he said, would come to pass."

**285** τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·  
Then wise Penelope answered him in turn:

**286** εἰ μὲν δὴ γῆράς γε θεοὶ τελέουσιν ἄρειον,  
"If the gods are bringing to pass a better old age,

**287** ἐλπωρή τοι ἔπειτα κακῶν ὑπάλυξιν ἔσεσθαι.  
then there is hope that there will be an escape from troubles."

**288** ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·  
So they spoke such things to one another;
> men... resumptive: The μέν here (with no answering δέ in the same line) marks 'these two, for their part,' setting them off against the women preparing the bed in the next lines.

**289** τόφρα δʼ ἄρʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε ἰδὲ τροφὸς ἔντυον εὐνὴν  
meanwhile Eurynome and the nurse were making ready the bed

**290** ἐσθῆτος μαλακῆς, δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων.  
with soft bedding, by the light of blazing torches.

**291** αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ στόρεσαν πυκινὸν λέχος ἐγκονέουσαι,  
But when they had busily spread the close-built bed,

**292** γρηῢς μὲν κείουσα πάλιν οἶκόνδε βεβήκει,  
the old woman went back to her own room to lie down,

**293** τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρυνόμη θαλαμηπόλος ἡγεμόνευεν  
and Eurynome the chambermaid led the way for them,

**294** ἐρχομένοισι λέχοσδε, δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσα·  
as they went to bed, holding a torch in her hands;

**295** ἐς θάλαμον δʼ ἀγαγοῦσα πάλιν κίεν. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα  
and when she had brought them to the chamber she went back. They then,

**296** ἀσπάσιοι λέκτροιο παλαιοῦ θεσμὸν ἵκοντο·  
gladly, came to the place of their old bed, its custom established.

**297** αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος καὶ βουκόλος ἠδὲ συβώτης  
Meanwhile Telemachus and the herdsman and the swineherd

**298** παῦσαν ἄρʼ ὀρχηθμοῖο πόδας, παῦσαν δὲ γυναῖκας,  
stayed their feet from the dance, and made the women stay too,

**299** αὐτοὶ δʼ εὐνάζοντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.  
and they themselves lay down to sleep throughout the shadowy halls.

**300** τὼ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν φιλότητος ἐταρπήτην ἐρατεινῆς,  
But when the two had taken their delight in lovely love,
> Dual subject and verb: τώ ('the two of them') and the verb ἐταρπήτην are both dual, marking Odysseus and Penelope as an inseparable pair throughout this reunion.

**301** τερπέσθην μύθοισι, πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐνέποντε,  
they took delight in talk, telling each other their stories,

**302** ἡ μὲν ὅσʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἀνέσχετο δῖα γυναικῶν,  
she, the queenly woman, all she had endured in the halls,

**303** ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων ἐσορῶσʼ ἀΐδηλον ὅμιλον,  
looking upon the ruinous throng of the suitors,

**304** οἳ ἕθεν εἵνεκα πολλά, βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,  
who for her sake slaughtered many cattle and fat sheep,

**305** ἔσφαζον, πολλὸς δὲ πίθων ἠφύσσετο οἶνος·  
and much wine was drawn from the jars;

**306** αὐτὰρ ὁ διογενὴς Ὀδυσεὺς ὅσα κήδεʼ ἔθηκεν  
and Zeus-born Odysseus, all the woes he had brought

**307** ἀνθρώποις ὅσα τʼ αὐτὸς ὀϊζύσας ἐμόγησε,  
upon men, and all that he himself had toiled through in misery,

**308** πάντʼ ἔλεγʼ· ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐτέρπετʼ ἀκούουσʼ, οὐδέ οἱ ὕπνος  
he told it all; and she rejoiced to listen, nor did sleep

**309** πῖπτεν ἐπὶ βλεφάροισι πάρος καταλέξαι ἅπαντα.  
fall upon her eyelids before he had recounted everything.

**310** ἤρξατο δʼ ὡς πρῶτον Κίκονας δάμασʼ, αὐτὰρ
                  ἔπειτα  
He began with how he first overcame the Kikones, and then

**311** ἦλθʼ ἐς Λωτοφάγων ἀνδρῶν πίειραν ἄρουραν·  
how he came to the rich land of the Lotus-eaters;

**312** ἠδʼ ὅσα Κύκλωψ ἔρξε, καὶ ὡς ἀπετίσατο ποινὴν  
and all that the Cyclops did, and how he made him pay the penalty

**313** ἰφθίμων ἑτάρων, οὓς ἤσθιεν οὐδʼ ἐλέαιρεν·  
for his strong companions, whom he ate and showed no pity;

**314** ἠδʼ ὡς Αἴολον ἵκεθʼ, ὅ μιν πρόφρων ὑπέδεκτο  
and how he came to Aeolus, who received him kindly

**315** καὶ πέμπʼ, οὐδέ πω αἶσα φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἱκέσθαι  
and sent him on; but it was not yet his fate to reach

**316** ἤην, ἀλλά μιν αὖτις ἀναρπάξασα θύελλα  
his dear native land, for a storm-gust snatched him up again

**317** πόντον ἐπʼ ἰχθυόεντα φέρεν βαρέα στενάχοντα·  
and bore him over the fish-filled sea, groaning heavily;

**318** ἠδʼ ὡς Τηλέπυλον Λαιστρυγονίην ἀφίκανεν,  
and how he came to Telepylos of the Laestrygonians,

**319** οἳ νῆάς τʼ ὄλεσαν καὶ ἐϋκνήμιδας ἑταίρους  
who destroyed his ships and his well-greaved companions

**320** πάντας· Ὀδυσσεὺς δʼ οἶος ὑπέκφυγε νηῒ μελαίνῃ·  
all of them; Odysseus alone escaped in his black ship;

**321** καὶ Κίρκης κατέλεξε δόλον πολυμηχανίην τε,  
and he told of Circe's guile and her many wiles,

**322** ἠδʼ ὡς εἰς Ἀΐδεω δόμον ἤλυθεν εὐρώεντα,  
and how he went to the dank house of Hades

**323** ψυχῇ χρησόμενος Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,  
to consult the spirit of Theban Teiresias,

**324** νηῒ πολυκλήϊδι, καὶ εἴσιδε πάντας ἑταίρους  
in his many-oared ship, and saw all his companions

**325** μητέρα θʼ, ἥ μιν ἔτικτε καὶ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα·  
and his mother, who bore him and reared him when he was little;

**326** ἠδʼ ὡς Σειρήνων ἁδινάων φθόγγον ἄκουσεν,  
and how he heard the voice of the thronging Sirens,

**327** ὥς θʼ ἵκετο Πλαγκτὰς πέτρας δεινήν τε Χάρυβδιν  
and how he came to the Wandering Rocks and dread Charybdis

**328** Σκύλλην θʼ, ἣν οὔ πώ ποτʼ ἀκήριοι ἄνδρες ἄλυξαν·  
and Scylla, whom no men have ever escaped unscathed;

**329** ἠδʼ ὡς Ἠελίοιο βόας κατέπεφνον ἑταῖροι·  
and how his companions slew the cattle of the Sun;

**330** ἠδʼ ὡς νῆα θοὴν ἔβαλε ψολόεντι κεραυνῷ  
and how Zeus the high-thunderer struck the swift ship with a smoking bolt,
> Zeus the high-thunderer: ὑψιβρεμέτης ('thundering on high') is a formulaic epithet of Zeus, evoking his sky-god power as he wields the thunderbolt.

**331** Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔφθιθεν ἐσθλοὶ ἑταῖροι  
Zeus the high-thunderer, and his brave companions perished,
> High-thundering Zeus: A standard epithet of Zeus, in the nominative as the subject of the verb. Formulaic epithets like this are a hallmark of Homeric style.

**332** πάντες ὁμῶς, αὐτὸς δὲ κακὰς ὑπὸ κῆρας ἄλυξεν·  
all alike, while he alone escaped the cruel fates of death;

**333** ὥς θʼ ἵκετʼ Ὠγυγίην νῆσον νύμφην τε Καλυψώ,  
and how he came to the island of Ogygia and the nymph Calypso,

**334** ἣ δή μιν κατέρυκε, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι,  
who held him back, longing for him to be her husband,
> Participle of longing: A present middle participle agreeing with Calypso, expressing her continuous desire as she detained Odysseus.

**335** ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, καὶ ἔτρεφεν ἠδὲ ἔφασκε  
in her hollow caves, and fed him, and kept promising

**336** θήσειν ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀγήραον ἤματα πάντα·  
to make him immortal and ageless for all his days;

**337** ἀλλὰ τοῦ οὔ ποτε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθεν·  
but never did she persuade the heart within his breast.

**338** ἠδʼ ὡς ἐς Φαίηκας ἀφίκετο πολλὰ μογήσας,  
And how he came to the Phaeacians after much suffering,

**339** οἳ δή μιν περὶ κῆρι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσαντο  
who honored him in their hearts like a god

**340** καὶ πέμψαν σὺν νηῒ φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,  
and sent him by ship to his own dear native land,

**341** χαλκόν τε χρυσόν τε ἅλις ἐσθῆτά τε δόντες.  
giving him bronze and gold and clothing in abundance.

**342** τοῦτʼ ἄρα δεύτατον εἶπεν ἔπος, ὅτε οἱ γλυκὺς ὕπνος  
This was the last word he spoke, when sweet sleep,

**343** λυσιμελὴς ἐπόρουσε, λύων μελεδήματα θυμοῦ.  
loosener of limbs, fell upon him, releasing the cares of his heart.
> Limb-loosening sleep: A vivid compound meaning 'loosening the limbs,' describing how sleep dissolves bodily tension. The same epithet is elsewhere applied to desire.

**344** ἡ δʼ αὖτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·  
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athena, thought of another thing.
> Grey-eyed Athena: A recurring epithet of Athena in the nominative, marking her as subject. The image suggests bright, gleaming eyes.

**345** ὁππότε δή ῥʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἐέλπετο ὃν κατὰ θυμὸν  
When she judged that Odysseus had in his heart

**346** εὐνῆς ἧς ἀλόχου ταρπήμεναι ἠδὲ καὶ ὕπνου,  
taken his fill of his wife's bed and of sleep,

**347** αὐτίκʼ ἀπʼ Ὠκεανοῦ χρυσόθρονον ἠριγένειαν  
at once from Ocean she roused gold-enthroned Dawn,

**348** ὦρσεν, ἵνʼ ἀνθρώποισι φόως φέροι· ὦρτο δʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς  
the early-born, to bring light to humankind; and Odysseus rose

**349** εὐνῆς ἐκ μαλακῆς, ἀλόχῳ δʼ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἔτελλεν·  
from the soft bed, and laid a charge upon his wife:

**350** ὦ γύναι, ἤδη μὲν πολέων κεκορήμεθʼ ἀέθλων  
"Wife, by now we have had our fill of many trials,

**351** ἀμφοτέρω, σὺ μὲν ἐνθάδʼ ἐμὸν πολυκηδέα νόστον  
both of us: you here weeping over my grief-laden return,

**352** κλαίουσʼ. αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ Ζεὺς ἄλγεσι καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι  
while Zeus and the other gods kept fettering me with sorrows
> Iterative imperfect: An imperfect with the -σκ- suffix marking repeated or habitual past action: the gods kept hindering him again and again.

**353** ἱέμενον πεδάασκον ἐμῆς ἀπὸ πατρίδος αἴης·  
as I yearned to return, far from my native land.

**354** νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ ἀμφοτέρω πολυήρατον ἱκόμεθʼ εὐνήν,  
But now that we have both come to the bed we longed for,

**355** κτήματα μὲν τά μοι ἔστι, κομιζέμεν ἐν μεγάροισι,  
take care of the property that is mine here in the halls.

**356** μῆλα δʼ ἅ μοι μνηστῆρες ὑπερφίαλοι κατέκειραν,  
As for the flocks the overbearing suitors have ravaged,

**357** πολλὰ μὲν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ληΐσσομαι, ἄλλα δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ  
many I will plunder back myself, and others the Achaeans

**358** δώσουσʼ, εἰς ὅ κε πάντας ἐνιπλήσωσιν ἐπαύλους.  
will give, until they have filled all my pens again.

**359** ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼ πολυδένδρεον ἀγρὸν ἔπειμι,  
But now I am going to the well-wooded farm

**360** ὀψόμενος πατέρʼ ἐσθλόν, ὅ μοι πυκινῶς ἀκάχηται·  
to see my noble father, who grieves bitterly for me.

**361** σοὶ δέ, γύναι, τάδʼ ἐπιτέλλω, πινυτῇ περ ἐούσῃ·  
And to you, wife, I give this charge, though you are prudent:

**362** αὐτίκα γὰρ φάτις εἶσιν ἅμʼ ἠελίῳ ἀνιόντι  
for at once, with the rising of the sun, word will spread

**363** ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, οὓς ἔκτανον ἐν μεγάροισιν·  
about the suitors whom I killed in the halls;

**364** εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶν  
go up to your upper room with your serving women

**365** ἧσθαι, μηδέ τινα προτιόσσεο μηδʼ ἐρέεινε.  
and sit there; look at no one and ask no questions."
> Negative commands: Imperatives with μηδέ give prohibitions: 'do not look,' 'do not ask.' Homer uses the imperative mood for direct instructions.

**366** ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἐδύσετο τεύχεα καλά,  
He spoke, and around his shoulders he put on his fine armor,

**367** ὦρσε δὲ Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην,  
and roused Telemachus and the cowherd and the swineherd,

**368** πάντας δʼ ἔντεʼ ἄνωγεν ἀρήϊα χερσὶν ἑλέσθαι.  
and bade them all take their war-gear in their hands.

**369** οἱ δέ οἱ οὐκ ἀπίθησαν, ἐθωρήσσοντο δὲ χαλκῷ,  
They did not disobey him, but armed themselves in bronze,
> Aorist of obedience: A litotes ('they did not disobey') in the aorist, a formulaic way of saying they promptly complied.

**370** ὤϊξαν δὲ θύρας, ἐκ δʼ ἤϊον· ἦρχε δʼ Ὀδυσσεύς.  
and opened the doors and went out; Odysseus led the way.

**371** ἤδη μὲν φάος ἦεν ἐπὶ χθόνα, τοὺς δʼ ἄρʼ Ἀθήνη  
By now there was light over the earth, but Athena

**372** νυκτὶ κατακρύψασα θοῶς ἐξῆγε πόληος.  
hid them in night and swiftly led them out of the city.
> Aorist participle: An aorist participle agreeing with Athena, describing the action that accompanies her leading them out: 'having hidden them, she led them.'

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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.