Ian Johnston

ἱρὸν Ἀθηναίης, ἵνʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

grove, sacred to Athena. Lord Odysseus sat down there and quickly made a prayer to great Zeus’s daughter: “Hear me, you child

αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ διὰ δῶμα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

him a final tribute whenever they intended to retire to bed. Long-suffering Odysseus, still enclosed in mist, the thick covering

σμερδαλέον δʼ ἐβόησε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

eager to save their lives. Then much-enduring lord Odysseus gave out a blood-curdling shout, gathered himself, and swooped

ἀλλʼ Ἥρη παρέπεμψεν, ἐπεὶ φίλος ἦεν Ἰήσων.

smashed that vessel, too, against the massive rocks, had Hera not propelled her through. For Jason was her friend.

Αἴολος Ἱπποτάδης, φίλος ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν,

floating island, where Aeolus lived, son of Hippotas, whom immortal gods hold dear. Around it, runs an

ἥρως ἀπριάτην· τοῦ γὰρ φίλος υἱὸς ἐπελθὼν

and there the king, Pheidon, ruler of the Thesprotians, welcomed me, without demanding ransom. When I’d been beaten down

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

destroying fate of a harsh doom has him in its grip.” Prudent Telemachus then said in answer to Athena: “Mentor, though we’re sad,

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

spread far and wide through Greece and central Argos.” Sensible Telemachus answered her and said: “Mother, why begrudge

τοῖσι δὲ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἤρχετο μύθων·

create an uproar, each man shouting out his hope to lie beside her. Then shrewd Telemachus began his speech to them: “You

ὥς τέ τευ ἢ βασιλῆος ἀμύμονος, ὅς τε θεουδὴς

with you. And your fame extends right up to spacious heaven, as it does for an excellent king who fears the gods and

ὠτειλὴν δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος ἀντιθέοιο

to the carcass. They neatly bound up brave Odysseus’s wound, using a healing spell to staunch the flow

μεσσηγύς τε θόλου καὶ ἀμύμονος ἕρκεος αὐλῆς,

from the well-built hall to a spot outside between the roundhouse and the sturdy courtyard wall and kill them.

γυμνὸν τόξον ἔχων καὶ ἐπὶ νευρῆφιν ὀιστόν,

here an there, quite terrified. And like dark night, he was glaring round him, his unsheathed bow in hand,

αὐτίκʼ ἐπεὶ μέγα τόξον ἐβάστασε καὶ ἴδε πάντη,

talked. But shrewd Odysseus, once he had raised the weapon and looked it over from every angle, then—just as someone

κλαῖε δὲ βουκόλος ἄλλοθʼ, ἐπεὶ ἴδε τόξον ἄνακτος.

suitors. With tears in his eyes, Eumaeus took the weapons and laid them out. Philoetius, the goatherd, was weeping, too,