Odysseus and Silenus Barter Wine for Food — Euripides, Cyclops, lines 103–186, Greek & English

103

Ἴθακος Ὀδυσσεύς, γῆς Κεφαλλήνων ἄναξ.

ODYSSEUS: Odysseus of Ithaca, king of the land of the Cephallenians.

οἶδ’ ἄνδρα, κρόταλον δριμύ, Σισύφου γένος.

SILENUS: I know the man, a sharp-tongued knave, the offspring of Sisyphus.

105

ἐκεῖνος οὗτός εἰμι· λοιδόρει δὲ μή·

ODYSSEUS: I am that very man; but do not insult me.

πόθεν Σικελίαν τήνδε ναυστολῶν πάρει;

SILENUS: From where did you sail to arrive here in Sicily?

ἐξ Ἰλίου γε κἀπὸ Τρωικῶν πόνων.

ODYSSEUS: From Ilium indeed, and from the Trojan labors.

πῶς; πορθμὸν οὐκ ᾔδησθα πατρῴας χθονός;

SILENUS: How? Did you not know the passage to your native land?

ἀνέμων θύελλαι δεῦρό μ’ ἥρπασαν βίᾳ.

ODYSSEUS: Blasts of winds snatched me here by force.

110

παπαῖ· τὸν αὐτὸν δαίμον’ ἐξαντλεῖς ἐμοί.

SILENUS: Alas! You are enduring the very same fate as I.

ἦ καὶ σὺ δεῦρο πρὸς βίαν ἀπεστάλης;

ODYSSEUS: Were you also sent here by force?

λῃστὰς διώκων οἳ Βρόμιον ἀνήρπασαν.

SILENUS: Pursuing the pirates who snatched Bromius away.

τίς δ’ ἥδε χώρα καὶ τίνες ναίουσί νιν;

ODYSSEUS: And what is this country, and who dwell in it?

Αἰτναῖος ὄχθος Σικελίας ὑπέρτατος.

SILENUS: The peak of Etna, the highest point in Sicily.

115

τείχη δὲ ποῦ’στι καὶ πόλεως πυργώματα;

ODYSSEUS: And where are the walls and the towers of the city?

οὐκ εἴσ’· ἔρημοι πρῶνες ἀνθρώπων, ξένε.

SILENUS: There are none; they are ridges desolate of men, stranger.

τίνες δ’ ἔχουσι γαῖαν; ἦ θηρῶν γένος;

ODYSSEUS: And who possess the land? Is it some race of wild beasts?

Κύκλωπες, ἄντρ’ ἔχοντες, οὐ στέγας δόμων.

SILENUS: The Cyclopes, dwelling in caves, not under the roofs of houses.

τίνος κλύοντες; ἢ δεδήμευται κράτος;

ODYSSEUS: Obeying whom? Or is the power held by the people?

120

νομάδες· ἀκούει δ’ οὐδὲν οὐδεὶς οὐδενός.

SILENUS: They are nomads; and no one listens to anyone else at all.

σπείρουσι δ’—ἢ τῷ ζῶσι;—Δήμητρος στάχυν;

ODYSSEUS: And do they sow—or on what do they live?—the corn of Demeter?

γάλακτι καὶ τυροῖσι καὶ μήλων βορᾷ.

SILENUS: On milk and cheeses and the flesh of sheep.

Βρομίου δὲ πῶμ’ ἔχουσιν, ἀμπέλου ῥοαῖς;

ODYSSEUS: And do they have the drink of Bromius, the streams of the vine?

ἥκιστα· τοιγὰρ ἄχορον οἰκοῦσι χθόνα.

SILENUS: Not at all; therefore they dwell in a land without dances.

125

φιλόξενοι δὲ χὥσιοι περὶ ξένους;

ODYSSEUS: And are they hospitable and pious toward strangers?

γλυκύτατά φασι τὰ κρέα τοὺς ξένους φορεῖν.

SILENUS: They say that strangers bring the sweetest meat.

τί φῄς; βορᾷ χαίρουσιν ἀνθρωποκτόνῳ;

ODYSSEUS: What do you say? Do they delight in the slaughter of men for food?

οὐδεὶς μολὼν δεῦρ’ ὅστις οὐ κατεσφάγη.

SILENUS: No one has come here who was not slaughtered.

αὐτὸς δὲ Κύκλωψ ποῦ’στιν; ἦ δόμων ἔσω;

ODYSSEUS: And where is the Cyclops himself? Is he inside the house?

130

φροῦδος πρὸς Αἴτνῃ θῆρας ἰχνεύων κυσίν.

SILENUS: He is gone toward Etna, tracking wild beasts with his dogs.

οἶσθ’ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον,¹ ὡς ἀπαίρωμεν χθονός;

ODYSSEUS: Do you know then what to do, so that we may depart from this land?

οὐκ οἶδ’, Ὀδυσσεῦ· πᾶν δέ σοι δρῴημεν ἄν.

SILENUS: I do not know, Odysseus; but we would do anything for you.

ὅδησον ἡμῖν σῖτον, οὗ σπανίζομεν.

ODYSSEUS: Sell us food, of which we are in want.

οὐκ ἔστιν, ὥσπερ εἶπον, ἄλλο πλὴν κρέας.

SILENUS: There is none, as I said, except meat.

135

ἀλλ’ ἡδὺ λιμοῦ καὶ τόδε σχετήριον.

ODYSSEUS: But even this is a pleasant remedy against hunger.

καὶ τυρὸς ὀπίας ἔστι καὶ βοὸς γάλα.

SILENUS: And there is fig-juice cheese and cows’ milk.

ἐκφέρετε· φῶς γὰρ ἐμπολήμασιν πρέπει.

ODYSSEUS: Bring them out; for light is fitting for trade.

σὺ δ’ ἀντιδώσεις, εἰπέ μοι, χρυσὸν πόσον;

SILENUS: And you, tell me, how much gold will you give in return?

οὐ χρυσόν, ἀλλὰ πῶμα Διονύσου φέρω.

ODYSSEUS: Not gold, but I bring the drink of Dionysus.

140

ὦ φίλτατ’ εἰπών, οὗ σπανίζομεν πάλαι.

SILENUS: O speaker of dearest words, of which we have long been in want!

καὶ μὴν Μάρων μοι πῶμ’ ἔδωκε, παῖς θεοῦ.

ODYSSEUS: Indeed, Maron gave me the drink, the child of a god.

ὃν ἐξέθρεψα ταῖσδ’ ἐγώ ποτ’ ἀγκάλαις;

SILENUS: Whom I once nursed in these very arms?

ὁ Βακχίου παῖς, ὡς σαφέστερον μάθῃς.

ODYSSEUS: The child of Bacchus, so that you may know more clearly.

ἐν σέλμασιν νεώς ἐστιν, ἢ φέρεις σύ νιν;

SILENUS: Is it in the benches of the ship, or do you carry it?

145

ὅδ’ ἁσκὸς ὃς κεύθει νιν· ὡς ὁρᾷς, γέρον.

ODYSSEUS: This is the wineskin that hides it; as you see, old man.

οὗτος μὲν οὐδ’ ἂν τὴν γνάθον πλήσειέ μου.

SILENUS: This indeed would not even fill my jaw.

ναί·

ODYSSEUS: Yes, indeed;

δὶς γὰρ τόσον πῶμ’ ὅσον ἂν ἐξ ἀσκοῦ ῥυῇ.

for there will be twice as much drink as flows from the skin.

καλήν γε κρήνην εἶπας ἡδεῖάν τ’ ἐμοί.

SILENUS: A beautiful and sweet spring indeed you have described to me.

βούλῃ σε γεύσω πρῶτον ἄκρατον μέθυ;

ODYSSEUS: Do you wish me to let you taste the unmixed wine first?

150

δίκαιον· ἦ γὰρ γεῦμα τὴν ὠνὴν καλεῖ.

SILENUS: It is just; for the taste invites the purchase.

καὶ μὴν ἐφέλκω καὶ ποτῆρ’ ἀσκοῦ μέτα.

ODYSSEUS: Indeed, I bring a cup along with the wineskin.

φέρ’ ἐκπάταξον, ὡς ἀναμνησθῶ πιών.

SILENUS: Come, pour it out, so that I may remember when I drink.

ἰδού.

ODYSSEUS: Behold!

παπαιάξ, ὡς καλὴν ὀσμὴν ἔχει.

SILENUS: Oh my, what a beautiful scent it has!

εἶδες γὰρ αὐτήν;²

ODYSSEUS: For did you see it?

οὐ μὰ Δί’, ἀλλ’ ὀσφραίνομαι.

SILENUS: No, by Zeus, but I smell it.

155

γεῦσαί νυν, ὡς ἂν μὴ λόγῳ’’παινῇς μόνον.

ODYSSEUS: Taste it now, so that you may not praise it only in words.

βαβαί· χορεῦσαι παρακαλεῖ μ’ ὁ Βάκχιος.

SILENUS: Ah! Bacchus invites me to dance.

ἆ ἆ ἆ.

Ah, ah, ah!

μῶν τὸν λάρυγγα διεκάναξέ σου καλῶς;

ODYSSEUS: Did it gurgle down your throat nicely?

ὥστ’ εἰς ἄκρους γε τοὺς ὄνυχας ἀφίκετο.

SILENUS: So much so that it reached the very tips of my toenails.

160

πρὸς τῷδε μέντοι καὶ νόμισμα δώσομεν.

ODYSSEUS: In addition to this, indeed, we will also give you coin.

χάλα τὸν ἀσκὸν μόνον· ἔα τὸ χρυσίον.

SILENUS: Only unloose the wineskin; let the gold be.

ἐκφέρετέ νυν τυρεύματ’ ἢ μήλων τόκον.

ODYSSEUS: Now bring out cheeses or the offspring of the sheep.

δράσω τάδ’, ὀλίγον φροντίσας γε δεσποτῶν.

SILENUS: I will do this, caring little indeed for my masters.

ὡς ἐκπιεῖν γ’ ἂν κύλικα μαινοίμην μίαν,³

For to drain a single cup I would go mad,

165

πάντων Κυκλώπων ἀντιδοὺς βοσκήματα,

giving in exchange the cattle of all the Cyclopes,

ῥῖψαι τ’ ἐς ἅλμην Λευκάδος πέτρας ἄπο,

and cast myself into the salt sea from the Leucadian rock,

ἅπαξ μεθυσθεὶς καταβαλών τε τὰς ὀφρῦς.

once drunk and letting down my brows.

ὡς ὅς γε πίνων μὴ γέγηθε μαίνεται·

For he who does not rejoice when drinking is mad;

ἵν’ ἔστι τουτί τ’ ὀρθὸν ἐξανιστάναι

where it is possible to raise this thing erect,

170

μαστοῦ τε δραγμὸς καὶ παρεσκευασμένου

and grab a breast, and with both hands touch

ψαῦσαι χεροῖν λειμῶνος, ὀρχηστύς θ’ ἅμα

the prepared meadow, and there is dancing too,

κακῶν τε λῆστις. εἶτ’ ἐγὼ οὐ κυνήσομαι

and forgetfulness of evils. Shall I not then worship

τοιόνδε πῶμα, τὴν Κύκλωπος ἀμαθίαν

such a drink, bidding the ignorance of the Cyclops

κλαίειν κελεύων καὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν μέσον;

go weep, and his middle eye as well?

175

ἄκου’, Ὀδυσσεῦ· διαλαλήσωμέν τί σοι.

CHORUS: Listen, Odysseus; let us have a little talk with you.

καὶ μὴν φίλοι γε προσφέρεσθε πρὸς φίλον.

ODYSSEUS: Indeed, approach as friends to a friend.

ἐλάβετε Τροίαν τὴν Ἑλένην τε χειρίαν;

CHORUS: Did you capture Troy and get Helen into your hands?

καὶ πάντα γ’ οἶκον Πριαμιδῶν ἐπέρσαμεν.

ODYSSEUS: Yes, and we destroyed the whole house of the sons of Priam.

οὔκουν, ἐπειδὴ τὴν νεᾶνιν εἵλετε,

CHORUS: Did you not then, when you took the young woman,

180

ἅπαντες αὐτὴν διεκροτήσατ’ ἐν μέρει,

all of you take turns banging her,

ἐπεί γε πολλοῖς ἥδεται γαμουμένη;

since indeed she delights in being wedded to many?

τὴν προδότιν, ἣ⁴ τοὺς θυλάκους τοὺς ποικίλους

The traitress, who, seeing the variegated trousers

περὶ τοῖν σκελοῖν ἰδοῦσα καὶ τὸν χρύσεον

about the legs and the golden

κλῳὸν φοροῦντα περὶ μέσον τὸν αὐχένα

collar worn about the middle of the neck,

185

ἐξεπτοήθη, Μενέλεων, ἀνθρώπιον

was fluttered in her heart, leaving Menelaus, the best

λῷστον, λιποῦσα. μηδαμοῦ γένος ποτὲ

of little men. Never anywhere should the race

Syntax notes4 items

131οἶσθ’ οὖν ὃ δρᾶσον
An idiomatic Greek construction combining the indicative οἶσθα ("you know") with the relative pronoun ὅ and the imperative δρᾶσον ("do"). Literally "Do you know what do?", meaning "Do you know what you must do?"
154εἶδες γὰρ αὐτήν;
The verb of seeing (εἶδες) takes the feminine pronoun αὐτήν, which refers back to the feminine noun ὀσμή ("scent"). Odysseus humorously points out Silenus's mixing of senses (seeing a smell).
164ὡς ἐκπιεῖν γ’ ἂν κύλικα μαινοίμην μίαν
The conjunction ὡς introduces a clause of purpose or result, accompanied by the potential optative μαινοίμην with ἄν ("I would go mad"). The infinitive ἐκπιεῖν ("to drink up") specifies the purpose or limitation of this madness.
182τὴν προδότιν, ἣ
The relative clause introduced by ἣ ("who"), modifying the antecedent τὴν προδότιν ("the traitress", i.e., Helen), has ἐξεπτοήθη ("was fluttered") in line 185 as its main verb. The structure is elongated by several intervening participle phrases and objects.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:103-186