Telemachus' Warning to the Suitors and Retirement — Odyssey §1.370-1.444 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἔστω¹, ἐπεὶ τόδε καλὸν ἀκουέμεν ἐστὶν ἀοιδοῦ

Let it be so; for indeed it is a beautiful thing to listen to a minstrel

τοιοῦδʼ οἷος ὅδʼ ἐστί, θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιος αὐδήν.

such as this man is, like to the gods in his voice.

ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀγορήνδε καθεζώμεσθα κιόντες

But in the morning let us go and sit in assembly,

πάντες, ἵνʼ ὕμιν μῦθον ἀπηλεγέως ἀποείπω,

all of us, so that I may speak my word to you roundly,

ἐξιέναι μεγάρων· ἄλλας δʼ ἀλεγύνετε δαῖτας,

that you depart from my halls; and prepare other feasts,

ὑμὰ κτήματʼ ἔδοντες, ἀμειβόμενοι κατὰ οἴκους.

eating your own possessions, changing from house to house.

εἰ δʼ ὕμιν δοκέει τόδε λωίτερον καὶ ἄμεινον

But if this seems to you more profitable and better,

ἔμμεναι, ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς βίοτον νήποινον ὀλέσθαι,

that the livelihood of one man should be destroyed without repayment,

κείρετʼ· ἐγὼ δὲ θεοὺς ἐπιβώσομαι αἰὲν ἐόντας,

waste it; but I will call upon the gods who are forever,

αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς δῷσι παλίντιτα ἔργα γενέσθαι·

if perchance Zeus may grant that deeds of retribution be done;

νήποινοί κεν ἔπειτα δόμων ἔντοσθεν ὄλοισθε.

then you might perish within the halls without repayment.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὀδὰξ ἐν χείλεσι φύντες

So he spoke, and they all bit their lips,

Τηλέμαχον θαύμαζον, ὃ θαρσαλέως ἀγόρευεν.

and marveled at Telemachus, because he spoke so boldly.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him:

Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή σε διδάσκουσιν θεοὶ αὐτοὶ

Telemachus, surely the gods themselves are teaching you

ὑψαγόρην τʼ ἔμεναι καὶ θαρσαλέως ἀγορεύειν·

to be a bold speaker and to address us courageously.

μὴ σέ γʼ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλῆα Κρονίων

May the son of Cronos never make you king in sea-girt Ithaca,

ποιήσειεν², ὅ τοι γενεῇ πατρώιόν ἐστιν.

which is your heritage by birth.

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And to him wise Telemachus answered in turn:

Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ καί μοι νεμεσήσεαι ὅττι κεν εἴπω;

Antinous, will you indeed be angry with me for what I shall say?

καί κεν τοῦτʼ ἐθέλοιμι Διός γε διδόντος ἀρέσθαι.

Even this I should be glad to accept, if Zeus would grant it.

ἦ φῂς τοῦτο κάκιστον ἐν ἀνθρώποισι τετύχθαι;

Do you say that this is the worst thing that can befall a man?

οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακὸν βασιλευέμεν· αἶψά τέ οἱ δῶ

For indeed it is no bad thing to be a king; straightway his house

ἀφνειὸν πέλεται καὶ τιμηέστερος αὐτός.

becomes rich and he himself is held in greater honor.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι βασιλῆες Ἀχαιῶν εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλοι

However, there are indeed other kings of the Achaeans,

πολλοὶ ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, νέοι ἠδὲ παλαιοί,

many in sea-girt Ithaca, both young and old,

τῶν κέν τις τόδʼ ἔχῃσιν, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

of whom someone may have this position, since noble Odysseus is dead.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν οἴκοιο ἄναξ ἔσομʼ ἡμετέροιο

But I will be lord of our own house

καὶ δμώων, οὕς μοι ληίσσατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

and of the servants whom noble Odysseus won for me.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύμαχος Πολύβου πάϊς ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him:

Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ τοι ταῦτα θεῶν ἐν γούνασι κεῖται,

Telemachus, truly these things lie on the knees of the gods,

ὅς τις ἐν ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ βασιλεύσει Ἀχαιῶν·

as to who shall be king over the Achaeans in sea-girt Ithaca;

κτήματα δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχοις καὶ δώμασιν οἷσιν ἀνάσσοις.

but may you keep your own possessions and rule your own house.

μὴ γὰρ ὅ γʼ ἔλθοι ἀνὴρ ὅς τίς σʼ ἀέκοντα βίηφιν

For may no man ever come to despoil you of your possessions

κτήματʼ ἀπορραίσει, Ἰθάκης ἔτι ναιετοώσης.

by force against your will, while Ithaca is still inhabited.

ἀλλʼ ἐθέλω σε, φέριστε, περὶ ξείνοιο ἐρέσθαι,

But I wish, noble sir, to ask you about the stranger,

ὁππόθεν οὗτος ἀνήρ, ποίης δʼ ἐξ εὔχεται εἶναι

whence this man comes, from what land he claims to be,

γαίης, ποῦ δέ νύ οἱ γενεὴ καὶ πατρὶς ἄρουρα.

and where are his family and his native land.

ἠέ τινʼ ἀγγελίην πατρὸς φέρει ἐρχομένοιο,

Does he bring some news of your father's coming,

ἦ ἑὸν αὐτοῦ χρεῖος ἐελδόμενος τόδʼ ἱκάνει;

or comes he hither desiring some business of his own?

οἷον ἀναΐξας ἄφαρ οἴχεται, οὐδʼ ὑπέμεινε

How he started up and was gone at once, nor did he wait

γνώμεναι· οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακῷ εἰς ὦπα ἐῴκει.

to be known; yet indeed in appearance he was not like a base man.

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And to him wise Telemachus answered in turn:

Εὐρύμαχʼ, ἦ τοι νόστος ἀπώλετο πατρὸς ἐμοῖο·

Eurymachus, surely my father's return is lost;

οὔτʼ οὖν ἀγγελίῃ ἔτι πείθομαι, εἴ ποθεν ἔλθοι,

therefore I no longer believe in tidings, whencesoever they may come,

οὔτε θεοπροπίης ἐμπάζομαι, ἥν τινα μήτηρ

nor do I regard any prophecy which my mother

ἐς μέγαρον καλέσασα θεοπρόπον ἐξερέηται.

may ask of a seer, having called him to the hall.

ξεῖνος δʼ οὗτος ἐμὸς πατρώιος ἐκ Τάφου ἐστίν,

But this guest is a friend of my father's from Taphos,

Μέντης δʼ Ἀγχιάλοιο δαΐφρονος εὔχεται εἶναι

and he claims to be Mentes, son of wise Anchialus,

υἱός, ἀτὰρ Ταφίοισι φιληρέτμοισιν ἀνάσσει.

and he rules over the oar-loving Taphians.

ὣς φάτο Τηλέμαχος, φρεσὶ δʼ ἀθανάτην θεὸν ἔγνω.

So spoke Telemachus, but in his mind he knew the immortal goddess.

οἱ δʼ εἰς ὀρχηστύν τε καὶ ἱμερόεσσαν ἀοιδὴν

Then they turned to dancing and to lovely song,

τρεψάμενοι τέρποντο, μένον δʼ ἐπὶ ἕσπερον ἐλθεῖν.

and made merry, and they waited for evening to come.

τοῖσι δὲ τερπομένοισι μέλας ἐπὶ ἕσπερος ἦλθε·

And as they were making merry, dark evening came upon them;

δὴ τότε κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος.

then indeed they went each to his own house to lie down to sleep.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ, ὅθι οἱ θάλαμος περικαλλέος αὐλῆς

But Telemachus, where his chamber was built in the beautiful courtyard,

ὑψηλὸς δέδμητο περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ,

high, in a place of wide outlook,

ἔνθʼ ἔβη εἰς εὐνὴν πολλὰ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζων.

thither went to his bed, pondering many things in his mind.

τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἅμʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα³

And with him went Eurycleia, bearing burning torches,

Εὐρύκλειʼ, Ὦπος θυγάτηρ Πεισηνορίδαο,

she of wise heart, daughter of Ops, son of Peisenor,

τήν ποτε Λαέρτης πρίατο κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖσιν

whom once Laertes had bought with his wealth,

πρωθήβην ἔτʼ ἐοῦσαν, ἐεικοσάβοια δʼ ἔδωκεν,

when she was still in her first youth, and he gave the value of twenty oxen,

ἶσα δέ μιν κεδνῇ ἀλόχῳ τίεν ἐν μεγάροισιν,

and he honored her in his halls equally with his chaste wife,

εὐνῇ δʼ οὔ ποτʼ ἔμικτο, χόλον δʼ ἀλέεινε γυναικός⁴·

but never did he lie with her in love, avoiding the anger of his wife.

ἥ οἱ ἅμʼ αἰθομένας δαΐδας φέρε, καί ἑ μάλιστα

She it was who carried for him the burning torches, and she loved him

δμῳάων φιλέεσκε, καὶ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα.

most of all the handmaids, and had nursed him when he was a little child.

ὤιξεν δὲ θύρας θαλάμου πύκα ποιητοῖο,

And she opened the doors of the well-built chamber,

ἕζετο δʼ ἐν λέκτρῳ, μαλακὸν δʼ ἔκδυνε χιτῶνα·

and he sat upon the bed, and took off his soft tunic,

καὶ τὸν μὲν γραίης πυκιμηδέος ἔμβαλε χερσίν.

and placed it in the hands of the wise old woman.

ἡ μὲν τὸν πτύξασα καὶ ἀσκήσασα χιτῶνα,

And she folded and smoothed the tunic,

πασσάλῳ ἀγκρεμάσασα παρὰ τρητοῖσι λέχεσσι

and hung it on a peg beside the corded bed,

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο, θύρην δʼ ἐπέρυσσε κορώνῃ

and then went forth from the chamber, and drew the door to with the silver hanger,

ἀργυρέῃ, ἐπὶ δὲ κληῖδʼ ἐτάνυσσεν ἱμάντι.

and shot the bolt home by its strap.

ἔνθʼ ὅ γε παννύχιος, κεκαλυμμένος οἰὸς ἀώτῳ,

There all night long, wrapped in the finest fleece of wool,

βούλευε φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ὁδὸν τὴν πέφραδʼ Ἀθήνη.

he pondered in his mind the journey which Athena had shown him.

Syntax notes4 items

1.370ἔστω
Third-person singular imperative, here expressing a concession or yielding ("let it be so", "so be it") before Telemachus asserts his own decision.
1.386μὴ σέ γʼ ... ποιήσειεν
The negative particle μή combined with the optative ποιήσειεν in an independent clause expresses a strong negative wish or apprehension ("may he never make you...").
1.428κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα
The participle ἰδυῖα (feminine singular of εἰδώς) takes the neuter plural accusative adjective κεδνά as its object. Literally "knowing wise/faithful things", expressing a character of "wise heart" or "devoted".
1.433χόλον ... γυναικός
The genitive γυναικός (of the wife) is a subjective genitive qualifying the verbal noun χόλος, meaning the anger that his wife would feel.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:1.370-1.444