Transformation of the Crew and Hermes' Appearance — Odyssey §10.218-10.287 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὣς τοὺς ἀμφὶ λύκοι κρατερώνυχες ἠδὲ λέοντεςσαῖνον· τοὶ δʼ ἔδεισαν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον αἰνὰ πέλωρα.

Thus did the strong-clawed wolves and lions fawn about them; but they were afraid, when they saw the dread monsters.

ἔσταν δʼ ἐν προθύροισι θεᾶς καλλιπλοκάμοιο,Κίρκης δʼ ἔνδον ἄκουον ἀειδούσης ὀπὶ καλῇ,

And they stood in the portico of the fair-haired goddess, and within they heard Circe singing with a sweet voice,

ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένης¹ μέγαν ἄμβροτον, οἷα θεάωνλεπτά τε καὶ χαρίεντα καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα πέλονται.

as she went to and fro before a great, immortal web, such as is the light, graceful, and splendid work of goddesses.

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Πολίτης ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,ὅς μοι κήδιστος ἑτάρων ἦν κεδνότατός τε·

And Polites, a leader of men, who was to me the dearest and most trusty of my companions, began to speak among them:

ὦ φίλοι, ἔνδον γάρ τις ἐποιχομένη μέγαν ἱστὸνκαλὸν ἀοιδιάει, δάπεδον δʼ ἅπαν ἀμφιμέμυκεν,

'O friends, for some one within is going to and fro before a great web and singing sweetly, and all the floor echoes around,

ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή· ἀλλὰ φθεγγώμεθα θᾶσσον.

whether she be goddess or woman; let us quickly call out.'

ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.

So he spoke, and they called aloud, summoning her.

ἡ δʼ αἶψʼ ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰςκαὶ κάλει· οἱ δʼ ἅμα πάντες ἀιδρείῃσιν ἕποντο·

And she straightway came out and opened the shining doors and called them; and they all followed together in their ignorance.

Εὐρύλοχος δʼ ὑπέμεινεν, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.

But Eurylochus remained behind, suspecting that there was a snare.

εἷσεν δʼ εἰσαγαγοῦσα κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,

And she led them in and seated them on settle and high chairs,

ἐν δέ σφιν τυρόν τε καὶ ἄλφιτα καὶ μέλι χλωρὸν

and for them she mixed cheese and barley-meal and yellow honey with Pramnian wine; but she mingled with the food

οἴνῳ Πραμνείῳ ἐκύκα²· ἀνέμισγε δὲ σίτῳφάρμακα λύγρʼ, ἵνα πάγχυ λαθοίατο πατρίδος αἴης.

baneful drugs, that they might utterly forget their native land.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δῶκέν τε καὶ ἔκπιον, αὐτίκʼ ἔπειταῥάβδῳ πεπληγυῖα κατὰ συφεοῖσιν ἐέργνυ.

Now when she had given it and they had drunk it off, straightway then she struck them with her wand and penned them in styes.

οἱ δὲ συῶν μὲν ἔχον κεφαλὰς φωνήν τε τρίχας τεκαὶ δέμας, αὐτὰρ νοῦς ἦν ἔμπεδος, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ.

And they had the heads, and voice, and bristles, and shape of swine, but their minds remained steadfast as before.

ὣς οἱ μὲν κλαίοντες ἐέρχατο, τοῖσι δὲ Κίρκη

Thus they were penned in, weeping; and for them Circe

πάρ ῥʼ ἄκυλον βάλανόν τε βάλεν καρπόν τε κρανείης

threw down acorns of oak and ilex and the fruit of the cornel tree,

ἔδμεναι, οἷα σύες χαμαιευνάδες αἰὲν ἔδουσιν.

to eat, such as swine that wallow on the ground are wont to feed upon.

Εὐρύλοχος δʼ αἶψʼ ἦλθε θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν

And Eurylochus came back quickly to the swift black ship

ἀγγελίην ἑτάρων ἐρέων καὶ ἀδευκέα πότμον.

to bring tidings of his companions and their unseemly fate.

οὐδέ τι ἐκφάσθαι δύνατο ἔπος ἱέμενός περ,

Nor was he able to utter a word, though he desired it eagerly,

κῆρ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος³· ἐν δέ οἱ ὄσσε

since his heart was stricken with great sorrow; and his eyes

δακρυόφιν πίμπλαντο, γόον δʼ ὠίετο θυμός.

were filled with tears, and his soul was foreboding lamentation.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν πάντες ἀγασσάμεθʼ ἐξερέοντες,

But when we all questioned him in amazement,

καὶ τότε τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων κατέλεξεν ὄλεθρον·

then at last he told of the fate of the other companions:

ἤιομεν, ὡς ἐκέλευες, ἀνὰ δρυμά, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ·

'We went, as you bade, through the thickets, glorious Odysseus;

εὕρομεν ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα καλὰ

we found in the forest glades a beautiful house built

ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ.

of polished stones, in an open place.

ἔνθα δέ τις μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένη λίγʼ ἄειδεν,

And there some one was going to and fro before a great web and singing clearly,

ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή· τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.

whether she be goddess or woman; and they called aloud, summoning her.

ἡ δʼ αἶψʼ ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰς

And she straightway came out and opened the shining doors

καὶ κάλει· οἱ δʼ ἅμα πάντες ἀιδρείῃσιν ἕποντο·

and called them; and they all followed together in their ignorance.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπέμεινα, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.

But I remained behind, suspecting that there was a snare.

οἱ δʼ ἅμʼ ἀιστώθησαν ἀολλέες, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶν

And they all vanished together, nor did any of them

ἐξεφάνη· δηρὸν δὲ καθήμενος ἐσκοπίαζον.

appear again; and for a long time I sat and watched.'

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ περὶ μὲν ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

So he spoke, and I cast about my shoulders my silver-studded sword,

ὤμοιιν βαλόμην, μέγα χάλκεον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα·

a great sword of bronze, and my bow;

τὸν δʼ ἂψ ἠνώγεα αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡγήσασθαι.

and I bade him lead me back by the very same way.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀμφοτέρῃσι λαβὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων

But he clasped my knees with both hands and entreated me,

καί μʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and with lamentation spoke to me winged words:

μή μʼ ἄγε κεῖσʼ ἀέκοντα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπʼ αὐτοῦ.

'Lead me not thither against my will, fosterling of Zeus, but leave me here.

οἶδα γάρ, ὡς οὔτʼ αὐτὸς ἐλεύσεαι οὔτε τινʼ ἄλλον

For I know that you will neither return yourself nor bring back any other

ἄξεις σῶν ἑτάρων. ἀλλὰ ξὺν τοίσδεσι θᾶσσον

of your companions. But let us flee quickly with these who are here,

φεύγωμεν· ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ.

for yet we might escape the evil day.'

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

So he spoke, and I answered him and said:

Εὐρύλοχʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μένʼ αὐτοῦ τῷδʼ ἐνὶ χώρῳ

'Eurylochus, do you indeed remain here in this place,

ἔσθων καὶ πίνων κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ·

eating and drinking by the hollow black ship;

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εἶμι, κρατερὴ δέ μοι ἔπλετʼ ἀνάγκη.

but I will go, for strong necessity is laid upon me.'

ὣς εἰπὼν παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἠδὲ θαλάσσης.

So saying, I went up from the ship and the sea.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἰὼν ἱερὰς ἀνὰ βήσσας

But when as I went through the sacred glades I was about

Κίρκης ἵξεσθαι πολυφαρμάκου ἐς μέγα δῶμα,

to come to the great house of Circe, skilled in many drugs,

ἔνθα μοι Ἑρμείας χρυσόρραπις ἀντεβόλησεν

there Hermes of the golden wand met me

ἐρχομένῳ πρὸς δῶμα, νεηνίῃ ἀνδρὶ ἐοικώς,

as I was going toward the house, in the likeness of a young man,

πρῶτον ὑπηνήτῃ, τοῦ περ χαριεστάτη ἥβη·

with the first down upon his lip, in whom the bloom of youth is fairest.

ἔν τʼ ἄρα μοι φῦ χειρί⁴, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

He clasped my hand, and spoke, and addressed me, saying:

πῇ δὴ αὖτʼ, ὦ δύστηνε, διʼ ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος,

'Whither now, hapless man, are you going alone through the hills,

χώρου ἄιδρις ἐών; ἕταροι δέ τοι οἵδʼ ἐνὶ Κίρκης

ignorant of the country? And your companions are penned in Circe's house

ἔρχαται ὥς τε σύες πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχοντες.

like swine, keeping close in their styes.

ἦ τοὺς λυσόμενος δεῦρʼ ἔρχεαι; οὐδέ σέ φημι

Is it to release them that you are coming hither? I tell you

αὐτὸν νοστήσειν, μενέεις δὲ σύ γʼ, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι.

that you will not return yourself, but will remain there where the others are.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δή σε κακῶν ἐκλύσομαι ἠδὲ σαώσω.

But come, I will free you from your troubles and deliver you.

τῆ, τόδε φάρμακον ἐσθλὸν ἔχων ἐς δώματα Κίρκης

Here, take this potent herb, and go to the house of Circe...'

Syntax notes4 items

10.222ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένης
The present participle in the genitive case, modifying 'Κίρκης' in the preceding line. It functions as a supplementary participle after the verb of physical perception 'ἄκουον', meaning 'they heard Circe going to and fro before the loom'.
10.234ἐν δέ σφιν... ἐκύκα
A case of tmesis where the preposition 'ἐν' is separated from the verb 'ἐκύκα' (for 'ἐγκυκᾶν', meaning 'to mix in'), taking the dative 'σφιν' ('for them').
10.247κῆρ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος
The noun 'κῆρ' (heart) is an accusative of respect modifying the passive perfect participle 'βεβολημένος' (smitten), meaning 'smitten in his heart with great sorrow (ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ, dative of instrument)'.
10.280ἔν τʼ ἄρα μοι φῦ χειρί
A tmesis of 'ἔν' and 'φῦ' (third-person singular aorist of φύω), forming the verb 'ἐμφύω' (to cling to, grasp tightly). It takes the dative pronoun 'μοι' (me), while 'χειρί' (hand) acts as a dative of respect or instrument ('grasped me by the hand').

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:10.218-10.287