The Tortured Shades in Hades and Heracles — Odyssey §11.569-11.640 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

χρύσεον σκῆπτρον ἔχοντα, θεμιστεύοντα νέκυσσιν,

holding a golden scepter, dispensing justice to the dead,

ἥμενον, οἱ δέ μιν ἀμφὶ δίκας εἴροντο ἄνακτα,

seated, while they asked him, their king, for judgments,

ἥμενοι ἑσταότες τε κατʼ εὐρυπυλὲς Ἄϊδος δῶ.

seated and standing throughout the wide-gated house of Hades.

τὸν δὲ μετʼ Ὠρίωνα πελώριον εἰσενόησα

After him I descried giant Orion,

θῆρας ὁμοῦ εἰλεῦντα κατʼ ἀσφοδελὸν λειμῶνα,

driving wild beasts together across the asphodel meadow,

τοὺς αὐτὸς κατέπεφνεν ἐν οἰοπόλοισιν ὄρεσσι

those which he himself had slain on the lonely mountains,

χερσὶν ἔχων ῥόπαλον παγχάλκεον, αἰὲν ἀαγές.

holding in his hands a club of all bronze, ever unbroken.

καὶ Τιτυὸν εἶδον, Γαίης ἐρικυδέος υἱόν,

And I saw Tityus, son of glorious Earth,

κείμενον ἐν δαπέδῳ· ὁ δʼ ἐπʼ ἐννέα κεῖτο πέλεθρα,

lying on the ground; and he stretched over nine plethra,

γῦπε δέ μιν ἑκάτερθε παρημένω ἧπαρ ἔκειρον,

and two vultures sitting on either side of him tore his liver,

δέρτρον ἔσω δύνοντες, ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἀπαμύνετο χερσί·

plunging deep into his bowels, and he did not ward them off with his hands;

Λητὼ γὰρ ἕλκησε, Διὸς κυδρὴν παράκοιτιν,

for he had violated Leto, the glorious consort of Zeus,

Πυθώδʼ ἐρχομένην διὰ καλλιχόρου Πανοπῆος.

as she went to Pytho through lovely Panopeus.

καὶ μὴν Τάνταλον εἰσεῖδον κρατέρʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντα

And indeed I saw Tantalus in violent torment,

ἑστεῶτʼ ἐν λίμνῃ· ἡ δὲ προσέπλαζε γενείῳ·

standing in a pool; and it lapped close to his chin;

στεῦτο¹ δὲ διψάων, πιέειν δʼ οὐκ εἶχεν ἑλέσθαι·

he stood thirsting, but had no power to take and drink;

ὁσσάκι γὰρ κύψειʼ ὁ γέρων πιέειν μενεαίνων,

for as often as the old man stooped, eager to drink,

τοσσάχʼ ὕδωρ ἀπολέσκετʼ ἀναβροχέν, ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ

so often the water was swallowed up and vanished, and at his feet

γαῖα μέλαινα φάνεσκε, καταζήνασκε δὲ δαίμων.

the black earth appeared, as a divinity dried it up.

δένδρεα δʼ ὑψιπέτηλα κατὰ κρῆθεν χέε καρπόν,

And trees with lofty foliage poured down their fruit from above,

ὄγχναι καὶ ῥοιαὶ καὶ μηλέαι ἀγλαόκαρποι

pears and pomegranates and apple trees with bright fruit,

συκέαι τε γλυκεραὶ καὶ ἐλαῖαι τηλεθόωσαι·

and sweet figs and luxuriant olives;

τῶν ὁπότʼ ἰθύσειʼ ὁ γέρων ἐπὶ χερσὶ μάσασθαι,

of these as often as the old man reached out with his hands to clutch them,

τὰς δʼ ἄνεμος ῥίπτασκε ποτὶ νέφεα σκιόεντα.

the wind would toss them toward the shadowy clouds.

καὶ μὴν Σίσυφον εἰσεῖδον κρατέρʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντα

And indeed I saw Sisyphus in violent torment,

λᾶαν βαστάζοντα πελώριον ἀμφοτέρῃσιν.

heaving a monstrous stone with both his hands.

ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν σκηριπτόμενος χερσίν τε ποσίν τε

Verily he, bracing himself with hands and feet,

λᾶαν ἄνω ὤθεσκε ποτὶ λόφον· ἀλλʼ ὅτε μέλλοι

kept pushing the stone upward toward the hill; but when he was about

ἄκρον ὑπερβαλέειν, τότʼ ἀποστρέψασκε κραταιίς²·

to cast it over the crest, then a mighty force would turn it back;

αὖτις ἔπειτα πέδονδε κυλίνδετο λᾶας ἀναιδής.

then back again to the plain rolled the shameless stone.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἂψ ὤσασκε τιταινόμενος, κατὰ δʼ ἱδρὼς

But he would push it back again, straining, and the sweat

ἔρρεεν ἐκ μελέων, κονίη δʼ ἐκ κρατὸς ὀρώρει.

poured down from his limbs, and dust rose from his head.

τὸν δὲ μετʼ εἰσενόησα βίην Ἡρακληείην,

After him I descried the mighty Heracles,

εἴδωλον· αὐτὸς δὲ μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι

his phantom; for he himself among the immortal gods

τέρπεται ἐν θαλίῃς καὶ ἔχει καλλίσφυρον Ἥβην,

rejoices in banquets, and has to wife fair-ankled Hebe,

παῖδα Διὸς μεγάλοιο καὶ Ἥρης χρυσοπεδίλου.

daughter of great Zeus and Hera of the golden sandals.

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κλαγγὴ νεκύων ἦν οἰωνῶν ὥς,

And around him was a clamor of the dead, like that of birds,

πάντοσʼ ἀτυζομένων· ὁ δʼ ἐρεμνῇ νυκτὶ ἐοικώς,

scattering in terror everywhere; but he, like dark night,

γυμνὸν τόξον ἔχων καὶ ἐπὶ νευρῆφιν ὀιστόν,

holding his bare bow and with an arrow on the string,

δεινὸν παπταίνων, αἰεὶ βαλέοντι ἐοικώς.

glaring terribly, ever like one about to shoot.

σμερδαλέος δέ οἱ ἀμφὶ περὶ στήθεσσιν ἀορτὴρ

And terrible about his breast was the baldric,

χρύσεος ἦν τελαμών, ἵνα θέσκελα ἔργα τέτυκτο,

a golden strap, whereon wondrous works were wrought,

ἄρκτοι τʼ ἀγρότεροί τε σύες χαροποί τε λέοντες,

bears and wild boars and lions with flashing eyes,

ὑσμῖναί τε μάχαι τε φόνοι τʼ ἀνδροκτασίαι τε.

and conflicts and battles and slaughters and slayings of men.

μὴ τεχνησάμενος μηδʼ ἄλλο τι τεχνήσαιτο³,

May he who by his art designed that belt never make any other work,

ὃς κεῖνον τελαμῶνα ἑῇ ἐγκάτθετο τέχνῃ.

once he had stored that up in his craft.

ἔγνω δʼ αὖτʼ ἔμʼ ἐκεῖνος, ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

And he in turn recognized me, when he saw me with his eyes,

καί μʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and pitying me spoke winged words:

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

"Shorn of heaven, son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

ἆ δείλʼ, ἦ τινὰ καὶ σὺ κακὸν μόρον ἡγηλάζεις,

ah, wretched man, do you too drag out a miserable fate,

ὅν περ ἐγὼν ὀχέεσκον ὑπʼ αὐγὰς ἠελίοιο.

such as I used to bear under the rays of the sun?

Ζηνὸς μὲν πάϊς ἦα Κρονίονος, αὐτὰρ ὀιζὺν

I was a son of Zeus, son of Cronos, yet I had

εἶχον ἀπειρεσίην· μάλα γὰρ πολὺ χείρονι φωτὶ

infinite misery; for to a man far worse than myself

δεδμήμην, ὁ δέ μοι χαλεποὺς ἐπετέλλετʼ ἀέθλους.

I was subjected, and he laid difficult labors upon me.

καί ποτέ μʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἔπεμψε κύνʼ ἄξοντʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλον

And once he sent me hither to fetch the dog, for no other

φράζετο τοῦδέ γέ μοι κρατερώτερον εἶναι ἄεθλον·

labor did he think would be harder for me than this.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἀνένεικα καὶ ἤγαγον ἐξ Ἀίδαο·

That dog I brought up and led away from Hades,

Ἑρμείας δέ μʼ ἔπεμψεν ἰδὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

and Hermeias escorted me, and flashing-eyed Athena."

ὣς εἰπὼν ὁ μὲν αὖτις ἔβη δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω,

So saying, he went back into the house of Hades,

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτοῦ μένον ἔμπεδον, εἴ τις ἔτʼ ἔλθοι

but I remained there steadfastly, in case any other should yet come

ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων, οἳ δὴ τὸ πρόσθεν ὄλοντο.

of the hero-men who had perished in times of old.

καί νύ κʼ ἔτι προτέρους ἴδον ἀνέρας, οὓς ἔθελόν περ,

And now I might have seen yet earlier men, whom I wished to see,

Θησέα Πειρίθοόν τε, θεῶν ἐρικυδέα τέκνα·

Theseus and Pirithous, glorious children of the gods;

ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἐπὶ ἔθνεʼ ἀγείρετο μυρία νεκρῶν

but before that, myriads of tribes of the dead gathered together

ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ· ἐμὲ δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει,

with an awful clamor; and pale fear seized me,

μή μοι Γοργείην κεφαλὴν δεινοῖο πελώρου

lest the dread Persephone should send upon me the Gorgon head

ἐξ Ἀίδεω πέμψειεν ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια.

of the terrible monster out of Hades.

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κιὼν ἐκέλευον ἑταίρους

Straightway then I went to the ship and bade my companions

αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι.

themselves to embark and to loose the stern-cables.

οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον.

And they quickly went on board and sat down upon the benches.

τὴν δὲ κατʼ Ὠκεανὸν ποταμὸν φέρε κῦμα ῥόοιο,

And the wave of the stream bore her down the river Oceanus,

πρῶτα μὲν εἰρεσίῃ, μετέπειτα δὲ κάλλιμος οὖρος.

first with rowing, and then with a fair breeze.

Syntax notes3 items

11.584στεῦτο
Third-person singular imperfect (or aorist) of the verb steũmai (to stand as if to do, to strive, to make a show of). It denotes Tantalus's futile stance or posture of leaning forward to drink, indicating an attempted but unachieved action.
11.597κραταιίς
Nominative feminine singular acting as the subject. It is commonly interpreted as "a mighty force" (the irresistible weight of the stone or an external force), but can also be taken as a personification of "Mighty Force" (Crataiis) turning the stone back.
11.613μὴ τεχνησάμενος μηδʼ ἄλλο τι τεχνήσαιτο
Optative of wish (τεχνήσαιτο) with the negative particle μή. The phrase expresses wonder combined with dread: "May he who fashioned that belt never make any other work," meaning either that he achieved the pinnacle of his craft or that such a terrifying object should never be made again.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:11.569-11.640