Gifts of Alcinous and Odysseus' Departure — Odyssey §13.1-13.75 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ,

Thus he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence,

κηληθμῷ δʼ ἔσχοντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.

and were held by the spell of his words throughout the shadowy halls.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·

Then Alcinous answered him and spoke, saying:

ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ, ἐπεὶ ἵκευ ἐμὸν ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ,

“O Odysseus, since you have come to my bronze-floored house,

ὑψερεφές, τῷ σʼ οὔ τι παλιμπλαγχθέντα γʼ ὀΐω¹

high-roofed, therefore I think you will not be driven back and baffled,

ἂψ ἀπονοστήσειν, εἰ καὶ μάλα πολλὰ πέπονθας.

but will return back home, even though you have suffered very many things.

ὑμέων δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἑκάστῳ ἐφιέμενος τάδε εἴρω,

And to each man of you I speak this word and charge you,

ὅσσοι ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γερούσιον αἴθοπα οἶνον

as many of you as drink the glowing wine of the elders in my halls

αἰεὶ πίνετʼ ἐμοῖσιν, ἀκουάζεσθε δʼ ἀοιδοῦ.

and listen to the minstrel.

εἵματα μὲν δὴ ξείνῳ ἐϋξέστῃ ἐνὶ χηλῷ

Already garments for the stranger lie in the well-polished chest,

κεῖται καὶ χρυσὸς πολυδαίδαλος ἄλλα τε πάντα

and highly wrought gold and all other

δῶρʼ, ὅσα Φαιήκων βουληφόροι ἐνθάδʼ ἔνεικαν·

gifts which the counselors of the Phaeacians brought hither;

ἀλλʼ ἄγε οἱ δῶμεν τρίποδα μέγαν ἠδὲ λέβητα

but come, let us give him a great tripod and a cauldron,

ἀνδρακάς· ἡμεῖς δʼ αὖτε ἀγειρόμενοι κατὰ δῆμον

man by man; and we in turn will gather among the people

τισόμεθʼ²· ἀργαλέον γὰρ ἕνα προικὸς χαρίσασθαι.

to repay ourselves; for it is hard for one man to give so much without return.”

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀλκίνοος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιὴνδανε μῦθος.

Thus spoke Alcinous, and his word was pleasing to them.

οἱ μὲν κακκείοντες ἔβαν οἶκόνδε ἕκαστος,

Then they went, each to his own house to lie down to sleep;

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

but when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

νῆάδʼ ἐπεσσεύοντο, φέρον δʼ εὐήνορα χαλκόν.

they hasted to the ship, and brought the bronze that gladdens the heart of man.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ κατέθηχʼ ἱερὸν μένος Ἀλκινόοιο,

And these the holy majesty of Alcinous disposed carefully,

αὐτὸς ἰὼν διὰ νηὸς ὑπὸ ζυγά, μή τινʼ ἑταίρων

going himself through the ship, beneath the benches, lest any of his comrades

βλάπτοι ἐλαυνόντων, ὁπότε σπερχοίατʼ ἐρετμοῖς.

should be hindered as they pulled with their oars when they made haste.

οἱ δʼ εἰς Ἀλκινόοιο κίον καὶ δαῖτʼ ἀλέγυνον.

Then they went to the house of Alcinous and prepared a feast.

τοῖσι δὲ βοῦν ἱέρευσʼ ἱερὸν μένος Ἀλκινόοιο

And for them the holy majesty of Alcinous sacrificed an ox

Ζηνὶ κελαινεφέϊ Κρονίδῃ, ὃς πᾶσιν ἀνάσσει.

to Zeus, son of Cronos, lord of the dark clouds, who rules over all.

μῆρα δὲ κήαντες δαίνυντʼ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα

And when they had burned the thigh-pieces they feasted on a glorious feast,

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδός,

making merry; and among them sang the divine minstrel,

Δημόδοκος, λαοῖσι τετιμένος. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

Demodocus, honored by the people. But Odysseus

πολλὰ πρὸς ἠέλιον κεφαλὴν τρέπε παμφανόωντα,

kept turning his head constantly toward the shining sun,

δῦναι ἐπειγόμενος· δὴ γὰρ μενέαινε νέεσθαι.

eager for it to set; for he was longing to return home.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ δόρποιο λιλαίεται, ᾧ τε πανῆμαρ

And as a man longs for his supper, for whom all day long

νειὸν ἀνʼ ἕλκητον βόε οἴνοπε πηκτὸν ἄροτρον·

two wine-colored oxen have dragged the jointed plow through the fallow land,

ἀσπασίως δʼ ἄρα τῷ κατέδυ φάος ἠελίοιο

and welcome to him is the sinking of the sun's light

δόρπον ἐποίχεσθαι, βλάβεται δέ τε γούνατʼ ἰόντι³·

that he may go to his supper, and his knees grow weary as he walks;

ὣς Ὀδυσῆʼ ἀσπαστὸν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο.

even so welcome to Odysseus was the sinking of the sun's light.

αἶψα δὲ Φαιήκεσσι φιληρέτμοισι μετηύδα,

And straightway he spoke among the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar,

Ἀλκινόῳ δὲ μάλιστα πιφαυσκόμενος φάτο μῦθον·

and especially to Alcinous he declared his word, saying:

Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

“O Alcinous, my lord, pre-eminent among all the people,

πέμπετέ με σπείσαντες ἀπήμονα, χαίρετε δʼ αὐτοί·

send me on my way in peace, when you have poured libations, and yourself fare you well;

ἤδη γὰρ τετέλεσται ἅ μοι φίλος ἤθελε θυμός,

for now all that my heart desired has been fulfilled,

πομπὴ καὶ φίλα δῶρα, τά μοι θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες

my sending and the welcome gifts; may the gods of heaven

ὄλβια ποιήσειαν· ἀμύμονα δʼ οἴκοι ἄκοιτιν

make them a blessing to me, and may I find my noble wife at home

νοστήσας εὕροιμι σὺν ἀρτεμέεσσι φίλοισιν.

unharmed with my loved ones.

ὑμεῖς δʼ αὖθι μένοντες ἐϋφραίνοιτε γυναῖκας

And do you, remaining here, make glad your wedded wives

κουριδίας καὶ τέκνα· θεοὶ δʼ ἀρετὴν ὀπάσειαν

and your children; and may the gods grant you every excellence,

παντοίην, καὶ μή τι κακὸν μεταδήμιον εἴη.

and may no evil come upon your people.”

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπῄνεον ἠδʼ ἐκέλευον

Thus he spoke, and they all approved and bade

πεμπέμεναι τὸν ξεῖνον, ἐπεὶ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπεν.

send the stranger on his way, since he had spoken aright.

καὶ τότε κήρυκα προσέφη μένος Ἀλκινόοιο·

Then the holy majesty of Alcinous spoke to the herald, saying:

Ποντόνοε, κρητῆρα κερασσάμενος μέθυ νεῖμον

“Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve the wine

πᾶσιν ἀνὰ μέγαρον, ὄφρʼ εὐξάμενοι Διὶ πατρὶ

to all in the hall, that when we have prayed to father Zeus

τὸν ξεῖνον πέμπωμεν ἑὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

we may send the stranger on his way to his own native land.”

ὣς φάτο, Ποντόνοος δὲ μελίφρονα οἶνον ἐκίρνα,

Thus he spoke, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine

νώμησεν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπισταδόν· οἱ δὲ θεοῖσιν

and served it to all in turn; and they poured libations to the blessed gods

ἔσπεισαν μακάρεσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

who hold the wide heaven,

αὐτόθεν ἐξ ἑδρέων. ἀνὰ δʼ ἵστατο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

even from where they sat. But noble Odysseus arose

Ἀρήτῃ δʼ ἐν χειρὶ τίθει δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον,

and placed in the hand of Arete the two-handled cup,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and spoke and addressed her with winged words:

χαῖρέ μοι, ὦ βασίλεια, διαμπερές, εἰς ὅ κε γῆρας

“Fare you well, O Queen, continually, until old age

ἔλθῃ καὶ θάνατος, τά τʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλονται.

and death come, which are the lot of men.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ νέομαι· σὺ δὲ τέρπεο τῷδʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

But now I go my way; and do you rejoice in this house

παισί τε καὶ λαοῖσι καὶ Ἀλκινόῳ βασιλῆϊ.

in your children and your people and Alcinous the king.”

ὣς εἰπὼν ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἐβήσετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

Thus saying, noble Odysseus stepped over the threshold;

τῷ δʼ ἅμα κήρυκα προΐει μένος Ἀλκινόοιο,

and with him the holy majesty of Alcinous sent a herald

ἡγεῖσθαι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης·

to lead him to the swift ship and the shore of the sea.

Ἀρήτη δʼ ἄρα οἱ δμῳὰς ἅμʼ ἔπεμπε γυναῖκας,

And Arete sent with him women servants,

τὴν μὲν φᾶρος ἔχουσαν ἐϋπλυνὲς ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

one bearing a well-washed robe and tunic,

τὴν δʼ ἑτέρην χηλὸν πυκινὴν ἅμʼ ὄπασσε κομίζειν·

and another she charged to carry the strong chest;

ἡ δʼ ἄλλη σῖτόν τʼ ἔφερεν καὶ οἶνον ἐρυθρόν.

and yet another bore bread and red wine.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλυθον ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

But when they had come down to the ship and the sea,

αἶψα τά γʼ ἐν νηῒ γλαφυρῇ πομπῆες ἀγαυοὶ

straightway the noble escorts received these things

δεξάμενοι κατέθεντο, πόσιν καὶ βρῶσιν ἅπασαν·

and laid them in the hollow ship, even all the food and drink;

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆϊ στόρεσαν ῥῆγός τε λίνον τε

and for Odysseus they spread a rug and a linen sheet

νηὸς ἐπʼ ἰκριόφιν γλαφυρῆς, ἵνα νήγρετον εὕδοι,

upon the deck of the hollow ship, that he might sleep soundly,

πρυμνῆς· ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐβήσετο καὶ κατέλεκτο

at the stern; and he himself went on board and lay down

Syntax notes3 items

13.5τῷ σʼ οὔ τι παλιμπλαγχθέντα γʼ ὀΐω
The structure is "therefore (τῷ) I think (ὀΐω) that you (σε) not at all driven back (παλιμπλαγχθέντα) [will return]." τῷ is a dative of the demonstrative pronoun acting adverbially as "therefore" in response to the preceding ἐπεὶ clause. παλιμπλαγχθέντα is a participle agreeing with σʼ (σε), the accusative subject of the infinitive ἀπονοστήσειν.
13.14ἀγειρόμενοι κατὰ δῆμον τισόμεθʼ
Meaning "we, gathering [contributions] among the people (ἀγειρόμενοι κατὰ δῆμον), will repay ourselves (τισόμεθʼ)." The verb τισόμεθʼ is used here in the middle voice meaning to get oneself repaid or compensated, rather than to exact vengeance.
13.34βλάβεται δέ τε γούνατʼ ἰόντι
Meaning "the knees of him as he goes (ἰόντι, dative participle) are weary/hampered (βλάβεται)." βλάβεται here means "to be weakened" or "to be impeded" by fatigue after a long day of work. ἰόντι is a dative of interest or reference, functioning pronominally ("for him as he goes").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:13.1-13.75