Petrification of the Phaeacian Ship and Odysseus' Awakening — Odyssey §13.151-13.223 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ῥαῖσαι¹, ἵνʼ ἤδη σχῶνται, ἀπολλήξωσι δὲ πομπῆς

to shatter it, so that they may now hold back and cease from escorting

ἀνθρώπων, μέγα δέ σφιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψαι².

men, and to overshadow their city with a great mountain.”

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

Then Zeus, the cloud-gatherer, answered him and said:

ὢ πέπον, ὡς μὲν ἐμῷ θυμῷ δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα,

“Friend, as seems best to my mind, the best thing is this:

ὁππότε κεν δὴ πάντες ἐλαυνομένην προΐδωνται

whenever all the people look out from the city

λαοὶ ἀπὸ πτόλιος, θεῖναι λίθον ἐγγύθι γαίης

and see her speeding on, then turn her into a stone near the land,

νηῒ θοῇ ἴκελον, ἵνα θαυμάζωσιν ἅπαντες

resembling a swift ship, so that all men

ἄνθρωποι, μέγα δέ σφιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψαι.

may wonder, and overshadow their city with a great mountain.”

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων,

Now when Poseidon, the Earth-shaker, heard this,

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν ἐς Σχερίην, ὅθι Φαίηκες γεγάασιν.

he went on his way to Scheria, where the Phaeacians dwell.

ἔνθʼ ἔμενʼ· ἡ δὲ μάλα σχεδὸν ἤλυθε ποντοπόρος νηῦς

There he waited; and the seafaring ship came very near,

ῥίμφα διωκομένη· τῆς δὲ σχεδὸν ἦλθʼ ἐνοσίχθων,

swiftly speeding on. And the Earth-shaker drew near her,

ὅς μιν λᾶαν ἔθηκε καὶ ἐρρίζωσεν ἔνερθε

and turned her into a stone, and rooted her below,

χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ ἐλάσας· ὁ δὲ νόσφι βεβήκει.

striking her with the flat of his hand; and then he went his way.

οἱ δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευον

And they spoke winged words to one another,

Φαίηκες δολιχήρετμοι, ναυσίκλυτοι ἄνδρες.

the Phaeacians of the long oars, men famous for their ships.

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

And thus would one say, looking at his neighbor:

ὤ μοι, τίς δὴ νῆα θοὴν ἐπέδησʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

“Ah me! Who has tethered our swift ship in the sea

οἴκαδʼ ἐλαυνομένην; καὶ δὴ προὐφαίνετο πᾶσα.

as she was speeding home? And indeed she was all in plain sight.”

ὣς ἄρα τις εἴπεσκε· τὰ δʼ οὐκ ἴσαν ὡς ἐτέτυκτο.

Thus they would say; but they did not know how these things had been done.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

Then Alcinous spoke among them and said:

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δή με παλαίφατα θέσφαθʼ ἱκάνει

“Ah, surely the ancient prophecies of my father are come upon me,

πατρὸς ἐμοῦ, ὃς ἔφασκε Ποσειδάωνʼ ἀγάσασθαι

who said that Poseidon was wroth with us

ἡμῖν, οὕνεκα πομποὶ ἀπήμονές εἰμεν ἁπάντων.

because we are harmless escorts to all men.

φῆ ποτὲ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν περικαλλέα, νῆα,

He said that some day a beautiful ship of the Phaeacian men,

ἐκ πομπῆς ἀνιοῦσαν, ἐν ἠεροειδέϊ πόντῳ

as she was returning from her escort on the misty sea,

ῥαισέμεναι, μέγα δʼ ἧμιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψειν.

should be shattered, and that a great mountain should overshadow our city.

ὣς ἀγόρευʼ ὁ γέρων· τὰ δὲ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

So the old man spoke, and now all these things are being fulfilled.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες·

But come, let us all obey as I shall say:

πομπῆς μὲν παύσασθε βροτῶν, ὅτε κέν τις ἵκηται

cease from escorting mortal men, whenever anyone comes

ἡμέτερον προτὶ ἄστυ· Ποσειδάωνι δὲ ταύρους

to our city; and let us sacrifice to Poseidon twelve

δώδεκα κεκριμένους ἱερεύσομεν, αἴ κʼ ἐλεήσῃ,

chosen bulls, if he may perchance have pity,

μηδʼ ἡμῖν περίμηκες ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψῃ.

and not overshadow our city with a towering mountain.”

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἔδεισαν, ἑτοιμάσσαντο δὲ ταύρους.

So he spoke, and they were afraid, and prepared the bulls.

ὣς οἱ μέν ῥʼ εὔχοντο Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι

Thus they were praying to lord Poseidon,

δήμου Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,

the leaders and rulers of the people of the Phaeacians,

ἑσταότες περὶ βωμόν. ὁ δʼ ἔγρετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

standing around the altar. Meanwhile noble Odysseus awoke

εὕδων ἐν γαίῃ πατρωΐῃ, οὐδέ μιν ἔγνω,

from sleep in his native land, but he did not recognize it,

ἤδη δὴν ἀπεών· περὶ γὰρ θεὸς ἠέρα χεῦε³

having been long away; for the goddess, Pallas Athena,

Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη, κούρη Διός, ὄφρα μιν αὐτὸν

daughter of Zeus, had poured a mist around him, so that she might make him

ἄγνωστον τεύξειεν ἕκαστά τε μυθήσαιτο,

unknown, and tell him everything,

μή μιν πρὶν ἄλοχος γνοίη ἀστοί τε φίλοι τε,

lest his wife or townsfolk or friends should know him

πρὶν πᾶσαν μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίην ἀποτῖσαι.

before he had made the suitors pay for all their transgressions.

τοὔνεκʼ ἄρʼ ἀλλοειδέα φαινέσκετο πάντα ἄνακτι,

Therefore all things seemed strange to the lord:

ἀτραπιτοί τε διηνεκέες λιμένες τε πάνορμοι

the long paths, the harbors offering safe anchorage,

πέτραι τʼ ἠλίβατοι καὶ δένδρεα τηλεθόωντα.

the steep cliffs, and the flourishing trees.

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀναΐξας καί ῥʼ εἴσιδε πατρίδα γαῖαν·

He sprang up and stood, and looked upon his native land,

ᾤμωξέν τʼ ἄρ ἔπειτα καὶ ὣ πεπλήγετο μηρὼ

and then he groaned and smote his thighs

χερσὶ καταπρηνέσσʼ, ὀλοφυρόμενος δʼ ἔπος ηὔδα·

with the flat of his hands, and spoke with lamentation:

ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τέων αὖτε βροτῶν ἐς γαῖαν ἱκάνω;

“Woe is me! To the land of what mortals am I come now?

ἦ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὑβρισταί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

Are they insolent and savage and unjust,

ἦε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής;

or are they hospitable, and have they a god-fearing mind?

πῇ δὴ χρήματα πολλὰ φέρω τάδε; πῇ τε καὶ αὐτὸς

Whither shall I carry all these treasures? And whither do I myself

πλάζομαι; αἴθʼ ὄφελον⁴ μεῖναι παρὰ Φαιήκεσσιν

wander? Would that they had remained with the Phaeacians

αὐτοῦ· ἐγὼ δέ κεν ἄλλον ὑπερμενέων βασιλήων

there; then I might have come to some other of the mighty kings

ἐξικόμην, ὅς κέν μʼ ἐφίλει καὶ ἔπεμπε νέεσθαι.

who would have welcomed me and sent me on my way.

νῦν δʼ οὔτʼ ἄρ πῃ θέσθαι ἐπίσταμαι, οὐδὲ μὲν αὐτοῦ

But now I know not where to store them, nor indeed here

καλλείψω, μή πώς μοι ἕλωρ ἄλλοισι γένηται.

will I leave them, lest they become a prey to others.

ὢ πόποι, οὐκ ἄρα πάντα νοήμονες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι

Ah! No wise and just men, then, were the leaders

ἦσαν Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,

and rulers of the Phaeacians,

οἵ μʼ εἰς ἄλλην γαῖαν ἀπήγαγον, ἦ τέ μʼ ἔφαντο

who have brought me to a strange land; they said indeed that they would

ἄξειν εἰς Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον, οὐδʼ ἐτέλεσσαν.

bring me to clear-seen Ithaca, but they have not fulfilled their word.

Ζεὺς σφέας τίσαιτο ἱκετήσιος, ὅς τε καὶ ἄλλους

May Zeus of the suppliants requite them, who also watches over

ἀνθρώπους ἐφορᾷ καὶ τίνυται ὅς τις ἁμάρτῃ.

all other men and punishes whoever does wrong.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ τὰ χρήματʼ ἀριθμήσω καὶ ἴδωμαι,

But come, let me count the treasures and see

μή τί μοι οἴχωνται κοίλης ἐπὶ νηὸς ἄγοντες.

lest they have gone and taken anything away in their hollow ship.”

ὣς εἰπὼν τρίποδας περικαλλέας ἠδὲ λέβητας

So saying, he counted the beautiful tripods and caldrons,

ἠρίθμει καὶ χρυσὸν ὑφαντά τε εἵματα καλά.

and the gold, and the beautiful woven garments.

τῶν μὲν ἄρʼ ὀύ τι πόθει· ὁ δʼ ὀδύρετο πατρίδα γαῖαν

Of these he missed nothing; but he wept for his native land,

ἑρπύζων παρὰ θῖνα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,

walking along the shore of the loud-sounding sea,

πόλλʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος. σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη,

lamenting sorely. And Athena drew near him,

ἀνδρὶ δέμας εἰκυῖα νέῳ, ἐπιβώτορι μήλων,

in the likeness of a young man, a shepherd of sheep,

παναπάλῳ, οἷοί τε ἀνάκτων παῖδες ἔασι,

one exceeding delicate, such as are the sons of kings,

Syntax notes4 items

13.151ῥαῖσαι
An infinitive depending on the verb ἐθέλω ("I wish") from the previous chunk (line 149), continuing Poseidon's statement of his desire to shatter the ship.
13.158ἀμφικαλύψαι
An infinitive depending on the main clause ὡς ... δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα ("as seems best to my mind", line 154) and standing in parallel with θεῖναι ("to turn into stone", line 156), showing that Zeus approves (or suggests) Poseidon's desire to overshadow the city with a mountain.
13.189περὶ γὰρ θεὸς ἠέρα χεῦε
A causal clause explaining the reason for οὐδέ μιν ἔγνω ("nor did he recognize it", line 188). The conjunction γάρ introduces the supernatural cause, alongside his long absence (ἤδη δὴν ἀπεών), that Athena had poured a mist around him (ἠέρα χεῦε).
13.204αἴθʼ ὄφελον
The particle of wishing αἴθε combined with ὄφελον (the historical tense of ὀφείλω) and followed by the infinitive (μεῖναι) expresses an unattainable wish in the past ("would that they had remained").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:13.151-13.223