Athena Clears the Mist and Reveals Ithaca — Odyssey §13.296-13.367 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἀλλʼ ἄγε, μηκέτι ταῦτα λεγώμεθα, εἰδότες ἄμφω

“But come, let us no longer speak of these things, since we both know

κέρδεʼ, ἐπεὶ σὺ μέν ἐσσι βροτῶν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἁπάντων

cunning; since you are by far the best of all mortals

βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισιν, ἐγὼ δʼ ἐν πᾶσι θεοῖσι

in counsel and speech, and I among all the gods

μήτι τε κλέομαι καὶ κέρδεσιν· οὐδὲ σύ γʼ ἔγνως

am famed for wisdom and cunning. Yet you did not recognize

Παλλάδʼ Ἀθηναίην, κούρην Διός, ἥ τέ τοι αἰεὶ

Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, who always

ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω,

stand by you in all your labors and guard you,

καὶ δέ σε Φαιήκεσσι φίλον πάντεσσιν ἔθηκα,

and moreover made you dear to all the Phaeacians,

νῦν αὖ δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην, ἵνα τοι σὺν μῆτιν ὑφήνω

and now I have come here again to weave a plan with you,

χρήματά τε κρύψω, ὅσα τοι Φαίηκες ἀγαυοὶ

and to hide the treasures, as many as the noble Phaeacians

ὤπασαν οἴκαδʼ ἰόντι ἐμῇ βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε,

gave you as you set out for home by my counsel and mind,

εἴπω θʼ ὅσσα τοι αἶσα δόμοις ἔνι ποιητοῖσι

and to tell you how many troubles it is your fate to endure

κήδεʼ ἀνασχέσθαι· σὺ δὲ τετλάμεναι¹ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ,

in your well-built house; but do you endure even by necessity,

μηδέ τῳ ἐκφάσθαι μήτʼ ἀνδρῶν μήτε γυναικῶν,

and do not reveal to anyone, of either men or women,

πάντων, οὕνεκʼ ἄρʼ ἦλθες ἀλώμενος, ἀλλὰ σιωπῇ

of all of them, that you have come back from your wanderings, but in silence

πάσχειν ἄλγεα πολλά, βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν.

suffer many pains, submitting to the violence of men.”

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then the wise Odysseus answered her and said:

ἀργαλέον σε, θεά, γνῶναι βροτῷ ἀντιάσαντι,

“It is hard, goddess, for a mortal who meets you to recognize you,

καὶ μάλʼ ἐπισταμένῳ²· σὲ γὰρ αὐτὴν παντὶ ἐΐσκεις.

even for one who is very wise; for you make yourself like to every form.

τοῦτο δʼ ἐγὼν εὖ οἶδʼ, ὅτι μοι πάρος ἠπίη ἦσθα,

But this I know well, that in times past you were kindly to me,

ἧος ἐνὶ Τροίῃ πολεμίζομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν.

as long as we, the sons of the Achaeans, were warring in Troy.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν,

But when we had sacked the lofty city of Priam,

βῆμεν δʼ ἐν νήεσσι, θεὸς δʼ ἐκέδασσεν Ἀχαιούς,

and had gone on board our ships, and a god scattered the Achaeans,

οὔ σέ γʼ ἔπειτα ἴδον, κούρη Διός, οὐδʼ ἐνόησα

I did not see you then, daughter of Zeus, nor notice you

νηὸς ἐμῆς ἐπιβᾶσαν, ὅπως τί μοι ἄλγος ἀλάλκοις³.

embarking on my ship, so that you might ward off any sorrow from me.

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἔχων δεδαϊγμένον ἦτορ

But always having a torn heart in my breast

ἠλώμην, ἧός με θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν·

I wandered, until the gods delivered me from misfortune,

πρίν γʼ ὅτε Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ

until indeed, in the rich land of the Phaeacians,

θάρσυνάς τε ἔπεσσι καὶ ἐς πόλιν ἤγαγες αὐτή.

you encouraged me with your words and yourself led me into the city.

νῦν δέ σε πρὸς πατρὸς γουνάζομαι—οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω

But now I beseech you by your father—for I do not think

ἥκειν εἰς Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον, ἀλλά τινʼ ἄλλην

I have come to clear-seen Ithaca, but that I am roaming over

γαῖαν ἀναστρέφομαι· σὲ δὲ κερτομέουσαν ὀΐω

some other land; and I think you speak these things

ταῦτʼ ἀγορευέμεναι, ἵνʼ ἐμὰς φρένας ἠπεροπεύσῃς—

mockingly, in order to deceive my mind—

εἰπέ μοι εἰ ἐτεόν γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἱκάνω.

tell me if indeed I have come to my dear native land.”

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

Then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, answered him:

αἰεί τοι τοιοῦτον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα·

“Always such a thought is in your breast;

τῷ σε καὶ οὐ δύναμαι προλιπεῖν δύστηνον ἐόντα,

therefore I cannot leave you in your distress,

οὕνεκʼ ἐπητής ἐσσι καὶ ἀγχίνοος καὶ ἐχέφρων.

because you are courteous, quick-witted, and self-possessed.

ἀσπασίως γάρ κʼ ἄλλος ἀνὴρ ἀλαλήμενος ἐλθὼν

For gladly would any other man, returning from his wanderings,

ἵετʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροις ἰδέειν παῖδάς τʼ ἄλοχόν τε·

hasten to see his children and his wife in his halls;

σοὶ δʼ οὔ πω φίλον ἐστὶ δαήμεναι οὐδὲ πυθέσθαι,

but to you it is not yet pleasing to know or to inquire,

πρίν γʼ ἔτι σῆς ἀλόχου πειρήσεαι, ἥ τέ τοι αὔτως

until you have still made trial of your wife, who as before

ἧσται ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν, ὀϊζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

sits in your halls, and always her sorrowful

φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.

nights and days waste away as she sheds tears.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τὸ μὲν οὔ ποτʼ ἀπίστεον, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

But for my part, I never disbelieved this, but in my heart

ᾔδεʼ, ὃ νοστήσεις ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους·

I knew that you would return after losing all your companions;

ἀλλά τοι οὐκ ἐθέλησα Ποσειδάωνι μάχεσθαι

but I did not wish to fight against Poseidon,

πατροκασιγνήτῳ, ὅς τοι κότον ἔνθετο θυμῷ,

my father’s brother, who stored up anger against you in his heart,

χωόμενος ὅτι οἱ υἱὸν φίλον ἐξαλάωσας.

wroth because you blinded his dear son.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε τοι δείξω Ἰθάκης ἕδος, ὄφρα πεποίθῃς.

But come, I will show you the land of Ithaca, so that you may believe.

Φόρκυνος μὲν ὅδʼ ἐστὶ λιμήν, ἁλίοιο γέροντος,

This is the harbor of Phorcys, the old man of the sea,

ἥδε δʼ ἐπὶ κρατὸς λιμένος τανύφυλλος ἐλαίη·

and here at the head of the harbor is the olive tree with slender leaves;

ἀγχόθι δʼ αὐτῆς ἄντρον ἐπήρατον ἠεροειδές,

and near it is the lovely, misty cave,

ἱρὸν νυμφάων, αἳ νηϊάδες καλέονται·

sacred to the nymphs who are called Naiads;

τοῦτο δέ τοι σπέος ἐστὶ κατηρεφές, ἔνθα σὺ πολλὰς

and this is the vaulted cave where you used to offer many

ἔρδεσκες νύμφῃσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας·

perfect hecatombs to the nymphs;

τοῦτο δὲ Νήριτόν ἐστιν ὄρος καταειμένον ὕλῃ.

and this is Mount Neriton, clothed with forest.”

ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ σκέδασʼ ἠέρα, εἴσατο δὲ χθών·

So speaking, the goddess dispersed the mist, and the land appeared;

γήθησέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

and then the much-enduring noble Odysseus was glad,

χαίρων ᾗ γαίῃ, κύσε δὲ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.

rejoicing in his own land, and he kissed the grain-giving earth.

αὐτίκα δὲ νύμφῃς ἠρήσατο, χεῖρας ἀνασχών·

And straightway he prayed to the nymphs, lifting up his hands:

νύμφαι νηϊάδες, κοῦραι Διός, οὔ ποτʼ ἐγώ γε

“Nymphs, Naiads, daughters of Zeus, never did I think

ὄψεσθʼ ὔμμʼ ἐφάμην· νῦν δʼ εὐχωλῇς ἀγανῇσι

to see you again; but now with gentle prayers

χαίρετʼ· ἀτὰρ καὶ δῶρα διδώσομεν, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ,

I greet you; and we shall also give gifts, even as before,

αἴ κεν ἐᾷ πρόφρων με Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀγελείη

if the spoil-driving daughter of Zeus graciously permits me

αὐτόν τε ζώειν καί μοι φίλον υἱὸν ἀέξῃ.

myself to live, and causes my dear son to grow.”

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

Then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, spoke to him in turn:

θάρσει, μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

“Be of good courage, let not these things be a care in your heart.

ἀλλὰ χρήματα μὲν μυχῷ ἄντρου θεσπεσίοιο

But let us now straightway place the treasures in the innermost recess of the wondrous cave,

θείμεν αὐτίκα νῦν, ἵνα περ τάδε τοι σόα μίμνῃ·

so that these may remain safe for you;

αὐτοὶ δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένηται.

and let us ourselves take counsel how all may be best.”

ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ δῦνε σπέος ἠεροειδές,

So saying, the goddess entered the misty cave,

μαιομένη κευθμῶνας ἀνὰ σπέος· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

searching out its hiding-places throughout the cave; but Odysseus

Syntax notes3 items

13.307τετλάμεναι
This infinitive is used as an imperative (infinitive of command), expressing a strong obligation or command to endure.
13.313ἐπισταμένῳ
A participle agreeing with the dative βροτῷ in line 312, functioning as a circumstantial participle with a concessive sense ("even for one who is very wise").
13.319ἀλάλκοις
An optative verb in a purpose clause introduced by ὅπως, using the past tense (optative of aorist ἀλαλκεῖν) because the main verbs (ἴδον, ἐνόησα) are in a past tense.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:13.296-13.367