Odysseus's Oath of Return and Fabricated Tale — Odyssey §14.135-14.199 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἢ τόν γʼ ἐν πόντῳ φάγον ἰχθύες, ὀστέα δʼ αὐτοῦ

Or the fish have eaten him in the deep, and his bones

κεῖται ἐπʼ ἠπείρου ψαμάθῳ εἰλυμένα πολλῇ.

lie on the mainland, wrapped in deep sand.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθʼ ἀπόλωλε, φίλοισι δὲ κήδεʼ ὀπίσσω

Thus he has perished there, and grief is made for all

πᾶσιν, ἐμοὶ δὲ μάλιστα, τετεύχαται· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλον

his loved ones hereafter, and most of all for me; for never again

ἤπιον ὧδε ἄνακτα κιχήσομαι, ὁππόσʼ ἐπέλθω¹,

shall I find a master so kind, wherever I may go,

οὐδʼ εἴ κεν πατρὸς καὶ μητέρος αὖτις ἵκωμαι

not even if I should come again to the house of my father

οἶκον, ὅθι πρῶτον γενόμην καί μʼ ἔτρεφον αὐτοί.

and mother, where I was first born and they themselves reared me.

οὐδέ νυ τῶν ἔτι τόσσον ὀδύρομαι², ἱέμενός περ

Yet it is not for them that I mourn so much now, though I long

ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι ἐὼν ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ·

to behold them with my eyes, being in my native land;

ἀλλά μʼ Ὀδυσσῆος πόθος αἴνυται οἰχομένοιο.

but it is yearning for Odysseus, who is gone, that possesses me.

τὸν μὲν ἐγών, ὦ ξεῖνε, καὶ οὐ παρεόντʼ ὀνομάζειν

Him, stranger, though he is not here, I feel respect in naming;

αἰδέομαι· πέρι γάρ μʼ ἐφίλει καὶ κήδετο θυμῷ·

for he loved me exceedingly and cared for me in his heart;

ἀλλά μιν ἠθεῖον καλέω καὶ νόσφιν ἐόντα.

but I call him my honored master, even though he is far away.”

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then much-enduring noble Odysseus addressed him in turn:

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπειδὴ πάμπαν ἀναίνεαι, οὐδʼ ἔτι φῇσθα

“Friend, since you utterly deny it, and say that he

κεῖνον ἐλεύσεσθαι, θυμὸς δέ τοι αἰὲν ἄπιστος·

will never come back, and your heart is ever unbelieving;

ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐκ αὔτως μυθήσομαι, ἀλλὰ σὺν ὅρκῳ,

yet I will speak not in vain, but with an oath,

ὡς νεῖται Ὀδυσεύς· εὐαγγέλιον δέ μοι ἔστω³

that Odysseus is returning; and let my reward for good news

αὐτίκʼ, ἐπεί κεν κεῖνος ἰὼν τὰ ἃ δώμαθʼ ἵκηται·

be ready immediately when he comes and reaches his home;

ἕσσαι με χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, εἵματα καλά·

then clothe me in a cloak and a tunic, beautiful garments;

πρὶν δέ κε, καὶ μάλα περ κεχρημένος, οὔ τι δεχοίμην.

but before then, however much in need, I will accept nothing.

ἐχθρὸς γάρ μοι κεῖνος ὁμῶς Ἀΐδαο πύλῃσι

For hateful to me as the gates of Hades

γίγνεται, ὃς πενίῃ εἴκων ἀπατήλια βάζει.

becomes that man who, yielding to poverty, speaks deceitful words.

ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα θεῶν, ξενίη τε τράπεζα,

Now be Zeus my witness, first of the gods, and the hospitable table,

ἱστίη τʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω·

and the hearth of noble Odysseus, to which I am come:

ἦ μέν τοι τάδε πάντα τελείεται ὡς ἀγορεύω.

verily all these things shall be fulfilled even as I speak.

τοῦδʼ αὐτοῦ λυκάβαντος ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς.

Within this very year Odysseus shall come hither.

τοῦ μὲν φθίνοντος μηνός, τοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένοιο⁴,

As one month wanes and the next begins,

οἴκαδε νοστήσει, καὶ τίσεται ὅς τις ἐκείνου

he shall return home, and take vengeance on whoever here

ἐνθάδʼ ἀτιμάζει ἄλοχον καὶ φαίδιμον υἱόν.

dishonors his wife and his glorious son.”

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

Then, swineherd Eumaeus, you answered him and said:

ὦ γέρον, οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἐγὼν εὐαγγέλιον τόδε τίσω,

“Old man, neither shall I ever pay this reward for good news,

οὔτʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔτι οἶκον ἐλεύσεται· ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

nor will Odysseus ever again come home; but at ease

πῖνε, καὶ ἄλλα παρὲξ μεμνώμεθα, μηδέ με τούτων

drink, and let us turn our minds to other things, and do not remind me

μίμνησκʼ· ἦ γὰρ θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἐμοῖσιν

of these things; for surely the heart in my breast

ἄχνυται, ὁππότε τις μνήσῃ κεδνοῖο ἄνακτος.

is grieved whenever anyone reminds me of my noble master.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι ὅρκον μὲν ἐάσομεν, αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

But indeed we will let the oath be, yet may Odysseus

ἔλθοι ὅπως μιν ἐγώ γʼ ἐθέλω καὶ Πηνελόπεια

return even as I wish, and Penelope,

Λαέρτης θʼ ὁ γέρων καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής.

and Laertes the old man, and godlike Telemachus.

νῦν αὖ παιδὸς ἄλαστον ὀδύρομαι, ὃν τέκʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

Now again I mourn endlessly for the child whom Odysseus begot,

Τηλεμάχου· τὸν ἐπεὶ θρέψαν θεοὶ ἔρνεϊ ἶσον,

Telemachus; whom when the gods had reared like a young sapling,

καί μιν ἔφην ἔσσεσθαι ἐν ἀνδράσιν οὔ τι χέρηα

and I thought he would be among men no worse

πατρὸς ἑοῖο φίλοιο, δέμας καὶ εἶδος ἀγητόν,

than his dear father, wonderful in form and appearance,

τὸν δέ τις ἀθανάτων βλάψε φρένας⁵ ἔνδον ἐΐσας

yet some one of the immortals harmed his well-balanced mind within,

ἠέ τις ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δʼ ἔβη μετὰ πατρὸς ἀκουὴν

or some man; and he went after news of his father

ἐς Πύλον ἠγαθέην· τὸν δὲ μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοὶ

to sacred Pylos. And him the proud suitors

οἴκαδʼ ἰόντα λοχῶσιν, ὅπως ἀπὸ φῦλον ὄληται

lie in wait for as he returns home, so that the race of godlike

νώνυμον ἐξ Ἰθάκης Ἀρκεισίου ἀντιθέοιο.

Arcesius may perish without a name out of Ithaca.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι κεῖνον μὲν ἐάσομεν, ἤ κεν ἁλώῃ

But indeed we will let him be, whether he be taken

ἦ κε φύγῃ καί κέν οἱ ὑπέρσχῃ χεῖρα Κρονίων.

or escape, and the son of Cronos hold his hand over him.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι σύ, γεραιέ, τὰ σʼ αὐτοῦ κήδεʼ ἐνίσπες

But come, old man, tell me of your own troubles,

καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῶ·

and declare this to me truly, that I may know it well:

τίς πόθεν εἶς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες;

Who are you among men, and from where? Where are your city and parents?

ὁπποίης τʼ ἐπὶ νηὸς ἀφίκεο· πῶς δέ σε ναῦται

And on what kind of ship did you come? How did the sailors

ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο;

bring you to Ithaca? Who did they claim to be?

οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σε πεζὸν ὀΐομαι ἐνθάδʼ ἱκέσθαι.

For I do not think you came hither on foot.”

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς

Then resourceful Odysseus answered him and said:

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μάλʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω.

“Then indeed I will tell you these things very accurately.

εἴη μὲν νῦν νῶϊν⁶ ἐπὶ χρόνον ἠμὲν ἐδωδὴ

If now we two might have for a time both food

ἠδὲ μέθυ γλυκερὸν κλισίης ἔντοσθεν ἐοῦσι,

and sweet wine, remaining inside the hut,

δαίνυσθαι ἀκέοντʼ, ἄλλοι δʼ ἐπὶ ἔργον ἕποιεν·

to feast at ease, while others go about their work;

ῥηϊδίως κεν ἔπειτα καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἅπαντα

then easily, even for a whole year,

οὔ τι διαπρήξαιμι λέγων ἐμὰ κήδεα θυμοῦ,

I should not finish telling the troubles of my heart,

ὅσσα γε δὴ ξύμπαντα θεῶν ἰότητι μόγησα.

as many as I have suffered by the will of the gods.

ἐκ μὲν Κρητάων γένος εὔχομαι εὐρειάων,

I claim to be by birth from wide Crete,

Syntax notes6 items

14.139ὁππόσʼ ἐπέλθω
`ὁππόσʼ` is the neuter plural accusative of the relative adjective `ὁπόσος` used adverbially, and `ἐπέλθω` is the aorist subjunctive of `ἐπέρχομαι`. The subjunctive without `ἄν` is used in a general or concessive sense ('however far I may wander').
14.142τῶν ἔτι τόσσον ὀδύρομαι
`τῶν` is the genitive of the demonstrative pronoun (referring back to the parents in the previous lines), serving as the object of the verb of emotion `ὀδύρομαι` (to grieve or lament for).
14.152εὐαγγέλιον δέ μοι ἔστω
`εὐαγγέλιον` here refers to the 'reward for bringing good news'. `ἔστω` is the third-person singular imperative of `εἰμί` ('let it be'). The speaker is suggesting that his reward should be given only when the master actually returns.
14.162τοῦ μὲν φθίνοντος μηνός, τοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένοιο
Genitive of time. `φθίνοντος` (waning, ending) and `ἱσταμένοιο` (waxing, beginning) refer to the monthly lunar cycle, idiomatically meaning 'at the turn of the month' or 'when the old month ends and the new begins' (at the time of the new moon).
14.178βλάψε φρένας
An aorist (without augment) of the verb `βλάπτω` ('to harm, impair') combined with the accusative `φρένας` ('mind, wits'). The idiom means 'damaged or misled his wits,' referring to how a god or a mortal prompted Telemachus's journey.
14.193εἴη μὲν νῦν νῶϊν
`εἴη` is the third-person singular present optative of `εἰμί`, introducing a wish ('if only there were') or a potential assumption. `νῶϊν` is the dual dative of the second-person pronoun ('for us two').

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:14.135-14.199