Eumaeus' Feast and Odysseus' Tale to Test for a Cloak — Odyssey §14.402-14.467 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ξεῖνʼ, οὕτω γάρ κέν μοι ἐϋκλείη τʼ ἀρετή τε

"Stranger, in that way indeed would my fair fame and virtue

εἴη ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους ἅμα τʼ αὐτίκα καὶ μετέπειτα,

be established among men both now and hereafter,

ὅς σʼ ἐπεὶ ἐς κλισίην ἄγαγον καὶ ξείνια δῶκα,

if I, after bringing you into my hut and giving you guest-gifts,

αὖτις δὲ κτείναιμι¹ φίλον τʼ ἀπὸ θυμὸν ἑλοίμην·

should then slay you and rob you of your dear life.

πρόφρων κεν δὴ ἔπειτα Δία Κρονίωνα λιτοίμην.

With a willing heart indeed then after that would I pray to Zeus, son of Cronos.

νῦν δʼ ὥρη δόρποιο· τάχιστά μοι ἔνδον ἑταῖροι

But now it is the hour for supper; very quickly may my companions

εἶεν, ἵνʼ ἐν κλισίῃ λαρὸν τετυκοίμεθα δόρπον.

be inside, so that we may prepare a savory supper in the hut."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

Thus they spoke such things to one another,

ἀγχίμολον δὲ σύες τε καὶ ἀνέρες ἦλθον ὑφορβοί.

and near at hand came the swine and the swineherds.

τὰς μὲν ἄρα ἔρξαν κατὰ ἤθεα κοιμηθῆναι,

They shut up the sows in their usual places to sleep,

κλαγγὴ δʼ ἄσπετος ὦρτο συῶν αὐλιζομενάων

and an immense clamor arose from the swine being penned.

αὐτὰρ ὁ οἷς ἑτάροισιν ἐκέκλετο δῖος ὑφορβός·

But the noble swineherd called out to his companions:

ἄξεθʼ ὑῶν τὸν ἄριστον, ἵνα ξείνῳ ἱερεύσω

"Bring the best of the swine, so that I may slaughter it for the stranger

τηλεδαπῷ· πρὸς δʼ αὐτοὶ ὀνησόμεθʼ, οἵ περ ὀϊζὺν

from far away; and we ourselves shall have the benefit, we who for a long time

δὴν ἔχομεν πάσχοντες ὑῶν ἕνεκʼ ἀργιοδόντων·

have been suffering toil for the sake of the white-tusked swine,

ἄλλοι δʼ ἡμέτερον κάματον νήποινον ἔδουσιν.

while others eat up our labor without payment."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κέασε ξύλα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ,

Thus having spoken, he split wood with the pitiless bronze,

οἱ δʼ ὗν εἰσῆγον μάλα πίονα πενταέτηρον.

and they brought in a very fat five-year-old boar.

τὸν μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἔστησαν ἐπʼ ἐσχάρῃ· οὐδὲ συβώτης

They stood it by the hearth; nor did the swineherd

λήθετʼ ἄρʼ ἀθανάτων· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητʼ ἀγαθῇσιν·

forget the immortals, for he possessed an upright heart;

ἀλλʼ ὅγʼ ἀπαρχόμενος κεφαλῆς τρίχας ἐν πυρὶ βάλλεν

but beginning the rite, he cast hairs from the head of the white-tusked boar

ἀργιόδοντος ὑός, καὶ ἐπεύχετο πᾶσι θεοῖσιν

into the fire, and prayed to all the gods

νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε.

that wise Odysseus might return to his own home.

κόψε δʼ ἀνασχόμενος σχίζῃ δρυός, ἣν λίπε κείων·

And rising up, he struck it with a billet of oak which he had left when splitting wood;

τὸν δʼ ἔλιπε ψυχή. τοὶ δʼ ἔσφαξάν τε καὶ εὗσαν·

and its life left it. They slaughtered and singed it,

αἶψα δέ μιν διέχευαν· ὁ δʼ ὠμοθετεῖτο συβώτης,

and quickly carved it; and the swineherd laid the raw meat as first-offerings,

πάντων ἀρχόμενος μελέων, ἐς πίονα δημόν,

beginning from all the limbs, onto the rich fat,

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν πυρὶ βάλλε, παλύνας ἀλφίτου ἀκτῇ,

and cast them into the fire, having sprinkled them with barley meal,

μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν,

and they sliced up the rest and pierced it on spits,

ὤπτησάν τε περιφραδέως ἐρύσαντό τε πάντα,

and roasted it carefully and drew it all off,

βάλλον δʼ εἰν ἐλεοῖσιν ἀολλέα· ἂν δὲ συβώτης

and piled it on platters; and the swineherd

ἵστατο δαιτρεύσων· περὶ γὰρ φρεσὶν αἴσιμα ᾔδη.

stood up to carve, for in his mind he knew what was fair.

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἕπταχα πάντα διεμοιρᾶτο δαΐζων·

And dividing it, he distributed everything into seven portions;

τὴν μὲν ἴαν νύμφῃσι καὶ Ἑρμῇ, Μαιάδος υἱεῖ²,

one portion he set aside, with a prayer, for the Nymphs and Hermes, Maia's son,

θῆκεν ἐπευξάμενος, τὰς δʼ ἄλλας νεῖμεν ἑκάστῳ·

and the rest he distributed to each;

νώτοισιν δʼ Ὀδυσῆα διηνεκέεσσι γέραιρεν

and he honored Odysseus with the long chine

ἀργιόδοντος ὑός, κύδαινε δὲ θυμὸν ἄνακτος·

of the white-tusked boar, and glorified the heart of his master.

καί μιν φωνήσας προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And addressing him, resourceful Odysseus spoke:

αἴθʼ οὕτως, Εὔμαιε, φίλος Διὶ πατρὶ γένοιο

"May you, Eumaeus, be as dear to father Zeus

ὡς ἐμοί³, ὅττι τε τοῖον ἐόντʼ ἀγαθοῖσι γεραίρεις.

as you are to me, because you honor me, being such as I am, with good things."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

To him in answer you spoke, Eumaeus, swineherd:

ἔσθιε, δαιμόνιε ξείνων, καὶ τέρπεο τοῖσδε,

"Eat, noble guest, and enjoy these things

οἷα πάρεστι· θεὸς δὲ τὸ μὲν δώσει, τὸ δʼ ἐάσει,

which are present; the god will give one thing and withhold another,

ὅττι κεν ᾧ θυμῷ ἐθέλῃ· δύναται γὰρ ἅπαντα.

whatever he wishes in his heart; for he can do all things."

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἄργματα θῦσε θεοῖς αἰειγενέτῃσι,

He spoke, and sacrificed the first-offerings to the ever-living gods,

σπείσας δʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον Ὀδυσσῆϊ πτολιπόρθῳ

and having poured a libation of sparkling wine, he placed it in the hands of Odysseus,

ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔθηκεν· ὁ δʼ ἕζετο ᾗ παρὰ μοίρῃ.

the sacker of cities; and Odysseus sat by his own portion.

σῖτον δέ σφιν ἔνειμε Μεσαύλιος, ὅν ῥα συβώτης

And bread was distributed to them by Mesaulius, whom the swineherd

αὐτὸς κτήσατο οἶος ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος⁴,

had acquired himself, alone, while his master was away,

νόσφιν δεσποίνης καὶ Λαέρταο γέροντος·

without his mistress and the old man Laertes;

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα μιν Ταφίων πρίατο κτεάτεσσιν ἑοῖσιν.

and he had bought him from the Taphians with his own possessions.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

They stretched forth their hands to the ready food lying before them.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

But when they had put away desire for drink and food,

σῖτον μέν σφιν ἀφεῖλε Μεσαύλιος, οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ κοῖτον

Mesaulius cleared away the bread, and they hastened to bed,

σίτου καὶ κρειῶν κεκορημένοι ἐσσεύοντο.

sated with bread and meat.

νὺξ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπῆλθε κακὴ σκοτομήνιος, ὗε δʼ ἄρα Ζεὺς

And night came on, bad and moonless, and Zeus rained

πάννυχος, αὐτὰρ ἄη Ζέφυρος μέγας αἰὲν ἔφυδρος.

all night long, and a great, wet West wind blew constantly.

τοῖς δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μετέειπε, συβώτεω πειρητίζων,

Among them Odysseus spoke, testing the swineherd,

εἴ πώς οἱ ἐκδὺς χλαῖναν πόροι, ἤ τινʼ ἑταίρων

to see if by some means he would take off his cloak and give it to him, or urge

ἄλλον ἐποτρύνειεν, ἐπεί ἑο κήδετο λίην·

some other of his companions, since he cared for him exceedingly:

κέκλυθι νῦν, Εὔμαιε καὶ ἄλλοι πάντες ἑταῖροι,

"Hear me now, Eumaeus, and all you other companions,

εὐξάμενός τι ἔπος ἐρέω· οἶνος γὰρ ἀνώγει

I will speak a word with a prayer; for mad wine bids me,

ἠλεός, ὅς τʼ ἐφέηκε πολύφρονά περ μάλʼ ἀεῖσαι

which drives even the wise man to sing aloud

καί θʼ ἁπαλὸν γελάσαι, καί τʼ ὀρχήσασθαι ἀνῆκε,

and to laugh gently, and prompts him to dance,

καί τι ἔπος προέηκεν ὅ περ τʼ ἄρρητον ἄμεινον.

and brings forth some word which were better left unspoken.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ πρῶτον ἀνέκραγον, οὐκ ἐπικεύσω.

But since indeed I have first cried out, I will not hide it."

Syntax notes4 items

14.404ὅς σʼ ἐπεὶ ἐς κλισίην ἄγαγον καὶ ξείνια δῶκα, αὖτις δὲ κτείναιμι
The relative pronoun ὅς here carries a conditional force ("if I, after..."), directly coordinating with the optatives of wish/potentiality κτείναιμι and ἑλοίμην in the main clause.
14.435νύμφῃσι καὶ Ἑρμῇ, Μαιάδος υἱεῖ
This describes Eumaeus' act of dedicating one of the seven portions to the local Nymphs and Hermes. It serves to highlight his characteristic piety (theosebeia) and rustic devotion to the deities of the wild.
14.440αἴθʼ οὕτως, Εὔμαιε, φίλος Διὶ πατρὶ γένοιο ὡς ἐμοί
The optative γένοιο is introduced by the particle of wish αἴθε, followed by the comparative clause ὡς ἐμοί. It forms Odysseus' blessing: "May you be as dear to father Zeus as you are to me."
14.450αὐτός κτήσατο οἶος ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος
Although resembling a genitive absolute, ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος functions as a genitive of time or circumstance ("during the absence of his master"). It highlights Eumaeus' autonomy and loyalty, having purchased a servant with his own resources without relying on the household.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:14.402-14.467