Tale of the Night Ambush and Eumaeus' Cloak — Odyssey §14.468-14.533 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

εἴθʼ ὣς ἡβώοιμι¹ βίη τέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη,

"Would that I were young like that and my strength were still firm,

ὡς ὅθʼ ὑπὸ Τροίην λόχον ἤγομεν ἀρτύναντες.

as when we led an ambush under Troy, having arranged it.

ἡγείσθην δʼ Ὀδυσεύς τε καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος,

And the leaders were Odysseus and Menelaus, son of Atreus,

τοῖσι δʼ ἅμα τρίτος ἄρχον ἐγών· αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἄνωγον.

and with them I ruled as third; for they themselves bid me.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἱκόμεσθα ποτὶ πτόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος,

But when indeed we arrived at the city and the steep wall,

ἡμεῖς μὲν περὶ ἄστυ κατὰ ῥωπήϊα πυκνά,

we indeed around the city among the thick brushwood,

ἂν δόνακας καὶ ἕλος, ὑπὸ τεύχεσι πεπτηῶτες

along the reeds and the marsh, crouching under our armor,

κείμεθα. νὺξ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπῆλθε κακὴ Βορέαο πεσόντος,

were lying. And night came on, bad, as the North wind blew,

πηγυλίς· αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε χιὼν γένετʼ ἠΰτε πάχνη,

freezing; and from above snow came down like rime,

ψυχρή, καὶ σακέεσσι περιτρέφετο κρύσταλλος.

cold, and ice formed around our shields.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι πάντες χλαίνας ἔχον ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,

Then all the others had cloaks and tunics,

εὗδον δʼ εὔκηλοι, σάκεσιν εἰλυμένοι ὤμους·

and they slept peacefully, wrapping their shoulders with their shields;

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ χλαῖναν μὲν ἰὼν ἑτάροισιν ἔλειπον

but I, when setting out, had foolishly left my cloak with my companions,

ἀφραδίῃς, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἐφάμην ῥιγωσέμεν ἔμπης²,

since I did not think I would be cold at all,

ἀλλʼ ἑπόμην σάκος οἶον ἔχων καὶ ζῶμα φαεινόν.

but I followed having only my shield and a shining loin-cloth.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τρίχα νυκτὸς ἔην, μετὰ δʼ ἄστρα βεβήκει,

But when indeed it was the third part of the night, and the stars had passed,

καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν Ὀδυσῆα προσηύδων ἐγγὺς ἐόντα

then indeed I addressed Odysseus who was near,

ἀγκῶνι νύξας· ὁ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐμμαπέως ὑπάκουσε·

nudging him with my elbow; and he quickly listened:

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

'Zeus-born son of Laertes, resourceful Odysseus,

οὔ τοι ἔτι ζωοῖσι μετέσσομαι, ἀλλά με χεῖμα

no longer indeed shall I be among the living, but the cold

δάμναται· οὐ γὰρ ἔχω χλαῖναν· παρά μʼ ἤπαφε δαίμων

subdues me; for I have no cloak; a god beguiled me

οἰοχίτωνʼ³ ἔμεναι· νῦν δʼ οὐκέτι φυκτὰ πέλονται.

to go with only a tunic; and now there is no longer escape.'

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα νόον σχέθε τόνδʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

Thus I spoke, and he then held this plan in his mind,

οἷος κεῖνος ἔην βουλευέμεν ἠδὲ μάχεσθαι·

such a man as he was for planning and fighting;

φθεγξάμενος δʼ ὀλίγῃ ὀπί με πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·

and speaking in a low voice he addressed a word to me:

σίγα νῦν, μή τίς σευ Ἀχαιῶν ἄλλος ἀκούσῃ.

'Be silent now, lest some other of the Achaeans hear you.'

ἦ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀγκῶνος κεφαλὴν σχέθεν εἶπέ τε μῦθον·

He spoke, and holding his head on his elbow, he spoke a word:

κλῦτε, φίλοι· θεῖός μοι ἐνύπνιον ἦλθεν ὄνειρος.

'Hear me, friends; a divine dream came to me in my sleep.

λίην γὰρ νηῶν ἑκὰς ἤλθομεν· ἀλλά τις εἴη

For we have come too far from the ships; but let there be someone

εἰπεῖν Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι, ποιμένι λαῶν,

to tell Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the people,

εἰ πλέονας παρὰ ναῦφιν ἐποτρύνειε νέεσθαι.

if he might urge more men to come from the ships.'

ὣς ἔφατʼ, ὦρτο δʼ ἔπειτα Θόας, Ἀνδραίμονος υἱός,

Thus he spoke, and then Thoas rose up, son of Andraemon,

καρπαλίμως, ἀπὸ δὲ χλαῖναν θέτο φοινικόεσσαν,

quickly, and put off his purple cloak,

βῆ δὲ θέειν ἐπὶ νῆας· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐνὶ εἵματι κείνου

and started to run to the ships; and I in his garment

κείμην ἀσπασίως, φάε δὲ χρυσόθρονος Ἠώς.

lay gladly, and gold-throned Dawn shone.

ὣς νῦν ἡβώοιμι βίη τέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη·

Would that I were young like that now, and my strength were still firm!

δοίη κέν τις χλαῖναν ἐνὶ σταθμοῖσι συφορβῶν,

Someone in the steading of the swineherds would give me a cloak,

ἀμφότερον, φιλότητι καὶ αἰδοῖ φωτὸς ἑῆος·

both out of friendship and out of respect for a good man;

νῦν δέ μʼ ἀτιμάζουσι κακὰ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντα.

but now they dishonor me because I have poor garments on my body.'

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

To him in answer you spoke, Eumaeus, swineherd:

ὦ γέρον, αἶνος μέν τοι ἀμύμων, ὃν κατέλεξας,

"Old man, the tale indeed is blameless which you have told,

οὐδέ τί πω παρὰ μοῖραν ἔπος νηκερδὲς ἔειπες·

nor have you yet spoken any word out of place or useless;

τῷ οὔτʼ ἐσθῆτος δευήσεαι οὔτε τευ ἄλλου,

therefore you shall lack neither clothing nor anything else,

ὧν ἐπέοιχʼ ἱκέτην ταλαπείριον ἀντιάσαντα,

of those things which it is fitting for a long-suffering suppliant to meet with,

νῦν· ἀτὰρ ἠῶθέν γε τὰ σὰ ῥάκεα δνοπαλίξεις.

now; but in the morning you shall shake your own rags.

οὐ γὰρ πολλαὶ χλαῖναι ἐπημοιβοί τε χιτῶνες

For there are not many cloaks or change of tunics

ἐνθάδε ἕννυσθαι, μία δʼ οἴη φωτὶ ἑκάστῳ.

here to wear, but only one for each man.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθῃσιν Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός,

But when the dear son of Odysseus comes,

αὐτός τοι χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματα δώσει,

he himself will give you a cloak and tunic, garments,

πέμψει δʼ ὅππῃ σε κραδίη θυμός τε κελεύει.

and will send you wherever your heart and mind bid you."

ὣς εἰπὼν ἀνόρουσε, τίθει δʼ ἄρα οἱ πυρὸς ἐγγὺς

Thus having spoken, he leaped up, and placed for him near the fire

εὐνήν, ἐν δʼ ὀΐων τε καὶ αἰγῶν δέρματʼ ἔβαλλεν.

a bed, and threw on it skins of sheep and goats.

ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κατέλεκτʼ· ἐπὶ δὲ χλαῖναν βάλεν αὐτῷ

There Odysseus lay down; and Eumaeus threw over him a cloak

πυκνὴν καὶ μεγάλην, ἥ οἱ παρεκέσκετʼ ἀμοιβάς,

thick and large, which lay by him as a change of clothing,

ἕννυσθαι ὅτε τις χειμὼν ἔκπαγλος ὄροιτο.

to wear whenever any terrible storm should arise.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς κοιμήσατο, τοὶ δὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν

Thus there indeed Odysseus slept, and by him

ἄνδρες κοιμήσαντο νεηνίαι· οὐδὲ συβώτῃ

the young men slept; but for the swineherd

ἥνδανεν αὐτόθι κοῖτος, ὑῶν ἄπο κοιμηθῆναι,

a bed there did not please him, to sleep away from his swine,

ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ ἔξω ἰὼν ὡπλίζετο· χαῖρε δʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

but he went outside and armed himself; and Odysseus rejoiced,

ὅττι ῥά οἱ βιότου περικήδετο νόσφιν ἐόντος.

because he cared so much for his property while he was away.

πρῶτον μὲν ξίφος ὀξὺ περὶ στιβαροῖς βάλετʼ ὤμοις,

First indeed he threw a sharp sword about his sturdy shoulders,

ἀμφὶ δὲ χλαῖναν ἑέσσατʼ ἀλεξάνεμον, μάλα πυκνήν,

and put around him a wind-shielding cloak, very thick,

ἂν δὲ νάκην ἕλετʼ αἰγὸς ἐϋτρεφέος μεγάλοιο,

and took the fleece of a well-fed, large goat,

εἵλετο δʼ ὀξὺν ἄκοντα, κυνῶν ἀλκτῆρα καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

and took a sharp javelin, a defender against dogs and men.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι κείων ὅθι περ σύες ἀργιόδοντες

And he went to lie down where the white-tusked swine

πέτρῃ ὕπο γλαφυρῇ εὗδον, Βορέω ὑπʼ ἰωγῇ.

slept under a hollow rock, sheltered from the North wind.

Syntax notes3 items

14.468εἴθʼ ὣς ἡβώοιμι
The conjunction εἴθε followed by the optative (ἡβώοιμι) expresses an unattainable wish (yearning for past youth). The subsequent clause βίη τέ μοι ἔμπεδος εἴη also uses the optative εἴη to continue this expression of wish.
14.481ἐπει οὐκ ἐφάμην ῥιγωσέμεν ἔμπης
The negative οὐ modifies the main verb φημί, forming the standard construction οὔ φημι + infinitive meaning 'to deny' or 'to think that... not'. The future infinitive ῥιγωσέμεν is a Homeric dialectal form (with the ending -έμεν), expressing 'since I did not think I would be cold at all'.
14.489οἰοχίτωνʼ
The adjective οἰοχίτων (wearing only a tunic, single-cloaked) functions as a predicative adjective agreeing in the accusative (οἰοχίτωνα) with the implied subject of the infinitive (the narrator, represented by με). In combination with the verb ἤπαφε (from ἀπαφίσκω, 'beguiled'), it expresses the result of the deception: 'beguiled me into being dressed only in a tunic'.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:14.468-14.533