Laertes' Grief and the Story of Eumaeus' Youth — Odyssey §15.355-15.425 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἐκπάγλως γὰρ παιδὸς ὀδύρεται οἰχομένοιοκουριδίης τʼ ἀλόχοιο δαΐφρονος, ἥ ἑ μάλισταἤκαχʼ ἀποφθιμένη καὶ ἐν ὠμῷ γήραϊ θῆκεν.

For he grieves terribly for his son who is gone, and for his wise wedded wife, who grieved him most of all by her death and brought him to untimely old age.

ἡ δʼ ἄχεϊ οὗ παιδὸς ἀπέφθιτο κυδαλίμοιο,λευγαλέῳ θανάτῳ, ὡς μὴ θάνοι ὅς τις ἐμοί γεἐνθάδε ναιετάων φίλος εἴη καὶ φίλα ἔρδοι¹.

And she perished of grief for her glorious son, by a miserable death; may no one die such a death who is a friend to me here, living here and doing friendly deeds.

ὄφρα μὲν οὖν δὴ κείνη ἔην, ἀχέουσά περ ἔμπης,τόφρα τί μοι φίλον ἔσκε μεταλλῆσαι καὶ ἐρέσθαι,

So long indeed as she was alive, although grieving, it was still dear to me to ask and inquire of her,

οὕνεκά μʼ αὐτὴ θρέψεν ἅμα Κτιμένῃ τανυπέπλῳ,θυγατέρʼ ἰφθίμῃ, τὴν ὁπλοτάτην τέκε παίδων·

because she herself reared me along with long-robed Ctimene, her noble daughter, whom she bore as the youngest of her children.

τῇ ὁμοῦ ἐτρεφόμην, ὀλίγον δέ τί μʼ ἧσσον ἐτίμα.

With her I was brought up, and she honored me only a little less than her own.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἥβην πολυήρατον ἱκόμεθʼ ἄμφω,τὴν μὲν ἔπειτα Σάμηνδʼ ἔδοσαν καὶ μυρίʼ ἕλοντο,

But when we both reached lovely youth, they sent her to Same to marry and got countless bride-gifts;

αὐτὰρ ἐμὲ χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματʼ ἐκείνηκαλὰ μάλʼ ἀμφιέσασα, ποσὶν δʼ ὑποδήματα δοῦσαἀγρόνδε προΐαλλε· φίλει δέ με κηρόθι μᾶλλον.

but me, she clothed in a beautiful cloak and tunic, and gave sandals for my feet, and sent me to the field; and she loved me even more from her heart.

νῦν δʼ ἤδη τούτων ἐπιδεύομαι· ἀλλά μοι αὐτῷἔργον ἀέξουσιν μάκαρες θεοὶ ᾧ ἐπιμίμνω·

But now indeed I lack these things; yet for me myself the blessed gods prosper the work at which I abide;

τῶν ἔφαγόν τʼ ἔπιόν τε καὶ αἰδοίοισιν ἔδωκα.

from these I have eaten and drunk, and given to those who deserve respect.

ἐκ δʼ ἄρα δεσποίνης οὐ μείλιχον ἔστιν ἀκοῦσαιοὔτʼ ἔπος οὔτε τι ἔργον, ἐπεὶ κακὸν ἔμπεσεν οἴκῳ,

But from the new mistress there is nothing gentle to hear, neither word nor deed, since evil has fallen upon the house, namely, overbearing men.

ἄνδρες ὑπερφίαλοι· μέγα δὲ δμῶες χατέουσινἀντία δεσποίνης φάσθαι καὶ ἕκαστα πυθέσθαικαὶ φαγέμεν πιέμεν τε, ἔπειτα δὲ καί τι φέρεσθαιἀγρόνδʼ, οἷά τε θυμὸν ἀεὶ δμώεσσιν ἰαίνει.

And servants greatly desire to speak face to face with their mistress, and to ask about everything, and to eat and drink, and then also to carry something off to the field, such things as always warm the hearts of servants.

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then resourcefully replying, Odysseus spoke to him:

ὢ πόποι, ὡς ἄρα τυτθὸς ἐών, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα,πολλὸν ἀπεπλάγχθης σῆς πατρίδος ἠδὲ τοκήων.

"Ah, Eumaeus the swineherd, how indeed when you were but a child you wandered far from your fatherland and parents!

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

But come, tell me this and relate it truly:

ἠὲ διεπράθετο πτόλις ἀνδρῶν εὐρυάγυια,ᾗ ἔνι ναιετάασκε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,

was the wide-wayed city of men sacked, in which your father and lady mother used to dwell,

ἦ σέ γε μουνωθέντα παρʼ οἴεσιν ἢ παρὰ βουσὶνἄνδρες δυσμενέες νηυσὶν λάβον ἠδʼ ἐπέρασσαντοῦδʼ ἀνδρὸς πρὸς δώμαθʼ, ὁ δʼ ἄξιον ὦνον ἔδωκε.

or did hostile men take you in their ships when you were left alone with the sheep or cattle, and sell you to the house of this man, who paid a worthy price?"

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε συβώτης, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν·

To him in turn the swineherd, leader of men, spoke:

ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ ἂρ δὴ ταῦτά μʼ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς,σιγῇ νῦν ξυνίει καὶ τέρπεο, πῖνέ τε οἶνον

"Stranger, since indeed you ask and inquire of me about these things, listen now in silence and enjoy, and drink wine as you sit.

ἥμενος. αἵδε δὲ νύκτες ἀθέσφατοι· ἔστι μὲν εὕδειν,ἔστι δὲ τερπομένοισιν ἀκούειν· οὐδέ τί σε χρή,πρὶν ὥρη, καταλέχθαι· ἀνίη καὶ πολὺς ὕπνος.

These nights are unspeakably long; there is time to sleep, and there is time to be pleased with listening; you need not go to bed before it is time; even too much sleep is a weariness.

τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ὅτινα κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀνώγει,εὑδέτω ἐξελθών· ἅμα δʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιδειπνήσας ἅμʼ ὕεσσιν ἀνακτορίῃσιν ἑπέσθω.

Of the others, whomsoever his heart and spirit bid, let him go out and sleep; and at the appearance of dawn let him break his fast and follow the master's swine.

νῶϊ δʼ ἐνὶ κλισίῃ πίνοντέ τε δαινυμένω τεκήδεσιν ἀλλήλων τερπώμεθα λευγαλέοισι,

But we two in the lodge, drinking and feasting, let us find pleasure in one another's grievous sorrows, calling them to mind;

μνωομένω· μετὰ γάρ τε καὶ ἄλγεσι τέρπεται ἀνήρ,ὅς τις δὴ μάλα πολλὰ πάθῃ καὶ πόλλʼ ἐπαληθῇ.

for after a time a man finds joy even in griefs, whoever indeed has suffered much and wandered far.

τοῦτο δέ τοι ἐρέω ὅ μʼ ἀνείρεαι ἠδὲ μεταλλᾷς.

But this I will tell you, about which you ask and inquire of me.

νῆσός τις Συρίη κικλήσκεται, εἴ που ἀκούεις,Ὀρτυγίης καθύπερθεν, ὅθι τροπαὶ ἠελίοιο²,

There is an island called Syrie, if ever you have heard of it, above Ortygia, where are the turnings of the sun;

οὔ τι περιπληθὴς λίην τόσον, ἀλλʼ ἀγαθὴ μέν,εὔβοτος, εὔμηλος, οἰνοπληθής, πολύπυρος.

not extremely populous, but a good land, rich in herds, rich in sheep, full of wine, abounding in wheat.

πείνη δʼ οὔ ποτε δῆμον ἐσέρχεται, οὐδέ τις ἄλληνοῦσος ἐπὶ στυγερὴ πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν·

Famine never enters the land, nor does any other hateful disease fall upon wretched mortals;

ἀλλʼ ὅτε γηράσκωσι πόλιν κάτα φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων,ἐλθὼν ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων Ἀρτέμιδι ξὺνοἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχόμενος κατέπεφνεν.

but when the generations of men grow old throughout the city, silver-bowed Apollo comes with Artemis and assails them with his gentle shafts and slays them.

ἔνθα δύω πόλιες, δίχα δέ σφισι πάντα δέδασται·

There are two cities there, and all things are divided between them in two;

τῇσιν δʼ ἀμφοτέρῃσι πατὴρ ἐμὸς ἐμβασίλευε,Κτήσιος Ὀρμενίδης, ἐπιείκελος ἀθανάτοισιν.

over both of them my father ruled, Ctesius, son of Ormenus, like to the immortals.

ἔνθα δὲ Φοίνικες ναυσίκλυτοι ἤλυθον ἄνδρες,τρῶκται, μυρίʼ ἄγοντες ἀθύρματα νηῒ μελαίνῃ.

Thither came Phoenicians, men famous for seafaring, greedy knaves, bringing countless trinkets in their black ship.

ἔσκε δὲ πατρὸς ἐμοῖο γυνὴ Φοίνισσʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,καλή τε μεγάλη τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα ἰδυῖα·

Now there was in my father's house a Phoenician woman, beautiful and tall, and skilled in glorious handiwork;

τὴν δʼ ἄρα Φοίνικες πολυπαίπαλοι ἠπερόπευον.

her then the wily Phoenicians beguiled.

πλυνούσῃ τις πρῶτα μίγη κοίλῃ παρὰ νηῒεὐνῇ καὶ φιλότητι, τά τε φρένας ἠπεροπεύειθηλυτέρῃσι γυναιξί, καὶ ἥ κʼ εὐεργὸς ἔῃσιν³.

First, as she was washing clothes, one of them lay with her beside the hollow ship in love and passion, things which beguile the mind of womenfolk, even of one who is honest.

εἰρώτα δὴ ἔπειτα τίς εἴη καὶ πόθεν ἔλθοι·ἡ δὲ μάλʼ αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἐπέφραδεν ὑψερεφὲς δῶ·

Then he asked her who she was and whence she came; and she straightway pointed out the high-roofed house of her father:

ἐκ μὲν Σιδῶνος πολυχάλκου εὔχομαι εἶναι,

'From Sidon, rich in bronze, I boast to be,'

Syntax notes3 items

§15.359ὡς μὴ θάνοι ὅς τις ἐμοί γε ... φίλος εἴη καὶ φίλα ἔρδοι
`ὡς` functions as a particle introducing a wish (equivalent to `εἴθε` or `αἴθε`), and with the optative `θάνοι`, expresses a desire that "no one may die such a death." The following relative clause `ὅς τις ... εἴη καὶ ... ἔρδοι` also stands in the optative by assimilation to the main clause's optative of wish.
§15.404ὅθι τροπαὶ ἠελίοιο
This phrase meaning "where are the turnings of the sun" is interpreted either as referring to the astronomical solstices or to the place where the sun turns back to set (i.e., the far West). In either case, it functions as a relative clause indicating the remote geographical location of the island of Syrie.
§15.422καί ἥ κʼ εὐεργὸς ἔῃσιν
The relative pronoun `ἥ` is accompanied by the particle `κε` (`ἄν`) and the subjunctive `ἔῃσιν` (epic form, third-person singular), forming a relative clause of general condition meaning "even one who is/might be upright."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:15.355-15.425