Odysseus' Transformation and Revelation to Telemachus — Odyssey §16.138-16.203 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἦ καὶ Λαέρτῃ αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἄγγελος ἔλθω¹

"Or shall I go as a messenger on this same journey also to luckless Laertes,

δυσμόρῳ, ὃς τῆος μὲν Ὀδυσσῆος μέγʼ ἀχεύων

who, though grieving greatly for Odysseus, hitherto

ἔργα τʼ ἐποπτεύεσκε μετὰ δμώων τʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

used to oversee the farm-work and among the servants in the house

πῖνε καὶ ἦσθʼ, ὅτε θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνώγοι·

would drink and eat, whenever the spirit in his breast bade him.

αὐτὰρ νῦν, ἐξ οὗ σύ γε ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε,

But now, since you departed by ship to Pylos,

οὔ πω μίν φασιν φαγέμεν καὶ πιέμεν αὔτως,

they say he has not yet eaten or drunk in this way,

οὐδʼ ἐπὶ ἔργα ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ στοναχῇ τε γόῳ τε

nor looked upon the farm-work, but with groaning and wailing

ἧσται ὀδυρόμενος, φθινύθει δʼ ἀμφʼ ὀστεόφι χρώς.

sits lamenting, and his skin is wasting away around his bones."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And him in turn wise Telemachus answered:

ἄλγιον, ἀλλʼ ἔμπης μιν ἐάσομεν, ἀχνύμενοί περ·

"It is the more painful, but nevertheless we will leave him alone, though we are grieved;

εἰ γὰρ πως εἴη αὐτάγρετα πάντα βροτοῖσι,

for if in any way all things were self-chosen for mortals,

πρῶτόν κεν τοῦ πατρὸς ἑλοίμεθα² νόστιμον ἦμαρ.

we would first of all choose the day of my father's return.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἀγγείλας ὀπίσω κίε, μηδὲ κατʼ ἀγροὺς

But you, having told your message, come back, and do not wander

πλάζεσθαι μετʼ ἐκεῖνον· ἀτὰρ πρὸς μητέρα εἰπεῖν³

through the fields after him; but tell my mother

ἀμφίπολον ταμίην ὀτρυνέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα

to urge the house-dame, her handmaid, as quickly as possible,

κρύβδην· κείνη γὰρ κεν ἀπαγγείλειε γέροντι.

secretly; for she would report it to the old man."

ἦ ῥα καὶ ὦρσε συφορβόν· ὁ δʼ εἵλετο χερσὶ πέδιλα,

He spoke, and aroused the swineherd; and he took sandals in his hands,

δησάμενος δʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶ πόλινδʼ ἴεν. οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ἀθήνην

and having bound them under his feet, went to the city. Nor indeed did Athena

λῆθεν ἀπὸ σταθμοῖο κιὼν Εὔμαιος ὑφορβός,

escape the notice of Athena as he went from the station,

ἀλλʼ ἥ γε σχεδὸν ἦλθε· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικὶ

but she came near; and in body she was like a woman,

καλῇ τε μεγάλῃ τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα ἰδυίῃ.

beautiful and tall and skilled in splendid handiworks.

στῆ δὲ κατʼ ἀντίθυρον κλισίης Ὀδυσῆϊ φανεῖσα·

She stood before the doorway of the hut, appearing to Odysseus;

οὐδʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος ἴδεν ἀντίον οὐδʼ ἐνόησεν,

but Telemachus did not see her opposite, nor notice her,

οὐ γὰρ πω πάντεσσι θεοὶ φαίνονται ἐναργεῖς,

for in no wise do the gods appear manifest to all,

ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεύς τε κύνες τε ἴδον, καί ῥʼ οὐχ ὑλάοντο

but Odysseus and the dogs saw her, and indeed they did not bark,

κνυζηθμῷ δʼ ἑτέρωσε διὰ σταθμοῖο φόβηθεν.

but with a whimpering fled in fear to the other side through the station.

ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

And she indeed nodded with her brows; and noble Odysseus noticed,

ἐκ δʼ ἦλθεν μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς,

and came out of the hall past the great wall of the courtyard,

στῆ δὲ πάροιθʼ αὐτῆς· τὸν δὲ προσέειπεν Ἀθήνη·

and stood before her; and Athena spoke to him:

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ.

"Son of Laertes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many devices,

ἤδη νῦν σῷ παιδὶ ἔπος φάο μηδʼ ἐπίκευθε,

now indeed speak a word to your son and do not conceal it,

ὡς ἄν μνηστῆρσιν θάνατον καὶ κῆρʼ ἀραρόντε

so that, having prepared death and fate for the suitors,

ἔρχησθον προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν· οὐδʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὴ

you two may go to the glorious city; nor shall I myself

δηρὸν ἀπὸ σφῶϊν ἔσομαι μεμαυῖα μάχεσθαι.

be long away from you two, being eager to fight."

ἦ καὶ χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατʼ Ἀθήνη.

She spoke, and Athena touched him with her golden wand.

φᾶρος μέν οἱ πρῶτον ἐϋπλυνὲς ἠδὲ χιτῶνα

First she placed a well-washed cloak and a tunic

θῆκʼ ἀμφὶ στήθεσσι, δέμας δʼ ὤφελλε καὶ ἥβην.

about his chest, and increased his stature and his youth.

ἂψ δὲ μελαγχροιὴς γένετο, γναθμοὶ δὲ τάνυσθεν,

And back again he became dark-skinned, and his jaws filled out,

κυάνεαι δʼ ἐγένοντο γενειάδες ἀμφὶ γένειον.

and dark grew the beard about his chin.

ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἔρξασα πάλιν κίεν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

She indeed, having so done, went back; but Odysseus

ἤϊεν ἐς κλισίην· θάμβησε δέ μιν φίλος υἱός,

went into the hut; and his dear son was amazed at him,

ταρβήσας δʼ ἑτέρωσε βάλʼ ὄμματα, μὴ θεὸς εἴη⁴,

and fearing, turned away his eyes, lest he should be a god,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and speaking, he addressed him with winged words:

ἀλλοῖός μοι, ξεῖνε, φάνης νέον ἠὲ πάροιθεν,

"Different to me, stranger, you appeared just now than before,

ἄλλα δὲ εἵματʼ ἔχεις, καί τοι χρὼς οὐκέθʼ ὁμοῖος.

and you have other garments, and your skin is no longer the same.

ἦ μάλα τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν·

Surely you are indeed some god, of those who hold the wide heaven;

ἀλλʼ ἵληθʼ, ἵνα τοι κεχαρισμένα δώομεν ἱρὰ

but be gracious, so that we may give you pleasing sacrifices

ἠδὲ χρύσεα δῶρα, τετυγμένα· φείδεο δʼ ἡμέων

and golden gifts, well-wrought; and spare us."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

And him in turn answered then the patient, noble Odysseus:

οὔ τίς τοι θεός εἰμι· τί μʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἐΐσκεις;

"In no wise am I some god; why do you liken me to the immortals?

ἀλλὰ πατὴρ τεός εἰμι, τοῦ εἵνεκα⁵ σὺ στεναχίζων

But I am your father, for whose sake you, groaning,

πάσχεις ἄλγεα πολλά, βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν.

suffer many griefs, enduring the violence of men."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας υἱὸν κύσε, κὰδ δὲ παρειῶν

So indeed having spoken, he kissed his son, and down from his cheeks

δάκρυον ἧκε χαμᾶζε· πάρος δʼ ἔχε νωλεμὲς αἰεί.

he let fall a tear to the ground; but before, he had held it back relentlessly.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ, οὐ γάρ πω ἐπείθετο ὃν πατέρʼ εἶναι,

But Telemachus, for he did not yet believe him to be his father,

ἐξαῦτίς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

again in turn spoke, answering him with words:

οὐ σύ γʼ Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι, πατὴρ ἐμός, ἀλλά με δαίμων

"You are not indeed Odysseus, my father, but a divinity

θέλγει, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω.

beguiles me, so that I may lament and groan yet more.

οὐ γάρ πως ἂν θνητὸς ἀνὴρ τάδε μηχανόῳτο

For in no wise would a mortal man devise these things

ᾧ αὐτοῦ γε νόῳ, ὅτε μὴ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν

by his own mind, unless a god himself should come upon him

ῥηϊδίως ἐθέλων θείη νέον ἠὲ γέροντα.

and easily, if he wished, make him young or old.

ἦ γάρ τοι νέον ἦσθα γέρων καὶ ἀεικέα ἕσσο·

For indeed just now you were an old man and dressed unseemly;

νῦν δὲ θεοῖσιν ἔοικας, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι.

but now you are like the gods, who hold the wide heaven."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And him in turn wise Odysseus answered:

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ σε ἔοικε φίλον πατέρ ἔνδον ἐόντα

"Telemachus, it is not fitting for you to marvel or be amazed

οὔτε τι θαυμάζειν περιώσιον οὔτʼ ἀγάασθαι·

at your dear father being inside, excessively;

Syntax notes5 items

§16.138ἔλθω
Deliberative subjunctive in the first person singular, expressing self-deliberation on whether he should go.
§16.148εἰ γάρ πως εἴη ... κεν ... ἑλοίμεθα
Conditional sentence with the optative (εἰ + optative, and κεν + optative in the apodosis), expressing a potential or contrary-to-fact assumption in the present ("if ... were ... we would choose ...").
§16.151εἰπεῖν
Infinitive used for the imperative (infinitive for imperative), carrying the force of a command directed to the second person (Eumaeus), parallel to `ὀτρυνέμεν` in line 152.
§16.179μὴ θεὸς εἴη
Optative of fear (introduced by `μή`), expressing the son's apprehension or dread that the figure before him might be a deity.
§16.188τοῦ εἵνεκα
Causal expression using the relative pronoun where the antecedent refers contextually to Odysseus himself ("on whose account you are groaning").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:16.138-16.203