Reunion of Father and Son and Planning Revenge — Odyssey §16.204-16.271 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

οὐ μὲν γάρ τοι ἔτʼ ἄλλος ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

"For indeed no other Odysseus will ever come here to you;

ἀλλʼ ὅδʼ ἐγὼ τοιόσδε, παθὼν κακά, πολλὰ δʼ ἀληθείς¹,

but here am I, such as I am, having suffered evils and having wandered much,

ἤλυθον εἰκοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

returned in the twentieth year to my native land.

αὐτάρ τοι τόδε ἔργον Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης,

But indeed this is the work of Athena, driver of the spoil,

ἥ τέ με τοῖον ἔθηκεν, ὅπως ἐθέλει, δύναται γὰρ,

who made me such as she wishes, for she has the power,

ἄλλοτε μὲν πτωχῷ ἐναλίγκιον, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

at one time like a beggar, and at another time

ἀνδρὶ νέῳ καὶ καλὰ περὶ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντι.

like a young man and one having beautiful garments about his body.

ῥηΐδιον δὲ θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,

And it is easy for the gods, who hold the wide heaven,

ἠμὲν κυδῆναι θνητὸν βροτὸν ἠδὲ κακῶσαι.

both to glorify a mortal man and to bring him low."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ

So indeed having spoken, he sat down; and Telemachus,

ἀμφιχυθεὶς πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ὀδύρετο, δάκρυα λείβων,

throwing his arms about his noble father, lamented, shedding tears,

ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ὑφʼ ἵμερος ὦρτο γόοιο·

and in both of them arose a longing for wailing.

κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως, ἀδινώτερον ἤ τʼ οἰωνοί,

And they cried shrilly, more close-thronging than birds,

φῆναι ἢ αἰγυπιοὶ γαμψώνυχες, οἷσί τε τέκνα

ospreys or crook-taloned vultures, whose children

ἀγρόται ἐξείλοντο πάρος πετεηνὰ γενέσθαι·

countrymen have taken away before they were fledged;

ὣς ἄρα τοί γʼ ἐλεεινὸν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβον.

even so indeed did they let fall a piteous tear from beneath their brows.

καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο²,

And now indeed the light of the sun would have set upon their lamenting,

εἰ μὴ Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεεν ὃν πατέρʼ αἶψα·

had not Telemachus quickly spoken to his father:

ποίῃ γὰρ νῦν δεῦρο, πάτερ φίλε, νηΐ σε ναῦται

"By what kind of ship now, dear father, did sailors

ἤγαγον εἰς Ἰθάκην; τίνες ἔμμεναι εὐχετόωντο;

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

οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σε πεζὸν ὀΐομαι ἐνθάδʼ ἱκέσθαι.

For in no wise, I think, did you come here on foot."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

And him in turn answered the patient, noble Odysseus:

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, τέκνον, ἀληθείην καταλέξω.

"Therefore indeed, my child, I will tell you the truth.

Φαίηκές μʼ ἄγαγον ναυσίκλυτοι, οἵ τε καὶ ἄλλους

The Phaeacians, famous for ships, brought me, who also

ἀνθρώπους πέμπουσιν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκηται·

send other men home, whosoever comes to them;

καί μʼ εὕδοντʼ ἐν νηῒ θοῇ ἐπὶ πόντον ἄγοντες

and carrying me sleeping on a swift ship over the sea,

κάτθεσαν εἰς Ἰθάκην, ἔπορον δέ μοι ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,

they set me down in Ithaca, and gave me splendid gifts,

χαλκόν τε χρυσόν τε ἅλις ἐσθῆτά θʼ ὑφαντήν.

bronze and gold in abundance, and woven garments.

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐν σπήεσσι θεῶν ἰότητι κέονται·

And these indeed lie in caves by the will of the gods;

νῦν αὖ δεῦρʼ ἱκόμην ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,

but now in turn I have come here by the promptings of Athena,

ὄφρα κε δυσμενέεσσι φόνου πέρι βουλεύσωμεν.

so that we may take counsel about the slaughter of our enemies.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι μνηστῆρας ἀριθμήσας κατάλεξον,

But come, count and list the suitors for me,

ὄφρʼ εἰδέω ὅσσοι τε καὶ οἵ τινες ἀνέρες εἰσί·

so that I may know how many and what kind of men they are;

καί κεν ἐμὸν κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα μερμηρίξας

and then, having pondered in my noble mind,

φράσσομαι, ἤ κεν νῶϊ δυνησόμεθʼ ἀντιφέρεσθαι

I shall consider whether we two shall be able to oppose them

μούνω ἄνευθʼ ἄλλων, ἦ καὶ διζησόμεθʼ ἄλλους.

alone without others, or whether we shall seek others too."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And him in turn wise Telemachus answered:

ὦ πάτερ, ἦ τοι σεῖο μέγα κλέος αἰὲν ἄκουον,

"O father, indeed I always used to hear of your great fame,

χεῖράς τʼ αἰχμητὴν ἔμεναι καὶ ἐπίφρονα βουλήν·

that you were a warrior in hands and wise in counsel;

ἀλλὰ λίην μέγα εἶπες· ἄγη μʼ ἔχει· οὐδέ κεν εἴη

but you have spoken of an exceeding great thing; amazement holds me; nor would it be possible

ἄνδρε δύω πολλοῖσι καὶ ἰφθίμοισι μάχεσθαι.

for two men to fight against many and mighty ones.

μνηστήρων δʼ οὔτʼ ἂρ δεκὰς ἀτρεκὲς οὔτε δύʼ οἶαι,

Of the suitors, indeed, there is neither one decade truly nor only two,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ πλέονες· τάχα δʼ εἴσεαι ἐνθάδʼ ἀριθμόν.

but many more; and quickly shall you know the number here.

ἐκ μὲν Δουλιχίοιο δύω καὶ πεντήκοντα

From Dulichium indeed there are two and fifty

κοῦροι κεκριμένοι, ἓξ δὲ δρηστῆρες ἕπονται·

chosen youths, and six servants follow them;

ἐκ δὲ Σάμης πίσυρές τε καὶ εἴκοσι φῶτες ἔασιν,

from Same there are four and twenty men;

ἐκ δὲ Ζακύνθου ἔασιν ἐείκοσι κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν,

from Zacynthus there are twenty youths of the Achaeans;

ἐκ δʼ αὐτῆς Ἰθάκης δυοκαίδεκα πάντες ἄριστοι,

and from Ithaca itself, twelve, all of them the best,

καί σφιν ἅμʼ ἐστὶ Μέδων κῆρυξ καὶ θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

and with them is Medon the herald, and the divine minstrel,

καὶ δοιὼ θεράποντε, δαήμονε δαιτροσυνάων.

and two squires, skilled in carving.

τῶν εἴ κεν πάντων ἀντήσομεν ἔνδον ἐόντων,

If we shall encounter all of these being inside,

μὴ πολύπικρα καὶ αἰνὰ βίας ἀποτίσεαι ἐλθών³.

I fear lest you, having come, will pay a bitter and terrible price for their violence.

ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ, εἰ δύνασαί τινʼ ἀμύντορα μερμηρίξαι,

But do you, if you are able to think of any helper,

φράζευ, ὅ κέν τις νῶϊν ἀμύνοι πρόφρονι θυμῷ.

consider who might defend us with a willing heart."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

And him in turn answered the patient, noble Odysseus:

τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

"Therefore indeed I will tell you, and do you understand and listen to me;

καὶ φράσαι ἤ κεν νῶϊν Ἀθήνη σὺν Διὶ πατρὶ

and consider whether Athena with father Zeus

ἀρκέσει, ἦέ τινʼ ἄλλον ἀμύντορα μερμηρίξω.

will suffice for us, or whether I shall think of some other helper."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And him in turn wise Telemachus answered:

ἐσθλώ τοι τούτω γʼ ἐπαμύντορε, τοὺς ἀγορεύεις,

"Good indeed are these two defenders whom you name,

ὕψι περ ἐν νεφέεσσι καθημένω· ὥ τε καὶ ἄλλοις

though they sit high up in the clouds; and they rule over

ἀνδράσι τε κρατέουσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι.

other men as well, and over the immortal gods."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

And him in turn answered the patient, noble Odysseus:

οὐ μέν τοι κείνω γε πολὺν χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἔσεσθον⁴

"Surely those two will not for long be far away

φυλόπιδος κρατερῆς, ὁπότε μνηστῆρσι καὶ ἡμῖν

from the fierce battle, when between the suitors and us

ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσι μένος κρίνηται Ἄρηος.

in my halls the fury of Ares is decided.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν ἔρχευ ἅμʼ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφιν

But do you indeed go now at the appearing of dawn

οἴκαδε, καὶ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισιν ὁμίλει·

to your home, and associate with the haughty suitors;"

Syntax notes4 items

§16.205ἀληθείς
A Homeric form of the aorist passive participle of the verb ἀλάομαι ('to wander'), meaning 'having wandered'. It should not be confused with the accusative of the adjective ἀληθής ('true'), as the context requires a description of Odysseus's literal wanderings alongside his sufferings (παθών).
§16.220καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο
An apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. The particle κ(ε) combined with the indicative aorist (ἔδυ), working together with the εἰ μὴ clause in line 221, indicates that 'the light of the sun would have set upon them' if Telemachus had not quickly spoken.
§16.255μὴ πολύπικρα καὶ αἰνὰ βίας ἀποτίσεαι ἐλθών
An independent clause featuring μή with the subjunctive (ἀποτίσεαι, a Homeric form of the second-person singular aorist middle subjunctive), expressing a strong apprehension or fear: 'I fear lest you will pay a bitter price'. This usage of μή as an independent warning is characteristic of epic Greek.
§16.267ἀμφὶς ἔσεσθον
The dual verb form ἔσεσθον corresponds to the dual subject κείνω (referring to Athena and Zeus). Combined with the adverb ἀμφίς ('apart, aloof'), it means 'those two will not remain apart (from the battle)'.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:16.204-16.271