The Suitors' Dismay and the Plot to Kill Telemachus — Odyssey §16.341-16.411 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεναι μεθʼ ὕας, λίπε δʼ ἕρκεά τε μέγαρόν τε.

He went to go to the swine, and left the courtyard and the hall.

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἀκάχοντο κατήφησάν τʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

But the suitors were grieved and downcast in their hearts,

ἐκ δʼ ἦλθον μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς,

and they went out of the hall past the great wall of the courtyard,

αὐτοῦ δὲ προπάροιθε θυράων ἑδριόωντο.

and sat down there before the gates.

τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν·

And among them Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to speak:

ὦ φίλοι, ἦ μέγα ἔργον ὑπερφιάλως τετέλεσται

"O friends, truly a great deed has been arrogantly accomplished,

Τηλεμάχῳ ὁδὸς ἥδε· φάμεν δέ οἱ οὐ τελέεσθαι¹.

this journey of Telemachus; and we said it should not be accomplished for him.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῆα μέλαιναν ἐρύσσομεν ἥ τις ἀρίστη,

But come, let us launch a black ship, whichever is best,

ἐς δʼ ἐρέτας ἁλιῆας ἀγείρομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα

and gather seafaring rowers, who may quickly

κείνοις ἀγγείλωσι θοῶς οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι.

announce to those others to return home with speed."

οὔ πω πᾶν εἴρηθʼ, ὅτʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἴδε νῆα,

Not yet was all said, when Amphinomus saw the ship,

στρεφθεὶς ἐκ χώρης, λιμένος πολυβενθέος ἐντός,

turning from his place, within the deep harbor,

ἱστία τε στέλλοντας ἐρετμά τε χερσὶν ἔχοντας.

furling their sails and holding the oars in their hands.

ἡδὺ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐκγελάσας μετεφώνεεν οἷς ἑτάροισι·

And laughing sweetly, he spoke among his companions:

μή τινʼ ἔτʼ ἀγγελίην ὀτρύνομεν· οἵδε γὰρ ἔνδον.

"Let us urge no message further; for they are within.

ἤ τίς σφιν τόδʼ ἔειπε θεῶν, ἢ εἴσιδον αὐτοὶ

Either some one of the gods told this to them, or they themselves saw

νῆα παρερχομένην, τὴν δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο κιχῆναι.

the ship passing by, and were not able to catch her."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης,

So he spoke, and they arose and went to the shore of the sea,

αἶψα δὲ νῆα μέλαιναν ἐπʼ ἠπείροιο ἔρυσσαν,

and quickly they dragged the black ship up on the mainland,

τεύχεα δέ σφʼ ἀπένεικαν ὑπέρθυμοι θεράποντες.

and high-hearted squires carried away their gear for them.

αὐτοὶ δʼ εἰς ἀγορὴν κίον ἀθρόοι, οὐδέ τινʼ ἄλλον

And they themselves went to the assembly in a body, nor did they permit any other,

εἴων οὔτε νέων μεταΐζειν οὔτε γερόντων.

whether of the young or of the old, to sit with them.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

And among them Antinous spoke, the son of Eupeithes:

ὢ πόποι, ὡς τόνδʼ ἄνδρα θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν.

"Alas, how the gods have delivered this man from destruction!

ἤματα μὲν σκοποὶ ἷζον ἐπʼ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας

By day our watchmen sat upon the windy heights,

αἰὲν ἐπασσύτεροι· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι

continually succeeding one another; and with the setting of the sun

οὔ ποτʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου νύκτʼ ἄσαμεν, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

we never spent the night upon the land, but on the deep,

νηῒ θοῇ πλείοντες ἐμίμνομεν Ἠῶ δῖαν,

sailing in our swift ship, we awaited the bright Dawn,

Τηλέμαχον λοχόωντες, ἵνα φθίσωμεν ἑλόντες

lying in wait for Telemachus, that we might take him and slay him;

αὐτόν· τὸν δʼ ἄρα τῆος ἀπήγαγεν οἴκαδε δαίμων,

but meanwhile some deity led him home.

ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐνθάδε οἱ φραζώμεθα λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον

So let us here devise for him a miserable death,

Τηλεμάχῳ, μηδʼ ἧμας ὑπεκφύγοι· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω

even for Telemachus, and let him not escape us; for I do not think

τούτου γε ζώοντος ἀνύσσεσθαι τάδε ἔργα.

while he lives this work of ours will be accomplished.

αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιστήμων βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε,

For he himself is wise in counsel and understanding,

λαοὶ δʼ οὐκέτι πάμπαν ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἦρα φέρουσιν.

and the people no longer favor us in any way.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετε, πρὶν κεῖνον ὁμηγυρίσασθαι Ἀχαιοὺς

But come, before he gathers the Achaeans

εἰς ἀγορήν—οὐ γάρ τι μεθησέμεναί μιν ὀΐω,

to the assembly—for I do not think he will let things slide,

ἀλλʼ ἀπομηνίσει, ἐρέει δʼ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀναστὰς

but will be filled with wrath, and will rise and speak among them all,

οὕνεκά οἱ φόνον αἰπὺν ἐράπτομεν οὐδʼ ἐκίχημεν·

how we plotted headlong murder against him and did not catch him.

οἱ δʼ οὐκ αἰνήσουσιν ἀκούοντες κακὰ ἔργα·

And they will not praise us when they hear of these evil deeds.

μή τι κακὸν ῥέξωσι² καὶ ἡμέας ἐξελάσωσι

Beware lest they do us some harm and drive us out

γαίης ἡμετέρης, ἄλλων δʼ ἀφικώμεθα δῆμον·

from our own land, and we come to the country of strangers.

ἀλλὰ φθέωμεν ἑλόντες³ ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ νόσφι πόληος

But let us forestall him and take him in the field away from the city,

ἢ ἐν ὁδῷ· βίοτον δʼ αὐτοὶ καὶ κτήματʼ ἔχωμεν,

or on the road; and let us ourselves keep his substance and his possessions,

δασσάμενοι κατὰ μοῖραν ἐφʼ ἡμέας, οἰκία δʼ αὖτε

dividing them fairly among us, but the house

κείνου μητέρι δοῖμεν ἔχειν ἠδʼ ὅστις ὀπυίοι.

let us give to his mother to possess, and to him who marries her.

εἰ δʼ ὑμῖν ὅδε μῦθος ἀφανδάνει, ἀλλὰ βόλεσθε

But if this word displeases you, and you wish

αὐτόν τε ζώειν καὶ ἔχειν πατρώϊα πάντα,

that he should live and keep all the inheritance of his father,

μή οἱ χρήματʼ ἔπειτα ἅλις θυμηδέʼ ἔδωμεν

then let us not gather here and consume his pleasing substance in abundance,

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο ἕκαστος

but let each one from his own hall

μνάσθω ἐέδνοισιν διζήμενος· ἡ δέ κʼ ἔπειτα

woo her, seeking her with marriage-gifts; and she then

γήμαιθʼ ὅς κε πλεῖστα πόροι καὶ μόρσιμος ἔλθοι.

would marry him who offers most and who comes as her fated husband."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.

So he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence.

τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπε,

And among them Amphinomus spoke and addressed them,

Νίσου φαίδιμος υἱός, Ἀρητιάδαο ἄνακτος,

the illustrious son of Nisus, the son of lord Aretias,

ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ Δουλιχίου πολυπύρου, ποιήεντος,

who led the suitors from Dulichium, rich in wheat and grassy,

ἡγεῖτο μνηστῆρσι, μάλιστα δὲ Πηνελοπείῃ

and above all he pleased Penelope

ἥνδανε μύθοισι· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητʼ ἀγαθῇσιν·

with his words; for he possessed a good understanding.

ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

He with good intent spoke among them and said:

ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε κατακτείνειν ἐθέλοιμι

"O friends, I indeed should not wish to kill

Τηλέμαχον· δεινὸν δὲ γένος βασιλήϊόν ἐστιν

Telemachus; for it is a terrible thing to slay

κτείνειν· ἀλλὰ πρῶτα θεῶν εἰρώμεθα βουλάς.

one of royal seed; but first let us ask the counsel of the gods.

εἰ μέν κʼ αἰνήσωσι Διὸς μεγάλοιο θέμιστες,

If the decrees of great Zeus approve,

αὐτός τε κτενέω τούς τʼ ἄλλους πάντας ἀνώξω·

I will myself slay him and will bid all the others do so;

εἰ δέ κʼ ἀποτρωπῶσι θεοί, παύσασθαι ἄνωγα.

but if the gods turn us away, I bid you cease."

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀμφίνομος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.

So spoke Amphinomus, and his word pleased them.

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν δόμον εἰς Ὀδυσῆος,

Straightway then they arose and went to the house of Odysseus,

ἐλθόντες δὲ καθῖζον ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι θρόνοισιν.

and entering they sat down on the polished chairs.

ἡ δʼ αὖτʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,

Then wise Penelope thought of another thing,

μνηστήρεσσι φανῆναι ὑπέρβιον ὕβριν ἔχουσι.

to show herself to the suitors who possessed overweening insolence.

πεύθετο γὰρ οὗ παιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὄλεθρον·

For she had heard of the destruction of her son in the halls;

Syntax notes3 items

§§16.347οἱ οὐ τελέεσθαι
The dative οἱ functions as a dative of interest ("for him" or "with respect to him"), rather than the subject of the infinitive. τελέεσθαι is a future or present infinitive in the middle/passive voice, meaning "to be accomplished." The phrase thus means "we said that it would not be accomplished for him."
§§16.381μή τι κακὸν ῥέξωσι
The subjunctive ῥέξωσι with the negative particle μή forms an independent clause expressing apprehension or a warning. It anticipates a feared consequence ("lest they do some harm" or "I fear they may do some harm") directly arising from the preceding statement that the people will not approve of their evil deeds.
§§16.383φθέωμεν ἑλόντες
A typical idiomatic construction combining the hortatory subjunctive φθέωμεν (from φθάνω, "to anticipate / forestall") with the aorist participle ἑλόντες (from αἱρέω). It literally means "let us anticipate him by catching him," which translates to "let us forestall him and seize him first."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:16.341-16.411