Telemachus' Return to the Palace and Reunion with Penelope — Odyssey §17.1-17.67 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

When early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

δὴ τότʼ ἔπειθʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα

then indeed, under his feet, bound his beautiful sandals

Τηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,

Telemachus, the dear son of divine Odysseus,

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ὅ οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει,

and he took his mighty spear, which fitted his hand well,

ἄστυδε ἱέμενος, καὶ ἑὸν προσέειπε συβώτην·

eager to go to the city, and he addressed his swineherd:

ἄττʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼν εἶμʼ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρα με μήτηρ

"Father, indeed I am going to the city, so that my mother may

ὄψεται¹· οὐ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν παύσεσθαι ὀΐω

see me; for I do not think she will cease from

κλαυθμοῦ τε στυγεροῖο γόοιό τε δακρυόεντος,

painful weeping and tearful wailing,

πρίν γʼ αὐτόν με ἴδηται· ἀτὰρ σοί γʼ ὧδʼ ἐπιτέλλω.

until she sees me myself. But to you I give these charges.

τὸν ξεῖνον δύστηνον ἄγʼ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρʼ ἂν ἐκεῖθι

Lead the wretched stranger to the city, so that he may beg for his

δαῖτα πτωχεύῃ· δώσει δέ οἱ ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσι

food there; and whoever wishes will give him

πύρνον καὶ κοτύλην· ἐμὲ δʼ οὔ πως ἔστιν ἅπαντας

a crust and a cup. But as for me, it is in no way possible to endure

ἀνθρώπους ἀνέχεσθαι, ἔχοντά περ ἄλγεα θυμῷ·

all men, even though I have griefs in my heart.

ὁ ξεῖνος δʼ εἴ περ μάλα μηνίει, ἄλγιον αὐτῷ

And if the stranger is very angry, it will be the worse for him;

ἔσσεται· ἦ γὰρ ἐμοὶ φίλʼ ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι.

for indeed it is my pleasure to speak the truth."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And resourceful Odysseus answered him and said:

ὦ φίλος, οὐδέ τοι αὐτὸς ἐρύκεσθαι μενεαίνω·

"My friend, I myself have no desire to be kept here.

πτωχῷ βέλτερόν ἐστι κατὰ πτόλιν ἠὲ κατʼ ἀγροὺς

It is better for a beggar to beg for his food in the city than in the fields;

δαῖτα πτωχεύειν· δώσει δέ μοι ὅς κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν.

and whoever wishes will give to me.

οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ σταθμοῖσι μένειν ἔτι τηλίκος εἰμί,

For I am no longer of such an age to remain at the farmsteads,

ὥστʼ ἐπιτειλαμένῳ σημάντορι² πάντα πιθέσθαι.

so as to obey a master in everything who gives me orders.

ἀλλʼ ἔρχευ· ἐμὲ δʼ ἄξει ἀνὴρ ὅδε, τὸν σὺ κελεύεις,

But go on; and this man whom you order will lead me,

αὐτίκʼ ἐπεί κε πυρὸς θερέω³ ἀλέη τε γένηται.

as soon as I have warmed myself at the fire and there is warmth from the sun.

αἰνῶς γὰρ τάδε εἵματʼ ἔχω κακά· μή με δαμάσσῃ

For these clothes I have are terribly poor; I fear the morning frost

στίβη ὑπηοίη· ἕκαθεν δέ τε ἄστυ φάτʼ εἶναι.

may overcome me; and you say the city is far off."

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὰ σταθμοῖο βεβήκει,

So he spoke, and Telemachus went through the farmstead,

κραιπνὰ ποσὶ προβιβάς, κακὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσι φύτευεν.

stepping quickly with his feet, and he was sowing evils for the suitors.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,

But when he reached the well-inhabited house,

ἔγχος μέν ῥʼ ἔστησε φέρων πρὸς κίονα μακρήν,

he carried his spear and set it against a tall pillar,

αὐτὸς δʼ εἴσω ἴεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν.

and he himself went inside and stepped over the stone threshold.

τὸν δὲ πολὺ πρώτη εἶδε τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια,

And far the first to see him was the nurse Eurycleia,

κώεα καστορνῦσα θρόνοις ἔνι δαιδαλέοισι,

as she was spreading fleeces on the finely carved chairs;

δακρύσασα δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἰθὺς κίεν· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρʼ ἄλλαι

and weeping, she then went straight toward him; and around him gathered

δμῳαὶ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠγερέθοντο,

the other handmaids of patient Odysseus,

καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμεναι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους.

and they kissed his head and shoulders, welcoming him.

ἡ δʼ ἴεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,

And wise Penelope came forth from her chamber,

Ἀρτέμιδι ἰκέλη ἠὲ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ,

like Artemis or golden Aphrodite,

ἀμφὶ δὲ παιδὶ φίλῳ βάλε πήχεε δακρύσασα,

and weeping, she threw her arms around her dear son,

κύσσε δέ μιν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ἄμφω φάεα καλά,

and kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes,

καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and wailing, she spoke winged words to him:

ἦλθες, Τηλέμαχε, γλυκερὸν φάος. οὔ σʼ ἔτʼ ἐγώ γε

"You have come, Telemachus, sweet light! I did not think

ὄψεσθαι ἐφάμην, ἐπεὶ ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε

I would ever see you again, after you went in a ship to Pylos,

λάθρη, ἐμεῦ ἀέκητι, φίλου μετὰ πατρὸς ἀκουήν.

secretly, against my will, to seek news of your dear father.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.

But come, tell me how you met with his sight."

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

And wise Telemachus answered her:

μῆτερ ἐμή, μή μοι γόον ὄρνυθι μηδέ μοι ἦτορ

"My mother, do not arouse wailing in me, nor stir the heart

ἐν στήθεσσιν ὄρινε φυγόντι περ αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον·

within my breast, when I have only just escaped sheer destruction.

ἀλλʼ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵμαθʼ ἑλοῦσα,

But wash yourself, take clean clothes for your body,

εἰς ὑπερῷʼ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶν

and going up to your upper chamber with your serving-women,

εὔχεο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας

pray to all the gods that you will sacrifice perfect hecatombs,

ῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.

if Zeus might some day bring about deeds of retribution.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν ἐσελεύσομαι, ὄφρα καλέσσω

But I will go to the assembly place, so that I may summon

ξεῖνον, ὅτις μοι κεῖθεν ἅμʼ ἕσπετο δεῦρο κιόντι.

the stranger who accompanied me here from there as I came.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ προὔπεμψα σὺν ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισι,

Him I sent ahead with my godlike companions,

Πείραιον δέ μιν ἠνώγεα προτὶ οἶκον ἄγοντα

and I bade Peiraeus to take him to his house

ἐνδυκέως φιλέειν καὶ τιέμεν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθω.

and kindly entertain and honor him until I should come."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δʼ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος⁴.

So he spoke, and her word remained unwinged.

ἡ δʼ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροῒ εἵμαθʼ ἑλοῦσα,

And she washed herself, took clean clothes for her body,

εὔχετο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας

pray to all the gods that she would sacrifice perfect hecatombs,

ῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.

if Zeus might some day bring about deeds of retribution.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

And then Telemachus went out through the hall,

ἔγχος ἔχων· ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.

holding his spear; and with him followed two swift hounds.

θεσπεσίην δʼ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατέχευεν Ἀθήνη·

And Athena shed wondrous grace upon him,

τὸν δʼ ἄρα πάντες λαοὶ ἐπερχόμενον θηεῦντο.

and all the people gazed at him as he came.

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἠγερέθοντο

And around him gathered the proud suitors,

ἔσθλʼ ἀγορεύοντες, κακὰ δὲ φρεσὶ βυσσοδόμευον.

speaking fair words, but plotting evils deep in their hearts.

αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν μὲν ἔπειτα ἀλεύατο πουλὺν ὅμιλον,

But he then avoided the great crowd of them,

Syntax notes4 items

§17.6ὄφρα με μήτηρ ὄψεται
The conjunction `ὄφρα` introducing a purpose clause is followed by the future indicative `ὄψεται` (from `ὁράω`) instead of the subjunctive. In Homeric Greek, the future indicative in purpose clauses emphasizes the strong expectation or certainty of the intended result.
§17.21ἐπιτειλαμένῳ σημάντορι
The dative noun `σημάντορι` ("ruler, master") serves as the dative object of the middle/passive infinitive `πιθέσθαι` ("to obey"). The attributive aorist participle `ἐπιτειλαμένῳ` ("who has given commands") modifies `σημάντορι`.
§17.23ἐπεῖ κε πυρὸς θερέω
`ἐπεῖ κε` is equivalent to the Attic `ἐπειδάν` ("whenever, as soon as"), introducing a temporal clause with a future/conditional force. `θερέω` is the uncontracted Homeric form of the aorist subjunctive of `θέρομαι` ("to get warm"). The genitive `πυρός` functions as a genitive of source or means ("by the fire").
§17.57ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος
A formulaic expression consisting of the subject `μῦθος` ("speech, word"), the predicate adjective `ἄπτερος` ("wingless", from alpha-privative and `πτερόν`), and the copula-like verb `ἔπλετο` (aorist of `πέλομαι`, "was, became"). It signifies that her speech did not fly away, meaning she remained silent or speechless.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:17.1-17.67