The Beggar's Request and Antinous's Indignation — Odyssey §17.340-17.407 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

κλινάμενος σταθμῷ κυπαρισσίνῳ, ὅν ποτε τέκτων

He sat down, leaning against the cypress post, which once a carpenter

ξέσσεν ἐπισταμένως καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνεν.

had skillfully planed and made straight by a line.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐπὶ οἷ καλέσας προσέειπε συβώτην,

And Telemachus called the swineherd to him and spoke,

ἄρτον τʼ οὖλον ἑλὼν περικαλλέος ἐκ κανέοιο

taking a whole loaf of bread from the very beautiful basket

καὶ κρέας, ὥς οἱ χεῖρες ἐχάνδανον ἀμφιβαλόντι¹·

and as much meat as his hands could hold as he clasped them:

δὸς τῷ ξείνῳ ταῦτα φέρων αὐτόν τε κέλευε

'Take and give these to the stranger, and bid him

αἰτίζειν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·

go about and beg of all the suitors in turn;

αἰδὼς δʼ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ κεχρημένῳ ἀνδρὶ παρεῖναι.

for shame is no good companion for a man in need.'

ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσεν,

So he spoke, and the swineherd went when he had heard the words,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευε·

and standing near, he spoke winged words:

Τηλέμαχός τοι, ξεῖνε, διδοῖ τάδε, καί σε κελεύει

'Telemachus, stranger, gives you these, and bids you

αἰτίζειν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·

go about and beg of all the suitors in turn;

αἰδῶ δʼ οὐκ ἀγαθήν φησʼ ἔμμεναι ἀνδρὶ προΐκτῃ.

and he says that shame is no good thing for a beggar.'

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then much-scheming Odysseus answered him:

Ζεῦ ἄνα, Τηλέμαχόν μοι ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιον εἶναι²,

'King Zeus, grant that Telemachus may be happy among men,

καί οἱ πάντα γένοιθʼ ὅσσα φρεσὶν ᾗσι μενοινᾷ.

and may all things be fulfilled for him, whatever he desires in his heart.'

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ἐδέξατο καὶ κατέθηκεν

He spoke, and received it with both hands, and laid it

αὖθι ποδῶν προπάροιθεν, ἀεικελίης ἐπὶ πήρης,

down there before his feet, upon his miserable bag,

ἤσθιε δʼ ἧος ἀοιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄειδεν·

and he ate as long as the singer sang in the halls.

εὖθʼ ὁ δεδειπνήκειν³, ὁ δʼ ἐπαύετο θεῖος ἀοιδός.

But when he had finished his meal, the divine singer ceased.

μνηστῆρες δʼ ὁμάδησαν ἀνὰ μέγαρʼ. αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη,

And the suitors made a clamor throughout the halls. But Athena,

ἄγχι παρισταμένη Λαερτιάδην Ὀδυσῆα

standing near Odysseus, son of Laertes,

ὤτρυνʼ, ὡς ἂν πύρνα κατὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγείροι,

urged him to gather crusts of bread among the suitors,

γνοίη θʼ οἵ τινές εἰσιν ἐναίσιμοι οἵ τʼ ἀθέμιστοι·

that he might know who were righteous and who lawless;

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὥς⁴ τινʼ ἔμελλʼ ἀπαλεξήσειν κακότητος.

yet even so she was not minded to save any of them from destruction.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν αἰτήσων ἐνδέξια φῶτα ἕκαστον,

And he went to beg of each man from right to left,

πάντοσε χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων, ὡς εἰ πτωχὸς πάλαι εἴη.

stretching out his hand on every side, as if he had been a beggar of old.

οἱ δʼ ἐλεαίροντες δίδοσαν, καὶ ἐθάμβεον αὐτόν,

And they, pitying him, gave, and were amazed at him,

ἀλλήλους τʼ εἴροντο τίς εἴη καὶ πόθεν ἔλθοι.

and asked one another who he was and whence he came.

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·

Then Melanthius, the goatherd, also spoke among them:

κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης,

'Hear me, suitors of the glorious queen,

τοῦδε περὶ ξείνου· ἦ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν ὄπωπα.

concerning this stranger; for indeed I have seen him before.

ἦ τοι μέν οἱ δεῦρο συβώτης ἡγεμόνευεν,

Truly the swineherd was guiding him hither,

αὐτὸν δʼ οὐ σάφα οἶδα, πόθεν γένος εὔχεται εἶναι.

but of the man himself I do not know for certain of what lineage he claims to be.'

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἔπεσιν νείκεσσε συβώτην·

So he spoke, and Antinous rated the swineherd with harsh words:

ὦ ἀρίγνωτε συβῶτα, τίη δὲ σὺ τόνδε πόλινδε

'O notorious swineherd, why did you bring this man to the city?

ἤγαγες; ἦ οὐχ ἅλις ἧμιν ἀλήμονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι,

Is it not enough for us that there are other wanderers,

πτωχοὶ ἀνιηροί, δαιτῶν ἀπολυμαντῆρες;

wretched beggars, spoilers of the feasts?

ἦ ὄνοσαι ὅτι⁵ τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν ἄνακτος

Do you make light of the fact that they gather here and devour the substance of your master,

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, σὺ δὲ καὶ προτὶ τόνδʼ ἐκάλεσσας;

and did you also invite this man besides?'

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·

And answering him, you addressed him, O swineherd Eumaeus:

Ἀντίνοʼ, οὐ μὲν καλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν ἀγορεύεις·

'Antinous, you do not speak well, noble though you are.

τίς γὰρ δὴ ξεῖνον καλεῖ ἄλλοθεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν

For who indeed ever goes and calls a stranger from elsewhere on his own initiative,

ἄλλον γʼ⁶, εἰ μὴ τῶν οἳ δημιοεργοὶ ἔασι,

unless it be one of those who are public servants,

μάντιν ἢ ἰητῆρα κακῶν ἢ τέκτονα δούρων,

a prophet, or a healer of ills, or a builder of spears,

ἢ καὶ θέσπιν ἀοιδόν, ὅ κεν τέρπῃσιν ἀείδων;

or even a divine singer, who may give delight by his singing?

οὗτοι γὰρ κλητοί γε βροτῶν ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν·

For these are invited by mortals over the limitless earth;

πτωχὸν δʼ οὐκ ἄν τις καλέοι τρύξοντα ἓ αὐτόν.

but a beggar no one would call, to consume his own substance.

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ χαλεπὸς περὶ πάντων εἶς μνηστήρων

But you are always harsh beyond all the suitors

δμωσὶν Ὀδυσσῆος, πέρι δʼ αὖτʼ ἐμοί· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε

to the servants of Odysseus, and especially to me; yet I

οὐκ ἀλέγω, ἧός μοι ἐχέφρων Πηνελόπεια

do not care, as long as wise Penelope

ζώει ἐνὶ μεγάροις καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής.

lives in the palace, and godlike Telemachus.'

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then wise Telemachus spoke to him in answer:

σίγα, μή μοι τοῦτον ἀμείβεο πολλὰ ἔπεσσιν·

'Be silent, do not answer him with many words.

Ἀντίνοος δʼ εἴωθε κακῶς ἐρεθιζέμεν αἰεὶ

For Antinous is accustomed always to provoke harshly

μύθοισιν χαλεποῖσιν, ἐποτρύνει δὲ καὶ ἄλλους.

with bitter words, and he urges on the others too.'

ἦ ῥα καὶ Ἀντίνοον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

He spoke, and addressed Antinous with winged words:

Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ μευ καλὰ πατὴρ ὣς κήδεαι υἷος,

'Antinous, truly you care for me well, as a father for his son,

ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωγας ἀπὸ μεγάροιο διέσθαι

you who bid me drive the stranger from the hall

μύθῳ ἀναγκαίῳ· μὴ τοῦτο θεὸς τελέσειε.

with a word of compulsion; may God not bring this to pass.

δός οἱ ἑλών· οὔ τοι φθονέω· κέλομαι γὰρ ἐγώ γε·

Take and give to him; I do not grudge it; indeed I bid you.

μήτʼ οὖν μητέρʼ ἐμὴν ἅζευ τό γε μήτε τινʼ ἄλλον

Have no fear of my mother in this, nor of any other

δμώων, οἳ κατὰ δώματʼ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.

of the servants who are in the house of divine Odysseus.

ἀλλʼ οὔ τοι τοιοῦτον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα·

But indeed no such thought is in your breast;

αὐτὸς γὰρ φαγέμεν πολὺ βούλεαι ἢ δόμεν ἄλλῳ.

for you yourself desire far more to eat than to give to another.'

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέειπε·

And Antinous answered him, saying:

Τηλέμαχʼ ὑψαγόρη, μένος ἄσχετε, ποῖον ἔειπες.

'Telemachus, boastful speaker, of unrestrained rage, what a thing you have said!

εἴ οἱ τόσσον ἅπαντες ὀρέξειαν μνηστῆρες,

If all the suitors should offer him as much,'

Syntax notes6 items

§17.344ὥς οἱ χεῖρες ἐχάνδανον ἀμφιβαλόντι
A clause introduced by the relative adverb `ὡς` ('as much as'). The dative participle `ἀμφιβαλόντι` agrees with the dative pronoun `οἱ` (referring to Eumaeus) within the relative clause. It means 'as much as his (Eumaeus') hands could hold when throwing them around (the meat)', expressing the quantity of meat he could grasp with both hands.
§17.354Τηλέμαχόν μοι ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιον εἶναι
An 'infinitive of wish' where the infinitive `εἶναι` expresses a prayer to the gods in an independent clause. The accusative `Τηλέμαχον` acts as the subject of the infinitive. The dative `μοι` functions as an ethical dative (expressing 'for me' or a pleading nuance of 'I pray').
§17.359εὖθʼ ὁ δεδειπνήκειν
A clause introduced by the conjunction `εὖτε` ('when'). The verb `δεδειπνήκειν` is the third-person singular of the pluperfect active in the Ionic/epic form (usually ending in `-ει`). In epic poetry, the pluperfect is frequently used instead of the aorist or imperfect to express a completed action in past time ('when he had finished dining').
§17.364ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὥς
The adverb `ὡς` with an accent is demonstrative, meaning 'thus' or 'so'. Combined with the negative, `οὐδʼ ὥς` expresses a strong concessive negation, 'not even so' or 'nevertheless... not'. The omitted subject of the sentence is the goddess Athena (`Ἀθήνη`) mentioned in line 360.
§17.378ἦ ὄνοσαι ὅτι
A rhetorical or ironic question introduced by the interrogative particle `ἦ`. `ὄνοσαι` is the second-person singular present of `ὄνομαι` ('to find fault with', 'to make light of'). The object of dissatisfaction is presented by the `ὅτι` clause ('that they devour...'). It forms a paradoxical accusation: 'Is it because you grudge that they devour your master's substance that you have invited this man too?'
§17.382ἄλλον γʼ
The interpretation of `ἄλλον` with the restrictive particle `γε`. It either pleonastically emphasizes `ξεῖνον` ('any other stranger', i.e., someone who is not a craftsman), or carries an altruistic nuance ('a stranger for someone else', meaning inviting a stranger who is of no benefit to oneself).

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:17.340-17.407