Reproach of Antinous and Penelope Summoning the Stranger — Odyssey §17.473-17.541 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

αὐτὰρ ἔμʼ Ἀντίνοος βάλε γαστέρος εἵνεκα λυγρῆς,

'But Antinous struck me because of my wretched belly,

οὐλομένης, ἣ πολλὰ κάκʼ ἀνθρώποισι δίδωσιν.

accursed, which gives many evils to men.

ἀλλʼ εἴ που πτωχῶν γε θεοὶ καὶ Ἐρινύες εἰσίν,

But if indeed there are gods and Furies of beggars,

Ἀντίνοον πρὸ γάμοιο τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη¹.

may the end of death overtake Antinous before his marriage.'

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

To him in turn Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spoke:

ἔσθιʼ ἕκηλος, ξεῖνε, καθήμενος, ἢ ἄπιθʼ ἄλλῃ,

'Eat in quiet, stranger, sitting down, or go elsewhere,

μή σε νέοι διὰ δώματʼ ἐρύσσωσʼ, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις,

lest the young men drag you through the house because of what you say,

ἢ ποδὸς ἢ καὶ χειρός, ἀποδρύψωσι δὲ πάντα.

either by foot or by hand, and tear off all your skin.'

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως νεμέσησαν·

So he spoke, and they were all exceedingly indignant;

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·

and thus would one of the arrogant young men say:

Ἀντίνοʼ, οὐ μὲν κάλʼ ἔβαλες δύστηνον ἀλήτην,

'Antinous, you did not do well to strike the wretched wanderer,

οὐλόμενʼ, εἰ δή πού τις ἐπουράνιος θεός ἐστιν.

doomed man, if indeed there is some heavenly god.

καί τε θεοὶ ξείνοισιν ἐοικότες ἀλλοδαποῖσι,

And the gods, looking like strangers from foreign lands,

παντοῖοι τελέθοντες, ἐπιστρωφῶσι πόληας,

taking all kinds of shapes, go about the cities,

ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν τε καὶ εὐνομίην ἐφορῶντες.

watching the insolence and the lawfulness of men.'

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν μνηστῆρες, ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο μύθων.

So indeed spoke the suitors, but he did not care for their words.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐν μὲν κραδίῃ μέγα πένθος ἄεξε

And Telemachus in his heart nourished great grief

βλημένου, οὐδʼ ἄρα δάκρυ χαμαὶ βάλεν ἐκ βλεφάροιϊν,

for the one struck, yet he did not drop a tear from his eyelids to the ground,

ἀλλʼ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.

but in silence shook his head, planning evil in the deep of his heart.

τοῦ δʼ ὡς οὖν ἤκουσε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια

When wise Penelope heard of him

βλημένου ἐν μεγάρῳ, μετʼ ἄρα δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·

being struck in the hall, she spoke among her handmaids:

αἴθʼ οὕτως αὐτόν σε βάλοι κλυτότοξος Ἀπόλλων.

'Would that the famous archer Apollo might so strike you yourself.'

τὴν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρυνόμη ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·

To her in turn the housekeeper Eurynome spoke:

εἰ γὰρ ἐπʼ ἀρῇσιν τέλος ἡμετέρῃσι γένοιτο·

'If only fulfillment might come to our prayers!

οὐκ ἄν τις τούτων γε ἐΰθρονον Ἠῶ ἵκοιτο.

Then not one of these men would reach the beautiful-throned Dawn.'

τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

To her in turn wise Penelope spoke:

μαῖʼ, ἐχθροὶ μὲν πάντες, ἐπεὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται·

'Nurse, they are all enemies, since they devise evil;

Ἀντίνοος δὲ μάλιστα μελαίνῃ κηρὶ ἔοικε.

but Antinous especially is like black death.

ξεῖνός τις δύστηνος ἀλητεύει κατὰ δῶμα

A wretched stranger wanders through the house,

ἀνέρας αἰτίζων· ἀχρημοσύνη γὰρ ἀνώγει·

begging of the men; for need impels him.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐνέπλησάν τʼ ἔδοσάν τε,

There all the others filled his bag and gave,

οὗτος δὲ θρήνυι πρυμνὸν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον.

but this man struck his right shoulder at the base with a footstool.'

ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἀγόρευε μετὰ δμῳῇσι γυναιξίν,

She indeed spoke thus among her handmaid women,

ἡμένη ἐν θαλάμῳ· ὁ δʼ ἐδείπνεε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

sitting in her chamber; but noble Odysseus was dining.

ἡ δʼ ἐπὶ οἷ καλέσασα προσηύδα δῖον ὑφορβόν·

And she, having called the noble swineherd to her, addressed him:

ἔρχεο, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, κιὼν τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωχθι

'Go, noble Eumaeus, go and bid the stranger to come,

ἐλθέμεν, ὄφρα τί μιν προσπτύξομαι ἠδʼ ἐρέωμαι

so that I may welcome him and ask him

εἴ που Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠὲ πέπυσται

if perchance he has heard of stout-hearted Odysseus or seen him with his eyes; for he seems like one who has wandered much.'

ἢ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι· πολυπλάγκτῳ γὰρ ἔοικε.

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα²

To her answering you did speak, Eumaeus, swineherd:

εἰ γάρ τοι, βασίλεια, σιωπήσειαν Ἀχαιοί·

'If indeed, O Queen, the Achaeans would be silent!

οἷʼ ὅ γε μυθεῖται, θέλγοιτό κέ τοι φίλον ἦτορ.

Such things as he tells, your dear heart would be charmed.

τρεῖς γὰρ δή μιν νύκτας ἔχον, τρία δʼ ἤματʼ ἔρυξα

For three nights I held him, and for three days I kept him

ἐν κλισίῃ· πρῶτον γὰρ ἔμʼ ἵκετο νηὸς ἀποδράς·

in my hut—for first to me he came, having fled from a ship—

ἀλλʼ οὔ πω κακότητα διήνυσεν ἣν ἀγορεύων.

but not yet has he finished telling of his woes.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀοιδὸν ἀνὴρ ποτιδέρκεται, ὅς τε θεῶν ἒξ

And as when a man looks upon a singer, who sings

ἀείδει δεδαὼς ἔπεʼ ἱμερόεντα βροτοῖσι,

delightful words to mortals, having learned from the gods,

τοῦ δʼ ἄμοτον μεμάασιν ἀκουέμεν, ὁππότʼ ἀείδῃ·

and they desire to listen to him without ceasing whenever he sings,

ὣς ἐμὲ κεῖνος ἔθελγε παρήμενος ἐν μεγάροισι.

so he charmed me as he sat by me in the halls.

φησὶ δʼ Ὀδυσσῆος ξεῖνος πατρώϊος εἶναι,

He claims to be a guest-friend of Odysseus' father,

Κρήτῃ ναιετάων, ὅθι Μίνωος γένος ἐστίν.

living in Crete, where the race of Minos is.

ἔνθεν δὴ νῦν δεῦρο τόδʼ ἵκετο πήματα πάσχων,

Thence indeed he has now come hither, suffering woes,

προπροκυλινδόμενος· στεῦται³ δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀκοῦσαι,

rolling forward and forward; and he asserts he has heard of Odysseus

ἀγχοῦ, Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,

near at hand, in the rich country of the Thesprotians,

ζωοῦ· πολλὰ δʼ ἄγει κειμήλια ὅνδε δόμονδε.

alive; and he is bringing many treasures to his own home.'

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

To him in turn wise Penelope spoke:

ἔρχεο, δεῦρο κάλεσσον, ἵνʼ ἀντίον αὐτὸς ἐνίσπῃ.

'Go, call him hither, so that he himself may speak face to face.

οὗτοι δʼ ἠὲ θύρῃσι καθήμενοι ἑψιαάσθων.

And let these men play, either sitting at the doors

ἢ αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματʼ, ἐπεί σφισι θυμὸς ἐΰφρων.

or here in the house, since their heart is cheerful.

αὐτῶν μὲν γὰρ κτήματʼ ἀκήρατα κεῖτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

For their own possessions lie undamaged in their houses,

σῖτος καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ· τὰ μὲν οἰκῆες ἔδουσιν,

bread and sweet wine; their servants eat those,

οἱ δʼ εἰς ἡμέτερον πωλεύμενοι ἤματα πάντα,

while they themselves, coming to our house day after day,

βοῦς ἱερεύοντες καὶ ὄϊς καὶ πίονας αἶγας,

slaughtering oxen and sheep and fat goats,

εἰλαπινάζουσιν πίνουσί τε αἴθοπα οἶνον,

feast and drink sparkling wine,

μαψιδίως· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ κατάνεται. οὐ γὰρ ἔπʼ ἀνήρ,

recklessly; and much is wasted. For there is no man present,

οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν, ἀρὴν ἀπὸ οἴκου ἀμῦναι.

such as Odysseus was, to ward off ruin from the house.

εἰ δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔλθοι καὶ ἵκοιτʼ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

But if Odysseus should come and reach his native land,

αἶψά κε σὺν ᾧ παιδὶ βίας ἀποτίσεται ἀνδρῶν.

soon with his son he would take vengeance on the violence of the men.'

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ μέγʼ ἔπταρεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ δῶμα

So she spoke, and Telemachus sneezed loudly, and around the house...

Syntax notes3 items

§17.476κιχείη
An optative of wish used without introductory particles (like εἴθε or εἰ γάρ) in an independent clause, expressing a curse or strong prayer that death may overtake Antinous before his wedding.
§17.512προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα
The narrator directly addresses the character Eumaeus in the second person (apostrophe). This is a distinctive stylistic feature of the Odyssey, highlighting the narrator's intimacy with and respect for the loyal swineherd.
§17.525στεῦται
With the infinitive ἀκοῦσαι, this verb means 'he asserts', 'he claims', or 'he pledges'. It indicates that the wanderer confidently declares that he has heard of Odysseus.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:17.473-17.541