Penelope Rebukes the Suitors and Solicits Gifts — Odyssey §18.213-18.283 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

πάντες δʼ ἠρήσαντο παραὶ λεχέεσσι κλιθῆναι.

And they all prayed to lie beside her in bed.

ἡ δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχον προσεφώνεεν, ὃν φίλον υἱόν·

And she in turn addressed Telemachus, her dear son:

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὐκέτι τοι φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὐδὲ νόημα·

"Telemachus, your mind is no longer steadfast, nor your understanding.

παῖς ἔτʼ ἐὼν καὶ μᾶλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ κέρδεʼ ἐνώμας·

While you were still a child, you did indeed revolve better thoughts in your mind;

νῦν δʼ, ὅτε δὴ μέγας ἐσσὶ καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἱκάνεις,

but now, when you are grown great and have reached the measure of manhood,

καί κέν τις φαίη γόνον ἔμμεναι ὀλβίου ἀνδρός,

and anyone might say you are the offspring of a prosperous man,

ἐς μέγεθος καὶ κάλλος ὁρώμενος, ἀλλότριος φώς¹,

looking at your stature and beauty, even a stranger,

οὐκέτι τοι φρένες εἰσὶν ἐναίσιμοι οὐδὲ νόημα.

your mind is no longer fitting, nor your understanding.

οἷον δὴ τόδε ἔργον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐτύχθη,

What a deed is this that has been done in our halls,

ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἔασας² ἀεικισθήμεναι οὕτως.

in that you have allowed the stranger to be treated with such outrage!

πῶς νῦν, εἴ τι ξεῖνος ἐν ἡμετέροισι δόμοισιν

How now, if some stranger sitting in our house

ἥμενος ὧδε πάθοι ῥυστακτύος ἐξ ἀλεγεινῆς;

should suffer thus from grievous handling?

σοί κʼ αἶσχος λώβη τε μετʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλοιτο.

On you would fall shame and disgrace among men."

τὴν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then wise Telemachus answered her in turn:

μῆτερ ἐμή, τὸ μὲν οὔ σε νεμεσσῶμαι κεχολῶσθαι·

"My mother, I do not resent your being angry at this.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ θυμῷ νοέω καὶ οἶδα ἕκαστα,

Yet I do mark and know each thing in my heart,

ἐσθλά τε καὶ τὰ χέρεια· πάρος δʼ ἔτι νήπιος ἦα.

both the good and the bad; but before I was still a child.

ἀλλά τοι οὐ δύναμαι πεπνυμένα πάντα νοῆσαι·

But I cannot yet think of all things wisely,

ἐκ γάρ με πλήσσουσι παρήμενοι ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος

for these men, sitting about me, one from this side and one from that, distract me

οἵδε κακὰ φρονέοντες, ἐμοὶ δʼ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀρωγοί.

with their evil thoughts, and I have no helpers.

οὐ μέν τοι ξείνου γε καὶ Ἴρου μῶλος ἐτύχθη

Yet, I tell you, the battle between the stranger and Irus did not turn out

μνηστήρων ἰότητι, βίῃ δʼ ὅ γε φέρτερος ἦεν.

according to the mind of the suitors, but he was the better in strength.

αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον,

Would that, O father Zeus, and Athena, and Apollo,

οὕτω νῦν μνηστῆρες ἐν ἡμετέροισι δόμοισι

even so now the suitors in our house

νεύοιεν κεφαλὰς δεδμημένοι, οἱ μὲν ἐν αὐλῇ,

might hang their heads, vanquished, some in the courtyard

οἱ δʼ ἔντοσθε δόμοιο, λελῦτο δὲ γυῖα ἑκάστου,

and some within the house, and the limbs of each were loosened,

ὡς νῦν Ἶρος κεῖνος ἐπʼ αὐλείῃσι θύρῃσιν

even as that Irus now at the courtyard gates

ἧσται νευστάζων κεφαλῇ, μεθύοντι ἐοικώς,

sits nodding his head, like a drunken man,

οὐδʼ ὀρθὸς στῆναι δύναται ποσὶν οὐδὲ νέεσθαι

and cannot stand upright on his feet or go

οἴκαδʼ, ὅπη οἱ νόστος, ἐπεὶ φίλα γυῖα λέλυνται.

home, wherever his home may be, because his limbs are loosened."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·

Thus they spoke to one another.

Εὐρύμαχος δʼ ἐπέεσσι προσηύδα Πηνελόπειαν·

But Eurymachus addressed Penelope with words:

κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρον Πηνελόπεια,

"Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope,

εἰ πάντες σε ἴδοιεν ἀνʼ Ἴασον Ἄργος Ἀχαιοί,

if all the Achaeans in Iasian Argos could see you,

πλέονές κε μνηστῆρες ἐν ὑμετέροισι δόμοισιν

yet more suitors would be feasting in your halls

ἠῶθεν δαινύατʼ, ἐπεὶ περίεσσι γυναικῶν

from tomorrow's dawn, since you excel all women

εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε ἰδὲ φρένας ἔνδον ἐΐσας.

in beauty and stature and the balanced mind within."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

Then wise Penelope answered him:

Εὐρύμαχʼ, ἦ τοι ἐμὴν ἀρετὴν εἶδός τε δέμας τε

"Eurymachus, surely my excellence and beauty and form

ὤλεσαν ἀθάνατοι, ὅτε Ἴλιον εἰσανέβαινον

the immortals destroyed, when the Argives embarked for Ilium,

Ἀργεῖοι, μετὰ τοῖσι δʼ ἐμὸς πόσις ᾖεν Ὀδυσσεύς.

and with them went my husband Odysseus.

εἰ κεῖνός γʼ ἐλθὼν τὸν ἐμὸν βίον ἀμφιπολεύοι,

If he were to return and care for my life,

μεῖζόν κε κλέος εἴη ἐμὸν καὶ κάλλιον οὕτως.

so would my fame be greater and fairer.

νῦν δʼ ἄχομαι· τόσα γάρ μοι ἐπέσσευεν κακὰ δαίμων.

But now I grieve, so many evils has a god sent upon me.

ἦ μὲν δὴ ὅτε τʼ ᾖε λιπὼν κάτα πατρίδα γαῖαν,

Indeed, when he went away, leaving his native land,

δεξιτερὴν ἐπὶ καρπῷ ἑλὼν ἐμὲ χεῖρα προσηύδα·

he took me by the wrist of my right hand and spoke to me:

ὦ γύναι, οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιοὺς

'Wife, I do not think the well-greaved Achaeans

ἐκ Τροίης εὖ πάντας ἀπήμονας ἀπονέεσθαι·

will all return safely and unharmed from Troy;

καὶ γὰρ Τρῶάς φασι μαχητὰς ἔμμεναι ἄνδρας,

for they say the Trojans are warlike men,

ἠμὲν ἀκοντιστὰς ἠδὲ ῥυτῆρας ὀϊστῶν

both throwers of the spear and drawers of arrows,

ἵππων τʼ ὠκυπόδων ἐπιβήτορας, οἵ κε τάχιστα

and riders on swift-footed horses, who would most quickly

ἔκριναν μέγα νεῖκος ὁμοιΐου πολέμοιο.

decide the great strife of equal war.

τῷ οὐκ οἶδʼ ἤ κέν μʼ ἀνέσει θεός, ἦ κεν ἁλώω

Therefore I know not whether the god will bring me back, or whether I shall be taken

αὐτοῦ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ· σοὶ δʼ ἐνθάδε πάντα μελόντων.

there in Troy; but let all things here be your care.

μεμνῆσθαι³ πατρὸς καὶ μητέρος ἐν μεγάροισιν

Remember my father and my mother in our halls

ὡς νῦν, ἢ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἐμεῦ ἀπονόσφιν ἐόντος·

even as now, or yet more when I am far away.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ παῖδα γενειήσαντα ἴδηαι,

But when you see our son with a beard,

γήμασθʼ ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα, τεὸν κατὰ δῶμα λιποῦσα.

marry whomsoever you will, and leave your house.'

κεῖνος τὼς ἀγόρευε· τὰ δὴ νῦν πάντα τελεῖται.

So he spoke, and now all this is being fulfilled.

νὺξ δʼ ἔσται ὅτε δὴ στυγερὸς γάμος ἀντιβολήσει

And the night will come when a hateful marriage shall meet

οὐλομένης ἐμέθεν, τῆς τε Ζεὺς ὄλβον ἀπηύρα.

unhappy me, whose happiness Zeus has taken away.

ἀλλὰ τόδʼ αἰνὸν ἄχος κραδίην καὶ θυμὸν ἱκάνει·

But this dread grief comes upon my heart and soul:

μνηστήρων οὐχ ἥδε δίκη τὸ πάροιθε τέτυκτο·

the custom of suitors was not like this in times past;

οἵ τʼ ἀγαθήν τε γυναῖκα καὶ ἀφνειοῖο θύγατρα

those who wish to woo a noble lady and the daughter of a rich man

μνηστεύειν ἐθέλωσι καὶ ἀλλήλοις ἐρίσωσιν,

and rival one another,

αὐτοὶ τοί γʼ ἀπάγουσι βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα,

themselves bring cattle and fat sheep,

κούρης δαῖτα φίλοισι, καὶ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα διδοῦσιν·

a feast for the maiden's friends, and give splendid gifts;

ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀλλότριον βίοτον νήποινον ἔδουσιν.

but they do not devour another's livelihood without paying."

ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

So she spoke, and much-enduring noble Odysseus was glad,

οὕνεκα τῶν μὲν δῶρα παρέλκετο⁴, θέλγε δὲ θυμὸν

because she drew gifts from them and charmed their hearts

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι, νόος δέ οἱ ἄλλα μενοίνα.

with gentle words, but her mind was set on other things.

Syntax notes4 items

§18.219ἀλλότριος φώς
A nominative noun phrase meaning "a stranger." It functions as the subject of the potential optative `φαίη` (might say) in line 218. Although separated in word order, it expresses that even a passing observer, seeing Telemachus' stature and beauty, would pronounce him the offspring of a prosperous man.
§18.222ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἔασας
The relative pronoun `ὅς` is followed by the second-person singular verb `ἔασας` (you allowed), referring back to Telemachus. The relative clause functions causally or circumstantially, expressing Penelope's indignation at his actions: "you who allowed..." or "in that you allowed..."
§18.267μεμνῆσθαι
The infinitive `μεμνῆσθαι` (to remember) is used in place of an imperative (Infinitive for Imperative). It continues the series of instructions from Odysseus to Penelope following the imperative `μελόντων` (let they be your care) in line 266.
§18.282τῶν μὲν δῶρα παρέλκετο
The genitive pronoun `τῶν` (the suitors) is used with the verb `παρέλκετο` (she drew / coaxed) as a genitive of separation (or source), meaning she was coaxing or drawing gifts "from them."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:18.213-18.283