Odysseus Defeats Irus and Warns Amphinomus — Odyssey §18.72-18.139 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

And thus would one speak, looking at his neighbor:

ἦ τάχα Ἶρος Ἄϊρος¹ ἐπίσπαστον κακὸν ἕξει,

'Indeed, soon Irus, no longer Irus, will have a self-brought evil,

οἵην ἐκ ῥακέων ὁ γέρων ἐπιγουνίδα φαίνει.

seeing what a thigh the old man shows from his rags.'

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν, Ἴρῳ δὲ κακῶς ὠρίνετο θυμός.

So they spoke, and the spirit of Irus was miserably troubled.

ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς δρηστῆρες ἄγον ζώσαντες ἀνάγκῃ

But even so the servants girded him and led him by force,

δειδιότα· σάρκες δὲ περιτρομέοντο μέλεσσιν.

terrified as he was; and his flesh trembled on his limbs.

Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

And Antinous rebuked him, and spoke, and addressed him:

νῦν μὲν μήτʼ εἴης, βουγάϊε, μήτε γένοιο²,

'Now, you big brag, may you neither live nor have been born,

εἰ δὴ τοῦτόν γε τρομέεις καὶ δείδιας αἰνῶς,

if indeed you tremble before this man and fear him so terribly,

ἄνδρα γέροντα, δύῃ ἀρημένον, ἥ μιν ἱκάνει.

an old man, worn out with the distress that has come upon him.

ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·

But I tell you plainly, and this shall indeed be accomplished:

αἴ κέν σʼ οὗτος νικήσῃ κρείσσων τε γένηται,

if this fellow wins and proves the better man,

πέμψω σʼ ἤπειρόνδε, βαλὼν ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ,

I will cast you into a black ship and send you to the mainland,

εἰς Ἔχετον βασιλῆα, βροτῶν δηλήμονα πάντων,

to King Echetus, the maimer of all mankind,

ὅς κʼ ἀπὸ ῥῖνα τάμῃσι καὶ οὔατα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ,

who will cut off your nose and ears with the pitiless bronze,

μήδεά τʼ ἐξερύσας δώῃ κυσὶν ὠμὰ δάσασθαι.

and dragging out your manhood will give it raw to the dogs to tear.'

ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τρόμος ἔλλαβε γυῖα.

So he spoke, and yet greater trembling seized Irus' limbs.

ἐς μέσσον δʼ ἄναγον· τὼ δʼ ἄμφω χεῖρας ἀνέσχον.

And they led them into the midst, and both raised their hands.

δὴ τότε μερμήριξε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

Then indeed much-enduring noble Odysseus debated

ἢ ἐλάσειʼ ὥς μιν ψυχὴ λίποι αὖθι πεσόντα,

whether he should strike him so that life should leave him as he fell there,

ἦέ³ μιν ἦκʼ ἐλάσειε τανύσσειέν τʼ ἐπὶ γαίῃ.

or strike him lightly and stretch him upon the earth.

ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,

And as he thought, this seemed to him the better way,

ἦκʼ ἐλάσαι, ἵνα μή μιν ἐπιφρασσαίατʼ Ἀχαιοί.

to strike him lightly, lest the Achaeans should take note of him.

δὴ τότʼ ἀνασχομένω ὁ μὲν ἤλασε δεξιὸν ὦμον

Then, when they raised their hands, Irus struck him on the right shoulder,

Ἶρος, ὁ δʼ αὐχένʼ ἔλασσεν ὑπʼ οὔατος, ὀστέα δʼ εἴσω

but Odysseus smote Irus on the neck beneath the ear, and crushed the bones within;

ἔθλασεν· αὐτίκα δʼ ἦλθε κατὰ στόμα φοίνιον αἷμα,

and straightway red blood came from his mouth,

κὰδ δʼ ἔπεσʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μακών, σὺν δʼ ἤλασʼ ὀδόντας

and with a moan he fell down in the dust, and gnashed his teeth together,

λακτίζων ποσὶ γαῖαν· ἀτὰρ μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοὶ

kicking the ground with his feet; and the proud suitors

χεῖρας ἀνασχόμενοι γέλῳ ἔκθανον. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

raised their hands and died of laughter. But Odysseus

ἕλκε διὲκ προθύροιο λαβὼν ποδός, ὄφρʼ ἵκετʼ αὐλήν,

dragged him through the doorway by the foot, until he came to the courtyard

αἰθούσης τε θύρας· καί μιν ποτὶ ἑρκίον αὐλῆς

and the gate of the portico; and he set him down leaning against the courtyard wall,

εἷσεν ἀνακλίνας· σκῆπτρον δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε χειρί,

and put his staff into his hand,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and speaking, he addressed him with winged words:

ἐνταυθοῖ νῦν ἧσο σύας τε κύνας τʼ ἀπερύκων,

'Sit there now, and keep off the pigs and dogs,

μηδὲ σύ γε ξείνων καὶ πτωχῶν κοίρανος εἶναι

and do not be the lord of strangers and beggars,

λυγρὸς ἐών, μή πού τι κακὸν καὶ μεῖζον ἐπαύρῃ.

wretched as you are, lest perhaps you reap some even worse evil.'

ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισιν ἀεικέα βάλλετο πήρην,

He spoke, and threw about his shoulders his mean pouch,

πυκνὰ ῥωγαλέην· ἐν δὲ στρόφος ἦεν ἀορτήρ.

full of holes, and on it was a twisted cord for a hanger.

ἂψ δʼ ὅ γʼ ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο· τοὶ δʼ ἴσαν εἴσω

And back he went to the threshold and sat down; but they went within,

ἡδὺ γελώοντες καὶ δεικανόωντʼ ἐπέεσσι·

laughing merrily, and greeted him with words:

Ζεύς τοι δοίη, ξεῖνε, καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι,

'May Zeus grant you, stranger, and the other immortal gods,

ὅττι μάλιστʼ ἐθέλεις καί τοι φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ,

whatever you most desire and is dear to your heart,

ὃς τοῦτον τὸν ἄναλτον ἀλητεύειν ἀπέπαυσας

since you have made this insatiable fellow cease from begging

ἐν δήμῳ· τάχα γάρ μιν ἀνάξομεν ἤπειρόνδε

in the land; for soon we will take him to the mainland,

εἰς Ἔχετον βασιλῆα, βροτῶν δηλήμονα πάντων.

to King Echetus, the maimer of all mankind.'

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν, χαῖρεν δὲ κλεηδόνι δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

So they spoke, and noble Odysseus was glad of the omen.

Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἄρα οἱ μεγάλην παρὰ γαστέρα θῆκεν,

And Antinous set beside him a great belly,

ἐμπλείην κνίσης τε καὶ αἵματος· Ἀμφίνομος δὲ

full of fat and blood; and Amphinomus

ἄρτους ἐκ κανέοιο δύω παρέθηκεν ἀείρας

took up two loaves from the basket and set them beside him,

καὶ δέπαϊ χρυσέῳ δειδίσκετο, φώνησέν τε·

and pledged him in a golden cup, and said:

χαῖρε, πάτερ ὦ ξεῖνε, γένοιτό τοι ἔς περ ὀπίσσω

'Hail, father stranger, may prosperity be yours in time to come;

ὄλβος· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε κακοῖς ἔχεαι πολέεσσι.

but now indeed you are held by many evils.'

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then, answering him, wise Odysseus said:

Ἀμφίνομʼ, ἦ μάλα μοι δοκέεις πεπνυμένος εἶναι·

'Amphinomus, truly you seem to me to be prudent;

τοίου γὰρ καὶ πατρός, ἐπεὶ κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἄκουον,

for of such a father is your birth, since I used to hear his noble fame,

Νῖσον Δουλιχιῆα ἐΰν τʼ ἔμεν ἀφνειόν τε·

Nisus of Dulichium, that he was both brave and wealthy.

τοῦ σʼ ἔκ φασι γενέσθαι, ἐπητῇ δʼ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικας.

From him they say you are sprung, and you seem to be a man of understanding.

τοὔνεκά τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

Therefore I will tell you, and do you mark and hear me:

οὐδὲν ἀκιδνότερον γαῖα τρέφει ἀνθρώποιο,

there is nothing feebler than man that earth breeds,

πάντων ὅσσα τε γαῖαν ἔπι πνείει τε καὶ ἕρπει.

of all things that breathe and creep upon the earth.

οὐ μὲν γάρ ποτέ φησι κακὸν πείσεσθαι ὀπίσσω,

For he says that he will never suffer evil in time to come,

ὄφρʼ ἀρετὴν παρέχωσι θεοὶ καὶ γούνατʼ ὀρώρῃ·

so long as the gods grant him prosperity and his knees are quick;

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ καὶ λυγρὰ θεοὶ μάκαρες τελέσωσι,

but when the blessed gods bring grievous things to pass,

καὶ τὰ φέρει ἀεκαζόμενος τετληότι θυμῷ·

even these he bears unwillingly with a patient heart.

τοῖος γὰρ νόος ἐστὶν ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων

For such is the mind of men on earth,

οἷον ἐπʼ ἦμαρ ἄγησι⁴ πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε.

as the day which the father of gods and men brings upon them.

καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτʼ ἔμελλον ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιος εἶναι,

For I too was once like to be prosperous among men,

πολλὰ δʼ ἀτάσθαλʼ ἔρεξα βίῃ καὶ κάρτεϊ εἴκων,

and did many deeds of wantonness, yielding to my might and strength,', *注*: 訳文中の「不吉な言葉（予兆）」は原文の κλεηδών に基づく。 *Note*: The translation "omen" for κλεηδών in line 117 refers to the unconscious verbal prophecy of the suitors.

Syntax notes4 items

§18.73Ἶρος Ἄϊρος
A wordplay combining the name "Irus" and the alpha privative to form Ἄϊρος ("un-Irus" or "Irus who is no Irus"), mocking him as no longer worthy of his name or destined for ruin.
§18.79μήτʼ εἴης... μήτε γένοιο
Strong negative wishes using the optative (present εἴης and aorist γένοιο), equivalent to a curse: "may you neither exist (die) nor have been born."
§18.91ἢ ἐλάσειʼ... ἦέ
Particles introducing an alternative indirect question (ἢ ... ἦέ, "whether... or"), dependent on the main verb μερμήριξε ("debated"), and taking the optative mood (ἐλάσειε, τανύσσειεν).
§18.137οἷον ἐπʼ ἦμαρ ἄγησι
The relative pronoun οἷον (neuter singular) correlates with the preceding adjective τοῖος ("such"). The verb ἄγησι is a Homeric subjunctive (functioning as a general condition) meaning "such a day as the father brings."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:18.72-18.139