Prophecy of Odysseus's Return and Penelope's Hospitality — Odyssey §19.271-19.337 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἀγχοῦ, Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,

Near at hand, in the rich land of the Thesprotian men,

ζωοῦ· αὐτὰρ ἄγει κειμήλια πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὰ

he is alive; and he is bringing many excellent treasures,

αἰτίζων ἀνὰ δῆμον. ἀτὰρ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους

gathering them throughout the land. But his trusty companions

ὤλεσε καὶ νῆα γλαφυρὴν ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ,

he lost, and his hollow ship on the wine-dark sea,

Θρινακίης ἄπο νήσου ἰών· ὀδύσαντο γὰρ αὐτῷ

as he came from the island of Thrinacia; for they were angry with him,

Ζεύς τε καὶ Ἠέλιος· τοῦ γὰρ βόας ἔκταν ἑταῖροι.

both Zeus and Helios; for his companions had slain the cattle of Helios.

οἱ μὲν πάντες ὄλοντο πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ·

They indeed all perished in the surging sea;

τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ τρόπιος νεὸς ἔκβαλε κῦμʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου,

but the wave cast him upon the keel of his ship on the dry land,

Φαιήκων ἐς γαῖαν, οἳ ἀγχίθεοι γεγάασιν,

to the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of kin to the gods,

οἳ δή μιν περὶ κῆρι θεὸν ὣς τιμήσαντο

who indeed honored him from their heart like a god,

καί οἱ πολλὰ δόσαν πέμπειν τέ μιν ἤθελον αὐτοὶ

and gave him many things, and they themselves wished to send him

οἴκαδʼ ἀπήμαντον. καί κεν πάλαι ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς

home scatheless. And Odysseus would have been here long ago,

ἤην¹· ἀλλʼ ἄρα οἱ τό γε κέρδιον εἴσατο θυμῷ,

but it seemed to his heart to be more profitable

χρήματʼ ἀγυρτάζειν πολλὴν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἰόντι·

to gather wealth by going over a vast land;

ὣς περὶ κέρδεα πολλὰ καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων

so skilled in many wiles beyond mortal men

οἶδʼ Ὀδυσεύς, οὐδʼ ἄν τις ἐρίσσειε βροτὸς ἄλλος.

is Odysseus, nor could any other mortal contend with him.

ὥς μοι Θεσπρωτῶν βασιλεὺς μυθήσατο Φείδων·

Thus Phidon, the king of the Thesprotians, told me;

ὤμνυε δὲ πρὸς ἔμʼ αὐτόν, ἀποσπένδων ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

and he swore to me myself, as he poured libations in his house,

νῆα κατειρύσθαι καὶ ἐπαρτέας ἔμμεν ἑταίρους,

that the ship was drawn down and the companions were ready,

οἳ δή μιν πέμψουσι φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

who indeed would send him to his dear native land.

ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ πρὶν ἀπέπεμψε· τύχησε γὰρ ἐρχομένη νηῦς

But he sent me away first; for a ship of the Thesprotian men

ἀνδρῶν Θεσπρωτῶν ἐς Δουλίχιον πολύπυρον.

chanced to be going to Dulichium, rich in wheat.

καί μοι κτήματʼ ἔδειξεν, ὅσα ξυναγείρατʼ Ὀδυσσεύς·

And he showed me the possessions that Odysseus had gathered;

καί νύ κεν ἐς δεκάτην γενεὴν ἕτερόν γʼ ἔτι βόσκοι,

truly they would feed his heirs even to the tenth generation,

ὅσσα οἱ ἐν μεγάροις κειμήλια κεῖτο ἄνακτος.

so many were the treasures of the king that lay in his halls.

τὸν δʼ ἐς Δωδώνην φάτο βήμεναι, ὄφρα θεοῖο

And he said that Odysseus had gone to Dodona, that from the god's

ἐκ δρυὸς ὑψικόμοιο Διὸς βουλὴν ἐπακούσαι,

lofty, leafy oak-tree he might hear the counsel of Zeus,

ὅππως νοστήσειε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

how he should return to his dear native land,

ἤδη δὴν ἀπεών, ἤ ἀμφαδὸν ἦε κρυφηδόν.

having now been long absent, whether openly or in secret.

ὣς ὁ μὲν οὕτως ἐστὶ σόος καὶ ἐλεύσεται ἤδη

So he is safe, and will come soon,

ἄγχι μάλʼ, οὐδʼ ἔτι τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης

very near; nor will he long be far away from his friends

δηρὸν ἀπεσσεῖται· ἔμπης δέ τοι ὅρκια δώσω.

and his native land. But anyway I will give you my oath.

ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα, θεῶν ὕπατος καὶ ἄριστος,

Now let Zeus be witness first, highest and best of gods,

ἱστίη τʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω·

and the hearth of noble Odysseus, to which I am come:

ἦ μέν τοι τάδε πάντα τελείεται ὡς ἀγορεύω.

truly all these things shall be fulfilled as I tell you.

τοῦδʼ αὐτοῦ λυκάβαντος² ἐλεύσεται ἐνθάδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς,

Within this very year Odysseus shall come here,

τοῦ μὲν φθίνοντος μηνός, τοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένοιο.

as the old moon wanes and the new month begins.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

Then wise Penelope answered him, saying:

αἲ γὰρ τοῦτο, ξεῖνε, ἔπος τετελεσμένον εἴη·

"Ah, stranger, would that this word might be fulfilled!

τῷ κε τάχα γνοίης φιλότητά τε πολλά τε δῶρα

Then would you soon know of my friendship and many gifts

ἐξ ἐμεῦ, ὡς ἄν τίς σε συναντόμενος μακαρίζοι.

from me, so that anyone who met you would call you blessed.

ἀλλά μοι ὧδʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ὀΐεται, ὡς ἔσεταί περ·

But in my heart I forebode it thus, even as it will be:

οὔτʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔτι οἶκον ἐλεύσεται, οὔτε σὺ πομπῆς

neither will Odysseus any more come home, nor will you get your sending

τεύξῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐ τοῖοι σημάντορές εἰσʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

hence, since there are no such masters in the house

οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκε μετʼ ἀνδράσιν, εἴ ποτʼ ἔην γε,

as Odysseus was among men, if ever he existed,

ξείνους αἰδοίους ἀποπεμπέμεν ἠδὲ δέχεσθαι.

to send away and to welcome honored strangers.

ἀλλά μιν, ἀμφίπολοι, ἀπονίψατε, κάτθετε δʼ εὐνήν,

But, my handmaids, wash his feet, and prepare a bed for him,

δέμνια καὶ χλαίνας καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα,

bedding and cloaks and bright blankets,

ὥς κʼ εὖ θαλπιόων χρυσόθρονον Ἠῶ ἵκηται.

so that he may keep warm till gold-throned Dawn arrives.

ἠῶθεν δὲ μάλʼ ἦρι λοέσσαι τε χρῖσαί τε,

And in the morning, very early, wash him and anoint him,

ὥς κʼ ἔνδον παρὰ Τηλεμάχῳ δείπνοιο μέδηται

so that within the hall, sitting beside Telemachus,

ἥμενος ἐν μεγάρῳ· τῷ δʼ ἄλγιον ὅς κεν ἐκείνων

he may think of his meal. And it shall be the worse for any man

τοῦτον ἀνιάζῃ θυμοφθόρος· οὐδέ τι ἔργον

who vexes his spirit with heart-breaking annoyance; nor shall he any more

ἐνθάδʼ ἔτι πρήξει, μάλα περ κεχολωμένος αἰνῶς.

accomplish anything here, though he be grievously angry.

πῶς γὰρ ἐμεῦ σύ, ξεῖνε, δαήσεαι εἴ τι γυναικῶν

For how, stranger, shall you learn of me, if in anything

ἀλλάων περίειμι νόον καὶ ἐπίφρονα μῆτιν,

I surpass other women in mind and prudent counsel,

εἴ κεν ἀϋσταλέος, κακὰ εἱμένος ἐν μεγάροισιν

if unkempt and ill-clad you feast in my halls?

δαινύῃ; ἄνθρωποι δὲ μινυνθάδιοι τελέθουσιν.

Men are but short-lived.

ὃς μὲν ἀπηνὴς αὐτὸς ἔῃ³ καὶ ἀπηνέα εἰδῇ,

He who is cruel himself and has cruel thoughts,

τῷ δὲ καταρῶνται πάντες βροτοὶ ἄλγεʼ ὀπίσσω

upon him all mortal men call down woes for the time to come

ζωῷ, ἀτὰρ τεθνεῶτί γʼ ἐφεψιόωνται ἅπαντες·

while he lives, and when he is dead all men mock him;

ὃς δʼ ἂν ἀμύμων αὐτὸς ἔῃ καὶ ἀμύμονα εἰδῇ,

but he who is blameless himself and has blameless thoughts,

τοῦ μέν τε κλέος εὐρὺ δὶα ξεῖνοι φορέουσι

his fame strangers carry far and wide

πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, πολλοί τέ μιν ἐσθλὸν ἔειπον.

among all men, and many call him a noble man."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, saying:

ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,

"O honored wife of Odysseus, son of Laertes,

ἦ τοι ἐμοὶ χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα

truly cloaks and bright blankets became hateful to me...

Syntax notes3 items

§19.282κεν ... ἤην
The combination of the particle κεν (= ἄν) with the imperfect ἤην (= ἦν) expresses a past counterfactual condition ('would have been'). This is immediately followed by ἀλλʼ ἄρα, which introduces the actual reality.
§19.306τοῦδʼ αὐτοῦ λυκάβαντος
The genitive of λυκάβας (etymologically 'the path of light,' meaning 'year' or 'month') functions as a genitive of time, signifying 'within this very year/cycle.' It is further specified by the subsequent participles φθίνοντος and ἱσταμένοιο.
§19.329ὃς μὲν ἀπηνὴς αὐτὸς ἔῃ
The relative clause introduced by ὃς uses the subjunctive (ἔῃ, εἰδῇ) without the particle ἄν/κε to express a general or universal condition ('whoever is...'). This is a regular Homeric usage in general statements.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:19.271-19.337