Eurycleia Washes Odysseus's Feet and Recognizes the Scar — Odyssey §19.338-19.404 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἤχθεθʼ¹, ὅτε πρῶτον Κρήτης ὄρεα νιφόεντα

ever since first I parted from the snowy mountains of Crete,

νοσφισάμην ἐπὶ νηὸς ἰὼν δολιχηρέτμοιο,

going on a long-oared ship.

κείω² δʼ ὡς τὸ πάρος περ ἀΰπνους νύκτας ἴαυον·

And I will lie down just as before, when I used to pass sleepless nights;

πολλὰς γὰρ δὴ νύκτας ἀεικελίῳ ἐνὶ κοίτῃ

for indeed many nights have I slept in an unseemly bed

ἄεσα καί τʼ ἀνέμεινα ἐΰθρονον Ἠῶ δῖαν.

and awaited the beautiful-throned, noble Dawn.

οὐδέ τί μοι ποδάνιπτρα ποδῶν ἐπιήρανα³ θυμῷ

Nor is water for washing feet at all pleasing to my heart;

γίγνεται· οὐδὲ γυνὴ ποδὸς ἅψεται ἡμετέροιο

nor shall any woman touch my foot

τάων αἵ τοι δῶμα κάτα δρήστειραι ἔασιν,

of those who are handmaids in your house,

εἰ μή τις γρηῦς ἔστι παλαιή, κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα,

unless there is some old woman, wise of heart,

ἥ τις δὴ τέτληκε τόσα φρεσὶν ὅσσα τʼ ἐγώ περ·

who indeed has endured as many things in her heart as I myself;

τῇ δʼ οὐκ ἂν φθονέοιμι ποδῶν ἅψασθαι ἐμεῖο.

I would not grudge her to touch my feet.

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

Then wise Penelope answered him, saying:

ξεῖνε φίλʼ· οὐ γάρ πώ τις ἀνὴρ πεπνυμένος ὧδε

"Dear guest, for never yet has any man so wise

ξείνων τηλεδαπῶν φιλίων ἐμὸν ἵκετο δῶμα,

of far-off, dear guests come to my house,

ὡς σὺ μάλʼ εὐφραδέως πεπνυμένα πάντʼ ἀγορεύεις·

as you speak all things very eloquently and prudently.

ἔστι δέ μοι γρηῢς πυκινὰ φρεσὶ μήδεʼ ἔχουσα

And I have an old woman who has wise counsels in her mind,

ἣ κεῖνον δύστηνον ἐῢ τρέφεν ἠδʼ ἀτίταλλε,

who well nursed and cherished that unhappy man,

δεξαμένη χείρεσσʼ, ὅτε μιν πρῶτον τέκε μήτηρ,

taking him in her hands when his mother first bore him;

ἥ σε πόδας νίψει, ὀλιγηπελέουσά περ ἔμπης.

she shall wash your feet, though she is very frail.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἀνστᾶσα, περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια,

But come now, rise up, wise Eurycleia,

νίψον σοῖο ἄνακτος ὁμήλικα⁴· καί που Ὀδυσσεὺς

wash the peer of your master; and perhaps Odysseus

ἤδη τοιόσδʼ ἐστὶ πόδας τοιόσδε τε χεῖρας·

is already like this in feet and like this in hands;

αἶψα γὰρ ἐν κακότητι βροτοὶ καταγηράσκουσιν.

for quickly in adversity do mortals grow old."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, γρηῢς δὲ κατέσχετο χερσὶ πρόσωπα,

So she spoke, and the old woman covered her face with her hands,

δάκρυα δʼ ἔκβαλε θερμά, ἔπος δʼ ὀλοφυδνὸν ἔειπεν·

and shed hot tears, and spoke a lamenting word:

ὤ μοι ἐγὼ σέο⁵, τέκνον, ἀμήχανος· ἦ σε περὶ Ζεὺς

"Ah, woe is me for you, my child, helpless that I am! Truly Zeus hated you

ἀνθρώπων ἤχθηρε θεουδέα θυμὸν ἔχοντα.

exceedingly above all men, though you had a god-fearing heart.

οὐ γάρ πώ τις τόσσα βροτῶν Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ

For never yet did any of mortals burn to Zeus who delights in thunder

πίονα μηρίʼ ἔκηʼ οὐδʼ ἐξαίτους ἑκατόμβας,

so many fat thigh-pieces nor choice hecatombs,

ὅσσα σὺ τῷ ἐδίδους, ἀρώμενος ἧος ἵκοιο

as you gave to him, praying that you might reach

γῆράς τε λιπαρὸν θρέψαιό τε φαίδιμον υἱόν·

a sleek old age and breed your glorious son;

νῦν δέ τοι οἴῳ πάμπαν ἀφείλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ.

but now from you alone has he utterly taken away the day of return.

οὕτω που καὶ κείνῳ ἐφεψιόωντο γυναῖκες

Thus, I suppose, the women mocked him too

ξείνων τηλεδαπῶν, ὅτε τευ κλυτὰ δώμαθʼ ἵκοιτο,

of far-off strangers, when he came to anyone's glorious palace,

ὡς σέθεν αἱ κύνες αἵδε καθεψιόωνται ἅπασαι,

even as these bitches all mock you,

τάων νῦν λώβην τε καὶ αἴσχεα πόλλʼ ἀλεείνων

avoiding whose mockery and many insults now,

οὐκ ἐάας νίζειν· ἐμὲ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκουσαν ἄνωγε

you do not allow them to wash you; but me, not unwilling, did command

κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια.

the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope.

τῷ σε πόδας νίψω ἅμα τʼ αὐτῆς Πηνελοπείης

Therefore I will wash your feet, both for Penelope's sake

καὶ σέθεν εἵνεκʼ, ἐπεί μοι ὀρώρεται ἔνδοθι θυμὸς

and for your own sake, since my heart within is stirred

κήδεσιν. ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ξυνίει ἔπος, ὅττι κεν εἴπω·

with cares. But come now, mark the word that I shall say:

πολλοὶ δὴ ξεῖνοι ταλαπείριοι ἐνθάδʼ ἵκοντο,

many toil-worn strangers indeed have come here,

ἀλλʼ οὔ πώ τινά φημι ἐοικότα ὧδε ἰδέσθαι

but I say I have never yet seen anyone so like him,

ὡς σὺ δέμας φωνήν τε πόδας τʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ ἔοικας.

as you are like Odysseus in form, voice, and feet."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, saying:

ὦ γρηῦ, οὕτω φασὶν ὅσοι ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

"Old woman, so say all who have seen with their eyes

ἡμέας ἀμφοτέρους, μάλα εἰκέλω ἀλλήλοιϊν

both of us, that we are very like each other,

ἔμμεναι, ὡς σύ περ αὐτὴ ἐπιφρονέουσʼ ἀγορεύεις.

even as you yourself in your wisdom say."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, γρηῢς δὲ λέβηθʼ ἕλε παμφανόωντα

So he spoke, and the old woman took a shining basin

τοῦ πόδας ἐξαπένιζεν, ὕδωρ δʼ ἐνεχεύατο πουλὺ

in which she washed his feet, and poured in much

ψυχρόν, ἔπειτα δὲ θερμὸν ἐπήφυσεν. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

cold water, and then poured hot on top. But Odysseus

ἷζεν ἐπʼ ἐσχαρόφιν, ποτὶ δὲ σκότον ἐτράπετʼ αἶψα·

sat by the hearth, and turned quickly toward the darkness;

αὐτίκα γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ὀΐσατο, μή ἑ λαβοῦσα⁶

for at once he feared in his heart lest, as she touched him,

οὐλὴν ἀμφράσσαιτο καὶ ἀμφαδὰ ἔργα γένοιτο.

she might recognize the scar and the truth be made manifest.

νίζε δʼ ἄρʼ ἆσσον ἰοῦσα ἄναχθʼ ἑόν· αὐτίκα δʼ ἔγνω

And she drew near and washed her master; and at once she recognized

οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ μιν σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντι

the scar, which once a boar had dealt him with his white tusk,

Παρνησόνδʼ ἐλθόντα μετʼ Αὐτόλυκόν τε καὶ υἷας,

when he went to Parnassus to visit Autolycus and his sons,

μητρὸς ἑῆς πάτερʼ ἐσθλόν, ὃς ἀνθρώπους ἐκέκαστο⁷

his mother's noble father, who excelled all men

κλεπτοσύνῃ θʼ ὅρκῳ τε· θεὸς δέ οἱ αὐτὸς ἔδωκεν

in thievery and swearing oaths; for the god himself had given it to him,

Ἑρμείας· τῷ γὰρ κεχαρισμένα μηρία καῖεν

Hermes; for to him he burned pleasing thigh-pieces

ἀρνῶν ἠδʼ ἐρίφων· ὁ δέ οἱ πρόφρων ἅμʼ ὀπήδει.

of lambs and kids; and he willingly accompanied him.

Αὐτόλυκος δʼ ἐλθὼν Ἰθάκης ἐς πίονα δῆμον

And Autolycus, coming to the rich land of Ithaca,

παῖδα νέον γεγαῶτα κιχήσατο θυγατέρος ἧς·

found his daughter's newborn child;

τόν ῥά οἱ Εὐρύκλεια φίλοις ἐπὶ γούνασι θῆκε

whom Eurycleia laid upon his dear knees,

παυομένῳ δόρποιο, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

as he was ending his supper, and she spoke and addressed him:

Αὐτόλυκʼ, αὐτὸς νῦν ὄνομʼ εὕρεο ὅττι κε θῆαι

"Autolycus, find now yourself a name to give

παιδὸς παιδὶ φίλῳ· πολυάρητος δέ τοί ἐστιν.

to your daughter's dear child; for he is a child of many prayers to you."

Syntax notes7 items

§§19.338ἤχθεθʼ
Third-person singular (with a neuter plural subject) of ἐχθάνομαι (to become hateful), referring back to 'cloaks and bright blankets' (χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα) in line 337. It explains Odysseus's refusal of luxurious bedding by stating that such comforts became hateful to him since his departure from Crete.
§§19.340κείω
An epic future or subjunctive form of κείμαι (to lie down), expressing intention ('I will lie down'). It contrasts with the following imperfect ἴαυον ('I used to sleep'), indicating that Odysseus intends to continue his long-standing habit of spending sleepless nights on a humble bed.
§§19.343ἐπιήρανα
The neuter plural of the adjective ἐπιήρανος (pleasing, acceptable) used substantively or predicatively to mean 'pleasing things.' It forms a construction meaning 'nor is foot-washing water at all a pleasing thing to my heart (μοι... θυμῷ).'
§§19.358ὁμήλικα
Accusative of ὁμῆλιξ (one of the same age, a peer). In calling the stranger 'the peer of your master,' Penelope suggests that her husband Odysseus, if alive, would now be as aged as this guest, unaware that the guest is Odysseus himself. This creates a powerful moment of dramatic irony.
§§19.363σέο
Genitive form of the second-person pronoun (σέο = σοῦ) following the exclamation of grief ὤ μοι ἐγώ (woe is me). It functions as a genitive of cause or object of pity ('because of you' or 'for you'), expressing Eurycleia's intense sorrow for her master's harsh fate and her own helplessness.
§§19.390μή ἑ λαβοῦσα
The conjunction μή introduces a clause of fearing after the verb of suspecting ὀΐσατο ('feared' or 'suspected lest...'). The participle λαβοῦσα ('touching' or 'taking hold of') refers to the subject (Eurycleia), and ἑ is the third-person personal pronoun ('him') functioning as the direct object of the participle.
§§19.395ἐκέκαστο
The epic pluperfect third-person singular of καίνυμαι (to excel, surpass). It governs the accusative ἀνθρώπους ('men') to mean 'excelled men' and is accompanied by the dative of respect κλεπτοσύνῃ θʼ ὅρκῳ τε ('in thievery and swearing oaths'), emphasizing Autolycus's famous cunning.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:19.338-19.404