Odysseus Silences Eurycleia and Penelope Confides Her Grief — Odyssey §19.472-19.535 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

δακρυόφι πλῆσθεν, θαλερὴ δέ οἱ ἔσχετο φωνή.

Her eyes were filled with tears, and her strong voice was choked.

ἁψαμένη δὲ γενείου Ὀδυσσῆα προσέειπεν·

And touching his chin, she spoke to Odysseus:

ἦ μάλʼ Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι, φίλον τέκος· οὐδέ σʼ ἐγώ γε

"Truly indeed you are Odysseus, dear child; and I did not know you

πρὶν ἔγνων, πρὶν πάντα ἄνακτʼ ἐμὸν ἀμφαφάασθαι¹.

before, until I had touched my lord all over."

ἦ καὶ Πηνελόπειαν ἐσέδρακεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι,

She spoke, and looked with her eyes toward Penelope,

πεφραδέειν ἐθέλουσα φίλον πόσιν ἔνδον ἐόντα.

wishing to point out that her dear husband was inside.

ἡ δʼ οὔτʼ ἀθρῆσαι δύνατʼ ἀντίη οὔτε νοῆσαι·

But she was able neither to look at her in return nor to notice,

τῇ γὰρ Ἀθηναίη νόον ἔτραπεν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

for Athena had turned her mind away. But Odysseus,

χεῖρʼ ἐπιμασσάμενος φάρυγος λάβε δεξιτερῆφι,

groping with his hand, seized her throat with his right hand,

τῇ δʼ ἑτέρῃ ἕθεν ἆσσον ἐρύσσατο φώνησέν τε.

and with the other hand drew her closer to him, and spoke:

μαῖα, τίη μʼ ἐθέλεις ὀλέσαι; σὺ δέ μʼ ἔτρεφες αὐτὴ

"Mother, why do you wish to destroy me? You yourself did nurse me

τῷ σῷ ἐπὶ μαζῷ· νῦν δʼ ἄλγεα πολλὰ μογήσας

at your own breast; and now after suffering many griefs

ἤλυθον εἰκοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.

I have come in the twentieth year to my native land.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἐφράσθης καί τοι θεὸς ἔμβαλε θυμῷ,

But since you have noticed, and a god has put it in your heart,

σίγα, μή τίς τʼ ἄλλος ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πύθηται.

keep silent, lest anyone else in the halls should find out.

ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, καὶ μὴν τετελεσμένον ἔσται·

For thus I will speak out, and indeed it shall be brought to pass:

εἴ χʼ ὑπʼ ἐμοί γε θεὸς δαμάσῃ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς,

if a god subdues the lordly suitors under me,

οὐδὲ τροφοῦ οὔσης σεῦ ἀφέξομαι², ὁππότʼ ἂν ἄλλας

I will not spare even you, though you are my nurse, when

δμῳὰς ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖς κτείνωμι γυναῖκας.

I kill the other maidservants in my halls."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια·

And to him in turn wise Eurycleia spoke:

τέκνον ἐμόν, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.

"My child, what a word has escaped the barrier of your teeth!

οἶσθα μὲν οἷον ἐμὸν μένος ἔμπεδον οὐδʼ ἐπιεικτόν,

You know what my spirit is, firm and unyielding;

ἕξω δʼ ὡς ὅτε τις στερεὴ λίθος ἠὲ σίδηρος.

I will hold myself like some hard stone or iron.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to your heart:

εἴ χʼ ὑπό σοι γε θεὸς δαμάσῃ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς,

if a god subdues the lordly suitors under you,

δὴ τότε τοι καταλέξω ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκας,

then indeed I will list for you the women in the halls,

αἵ τέ σʼ ἀτιμάζουσι καὶ αἳ νηλείτιδές εἰσι.

both those who dishonor you and those who are guiltless."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς

And answering her, resourceful Odysseus spoke:

μαῖα, τίη δὲ σὺ τὰς μυθήσεαι; οὐδέ τί σε χρή.

"Mother, why should you tell of them? There is no need for you.

εὖ νυ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ φράσομαι καὶ εἴσομʼ ἑκάστην·

I myself will well observe and know each one;

ἀλλʼ ἔχε σιγῇ μῦθον, ἐπίτρεψον δὲ θεοῖσιν.

but keep your word in silence, and leave the rest to the gods."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, γρηῢς δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

So he spoke, and the old woman went through the hall

οἰσομένη ποδάνιπτρα· τὰ γὰρ πρότερʼ ἔκχυτο πάντα.

to fetch water for washing feet; for all the former water was spilled.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ νίψεν τε καὶ ἤλειψεν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,

But when she had washed him and anointed him richly with olive oil,

αὖτις ἄρʼ ἀσσοτέρω πυρὸς ἕλκετο δίφρον Ὀδυσσεὺς

Odysseus again drew his stool closer to the fire

θερσόμενος, οὐλὴν δὲ κατὰ ῥακέεσσι κάλυψε.

to warm himself, and he covered the scar with his rags.

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

And among them wise Penelope began to speak:

ξεῖνε, τὸ μέν σʼ ἔτι τυτθὸν ἐγὼν εἰρήσομαι αὐτή·

"Stranger, there is yet a little thing I will ask you myself;

καὶ γὰρ δὴ κοίτοιο τάχʼ ἔσσεται ἡδέος ὥρη,

for indeed it will soon be the hour for sweet sleep,

ὅν τινά γʼ ὕπνος ἕλοι³ γλυκερός, καὶ κηδόμενόν περ.

for anyone whom sweet sleep might take, even though he is sorrowing.

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ καὶ πένθος ἀμέτρητον πόρε δαίμων·

But to me a god has given measureless grief as well;

ἤματα μὲν γὰρ τέρπομʼ ὀδυρομένη, γοόωσα,

for by day I find my pleasure in mourning and wailing,

ἔς τʼ ἐμὰ ἔργʼ ὁρόωσα καὶ ἀμφιπόλων ἐνὶ οἴκῳ·

as I look to my own tasks and those of my handmaids in the house;

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν νὺξ ἔλθῃ, ἕλῃσί τε κοῖτος ἅπαντας,

but when night comes, and sleep takes hold of all,

κεῖμαι ἐνὶ λέκτρῳ, πυκιναὶ δέ μοι ἀμφʼ ἀδινὸν κῆρ

I lie on my bed, and thick and sharp cares around my throbbing heart

ὀξεῖαι μελεδῶνες ὀδυρομένην ἐρέθουσιν.

harass me as I mourn.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε Πανδαρέου κούρη, χλωρηῒς ἀηδών,

And as when the daughter of Pandareus, the greenwood nightingale,

καλὸν ἀείδῃσιν ἔαρος νέον ἱσταμένοιο,

sings beautifully when spring is newly beginning,

δενδρέων ἐν πετάλοισι καθεζομένη πυκινοῖσιν,

perched among the thick leaves of the trees,

ἥ τε θαμὰ τρωπῶσα χέει πολυηχέα φωνήν,

and frequently changing her note, pours forth her many-toned voice,

παῖδʼ ὀλοφυρομένη Ἴτυλον φίλον, ὅν ποτε χαλκῷ

lamenting her dear child Itylus, whom once with the bronze

κτεῖνε διʼ ἀφραδίας, κοῦρον Ζήθοιο ἄνακτος,

she killed through folly, the son of king Zethus;

ὣς καὶ ἐμοὶ δίχα θυμὸς ὀρώρεται ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,

so my heart also is stirred dualwise this way and that:

ἠὲ μένω παρὰ παιδὶ καὶ ἔμπεδα πάντα φυλάσσω,

whether I should remain by my child and guard everything steadfastly—

κτῆσιν ἐμήν, δμῶάς τε καὶ ὑψερεφὲς μέγα δῶμα,

my property, my maidservants, and my great high-roofed house,

εὐνήν τʼ αἰδομένη πόσιος δήμοιό τε φῆμιν,

respecting the bed of my husband and the talk of the people;

ἦ ἤδη ἅμʼ ἕπωμαι⁴ Ἀχαιῶν ὅς τις ἄριστος

or whether I should now go with whichever of the Achaians is best,

μνᾶται ἐνὶ μεγάροισι, πορὼν ἀπερείσια ἕδνα.

who woos me in the halls, offering countless bridal gifts.

παῖς δʼ ἐμὸς ἧος ἔην ἔτι νήπιος ἠδὲ χαλίφρων,

And my son, as long as he was still a child and light-minded,

γήμασθʼ οὔ μʼ εἴα πόσιος κατὰ δῶμα λιποῦσαν·

did not allow me to marry, leaving the house of my husband;

νῦν δʼ ὅτε δὴ μέγας ἐστὶ καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἱκάνει,

but now when he is indeed grown and has reached the measure of youth,

καὶ δή μʼ ἀρᾶται πάλιν ἐλθέμεν ἐκ μεγάροιο,

he actually prays me to go back out of the halls,

κτήσιος ἀσχαλόων, τήν οἱ κατέδουσιν Ἀχαιοί.

being vexed for his property, which the Achaians devour.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τὸν ὄνειρον ὑπόκριναι καὶ ἄκουσον.

But come, interpret for me the dream, and listen."

Syntax notes4 items

§19.475πρὶν ἔγνων, πρὶν πάντα ἄνακτʼ ἐμὸν ἀμφαφάασθαι
Consecutive use of the particle πρὶν. The first πρὶν with the indicative aorist ἔγνων expresses the limit of time ('until I knew you', depending on the implied negative in the previous clause). The second πρὶν governs the infinitive ἀμφαφάασθαι and details the preceding condition ('before I had handled my master all over').
§19.489τροφοῦ οὔσης σεῦ ἀφέξομαι
The pronoun σεῦ is a genitive of separation governed by the middle verb ἀφέξομαι ('I will not hold back from you'). The phrase τροφοῦ οὔσης acts as a participle in agreement with σεῦ (or a genitive absolute), conveying a concessive force: 'even though you are my nurse.'
§19.511ὅν τινά γʼ ὕπνος ἕλοι
The optative ἕλοι without ἄν in a relative clause introduced by ὅν τινα. It expresses a general possibility or condition ('anyone whom sweet sleep might take'), describing a hypothetical person in a general class, common in Homeric Greek for characteristic or generalizing clauses.
§19.525ἠὲ μένω ... ἦ ... ἕπωμαι
A pair of deliberative subjunctives expressing Penelope's inner debate. Although μένω can morphologically be read as a present indicative, it is logically parallel to the subjunctive ἕπωμαι, both functioning as deliberative subjunctives ('whether I should remain... or now follow...').

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:19.472-19.535