Dismissal of the Assembly and Athena Encouraging Telemachus as Mentor — Odyssey §2.217-2.289 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἐκ Διός¹, ἥ τε μάλιστα φέρει κλέος ἀνθρώποισιν·

from Zeus, which indeed especially brings fame to men.

εἰ μέν κεν πατρὸς βίοτον καὶ νόστον ἀκούσω,

If indeed I shall hear of the life and return of my father,

ἦ τʼ ἄν, τρυχόμενός περ, ἔτι τλαίην ἐνιαυτόν·

then truly, though worn out, I would still endure for another year.

εἰ δέ κε τεθνηῶτος ἀκούσω μηδʼ ἔτʼ ἐόντος,

But if I shall hear that he is dead and no longer living,

νοστήσας δὴ ἔπειτα φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

then returning to my dear native land,

σῆμά τέ οἱ χεύω καὶ ἐπὶ κτέρεα κτερεΐξω

I will heap up a mound for him and pay funeral rites,

πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσα ἔοικε, καὶ ἀνέρι μητέρα δώσω.

very many, such as are fitting, and I will give my mother to a husband."

ἦ τοι ὅ γʼ ὣς εἰπὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, τοῖσι δʼ ἀνέστη

He indeed, having spoken thus, sat down; and among them rose up

Μέντωρ, ὅς ῥʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος ἦεν ἑταῖρος,

Mentor, who was the companion of noble Odysseus,

καί οἱ ἰὼν ἐν νηυσὶν ἐπέτρεπεν οἶκον ἅπαντα,

and to whom, as he went on the ships, Odysseus entrusted all his house,

πείθεσθαί τε γέροντι καὶ ἔμπεδα πάντα φυλάσσειν·

that they should obey the old man and keep all things secure.

ὅ σφιν ἐὺ φρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν·

He with well-meaning mind addressed them and spoke:

κέκλυτε δὴ νῦν μευ, Ἰθακήσιοι, ὅττι κεν εἴπω·

"Hearken now to me, Ithacans, to what I shall say;

μή τις ἔτι πρόφρων ἀγανὸς καὶ ἤπιος ἔστω²

let no sceptre-bearing king hereafter be purposely gentle and kind,

σκηπτοῦχος βασιλεύς, μηδὲ φρεσὶν αἴσιμα εἰδώς,

nor let him know what is right in his mind,

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ χαλεπός τʼ εἴη καὶ αἴσυλα ῥέζοι·

but let him always be harsh and do unrighteous deeds;

ὡς οὔ τις μέμνηται Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο

since no one remembers divine Odysseus

λαῶν οἷσιν ἄνασσε, πατὴρ δʼ ὣς ἤπιος ἦεν.

among the people whom he ruled, and he was gentle as a father.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι μνηστῆρας ἀγήνορας οὔ τι μεγαίρω

But indeed I do not grudge the proud suitors

ἔρδειν ἔργα βίαια κακορραφίῃσι νόοιο·

doing violent deeds in the wickedness of their minds;

σφὰς γὰρ παρθέμενοι κεφαλὰς κατέδουσι βιαίως

for risking their own lives they violently devour

οἶκον Ὀδυσσῆος, τὸν δʼ οὐκέτι φασὶ νέεσθαι.

the house of Odysseus, saying that he will no longer return.

νῦν δʼ ἄλλῳ δήμῳ νεμεσίζομαι, οἷον ἅπαντες

But now I am angry with the rest of the people, because you all

ἧσθʼ ἄνεῳ, ἀτὰρ οὔ τι καθαπτόμενοι ἐπέεσσι

sit in silence, and not at all rebuking them with words

παύρους μνηστῆρας καταπαύετε πολλοὶ ἐόντες.

do you, being many, check the suitors who are few."

τὸν δʼ Εὐηνορίδης Λειώκριτος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then Leiocritus, son of Evenor, answered him:

Μέντορ ἀταρτηρέ, φρένας ἠλεέ, ποῖον ἔειπες

"Troublesome Mentor, foolish in mind, what a word have you spoken,

ἡμέας ὀτρύνων καταπαυέμεν. ἀργαλέον δὲ

urging them to check us! And it is hard

ἀνδράσι καὶ πλεόνεσσι μαχήσασθαι³ περὶ δαιτί.

even for more numerous men to fight over a feast.

εἴ περ γάρ κʼ Ὀδυσεὺς Ἰθακήσιος αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν

For even if Ithacan Odysseus himself should come

δαινυμένους κατὰ δῶμα ἑὸν μνηστῆρας ἀγαυοὺς

and find the proud suitors feasting in his house,

ἐξελάσαι μεγάροιο μενοινήσειʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,

and should desire in his heart to drive them out of the hall,

οὔ κέν οἱ κεχάροιτο γυνή, μάλα περ χατέουσα,

his wife would have no joy in his coming, though she longs for him ever so much,

ἐλθόντʼ, ἀλλά κεν αὐτοῦ ἀεικέα πότμον ἐπίσποι,

but here he would meet an unseemly fate,

εἰ πλεόνεσσι μάχοιτο· σὺ δʼ οὐ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

if he should fight with more numerous men; and you have not spoken rightly.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε, λαοὶ μὲν σκίδνασθʼ ἐπὶ ἔργα ἕκαστος,

But come, let the people scatter, each to his own work,

τούτῳ δʼ ὀτρυνέει Μέντωρ ὁδὸν ἠδʼ Ἁλιθέρσης,

and for this man, Mentor and Halitherses will speed his journey,

οἵ τέ οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πατρώιοί εἰσιν ἑταῖροι.

who from the beginning are his father's companions.

ἀλλʼ ὀίω, καὶ δηθὰ καθήμενος ἀγγελιάων

But I think that sitting long in Ithaca, he will inquire

πεύσεται εἰν Ἰθάκῃ, τελέει δʼ ὁδὸν οὔ ποτε ταύτην.

of news, and will never accomplish this journey."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, λῦσεν δʼ ἀγορὴν αἰψηρήν.

So he spoke, and dissolved the assembly quickly.

οἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐσκίδναντο ἑὰ πρὸς δώμαθʼ ἕκαστος,

They indeed scattered, each to his own house,

μνηστῆρες δʼ ἐς δώματʼ ἴσαν θείου Ὀδυσῆος.

and the suitors went to the house of divine Odysseus.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης,

But Telemachus, going apart to the shore of the sea,

χεῖρας νιψάμενος πολιῆς ἁλὸς εὔχετʼ Ἀθήνῃ·

having washed his hands in the grey sea, prayed to Athena:

κλῦθί μευ, ὃ χθιζὸς θεὸς ἤλυθες ἡμέτερον δῶ

"Hear me, you who came yesterday as a god to our house

καί μʼ ἐν νηὶ κέλευσας ἐπʼ ἠεροειδέα πόντον

and bade me go in a ship over the misty deep

νόστον πευσόμενον πατρὸς δὴν οἰχομένοιο

to inquire of the return of my father, who has long been gone;

ἔρχεσθαι· τὰ δὲ πάντα διατρίβουσιν Ἀχαιοί,

but the Achaeans delay all these things,

μνηστῆρες δὲ μάλιστα κακῶς ὑπερηνορέοντες.

and especially the suitors in their evil arrogance."

ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη,

So he spoke in prayer, and Athena came near to him,

Μέντορι εἰδομένη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ αὐδήν,

likening herself to Mentor both in form and voice,

καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and speaking to him she addressed him with winged words:

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὐδʼ ὄπιθεν κακὸς ἔσσεαι οὐδʼ ἀνοήμων,

"Telemachus, neither hereafter will you be a coward or foolish,

εἰ δή τοι σοῦ πατρὸς ἐνέστακται μένος ἠύ⁴,

if indeed the goodly might of your father is instilled in you,

οἷος κεῖνος ἔην τελέσαι ἔργον τε ἔπος τε·

such as he was to accomplish both deed and word;

οὔ τοι ἔπειθʼ ἁλίη ὁδὸς ἔσσεται οὐδʼ ἀτέλεστος.

then your journey will not be in vain or unaccomplished.

εἰ δʼ οὐ κείνου γʼ ἐσσὶ γόνος καὶ Πηνελοπείης,

But if you are not the offspring of him and Penelope,

οὐ σέ γʼ ἔπειτα ἔολπα τελευτήσειν, ἃ μενοινᾷς.

then I do not expect that you will accomplish what you desire.

παῦροι γάρ τοι παῖδες ὁμοῖοι πατρὶ πέλονται,

For few children indeed are like their father;

οἱ πλέονες κακίους, παῦροι δέ τε πατρὸς ἀρείους.

the more part are worse, and few are better than their father.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ οὐδʼ ὄπιθεν κακὸς ἔσσεαι οὐδʼ ἀνοήμων,

But since neither hereafter will you be a coward or foolish,

οὐδέ σε πάγχυ γε μῆτις Ὀδυσσῆος προλέλοιπεν,

nor has the wisdom of Odysseus entirely failed you,

ἐλπωρή τοι ἔπειτα τελευτῆσαι τάδε ἔργα.

you have hope then to accomplish these deeds.

τῶ νῦν μνηστήρων μὲν ἔα βουλήν τε νόον τε

Therefore now let be the counsel and mind of the foolish

ἀφραδέων, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι νοήμονες οὐδὲ δίκαιοι·

suitors, since they are not at all wise or just;

οὐδέ τι ἴσασιν θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν,

nor do they know anything of death and black fate,

ὃς δή σφι σχεδόν ἐστιν, ἐπʼ ἤματι πάντας ὀλέσθαι.

which is indeed near them, that all should perish in one day.

σοὶ δʼ ὁδὸς οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀπέσσεται ἣν σὺ μενοινᾷς·

But for you, the journey you desire will no longer be far off;

τοῖος γάρ τοι ἑταῖρος ἐγὼ πατρώιός εἰμι,

for such a companion of your father am I to you,

ὅς τοι νῆα θοὴν στελέω καὶ ἅμʼ ἕψομαι αὐτός.

who will equip a swift ship for you and myself follow with you.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν πρὸς δώματʼ ἰὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμίλει,

But go you to the house and associate with the suitors,

ὅπλισσόν τʼ ἤια καὶ ἄγγεσιν ἄρσον ἅπαντα,

and prepare provisions, and pack all in vessels."

Syntax notes4 items

2.217ἐκ Διός
A prepositional phrase modifying ὄσσαν (rumor, voice) in the preceding line, meaning '(a rumor) from Zeus.'
2.230μή τις ἔτι... ἔστω
Although it uses the third-person imperative (ἔστω) appearing as a general prohibition ('let no one be...'), it functions as a strong sarcasm and irony against the ingratitude toward a merciful king like Odysseus ('no king hereafter needs to be kind').
2.244ἀργαλέον δὲ ἀνδράσι καὶ πλεόνεσσι μαχήσασθαι
The infinitive μαχήσασθαι is the subject of the impersonal predicate adjective ἀργαλέον (it is difficult). The dative ἀνδράσι is the complement of μαχήσασθαι (to fight against), and καὶ πλεόνεσσι means 'even against men who are more numerous,' emphasizing the difficulty of the fight.
2.271εἰ δή τοι σοῦ πατρὸς ἐνέστακται μένος ἠύ
A conditional clause using the perfect indicative passive (ἐνέστακται). By employing the indicative rather than the subjunctive or optative, Athena assumes as a firm fact or conviction that the father's noble courage has indeed already been instilled in Telemachus.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:2.217-2.289