The Anger of Odysseus and Penelope's Prayer — Odyssey §20.1-20.64 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐν προδόμῳ εὐνάζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

But noble Odysseus slept in the forecourt.

κὰμ μὲν ἀδέψητον βοέην στόρεσʼ, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε

He spread an undressed ox-hide, and above it

κώεα πόλλʼ ὀΐων, τοὺς ἱρεύεσκον Ἀχαιοί·

many fleeces of sheep which the Achaians were wont to sacrifice;

Εὐρυνόμη δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ χλαῖναν βάλε κοιμηθέντι.

and Eurynome threw a cloak over him when he had laid himself down.

ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μνηστῆρσι κακὰ φρονέων ἐνὶ θυμῷ

There Odysseus, plotting in his heart evil for the suitors,

κεῖτʼ ἐγρηγορόων· ταὶ δʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο γυναῖκες

lay awake; and the women went forth from the hall,

ἤϊσαν, αἳ μνηστῆρσιν ἐμισγέσκοντο πάρος περ,

they who before were wont to mingle with the suitors,

ἀλλήλῃσι γέλω τε καὶ εὐφροσύνην παρέχουσαι.

making laughter and merriment among themselves.

τοῦ δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι·

And his heart was stirred within his breast,

πολλὰ δὲ μερμήριζε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

and he pondered much in mind and heart,

ἠὲ μεταΐξας θάνατον τεύξειεν ἑκάστῃ,

whether he should spring upon them and deal death to each,

ἦ ἔτʼ ἐῷ¹ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι μιγῆναι

or suffer them to mingle with the insolent suitors yet once more,

ὕστατα καὶ πύματα, κραδίη δέ οἱ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει.

for the very last time; and his heart growled within him.

ὡς δὲ κύων ἀμαλῇσι περὶ σκυλάκεσσι βεβῶσα

And even as a dog, standing over her tender pups,

ἄνδρʼ ἀγνοιήσασʼ ὑλάει μέμονέν τε μάχεσθαι,

snarls at a stranger and is eager to fight,

ὥς ῥα τοῦ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει ἀγαιομένου κακὰ ἔργα·

so growled his heart within him in anger at their evil deeds.

στῆθος δὲ πλήξας κραδίην ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ·

But he smote his breast, and rebuked his heart with a word, saying:

τέτλαθι δή, κραδίη· καὶ κύντερον ἄλλο ποτʼ ἔτλης.

"Endure, my heart; a more shameful thing than this you once endured,

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μοι μένος ἄσχετος ἤσθιε Κύκλωψ

on that day when the Cyclops, unrestrained in fury, devoured

ἰφθίμους ἑτάρους· σὺ δʼ ἐτόλμας, ὄφρα σε μῆτις

my mighty companions; but you did endure, until your cunning

ἐξάγαγʼ ἐξ ἄντροιο ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι.

led you out from the cave, though you thought you would die."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἐν στήθεσσι καθαπτόμενος φίλον ἦτορ·

So he spoke, addressing the dear heart in his breast;

τῷ δὲ μάλʼ ἐν πείσῃ κραδίη μένε τετληυῖα

and his heart remained fast in obedience, enduring

νωλεμέως· ἀτὰρ αὐτὸς ἑλίσσετο ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

steadfastly; but he himself tossed to and fro.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε γαστέρʼ ἀνὴρ πολέος πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο,

And as when a man before a great glowing fire

ἐμπλείην κνίσης τε καὶ αἵματος, ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα

turns to and fro a stomach filled with fat and blood,

αἰόλλῃ², μάλα δʼ ὦκα λιλαίεται ὀπτηθῆναι,

and is very eager to have it roasted quickly,

ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ἑλίσσετο, μερμηρίζων

so he tossed to and fro, pondering

ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσει

how he might lay hands on the shameless suitors,

μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσι. σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη

being but one against many. And Athena came near to him,

οὐρανόθεν καταβᾶσα· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικί·

descending from heaven; and in form she was like a woman.

στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·

She stood over his head, and spoke to him, saying:

τίπτʼ αὖτʼ ἐγρήσσεις, πάντων περὶ κάμμορε φωτῶν;

"Why are you awake again, most ill-fated of all men?

οἶκος μέν τοι ὅδʼ ἐστί, γυνὴ δέ τοι ἥδʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

Indeed, this is your house, and your wife is in the house,

καὶ, πάϊς, οἷόν πού τις ἐέλδεται ἔμμεναι υἷα.

and your child, such a son as any man might pray to have."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And answering her, resourceful Odysseus spoke:

ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα, θεά, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·

"Yes, goddess, in truth all this you have spoken rightly.

ἀλλά τί μοι τόδε θυμὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζει,

But my heart in my breast is pondering on this,

ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσω,

how I may lay hands on the shameless suitors,

μοῦνος ἐών· οἱ δʼ αἰὲν ἀολλέες ἔνδον ἔασι.

being but one, while they are always inside in a body.

πρὸς δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδε μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζω·

And furthermore, this even greater thing I ponder in my mind:

εἴ περ γὰρ κτείναιμι Διός τε σέθεν τε ἕκητι,

if indeed I should slay them by the will of Zeus and of yourself,

πῆ κεν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι³; τά σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.

whither should I flee to escape? I bid you consider this."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

To him in turn spoke the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena:

σχέτλιε, καὶ μέν τίς τε χερείονι πείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ,

"Stubborn man! Many a one puts trust in a weaker companion,

ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδεν·

who is but mortal and knows not so many counsels.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ θεός εἰμι, διαμπερὲς ἥ σε φυλάσσω

But I am a god, who guard you continually

ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοις. ἐρέω δέ τοι ἐξαναφανδόν·

in all your travails. And I will tell you openly:

εἴ περ πεντήκοντα λόχοι μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

even if fifty companies of mortal men

νῶϊ περισταῖεν, κτεῖναι μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ,

should surround us, eager to slay us in battle,

καί κεν τῶν ἐλάσαιο βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα.

even so you would drive off their oxen and fat sheep.

ἀλλʼ ἑλέτω σε καὶ ὕπνος· ἀνίη καὶ τὸ φυλάσσειν

But let sleep take you too; it is a vexation to watch

πάννυχον ἐγρήσσοντα, κακῶν δʼ ὑποδύσεαι ἤδη.

all night long, and soon you shall rise out of your troubles."

ὣς φάτο, καί ῥά οἱ ὕπνον ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔχευεν,

So she spoke, and shed sleep upon his eyelids,

αὐτὴ δʼ ἂψ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἀφίκετο δῖα θεάων.

and she herself, noble among goddesses, went back to Olympus.

εὖτε τὸν ὕπνος ἔμαρπτε, λύων μελεδήματα θυμοῦ,

And when sleep seized him, freeing him from the cares of his heart,

λυσιμελής, ἄλοχος δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπέγρετο κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα·

sleep that loosens the limbs, then his watchful wife awoke,

κλαῖε δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν λέκτροισι καθεζομένη μαλακοῖσιν.

and sat weeping on her soft bed.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίουσα κορέσσατο ὃν κατὰ θυμόν,

But when she was satisfied with weeping in her heart,

Ἀρτέμιδι πρώτιστον ἐπεύξατο δῖα γυναικῶν·

the noble lady prayed first of all to Artemis:

Ἄρτεμι, πότνα θεά, θύγατερ Διός, αἴθε μοι ἤδη

"Artemis, queenly goddess, daughter of Zeus, would that even now

ἰὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι βαλοῦσʼ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕλοιο

you would cast an arrow into my breast and take away my life

αὐτίκα νῦν, ἢ ἔπειτα μʼ ἀναρπάξασα θύελλα

this very moment, or that a tempest might snatch me away

οἴχοιτο προφέρουσα κατʼ ἠερόεντα κέλευθα,

and carry me onward along the misty paths,

Syntax notes3 items

§20.11τεύξειεν... ἐῷ
The alternation of the optative `τεύξειεν` (aorist optative) and the subjunctive `ἐῷ` (present subjunctive) in the indirect deliberative question introduced by `ἠὲ... ἦ...`. In Homeric Greek, deliberative questions can employ both moods in parallel, representing different degrees of probability, urgency, or directness of intention.
§20.25ὡς δʼ ὅτε γαστέρʼ ἀνὴρ... αἰόλλῃ
The subjunctive `αἰόλλῃ` in the simile introduced by `ὡς δʼ ὅτε` without the particle `ἄν` (or `κέ`). In Homeric Greek, similes expressing a general, recurring truth frequently use the subjunctive mood without any modal particles to describe a typical scenario.
§20.42εἴ περ γὰρ κτείναιμι... πῆ κεν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι
A potential conditional construction with the optative in the protasis (`εἴ περ... κτείναιμι`) and `κεν` with the optative in the apodosis (`πῆ κεν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι`). Odysseus uses this potential construction to express a very real and difficult future concern: even if he succeeds in killing the suitors with divine help, how could he possibly escape the subsequent vengeance of their families?

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:20.1-20.64