Telemachus' Inquiries and Arrival of the Herdsmen — Odyssey §20.130-20.194 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

εὐνῇ καὶ σίτῳ, ἦ αὔτως κεῖται ἀκηδής;

"with bed and with food, or does he lie thus neglected?"

τοιαύτη γὰρ ἐμὴ μήτηρ, πινυτή περ ἐοῦσα·

"For such is my mother, wise though she is;

ἐμπλήγδην ἕτερόν γε τίει¹ μερόπων ἀνθρώπων

capriciously she honors one of mortal men who is worse,

χείρονα, τὸν δέ τʼ ἀρείονʼ ἀτιμήσασʼ ἀποπέμπει.

but sends away a better man without honor."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια·

Then wise Eurycleia answered him:

οὐκ ἄν μιν νῦν, τέκνον, ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳο².

"Child, do not now blame her who is blameless.

οἶνον μὲν γὰρ πῖνε καθήμενος, ὄφρʼ ἔθελʼ αὐτός,

For he sat and drank wine as long as he himself wished,

σίτου δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἔφη πεινήμεναι· εἴρετο γάρ μιν.

and said he was no longer hungry for food; for she asked him.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ κοίτοιο καὶ ὕπνου μιμνήσκοιτο,

But when he began to think of bed and sleep,

ἡ μὲν δέμνιʼ ἄνωγεν ὑποστορέσαι δμῳῇσιν,

she bade the handmaids spread bedding,

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ, ὥς τις πάμπαν ὀϊζυρὸς καὶ ἄποτμος,

but he, like one utterly wretched and luckless,

οὐκ ἔθελʼ ἐν λέκτροισι καὶ ἐν ῥήγεσσι καθεύδειν,

would not sleep on a bed and under blankets,

ἀλλʼ ἐν ἀδεψήτῳ βοέῃ καὶ κώεσιν οἰῶν

but on an untanned ox-hide and fleeces of sheep

ἔδραθʼ ἐνὶ προδόμῳ· χλαῖναν δʼ ἐπιέσσαμεν ἡμεῖς.

slept in the vestibule; and we threw a cloak over him."

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

So she spoke, and Telemachus went out through the hall,

ἔγχος ἔχων, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.

holding his spear, and with him followed two swift hounds.

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορὴν μετʼ ἐϋκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

He went to the assembly-place to join the well-greaved Achaeans.

ἡ δʼ αὖτε δμῳῇσιν ἐκέκλετο δῖα γυναικῶν,

And she, the noble woman, called again to the handmaids,

Εὐρύκλειʼ, Ὦπος θυγάτηρ Πεισηνορίδαο·

Eurycleia, daughter of Ops, son of Peisenor:

ἀγρεῖθʼ, αἱ μὲν δῶμα κορήσατε ποιπνύσασαι,

"Come, some of you busily sweep the hall,

ῥάσσατέ τʼ, ἔν τε θρόνοις εὐποιήτοισι τάπητας

and sprinkle it, and upon the well-wrought chairs

βάλλετε πορφυρέους· αἱ δὲ σπόγγοισι τραπέζας

throw purple coverlets; and others wipe all the tables with sponges,

πάσας ἀμφιμάσασθε, καθήρατε δὲ κρητῆρας

clean them all, and cleanse the mixing-bowls

καὶ δέπα ἀμφικύπελλα τετυγμένα· ταὶ δὲ μεθʼ ὕδωρ

and the well-fashioned double-cupped goblets; and others go for water

ἔρχεσθε κρήνηνδε, καὶ οἴσετε θᾶσσον ἰοῦσαι.

to the spring, and bring it quickly as you go.

οὐ γὰρ δὴν μνηστῆρες ἀπέσσονται μεγάροιο,

For the suitors will not be long away from the hall,

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ἦρι νέονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ πᾶσιν ἑορτή.

but will return very early, since it is a feast day for all."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἄρα τῆς μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο.

So she spoke, and they readily heard her and obeyed.

αἱ μὲν ἐείκοσι βῆσαν ἐπὶ κρήνην μελάνυδρον,

Twenty went to the spring of dark water,

αἱ δʼ αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματʼ ἐπισταμένως πονέοντο.

and the others labored skillfully there in the house.

ἐς δʼ ἦλθον δρηστῆρες Ἀχαιῶν. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα

Then entered the serving-men of the Achaeans. They then

εὖ καὶ ἐπισταμένως κέασαν ξύλα, ταὶ δὲ γυναῖκες

cleaved the wood well and skillfully, and the women

ἦλθον ἀπὸ κρήνης· ἐπὶ δέ σφισιν ἦλθε συβώτης

came back from the spring; and after them came the swineherd,

τρεῖς σιάλους κατάγων, οἳ ἔσαν μετὰ πᾶσιν ἄριστοι.

driving three fatted boars, which were the best in all his herd.

καὶ τοὺς μέν ῥʼ εἴασε καθʼ ἕρκεα καλὰ νέμεσθαι,

These he left to feed in the fair enclosures,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι·

but he himself spoke to Odysseus with gentle words:

ξεῖνʼ, ἦ ἄρ τί σε μᾶλλον Ἀχαιοὶ εἰσορόωσιν,

"Stranger, do the Achaeans look upon you with any more respect,

ἦέ σʼ ἀτιμάζουσι κατὰ μέγαρʼ, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ;

or do they dishonor you in the halls as before?"

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολυμήτις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then wise Odysseus answered him:

αἲ γὰρ δή, Εὔμαιε, θεοὶ τισαίατο³ λώβην,

"Would that the gods, Eumaeus, might punish the outrage

ἣν οἵδʼ ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται

which these men in their insolence outrageously devise

οἴκῳ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ, οὐδʼ αἰδοῦς μοῖραν ἔχουσιν.

in another's house, and have no share of shame."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

So they spoke thus to one another,

ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν.

and near to them came Melanthius, the goatherd,

αἶγας ἄγων αἳ πᾶσι μετέρεπον αἰπολίοισι,

bringing goats that were the best in all the herds,

δεῖπνον μνηστήρεσσι. δύω δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο νομῆες.

for the suitors' dinner; and two shepherds followed with him.

καὶ τὰς μὲν κατέδησεν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,

These he bound beneath the echoing portico,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Ὀδυσῆα προσηύδα κερτομίοισι·

and he himself spoke to Odysseus with mocking words:

ξεῖνʼ, ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἐνθάδʼ ἀνιήσεις κατὰ δῶμα

"Stranger, will you still even now be a nuisance here in the house,

ἀνέρας αἰτίζων, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἔξεισθα θύραζε;

begging of the men? Will you not go out of doors?

πάντως οὐκέτι νῶϊ διακρινέεσθαι ὀΐω

By no means do I think we two shall part

πρὶν χειρῶν γεύσασθαι⁴, ἐπεὶ σύ περ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον

before we taste of each other's hands, since you beg

αἰτίζεις· εἰσὶν δὲ καὶ ἄλλαι δαῖτες Ἀχαιῶν.

unbecomingly; and there are other feasts of the Achaeans."

ὣς φάτο, τὸν δʼ οὔ τι προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,

So he spoke, and wise Odysseus answered him not at all,

ἀλλʼ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.

but in silence shook his head, brooding on evil in his heart.

τοῖσι δʼ ἐπὶ τρίτος ἦλθε Φιλοίτιος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

And after them a third came, Philoetius, a leader of men,

βοῦν στεῖραν μνηστῆρσιν ἄγων καὶ πίονας αἶγας.

bringing a barren heifer for the suitors and fat goats.

πορθμῆες δʼ ἄρα τούς γε διήγαγον, οἵ τε καὶ ἄλλους

And ferrymen had brought them over, who also ferry other

ἀνθρώπους πέμπουσιν, ὅτις σφέας εἰσαφίκηται.

men, whoever comes to them.

καὶ τὰ μὲν εὖ κατέδησεν ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ,

These he bound securely beneath the echoing portico,

αὐτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ ἐρέεινε συβώτην ἄγχι παραστάς·

and himself came near and questioned the swineherd:

τίς δὴ ὅδε ξεῖνος νέον εἰλήλουθε, συβῶτα,

"Who is this stranger, swineherd, who has newly come

ἡμέτερον πρὸς δῶμα; τέων δʼ ἐξ εὔχεται εἶναι

to our house? From what men does he claim to be?

ἀνδρῶν; ποῦ δέ νύ οἱ γενεὴ καὶ πατρὶς ἄρουρα;

Where is his family and his native land?

δύσμορος, ἦ τε ἔοικε δέμας βασιλῆϊ ἄνακτι·

Ill-fated man! Yet in body he is like a kingly lord."

Syntax notes4 items

§20.132ἐμπλήγδην ἕτερόν γε τίει
The adverb ἐμπλήγδην (capriciously, impulsively) modifies the verb τίει. The following contrast between ἕτερόν γε... χείρονα (the one who is worse) and τὸν δέ τʼ ἀρείονʼ (the other who is better) highlights the irrational and inconsistent behavior of Penelope.
§20.135οὐκ ἄν ... αἰτιόῳο
The particle ἄν combined with the second-person singular optative αἰτιόῳο (epic form of αἰτιάομαι) represents a potential optative used here to express a gentle command or advice ("you should not blame").
§20.169αἲ γὰρ δή ... τισαίατο
The introductory formula αἲ γάρ (dialectal variant of εἰ γάρ) combined with the third-person plural optative τισαίατο (aorist of τίνομαι, where -ατο is the Ionic/epic ending for -ντο) expresses a realizable wish ("would that the gods might punish").
§20.180πρὶν χειρῶν γεύσασθαι
The conjunction πρὶν (before) is used here with the infinitive γεύσασθαι. The genitive noun χειρῶν (hands, implying a trial of strength or a fight) functions as the object of the middle infinitive γεύσασθαι ("to taste of each other's hands").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:20.130-20.194