Instructions to the Herdsmen and Odysseus Asking for the Bow — Odyssey §21.219-21.290 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ με σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντι

"the scar, which once a boar inflicted on me with its white tusk,

Παρνησόνδʼ ἐλθόντα σὺν υἱάσιν Αὐτολύκοιο.

when I went to Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus."

ὣς εἰπὼν ῥάκεα μεγάλης ἀποέργαθεν οὐλῆς.

So saying, he pushed back the rags from the great scar.

τὼ δʼ ἐπεὶ εἰσιδέτην εὖ τʼ ἐφράσσαντο ἕκαστα,

And when those two looked at it and well marked each detail,

κλαῖον ἄρʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι χεῖρε βαλόντε,

they wept, throwing their arms around wise Odysseus,

καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμενοι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους

and affectionately kissed his head and his shoulders.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Ὀδυσεὺς κεφαλὰς καὶ χεῖρας ἔκυσσε.

In the same way, Odysseus kissed their heads and hands.

καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο,

And now the light of the sun would have set upon their weeping,

εἰ μὴ Ὀδυσσεὺς αὐτὸς ἐρύκακε¹ φώνησέν τε·

had not Odysseus himself restrained them and spoken:

παύεσθον κλαυθμοῖο γόοιό τε, μή τις ἴδηται

"Cease from weeping and lamentation, lest someone coming out

ἐξελθὼν μεγάροιο, ἀτὰρ εἴπῃσι καὶ εἴσω.

of the hall should see us, and tell it inside as well.

ἀλλὰ προμνηστῖνοι ἐσέλθετε, μηδʼ ἅμα πάντες,

Rather go in one after another, and not all together,

πρῶτος ἐγώ, μετὰ δʼ ὔμμες· ἀτὰρ τόδε σῆμα τετύχθω·

I first, and you after; and let this be ordained as a sign.

ἄλλοι μὲν γὰρ πάντες, ὅσοι μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοί,

For all the others, as many as are the proud suitors,

οὐκ ἐάσουσιν ἐμοὶ δόμεναι βιὸν ἠδὲ φαρέτρην·

will not allow the bow and quiver to be given to me.

ἀλλὰ σύ, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, φέρων ἀνὰ δώματα τόξον

But you, noble Eumaeus, carrying the bow through the halls,

ἐν χείρεσσιν ἐμοὶ θέμεναι, εἰπεῖν² τε γυναιξὶ

place it in my hands, and tell the women

κληῗσαι μεγάροιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας,

to bar the close-fitting doors of the hall.

ἢν δέ τις ἢ στοναχῆς ἠὲ κτύπου ἔνδον ἀκούσῃ

And if anyone inside hears a groaning or a din

ἀνδρῶν ἡμετέροισιν ἐν ἕρκεσι, μή τι θύραζε

of men within our walls, let them not go forth,

προβλώσκειν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ ἀκὴν ἔμεναι παρὰ ἔργῳ.

but remain there in silence at their work.

σοὶ δέ, Φιλοίτιε δῖε, θύρας ἐπιτέλλομαι αὐλῆς

And to you, noble Philoetius, I give charge to bar the gate

κληῗσαι κληῗδι, θοῶς δʼ ἐπὶ δεσμὸν ἰῆλαι.

of the courtyard with the key, and quickly cast the cord upon it."

ὣς εἰπὼν εἰσῆλθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας·

So saying, he entered the well-built house,

ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐπὶ δίφρον ἰών, ἔνθεν περ ἀνέστη·

and then went and sat on the seat from which he had risen.

ἐς δʼ ἄρα καὶ τὼ δμῶε ἴτην θείου Ὀδυσῆος.

And the two servants of divine Odysseus went in also.

Εὐρύμαχος δʼ ἤδη τόξον μετὰ χερσὶν ἐνώμα,

Eurymachus was already handling the bow,

θάλπων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα σέλᾳ πυρός· ἀλλά μιν οὐδʼ ὣς

warming it here and there with the light of the fire; but even so

ἐντανύσαι δύνατο, μέγα δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·

he could not string it, and his glorious heart groaned aloud.

ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

And vexed at heart, he spoke and addressed them:

ὢ πόποι, ἧ μοι ἄχος περί τʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ πάντων·

"Ah, truly, grief is mine both for myself and for all.

οὔ τι γάμου τοσσοῦτον ὀδύρομαι, ἀχνύμενός περ·

It is not so much for the marriage that I grieve, though sorrowing;

εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλαι πολλαὶ Ἀχαιΐδες, αἱ μὲν ἐν αὐτῇ

there are many other Achaean women, some in sea-girt

ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, αἱ δʼ ἄλλῃσιν πολίεσσιν·

Ithaca itself, and others in other cities.

ἀλλʼ εἰ δὴ τοσσόνδε βίης ἐπιδευέες εἰμὲν

But if indeed we are so far lacking in the strength

ἀντιθέου Ὀδυσῆος, ὅ τʼ οὐ δυνάμεσθα τανύσσαι

of godlike Odysseus, that we cannot string

τόξον· ἐλεγχείη δὲ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.³

the bow, it will be a reproach even for men to come to hear of."

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him:

Εὐρύμαχʼ, οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται· νοέεις δὲ καὶ αὐτός.

"Eurymachus, it shall not be so; and you yourself know it.

νῦν μὲν γὰρ κατὰ δῆμον ἑορτὴ τοῖο θεοῖο

For now indeed there is a holy feast of that god in the land;

ἁγνή· τίς δέ κε τόξα τιταίνοιτʼ; ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι

and who would bend bows? Rather, quiet

κάτθετʼ· ἀτὰρ πελέκεάς γε καὶ εἴ κʼ εἰῶμεν ἅπαντας

lay them aside; but as for the axes, even if we let them all

ἑστάμεν· οὐ μὲν γάρ τινʼ ἀναιρήσεσθαι ὀΐω,

stand, I do not think anyone will carry them off,

ἐλθόντʼ ἐς μέγαρον Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος.

coming into the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ, οἰνοχόος μὲν ἐπαρξάσθω δεπάεσσιν,

But come, let the wine-pourer make beginning with the cups,

ὄφρα σπείσαντες καταθείομεν ἀγκύλα τόξα·

so that having poured libations we may lay aside the curved bow.

ἠῶθεν δὲ κέλεσθε Μελάνθιον, αἰπόλον αἰγῶν,

And in the morning, order Melanthius, the goatherd,

αἶγας ἄγειν, αἳ πᾶσι μέγʼ ἔξοχοι αἰπολίοισιν,

to bring goats, by far the best in all the herds,

ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ μηρία θέντες Ἀπόλλωνι κλυτοτόξῳ

so that laying the thigh-pieces before Apollo, famed for the bow,

τόξου πειρώμεσθα καὶ ἐκτελέωμεν ἄεθλον.

we may make trial of the bow and finish the contest."

ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀντίνοος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.

So spoke Antinous, and his word was pleasing to them.

τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,

The heralds poured water upon their hands,

κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,

and the youths crowned the bowls with drink,

νώμησαν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.

distributed it to all, pouring first into the cups.

οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιόν θʼ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,

But when they had poured libations and drunk as much as their heart wished,

τοῖς δὲ δολοφρονέων μετέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

then with crafty mind spoke wise Odysseus among them:

κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης·

"Hear me, suitors of the illustrious queen,

ὄφρʼ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει·

so that I may speak what the heart in my breast bids me.

Εὐρύμαχον δὲ μάλιστα καὶ Ἀντίνοον θεοειδέα

Especially to Eurymachus and godlike Antinous

λίσσομʼ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπε,

I make entreaty, since he indeed spoke this word aright,

νῦν μὲν παῦσαι τόξον, ἐπιτρέψαι δὲ θεοῖσιν·

to stay the bow now, and leave it to the gods;

ἠῶθεν δὲ θεὸς δώσει κράτος ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν.

and in the morning the god will give strength to whomsoever he will.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐμοὶ δότε τόξον ἐΰξοον, ὄφρα μεθʼ ὑμῖν

But come, give me the well-polished bow, so that among you

χειρῶν καὶ σθένεος πειρήσομαι, ἤ μοι ἔτʼ ἐστὶν

I may make trial of my hands and strength, whether I still have

ἴς, οἵη πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσιν,

force, such as once was in my supple limbs,

ἦ ἤδη μοι ὄλεσσεν ἄλη τʼ ἀκομιστίη τε.

or whether wandering and lack of care have now destroyed it."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως νεμέσησαν,

So he spoke, and they were all exceedingly indignant,

δείσαντες μὴ τόξον ἐΰξοον ἐντανύσειεν.

fearing lest he should string the well-polished bow.

Ἀντίνοος δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

And Antinous rebuked him, and spoke and addressed him:

ἆ δειλὲ ξείνων, ἔνι τοι φρένες οὐδʼ ἠβαιαί·

"Ah, wretched stranger, you have no wits, not even a little.

οὐκ ἀγαπᾷς ὃ ἕκηλος ὑπερφιάλοισι μεθʼ ἡμῖν

Are you not content that you feast at ease among us, proud men,

δαίνυσαι, οὐδέ τι δαιτὸς ἀμέρδεαι, αὐτὰρ ἀκούεις

and are not deprived of any portion of the feast, but listen to our words

Syntax notes3 items

§21.226καί νύ κʼ ... εἰ μὴ ... ἐρύκακε
A contrary-to-fact conditional construction. The apodosis features the past indicative (ἔδυ) with the particle κʼ (ἄν), and the protasis uses εἰ μή with the past indicative (ἐρύκακε), meaning "and now the light of the sun would have set... had not Odysseus himself restrained them."
§21.235θέμεναι, εἰπεῖν
Infinitives used as imperatives (infinitive for imperative). These infinitives function as direct commands ("place!", "tell!") in the context of Odysseus instructing Eumaeus.
§21.255ἐλεγχείη δὲ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.
The infinitive πυθέσθαι (to hear/learn) limits or explains the noun ἐλεγχείη (disgrace/reproach), indicating the result or sphere of the disgrace: "a disgrace even for future generations to hear of."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:21.219-21.290