Odysseus Strings the Bow and Shoots Through the Axes — Odyssey §21.363-21.434 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

πλαγκτέ; τάχʼ αὖ σʼ ἐφʼ ὕεσσι κύνες ταχέες κατέδονται

"Vagabond! Soon indeed the swift dogs you yourself reared will devour you

οἶον ἀπʼ ἀνθρώπων, οὓς ἔτρεφες, εἴ κεν Ἀπόλλων

among the swine, far from men, if Apollo

ἡμῖν ἱλήκῃσι καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

is gracious to us, and the other immortal gods."

ὣς φάσαν, αὐτὰρ, ὁ θῆκε φέρων αὐτῇ ἐνὶ χώρῃ,

So they spoke, but he, in fear, set down the bow in the very place as he carried it,

δείσας, οὕνεκα πολλοὶ ὁμόκλεον ἐν μεγάροισιν.

because many in the halls were shouting threats at him.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἀπειλήσας ἐγεγώνει·

But Telemachus from the other side called out threateningly:

ἄττα, πρόσω φέρε τόξα· τάχʼ οὐκ εὖ πᾶσι πιθήσεις

"Father, carry the bow forward! Soon you will find that it is not well to obey everyone,

μή σε καὶ ὁπλότερός περ ἐὼν ἀγρόνδε δίωμαι¹,

lest I, though I am younger, chase you to the fields

βάλλων χερμαδίοισι· βίηφι δὲ φέρτερός εἰμι.

pelting you with stones; for in strength I am better than you.

αἲ γὰρ πάντων τόσσον, ὅσοι κατὰ δώματʼ ἔασι,

Would that I were as much better in hands and strength than all

μνηστήρων χερσίν τε βίηφί τε φέρτερος εἴην·

the suitors who are in the halls;

τῷ κε τάχα στυγερῶς τινʼ ἐγὼ πέμψαιμι νέεσθαι

then would I soon send many a one of them packing in sorry fashion

ἡμετέρου ἐξ οἴκου, ἐπεὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται.

from our house, since they devise evil deeds."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσαν

So he spoke, and they all laughed merrily at him,

μνηστῆρες, καὶ δὴ μέθιεν χαλεποῖο χόλοιο

the suitors, and they relaxed their harsh anger

Τηλεμάχῳ· τὰ δὲ τόξα φέρων ἀνὰ δῶμα συβώτης

toward Telemachus. And the swineherd carried the bow through the hall,

ἐν χείρεσσʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι θῆκε παραστάς.

stood by wise Odysseus, and placed it in his hands.

ἐκ δὲ καλεσσάμενος προσέφη τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν·

Then calling nurse Eurycleia outside, he spoke to her:

Τηλέμαχος κέλεταί σε, περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια,

"Telemachus bids you, wise Eurycleia,

κληῗσαι μεγάροιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας.

to lock the closely-fitting doors of the hall.

ἢν δέ τις ἤ στοναχῆς ἠὲ κτύπου ἔνδον ἀκούσῃ

And if anyone hears within a groaning or a din

ἀνδρῶν ἡμετέροισιν ἐν ἕρκεσι, μή τι θύραζε

of men, let no one go forth out of doors,

προβλώσκειν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ ἀκὴν ἔμεναι παρὰ ἔργῳ.

but remain there in silence at her work."

ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δʼ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος,

So he spoke, and to her the word was wingless;

κλήϊσεν δὲ θύρας μεγάρων εὖ ναιεταόντων.

and she locked the doors of the fair-lying halls.

σιγῇ δʼ ἐξ οἴκοιο Φιλοίτιος ἆλτο θύραζε,

But in silence Philoetius sprang from the house to the doors,

κλήϊσεν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα θύρας εὐερκέος αὐλῆς.

and then locked the gates of the well-walled courtyard.

κεῖτο δʼ ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ ὅπλον νεὸς ἀμφιελίσσης

Now there lay under the portico a cable of a curved ship,

βύβλινον, ᾧ ῥʼ ἐπέδησε θύρας, ἐς δʼ ἤϊεν αὐτός·

made of papyrus-fiber, with which he bound the gates, and then went inside himself.

ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐπὶ δίφρον ἰών, ἔνθεν περ ἀνέστη,

He went and sat down on the seat from which he had risen,

εἰσορόων Ὀδυσῆα. ὁ δʼ ἤδη τόξον ἐνώμα

looking at Odysseus. And he was already handling the bow,

πάντη ἀναστρωφῶν, πειρώμενος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,

turning it all over and trying it this way and that,

μὴ κέρα ἶπες ἔδοιεν ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος.

lest worms should have eaten the horn while its master was away.

ὧδε τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·

And thus would one speak, looking at his neighbor:

ἦ τις θηητὴρ καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ἔπλετο τόξων·

"Surely he is some connoisseur and expert in bows!

ἤ ῥά νύ που τοιαῦτα καὶ αὐτῷ οἴκοθι κεῖται

Or perhaps such bows as this lie also in his own house,

ἢ ὅ γʼ ἐφορμᾶται ποιησέμεν, ὡς ἐνὶ χερσὶ

or he is minded to make one, seeing how he turns it

νωμᾷ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κακῶν ἔμπαιος ἀλήτης.

this way and that in his hands, this vagabond skilled in evil."

ἄλλος δʼ αὖ εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·

And another of the proud youths would say:

αἲ γὰρ δὴ τοσσοῦτον ὀνήσιος ἀντιάσειεν

"Would that he might meet with as much profit

ὡς² οὗτός ποτε τοῦτο δυνήσεται ἐντανύσασθαι.

as he will ever be able to string this bow!"

ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν μνηστῆρες· ἀτὰρ πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,

So spoke the suitors; but Odysseus of many wiles,

αὐτίκʼ ἐπεὶ μέγα τόξον ἐβάστασε καὶ ἴδε πάντη,

as soon as he had lifted the great bow and scanned it on every side,

ὡς ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ φόρμιγγος ἐπιστάμενος καὶ ἀοιδῆς

even as when a man skilled in the lyre and in song

ῥηϊδίως ἐτάνυσσε νέῳ περὶ κόλλοπι χορδήν,

easily stretches a string about a new peg,

ἅψας ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐϋστρεφὲς ἔντερον οἰός,

tying the well-twisted sheep-gut at both ends,

ὣς ἄρʼ ἄτερ σπουδῆς τάνυσεν μέγα τόξον Ὀδυσσεύς.

so without effort did Odysseus string the great bow.

δεξιτερῇ ἄρα χειρὶ λαβὼν πειρήσατο νευρῆς·

Then with his right hand he took and pluncked the string,

ἡ δʼ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄεισε, χελιδόνι εἰκέλη αὐδήν.

and it sang sweetly to his touch, like a swallow in tone.

μνηστῆρσιν δʼ ἄρʼ ἄχος γένετο μέγα, πᾶσι δʼ ἄρα χρὼς

But upon the suitors came great grief, and the color of all

ἐτράπετο· Ζεὺς δὲ μεγάλʼ ἔκτυπε σήματα φαίνων·

changed; and Zeus thundered aloud, showing his signs.

γήθησέν τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

Then glad was the much-enduring noble Odysseus

ὅττι ῥά οἱ τέρας ἧκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·

because the son of crooked-counseling Cronos had sent him a portent.

εἵλετο δʼ ὠκὺν ὀϊστόν, ὅ οἱ παρέκειτο τραπέζῃ

And he took a swift arrow that lay by him on the table,

γυμνός· τοὶ δʼ ἄλλοι κοίλης ἔντοσθε φαρέτρης

bare; but the others lay within the hollow quiver,

κείατο, τῶν τάχʼ ἔμελλον Ἀχαιοὶ πειρήσεσθαι.

of which the Achaeans were soon to have trial.

τόν ῥʼ ἐπὶ πήχει ἑλὼν ἕλκεν νευρὴν γλυφίδας τε,

This he laid on the bridge, and drew the bow-string and the notches,

αὐτόθεν ἐκ δίφροιο καθήμενος, ἧκε δʼ ὀϊστὸν

sitting as he was on his seat, and let fly the arrow,

ἄντα τιτυσκόμενος, πελέκεων δʼ οὐκ ἤμβροτε πάντων

aiming straight ahead, and did not miss the first handle-hole of all the axes,

πρώτης στειλειῆς³, διὰ δʼ ἀμπερὲς ἦλθε θύραζε

but clean through and out at the door went

ἰὸς χαλκοβαρής· ὁ δὲ Τηλέμαχον προσέειπε·

the bronze-weighted shaft. And he spoke to Telemachus:

Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ σʼ ὁ ξεῖνος ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐλέγχει

"Telemachus, the stranger sitting in your halls does not disgrace you,

ἥμενος, οὐδέ τι τοῦ σκοποῦ ἤμβροτον οὐδέ τι τόξον

nor did I miss the mark, nor did I labor long

δὴν ἔκαμον τανύων· ἔτι μοι μένος ἔμπεδόν ἐστιν,

in stringing the bow; still is my strength firm,

οὐχ ὥς με μνηστῆρες ἀτιμάζοντες ὄνονται.

not as the suitors in their dishonor mock me.

νῦν δʼ ὥρη καὶ δόρπον Ἀχαιοῖσιν τετυκέσθαι

But now it is time for the Achaeans to prepare their supper, while there is light,

ἐν φάει, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα καὶ ἄλλως ἑψιάασθαι

and then to make merry in other ways too

μολπῇ καὶ φόρμιγγι· τὰ γάρ τʼ ἀναθήματα δαιτός.

with song and the lyre; for these are the crowns of a feast."

ἦ καὶ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσεν· ὁ δʼ ἀμφέθετο ξίφος ὀξὺ

He spoke, and nodded with his brows; and Telemachus girt on his sharp sword,

Τηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,

Telemachus, the dear son of divine Odysseus,

ἀμφὶ δὲ χεῖρα φίλην βάλεν ἔγχεϊ, ἄγχι δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ

and clasped his hand about his spear, and close by his side,

πὰρ θρόνον ἑστήκει κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.

by his seat, he stood armed in gleaming bronze.

Syntax notes3 items

§21.369μή σε ... δίωμαι
μή introduces an independent clause of apprehension or warning with the subjunctive δίωμαι ("lest I chase you"), expressing a strong threat or precautionary warning, or it can be construed as a negative purpose clause dependent on the implied command of the preceding line.
§21.402αἲ γὰρ δὴ τοσσοῦτον ὀνήσιος ἀντιάσειεν ὡς ...
αἲ γάρ with the optative ἀντιάσειεν expresses a wish, which is highly ironical. Combined with the future indicative δυνήσεται in the ὡς clause, it means "would that he might meet with as much success as he will ever be able to string this bow" (implying he has no chance at all).
§21.421πελέκεων δʼ οὐκ ἤμβροτε πάντων πρώτης στειλειῆς
The genitive πελέκεων is governed by the verb ἤμβροτε (aorist of ἁμαρτάνω, "to miss"). πρώτης στειλειῆς refers to the first eyelet or hole of the axe-head, indicating that the arrow went straight through that aligned part of all the axes.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:21.363-21.434