Death of Eurymachus and the Fetching of Armor — Odyssey §22.70-22.140 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γὰρ σχήσει ἀνὴρ ὅδε χεῖρας ἀάπτους,

"Friends, for this man will not stay his furious hands;

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἔλλαβε τόξον ἐΰξοον ἠδὲ φαρέτρην,

but since he has got the well-polished bow and the quiver,

οὐδοῦ ἄπο ξεστοῦ τοξάσσεται, εἰς ὅ κε πάντας

he will shoot from the polished threshold, until he slays

ἄμμε κατακτείνῃ· ἀλλὰ μνησώμεθα χάρμης.

all of us. But let us take thought of battle!

φάσγανά τε σπάσσασθε καὶ ἀντίσχεσθε τραπέζας

Draw your swords, and hold up the tables as shields

ἰῶν ὠκυμόρων¹· ἐπὶ δʼ αὐτῷ πάντες ἔχωμεν

against the arrows of swift death; and let us all hold together against him

ἀθρόοι, εἴ κέ μιν οὐδοῦ ἀπώσομεν ἠδὲ θυράων,

in a body, if we may drive him from the threshold and the doors,

ἔλθωμεν δʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ, βοὴ δʼ ὤκιστα γένοιτο·

and go throughout the city, and a cry be raised with all speed;

τῷ κε τάχʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν ὕστατα τοξάσσαιτο².

so then would this man soon shoot his last."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας εἰρύσσατο φάσγανον ὀξὺ

So saying, he drew his sharp sword

χάλκεον, ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἀκαχμένον, ἆλτο δʼ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

of bronze, whetted on both sides, and leaped upon him

σμερδαλέα ἰάχων· ὁ δʼ ἁμαρτῆ δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

with a terrible cry. But at the same instant noble Odysseus

ἰὸν ἀποπροίει, βάλε δὲ στῆθος παρὰ μαζόν,

let fly an arrow, and hit him on the breast beside the nipple,

ἐν δέ οἱ ἥπατι πῆξε θοὸν βέλος· ἐκ δʼ ἄρα χειρὸς

and fixed the swift shaft in his liver. And from his hand

φάσγανον ἧκε χαμᾶζε, περιρρηδὴς δὲ τραπέζῃ

he let the sword fall to the ground, and spilling over the table

κάππεσεν ἰδνωθείς, ἀπὸ δʼ εἴδατα χεῦεν ἔραζε

he fell doubled up, and poured the food on the earth,

καὶ δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον· ὁ δὲ χθόνα τύπτε μετώπῳ

and the two-handled cup as well. And he struck the ground with his forehead

θυμῷ ἀνιάζων, ποσὶ δὲ θρόνον ἀμφοτέροισι

in the agony of his heart, and with both feet

λακτίζων ἐτίνασσε· κατʼ ὀφθαλμῶν δʼ ἔχυτʼ ἀχλύς.

he kicked and shook the chair; and mist was poured over his eyes.

Ἀμφίνομος δʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐείσατο κυδαλίμοιο

Then Amphinomus rushed against glorious Odysseus,

ἀντίος ἀΐξας, εἴρυτο δὲ φάσγανον ὀξύ,

springing straight at him, and drew his sharp sword,

εἴ πώς οἱ εἴξειε θυράων. ἀλλʼ ἄρα μιν φθῆ

if perchance he might make him give way from the doors. But before he could do so,

Τηλέμαχος κατόπισθε βαλὼν χαλκήρεϊ δουρὶ

Telemachus smote him from behind with his bronze-shod spear

ὤμων μεσσηγύς, διὰ δὲ στήθεσφιν ἔλασσεν·

between the shoulders, and drove it through his breast.

δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, χθόνα δʼ ἤλασε παντὶ μετώπῳ.

And he fell with a thud, and struck the ground with his whole forehead.

Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἀπόρουσε, λιπὼν δολιχόσκιον ἔγχος

But Telemachus leaped away, leaving the long-shadowing spear

αὐτοῦ ἐν Ἀμφινόμῳ· περὶ γὰρ δίε³ μή τις Ἀχαιῶν

there in Amphinomus; for he feared exceedingly lest some of the Achaeans,

ἔγχος ἀνελκόμενον δολιχόσκιον ἢ ἐλάσειε

while he was drawing out the long-shadowing spear, should rush upon him

φασγάνῳ ἀΐξας ἠὲ προπρηνέα τύψας.

and stab him with a sword or strike him as he stooped forward.

βῆ δὲ θέειν, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φίλον πατέρʼ εἰσαφίκανεν,

So he ran, and came very quickly to his dear father,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and standing close by him spoke winged words:

ὦ πάτερ, ἤδη τοι σάκος οἴσω καὶ δύο δοῦρε

"Father, now indeed I will bring you a shield and two spears

καὶ κυνέην πάγχαλκον, ἐπὶ κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν

and a helmet all of bronze, fitted to your temples;

αὐτός τʼ ἀμφιβαλεῦμαι ἰών, δώσω δὲ συβώτῃ

and I will go and put on armor myself, and will give

καὶ τῷ βουκόλῳ ἄλλα· τετευχῆσθαι γὰρ ἄμεινον.

other armor to the swineherd and the herdman; for it is better to be armed."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then Odysseus of many wiles answered him and said:

οἶσε θέων, ἧός μοι ἀμύνεσθαι πάρʼ ὀϊστοί,

"Bring them, running, while yet I have arrows to defend me,

μή μʼ ἀποκινήσωσι θυράων μοῦνον ἐόντα.

lest they drive me from the doors, alone as I am."

ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ φίλῳ ἐπεπείθετο πατρί,

So he spoke, and Telemachus obeyed his dear father,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι θάλαμόνδʼ, ὅθι οἱ κλυτὰ τεύχεα κεῖτο.

and went to the chamber where his glorious armor lay.

ἔνθεν τέσσαρα μὲν σάκεʼ ἔξελε, δούρατα δʼ ὀκτὼ

Thence he took four shields and eight spears,

καὶ πίσυρας κυνέας χαλκήρεας ἱπποδασείας·

and four helmets of bronze with thick plumes of horsehair;

βῆ δὲ φέρων, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φίλον πατέρʼ εἰσαφίκανεν,

and he carried them, and came very quickly to his dear father.

αὐτὸς δὲ πρώτιστα περὶ χροῒ δύσετο χαλκόν·

And he himself first of all girded the bronze about his body;

ὣς δʼ αὔτως τὼ δμῶε δυέσθην τεύχεα καλά,

and in like manner the two servants put on their beautiful armor,

ἔσταν δʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα ποικιλομήτην.

and took their stand around wise and crafty Odysseus.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ, ὄφρα μὲν αὐτῷ ἀμύνεσθαι ἔσαν ἰοί.

But he, as long as he had arrows to defend him,

τόφρα μνηστήρων ἕνα γʼ αἰεὶ ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

so long did he aim and smite the suitors one by one

βάλλε τιτυσκόμενος· τοὶ δʼ ἀγχιστῖνοι ἔπιπτον.

in his house; and they fell thick and fast.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λίπον ἰοὶ ὀϊστεύοντα ἄνακτα,

But when the arrows failed the king as he shot,

τόξον μὲν πρὸς σταθμὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

he leaned the bow against a pillar of the well-built hall

ἔκλινʼ ἑστάμεναι, πρὸς ἐνώπια παμφανόωντα,

to stand against the bright wall-faces,

αὐτὸς δʼ ἀμφʼ ὤμοισι σάκος θέτο τετραθέλυμνον,

and about his shoulders he slung the four-fold shield,

κρατὶ δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν,

and upon his mighty head he set the well-made helmet

ἵππουριν, δεινὸν δὲ λόφος καθύπερθεν ἔνευεν·

with horsehair plume, and terribly did the crest nod from above;

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμα δοῦρε δύω κεκορυθμένα χαλκῷ.

and he took two strong spears, headed with bronze.

ὀρσοθύρη⁴ δέ τις ἔσκεν ἐϋδμήτῳ ἐνὶ τοίχῳ,

Now there was a postern in the well-built wall,

ἀκρότατον δὲ παρʼ οὐδὸν ἐϋσταθέος μεγάροιο

and near the topmost threshold of the well-built hall

ἦν ὁδὸς ἐς λαύρην, σανίδες δʼ ἔχον εὖ ἀραρυῖαι.

was a way into a passage, and well-fitted folding doors closed it.

τὴν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς φράζεσθαι ἀνώγει δῖον ὑφορβὸν

This Odysseus bade the noble swineherd watch,

ἑσταότʼ ἄγχʼ αὐτῆς· μία δʼ οἴη γίγνετʼ ἐφορμή.

standing near it; and there was but one way to approach it.

τοῖς δʼ Ἀγέλεως μετέειπεν, ἔπος πάντεσσι πιφαύσκων·

And Agelaus spoke among them, declaring his word to all:

ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν δή τις ἀνʼ ὀρσοθύρην ἀναβαίη

"Friends, could not some man go up by the postern,

καὶ εἴποι λαοῖσι, βοὴ δʼ ὤκιστα γένοιτο;

and tell the people, so that a cry might be raised with all speed?

τῷ κε τάχʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν ὕστατα τοξάσσαιτο.

so then would this man soon shoot his last."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·

To him again Melanthius, the goatherd, answered:

οὔ πως ἔστʼ, Ἀγέλαε διοτρεφές· ἄγχι γὰρ αἰνῶς

"It may not be, Agelaus, nurtured of Zeus; for terribly near

αὐλῆς καλὰ θύρετρα καὶ ἀργαλέον στόμα λαύρης·

are the fair gates of the courtyard, and the mouth of the passage is difficult;

καί χʼ εἷς πάντας ἐρύκοι ἀνήρ, ὅς τʼ ἄλκιμος εἴη.

even one strong man could hold it against all.

ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὑμῖν τεύχεʼ ἐνείκω θωρηχθῆναι

But come, let me bring you armor to gird on

ἐκ θαλάμου· ἔνδον γάρ, ὀΐομαι, οὐδέ πη ἄλλῃ

from the chamber; for within, I think, and nowhere else,"

Syntax notes4 items

§22.74ἀντίσχεσθε τραπέζας ἰῶν ὠκυμόρων
The accusative τραπέζας (tables) is the direct object of the middle imperative ἀντίσχεσθε (hold up against), while the genitive ἰῶν (arrows) denotes the object of defense. The phrase conveys the double nuance of holding up the tables as shields against the incoming arrows.
§22.78τῷ κε τάχʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν ὕστατα τοξάσσαιτο
The dative demonstrative pronoun τῷ functions as an adverbial 'thereby' or 'in this way,' expressing means or result. Combined with the modal particle κε and the optative τοξάσσαιτο (aorist middle optative 3rd singular), it expresses a potential or hypothetical result ('in that case, this man would soon shoot his last').
§22.96περὶ γὰρ δίε
The preposition περί is closely linked with the verb δίε (feared, imperfect), here appearing either in tmesis (separated from the verb) or functioning adverbially as an intensive modifier meaning 'exceedingly' or 'terribly.'
§22.126ὀρσοθύρη
The noun ὀρσοθύρη (postern or side door) refers to a relatively small door situated high up or in the back wall of the hall. This is a crucial context-dependent term for understanding the tactical movement in the narrative, as it controls access to a narrow passage that remains a blind spot in the defense of the hall.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:22.70-22.140