The Prolonged Night and Teiresias' Prophecy — Odyssey §23.223-23.296 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

τὴν δʼ ἄτην¹ οὐ πρόσθεν ἑῷ ἐγκάτθετο θυμῷ

She did not beforehand lay up in her own heart that grievous ruin,

λυγρήν, ἐξ ἧς πρῶτα καὶ ἡμέας ἵκετο πένθος.

from which first grief came also upon us.

νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἤδη σήματʼ ἀριφραδέα κατέλεξας

But now, since you have told the clear signs

εὐνῆς ἡμετέρης, ἣν οὐ βροτὸς ἄλλος ὀπώπει,

of our bed, which no other mortal has seen,

ἀλλʼ οἶοι σύ τʼ ἐγώ τε καὶ ἀμφίπολος μία μούνη,

but only you and I, and one single handmaid,

Ἀκτορίς, ἥν μοι δῶκε πατὴρ ἔτι δεῦρο κιούσῃ,

Actoris, whom my father gave me when I came here,

ἣ νῶϊν εἴρυτο θύρας πυκινοῦ θαλάμοιο,

she who guarded for us the doors of our strong bridal chamber—

πείθεις δή μευ θυμόν, ἀπηνέα περ μάλʼ ἐόντα.

now you convince my heart, though it be very stubborn."

ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο·

So she spoke, and in him she stirred still more the desire for weeping;

κλαῖε δʼ ἔχων ἄλοχον θυμαρέα, κεδνὰ ἰδυῖαν.

and he wept, holding his beloved, true-hearted wife.

ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν² ἀσπάσιος γῆ νηχομένοισι φανήῃ,

And as when land is welcome to swimming men,

ὧν τε Ποσειδάων εὐεργέα νῆʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

whose well-built ship Poseidon has wrecked in the sea,

ῥαίσῃ, ἐπειγομένην ἀνέμῳ καὶ κύματι πηγῷ·

driven by the wind and the swollen wave;

παῦροι δʼ ἐξέφυγον πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἤπειρόνδε

and a few have escaped from the grey sea to the mainland by swimming,

νηχόμενοι, πολλὴ δὲ περὶ χροῒ τέτροφεν ἅλμη,

and much brine has crusted on their flesh,

ἀσπάσιοι δʼ ἐπέβαν γαίης, κακότητα φυγόντες·

and welcome they step upon the land, escaping ruin—

ὣς ἄρα τῇ ἀσπαστὸς ἔην πόσις εἰσοροώσῃ,

even so welcome to her was her husband as she gazed upon him,

δειρῆς δʼ οὔ πω πάμπαν ἀφίετο πήχεε λευκώ.

and she could in no wise let her white arms go from his neck.

καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισι φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

And now rose-fingered Dawn would have shone upon them weeping,

εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ἄλλʼ ἐνόησε³ θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

had not the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, thought of another thing.

νύκτα μὲν ἐν περάτῃ δολιχὴν σχέθεν, Ἠῶ δʼ αὖτε

She held the long night back at its limit, and Dawn of the golden throne

ῥύσατʼ ἐπʼ Ὠκεανῷ χρυσόθρονον, οὐδʼ ἔα ἵππους

she held at Oceanus, and did not suffer her to yoke her swift-footed horses

ζεύγνυσθʼ ὠκύποδας, φάος ἀνθρώποισι φέροντας,

that bring light to men,

Λάμπον καὶ Φαέθονθʼ, οἵ τʼ Ἠῶ πῶλοι ἄγουσι.

Lampus and Phaethon, the colts that bear Dawn.

καὶ τότʼ ἄρʼ ἣν ἄλοχον προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς

And then wise Odysseus spoke to his wife:

ὦ γύναι, οὐ γάρ πω πάντων ἐπὶ πείρατʼ ἀέθλων

"O wife, we have not yet come to the end of all our trials,

ἤλθομεν, ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ὄπισθεν ἀμέτρητος πόνος ἔσται,

but still hereafter there shall be measureless toil,

πολλὸς καὶ χαλεπός, τὸν ἐμὲ χρὴ πάντα τελέσσαι.

much and hard, which I must perform to the end.

ὣς γάρ μοι ψυχὴ μαντεύσατο Τειρεσίαο

For so the soul of Teiresias prophesied to me

ἤματι τῷ ὅτε δὴ κατέβην δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω,

on the day when I went down into the house of Hades,

νόστον ἑταίροισιν διζήμενος ἠδʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ.

seeking a return for my comrades and for myself.

ἀλλʼ ἔρχευ, λέκτρονδʼ ἴομεν, γύναι, ὄφρα καὶ ἤδη

But come, let us go to bed, wife, that even now

ὕπνῳ ὕπο γλυκερῷ ταρπώμεθα κοιμηθέντε.

we may find sweet sleep and take our rest."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

Then wise Penelope answered him:

εὐνὴ μὲν δή σοί γε τότʼ ἔσσεται ὁππότε θυμῷ

"Your bed shall be ready for you whenever you desire it in your heart,

σῷ ἐθέλῃς, ἐπεὶ ἄρ σε θεοὶ ποίησαν ἱκέσθαι

since the gods have indeed made you return

οἶκον ἐϋκτίμενον καὶ σὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

to your well-built house and to your native land.

ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἐφράσθης καί τοι θεὸς ἔμβαλε θυμῷ,

But since you have thought of this, and a god has put it into your heart,

εἴπʼ ἄγε μοι τὸν ἄεθλον, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὄπισθεν, ὀΐω,

come, tell me of this trial; since hereafter, I think,

πεύσομαι, αὐτίκα δʼ ἐστὶ δαήμεναι οὔ τι χέρειον.

I shall learn of it, and to know it at once is no worse thing."

τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And wise Odysseus answered her, saying:

δαιμονίη, τί τʼ ἄρʼ αὖ με μάλʼ ὀτρύνουσα κελεύεις

"Strange woman, why do you so urgently bid me speak?

εἰπέμεν; αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω.

Yet I will tell you and hide nothing.

οὐ μέν τοι θυμὸς κεχαρήσεται· οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτὸς

Your heart indeed will not be glad, for I myself do not rejoice,

χαίρω, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὰ βροτῶν ἐπὶ ἄστεʼ ἄνωγεν

since he bade me go to many cities of men,

ἐλθεῖν, ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχοντʼ εὐῆρες ἐρετμόν,

holding a well-shapen oar in my hands,

εἰς ὅ κε τοὺς ἀφίκωμαι οἳ οὐκ ἴσασι θάλασσαν

until I come to men who know not the sea,

ἀνέρες, οὐδέ θʼ ἅλεσσι μεμιγμένον εἶδαρ ἔδουσιν·

and eat no food mixed with salt;

οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἴσασι νέας φοινικοπαρῄους,

nor do they know red-cheeked ships,

οὐδʼ εὐήρεʼ ἐρετμά, τά τε πτερὰ νηυσὶ πέλονται.

nor well-shapen oars, which are the wings of ships.

σῆμα δέ μοι τόδʼ ἔειπεν ἀριφραδές, οὐδέ σε κεύσω·

And he told me this clear sign, and I will not hide it from you:

ὁππότε κεν δή μοι ξυμβλήμενος ἄλλος ὁδίτης

when another wayfarer meeting me shall say

φήῃ ἀθηρηλοιγὸν ἔχειν ἀνὰ φαιδίμῳ ὤμῳ,

that I have a winnowing fan on my bright shoulder,

καὶ τότε μʼ ἐν γαίῃ πήξαντʼ ἐκέλευεν ἐρετμόν,

then he bade me plant my oar in the earth,

ἔρξανθʼ ἱερὰ καλὰ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι,

and offer rich sacrifices to lord Poseidon,

ἀρνειὸν ταῦρόν τε συῶν τʼ ἐπιβήτορα κάπρον,

a ram, a bull, and a boar that mates with sows,

οἴκαδʼ ἀποστείχειν, ἔρδειν θʼ ἱερὰς ἑκατόμβας

and then depart for home, and offer sacred hecatombs

ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,

to the immortal gods who hold broad heaven, to all in order.

πᾶσι μάλʼ ἑξείης· θάνατος δέ μοι ἐξ ἁλὸς⁴ αὐτῷ

And death shall come to me myself from the sea,

ἀβληχρὸς μάλα τοῖος ἐλεύσεται, ὅς κέ με πέφνῃ

a death so very gentle, which shall lay me low

γήρα’ ὕπο λιπαρῷ ἀρημένον· ἀμφὶ δὲ λαοὶ

when I am overcome by sleek old age;

ὄλβιοι ἔσσονται· τὰ δέ μοι φάτο πάντα τελεῖσθαι.

and the people about me shall be prosperous. All these things he said should be fulfilled."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·

Then wise Penelope answered him:

εἰ μὲν δὴ γῆράς γε θεοὶ τελέουσιν ἄρειον,

"If indeed the gods make your old age better,

ἐλπωρή τοι ἔπειτα κακῶν ὑπάλυξιν ἔσεσθαι.

then there is hope that there shall be an escape from evils."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·

Thus they spoke to one another;

τόφρα δʼ ἄρʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε ἰδὲ τροφὸς ἔντυον εὐνὴν

and meanwhile Eurynome and the nurse prepared the bed

ἐσθῆτος μαλακῆς, δαΐδων ὕπο λαμπομενάων.

of soft raiment, under the light of blazing torches.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ στόρεσαν πυκινὸν λέχος ἐγκονέουσαι,

But when they had busily strewn the stout bedstead,

γρηῢς μὲν κείουσα πάλιν οἶκόνδε βεβήκει,

the old nurse went back to her own place to sleep,

τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρυνόμη θαλαμηπόλος ἡγεμόνευεν

and Eurynome, the chamberlain, led them

ἐρχομένοισι λέχοσδε, δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσα·

as they went to their bed, holding a torch in her hands;

ἐς θάλαμον δʼ ἀγαγοῦσα πάλιν κίεν. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα

and when she had led them into their chamber, she went back.

ἀσπάσιοι λέκτροιο παλαιοῦ θεσμὸν ἵκοντο·

And they then gladly came to the custom of their old bed.

Syntax notes4 items

§§23.223τὴν δʼ ἄτην
Continuing the example of Helen from the previous lines. The accusative `τὴν δʼ ἄτην` placed at the beginning is the direct object of `ἐγκάτθετο`, emphasizing through hyperbaton that Helen did not consciously or willingly lay up such destructive folly in her own heart from the start.
§§23.233ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν
A formulaic expression introducing a simile. The combination `ὅτʼ ἂν` followed by the subjunctive (here `φανήῃ`) forms a characteristic Homeric generic simile, portraying a hypothetical yet recurring scenario.
§§23.241καί νύ κʼ ... φάνη ... εἰ μὴ ... ἐνόησε
An unreal (contrary-to-fact) conditional construction. The apodosis consists of the modal particle `κʼ` (`κε`) with the past indicative (the augmentless aorist `φάνη`), while the protasis has `εἰ μὴ` with the aorist indicative (`ἐνόησε`), indicating that Dawn would have risen upon their weeping had Athena not intervened.
§§23.281ἐξ ἁλὸς
A famous crux in Teiresias' prophecy regarding Odysseus' death. Depending on how the preposition `ἐξ` is interpreted, it can mean either 'from the sea' (coming from the sea or on the sea) or 'away from the sea' (far from the sea on dry land).

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:23.223-23.296