Odysseus Tests His Father Laertes in the Orchard — Odyssey §24.214-24.280 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὑμεῖς μὲν νῦν ἔλθετʼ ἐϋκτίμενον δόμον εἴσω,

“Go now within the well-built house,

δεῖπνον δʼ αἶψα συῶν ἱερεύσατε ὅς τις ἄριστος·

and quickly sacrifice for dinner whichever of the swine is best;

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ πατρὸς πειρήσομαι ἡμετέροιο,

but I will make trial of our father,

αἴ κέ μʼ ἐπιγνώῃ καὶ φράσσεται ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

to see if he will recognize me and know me with his eyes,

ἦέ κεν ἀγνοιῇσι¹, πολὺν χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντα.

or if he will fail to know me, since I have been away for a long time.”

ὣς εἰπὼν δμώεσσιν ἀρήϊα τεύχεʼ ἔδωκεν.

Thus speaking, he gave his weapons of war to the thralls.

οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα δόμονδε θοῶς κίον, αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

They then went quickly to the house, but Odysseus

ἆσσον ἴεν πολυκάρπου ἀλωῆς πειρητίζων.

went nearer to the fruitful orchard to make trial.

οὐδʼ εὗρεν Δολίον, μέγαν ὄρχατον ἐσκαταβαίνων,

And he did not find Dolius as he went down into the great orchard,

οὐδέ τινα δμώων οὐδʼ υἱῶν· ἀλλʼ ἄρα τοί γε

nor any of the thralls nor of his sons; but indeed they

αἱμασιὰς λέξοντες ἀλωῆς ἔμμεναι ἕρκος

had gone to gather stones for the vineyard wall to be a fence,

ᾤχοντʼ, αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσι γέρων ὁδὸν ἡγεμόνευε.

and the old man was leading them on the way.

τὸν δʼ οἶον πατέρʼ εὗρεν ἐϋκτιμένῃ ἐν ἀλωῇ,

He found his father alone in the well-tilled orchard,

λιστρεύοντα φυτόν· ῥυπόωντα δὲ ἕστο χιτῶνα

clearing the ground about a plant; and he was clad in a dirty tunic,

ῥαπτὸν ἀεικέλιον, περὶ δὲ κνήμῃσι βοείας

patched and unseemly, and about his shins he had bound patched leggings

κνημῖδας ῥαπτὰς δέδετο, γραπτῦς ἀλεείνων,

of ox-hide, to avoid scratches,

χειρῖδάς τʼ ἐπὶ χερσὶ βάτων ἕνεκʼ· αὐτὰρ ὕπερθεν

and gloves upon his hands because of the briars; and above

αἰγείην κυνέην κεφαλῇ ἔχε, πένθος ἀέξων.

he wore a goat-skin cap on his head, nursing his grief.

τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

When much-enduring noble Odysseus saw him,

γήραϊ τειρόμενον, μέγα δὲ φρεσὶ πένθος ἔχοντα,

worn with old age and having great grief in his heart,

στὰς ἄρʼ ὑπὸ βλωθρὴν ὄγχνην κατὰ δάκρυον εἶβε.

he stood under a tall pear tree and shed tears.

μερμήριξε δʼ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν

Then he debated in his mind and in his heart

κύσσαι καὶ περιφῦναι ἑὸν πατέρʼ, ἠδὲ ἕκαστα

whether to kiss and embrace his father, and to tell him everything,

εἰπεῖν, ὡς ἔλθοι καὶ ἵκοιτʼ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

how he had come and returned to his native land,

ἦ πρῶτʼ ἐξερέοιτο ἕκαστά τε πειρήσαιτο.

or whether he should first question him and make trial of him.

ὧδε δέ οἱ φρονέοντι² δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,

And as he thought thus, it seemed to him to be better

πρῶτον κερτομίοις ἐπέεσσιν πειρηθῆναι.

to make trial of him first with mocking words.

τὰ φρονέων ἰθὺς κίεν αὐτοῦ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

With this intent, noble Odysseus went straight toward him.

ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν κατέχων κεφαλὴν φυτὸν ἀμφελάχαινε·

Indeed, the old man was digging about a plant, holding his head down;

τὸν δὲ παριστάμενος προσεφώνεε φαίδιμος υἱός·

and his glorious son stood by him and spoke to him:

ὦ γέρον, οὐκ ἀδαημονίη σʼ ἔχει ἀμφιπολεύειν

“Old man, no lack of skill possesses you to tend

ὄρχατον, ἀλλʼ εὖ τοι κομιδὴ ἔχει, οὐδέ τι πάμπαν,

this orchard, but indeed care is well kept, nor is there anything at all,

οὐ φυτόν, οὐ συκέη, οὐκ ἄμπελος, οὐ μὲν ἐλαίη,

no plant, no fig tree, no vine, no olive tree,

οὐκ ὄγχνη, οὐ πρασιή τοι ἄνευ κομιδῆς κατὰ κῆπον.

no pear tree, no garden bed in the garden without care.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ μὴ χόλον ἔνθεο θυμῷ

But another thing I will tell you, and do not put anger in your heart:

αὐτόν σʼ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ κομιδὴ ἔχει, ἀλλʼ ἅμα γῆρας

good care does not keep you yourself, but at the same time grim old age

λυγρὸν ἔχεις αὐχμεῖς τε κακῶς καὶ ἀεικέα ἕσσαι³.

you have, and you are miserably squalid and clad in unseemly garments.

οὐ μὲν ἀεργίης γε ἄναξ ἕνεκʼ οὔ σε κομίζει,

Surely it is not on account of idleness that your master does not tend you,

οὐδέ τί τοι δούλειον ἐπιπρέπει εἰσοράασθαι

nor does anything of a slave appear in you to look upon,

εἶδος καὶ μέγεθος· βασιλῆϊ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικας.

in form and stature; for you are like a kingly man.

τοιούτῳ δὲ ἔοικας, ἐπεὶ λούσαιτο φάγοι τε,

You are like such a one as, when he has bathed and eaten,

εὑδέμεναι μαλακῶς· ἡ γὰρ δίκη ἐστὶ γερόντων.

should sleep softly; for this is the right of old men.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

But come, tell me this and declare it truly,

τεῦ δμὼς εἶς ἀνδρῶν; τεῦ δʼ ὄρχατον ἀμφιπολεύεις;

whose thrall are you among men? Whose orchard do you tend?

καὶ μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῶ,

And tell me this truly, so that I may know well,

εἰ ἐτεόν γʼ Ἰθάκην τήνδʼ ἱκόμεθʼ, ὥς μοι ἔειπεν

if indeed we have come to this Ithaca, as he told me,

οὗτος ἀνὴρ νῦν δὴ ξυμβλήμενος ἐνθάδʼ ἰόντι,

that man who just now met me as I came here,

οὔ τι μάλʼ ἀρτίφρων, ἐπεὶ οὐ τόλμησεν ἕκαστα

one not very sound of mind, since he did not dare to tell me

εἰπεῖν ἠδʼ ἐπακοῦσαι ἐμὸν ἔπος, ὡς ἐρέεινον

everything, nor to listen to my word, when I questioned him

ἀμφὶ ξείνῳ ἐμῷ, ἤ που ζώει τε καὶ ἔστιν

about my guest-friend, whether he still lives and exists,

ἦ ἤδη τέθνηκε καὶ εἰν Ἀΐδαο δόμοισιν.

or is already dead and in the house of Hades.

ἐκ γάρ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο καί μευ ἄκουσον·

For I will tell you, and do you mark and listen to me:

ἄνδρα ποτʼ ἐξείνισσα φίλῃ ἐνὶ πατρίδι γαίῃ

I once entertained a man in my dear native land,

ἡμέτερόνδʼ ἐλθόντα, καὶ οὔ πω τις βροτὸς ἄλλος

when he came to our home, and never yet has any other mortal

ξείνων τηλεδαπῶν φιλίων ἐμὸν ἵκετο δῶμα·

of strangers from afar come to my house more welcome;

εὔχετο δʼ ἐξ Ἰθάκης γένος ἔμμεναι, αὐτὰρ ἔφασκε

he claimed to be by birth from Ithaca, and he said

Λαέρτην Ἀρκεισιάδην πατέρʼ ἔμμεναι αὐτῷ.

that Laertes, son of Arceisius, was his father.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ πρὸς δώματʼ ἄγων ἐῢ ἐξείνισσα,

Leading him to my house, I entertained him well,

ἐνδυκέως φιλέων, πολλῶν κατὰ οἶκον ἐόντων,

caring for him kindly, since there was abundance in the house,

καί οἱ δῶρα πόρον ξεινήϊα, οἷα ἐῴκει.

and I gave him guest-gifts, such as were fitting.

χρυσοῦ μέν οἱ δῶκʼ εὐεργέος ἑπτὰ τάλαντα,

Of well-wrought gold I gave him seven talents,

δῶκα δέ οἱ κρητῆρα πανάργυρον ἀνθεμόεντα,

and I gave him a mixing-bowl of solid silver, chased with flowers,

δώδεκα δʼ ἁπλοΐδας χλαίνας, τόσσους δὲ τάπητας,

and twelve cloaks of single fold, and as many coverlets,

τόσσα δὲ φάρεα καλά, τόσους δʼ ἐπὶ τοῖσι χιτῶνας,

and as many beautiful robes, and as many tunics besides,

χωρὶς δʼ αὖτε γυναῖκας, ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυίας,

and furthermore, women skilled in blameless handiwork,

τέσσαρας εἰδαλίμας, ἃς ἤθελεν αὐτὸς ἑλέσθαι.

four comely ones, whom he himself wished to choose.”

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα πατὴρ κατὰ δάκρυον εἴβων·

And to him his father thereafter answered, shedding tears:

Syntax notes3 items

§24.218ἀγνοιῇσι
The third-person singular present subjunctive of the verb ἀγνοιέω, showing the Ionic dialectal lengthening of the subjunctive ending. This forms the second part of the alternative indirect question introduced by αἴ κέ μʼ ἐπιγνώῃ... ἦέ κεν ἀγνοιῇσι (whether he will recognize me... or will fail to know me).
§24.239οἱ φρονέοντι
The combination of the dative pronoun οἱ and the present participle φρονέοντι. It functions as a dative of interest/reference with the impersonally used verb δοάσσατο ('it seemed to him as he was thinking thus...').
§24.250ἕσσαι
The second-person singular perfect middle/passive indicative of the verb ἕννυμι (to clothe). It expresses the completed state of 'being clad in' or 'wearing.' It stands in parallel construction with the preceding verb αὐχμεῖς (you are squalid), forming part of the declarative statements addressed to Laertes.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:24.214-24.280