Feast at Laertes' House and Rumor Spreading — Odyssey §24.347-24.414 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἀμφὶ δὲ παιδὶ φίλῳ βάλε πήχεε· τὸν δὲ ποτὶ οἷ

He threw his arms around his dear son; and him to himself

εἷλεν ἀποψύχοντα¹ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.

drew, as he fainted, steadfast noble Odysseus.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἄμπνυτο καὶ ἐς φρένα θυμὸς ἀγέρθη,

But when he caught his breath and his spirit was gathered back into his mind,

ἐξαῦτις μύθοισιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε·

he spoke again, answering with words:

Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἦ ῥα ἔτʼ ἔστε θεοὶ κατὰ μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,

"Father Zeus, surely indeed you gods still exist on high Olympus,

εἰ ἐτεὸν μνηστῆρες ἀτάσθαλον ὕβριν ἔτισαν.

if truly the suitors have paid for their reckless insolence.

νῦν δʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα μὴ τάχα πάντες

But now I fear terribly in my heart lest all the Ithacans

ἐνθάδʼ ἐπέλθωσιν Ἰθακήσιοι, ἀγγελίας δὲ

come here at once, and send messages

πάντη ἐποτρύνωσι Κεφαλλήνων πολίεσσι.

everywhere to the cities of the Cephallenians."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then in answer to him spoke resourceful Odysseus:

θάρσει, μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.

"Take heart, do not let these things be a care in your mind.

ἀλλʼ ἴομεν προτὶ οἶκον, ὃς ὀρχάτου ἐγγύθι κεῖται·

But let us go to the house which lies near the orchard;

ἔνθα δὲ Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην

there I sent forward Telemachus, the herdsman, and the swineherd,

προὔπεμψʼ, ὡς ἂν δεῖπνον ἐφοπλίσσωσι τάχιστα.

so that they might prepare dinner as quickly as possible."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσαντε βάτην πρὸς δώματα καλά.

So speaking, the two went to the beautiful house.

οἱ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,

And when they came to the well-built house,

εὗρον Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην

they found Telemachus, the herdsman, and the swineherd

ταμνομένους κρέα πολλὰ κερῶντάς τʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον.

carving much meat and mixing the sparkling wine.

τόφρα δὲ Λαέρτην μεγαλήτορα ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

Meanwhile, in his house, the Sicilian handmaid

ἀμφίπολος Σικελὴ λοῦσεν καὶ χρῖσεν ἐλαίῳ,

bathed great-hearted Laertes and anointed him with oil,

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα χλαῖναν καλὴν βάλεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη

and threw a beautiful cloak about him; and Athena,

ἄγχι παρισταμένη μέλεʼ ἤλδανε ποιμένι λαῶν,

standing near, enlarged the limbs of the shepherd of the people,

μείζονα δʼ ἠὲ πάρος καὶ πάσσονα θῆκεν ἰδέσθαι.

and made him taller and stouter to look upon than before.

ἐκ δʼ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ· θαύμαζε δέ μιν φίλος υἱός,

And he stepped out of the bath; and his dear son marveled at him,

ὡς ἴδεν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιον ἄντην·

when he saw him face-to-face, like the immortal gods;

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and he spoke and addressed him with winged words:

ὦ πάτερ, ἦ μάλα τίς σε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων

"Father, surely indeed some one of the everlasting gods

εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε ἀμείνονα θῆκεν ἰδέσθαι.

has made you better to look upon in form and stature."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Λαέρτης πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Wise Laertes spoke back to him in turn:

αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον,

"Would that, Father Zeus and Athena and Apollo,

οἷος Νήρικον εἷλον, ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον,

being such as when I took Nericus, the well-built citadel,

ἀκτὴν ἠπείροιο, Κεφαλλήνεσσιν ἀνάσσων,

the headland of the mainland, when I ruled over the Cephallenians—

τοῖος ἐών τοι χθιζὸς ἐν ἡμετέροισι δόμοισιν,

being such a man, I say, I had stood by you yesterday in our house

τεύχεʼ ἔχων ὤμοισιν, ἐφεστάμεναι² καὶ ἀμύνειν

with armor on my shoulders, and had stood by you to ward off

ἄνδρας μνηστῆρας· τῷ κε σφέων γούνατʼ ἔλυσα

the suitors! Then I would have loosened the knees

πολλῶν ἐν μεγάροισι, σὺ δὲ φρένας ἔνδον ἐγήθεις.

of many of them in the halls, and your heart within would have rejoiced."

ὣς οἷ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον.

So they spoke such things to one another.

οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν παύσαντο πόνου τετύκοντό τε δαῖτα,

And when they had ceased from their labor and prepared the feast,

ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε·

they sat down in order on couches and chairs;

ἔνθʼ οἱ μὲν δείπνῳ ἐπεχείρεον, ἀγχίμολον δὲ

then they were setting their hands to the meal, when near came

ἦλθʼ ὁ γέρων Δολίος, σὺν δʼ υἱεῖς τοῖο γέροντος,

the old man Dolius, and with him the sons of that old man,

ἐξ ἔργων μογέοντες, ἐπεὶ προμολοῦσα κάλεσσεν

weary from their labors, since their mother, the old Sicilian woman,

μήτηρ γρηῦς Σικελή, ἥ σφεας τρέφε καί ῥα γέροντα

had gone forth and called them—she who nurtured them and carefully

ἐνδυκέως κομέεσκεν, ἐπεὶ κατὰ γῆρας ἔμαρψεν.

tended the old man, since old age had seized him.

οἱ δʼ ὡς οὖν Ὀδυσῆα ἴδον φράσσαντό τε θυμῷ,

And when they saw Odysseus and recognized him in their hearts,

ἔσταν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι τεθηπότες· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

they stood in the halls astounded; but Odysseus

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι καθαπτόμενος προσέειπεν·

addressed them with soothing words and said:

ὦ γέρον, ἵζʼ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον, ἀπεκλελάθεσθε δὲ θάμβευς·

"Old man, sit down to dinner, and forget your amazement;

δηρὸν γὰρ σίτῳ ἐπιχειρήσειν μεμαῶτες

for we have been waiting long in the halls, eager to lay hands on the food,

μίμνομεν ἐν μεγάροις, ὑμέας ποτιδέγμενοι αἰεί.

always expecting you."

ὣς ἄρ ἔφη, Δολίος δʼ ἰθὺς κίε χεῖρε πετάσσας

So he spoke, and Dolius went straight to him, stretching out

ἀμφοτέρας, Ὀδυσεῦς δὲ λαβὼν κύσε χεῖρʼ ἐπὶ καρπῷ,

both hands, and took Odysseus' hand and kissed it on the wrist,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and he spoke and addressed him with winged words:

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ νόστησας ἐελδομένοισι μάλʼ ἡμῖν

"Dear friend, since you have returned to us who longed for you

οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ὀϊομένοισι, θεοὶ δέ σʼ ἀνήγαγον αὐτοί,

and no longer expected you, and the gods themselves have brought you back,

οὖλέ τε καὶ μάλα χαῖρε, θεοὶ δέ τοι ὄλβια δοῖεν.

hail and welcome indeed, and may the gods grant you blessings!

καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῶ,

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

ἢ ἤδη σάφα οἶδε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια

whether wise Penelope already knows clearly

νοστήσαντά σε δεῦρʼ, ἦ ἄγγελον ὀτρύνωμεν.

of your return here, or whether we should send a messenger."

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς

Then in answer to him spoke resourceful Odysseus:

ὦ γέρον, ἤδη οἶδε· τί σε χρὴ ταῦτα πένεσθαι;

"Old man, she already knows; why should you trouble yourself about this?"

ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δʼ αὖτις ἄρʼ ἕζετʼ ἐϋξέστου ἐπὶ δίφρου.

So he spoke, and Dolius sat down again on his well-carved chair.

ὣς δʼ αὔτως παῖδες Δολίου κλυτὸν ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα

And in like manner the sons of Dolius gathered around glorious Odysseus,

δεικανόωντʼ ἐπέεσσι καὶ ἐν χείρεσσι φύοντο,

welcoming him with words and clasping his hands,

ἑξείης δʼ ἕζοντο παραὶ Δολίον, πατέρα σφόν.

and sat down in order beside Dolius, their father.

ὣς οἱ μὲν περὶ δεῖπνον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πένοντο·

So they were busied with their meal in the halls.

Ὄσσα δʼ ἄρʼ ἄγγελος ὦκα κατὰ πτόλιν ᾤχετο πάντη,

But Rumor, the messenger, went quickly everywhere through the city,

μνηστήρων στυγερὸν θάνατον καὶ κῆρʼ ἐνέπουσα.

telling of the terrible death and doom of the suitors.

Syntax notes2 items

§24.348ἀποψύχοντα
An accusative singular masculine present active participle modifying the direct object pronoun `τὸν` (referring to Laertes). The verb `ἀποψύχω` in this context means "to swoon" or "to faint," describing Laertes' state of losing consciousness from emotional shock upon recognizing his son.
§24.376αἲ γάρ ... ἐφεστάμεναι
A counterfactual wish for the past introduced by `αἲ γάρ` (line 376). The infinitives `ἐφεστάμεναι` and `ἀμύνειν` (line 380) function as infinitives of wish, meaning "would that I had stood by and defended...". This counterfactual condition is completed by the past potential apodosis in line 381, `τῷ κεν ... ἔλυσα` (indicative past with the modal particle `κε`), meaning "in that case I would have loosened...".

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:24.347-24.414