Dialogue of Agamemnon and Amphimedon in Hades — Odyssey §24.70-24.142 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

πεζοί θʼ ἱππῆές τε· πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει

on foot and in chariots; and a great din arose.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δή σε φλὸξ ἤνυσεν Ἡφαίστοιο,

But when the flame of Hephaestus had finished thee,

ἠῶθεν δή τοι λέγομεν λεύκʼ ὀστέʼ, Ἀχιλλεῦ,

in the morning, Achilles, we gathered thy white bones

οἴνῳ ἐν ἀκρήτῳ καὶ ἀλείφατι· δῶκε δὲ μήτηρ

in unmixed wine and ointment; and thy mother gave

χρύσεον ἀμφιφορῆα· Διωνύσοιο δὲ δῶρον

a golden two-handled urn; she said it was a gift of Dionysus,

φάσκʼ ἔμεναι, ἔργον δὲ περικλυτοῦ Ἡφαίστοιο.

and the work of renowned Hephaestus.

ἐν τῷ τοι κεῖται λεύκʼ ὀστέα, φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ,

In this lie thy white bones, glorious Achilles,

μίγδα δὲ Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος,

mingled with those of dead Patroclus, son of Menoetius,

χωρὶς δʼ Ἀντιλόχοιο, τὸν ἔξοχα τῖες ἁπάντων

and apart those of Antilochus, whom thou didst honor above all

τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων, μετὰ Πάτροκλόν γε θανόντα.

other comrades after dead Patroclus.

ἀμφʼ αὐτοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτα μέγαν καὶ ἀμύμονα τύμβον

And over them then a great and peerless tomb

χεύαμεν Ἀργείων ἱερὸς στρατὸς αἰχμητάων

did we, the sacred host of Argive spear-fighters, build

ἀκτῇ ἔπι προὐχούσῃ, ἐπὶ πλατεῖ Ἑλλησπόντῳ,

upon a projecting headland, on the broad Hellespont,

ὥς κεν τηλεφανὴς ἐκ ποντόφιν ἀνδράσιν εἴη

so that it might be seen from far off on the sea by men,

τοῖς οἳ νῦν γεγάασι καὶ οἳ μετόπισθεν ἔσονται.

both those who now are and those who shall be hereafter.

μήτηρ δʼ αἰτήσασα θεοὺς περικαλλέʼ ἄεθλα

And thy mother, having asked the gods, set very beautiful prizes

θῆκε μέσῳ ἐν ἀγῶνι ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν.

in the midst of the contest for the best of the Achaeans.

ἤδη μὲν πολέων τάφῳ ἀνδρῶν ἀντεβόλησας

Already hast thou been present at the funeral of many hero

ἡρώων, ὅτε κέν ποτʼ ἀποφθιμένου βασιλῆος

men, whensoever at the death of a king

ζώννυνταί τε νέοι καὶ ἐπεντύνονται ἄεθλα·

the youths gird themselves and make ready the prizes;

ἀλλά κε κεῖνα μάλιστα ἰδὼν θηήσαο θυμῷ¹,

but hadst thou seen those, thou wouldst have marveled most in thy heart,

οἷʼ ἐπὶ σοὶ κατέθηκε θεὰ περικαλλέʼ ἄεθλα,

such beautiful prizes as the goddess, silver-footed Thetis,

ἀργυρόπεζα Θέτις· μάλα γὰρ φίλος ἦσθα θεοῖσιν.

set there for thee; for thou wast very dear to the gods.

ὣς σὺ μὲν οὐδὲ θανὼν ὄνομʼ ὤλεσας, ἀλλά τοι αἰεὶ

Thus not even in death didst thou lose thy name, but ever

πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους κλέος ἔσσεται ἐσθλόν, Ἀχιλλεῦ,

shall thy fair fame be among all men, Achilles.

αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τί τόδʼ ἦδος, ἐπεὶ πόλεμον τολύπευσα;

But for me, what pleasure was there in this, when I had wound up the war?

ἐν νόστῳ γάρ μοι Ζεὺς μήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον

For on my return Zeus devised for me a woeful destruction

Αἰγίσθου ὑπὸ χερσὶ καὶ οὐλομένης ἀλόχοιο.

at the hands of Aegisthus and my accursed wife."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

Thus they spoke to one another,

ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης,

and near them came the guide, the slayer of Argus,

ψυχὰς μνηστήρων κατάγων Ὀδυσῆϊ δαμέντων,

leading down the souls of the suitors slain by Odysseus.

τὼ δʼ ἄρα θαμβήσαντʼ ἰθὺς κίον, ὡς ἐσιδέσθην.

And the two, marveling, went straight toward them when they saw them.

ἔγνω δὲ ψυχὴ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο

And the soul of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, recognized

παῖδα φίλον Μελανῆος, ἀγακλυτὸν Ἀμφιμέδοντα·

the dear son of Melaneus, renowned Amphimedon;

ξεῖνος γάρ οἱ ἔην Ἰθάκῃ ἔνι οἰκία ναίων.

for he had been his host in Ithaca, dwelling in his house.

τὸν προτέρη ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀτρεΐδαο·

And the soul of the son of Atreus addressed him first:

Ἀμφίμεδον, τί παθόντες² ἐρεμνὴν γαῖαν ἔδυτε

"Amphimedon, what befell you that you have entered the dark earth,

πάντες κεκριμένοι καὶ ὁμήλικες; οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως

all of you chosen and of like age? Not otherwise

κρινάμενος λέξαιτο³ κατὰ πτόλιν ἄνδρας ἀρίστους.

would one choose and gather the best men through the city.

ἦ ὔμμʼ ἐν νήεσσι Ποσειδάων ἐδάμασσεν,

Did Poseidon vanquish you in your ships,

ὄρσας ἀργαλέους ἀνέμους καὶ κύματα μακρά;

raising grievous winds and long waves?

ἦ που ἀνάρσιοι ἄνδρες ἐδηλήσαντʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου

Or did hostile men harm you on the dry land,

βοῦς περιταμνομένους ἠδʼ οἰῶν πώεα καλά,

as you were cutting off their cattle and fair flocks of sheep,

ἠὲ περὶ πτόλιος μαχεούμενοι ἠδὲ γυναικῶν;

or fighting for their city and their women?

εἰπέ μοι εἰρομένῳ· ξεῖνος δέ τοι εὔχομαι εἶναι.

Tell me who ask; for I claim to be your guest-friend.

ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε κεῖσε κατήλυθον ὑμέτερον δῶ,

Do you not remember when I came to your house there,

ὀτρυνέων Ὀδυσῆα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Μενελάῳ

to urge Odysseus, with godlike Menelaus,

Ἴλιον εἰς ἅμʼ ἕπεσθαι ἐϋσσέλμων ἐπὶ νηῶν;

to follow with us to Ilium on the well-benched ships?

μηνὶ δʼ ἄρʼ οὔλῳ⁴ πάντα περήσαμεν εὐρέα πόντον,

And in a whole month we traversed all the wide sea,

σπουδῇ παρπεπιθόντες Ὀδυσσῆα πτολίπορθον.

with difficulty persuading Odysseus, sacker of cities."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀμφιμέδοντος·

And to him the soul of Amphimedon spoke in turn:

Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε, ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον,

"Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men,

μέμνημαι τάδε πάντα, διοτρεφές, ὡς ἀγορεύεις·

I remember all these things, O nurtured of Zeus, as thou speakest;

σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ εὖ μάλα πάντα καὶ ἀτρεκέως καταλέξω,

and to thee I will relate all very well and truly,

ἡμετέρου θανάτοιο κακὸν τέλος, οἷον ἐτύχθη.

the evil end of our death, how it came about.

μνώμεθʼ Ὀδυσσῆος δὴν οἰχομένοιο δάμαρτα·

We courted the wife of Odysseus, who was long gone;

ἡ δʼ οὔτʼ ἠρνεῖτο στυγερὸν γάμον οὔτʼ ἐτελεύτα,

and she neither refused the hateful marriage nor brought it to an end,

ἡμῖν φραζομένη θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν,

planning for us death and black fate;

ἀλλὰ δόλον τόνδʼ ἄλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμήριξε·

but she devised this other guile in her heart:

στησαμένη μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὕφαινε,

she set up a great loom in her halls and wove,

λεπτὸν καὶ περίμετρον· ἄφαρ δʼ ἡμῖν μετέειπε·

a web fine and very wide; and straightway she spoke among us:

κοῦροι ἐμοὶ μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

'Youths, my suitors, since noble Odysseus is dead,

μίμνετʼ ἐπειγόμενοι τὸν ἐμὸν γάμον, εἰς ὅ κε φᾶρος

wait, though eager for my marriage, until I finish

ἐκτελέσω, μή μοι μεταμώνια νήματʼ ὄληται,

this robe, lest my threads perish in vain,

Λαέρτῃ ἥρωϊ ταφήϊον, εἰς ὅτε κέν μιν

a shroud for the hero Laertes, against the time when

μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο,

the destructive fate of death that lays men low shall overtake him;

μή τίς μοι κατὰ δῆμον Ἀχαιϊάδων νεμεσήσῃ,

lest any of the Achaean women in the land should blame me,

αἴ κεν ἄτερ σπείρου κεῖται πολλὰ κτεατίσσας.

if he, who won many possessions, should lie without a shroud.'

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡμῖν δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.

So she spoke, and our proud heart consented.

ἔνθα καὶ ἠματίη μὲν ὑφαίνεσκεν μέγαν ἱστόν,

Then by day she would weave at the great web,

νύκτας δʼ ἀλλύεσκεν, ἐπεὶ δαΐδας παραθεῖτο.

but by night she would unravel it, when she had set torches by her.

ὣς τρίετες μὲν ἔληθε δόλῳ καὶ ἔπειθεν Ἀχαιούς·

Thus for three years she hid her guile and persuaded the Achaeans;

ἀλλʼ ὅτε τέτρατον ἦλθεν ἔτος καὶ ἐπήλυθον ὧραι,

but when the fourth year came and the seasons returned,

Syntax notes4 items

§24.90κεῖνα μάλιστα ἰδὼν θηήσαο θυμῷ
A past counterfactual (or potential) construction in the apodosis. The participle `ἰδὼν` serves as a protasis ("if you had seen"), which combined with the aorist indicative `θηήσαο` (2nd person singular middle) with the particle `κε`, expresses "you would have marveled most."
§24.106τί παθόντες
An idiomatic expression consisting of the interrogative pronoun `τί` and the aorist active participle `παθόντες` (nominative plural masculine) of `πάσχω` ("to suffer, experience"). Literally "having experienced what," it functions as "what befell you that..." or "why on earth..." expressing surprise or wonder.
§24.108κρινάμενος λέξαιτο
A potential optative expression consisting of `λέξαιτο` (aorist middle optative) with the particle `κεν` (in line 107) and the middle participle `κρινάμενος`. The repetition of middle-voice semantics emphasizes the active, deliberate choice: "having chosen for oneself, one would select/gather."
§24.118μηνὶ δʼ ἄρʼ οὔλῳ
The dative `μηνί` is used as a dative of time within which ("within a month"). The adjective `οὔλῳ` (Homeric form for `ὅλος`, meaning "whole, entire") modifies it to emphasize the length and difficulty of the period ("a whole month").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:24.70-24.142