Nestor on the Divided Greek Host and the Returns — Odyssey §3.146-3.217 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ ᾔδη, ὃ οὐ πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν¹·

Foolish man, he did not know that she was not going to be persuaded;

οὐ γάρ τʼ αἶψα θεῶν τρέπεται νόος αἰὲν ἐόντων.

for the mind of the gods who are forever is not quickly turned.

ὣς τὼ μὲν χαλεποῖσιν ἀμειβομένω ἐπέεσσιν

So those two stood exchanging harsh words;

ἕστασαν· οἱ δʼ ἀνόρουσαν ἐυκνήμιδες Ἀχαιοὶ

but the well-greaved Achaeans sprang up

ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ, δίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή.

with a wondrous cry, and their counsel pleased them in two ways.

νύκτα μὲν ἀέσαμεν χαλεπὰ φρεσὶν ὁρμαίνοντες

Through the night we slept, debating hard things in our minds

ἀλλήλοις· ἐπὶ γὰρ Ζεὺς ἤρτυε πῆμα κακοῖο·

against one another; for Zeus was preparing a plight of evil.

ἠῶθεν δʼ οἱ μὲν νέας ἕλκομεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν

At dawn, some of us drew our ships into the noble sea

κτήματά τʼ ἐντιθέμεσθα βαθυζώνους τε γυναῖκας.

and put in our possessions and deep-girdled women.

ἡμίσεες δʼ ἄρα λαοὶ ἐρητύοντο μένοντες

But half of the host remained behind, staying

αὖθι παρʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι, ποιμένι λαῶν·

there with Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the people;

ἡμίσεες δʼ ἀναβάντες ἐλαύνομεν· αἱ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα

the other half of us embarked and drove on; and the ships very quickly

ἔπλεον, ἐστόρεσεν δὲ θεὸς μεγακήτεα πόντον.

sailed, and a god smoothed the deep sea of great monsters.

ἐς Τένεδον δʼ ἐλθόντες ἐρέξαμεν ἱρὰ θεοῖσιν,

And coming to Tenedos we offered sacrifices to the gods,

οἴκαδε ἱέμενοι· Ζεὺς δʼ οὔ πω μήδετο νόστον,

longing for home; but Zeus was not yet planning our return,

σχέτλιος, ὅς ῥʼ ἔριν ὦρσε κακὴν ἔπι δεύτερον αὖτις.

merciless, who indeed stirred up evil strife a second time again.

οἱ μὲν ἀποστρέψαντες ἔβαν νέας ἀμφιελίσσας

Then some, turning back, went in their curved ships

ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἄνακτα δαΐφρονα, ποικιλομήτην,

around king Odysseus, wise and full of wiles,

αὖτις ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι ἦρα φέροντες²·

bringing favor again to Agamemnon, son of Atreus;

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν νηυσὶν ἀολλέσιν, αἵ μοι ἕποντο,

but I, with all the ships that followed me,

φεῦγον, ἐπεὶ γίγνωσκον, ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων³.

fled, since I knew that the god was planning evil.

φεῦγε δὲ Τυδέος υἱὸς ἀρήιος, ὦρσε δʼ ἑταίρους.

And the warlike son of Tydeus fled and urged on his companions.

ὀψὲ δὲ δὴ μετὰ νῶι κίε ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,

And late indeed yellow Menelaus came after us,

ἐν Λέσβῳ δʼ ἔκιχεν δολιχὸν πλόον ὁρμαίνοντας,

and caught us in Lesbos, as we were debating the long voyage,

ἢ καθύπερθε Χίοιο νεοίμεθα παιπαλοέσσης,

whether we should go above craggy Chios,

νήσου ἔπι Ψυρίης, αὐτὴν ἐπʼ ἀριστέρʼ ἔχοντες,

toward the island of Psyria, keeping it on our left,

ἦ ὑπένερθε⁴ Χίοιο, παρʼ ἠνεμόεντα Μίμαντα.

or below Chios, past windy Mimas.

ᾐτέομεν δὲ θεὸν φῆναι τέρας· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἡμῖν

And we asked the god to show us a sign; and he

δεῖξε, καὶ ἠνώγει πέλαγος μέσον εἰς Εὔβοιαν

showed it to us, and bade us cut through the middle of the sea to Euboea,

τέμνειν, ὄφρα τάχιστα ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν.

that we might escape disaster as quickly as possible.

ὦρτο δʼ ἐπὶ λιγὺς οὖρος ἀήμεναι· αἱ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα

And a shrill wind arose to blow; and the ships very quickly

ἰχθυόεντα κέλευθα διέδραμον, ἐς δὲ Γεραιστὸν

ran through the fish-filled paths, and into Geraestus

ἐννύχιαι κατάγοντο· Ποσειδάωνι δὲ ταύρων

they were brought at night; and to Poseidon many thighs of bulls

πόλλʼ ἐπὶ μῆρʼ ἔθεμεν, πέλαγος μέγα μετρήσαντες.

we placed, having measured the great sea.

τέτρατον ἦμαρ ἔην, ὅτʼ ἐν Ἄργεϊ⁵ νῆας ἐίσας

It was the fourth day when in Argos the well-balanced ships

Τυδεΐδεω ἕταροι Διομήδεος ἱπποδάμοιο

the companions of Diomedes, son of Tydeus, tamer of horses,

ἵστασαν· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε Πύλονδʼ ἔχον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἔσβη

were mooring; but I held on toward Pylos, and never was the wind

οὖρος, ἐπεὶ δὴ πρῶτα θεὸς προέηκεν ἀῆναι.

quenched, since indeed first the god sent it forth to blow.

ὣς ἦλθον, φίλε τέκνον, ἀπευθής, οὐδέ τι οἶδα

Thus I came, dear child, without tidings, nor do I know anything

κείνων, οἵ τʼ ἐσάωθεν Ἀχαιῶν οἵ τʼ ἀπόλοντο.

of those of the Achaeans who were saved and those who perished.

ὅσσα δʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι καθήμενος ἡμετέροισι

But what I hear while sitting in our halls,

πεύθομαι, ἣ θέμις ἐστί, δαήσεαι, οὐδέ σε κεύσω.

as is right, you shall learn, nor will I hide it from you.

εὖ μὲν Μυρμιδόνας φάσʼ ἐλθέμεν ἐγχεσιμώρους,

Well, they say, did the Myrmidons, mighty with the spear, return,

οὓς ἄγʼ Ἀχιλλῆος μεγαθύμου φαίδιμος υἱός,

whom the illustrious son of great-hearted Achilles led,

εὖ δὲ Φιλοκτήτην, Ποιάντιον ἀγλαὸν υἱόν.

and well Philoctetes, the glorious son of Poeas.

πάντας δʼ Ἰδομενεὺς Κρήτην εἰσήγαγʼ ἑταίρους,

And all his companions Idomeneus brought back to Crete,

οἳ φύγον ἐκ πολέμου, πόντος δέ οἱ οὔ τινʼ ἀπηύρα.

those who fled from the war, nor did the sea rob him of any.

Ἀτρεΐδην δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀκούετε, νόσφιν ἐόντες,

And of the son of Atreus you yourselves hear, though you are far away,

ὥς τʼ ἦλθʼ, ὥς τʼ Αἴγισθος ἐμήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.

both how he came, and how Aegisthus devised his grievous destruction.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι κεῖνος μὲν ἐπισμυγερῶς ἀπέτισεν·

But indeed that man paid the price in a terrible way;

ὡς ἀγαθὸν καὶ παῖδα καταφθιμένοιο λιπέσθαι

how good it is that even a son of a deceased man is left

ἀνδρός, ἐπεὶ καὶ κεῖνος ἐτίσατο πατροφονῆα,

behind, since indeed he too took vengeance on the slayer of his father,

Αἴγισθον δολόμητιν, ὅ οἱ πατέρα κλυτὸν ἔκτα.

crafty Aegisthus, who killed his famous father.

καὶ σὺ φίλος, μάλα γάρ σʼ ὁρόω καλόν τε μέγαν τε,

And you, my friend, for I see you are very handsome and tall,

ἄλκιμος ἔσσʼ, ἵνα τίς σε καὶ ὀψιγόνων ἐὺ εἴπῃ.

be brave, so that even one of those born hereafter may speak well of you.

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

To him in turn wise Telemachus answered:

ὦ Νέστορ Νηληϊάδη, μέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν,

"O Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans,

καὶ λίην κεῖνος μὲν ἐτίσατο, καί οἱ Ἀχαιοὶ

indeed that man took vengeance, and the Achaeans

οἴσουσι κλέος εὐρὺ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι·

will bear his wide fame even for those to come to hear.

αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοσσήνδε θεοὶ δύναμιν περιθεῖεν⁶,

Would that the gods might clothe me with such power

τίσασθαι μνηστῆρας ὑπερβασίης ἀλεγεινῆς,

to take vengeance on the suitors for their painful insolence,

οἵ τέ μοι ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται.

who outrage me and devise reckless deeds.

ἀλλʼ οὔ μοι τοιοῦτον ἐπέκλωσαν θεοὶ ὄλβον,

But the gods have spun no such fortune for me,

πατρί τʼ ἐμῷ καὶ ἐμοί· νῦν δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.

either for my father or for me; and now we must endure it anyway."

τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

To him then answered Gerenian horseman Nestor:

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ δὴ ταῦτά μʼ ἀνέμνησας καὶ ἔειπες,

"O friend, since indeed you have reminded me of this and spoken of it,

φασὶ μνηστῆρας σῆς μητέρος εἵνεκα πολλοὺς

they say that many suitors, on account of your mother,

ἐν μεγάροις ἀέκητι σέθεν κακὰ μηχανάασθαι·

devise evils in your halls against your will.

εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι, ἦ σέ γε λαοὶ

Tell me, are you willingly being subdued, or do the people

ἐχθαίρουσʼ ἀνὰ δῆμον, ἐπισπόμενοι θεοῦ ὀμφῇ.

hate you throughout the community, following the voice of a god?

τίς δʼ οἶδʼ εἴ κέ ποτέ σφι βίας ἀποτίσεται ἐλθών,

And who knows if he will ever come and take vengeance on their violence,

ἢ ὅ γε μοῦνος ἐὼν ἢ καὶ σύμπαντες Ἀχαιοί;

whether he being alone, or also all the Achaeans together?"

Syntax notes6 items

3.146ὃ οὐ πείσεσθαι ἔμελλεν
The conjunction ὅ introduces a noun clause meaning 'the fact that', serving as the direct object of ᾔδη. πείσεσθαι is the middle future infinitive, with the goddess Athena (from Ἀθηναίης in the previous line) as its implied subject.
3.164ἦρα φέροντες
An idiom meaning 'bringing favor' or 'pleasing someone' (with the dative). Here it governs ἐπʼ Ἀτρεΐδῃ Ἀγαμέμνονι.
3.166ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων
The clause introduced by the relative pronoun ὅ acts as the direct object (noun clause) of the verb γίγνωσκον, meaning 'that the god was planning evil'. δή emphasizes the fact.
3.170ἢ καθύπερθε... ἦ ὑπένερθε...
This introduces a double indirect question, explaining the content of what they were debating (ὁρμαίνοντας). The particles ἢ... ἦ... present the alternatives: 'whether... or...'
3.180ὅτʼ ἐν Ἄργεϊ
The relative clause introduced by ὅτε ('when') connects with the main clause τέτρατον ἦμαρ ἔην ('it was the fourth day'), forming a temporal construction equivalent to 'It was on the fourth day that...'
3.205αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοσσήνδε θεοὶ δύναμιν περιθεῖεν
The particle αἲ γάρ ('would that') combined with the optative περιθεῖεν (3rd person plural aorist active of περί-τιθημι) expresses a strong wish or a prayer for a potential power.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:3.146-3.217