Sacrifice to Athena and Departure for Sparta — Odyssey §3.429-3.497 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἕδρας τε ξύλα τʼ ἀμφὶ καὶ ἀγλαὸν οἰσέμεν¹ ὕδωρ.

"and to bring seats and wood all around, and bright water."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐποίπνυον. ἦλθε μὲν ἂρ βοῦς

So he spoke, and they indeed all busied themselves. The heifer came indeed

ἐκ πεδίου, ἦλθον δὲ θοῆς παρὰ νηὸς ἐίσης

from the plain, and there came from the swift, well-balanced ship

Τηλεμάχου ἕταροι μεγαλήτορος, ἦλθε δὲ χαλκεὺς

the companions of great-hearted Telemachus, and there came the smith

ὅπλʼ ἐν χερσὶν ἔχων χαλκήια, πείρατα τέχνης,

holding in his hands his bronze tools, the instruments of his art,

ἄκμονά τε σφῦραν τʼ ἐυποίητόν τε πυράγρην,

an anvil and a hammer and well-made tongs,

οἷσίν τε χρυσὸν εἰργάζετο· ἦλθε δʼ Ἀθήνη

with which he worked gold; and Athena came

ἱρῶν ἀντιόωσα. γέρων δʼ ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ

to meet the sacrifice. And the old horseman Nestor

χρυσὸν ἔδωχʼ· ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα βοὸς κέρασιν περίχευεν

gave gold; and he then poured it about the horns of the heifer,

ἀσκήσας, ἵνʼ ἄγαλμα θεὰ κεχάροιτο² ἰδοῦσα.

having fashioned it, so that the goddess might rejoice when seeing the ornament.

βοῦν δʼ ἀγέτην κεράων Στρατίος καὶ δῖος Ἐχέφρων.

And Stratius and noble Echephron led the heifer by the horns.

χέρνιβα δέ σφʼ Ἄρητος ἐν ἀνθεμόεντι λέβητι

And Aretus came, bringing for them hand-washing water in a flowered basin

ἤλυθεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο φέρων, ἑτέρῃ δʼ ἔχεν οὐλὰς

from the chamber, and in his other hand he held barley meal

ἐν κανέῳ πέλεκυν δὲ μενεπτόλεμος Θρασυμήδης

in a basket; and Thrasymedes, steadfast in battle,

ὀξὺν ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ παρίστατο βοῦν ἐπικόψων.

stood by, holding a sharp axe in his hand to strike down the heifer.

Περσεὺς δʼ ἀμνίον εἶχε· γέρων δʼ ἱππηλάτα Νέστωρ

And Perseus held the vessel for the blood; and the old horseman Nestor

χέρνιβά τʼ οὐλοχύτας τε κατήρχετο³, πολλὰ δʼ Ἀθήνῃ

began the rite with the hand-washing water and the barley meal, and to Athena

εὔχετʼ ἀπαρχόμενος, κεφαλῆς τρίχας ἐν πυρὶ βάλλων.

he prayed much, offering the first fruits, throwing the hairs of the head into the fire.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ εὔξαντο καὶ οὐλοχύτας προβάλοντο,

But when they had prayed and cast forward the barley meal,

αὐτίκα Νέστορος υἱὸς ὑπέρθυμος Θρασυμήδης

straightway Nestor's son, high-spirited Thrasymedes,

ἤλασεν ἄγχι στάς· πέλεκυς δʼ ἀπέκοψε τένοντας

stood near and struck; and the axe cut through the tendons

αὐχενίους, λῦσεν δὲ βοὸς μένος. αἱ δʼ ὀλόλυξαν

of the neck, and loosened the strength of the heifer. And they cried aloud,

θυγατέρες τε νυοί τε καὶ αἰδοίη παράκοιτις

the daughters and daughters-in-law and the revered wife

Νέστορος, Εὐρυδίκη, πρέσβα Κλυμένοιο θυγατρῶν.

of Nestor, Eurydice, the eldest of Clymenus' daughters.

οἱ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἀνελόντες ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης

Then indeed, lifting her up from the wide-wayed earth,

ἔσχον· ἀτὰρ σφάξεν Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν.

they held her; and Pisistratus, leader of men, slaughtered her.

τῆς δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ μέλαν αἷμα ῥύη, λίπε δʼ ὀστέα θυμός,

And when the black blood flowed from her, and life left her bones,

αἶψʼ ἄρα μιν διέχευαν, ἄφαρ δʼ ἐκ μηρία τάμνον

straightway they cut her up, and quickly cut out the thigh-bones

πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν

all in due order, and covered them with fat,

δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δʼ ὠμοθέτησαν.

making it double, and placed raw meat upon them.

καῖε δʼ ἐπὶ σχίζῃς ὁ γέρων, ἐπὶ δʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον

And the old man burned them on split wood, and over them poured glowing wine;

λεῖβε· νέοι δὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν ἔχον πεμπώβολα χερσίν.

and the young men beside him held five-pronged forks in their hands.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρʼ ἐκάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο,

But when the thigh-bones were burned up and they had tasted the inner parts,

μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν,

they sliced the rest and spitted it on spits,

ὤπτων δʼ ἀκροπόρους ὀβελοὺς ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες.

and roasted it, holding the sharp-pointed spits in their hands.

τόφρα δὲ Τηλέμαχον λοῦσεν καλὴ Πολυκάστη,

Meanwhile beautiful Polycaste bathed Telemachus,

Νέστορος ὁπλοτάτη θυγάτηρ Νηληϊάδαο.

the youngest daughter of Nestor, son of Neleus.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπʼ ἐλαίῳ,

But when she had bathed him and anointed him smoothly with olive oil,

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν φᾶρος καλὸν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

she cast about him a beautiful cloak and a tunic,

ἔκ ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ δέμας ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμοῖος·

and he stepped from the bath, in form like the immortals;

πὰρ δʼ ὅ γε Νέστορʼ ἰὼν κατʼ ἄρʼ ἕζετο, ποιμένα λαῶν.

and going beside Nestor, the shepherd of the people, he sat down.

οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ ὤπτησαν κρέʼ ὑπέρτερα καὶ ἐρύσαντο,

And when they had roasted the upper meats and drawn them off,

δαίνυνθʼ ἑζόμενοι· ἐπὶ δʼ ἀνέρες ἐσθλοὶ ὄροντο

they sat and feasted; and noble men rose to serve them,

οἶνον οἰνοχοεῦντες ἐνὶ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσιν.

pouring wine in golden cups.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

But when they had put away desire for drink and food,

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ·

among them Gerenian horseman Nestor began to speak:

παῖδες ἐμοί, ἄγε Τηλεμάχῳ καλλίτριχας ἵππους

"My sons, come, yoke for Telemachus the fair-maned horses

ζεύξαθʼ ὑφʼ ἅρματʼ ἄγοντες, ἵνα πρήσσῃσιν ὁδοῖο.

under the chariot and lead them, so that he may make speed on his way."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο,

So he spoke, and they indeed heard him and obeyed,

καρπαλίμως δʼ ἔζευξαν ὑφʼ ἅρμασιν ὠκέας ἵππους.

and quickly yoked the swift horses under the chariot.

ἐν δὲ γυνὴ ταμίη σῖτον καὶ οἶνον ἔθηκεν

And the housekeeper placed in it bread and wine

ὄψα τε, οἷα ἔδουσι διοτρεφέες βασιλῆες.

and dainties, such as Zeus-nurtured kings eat.

ἂν δʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος περικαλλέα βήσετο δίφρον·

Then Telemachus mounted the beautiful chariot;

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

and beside him Nestor's son Pisistratus, leader of men,

ἐς δίφρον τʼ ἀνέβαινε καὶ ἡνία λάζετο χερσί,

mounted the chariot and took the reins in his hands,

μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην

and whipped them to drive, and the two flew not unwillingly

ἐς πεδίον, λιπέτην δὲ Πύλου αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον.

into the plain, and left the steep city of Pylos.

οἱ δὲ πανημέριοι σεῖον ζυγὸν ἀμφὶς ἔχοντες.

And all day long they shook the yoke, holding it on both sides.

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί,

And the sun set and all the ways grew dark,

ἐς Φηρὰς δʼ ἵκοντο Διοκλῆος ποτὶ δῶμα,

and they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles,

υἱέος Ὀρτιλόχοιο, τὸν Ἀλφειὸς τέκε παῖδα.

son of Ortilochus, whom Alpheus begot.

ἔνθα δὲ νύκτʼ ἄεσαν, ὁ δὲ τοῖς πὰρ ξείνια θῆκεν.

There they slept the night, and he set guest-gifts before them.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

And when the early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

ἵππους τε ζεύγνυντʼ ἀνά θʼ ἅρματα ποικίλʼ ἔβαινον·

they yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid chariot;

ἐκ δʼ ἔλασαν προθύροιο καὶ αἰθούσης ἐριδούπου·

and they drove out of the gateway and the echoing portico;

μάστιξεν δʼ ἐλάαν, τὼ δʼ οὐκ ἀέκοντε πετέσθην.

and he whipped them to drive, and the two flew not unwillingly.

ἷξον δʼ ἐς πεδίον πυρηφόρον, ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα

And they came to the wheat-bearing plain, and there then

ἦνον ὁδόν· τοῖον γὰρ ὑπέκφερον ὠκέες ἵπποι.

they made an end of their journey; for so did the swift horses carry them onward.

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί.

And the sun set and all the ways grew dark.

Syntax notes3 items

3.429οἰσέμεν
Future (or aorist) epic infinitive. Here it functions as an infinitive of command depending on εἴπατε in line 427, expressing the instruction 'to bring'.
3.438κεχάροιτο
Third-person singular reduplicated aorist optative middle of χαίρω. Used in the purpose clause introduced by ἵνα because the main verb περίχευεν is in a past tense (imperfect), illustrating the optative after historical tenses.
3.445κατήρχετο
Third-person singular imperfect of κατάρχομαι (to begin a rite). It takes the accusatives χέρνιβά τʼ οὐλοχύτας τε as its direct object, meaning that Nestor initiated the sacrifice by using the lustral water and barley meal.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:3.429-3.497