Arrival in Sparta and Reception in Menelaus' Palace — Odyssey §4.1-4.74 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

οἱ δʼ ἷξον κοίλην Λακεδαίμονα κητώεσσαν,

And they came to the hollow Lacedaemon full of ravines,

πρὸς δʼ ἄρα δώματʼ ἔλων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

and drove their horses toward the palace of glorious Menelaus.

τὸν δʼ εὗρον δαινύντα γάμον πολλοῖσιν ἔτῃσιν¹

And they found him giving a marriage feast to many kinsmen

υἱέος ἠδὲ θυγατρὸς ἀμύμονος ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

for his noble son and daughter in his own house.

τὴν μὲν Ἀχιλλῆος ῥηξήνορος υἱέι πέμπεν·

The daughter indeed he was sending to the son of Achilles, breaker of ranks;

ἐν Τροίῃ γὰρ πρῶτον ὑπέσχετο καὶ κατένευσε

for in Troy he first had promised and nodded assent

δωσέμεναι, τοῖσιν δὲ θεοὶ γάμον ἐξετέλειον.

to give her, and the gods were bringing their marriage to fulfillment.

τὴν ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἔνθʼ ἵπποισι καὶ ἅρμασι πέμπε νέεσθαι

Her then he was sending to go with horses and chariots

Μυρμιδόνων προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν, οἷσιν ἄνασσεν.

to the glorious city of the Myrmidons, over whom he ruled.

υἱέι δὲ Σπάρτηθεν Ἀλέκτορος ἤγετο κούρην,

But for his son, he was bringing from Sparta the daughter of Alector,

ὅς οἱ τηλύγετος² γένετο κρατερὸς Μεγαπένθης

who was his strong son Megapenthes, born late in life (or dearly beloved)

ἐκ δούλης· Ἑλένῃ δὲ θεοὶ γόνον οὐκέτʼ ἔφαινον,

from a slave woman; for to Helen the gods no longer showed offspring

ἐπεὶ δὴ τὸ πρῶτον ἐγείνατο παῖδʼ ἐρατεινήν,

after she had first given birth to her lovely child,

Ἑρμιόνην, ἣ εἶδος ἔχε χρυσέης Ἀφροδίτης.

Hermione, who had the beauty of golden Aphrodite.

ὣς οἱ μὲν δαίνυντο καθʼ ὑψερεφὲς μέγα δῶμα

So they indeed were feasting throughout the great high-roofed hall,

γείτονες ἠδὲ ἔται Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

the neighbors and kinsmen of glorious Menelaus,

τερπόμενοι· μετὰ δέ σφιν ἐμέλπετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς

taking their pleasure; and among them a divine singer sang,

φορμίζων, δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατʼ αὐτούς,

playing the lyre, while two tumblers among them,

μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντος³, ἐδίνευον κατὰ μέσσους.

as he began his song, spun in the midst.

τὼ δʼ αὖτʼ ἐν προθύροισι δόμων αὐτώ τε καὶ ἵππω⁴,

Meanwhile at the outer gate of the palace, both themselves and their horses,

Τηλέμαχός θʼ ἥρως καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱός,

hero Telemachus and the glorious son of Nestor,

στῆσαν· ὁ δὲ προμολὼν ἴδετο κρείων Ἐτεωνεύς,

stood; and the lord Eteoneus, coming forward, saw them,

ὀτρηρὸς θεράπων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο,

the busy attendant of glorious Menelaus,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἀγγελέων διὰ δώματα ποιμένι λαῶν,

and he went to go through the palace to announce them to the shepherd of the people,

ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and standing near he spoke winged words:

ξείνω δή τινε τώδε, διοτρεφὲς ὦ Μενέλαε,

"Here are two strangers, O Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus,

ἄνδρε δύω, γενεῇ δὲ Διὸς μεγάλοιο ἔικτον.

two men, and they look like the offspring of great Zeus.

ἀλλʼ εἴπʼ, ἤ σφωιν καταλύσομεν⁵ ὠκέας ἵππους,

But tell me, whether we shall unyoke their swift horses,

ἦ ἄλλον πέμπωμεν ἱκανέμεν, ὅς κε φιλήσῃ.

or send them to go to another, who may welcome them."

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

Then, greatly moved, fair-haired Menelaus spoke to him:

οὐ μὲν νήπιος ἦσθα, Βοηθοΐδη Ἐτεωνεῦ,

"You were not a fool before, Eteoneus, son of Boethous,

τὸ πρίν· ἀτὰρ μὲν νῦν γε πάϊς ὣς νήπια βάζεις.

in the past; but now indeed, like a child, you speak foolish things.

ἦ μὲν δὴ νῶι ξεινήια πολλὰ φαγόντε

Truly we two ate many guest-gifts of other men

ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων δεῦρʼ ἱκόμεθʼ, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς

before we came here, in the hope that Zeus might somehow

ἐξοπίσω περ παύσῃ ὀιζύος. ἀλλὰ λύʼ ἵππους

in the future give us rest from sorrow. Come, unyoke the horses

ξείνων, ἐς δʼ αὐτοὺς προτέρω ἄγε θοινηθῆναι.

of the strangers, and bring them forward to feast."

ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δὲ μεγάροιο διέσσυτο, κέκλετο δʼ ἄλλους

So he spoke, and he hastened through the hall, and called to other

ὀτρηροὺς θεράποντας ἅμα σπέσθαι ἑοῖ αὐτῷ.

busy attendants to follow along with him.

οἱ δʼ ἵππους μὲν λῦσαν ὑπὸ ζυγοῦ ἱδρώοντας,

And they indeed unyoked the sweating horses from under the yoke,

καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατέδησαν ἐφʼ ἱππείῃσι κάπῃσι,

and bound them to the horse-mangers,

πὰρ δʼ ἔβαλον ζειάς, ἀνὰ δὲ κρῖ λευκὸν ἔμιξαν,

and cast before them spelt, and mixed white barley with it,

ἅρματα δʼ ἔκλιναν πρὸς ἐνώπια παμφανόωντα,

and tilted the chariots against the shining inner walls,

αὐτοὺς δʼ εἰσῆγον θεῖον δόμον. οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες

and led them into the divine palace. And they, seeing it,

θαύμαζον κατὰ δῶμα διοτρεφέος βασιλῆος·

marveled at the palace of the Zeus-nurtured king;

ὥς τε γὰρ ἠελίου αἴγλη πέλεν ἠὲ σελήνης

for there was a gleam as of the sun or the moon

δῶμα καθʼ ὑψερεφὲς Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

throughout the high-roofed palace of glorious Menelaus.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ὁρώμενοι ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

But when they had satisfied themselves with looking with their eyes,

ἔς ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθους βάντες ἐυξέστας λούσαντο.

they went into the well-polished baths and bathed.

τοὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ,

When indeed the handmaidens had bathed them and anointed them with oil,

ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα χλαίνας οὔλας βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,

and had cast woolly cloaks and tunics about them,

ἔς ῥα θρόνους ἕζοντο παρʼ Ἀτρεΐδην Μενέλαον.

they sat down on chairs beside Menelaus, son of Atreus.

χέρνιβα δʼ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα

And a handmaid poured hand-washing water from a pitcher,

καλῇ χρυσείῃ ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,

a beautiful golden one, over a silver basin,

νίψασθαι· παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.

to wash; and beside them she drew a polished table.

σῖτον δʼ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,

And the revered housekeeper brought and set bread before them,

εἴδατα πόλλʼ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων.

placing many dainties upon it, giving freely of what was present.

δαιτρὸς δὲ κρειῶν πίνακας παρέθηκεν ἀείρας

And a carver lifted up and placed beside them platters of meats

παντοίων, παρὰ δέ σφι τίθει χρύσεια κύπελλα.

of all kinds, and by them he set golden cups.

τὼ καὶ δεικνύμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

Welcoming them, fair-haired Menelaus spoke to them:

σίτου θʼ ἅπτεσθον καὶ χαίρετον. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

"Take food and rejoice. And then afterward,

δείπνου πασσαμένω⁶ εἰρησόμεθʼ, οἵ τινές ἐστον

when you have tasted food, we shall ask you who you are

ἀνδρῶν· οὐ γὰρ σφῷν γε γένος ἀπόλωλε τοκήων,

among men; for the lineage of your parents is not lost in you,

ἀλλʼ ἀνδρῶν γένος ἐστὲ διοτρεφέων βασιλήων

but you are of the race of men who are Zeus-nurtured kings,

σκηπτούχων, ἐπεὶ οὔ κε κακοὶ τοιούσδε τέκοιεν.

scepter-bearers, since base men could not have begotten such as you."

ὣς φάτο, καί σφιν νῶτα βοὸς παρὰ πίονα θῆκεν

So he spoke, and set before them the fat back-meat of an ox,

ὄπτʼ ἐν χερσὶν ἑλών, τά ῥά οἱ γέρα πάρθεσαν αὐτῷ.

taking in his hands the roasted meat which they had set before him as his own portion.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

And they stretched forth their hands to the ready dainties set before them.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,

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

δὴ τότε Τηλέμαχος προσεφώνεε Νέστορος υἱόν,

then indeed Telemachus spoke to the son of Nestor,

ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθʼ οἱ ἄλλοι·

holding his head close, so that the others might not hear:

φράζεο, Νεστορίδη, τῷ ἐμῷ κεχαρισμένε θυμῷ,

"Observe, son of Nestor, dear to my heart,

χαλκοῦ τε στεροπὴν κὰδ δώματα ἠχήεντα

the gleam of bronze through the echoing halls,

χρυσοῦ τʼ ἠλέκτρου τε καὶ ἀργύρου ἠδʼ ἐλέφαντος.

and of gold and amber and silver and ivory.

Ζηνός που τοιήδε γʼ Ὀλυμπίου ἔνδοθεν αὐλή,

Such, I think, is the court of Olympian Zeus within,

Syntax notes6 items

4.3πολλοῖσιν ἔτῃσιν
This dative can be interpreted either as 'for many kinsmen' (dative of interest) or 'with many kinsmen' (dative of accompaniment). Given the context of Menelaus hosting a feast for his people, the former ('for many kinsmen') is more natural.
4.11τηλύγετος
A poetic word with debated etymology and meaning, referring either to a child 'born late in life' or 'dearly beloved'. Here it emphasizes that Megapenthes, born of a slave woman, was the only (or highly cherished) son of Menelaus since Helen had no male offspring.
4.19μολπῆς ἐξάρχοντος
A genitive absolute construction in the singular, with the singer (ἀοιδός) as the implied subject. It stands independent of the preceding 'two tumblers' (κυβιστητῆρε, dual in the nominative) to describe the background: 'as the singer began his song'.
4.20αὐτώ τε καὶ ἵππω
The subject 'both themselves and their horses' is in the dual form (αὐτώ, ἵππω), while the corresponding verb in §4.22 `στῆσαν` is third-person plural aorist (intransitive 'they stood'). In Homeric Greek, plural verbs are frequently used with dual subjects.
4.28ἤ σφωιν καταλύσομεν
The subjunctive `καταλύσομεν` (short-vowel subjunctive, identical in form here to the future indicative but functioning as a deliberative subjunctive) is coordinated with §4.29 `ἦ ἄλλον πέμπωμεν` (regular deliberative subjunctive) to express a double deliberative question: 'should we unyoke... or should we send...?'. `σφωιν` is the third-person dual dative ('for the two of them').
4.61πασσαμένω
An aorist participle in the dual masculine accusative, modifying the implied accusative subject of the main clause (the two guests) and expressing temporal sequence ('after the two have tasted'). While the main verb `εἰρησόμεθʼ` is first-person plural ('we shall ask'), the dual accusative participle specifies the recipients of the action.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:4.1-4.74