Telemachus Laments the Suitors and Menelaus Begins His Tale — Odyssey §4.289-4.359 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

τόφρα δʼ ἔχʼ, ὄφρα σε νόσφιν ἀπήγαγε Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

so long did he hold it, until Pallas Athena led you away.

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying:

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

"Son of Atreus, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, leader of the people,

ἄλγιον· οὐ γάρ οἵ τι τάδʼ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον¹,

all the more painful is it; for in no wise did these things ward off sad destruction from him,

οὐδʼ εἴ οἱ κραδίη γε σιδηρέη ἔνδοθεν ἦεν.

not even if his heart within had been of iron.

ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ εἰς εὐνὴν τράπεθʼ ἡμέας, ὄφρα καὶ ἤδη

But come, send us to bed, so that now at length

ὕπνῳ ὕπο γλυκερῷ ταρπώμεθα κοιμηθέντες.

we may lull ourselves to rest and enjoy sweet sleep."

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀργείη δʼ Ἑλένη δμῳῇσι κέλευσεν

So he spoke, and Argive Helen bade her handmaids

δέμνιʼ ὑπʼ αἰθούσῃ θέμεναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλὰ

to place bedsteads beneath the portico, and to cast on them fair purple

πορφύρεʼ ἐμβαλέειν στορέσαι τʼ ἐφύπερθε τάπητας,

blankets, and to spread rugs above them,

χλαίνας τʼ ἐνθέμεναι οὔλας καθύπερθεν ἕσασθαι.

and to put thick cloaks thereon for them to wrap themselves withal.

αἱ δʼ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι,

And they went forth from the hall, holding torches in their hands,

δέμνια δὲ στόρεσαν· ἐκ δὲ ξείνους ἄγε κῆρυξ.

and strewed the beds; and a herald led forth the guests.

οἱ μὲν ἄρʼ ἐν προδόμῳ δόμου αὐτόθι κοιμήσαντο,

So they slept there in the vestibule of the house,

Τηλέμαχός θʼ ἥρως καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸς υἱός·

the hero Telemachus and the glorious son of Nestor;

Ἀτρεΐδης δὲ καθεῦδε μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο,

but the son of Atreus slept in the inmost chamber of the high house,

πὰρ δʼ Ἑλένη τανύπεπλος ἐλέξατο, δῖα γυναικῶν.

and by his side lay long-robed Helen, peerless among women.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

But as soon as early-ruling, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

ὤρνυτʼ ἄρʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφι βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος

Menelaus, good at the war-cry, rose from his bed,

εἵματα ἑσσάμενος, περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτʼ ὤμῳ,

and put on his garments, and slung his sharp sword about his shoulder,

ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

and beneath his shining feet bound his fair sandals,

βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἄντην,

and went forth from his chamber like unto a god to look upon,

Τηλεμάχῳ δὲ παρῖζεν, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

and sat down by Telemachus, and spoke, and addressed him:

τίπτε δέ σε χρειὼ δεῦρʼ ἤγαγε, Τηλέμαχʼ ἥρως,

"What need has brought you hither, hero Telemachus,

ἐς Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν, ἐπʼ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης;

to divine Lacedaemon, over the broad back of the sea?

δήμιον ἦ ἴδιον; τόδε μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.

Is it a public matter or a private one? Tell me this truly."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying:

Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

"Son of Atreus, Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, leader of the people,

ἤλυθον, εἴ τινά μοι κληηδόνα πατρὸς ἐνίσποις.

I have come to see if you could tell me some tidings of my father.

ἐσθίεταί μοι οἶκος, ὄλωλε δὲ πίονα ἔργα,

My home is being devoured, my rich estates are ruined,

δυσμενέων δʼ ἀνδρῶν πλεῖος δόμος, οἵ τέ μοι αἰεὶ

and my house is full of hostile men, who ever

μῆλʼ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς,

slay my thronging sheep and my shambling, crook-horned kine,

μητρὸς ἐμῆς μνηστῆρες ὑπέρβιον ὕβριν ἔχοντες.

even the suitors of my mother, overbearing in their insolence.

τοὔνεκα νῦν τὰ σὰ γούναθʼ ἱκάνομαι, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσθα

Therefore am I now come to your knees, if perchance you will

κείνου λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον ἐνισπεῖν, εἴ που ὄπωπας

tell me of his sad destruction, whether you have seen it anywhere

ὀφθαλμοῖσι τεοῖσιν ἢ ἄλλου μῦθον ἄκουσας

with your own eyes, or have heard the story from another,

πλαζομένου· περὶ γάρ μιν ὀιζυρὸν τέκε μήτηρ².

some wanderer; for to exceeding sorrow did his mother bear him.

μηδέ τί μʼ αἰδόμενος μειλίσσεο μηδʼ ἐλεαίρων,

And do not out of respect for me speak soothing words, nor out of pity,

ἀλλʼ εὖ μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.

but tell me plainly how you came to behold him.

λίσσομαι, εἴ ποτέ τοί τι πατὴρ ἐμός, ἐσθλὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς

I beseech you, if ever my father, noble Odysseus,

ἢ ἔπος ἠέ τι ἔργον ὑποστὰς ἐξετέλεσσε

promised and fulfilled any word or deed for you

δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχετε πήματʼ Ἀχαιοί,

in the land of the Trojans, where you Achaeans suffered woes,

τῶν νῦν μοι μνῆσαι, καί μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες.

remember these things now, I pray you, and tell me the truth."

τὸν δὲ μέγʼ ὀχθήσας προσέθη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

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

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ κρατερόφρονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν εὐνῇ

"Out upon them! Truly in the bed of a brave-hearted man

ἤθελον εὐνηθῆναι ἀνάλκιδες αὐτοὶ ἐόντες.

did they desire to lie, being themselves cowards.

ὡς δʼ ὁπότʼ ἐν ξυλόχῳ ἔλαφος κρατεροῖο λέοντος

Even as when a hind has laid to sleep in the lair of a strong lion

νεβροὺς κοιμήσασα νεηγενέας γαλαθηνοὺς

her newborn, suckling fawns,

κνημοὺς ἐξερέῃσι καὶ ἄγκεα ποιήεντα

and roams over the mountain slopes and grassy glades

βοσκομένη, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα ἑὴν εἰσήλυθεν εὐνήν,

seeking pasture, and then the lion comes back to his lair,

ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκεν,

and upon both of them brings a shameful doom,

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κείνοισιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφήσει.

even so will Odysseus bring a shameful doom upon these men.

αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον,

Would that, O father Zeus, and Athena, and Apollo,

τοῖος ἐών, οἷός ποτʼ ἐυκτιμένῃ ἐνὶ Λέσβῳ

being such a man as when once in well-built Lesbos

ἐξ ἔριδος Φιλομηλεΐδῃ ἐπάλαισεν ἀναστάς³,

he rose up and wrestled with Philomeleides in rivalry,

κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλε κρατερῶς, κεχάροντο δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί,

and threw him mightily, and all the Achaeans were glad,

τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς·

would that in such strength Odysseus might meet the suitors;

πάντες κʼ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε.

then should they all find a swift death and a bitter bridal.

ταῦτα δʼ ἅ μʼ εἰρωτᾷς καὶ λίσσεαι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε

But as for these things whereof you ask and beseech me, I will not

ἄλλα παρὲξ εἴποιμι παρακλιδόν, οὐδʼ ἀπατήσω,

tell you other things, speaking beside the mark, nor will I deceive you;

ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν μοι ἔειπε γέρων ἅλιος νημερτής,

but what the unerring old man of the sea told me,

τῶν οὐδέν τοι ἐγὼ κρύψω ἔπος οὐδʼ ἐπικεύσω.

of these things I will hide no word from you, nor conceal it.

Αἰγύπτῳ μʼ ἔτι δεῦρο θεοὶ μεμαῶτα νέεσθαι

In Egypt the gods still held me back, though eager to return hither,

ἔσχον, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφιν ἔρεξα τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας.

because I offered not to them perfect hecatombs.

οἱ δʼ αἰεὶ βούλοντο θεοὶ μεμνῆσθαι ἐφετμέων.

For the gods ever wish that we should be mindful of their commandments.

νῆσος ἔπειτά τις ἔστι πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

Now there is an island in the surging sea

Αἰγύπτου προπάροιθε, Φάρον δέ ἑ κικλήσκουσι,

in front of Egypt, and men call it Pharos,

τόσσον ἄνευθʼ ὅσσον τε πανημερίη γλαφυρὴ νηῦς

as far distant as a hollow ship runs in a whole day

ἤνυσεν, ᾗ λιγὺς οὖρος ἐπιπνείῃσιν ὄπισθεν·

when a shrill wind blows fair behind her.

ἐν δὲ λιμὴν ἐύορμος, ὅθεν τʼ ἀπὸ νῆας ἐίσας

And therein is a harbor with good anchorage, whence men launch

ἐς πόντον βάλλουσιν, ἀφυσσάμενοι μέλαν ὕδωρ.

the trim ships into the deep, having drawn dark water."

Syntax notes3 items

4.292οὐ γάρ οἵ τι τάδʼ ἤρκεσε λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον
The verb `ἤρκεσε` (from `ἀρκέω`) is used with a dative of the person (`οἱ`) and an accusative of the thing (`ὄλεθρον`), meaning 'to ward off something from someone'. The neuter plural subject `τάδε` refers back to the brave exploits of Odysseus described in the previous lines.
4.325περί γάρ μιν ὀιζυρὸν τέκε μήτηρ
The particle `περί` functions here adverbially rather than as a preposition, modifying and intensifying the adjective `ὀιζυρόν` ('wretched', 'woeful') to mean 'exceedingly' or 'beyond measure'.
4.343ἐξ ἔριδος Φιλομηλεΐδῃ ἐπάλαισεν ἀναστάς
The prepositional phrase `ἐξ ἔριδος` means 'in rivalry' or 'as a contest', referring to the legendary wrestling match between Odysseus and Philomeleides in Lesbos. `ἀναστάς` is the strong aorist active participle of `ἀνίστημι`, describing him 'rising up' to meet the challenge.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:4.289-4.359