Menelaus' Return and His Gifts to Telemachus — Odyssey §4.566-4.635 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

οὐ νιφετός, οὔτʼ ἂρ χειμὼν πολὺς οὔτε ποτʼ ὄμβρος,

No snow is there, nor heavy storm, nor ever rain,

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ Ζεφύροιο λιγὺ πνείοντος ἀήτας

but always the shrill-blowing breezes of Zephyrus

Ὠκεανὸς ἀνίησιν ἀναψύχειν¹ ἀνθρώπους·

Oceanus sends up to bring cooling to men;

οὕνεκʼ ἔχεις Ἑλένην καί σφιν² γαμβρὸς Διός ἐσσι.

because you have Helen and are in their eyes the son-in-law of Zeus.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὑπὸ πόντον ἐδύσετο κυμαίνοντα.

So saying, he plunged into the surging deep.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆας ἅμʼ ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισιν

But I went to the ships with my godlike companions,

ἤια, πολλὰ δέ μοι κραδίη πόρφυρε κιόντι.

and my heart was deeply troubled as I went.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλθομεν ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

But when we had come down to the ship and the sea,

δόρπον θʼ ὁπλισάμεσθʼ, ἐπί τʼ ἤλυθεν ἀμβροσίη νύξ,

and had made ready our supper, and ambrosial night came on,

δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

then indeed we lay down to sleep on the breaker-beaten shore of the sea.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

And as soon as early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

νῆας μὲν πάμπρωτον ἐρύσσαμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

first of all we dragged our ships into the bright sea,

ἐν δʼ ἱστοὺς τιθέμεσθα καὶ ἱστία νηυσὶν ἐίσῃς,

and set up the masts and sails in the well-balanced ships;

ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βάντες ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον·

and they themselves went on board and sat upon the benches,

ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they smote the grey sea with their oars.

ἂψ δʼ εἰς Αἰγύπτοιο διιπετέος ποταμοῖο

Back to the waters of the heaven-fed river of Egypt

στῆσα νέας, καὶ ἔρεξα τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας.

I stayed my ships, and offered perfect hecatombs.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατέπαυσα θεῶν χόλον αἰὲν ἐόντων,

But when I had appeased the wrath of the ever-living gods,

χεῦʼ Ἀγαμέμνονι τύμβον, ἵνʼ ἄσβεστον κλέος εἴη.

I heaped up a mound for Agamemnon, so that his fame might be unquenchable.

ταῦτα τελευτήσας νεόμην, ἔδοσαν δέ μοι οὖρον

Having finished this, I set out for home; and the immortals gave me a wind

ἀθάνατοι, τοί μʼ ὦκα φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἔπεμψαν.

and sent me swiftly to my beloved fatherland.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν ἐπίμεινον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσιν,

But come now, tarry in my halls

ὄφρα κεν ἑνδεκάτη τε δυωδεκάτη τε γένηται·

until the eleventh or twelfth day shall come;

καὶ τότε σʼ εὖ πέμψω, δώσω δέ τοι ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,

and then I will speed you well on your way, and will give you splendid gifts,

τρεῖς ἵππους καὶ δίφρον ἐύξοον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

three horses and a well-polished chariot; and furthermore

δώσω καλὸν ἄλεισον, ἵνα σπένδῃσθα θεοῖσιν

I will give you a beautiful cup, that you may pour libations to the immortal

ἀθανάτοις ἐμέθεν μεμνημένος ἤματα πάντα.

gods, and be mindful of me all your days."

τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying:

Ἀτρεΐδη, μὴ δή με πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἔρυκε.

"Son of Atreus, keep me no longer here.

καὶ γάρ κʼ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἐγὼ παρὰ σοί γʼ ἀνεχοίμην

For indeed for a year I could endure to sit by you,

ἥμενος³, οὐδέ κέ μʼ οἴκου ἕλοι πόθος οὐδὲ τοκήων·

and no longing for home or parents would seize me;

αἰνῶς γὰρ μύθοισιν ἔπεσσί τε σοῖσιν ἀκούων

for wonderfully do I enjoy listening to your stories and your words.

τέρπομαι. ἀλλʼ ἤδη μοι ἀνιάζουσιν ἑταῖροι

But already my companions are growing weary

ἐν Πύλῳ ἠγαθέῃ· σὺ δέ με χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐρύκεις.

in sacred Pylos, and you are keeping me here.

δῶρον δʼ ὅττι κέ μοι δοίης, κειμήλιον ἔστω·

And whatever gift you would give me, let it be a treasure;

ἵππους δʼ εἰς Ἰθάκην οὐκ ἄξομαι, ἀλλὰ σοὶ αὐτῷ

but horses I will not take to Ithaca, but will leave them here

ἐνθάδε λείψω ἄγαλμα· σὺ γὰρ πεδίοιο ἀνάσσεις

as an ornament for yourself; for you rule over a wide plain

εὐρέος, ᾧ ἔνι μὲν λωτὸς πολύς, ἐν δὲ κύπειρον

wherein is clover in plenty, and galingale,

πυροί τε ζειαί τε ἰδʼ εὐρυφυὲς κρῖ λευκόν.

and wheat and spelt, and broad-eared white barley.

ἐν δʼ Ἰθάκῃ οὔτʼ ἂρ δρόμοι εὐρέες οὔτε τι λειμών·

But in Ithaca there are no wide courses nor any meadow land;

αἰγίβοτος, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπήρατος ἱπποβότοιο⁴.

it is a pasture land for goats, and more lovely than one that pastures horses.

οὐ γάρ τις νήσων ἱππήλατος οὐδʼ ἐυλείμων,

For none of the islands that slope down to the sea is fit for driving horses, or rich in meadows,

αἵ θʼ ἁλὶ κεκλίαται· Ἰθάκη δέ τε καὶ περὶ πασέων.

and Ithaca least of all."

ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος,

So he spoke, and Menelaus, good at the war-cry, smiled,

χειρί τέ μιν κατέρεξεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

and caressed him with his hand, and spoke, and addressed him:

αἵματός εἰς ἀγαθοῖο, φίλον τέκος, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις·

"You are of noble blood, dear child, that you speak such words.

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι ταῦτα μεταστήσω· δύναμαι γάρ.

Therefore indeed I will change these gifts for you; for I have the power.

δώρων δʼ ὅσσʼ ἐν ἐμῷ οἴκῳ κειμήλια κεῖται,

And of all the gifts that lie as treasures in my house,

δώσω ὃ κάλλιστον καὶ τιμηέστατόν ἐστιν·

I will give you that which is finest and most precious.

δώσω τοι κρητῆρα τετυγμένον· ἀργύρεος δὲ

I will give you a well-wrought mixing-bowl; it is all

ἔστιν ἅπας, χρυσῷ δʼ ἐπὶ χείλεα κεκράανται,

of silver, and the lips are finished with gold.

ἔργον δʼ Ἡφαίστοιο. πόρεν δέ ἑ Φαίδιμος ἥρως,

It is the work of Hephaestus; and the hero Phaedimus,

Σιδονίων βασιλεύς, ὅθʼ ἑὸς δόμος ἀμφεκάλυψε

king of the Sidonians, gave it to me, when his house sheltered me

κεῖσέ με νοστήσαντα· τεῒν δʼ ἐθέλω τόδʼ ὀπάσσαι.

as I came thither on my return; and to you I wish to give it."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

Thus they spoke such things to one another;

δαιτυμόνες δʼ ἐς δώματʼ ἴσαν θείου βασιλῆος.

and the banqueters came to the palace of the divine king.

οἱ δʼ ἦγον μὲν μῆλα, φέρον δʼ ἐυήνορα οἶνον·

They led sheep, and brought wine that makes glad the heart of man;

σῖτον δέ σφʼ ἄλοχοι καλλικρήδεμνοι ἔπεμπον.

and their wives of the beautiful veils sent them bread.

ὣς οἱ μὲν περὶ δεῖπνον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πένοντο.

Thus they were busy with the feast in the halls.

μνηστῆρες δὲ πάροιθεν Ὀδυσσῆος μεγάροιο

But the suitors before the palace of Odysseus

δίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες

were making merry with quoits and throwing with spears

ἐν τυκτῷ δαπέδῳ, ὅθι περ πάρος, ὕβριν ἔχοντες.

on the level pavement, where before they were wont, in their insolence.

Ἀντίνοος δὲ καθῆστο καὶ Εὐρύμαχος θεοειδής,

And Antinous was sitting there, and godlike Eurymachus,

ἀρχοὶ μνηστήρων, ἀρετῇ δʼ ἔσαν ἔξοχʼ ἄριστοι.

the leaders of the suitors, who in manly excellence were far the best of all.

τοῖς δʼ υἱὸς Φρονίοιο Νοήμων ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν

To them Noemon, son of Phronius, drew near,

Ἀντίνοον μύθοισιν ἀνειρόμενος προσέειπεν·

and spoke to Antinous, questioning him:

Ἀντίνοʼ, ἦ ῥά τι ἴδμεν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, ἦε καὶ οὐκί⁵,

"Antinous, do we know at all in our hearts, or do we not,

ὁππότε Τηλέμαχος νεῖτʼ ἐκ Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος;

when Telemachus will return from sandy Pylos?

νῆά μοι οἴχετʼ ἄγων· ἐμὲ δὲ χρεὼ γίγνεται αὐτῆς

He has gone, taking my ship; and I have need of it

Ἤλιδʼ ἐς εὐρύχορον διαβήμεναι, ἔνθα μοι ἵπποι

to cross over to spacious Elis, where I have horses..."

Syntax notes5 items

4.568ἀναψύχειν
The infinitive `ἀναψύχειν` expresses the purpose or result of the preceding verb `ἀνίησιν` ("sends up in order to cool / with the result of cooling").
4.569σφιν
The third-person plural dative `σφιν` ("to them / in their eyes") refers contextually to the "immortal gods" (ἀθάνατοι) mentioned previously, or to the inhabitants of Elysium. It functions as a dative of relation or reference.
4.595-596ἀνεχοίμην ἥμενος
The optative `ἀνεχοίμην` with the particle `κʼ` (`ἄν`) expresses a potential statement, while the participle `ἥμενος` functions complementarily, meaning "endure sitting" or "tolerate remaining".
4.606ἱπποβότοιο
This is a genitive of comparison dependent on the comparative phrase `μᾶλλον ἐπήρατος`, contrasting a horse-pasturing land (plains) with a goat-pasturing land (rugged islands like Ithaca).
4.632ἦ ῥά τι ἴδμεν ... ἦε καὶ οὐκί
The particles `ἦ... ἦε` introduce an indirect double question ("whether... or not"), forming the object clause of `ἴδμεν` ("do we know").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:4.566-4.635