Menelaus' Reminiscence and Helen's Recognition — Odyssey §4.75-4.145 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὅσσα τάδʼ ἄσπετα πολλά· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.

"how countless and many are these things! Awe possesses me as I look upon them."

τοῦ δʼ ἀγορεύοντος ξύνετο ξανθὸς Μενέλαος,

As he was speaking, fair-haired Menelaus noticed him,

καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and addressing them, he spoke winged words:

τέκνα φίλʼ, ἦ τοι Ζηνὶ βροτῶν οὐκ ἄν τις ἐρίζοι·

"Dear children, truly no one of mortals could rival Zeus;

ἀθάνατοι γὰρ τοῦ γε δόμοι καὶ κτήματʼ ἔασιν·

for his halls and possessions are immortal.

ἀνδρῶν δʼ ἤ κέν τίς μοι ἐρίσσεται, ἠὲ καὶ οὐκί,

But of men, someone may rival me, or perhaps not,

κτήμασιν. ἦ γὰρ πολλὰ παθὼν καὶ πόλλʼ ἐπαληθεὶς

in possessions. For indeed, after suffering much and wandering far,

ἠγαγόμην ἐν νηυσὶ καὶ ὀγδοάτῳ ἔτει ἦλθον,

I brought these in my ships and came home in the eighth year,

Κύπρον Φοινίκην τε καὶ Αἰγυπτίους ἐπαληθείς,

having wandered to Cyprus, Phoenicia, and the Egyptians,

Αἰθίοπάς θʼ ἱκόμην καὶ Σιδονίους καὶ Ἐρεμβοὺς

and I came to the Ethiopians, and Sidonians, and Erembi,

καὶ Λιβύην, ἵνα τʼ ἄρνες ἄφαρ κεραοὶ τελέθουσι.

and to Libya, where the lambs quickly become horned.

τρὶς γὰρ τίκτει μῆλα τελεσφόρον εἰς ἐνιαυτόν.

For the flocks bring forth young three times within the full year.

ἔνθα μὲν οὔτε ἄναξ ἐπιδευὴς οὔτε τι ποιμὴν

There neither master nor shepherd is in want

τυροῦ καὶ κρειῶν οὐδὲ γλυκεροῖο γάλακτος,

of cheese and meat, nor of sweet milk,

ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ παρέχουσιν ἐπηετανὸν γάλα θῆσθαι.

but they always yield abundant milk to be milked.

ἧος ἐγὼ περὶ κεῖνα πολὺν βίοτον συναγείρων

While I was wandering about those lands gathering much livelihood,

ἠλώμην, τῆός μοι ἀδελφεὸν ἄλλος ἔπεφνεν

another slew my brother

λάθρῃ, ἀνωιστί, δόλῳ οὐλομένης ἀλόχοιο·

secretly, unexpectedly, by the guile of his accursed wife;

ὣς οὔ τοι χαίρων τοῖσδε κτεάτεσσιν ἀνάσσω.

thus in no way with joy do I rule over these possessions.

καὶ πατέρων τάδε μέλλετʼ ἀκουέμεν, οἵ τινες ὑμῖν

And of these things you must have heard from your fathers, whoever they may be,

εἰσίν, ἐπεὶ μάλα πολλὰ πάθον, καὶ ἀπώλεσα οἶκον

since I suffered very much, and destroyed a house

εὖ μάλα ναιετάοντα, κεχανδότα πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά.

that was very well established, containing many excellent treasures.

ὧν ὄφελον τριτάτην περ ἔχων ἐν δώμασι μοῖραν

Of these things I wish I dwelt in my halls with even a third part,

ναίειν¹, οἱ δʼ ἄνδρες σόοι ἔμμεναι, οἳ τότʼ ὄλοντο

and that those men were safe, who then perished

Τροίῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ ἑκὰς Ἄργεος ἱπποβότοιο.

in wide Troy, far from horse-rearing Argos.

ἀλλʼ ἔμπης πάντας μὲν ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων

But nevertheless, though I mourn and grieve for them all

πολλάκις ἐν μεγάροισι καθήμενος ἡμετέροισιν

often as I sit in our halls,

ἄλλοτε μέν τε γόῳ φρένα τέρπομαι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

sometimes indeed I comfort my heart with weeping, but at other times again

παύομαι· αἰψηρὸς δὲ κόρος κρυεροῖο γόοιο.

I cease; for quickly comes satiety of chill weeping.

τῶν πάντων οὐ τόσσον ὀδύρομαι, ἀχνύμενός περ,

For all of them I do not mourn so much, grieved though I am,

ὡς ἑνός, ὅς τέ μοι ὕπνον ἀπεχθαίρει καὶ ἐδωδὴν

as for one, who makes sleep and food hateful to me

μνωομένῳ, ἐπεὶ οὔ τις Ἀχαιῶν τόσσʼ ἐμόγησεν,

when I remember him, since no one of the Achaeans labored so much

ὅσσʼ Ὀδυσεὺς ἐμόγησε καὶ ἤρατο. τῷ δʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλεν

as Odysseus labored and accomplished. But for him, it seems,

αὐτῷ κήδεʼ ἔσεσθαι, ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος αἰὲν ἄλαστον

troubles were to be his lot, and for me an ever unforgettable grief for him,

κείνου, ὅπως δὴ δηρὸν ἀποίχεται, οὐδέ τι ἴδμεν,

because he is so long gone, nor do we know at all

ζώει ὅ γʼ ἦ τέθνηκεν. ὀδύρονταί νύ που αὐτὸν

whether he is alive or dead. Surely now they mourn him,

Λαέρτης θʼ ὁ γέρων καὶ ἐχέφρων Πηνελόπεια

the old man Laertes and wise Penelope

Τηλέμαχός θʼ, ὃν ἔλειπε νέον γεγαῶτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.

and Telemachus, whom he left a newborn in his house."

ὣς φάτο, τῷ δʼ ἄρα πατρὸς ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο.

So he spoke, and in him he aroused the desire of weeping for his father.

δάκρυ δʼ ἀπὸ βλεφάρων χαμάδις βάλε πατρὸς ἀκούσας,

And he let fall a tear from his eyelids to the ground on hearing of his father,

χλαῖναν πορφυρέην ἄντʼ ὀφθαλμοῖιν ἀνασχὼν

holding up his purple cloak before his eyes

ἀμφοτέρῃσιν χερσί. νόησε δέ μιν Μενέλαος,

with both his hands. And Menelaus noticed him,

μερμήριξε δʼ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

and then he pondered in mind and heart,

ἠέ μιν αὐτὸν πατρὸς ἐάσειε μνησθῆναι

whether he should leave him to speak of his father himself,

ἦ πρῶτʼ ἐξερέοιτο² ἕκαστά τε πειρήσαιτο.

or first question him and test him in details.

ἧος ὁ ταῦθʼ ὥρμαινε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,

While he was revolving these things in mind and heart,

ἐκ δʼ Ἑλένη θαλάμοιο θυώδεος ὑψορόφοιο

Helen came forth from her fragrant, high-roofed chamber,

ἤλυθεν Ἀρτέμιδι χρυσηλακάτῳ ἐικυῖα.

like Artemis of the golden spindle.

τῇ δʼ ἄρʼ ἅμʼ Ἀδρήστη κλισίην εὔτυκτον ἔθηκεν,

And with her Adraste set a well-made chair,

Ἀλκίππη δὲ τάπητα φέρεν μαλακοῦ ἐρίοιο,

and Alcippe brought a rug of soft wool,

Φυλὼ δʼ ἀργύρεον τάλαρον φέρε, τόν οἱ ἔθηκεν

and Phylo brought a silver basket, which she had received

Ἀλκάνδρη, Πολύβοιο δάμαρ, ὃς ἔναιʼ ἐνὶ Θήβῃς

from Alcandre, the wife of Polybus, who dwelt in Egyptian Thebes,

Αἰγυπτίῃς, ὅθι πλεῖστα δόμοις ἐν κτήματα κεῖται·

where very many possessions lie stored in the houses;

ὃς Μενελάῳ δῶκε δύʼ ἀργυρέας ἀσαμίνθους,

he had given to Menelaus two silver baths,

δοιοὺς δὲ τρίποδας, δέκα δὲ χρυσοῖο τάλαντα.

and two tripods, and ten talents of gold.

χωρὶς δʼ αὖθʼ Ἑλένῃ ἄλοχος πόρε κάλλιμα δῶρα·

And besides, his wife gave beautiful gifts to Helen;

χρυσέην τʼ ἠλακάτην τάλαρόν θʼ ὑπόκυκλον ὄπασσεν

she presented a golden spindle and a basket on wheels

ἀργύρεον, χρυσῷ δʼ ἐπὶ χείλεα κεκράαντο.

of silver, and its rims were finished with gold.

τόν ῥά οἱ ἀμφίπολος Φυλὼ παρέθηκε φέρουσα

This then her handmaid Phylo brought and set beside her,

νήματος ἀσκητοῖο βεβυσμένον· αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ

stuffed with finely spun yarn; and upon it

ἠλακάτη τετάνυστο ἰοδνεφὲς εἶρος ἔχουσα.

the spindle was laid, holding violet-colored wool.

ἕζετο δʼ ἐν κλισμῷ, ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν.

And she sat down on the chair, and a footstool was under her feet.

αὐτίκα δʼ ἥ γʼ ἐπέεσσι πόσιν ἐρέεινεν ἕκαστα·

And at once she questioned her husband about everything in words:

ἴδμεν δή, Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, οἵ τινες οἵδε

"Do we know indeed, O Menelaus, nurtured by Zeus, who these

ἀνδρῶν εὐχετόωνται ἱκανέμεν ἡμέτερον δῶ;

men declare themselves to be, who have come to our house?

ψεύσομαι ἦ ἔτυμον ἐρέω;³ κέλεται δέ με θυμός.

Shall I speak falsely, or shall I speak the truth? My heart bids me.

οὐ γάρ πώ τινά φημι ἐοικότα ὧδε ἰδέσθαι

For I say I have never yet seen anyone so like,

οὔτʼ ἄνδρʼ οὔτε γυναῖκα, σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωσαν,

whether man or woman—awe possesses me as I look upon him—

ὡς ὅδʼ Ὀδυσσῆος μεγαλήτορος υἷι ἔοικε,

as this youth is like the son of great-hearted Odysseus,

Τηλεμάχῳ, τὸν ἔλειπε νέον γεγαῶτʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

Telemachus, whom that hero left a newborn in his house,

κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ὅτʼ ἐμεῖο κυνώπιδος εἵνεκʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

when for the sake of shameless me the Achaeans

Syntax notes3 items

4.97ὧν ὄφελον τριτάτην περ ἔχων ἐν δώμασι μοῖραν ναίειν
An construction expressing an unfulfilled wish in the past, consisting of ὄφελον and the infinitives (ναίειν, ἔμμεναι). The relative pronoun ὧν is a partitive genitive referring to the lost household and wealth mentioned in the preceding lines.
4.118ἠέ μιν αὐτὸν πατρὸς ἐάσειε μνησθῆναι ἦ πρῶτʼ ἐξερέοιτο
A double indirect question introduced by ἠέ ... ἦ ... ("whether... or..."). The optative mood (ἐάσειε, ἐξερέοιτο) is due to the sequence of tenses after the historical secondary tense of the main verb (μερμήριξε), representing original deliberative subjunctives.
4.140ψεύσομαι ἦ ἔτυμον ἐρέω;
The verbs ψεύσομαι and ἐρέω can be formally interpreted as future indicatives or subjunctives. They function as a deliberative expression, conveying Helen's hesitation and inner questioning ("Shall I speak falsely, or shall I speak the truth?").

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:4.75-4.145