- Source
- Homer. The Odyssey, Volume 1-2. Murray, A. T. (Augustus Taber), editor. London: William Heinmann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1919.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:6.135-6.199
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-09-22
Odysseus, naked, appears before the maidens; while the handmaidens flee, Nausicaa, emboldened by Athena, stands her ground. Odysseus praises her tactfully from a distance to beg for help, and Nausicaa welcomes him, promising clothes and guidance.
ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς κούρῃσιν ἐυπλοκάμοισιν ἔμελλε
So Odysseus was about to join the fair-tressed maidens,
μίξεσθαι, γυμνός περ ἐών· χρειὼ γὰρ ἵκανε.
naked though he was; for necessity had come upon him.
σμερδαλέος δʼ αὐτῇσι1 φάνη κεκακωμένος ἅλμῃ,
And he appeared terrifying to them, marred with salt water,
τρέσσαν δʼ ἄλλυδις ἄλλη ἐπʼ ἠιόνας προὐχούσας·
and they fled in panic here and there along the jutting shores.
οἴη δʼ Ἀλκινόου θυγάτηρ μένε· τῇ γὰρ Ἀθήνη
But the daughter of Alcinous alone remained; for Athena
θάρσος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε καὶ ἐκ δέος εἵλετο γυίων.
put courage in her heart and took fear from her limbs.
στῆ δʼ ἄντα σχομένη· ὁ δὲ μερμήριξεν Ὀδυσσεύς,
And she stood facing him, holding her ground; and Odysseus pondered,
ἢ γούνων λίσσοιτο λαβὼν ἐυώπιδα κούρην,
whether he should clasp the knees of the fair-faced maiden and entreat her,
ἦ αὔτως ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι
or whether, just as he was, from afar with gentle words
λίσσοιτʼ, εἰ δείξειε2 πόλιν καὶ εἵματα δοίη.
he should entreat her, if she would show him the city and give him clothes.
ὣς ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,
Thus indeed as he reflected it seemed to him to be better,
λίσσεσθαι ἐπέεσσιν ἀποσταδὰ μειλιχίοισι,
to entreat her from afar with gentle words,
μή οἱ γοῦνα λαβόντι χολώσαιτο φρένα κούρη.
lest the maiden should grow angry in her heart if he clasped her knees.
αὐτίκα μειλίχιον καὶ κερδαλέον φάτο μῦθον.
Straightway he spoke a gentle and winning word.
γουνοῦμαί σε, ἄνασσα· θεός νύ τις, ἦ βροτός ἐσσι;
"I clasp your knees, O queen; are you indeed some goddess, or a mortal?
εἰ μέν τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν,
If you are indeed some goddess, of those who hold the wide heaven,
Ἀρτέμιδί σε ἐγώ γε, Διὸς κούρῃ μεγάλοιο,
to Artemis, the daughter of great Zeus,
εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε φυήν τʼ ἄγχιστα ἐίσκω·
I liken you most closely in beauty, size, and form.
εἰ δέ τίς ἐσσι βροτῶν, τοὶ ἐπὶ χθονὶ ναιετάουσιν,
But if you are one of mortals, who dwell upon the earth,
τρὶς μάκαρες μὲν σοί γε πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ,
thrice blessed indeed are your father and lady mother,
τρὶς μάκαρες δὲ κασίγνητοι· μάλα πού σφισι θυμὸς
and thrice blessed are your brothers; surely their hearts
αἰὲν ἐυφροσύνῃσιν ἰαίνεται εἵνεκα σεῖο,
are ever warmed with gladness on your account,
λευσσόντων3 τοιόνδε θάλος χορὸν εἰσοιχνεῦσαν.
when they behold such a young shoot entering the dance.
κεῖνος δʼ αὖ περὶ κῆρι μακάρτατος ἔξοχον ἄλλων,
But most blessed of all in his heart beyond others is he,
ὅς κέ σʼ ἐέδνοισι βρίσας οἶκόνδʼ ἀγάγηται.
who shall weigh you down with bridal gifts and lead you to his home.
οὐ γάρ πω τοιοῦτον ἴδον βροτὸν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,
For never yet have I seen such a mortal with my eyes,
οὔτʼ ἄνδρʼ οὔτε γυναῖκα· σέβας μʼ ἔχει εἰσορόωντα.
neither man nor woman; awe possesses me as I look upon you.
Δήλῳ δή ποτε τοῖον Ἀπόλλωνος παρὰ βωμῷ
Once indeed in Delos, by the altar of Apollo,
φοίνικος νέον ἔρνος ἀνερχόμενον ἐνόησα·
I saw such a young shoot of a palm tree springing up;
ἦλθον γὰρ καὶ κεῖσε, πολὺς δέ μοι ἕσπετο λαός,
for I went thither also, and much people followed me,
τὴν ὁδὸν ᾗ δὴ μέλλεν ἐμοὶ κακὰ κήδεʼ ἔσεσθαι.
on that journey where indeed evil troubles were to be my lot.
ὣς δʼ αὔτως καὶ κεῖνο ἰδὼν ἐτεθήπεα θυμῷ
In the self-same way, when I saw that, I marveled in my heart
δήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ πω τοῖον ἀνήλυθεν ἐκ δόρυ γαίης,
for a long time, since never yet had such a trunk risen up from the earth,
ὡς σέ, γύναι, ἄγαμαί τε τέθηπά τε, δείδια δʼ αἰνῶς
as you, lady, whom I admire and marvel at, and I fear terribly
γούνων ἅψασθαι· χαλεπὸν δέ με πένθος ἱκάνει.
to touch your knees; yet grievous sorrow has come upon me.
χθιζὸς ἐεικοστῷ φύγον ἤματι οἴνοπα πόντον·
Yesterday, on the twentieth day, I escaped the wine-dark sea;
τόφρα δέ μʼ αἰεὶ κῦμʼ ἐφόρει κραιπναί τε θύελλαι
until then the wave and swift storms ever bore me
νήσου ἀπʼ Ὠγυγίης. νῦν δʼ ἐνθάδε κάββαλε δαίμων,
from the island of Ogygia. And now a god has cast me here,
ὄφρʼ ἔτι που καὶ τῇδε πάθω κακόν· οὐ γὰρ ὀίω
so that I may suffer evil even here; for I do not think
παύσεσθʼ, ἀλλʼ ἔτι πολλὰ θεοὶ τελέουσι πάροιθεν.
it will cease, but even yet the gods will bring many things to pass before then.
ἀλλά, ἄνασσʼ, ἐλέαιρε· σὲ γὰρ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας
But, O queen, have pity; for after suffering many evils
ἐς πρώτην ἱκόμην, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ τινα οἶδα
to you first have I come, and of the others I know no one,
ἀνθρώπων, οἳ τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν.
of the men who possess this city and land.
ἄστυ δέ μοι δεῖξον, δὸς δὲ ῥάκος ἀμφιβαλέσθαι,
Show me the city, and give me some rag to cast about me,
εἴ τί που εἴλυμα σπείρων ἔχες ἐνθάδʼ ἰοῦσα.
if perchance you had any wrapping of clothes when you came hither.
σοὶ δὲ θεοὶ τόσα δοῖεν ὅσα φρεσὶ σῇσι μενοινᾷς,
And to you may the gods grant all things that you desire in your mind,
ἄνδρα τε καὶ οἶκον, καὶ ὁμοφροσύνην ὀπάσειαν
a husband and a home, and may they bestow beautiful
ἐσθλήν· οὐ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ γε κρεῖσσον καὶ ἄρειον,
oneness of mind; for indeed there is nothing better or more excellent,
ἢ ὅθʼ ὁμοφρονέοντε νοήμασιν οἶκον ἔχητον
than when husband and wife with one mind keep house,
ἀνὴρ ἠδὲ γυνή· πόλλʼ ἄλγεα δυσμενέεσσι,
causing many griefs to their enemies,
χάρματα δʼ εὐμενέτῃσι, μάλιστα δέ τʼ ἔκλυον αὐτοί4.
and joy to their friends, and they themselves feel it most."
τὸν δʼ αὖ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἀντίον ηὔδα·
And to him in turn white-armed Nausicaa made answer:
ξεῖνʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔτε κακῷ οὔτʼ ἄφρονι φωτὶ ἔοικας·
"Stranger, since you seem to be neither an evil nor a foolish man;
Ζεὺς δʼ αὐτὸς νέμει ὄλβον Ὀλύμπιος ἀνθρώποισιν,
and Zeus himself, the Olympian, distributes happiness to men,
ἐσθλοῖς ἠδὲ κακοῖσιν, ὅπως ἐθέλῃσιν, ἑκάστῳ·
both to the good and to the bad, to each as he wills;
καί που σοὶ τάδʼ ἔδωκε, σὲ δὲ χρὴ τετλάμεν ἔμπης.
and doubtless he has given you this lot, and you must endure it in any case.
νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἡμετέρην τε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἱκάνεις,
But now, since you have come to our city and land,
οὔτʼ οὖν ἐσθῆτος δευήσεαι οὔτε τευ ἄλλου,
you shall not lack for clothing, nor for anything else,
ὧν ἐπέοιχʼ ἱκέτην ταλαπείριον ἀντιάσαντα.
of those things which it is fitting for a suffering suppliant to receive.
ἄστυ δέ τοι δείξω, ἐρέω δέ τοι οὔνομα λαῶν.
And I will show you the city, and will tell you the name of the people.
Φαίηκες μὲν τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν,
The Phaeacians possess this city and land,
εἰμὶ δʼ ἐγὼ θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο,
and I am the daughter of great-hearted Alcinous,
τοῦ δʼ ἐκ Φαιήκων ἔχεται5 κάρτος τε βίη τε.
on whom depends the power and might of the Phaeacians."
ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι κέλευσε·
She spoke indeed, and called to her fair-tressed handmaidens:
στῆτέ μοι, ἀμφίπολοι· πόσε φεύγετε φῶτα ἰδοῦσαι;
"Stand, my handmaidens; whither do you flee at the sight of a man?"
- 6.137αὐτῇσι
The dative αὐτῇσι is interpreted as a dative of interest or judgment ("in their eyes", "to them").
- 6.144εἰ δείξειε
The optative δείξειε serves as an oblique optative expressing an indirect request or a hopeful condition ("in the hope that she would show").
- 6.157λευσσόντων
A genitive plural present participle. It functions either as an irregular genitive absolute referring back to the logical subject of the dative σφισι ("their heart"), or as a constructio ad sensum, describing the parents and brothers "as they look upon" Nausicaa.
- 6.185ἔκλυον αὐτοί
A rich idiomatic phrase. It is best interpreted as "they themselves hear (and thus feel or possess the reputation of) it most of all."
- 6.197τοῦ δʼ ἐκ... ἔχεται
The verb ἔχομαι combined with ἐκ + genitive functions here in the sense of "depends on" or "is held up by."