Nausicaa Orders Odysseus Bathed and Guided to Town — Odyssey §6.200-6.264 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἦ μή πού τινα δυσμενέων φάσθʼ ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν;

Surely you do not think he is some hostile man?

οὐκ ἔσθʼ οὗτος ἀνὴρ διερὸς βροτὸς¹ οὐδὲ γένηται²,

There is no living mortal man, nor shall there ever be,

ὅς κεν Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐς γαῖαν ἵκηται

who shall come to the land of the Phaeacian men

δηιοτῆτα φέρων· μάλα γὰρ φίλοι ἀθανάτοισιν.

bringing hostility; for we are very dear to the immortals.

οἰκέομεν δʼ ἀπάνευθε πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ,

And we dwell far off in the surging sea,

ἔσχατοι, οὐδέ τις ἄμμι βροτῶν ἐπιμίσγεται ἄλλος.

at the edge of the world, and no other of mortal men associates with us.

ἀλλʼ ὅδε τις δύστηνος ἀλώμενος ἐνθάδʼ ἱκάνει,

But here is some unfortunate wanderer who has come hither,

τὸν νῦν χρὴ κομέειν· πρὸς γὰρ Διός εἰσιν ἅπαντες

whom now we must care for; for from Zeus are all

ξεῖνοί τε πτωχοί τε, δόσις δʼ ὀλίγη τε φίλη τε.

strangers and beggars, and a gift, though small, is welcome.

ἀλλὰ δότʼ, ἀμφίπολοι, ξείνῳ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε,

But give, my handmaidens, food and drink to the stranger,

λούσατέ τʼ ἐν ποταμῷ, ὅθʼ ἐπὶ σκέπας ἔστʼ ἀνέμοιο³.

and bathe him in the river, where there is shelter from the wind.

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἔσταν τε καὶ ἀλλήλῃσι κέλευσαν,

So she spoke, and they stood still and called to one another,

κὰδ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆʼ εἷσαν ἐπὶ σκέπας, ὡς ἐκέλευσεν

and they seated Odysseus in a sheltered place, as she had bidden,

Ναυσικάα θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο·

Nausicaa, the daughter of great-hearted Alcinous;

πὰρ δʼ ἄρα οἱ φᾶρός τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματʼ ἔθηκαν,

and by him they laid a cloak and a tunic, garments,

δῶκαν δὲ χρυσέῃ ἐν ληκύθῳ ὑγρὸν ἔλαιον,

and gave him soft olive oil in a golden flask,

ἤνωγον δʼ ἄρα μιν λοῦσθαι ποταμοῖο ῥοῇσιν.

and bade him bathe in the streams of the river.

δή ῥα τότʼ ἀμφιπόλοισι μετηύδα δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then indeed noble Odysseus spoke among the handmaidens:

ἀμφίπολοι, στῆθʼ οὕτω ἀπόπροθεν, ὄφρʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὸς

"Handmaidens, stand thus far off, so that I myself

ἅλμην ὤμοιιν ἀπολούσομαι, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἐλαίῳ

may wash the salt from my shoulders, and with oil

χρίσομαι· ἦ γὰρ δηρὸν ἀπὸ χροός ἐστιν ἀλοιφή.

anoint myself; for indeed it is long since ointment has touched my skin.

ἄντην δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε λοέσσομαι· αἰδέομαι γὰρ

But before you I will not bathe; for I am ashamed

γυμνοῦσθαι κούρῃσιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι μετελθών⁴.

to strip myself among fair-tressed maidens."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ἴσαν, εἶπον δʼ ἄρα κούρῃ.

So he spoke, and they went far off and told the maiden.

αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐκ ποταμοῦ χρόα νίζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

But noble Odysseus washed the salt with water from his skin,

ἅλμην, ἥ οἱ νῶτα καὶ εὐρέας ἄμπεχεν ὤμους,

which covered his back and broad shoulders,

ἐκ κεφαλῆς δʼ ἔσμηχεν ἁλὸς χνόον ἀτρυγέτοιο.

and from his head he wiped away the scurf of the barren sea.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντα λοέσσατο καὶ λίπʼ ἄλειψεν,

But when he had washed his whole body and anointed himself with oil,

ἀμφὶ δὲ εἵματα ἕσσαθʼ ἅ οἱ πόρε παρθένος ἀδμής,

and had put on the garments which the unwedded maiden had given him,

τὸν μὲν Ἀθηναίη θῆκεν Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα

Athena, the daughter of Zeus, made him

μείζονά τʼ εἰσιδέειν καὶ πάσσονα, κὰδ δὲ κάρητος

taller to look upon and stouter, and from his head

οὔλας ἧκε κόμας, ὑακινθίνῳ ἄνθει ὁμοίας.

she made curly hair flow down, like the hyacinth flower.

ὡς δʼ ὅτε τις χρυσὸν περιχεύεται ἀργύρῳ ἀνὴρ

And as when some skilled man pours gold over silver,

ἴδρις, ὃν Ἥφαιστος δέδαεν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

whom Hephaestus and Pallas Athena have taught

τέχνην παντοίην, χαρίεντα δὲ ἔργα τελείει,

all manner of art, and he completes beautiful works,

ὣς ἄρα τῷ κατέχευε χάριν κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ὤμοις.

so indeed she poured grace upon his head and shoulders.

ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀπάνευθε κιὼν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης,

Then he went and sat apart on the shore of the sea,

κάλλεϊ καὶ χάρισι στίλβων· θηεῖτο δὲ κούρη.

gleaming with beauty and grace; and the maiden marveled.

δή ῥα τότʼ ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι μετηύδα·

Then indeed she spoke among her fair-tressed handmaidens:

κλῦτέ μευ, ἀμφίπολοι λευκώλενοι, ὄφρα τι εἴπω.

"Hear me, my white-armed handmaidens, so that I may say something.

οὐ πάντων ἀέκητι θεῶν, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν,

Not without the will of all the gods who hold Olympus

Φαιήκεσσʼ ὅδʼ ἀνὴρ ἐπιμίσγεται ἀντιθέοισι·

does this man associate with the godlike Phaeacians;

πρόσθεν μὲν γὰρ δή μοι ἀεικέλιος δέατʼ εἶναι,

for before indeed he seemed to me to be unseemly,

νῦν δὲ θεοῖσιν ἔοικε, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν.

but now he resembles the gods, who hold the wide heaven.

αἲ γὰρ ἐμοὶ τοιόσδε πόσις κεκλημένος εἴη

Would that such a man might be called my husband,

ἐνθάδε ναιετάων, καί οἱ ἅδοι αὐτόθι μίμνειν.

dwelling here, and that it might please him to remain here.

ἀλλὰ δότʼ, ἀμφίπολοι, ξείνῳ βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε.

But give, my handmaidens, food and drink to the stranger."

ὣς ἔφαθʼ, αἱ δʼ ἄρα τῆς μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο,

So she spoke, and they indeed heard her and obeyed,

πὰρ δʼ ἄρʼ Ὀδυσσῆι ἔθεσαν βρῶσίν τε πόσιν τε.

and set before Odysseus food and drink.

ἦ τοι ὁ πῖνε καὶ ἦσθε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

Indeed he drank and ate, much-enduring noble Odysseus,

ἁρπαλέως· δηρὸν γὰρ ἐδητύος ἦεν ἄπαστος.

greedily; for long indeed had he been without food.

αὐτὰρ Ναυσικάα λευκώλενος ἄλλʼ ἐνόησεν·

But white-armed Nausicaa thought of another thing;

εἵματʼ ἄρα πτύξασα τίθει καλῆς ἐπʼ ἀπήνης,

she folded the garments and laid them on the beautiful wagon,

ζεῦξεν δʼ ἡμιόνους κρατερώνυχας, ἂν δʼ ἔβη αὐτή,

yoked the strong-hoofed mules, and herself mounted,

ὤτρυνεν δʼ Ὀδυσῆα, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν·

and urged Odysseus, and spoke to him, and addressed him:

ὄρσεο δὴ νῦν, ξεῖνε, πόλινδʼ ἴμεν ὄφρα σε πέμψω

"Rouse yourself now, stranger, to go to the city, so that I may send you

πατρὸς ἐμοῦ πρὸς δῶμα δαΐφρονος, ἔνθα σέ φημι

to the house of my wise father, where I declare

πάντων Φαιήκων εἰδησέμεν ὅσσοι ἄριστοι.

you shall know all the best of the Phaeacians.

ἀλλὰ μάλʼ ὧδʼ ἔρδειν⁵, δοκέεις δέ μοι οὐκ ἀπινύσσειν·

But act indeed in this way, and you seem to me not to be foolish:

ὄφρʼ ἂν μέν κʼ ἀγροὺς ἴομεν καὶ ἔργʼ ἀνθρώπων,

as long indeed as we go through the fields and the works of men,

τόφρα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι μεθʼ ἡμιόνους καὶ ἄμαξαν

so long do you with the handmaidens after the mules and wagon

καρπαλίμως ἔρχεσθαι· ἐγὼ δʼ ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσω.

walk swiftly; and I will lead the way.

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν πόλιος ἐπιβήομεν, ἣν πέρι πύργος

But when we set foot in the city, around which is a high

ὑψηλός, καλὸς δὲ λιμὴν ἑκάτερθε πόληος,

wall, and there is a beautiful harbor on each side of the city,

λεπτὴ δʼ εἰσίθμη· νῆες δʼ ὁδὸν ἀμφιέλισσαι

and a narrow entrance; and curved ships along the road

Syntax notes5 items

6.201διερὸς βροτός
Meaning "living mortal". "διερὸς" is interpreted as "active" or "moist/full of life" (associated with life, in contrast to the dryness of the dead), representing a classical formula.
6.201οὐδὲ γένηται
A strong future negation using the aorist subjunctive, meaning "nor shall there ever be."
6.210ὅθʼ ἐπὶ σκέπας ἔστʼ ἀνέμοιο
Meaning "where there is shelter from the wind." The preposition "ἐπί" is not strictly governing "σκέπας" but functions adverbially or indicates location.
6.222κούρῃσιν ἐυπλοκάμοισι μετελθών
The participle "μετελθών" (having gone among) functions with the dative "κούρῃσιν" to mean "going among the fair-tressed maidens," modifying the infinitive "γυμνοῦσθαι" (to strip oneself).
6.258ἔρδειν
An infinitive used as an imperative (infinitive of command), expressing a strong instruction: "do indeed in this way."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:6.200-6.264