Athena Guides Odysseus to the City and Explains the Royal Lineage — Odyssey §7.1-7.70 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ὧς ὁ μὲν ἔνθʼ ἠρᾶτο πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

So he prayed there, the much-enduring noble Odysseus,

κούρην δὲ προτὶ ἄστυ φέρεν μένος ἡμιόνοιιν¹.

while the strength of the two mules bore the maiden toward the city.

ἡ δʼ ὅτε δὴ οὗ πατρὸς ἀγακλυτὰ δώμαθʼ ἵκανε,

And when she had reached the glorious house of her father,

στῆσεν ἄρʼ ἐν προθύροισι, κασίγνητοι δέ μιν ἀμφὶς

she stopped them at the outer gate, and around her her brothers

ἵσταντʼ ἀθανάτοις ἐναλίγκιοι, οἵ ῥʼ ὑπʼ ἀπήνης

stood, like unto immortals, who then from the carriage

ἡμιόνους ἔλυον ἐσθῆτά τε ἔσφερον εἴσω.

loosed the mules and carried the clothing inside.

αὐτὴ δʼ ἐς θάλαμον ἑὸν ἤιε· δαῖε δέ οἱ πῦρ

But she herself went to her chamber; and for her a fire was kindled by

γρῆυς Ἀπειραίη, θαλαμηπόλος Εὐρυμέδουσα,

the old Apeiraean woman, the chamber-maid Eurymedusa,

τήν ποτʼ Ἀπείρηθεν νέες ἤγαγον ἀμφιέλισσαι·

whom once well-curved ships had brought from Apeire.

Ἀλκινόῳ δʼ αὐτὴν γέρας ἔξελον², οὕνεκα πᾶσιν

And they had chosen her as a gift of honor for Alcinous, because over all

Φαιήκεσσιν ἄνασσε, θεοῦ δʼ ὣς δῆμος ἄκουεν·

the Phaeacians he ruled, and the people listened to him as to a god.

ἣ τρέφε Ναυσικάαν λευκώλενον ἐν μεγάροισιν.

She nurtured white-armed Nausicaa in the halls.

ἥ οἱ πῦρ ἀνέκαιε καὶ εἴσω δόρπον ἐκόσμει.

She it was who kindled the fire for her and prepared supper inside.

καὶ τότʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς ὦρτο πόλινδʼ ἴμεν· ἀμφὶ δʼ Ἀθήνη

And then Odysseus set out to go to the city; and about him Athena

πολλὴν ἠέρα χεῦε φίλα φρονέουσʼ Ὀδυσῆι,

shed a deep mist, with kindly thoughts toward Odysseus,

μή τις Φαιήκων μεγαθύμων ἀντιβολήσας

lest any of the great-hearted Phaeacians, meeting him,

κερτομέοι τʼ ἐπέεσσι καὶ ἐξερέοιθʼ ὅτις εἴη.

should mock him with words and ask who he might be.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἄρʼ ἔμελλε πόλιν δύσεσθαι ἐραννήν,

But when he was about to enter the beautiful city,

ἔνθα οἱ ἀντεβόλησε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,

then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, met him,

παρθενικῇ ἐικυῖα νεήνιδι, κάλπιν ἐχούσῃ.

likened to a young maiden carrying a pitcher.

στῆ δὲ πρόσθʼ αὐτοῦ, ὁ δʼ ἀνείρετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·

And she stood before him, and noble Odysseus questioned her:

ὦ τέκος, οὐκ ἄν μοι δόμον ἀνέρος ἡγήσαιο³

"My child, would you not lead me to the house of the man

Ἀλκινόου, ὃς τοῖσδε μετʼ ἀνθρώποισι ἀνάσσει;

Alcinous, who rules as king among these people?

καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ξεῖνος ταλαπείριος ἐνθάδʼ ἱκάνω

For I come here as a sore-tried stranger from afar,

τηλόθεν ἐξ ἀπίης γαίης· τῷ οὔ τινα οἶδα

from a foreign land; wherefore I know none

ἀνθρώπων, οἳ τήνδε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἔχουσιν.

of the people who possess this city and land."

τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

And the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, spoke to him in turn:

τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, ξεῖνε πάτερ, δόμον, ὅν με κελεύεις,

"Then indeed, stranger father, the house which you bid me,

δείξω, ἐπεί μοι πατρὸς ἀμύμονος ἐγγύθι ναίει.

I will show you, since it dwells near my noble father.

ἀλλʼ ἴθι σιγῇ τοῖον⁴, ἐγὼ δʼ ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσω,

But go in silence just so, and I will lead the way,

μηδέ τινʼ ἀνθρώπων προτιόσσεο μηδʼ ἐρέεινε.

and do not look at any man nor ask questions.

οὐ γὰρ ξείνους οἵδε μάλʼ ἀνθρώπους ἀνέχονται,

For these men do not easily tolerate stranger men,

οὐδʼ ἀγαπαζόμενοι φιλέουσʼ ὅς κʼ ἄλλοθεν ἔλθῃ.

nor do they kindly welcome one who comes from elsewhere.

νηυσὶ θοῇσιν τοί γε πεποιθότες ὠκείῃσι

Trusting in their swift, fleet ships, they

λαῖτμα μέγʼ ἐκπερόωσιν, ἐπεί σφισι δῶκʼ ἐνοσίχθων·

cross the great gulf of the sea, which the Earth-shaker has given them.

τῶν νέες ὠκεῖαι ὡς εἰ πτερὸν ἠὲ νόημα.

Their ships are as swift as a wing or a thought."

ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασʼ ἡγήσατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη

So speaking, Pallas Athena led the way

καρπαλίμως· ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα μετʼ ἴχνια βαῖνε θεοῖο.

swiftly; and he followed in the footsteps of the goddess.

τὸν δʼ ἄρα Φαίηκες ναυσικλυτοὶ οὐκ ἐνόησαν

But the Phaeacians, famous for ships, did not perceive him

ἐρχόμενον κατὰ ἄστυ διὰ σφέας· οὐ γὰρ Ἀθήνη

as he went through the city among them; for Athena

εἴα ἐυπλόκαμος, δεινὴ θεός, ἥ ῥά οἱ ἀχλὺν

of the beautiful hair, the dread goddess, did not permit it, she who shed

θεσπεσίην κατέχευε φίλα φρονέουσʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ.

a wondrous mist over him, with kindly thoughts in her heart.

θαύμαζεν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς λιμένας καὶ νῆας ἐίσας

And Odysseus marveled at the harbors and the well-balanced ships,

αὐτῶν θʼ ἡρώων ἀγορὰς καὶ τείχεα μακρὰ

and the meeting places of the heroes themselves, and the long, high

ὑψηλά, σκολόπεσσιν ἀρηρότα, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.

walls, fitted with palisades, a wonder to behold.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ βασιλῆος ἀγακλυτὰ δώμαθʼ ἵκοντο,

But when they had reached the glorious house of the king,

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·

then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, began to speak to them:

οὗτος δή τοι, ξεῖνε πάτερ, δόμος, ὅν με κελεύεις

"This indeed, stranger father, is the house which you bid me

πεφραδέμεν· δήεις δὲ διοτρεφέας βασιλῆας

point out; and you will find the heaven-cherished kings

δαίτην δαινυμένους· σὺ δʼ ἔσω κίε, μηδέ τι θυμῷ

feasting at the banquet; but go inside, and do not fear at all in your heart.

τάρβει· θαρσαλέος γὰρ ἀνὴρ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀμείνων

For a bold man is better in all

ἔργοισιν τελέθει, εἰ καί ποθεν ἄλλοθεν ἔλθοι.

deeds, even if he should come from elsewhere.

δέσποιναν μὲν πρῶτα κιχήσεαι ἐν μεγάροισιν·

First of all you will find the queen in the halls;

Ἀρήτη δʼ ὄνομʼ ἐστὶν ἐπώνυμον, ἐκ δὲ τοκήων

Arete is her name, and she is sprung from the same

τῶν αὐτῶν οἵ περ τέκον Ἀλκίνοον βασιλῆα.

ancestors who begot Alcinous the king.

Ναυσίθοον μὲν πρῶτα Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων

First Nausithous was begotten by Poseidon, the Earth-shaker,

γείνατο καὶ Περίβοια, γυναικῶν εἶδος ἀρίστη,

and Periboea, the fairest of women in form,

ὁπλοτάτη θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Εὐρυμέδοντος,

the youngest daughter of great-hearted Eurymedon,

ὅς ποθʼ ὑπερθύμοισι Γιγάντεσσιν βασίλευεν.

who once ruled over the proud Giants.

ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ὤλεσε λαὸν ἀτάσθαλον, ὤλετο δʼ αὐτός·

But he destroyed his reckless people, and was destroyed himself.

τῇ δὲ Ποσειδάων ἐμίγη καὶ ἐγείνατο παῖδα

And with her Poseidon mingled and begot a son,

Ναυσίθοον μεγάθυμον, ὃς ἐν Φαίηξιν ἄνασσε·

great-hearted Nausithous, who ruled among the Phaeacians.

Ναυσίθοος δʼ ἔτεκεν Ῥηξήνορά τʼ Ἀλκίνοόν τε.

And Nausithous begot Rhexenor and Alcinous.

τὸν μὲν ἄκουρον ἐόντα⁵ βάλʼ ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλων

The former, while yet childless, silver-bowed Apollo smote,

νυμφίον ἐν μεγάρῳ, μίαν οἴην παῖδα λιπόντα

a bridegroom in his hall, leaving only one daughter,

Ἀρήτην· τὴν δʼ Ἀλκίνοος ποιήσατʼ ἄκοιτιν,

Arete; her Alcinous made his wife,

καί μιν ἔτισʼ, ὡς οὔ τις ἐπὶ χθονὶ τίεται ἄλλη,

and he honored her as no other woman on earth is honored,

ὅσσαι νῦν γε γυναῖκες ὑπʼ ἀνδράσιν οἶκον ἔχουσιν.

of all those who now keep house under their husbands.

ὣς κείνη περὶ κῆρι τετίμηταί τε καὶ ἔστιν

So she has been honored from the heart and is still honored,

ἔκ τε φίλων παίδων ἔκ τʼ αὐτοῦ Ἀλκινόοιο

both by her dear children and by Alcinous himself."

Syntax notes5 items

7.2μένος ἡμιόνοιιν
The subject "strength of the mules" (μένος ἡμιόνοιιν) is a Homeric periphrasis for "the mules in their strength" carrying the maiden.
7.10γέρας ἔξελον
The verb ἔξελον is the 3rd person plural aorist of ἐξαιρέω (without augment), taking αὐτὴν as direct object and Ἀλκινόῳ as dative of advantage.
7.22οὐκ ἄν ... ἡγήσαιο
The combination of the negative οὐκ with ἄν and the optative ἡγήσαιο expresses a polite request ("would you not lead me...?").
7.30σιγῇ τοῖον
The neuter pronoun τοῖον is used adverbially here to qualify σιγῇ, meaning "just so in silence" or "strictly in silence."
7.64τὸν μὲν ἄκουρον ἐόντα
The circumstantial participle ἐόντα with the adjective ἄκουρον means "being without a son (to succeed him)" when Apollo struck him down.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:7.1-7.70