Tears of Odysseus and the Inquiry of Alcinous — Odyssey §8.514-8.586 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

ἤειδεν δʼ ὡς ἄστυ διέπραθον υἷες Ἀχαιῶν

And he sang how the sons of the Achaeans sacked the city,

ἱππόθεν ἐκχύμενοι, κοῖλον λόχον ἐκπρολιπόντες.

pouring forth from the horse, leaving their hollow ambush.

ἄλλον δʼ ἄλλῃ ἄειδε πόλιν κεραϊζέμεν αἰπήν,

He sang of one here and another there laying waste the lofty city,

αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσῆα προτὶ δώματα Δηιφόβοιο

but of Odysseus going to the palace of Deiphobus,

βήμεναι¹, ἠύτʼ Ἄρηα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Μενελάῳ.

going like Ares, with godlike Menelaus.

κεῖθι δὴ αἰνότατον πόλεμον φάτο τολμήσαντα

There indeed, he said, having dared the most terrible war,

νικῆσαι καὶ ἔπειτα διὰ μεγάθυμον Ἀθήνην.

he conquered in the end, by means of great-hearted Athena.

ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

These things then the renowned minstrel sang; but Odysseus

τήκετο, δάκρυ δʼ ἔδευεν ὑπὸ βλεφάροισι παρειάς.

was melted, and a tear from beneath his eyelids wet his cheeks.

ὡς δὲ γυνὴ κλαίῃσι² φίλον πόσιν ἀμφιπεσοῦσα,

And as a woman wails, falling about her beloved husband,

ὅς τε ἑῆς πρόσθεν πόλιος λαῶν τε πέσῃσιν,

who has fallen before his own city and people,

ἄστεϊ καὶ τεκέεσσιν ἀμύνων νηλεὲς ἦμαρ·

warding off the pitiless day from his town and children;

ἡ μὲν τὸν θνήσκοντα καὶ ἀσπαίροντα ἰδοῦσα

she, beholding him dying and gasping,

ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ χυμένη λίγα κωκύει· οἱ δέ τʼ ὄπισθε

clinging around him, wails aloud; while they behind,

κόπτοντες δούρεσσι μετάφρενον ἠδὲ καὶ ὤμους

striking her back and shoulders with spears,

εἴρερον εἰσανάγουσι, πόνον τʼ ἐχέμεν καὶ ὀιζύν·

lead her into captivity, to have toil and misery;

τῆς δʼ ἐλεεινοτάτῳ ἄχεϊ φθινύθουσι παρειαί·

and with most pitiable grief her cheeks are wasted;

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς ἐλεεινὸν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβεν.

so Odysseus let fall a pitiable tear from beneath his brows.

ἔνθʼ ἄλλους μὲν πάντας ἐλάνθανε δάκρυα λείβων,

There he escaped the notice of all the others as he shed tears,

Ἀλκίνοος δέ μιν οἶος ἐπεφράσατʼ ἠδʼ ἐνόησεν,

but Alcinous alone observed and noticed him,

ἥμενος ἄγχʼ αὐτοῦ, βαρὺ δὲ στενάχοντος ἄκουσεν.

sitting near him, and heard him groaning heavily.

αἶψα δὲ Φαιήκεσσι φιληρέτμοισι μετηύδα·

And straightway he spoke among the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar:

κέκλυτε, Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες,

"Hearken, leaders and rulers of the Phaeacians,

Δημόδοκος δʼ ἤδη σχεθέτω φόρμιγγα λίγειαν·

and let Demodocus now stay his clear-toned lyre;

οὐ γάρ πως πάντεσσι χαριζόμενος τάδʼ ἀείδει.

for in no wise pleasing to all does he sing these things.

ἐξ οὗ δορπέομέν τε καὶ ὤρορε θεῖος ἀοιδός,

Since we have been feasting and the divine minstrel began,

ἐκ τοῦ δʼ οὔ πω παύσατʼ ὀιζυροῖο γόοιο

since then has he in no wise ceased from painful lamentation,

ὁ ξεῖνος· μάλα πού μιν ἄχος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν.

the stranger; surely some great grief has encompassed his heart.

ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὁ μὲν σχεθέτω, ἵνʼ ὁμῶς τερπώμεθα πάντες,

But come, let him cease, so that we may all alike rejoice,

ξεινοδόκοι καὶ ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολὺ κάλλιον οὕτως·

hosts and guest, since it is much better thus;

εἵνεκα γὰρ ξείνοιο τάδʼ αἰδοίοιο τέτυκται,

for on account of the revered stranger all these things have been prepared,

πομπὴ καὶ φίλα δῶρα, τά οἱ δίδομεν φιλέοντες.

the escort and the friendly gifts which we give him in love.

ἀντὶ κασιγνήτου ξεῖνός θʼ ἱκέτης τε τέτυκται

In place of a brother is a stranger and a suppliant held

ἀνέρι, ὅς τʼ ὀλίγον περ ἐπιψαύῃ πραπίδεσσι³.

by a man who touches wisdom even a little.

τῷ νῦν μηδὲ σὺ κεῦθε νοήμασι κερδαλέοισιν

Therefore do not you now hide with crafty thoughts

ὅττι κέ σʼ εἴρωμαι· φάσθαι δέ σε κάλλιόν ἐστιν.

whatever I may ask you; to speak out is better.

εἴπʼ ὄνομʼ ὅττι σε κεῖθι κάλεον μήτηρ τε πατήρ τε

Tell me the name by which they called you there, your mother and father,

ἄλλοι θʼ οἳ κατὰ ἄστυ καὶ οἳ περιναιετάουσιν.

and the others who dwell in the town and round about.

οὐ μὲν γάρ τις πάμπαν ἀνώνυμός ἐστʼ ἀνθρώπων,

For no one of men is utterly nameless,

οὐ κακὸς οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλός, ἐπὴν τὰ πρῶτα γένηται,

neither the base nor the noble, from the moment he is born,

ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τίθενται, ἐπεί κε τέκωσι, τοκῆες.

but parents give them names, when they give them birth.

εἰπὲ δέ μοι γαῖάν τε· τεὴν δῆμόν τε πόλιν τε,

And tell me your land, and your people, and your city,

ὄφρα σε τῇ πέμπωσι τιτυσκόμεναι φρεσὶ νῆες·

so that the ships, guiding themselves by their own minds, may send you there;

οὐ γὰρ Φαιήκεσσι κυβερνητῆρες ἔασιν,

for the Phaeacians have no helmsmen,

οὐδέ τι πηδάλιʼ ἔστι, τά τʼ ἄλλαι νῆες ἔχουσιν·

nor is there any steering-oar, such as other ships have;

ἀλλʼ αὐταὶ ἴσασι νοήματα καὶ φρένας ἀνδρῶν,

but the ships themselves know the thoughts and minds of men,

καὶ πάντων ἴσασι πόλιας καὶ πίονας ἀγροὺς

and they know the cities and rich fields of all

ἀνθρώπων, καὶ λαῖτμα τάχισθʼ ἁλὸς ἐκπερόωσιν

men, and very swiftly they cross the gulf of the sea,

ἠέρι καὶ νεφέλῃ κεκαλυμμέναι· οὐδέ ποτέ σφιν

hidden in mist and cloud; nor ever is there

οὔτε τι πημανθῆναι ἔπι δέος οὔτʼ ἀπολέσθαι.

any fear of being damaged or of perishing.

ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ὥς ποτε πατρὸς ἐγὼν εἰπόντος ἄκουσα

But this I once heard my father say,

Ναυσιθόου, ὃς ἔφασκε Ποσειδάωνʼ ἀγάσασθαι

Nausithous, who said that Poseidon was wroth

ἡμῖν, οὕνεκα πομποὶ ἀπήμονές εἰμεν ἁπάντων.

with us, because we are safe escorts for all men.

φῆ ποτὲ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐυεργέα νῆα

He said that some day he would shatter a well-built ship of Phaeacian men,

ἐκ πομπῆς ἀνιοῦσαν ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ

returning from an escort on the misty sea,

ῥαισέμεναι, μέγα δʼ ἧμιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψειν.

and would overshadow our city with a great mountain.

ὣς ἀγόρευʼ ὁ γέρων· τὰ δέ κεν θεὸς ἢ τελέσειεν

So the old man spoke; and these things the god might either bring to pass

ἤ κʼ ἀτέλεστʼ εἴη, ὥς οἱ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ·

or they might be unfulfilled, as is pleasing to his heart.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

But come, tell me this and relate it truly:

ὅππῃ ἀπεπλάγχθης τε καὶ ἅς τινας ἵκεο χώρας

whither you have wandered and to what lands of men

ἀνθρώπων, αὐτούς τε πόλιάς τʼ ἐὺ ναιετοώσας,

you came, and themselves and their well-inhabited cities,

ἠμὲν ὅσοι χαλεποί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

both those who are cruel and wild and unjust,

οἵ τε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής.

and those who are friendly to strangers, and have a god-fearing mind.

εἰπὲ δʼ ὅ τι κλαίεις καὶ ὀδύρεαι ἔνδοθι θυμῷ

And tell me why you weep and lament in your heart,

Ἀργείων Δαναῶν ἠδʼ Ἰλίου οἶτον ἀκούων.

hearing the fate of the Argives and Danaans and of Ilium.

τὸν δὲ θεοὶ μὲν τεῦξαν, ἐπεκλώσαντο δʼ ὄλεθρον

This the gods fashioned, and spun the thread of ruin

ἀνθρώποις, ἵνα ᾖσι καὶ ἐσσομένοισιν ἀοιδή.

for men, that there might be a song even for those to come.

ἦ τίς τοι καὶ πηὸς ἀπέφθιτο Ἰλιόθι πρὸ

Did some kinsman of yours perish before Ilium,

ἐσθλὸς ἐών, γαμβρὸς ἢ πενθερός, οἵ τε μάλιστα

noble as he was, a son-in-law or father-in-law, who are

κήδιστοι τελέθουσι μεθʼ αἷμά τε καὶ γένος αὐτῶν;

nearest to us after our own blood and kin?

ἦ τίς που καὶ ἑταῖρος ἀνὴρ κεχαρισμένα εἰδώς,

Or perhaps some companion, a man knowing pleasing things,

ἐσθλός; ἐπεὶ οὐ μέν τι κασιγνήτοιο χερείων

noble? Since indeed in no wise inferior to a brother

γίγνεται, ὅς κεν ἑταῖρος ἐὼν πεπνυμένα εἰδῇ.

is he who, being a companion, knows what is wise."

Syntax notes3 items

8.517Ὀδυσσῆα ... βήμεναι
Accusative with infinitive construction functioning as the object of "ἤειδεν" (line 514) or continuing from "ἄειδε" (line 516). "Ὀδυσσῆα" is the subject accusative, and "βήμεναι" is the Homeric infinitive (equivalent to "βῆναι"), representing the content of the song: that Odysseus went to the palace of Deiphobus.
8.523ὡς δὲ γυνὴ κλαίῃσι
The subjunctive "κλαίῃσι" (3rd person singular, Homeric form) introduced by the comparative conjunction "ὡς". In Homeric Greek, the subjunctive is often used alone without the modal particle "ἄν" or "κέ" in epic similes to express a general or typical action.
8.547ὅς τʼ ὀλίγον περ ἐπιψαύῃ πραπίδεσσι
The subjunctive "ἐπιψαύῃ" without "ἄν" or "κέ" in a general relative clause expressing a universal condition. The dative "πραπίδεσσι" means "with the mind" or "wisdom" as the instrument, or is governed by the verb "ἐπιψαύω" (to touch upon). Together it means "for any man who touches wisdom even a little."

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:8.514-8.586