Odysseus Reveals His Name and the Battle with the Cicones — Odyssey §9.1-9.71 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

And in answer to him spoke resourceful Odysseus:

Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

"Lord Alcinous, renowned above all the people,

ἦ τοι μὲν τόδε καλὸν ἀκουέμεν ἐστὶν ἀοιδοῦ

truly indeed it is a beautiful thing to listen to a minstrel

τοιοῦδʼ οἷος ὅδʼ ἐστί, θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιος αὐδήν.

such as this man is, like the gods in his voice.

οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γέ τί φημι τέλος¹ χαριέστερον εἶναι

For I say that there is no fulfillment more pleasing

ἢ ὅτʼ ἐυφροσύνη μὲν ἔχῃ κάτα δῆμον ἅπαντα,

than when gladness possesses all the people,

δαιτυμόνες δʼ ἀνὰ δώματʼ ἀκουάζωνται ἀοιδοῦ

and the banqueters in the palace listen to the minstrel,

ἥμενοι ἑξείης, παρὰ δὲ πλήθωσι τράπεζαι

sitting in order, and beside them tables are full

σίτου καὶ κρειῶν, μέθυ δʼ ἐκ κρητῆρος ἀφύσσων

of bread and meat, and the wine-bearer, drawing wine from the bowl,

οἰνοχόος φορέῃσι καὶ ἐγχείῃ δεπάεσσι·

carries it and pours it into the cups;

τοῦτό τί μοι κάλλιστον ἐνὶ φρεσὶν εἴδεται εἶναι.

this seems to my mind to be the most beautiful thing.

σοὶ δʼ ἐμὰ κήδεα θυμὸς ἐπετράπετο στονόεντα

But your heart was inclined to ask about my grievous sorrows,

εἴρεσθʼ, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω·

so that I may lament and groan even more.

τί πρῶτόν τοι ἔπειτα, τί δʼ ὑστάτιον καταλέξω;

What then shall I relate to you first, and what last?

κήδεʼ ἐπεί μοι πολλὰ δόσαν θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες.

Since the heavenly gods have given me many sorrows.

νῦν δʼ ὄνομα πρῶτον μυθήσομαι, ὄφρα καὶ ὑμεῖς

Now first I will tell my name, so that you too

εἴδετʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἂν ἔπειτα φυγὼν ὕπο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ

may know it, and that I hereafter, having escaped the pitiless day,

ὑμῖν ξεῖνος ἔω καὶ ἀπόπροθι δώματα ναίων.

may be your guest, though I dwell in a home far away.

εἴμʼ Ὀδυσεὺς Λαερτιάδης, ὃς πᾶσι δόλοισιν

I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, who for all my wiles

ἀνθρώποισι μέλω, καί μευ κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει.

am of note among men, and my fame reaches heaven.

ναιετάω δʼ Ἰθάκην ἐυδείελον· ἐν δʼ ὄρος αὐτῇ

And I dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, wherein is a mountain,

Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἀριπρεπές· ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆσοι

Neriton, with shaking leaves, very conspicuous; and around it islands

πολλαὶ ναιετάουσι μάλα σχεδὸν ἀλλήλῃσι,

many dwell very close to one another,

Δουλίχιόν τε Σάμη τε καὶ ὑλήεσσα Ζάκυνθος.

Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus.

αὐτὴ δὲ χθαμαλὴ πανυπερτάτη² εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται

And Ithaca itself lies low, furthest out in the sea

πρὸς ζόφον, αἱ δέ τʼ ἄνευθε πρὸς ἠῶ τʼ ἠέλιόν τε,

toward the darkness, while the others lie apart toward the dawn and the sun;

τρηχεῖʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀγαθὴ κουροτρόφος· οὔ τοι ἐγώ γε

it is rugged, but a good nurse of youth; indeed, I

ἧς γαίης δύναμαι γλυκερώτερον ἄλλο ἰδέσθαι.

can see nothing sweeter than a man's own land.

ἦ μέν μʼ αὐτόθʼ ἔρυκε Καλυψώ, δῖα θεάων,

Truly Calypso, divine among goddesses, kept me there

ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι·

in her hollow caves, longing for me to be her husband;

ὣς δʼ αὔτως Κίρκη κατερήτυεν ἐν μεγάροισιν

and in like manner wily Circe of Aeaea held me back

Αἰαίη δολόεσσα, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι·

in her halls, longing for me to be her husband;

ἀλλʼ ἐμὸν οὔ ποτε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον.

yet they never persuaded the heart in my breast.

ὣς οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος οὐδὲ τοκήων

So true is it that nothing is sweeter than a man's own country and his parents,

γίγνεται, εἴ περ καί τις ἀπόπροθι πίονα οἶκον

even if one dwells in a rich house far away

γαίῃ ἐν ἀλλοδαπῇ ναίει ἀπάνευθε τοκήων.

in a foreign land, apart from his parents.

εἰ δʼ ἄγε τοι καὶ νόστον ἐμὸν πολυκηδέʼ ἐνίσπω,

But come, let me tell you also of my troublesome return,

ὅν μοι Ζεὺς ἐφέηκεν ἀπὸ Τροίηθεν ἰόντι.

which Zeus laid upon me as I came from Troy.

Ἰλιόθεν με φέρων ἄνεμος Κικόνεσσι πέλασσεν,

From Ilium the wind bearing me brought me near to the Cicones,

Ἰσμάρῳ. ἔνθα δʼ ἐγὼ πόλιν ἔπραθον, ὤλεσα δʼ αὐτούς·

to Ismarus. There I sacked the city and slew the men;

ἐκ πόλιος δʼ ἀλόχους καὶ κτήματα πολλὰ λαβόντες

and taking from the city their wives and many possessions

δασσάμεθʼ, ὡς μή τίς μοι ἀτεμβόμενος κίοι ἴσης.

we divided them, so that no man might go deprived of an equal share.

ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼ διερῷ ποδὶ³ φευγέμεν ἡμέας

Then indeed I ordered that we should flee with swift foot,

ἠνώγεα, τοὶ δὲ μέγα νήπιοι οὐκ ἐπίθοντο.

but they, very foolish, did not obey.

ἔνθα δὲ πολλὸν μὲν μέθυ πίνετο, πολλὰ δὲ μῆλα

There much wine was drunk, and many sheep

ἔσφαζον παρὰ θῖνα καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς·

they slaughtered by the shore, and shamble-footed, crumple-horned cattle.

τόφρα δʼ ἄρʼ οἰχόμενοι Κίκονες Κικόνεσσι γεγώνευν,

Meanwhile the Cicones went and called to other Cicones,

οἵ σφιν γείτονες ἦσαν, ἅμα πλέονες καὶ ἀρείους,

who were their neighbors, at once more numerous and braver,

ἤπειρον ναίοντες, ἐπιστάμενοι μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων

dwelling on the mainland, knowing well how to fight from horses

ἀνδράσι μάρνασθαι καὶ ὅθι χρὴ πεζὸν ἐόντα.

and where need was as foot-soldiers.

ἦλθον ἔπειθʼ ὅσα φύλλα καὶ ἄνθεα γίγνεται ὥρῃ,

They came then, as many as leaves and flowers come in their season,

ἠέριοι· τότε δή ῥα κακὴ Διὸς αἶσα παρέστη

in the morning; then indeed an evil doom from Zeus stood by

ἡμῖν αἰνομόροισιν, ἵνʼ ἄλγεα πολλὰ πάθοιμεν.

us ill-fated men, that we might suffer many griefs.

στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσι,

And setting their battle in array they fought by the swift ships,

βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.

and struck one another with bronze-tipped spears.

ὄφρα μὲν ἠὼς ἦν καὶ ἀέξετο ἱερὸν ἦμαρ,

As long as it was morning and the sacred day was waxing,

τόφρα δʼ ἀλεξόμενοι μένομεν πλέονάς περ ἐόντας.

so long we held our ground and warded them off, though they were more.

ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος μετενίσσετο βουλυτόνδε,

But when the sun turned to the time of unyoking oxen,

καὶ τότε δὴ Κίκονες κλῖναν δαμάσαντες Ἀχαιούς.

then indeed the Cicones prevailed and routed the Achaeans.

ἓξ δʼ ἀφʼ ἑκάστης νηὸς ἐυκνήμιδες ἑταῖροι

Six of my well-greaved companions from each ship

ὤλονθʼ· οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι φύγομεν θάνατόν τε μόρον τε.

perished; but the rest of us escaped death and doom.

ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ,

And thence we sailed onward, grieved in heart,

ἄσμενοι ἐκ θανάτοιο, φίλους ὀλέσαντες ἑταίρους.

glad to have escaped death, though we had lost our dear companions.

οὐδʼ ἄρα μοι προτέρω νῆες κίον ἀμφιέλισσαι,

Nor did my curved ships go further on

πρίν τινα τῶν δειλῶν ἑτάρων τρὶς ἕκαστον ἀῦσαι⁴,

until we had called thrice upon each of our wretched companions

οἳ θάνον ἐν πεδίῳ Κικόνων ὕπο δῃωθέντες.

who died on the plain, slain by the Cicones.

νηυσὶ δʼ ἐπῶρσʼ ἄνεμον Βορέην νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς

And against our ships cloud-gathering Zeus aroused the North Wind

λαίλαπι θεσπεσίῃ, σὺν δὲ νεφέεσσι κάλυψε

with a wondrous tempest, and covered with clouds

γαῖαν ὁμοῦ καὶ πόντον· ὀρώρει δʼ οὐρανόθεν νύξ.

both the land and the sea; and night arose from heaven.

αἱ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐφέροντʼ ἐπικάρσιαι, ἱστία δέ σφιν

The ships then were driven headlong, and their sails

τριχθά τε καὶ τετραχθὰ διέσχισεν ἲς ἀνέμοιο.

were torn into three and four shreds by the violence of the wind.

Syntax notes4 items

9.5τέλος
A noun meaning 'end' or 'consummation', used here in the sense of 'the summit of happiness' or 'perfection'. Together with the following 'ὅτε' clause, it strengthens the comparative expression meaning 'no state is more pleasing than when...'.
9.25χθαμαλὴ πανυπερτάτη
A juxtaposition of seemingly contradictory adjectives: 'χθαμαλή' (low, flat) and 'πανυπερτάτη' (highest, furthest out). It is generally interpreted as describing Ithaca as being flat or low in terrain, but located furthest out (to the west) in the open sea relative to the other islands.
9.43διερῷ ποδὶ
The adjective 'διερός' etymologically means 'wet' or 'active, alive'. Here, 'with an active foot' by extension means 'with swift foot' or 'while still alive', modifying Odysseus's urgent command to retreat.
9.65τρὶς ἕκαστον ἀῦσαι
Refers to the ancient ritual of calling out three times the name of each deceased companion whose body could not be recovered, to appease their souls before setting sail. The infinitive governed by the conjunction 'πρίν' expresses that they strictly refused to sail until this duty was performed.

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:9.1-9.71