Goat Hunt and the Departure for the Cyclops' Cave — Odyssey §9.145-9.216 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

οὐρανόθεν προύφαινε, κατείχετο δὲ νεφέεσσιν.

did not show from heaven, but was held by clouds.

ἔνθʼ οὔ τις τὴν νῆσον ἐσέδρακεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

There no one looked upon the island with his eyes,

οὔτʼ οὖν κύματα μακρὰ κυλινδόμενα προτὶ χέρσον

nor indeed did we see the long waves rolling toward the shore,

εἰσίδομεν, πρὶν νῆας ἐυσσέλμους ἐπικέλσαι¹.

until we beached the well-benched ships.

κελσάσῃσι δὲ νηυσὶ² καθείλομεν ἱστία πάντα,

And when the ships had run aground, we lowered all the sails,

ἐκ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βῆμεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης·

and we ourselves stepped out upon the breakers of the sea;

ἔνθα δʼ ἀποβρίξαντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.

there falling asleep we waited for the divine Dawn.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

But when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

νῆσον θαυμάζοντες ἐδινεόμεσθα κατʼ αὐτήν.

wondering at the island we roamed all over it.

ὦρσαν δὲ νύμφαι, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο,

And the nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, started up

αἶγας ὀρεσκῴους, ἵνα δειπνήσειαν ἑταῖροι.

the mountain-dwelling goats, so that my companions might dine.

αὐτίκα καμπύλα τόξα καὶ αἰγανέας δολιχαύλους

Straightway we took our curved bows and long-shafted javelins

εἱλόμεθʼ ἐκ νηῶν, διὰ δὲ τρίχα κοσμηθέντες

from the ships, and having ordered ourselves in three divisions,

βάλλομεν· αἶψα δʼ ἔδωκε θεὸς μενοεικέα θήρην.

we shot at them; and immediately the god gave us satisfying game.

νῆες μέν μοι ἕποντο δυώδεκα, ἐς δὲ ἑκάστην

Twelve ships indeed followed me, and to each

ἐννέα λάγχανον αἶγες· ἐμοὶ δὲ δέκʼ ἔξελον οἴῳ.

nine goats were allotted; but for myself alone they chose out ten.

ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

So then for the whole day until the going down of the sun

ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τʼ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·

we sat feasting on abundant meat and sweet wine;

οὐ γάρ πω νηῶν ἐξέφθιτο οἶνος ἐρυθρός,

for the red wine was not yet exhausted from the ships,

ἀλλʼ ἐνέην· πολλὸν γὰρ ἐν ἀμφιφορεῦσιν ἕκαστοι

but there was still some in them; for each of us had drawn off much in jars

ἠφύσαμεν Κικόνων. ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἑλόντες.

when we took the sacred city of the Cicones.

Κυκλώπων δʼ ἐς γαῖαν ἐλεύσσομεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντων,

And we looked across to the land of the Cyclopes, who were near,

καπνόν τʼ αὐτῶν τε φθογγὴν³ ὀίων τε καὶ αἰγῶν.

and saw their smoke, and heard their voice and that of their sheep and goats.

ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε,

But when the sun went down and darkness came on,

δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

then indeed we lay down to sleep on the breaker of the sea.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

But when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,

καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ πᾶσιν ἔειπον·

then indeed I made an assembly and spoke among them all:

ἄλλοι μὲν νῦν μίμνετʼ, ἐμοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι·

"Remain here now, the rest of you, my trusty companions;

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν νηί τʼ ἐμῇ καὶ ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισιν

but I, with my own ship and my own companions,

ἐλθὼν τῶνδʼ ἀνδρῶν πειρήσομαι, οἵ τινές εἰσιν,

will go and make trial of these men, who they are,

ἤ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὑβρισταί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

whether they are indeed insolent and wild and unjust,

ἦε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής.

or hospitable to strangers, and have a god-fearing mind."

ὣς εἰπὼν ἀνὰ νηὸς ἔβην, ἐκέλευσα δʼ ἑταίρους

So saying, I went on board the ship, and ordered my companions

αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι.

themselves to embark and to loose the stern-cables.

οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they straightway embarked and sat down upon the benches,

ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they struck the grey sea with their oars.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸν χῶρον ἀφικόμεθʼ ἐγγὺς ἐόντα,

But when indeed we came near to the place,

ἔνθα δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιῇ σπέος εἴδομεν ἄγχι θαλάσσης,

there on the outer edge we saw a cave near the sea,

ὑψηλόν, δάφνῃσι κατηρεφές. ἔνθα δὲ πολλὰ

high, overarched with laurels; and there many

μῆλʼ, ὄιές τε καὶ αἶγες, ἰαύεσκον· περὶ δʼ αὐλὴ

flocks, both sheep and goats, were wont to sleep; and around it a yard

ὑψηλὴ δέδμητο κατωρυχέεσσι λίθοισι

high had been built with deeply-dug stones

μακρῇσίν τε πίτυσσιν ἰδὲ δρυσὶν ὑψικόμοισιν.

and with tall pines and high-leaved oaks.

ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἐνίαυε πελώριος, ὅς ῥα τὰ μῆλα

And there a monstrous man was wont to sleep, who indeed his flocks

οἶος ποιμαίνεσκεν ἀπόπροθεν· οὐδὲ μετʼ ἄλλους

alone was wont to shepherd far off; nor with others

πωλεῖτʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀπάνευθεν ἐὼν ἀθεμίστια ᾔδη⁴.

did he associate, but being apart he knew lawless things.

καὶ γὰρ θαῦμʼ ἐτέτυκτο πελώριον, οὐδὲ ἐῴκει

For indeed he had been made a monstrous wonder, nor was he like

ἀνδρί γε σιτοφάγῳ, ἀλλὰ ῥίῳ ὑλήεντι

a man that eats bread, but to a wooded peak

ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων, ὅ τε φαίνεται οἶον ἀπʼ ἄλλων.

of high mountains, which appears alone, apart from others.

δὴ τότε τοὺς ἄλλους κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους

Then indeed I bid the other trusty companions

αὐτοῦ πὰρ νηί τε μένειν καὶ νῆα ἔρυσθαι,

to remain there beside the ship and to guard the ship,

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ κρίνας ἑτάρων δυοκαίδεκʼ ἀρίστους

but I, having chosen twelve of the best of my companions,

βῆν· ἀτὰρ αἴγεον ἀσκὸν ἔχον μέλανος οἴνοιο

went; and I had a goat-skin bag of dark wine,

ἡδέος, ὅν μοι ἔδωκε Μάρων, Εὐάνθεος υἱός,

sweet, which Maron had given me, the son of Euanthes,

ἱρεὺς Ἀπόλλωνος, ὃς Ἴσμαρον ἀμφιβεβήκει,

priest of Apollo, who protected Ismarus,

οὕνεκά μιν σὺν παιδὶ περισχόμεθʼ ἠδὲ γυναικὶ

because we had protected him with his child and his wife,

ἁζόμενοι· ᾤκει γὰρ ἐν ἄλσεϊ δενδρήεντι

respecting him; for he dwelt in the wooded grove

Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος. ὁ δέ μοι πόρεν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα·

of Phoebus Apollo. And he gave me splendid gifts:

χρυσοῦ μέν μοι ἔδωκʼ ἐυεργέος ἑπτὰ τάλαντα,

seven talents of well-wrought gold he gave me,

δῶκε δέ μοι κρητῆρα πανάργυρον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

and he gave me a mixing-bowl all of silver, and then

οἶνον ἐν ἀμφιφορεῦσι δυώδεκα πᾶσιν ἀφύσσας

wine in twelve jars in all, drawing off

ἡδὺν ἀκηράσιον, θεῖον ποτόν· οὐδέ τις αὐτὸν

sweet and unmixed wine, a divine drink; nor did anyone

ἠείδη δμώων οὐδʼ ἀμφιπόλων ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

of the servants or handmaidens in the house know of it,

ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἄλοχός τε φίλη ταμίη τε μίʼ οἴη.

but only himself and his dear wife and one housekeeper alone.

τὸν δʼ ὅτε πίνοιεν μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐρυθρόν,

And when they drank this honey-sweet red wine,

ἓν δέπας ἐμπλήσας ὕδατος ἀνὰ εἴκοσι μέτρα

filling one cup, he would pour it into twenty measures of water,

χεῦʼ, ὀδμὴ δʼ ἡδεῖα ἀπὸ κρητῆρος ὀδώδει

and a sweet smell arose from the mixing-bowl,

θεσπεσίη· τότʼ ἂν οὔ τοι ἀποσχέσθαι φίλον ἦεν.

wondrous; then indeed to hold back would not have been pleasing to anyone.

τοῦ φέρον ἐμπλήσας ἀσκὸν μέγαν, ἐν δὲ καὶ ᾖα

Of this I carried a great skin full, and also provisions

κωρύκῳ· αὐτίκα γάρ μοι ὀίσατο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

in a bag; for straightway my proud heart suspected

ἄνδρʼ ἐπελεύσεσθαι μεγάλην ἐπιειμένον ἀλκήν,

that a man would come upon us clothed in great strength,

ἄγριον, οὔτε δίκας ἐὺ εἰδότα οὔτε θέμιστας.

wild, well knowing neither justice nor laws.

καρπαλίμως δʼ εἰς ἄντρον ἀφικόμεθʼ, οὐδέ μιν ἔνδον

And quickly we came to the cave, nor did we find him within,

Syntax notes4 items

9.148πρὶν νῆας ἐυσσέλμους ἐπικέλσαι
Construction of πρὶν with the infinitive. ἐπικέλλω can be used intransitively ('ships beach') or transitively ('to beach the ships'), making νῆας either the subject accusative or the direct object of the infinitive. In either case, the sense is 'before the well-benched ships ran aground.'
9.149κελσάσῃσι δὲ νηυσὶ
An early instance of the dative absolute, or simply a dative of time/circumstance: 'when the ships had run aground.' It functions similarly to the genitive absolute in later prose.
9.167καπνόν τʼ αὐτῶν τε φθογγὴν
Direct objects of the verb ἐλεύσσομεν ('we looked upon'). While 'smoke' (καπνόν) is a visual object, 'voice' (φθογγὴν) is auditory. This is a clear instance of zeugma, where a single verb of perception governs two nouns of different sensory domains.
9.189ἀθεμίστια ᾔδη
The verb ᾔδη (pluperfect of οἶδα with imperfect meaning) here means 'to know, practice.' The neuter plural accusative ἀθεμίστια functions as the direct object, meaning 'he knew lawless things' (i.e., he practiced lawlessness).

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:9.145-9.216