Escape Under the Rams and the Hurling of the Boulder — Odyssey §9.422-9.494 (Homer) | Greek text & English translation

εὑροίμην¹· πάντας δὲ δόλους καὶ μῆτιν ὕφαινον

if I might find it; and I wove all kinds of guile and plans,

ὥς τε περὶ ψυχῆς· μέγα γὰρ κακὸν ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.

as if for my life; for a great evil was near at hand.

ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή.

And this plan seemed to me in my heart to be the best.

ἄρσενες ὄιες ἦσαν ἐυτρεφέες, δασύμαλλοι,

There were well-fed rams, thick-fleeced,

καλοί τε μεγάλοι τε, ἰοδνεφὲς εἶρος ἔχοντες·

beautiful and large, with wool as dark as violets;

τοὺς ἀκέων συνέεργον ἐυστρεφέεσσι λύγοισιν,

these I quietly bound together with well-twisted willow twigs,

τῇς ἔπι² Κύκλωψ εὗδε πέλωρ, ἀθεμίστια εἰδώς,

on which the monster Cyclops, with lawless thoughts in mind, used to sleep,

σύντρεις αἰνύμενος· ὁ μὲν ἐν μέσῳ ἄνδρα φέρεσκε,

taking them three by three; the one in the middle carried a man,

τὼ δʼ ἑτέρω ἑκάτερθεν ἴτην σώοντες ἑταίρους.

while the other two on either side went to protect my companions.

τρεῖς δὲ ἕκαστον φῶτʼ ὄιες φέρον· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε—

Thus three sheep carried each man; but as for me—

ἀρνειὸς γὰρ ἔην μήλων ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἁπάντων,

for there was a ram far the best of all the flock,

τοῦ κατὰ νῶτα λαβών, λασίην ὑπὸ γαστέρʼ ἐλυσθεὶς

grasping his back, and curled up under his shaggy belly,

κείμην· αὐτὰρ χερσὶν ἀώτου θεσπεσίοιο³

I lay there; and with my hands, in the wondrous wool,

νωλεμέως στρεφθεὶς ἐχόμην τετληότι θυμῷ.

I held on tightly with a patient heart, turning myself in.

ὣς τότε μὲν στενάχοντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.

So then, groaning, we waited for the divine Dawn.

ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

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

καὶ τότʼ ἔπειτα νομόνδʼ ἐξέσσυτο ἄρσενα μῆλα,

then indeed the male sheep rushed out to the pasture,

θήλειαι δὲ μέμηκον ἀνήμελκτοι περὶ σηκούς·

while the females bleated unmilked around the pens;

οὔθατα γὰρ σφαραγεῦντο. ἄναξ δʼ ὀδύνῃσι κακῇσι

for their udders were bursting. But their master, tormented by terrible

τειρόμενος πάντων ὀίων ἐπεμαίετο νῶτα

pains, felt along the backs of all the sheep

ὀρθῶν ἑσταότων· τὸ δὲ νήπιος οὐκ ἐνόησεν,

as they stood upright; but in his folly he did not notice this,

ὥς οἱ ὑπʼ εἰροπόκων ὀίων στέρνοισι δέδεντο.

how they were bound under the breasts of the thick-fleeced sheep.

ὕστατος ἀρνειὸς μήλων ἔστειχε θύραζε

Last of all the flock, the ram walked out of the door,

λάχνῳ στεινόμενος καὶ ἐμοὶ πυκινὰ φρονέοντι⁴.

weighted down by his fleece and by me who was thinking deep thoughts.

τὸν δʼ ἐπιμασσάμενος προσέφη κρατερὸς Πολύφημος·

And feeling him, the mighty Polyphemus spoke to him:

κριὲ πέπον, τί μοι ὧδε διὰ σπέος ἔσσυο μήλων

"Dear ram, why do you rush thus through the cave last

ὕστατος; οὔ τι πάρος γε λελειμμένος ἔρχεαι οἰῶν,

of the sheep? Before, you were never left behind by the sheep,

ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρῶτος νέμεαι τέρενʼ ἄνθεα ποίης

but far the first you grazed on the tender flowers of the grass,

μακρὰ βιβάς, πρῶτος δὲ ῥοὰς ποταμῶν ἀφικάνεις,

stepping with long strides, and first you reached the streams of the rivers,

πρῶτος δὲ σταθμόνδε λιλαίεαι ἀπονέεσθαι

and first you desired to return to the fold

ἑσπέριος· νῦν αὖτε πανύστατος. ἦ σύ γʼ ἄνακτος

in the evening; but now, on the contrary, you are last of all. Surely you miss your master's

ὀφθαλμὸν ποθέεις, τὸν ἀνὴρ κακὸς ἐξαλάωσε

eye, which an evil man blinded,

σὺν λυγροῖς ἑτάροισι δαμασσάμενος φρένας οἴνῳ,

subduing my mind with wine, along with his miserable companions,

Οὖτις, ὃν οὔ πώ φημι πεφυγμένον εἶναι ὄλεθρον.

that Outis, who, I say, has not yet escaped destruction.

εἰ δὴ ὁμοφρονέοις ποτιφωνήεις τε γένοιο

If only you could think like me and have the power of speech,

εἰπεῖν ὅππῃ κεῖνος ἐμὸν μένος ἠλασκάζει·

to tell me where that man is shrinking from my wrath;

τῷ κέ οἱ ἐγκέφαλός γε διὰ σπέος ἄλλυδις ἄλλῃ

then indeed his brains would be dashed here and there through the cave

θεινομένου ῥαίοιτο πρὸς οὔδεϊ, κὰδ δέ κʼ ἐμὸν κῆρ

against the ground as he is struck, and my heart

λωφήσειε κακῶν, τά μοι οὐτιδανὸς πόρεν Οὖτις.

would find relief from the evils which that good-for-nothing Outis brought me."

ὣς εἰπὼν τὸν κριὸν ἀπὸ ἕο πέμπε θύραζε.

So saying, he sent the ram away from him out of the door.

ἐλθόντες δʼ ἠβαιὸν ἀπὸ σπείους τε καὶ αὐλῆς

When we had gone a little way from the cave and the yard,

πρῶτος ὑπʼ ἀρνειοῦ λυόμην, ὑπέλυσα δʼ ἑταίρους.

first I released myself from under the ram, and then I untied my companions.

καρπαλίμως δὲ τὰ μῆλα ταναύποδα, πίονα δημῷ,

And swiftly we drove the long-striding sheep, rich with fat,

πολλὰ περιτροπέοντες ἐλαύνομεν, ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ νῆα

turning them about many times, until we came to the ship.

ἱκόμεθʼ. ἀσπάσιοι δὲ φίλοις ἑτάροισι φάνημεν,

And welcome we appeared to our dear companions,

οἳ φύγομεν θάνατον, τοὺς δὲ στενάχοντο γοῶντες.

we who had escaped death, but for the others they wailed and groaned.

ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐκ εἴων, ἀνὰ δʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦον ἑκάστῳ,

But I would not let them weep, nodding with my brows to each,

κλαίειν, ἀλλʼ ἐκέλευσα θοῶς καλλίτριχα μῆλα

but ordered them quickly to throw the many fair-fleeced sheep

πόλλʼ ἐν νηὶ βαλόντας ἐπιπλεῖν ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ.

on board and to sail over the salty water.

οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they straightway went on board and sat down at the rowing benches,

ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

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

ἀλλʼ ὅτε τόσσον ἀπῆν, ὅσσον τε γέγωνε βοήσας,

But when we were as far away as a man's voice carries when he shouts,

καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων κερτομίοισι·

then indeed I spoke to the Cyclops with mocking words:

Κύκλωψ, οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλες ἀνάλκιδος ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρους

"Cyclops, you were not destined then to eat the companions of a weak man

ἔδμεναι ἐν σπῆι γλαφυρῷ κρατερῆφι βίηφι.

in your hollow cave by your brutal might.

καὶ λίην σέ γʼ ἔμελλε κιχήσεσθαι κακὰ ἔργα,

And indeed your evil deeds were bound to find you out,

σχέτλιʼ, ἐπεὶ ξείνους οὐχ ἅζεο σῷ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

wretch, since you did not shrink from eating guests in your own house;

ἐσθέμεναι· τῷ σε Ζεὺς τίσατο καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

therefore Zeus and the other gods have punished you."

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα χολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,

So I spoke, and he then grew even more angry in his heart,

ἧκε δʼ ἀπορρήξας κορυφὴν ὄρεος μεγάλοιο,

and he broke off the peak of a great mountain and hurled it,

κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλε προπάροιθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

and cast it just ahead of the dark-prowed ship,

τυτθόν, ἐδεύησεν δʼ οἰήιον ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι,

by a little, and it missed reaching the tip of the rudder.

ἐκλύσθη δὲ θάλασσα κατερχομένης ὑπὸ πέτρης·

And the sea surged up under the falling rock,

τὴν δʼ αἶψʼ ἤπειρόνδε παλιρρόθιον φέρε κῦμα,

and the back-rushing wave quickly bore the ship toward the land,

πλημυρὶς ἐκ πόντοιο, θέμωσε δὲ χέρσον ἱκέσθαι.

a flood-tide from the deep, and forced it to reach the shore.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ χείρεσσι λαβὼν περιμήκεα κοντὸν

But I, taking a very long pole in my hands,

ὦσα παρέξ, ἑτάροισι δʼ ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσα

pushed the ship off, and encouraging my companions, ordered them

ἐμβαλέειν κώπῃς, ἵνʼ ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν,

to bend to their oars, so that we might escape from our plight,

κρατὶ κατανεύων· οἱ δὲ προπεσόντες ἔρεσσον.

nodding with my head; and they bent forward and rowed.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δὶς τόσσον ἅλα πρήσσοντες ἀπῆμεν,

But when indeed we were twice as far away, traversing the sea,

καὶ τότε δὴ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

then indeed I was about to call to the Cyclops; but around me my companions

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος·

restrained me with gentle words from all sides:

σχέτλιε, τίπτʼ ἐθέλεις ἐρεθιζέμεν ἄγριον ἄνδρα;

"Wretch, why do you wish to provoke a wild man?"

Syntax notes4 items

9.422εὑροίμην
A first aorist middle optative dependent on the `εἴ` from the previous line, expressing a hope or indirect expectation ('if perhaps I might find').
9.428τῇς ἔπι
An instance of prepositional anastrophe, where `ἐπί` is placed after its relative pronoun object `τῇς`, causing the accent to shift backward to the first syllable.
9.434ἀώτου θεσπεσίοιο
A partitive genitive of contact governed by the verb `ἐχόμην` ('I held on to'), standard in Greek for verbs of grasping or touching.
9.445λάχνῳ στεινόμενος καὶ ἐμοὶ πυκινὰ φρονέοντι
A zeugma-like construction where the passive participle `στεινόμενος` ('weighted down' or 'confined') is modified by two datives of cause: the literal, physical `λάχνῳ` ('by fleece') and the figurative, personal `ἐμοὶ... φρονέοντι` ('by me, who was thinking deep thoughts').

Model: gemini-3.5-flashurn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:9.422-9.494