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Euripides · Cyclops §625-709

The Blinding of the Cyclops and Odysseus' Escape

Passage 8 of 8 · Greek

Summary

Odysseus and the Satyrs successfully blind the sleeping Cyclops with a red-hot wooden stake. The blinded Cyclops, filled with rage, attempts to trap them, but is thwarted by Odysseus's name trick and the mockery of the Chorus, leading to Odysseus's final reveal of his identity as he escapes with the Satyrs.

§625συνθέντες ἄρθρα στόματος· οὐδὲ πνεῖν ἐῶ, §626οὐ σκαρδαμύσσειν οὐδὲ χρέμπτεσθαί τινα, §627ὡς μὴ’ξεγερθῇ τὸ κακόν, ἔστ’ ἂν ὄμματος §628ὄψις Κύκλωπος ἐξαμιλληθῇ πυρί.
ODYSSEUS: Having closed the joints of your mouths; I do not even allow you to breathe, nor anyone to blink, nor to clear their throat, lest the evil one be awakened, until the sight of the eye of the Cyclops is driven out by fire.
§629σιγῶμεν ἐγκάψαντες αἰθέρα γνάθοις.
CHORUS: Let us be silent, having locked the air in our jaws.
§630ἄγε νυν ὅπως ἅψεσθε τοῦ δαλοῦ χεροῖν §631ἔσω μολόντες· διάπυρος δ’ ἐστὶν καλῶς.
ODYSSEUS: Come now, see that you grasp the brand with both your hands, going inside; for it is beautifully red-hot.
§632οὐκοῦν σὺ τάξεις οὕστινας πρώτους χρεὼν §633καυτὸν μοχλὸν λαβόντας ἐκκάειν τὸ φῶς §634Κύκλωπος, ὡς ἂν τῆς τύχης κοινώμεθα;
CHORUS: Then will you arrange who must be the first to take the burning bar and burn out the light of the eye of the Cyclops, so that we may share in this fortune?
§635ἡμεῖς μέν ἐσμεν μακροτέρω πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν §636ἑστῶτες ὠθεῖν ἐς τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τὸ πῦρ.
CHORUS A: We indeed are standing too far before the doors to thrust the fire into his eye.
§637ἡμεῖς δὲ χωλοί γ’ ἀρτίως γεγενήμεθα.
CHORUS B: And we have just now become lame.
§638ταὐτὸν πεπόνθατ’ ἆρ’ ἐμοί· τοὺς γὰρ πόδας §639ἑστῶτες ἐσπάσθημεν οὐκ οἶδ’ ἐξ ὅτου.
LEADER: You have suffered the same thing as I then; for while standing, our feet were seized with cramp, I know not from what.
§640ἑστῶτες ἐσπάσθητε;
ODYSSEUS: You had cramp while standing?
§640bκαὶ τά γ’ ὄμματα §641μέστ’ ἐστὶν ἡμῖν κόνεος ἢ τέφρας ποθέν.
CHORUS: Yes, and our eyes are full of dust or ashes from somewhere.
§642ἄνδρες πονηροὶ κοὐδὲν οἵδε σύμμαχοι.
ODYSSEUS: Cowardly men, and no allies at all are these!
§643ὁτιὴ τὸ νῶτον τὴν ῥάχιν τ’ οἰκτίρομεν §644καὶ τοὺς ὀδόντας ἐκβαλεῖν οὐ βούλομαι §645τυπτόμενος, αὕτη γίγνεται πονηρία;
CHORUS: Because we pity our back and spine, and I do not wish to have my teeth knocked out by being beaten, does this become cowardice?
§646ἀλλ’ οἶδ’ ἐπῳδὴν Ὀρφέως ἀγαθὴν πάνυ, §647ὡς αὐτόματον τὸν δαλὸν ἐς τὸ κρανίον §648στείχονθ’ ὑφάπτειν τὸν μονῶπα παῖδα γῆς.
But I know a very good incantation of Orpheus, so that the brand, of its own accord, into the skull marching, may set fire to the one-eyed son of Earth.
§649πάλαι μὲν ᾔδη σ’ ὄντα τοιοῦτον φύσει, §650νῦν δ’ οἶδ’ ἄμεινον.
ODYSSEUS: I knew long ago that you were such by nature, and now I know it better.
τοῖσι δ’ οἰκείοις φίλοις §651χρῆσθαί μ’ ἀνάγκη.
I must use my own friends.
χειρὶ δ’ εἰ μηδὲν σθένεις, §652ἀλλ’ οὖν ἐπεγκέλευέ γ’, ὡς εὐψυχίαν §653φίλων κελευσμοῖς τοῖσι σοῖς κτησώμεθα.
But if you have no strength of hand, yet at least cheer us on, so that we may gain courage through those encouragements of yours.
§654δράσω τάδ’.
CHORUS: I will do this.
ἐν τῷ Καρὶ κινδυνεύσομεν.
We shall run the risk in the person of the Carian.
§655κελευσμάτων δ’ ἕκατι τυφέσθω Κύκλωψ.
And for the sake of our cheers, let the Cyclops be singed!
§656ἰὼ ἰώ·
Io, io!
γενναιότατ’ ὠ- §657θεῖτε σπεύδετ’.
Push most nobly, hurry!
ἐκκαίετε τὰν ὀφρὺν §658θηρὸς τοῦ ξενοδαίτα
Burn out the brow of the beast who devours guests.
§659τυφέτω, καιέτω §660τὸν Αἴτνας μηλονόμον.
Let it singe, let it burn the sheep-pasturing lord of Etna.
§661τόρνευ’, ἕλκε, μή σ’ ἐξοδυνηθεὶς §662δράσῃ τι μάταιον.
Twist it, drag it, lest in his agony he do some reckless deed.
§663ὤμοι, κατηνθρακώμεθ’ ὀφθαλμοῦ σέλας.
CYCLOPS: Alas, my eye's bright light has been turned to ash!
§664καλός γ’ ὁ παιάν·
CHORUS: A beautiful paean indeed!
μέλπε μοι τόνδ’, ὦ Κύκλωψ.
Sing this one for me, Cyclops.
§665ὤμοι μάλ’, ὡς ὑβρίσμεθ’, ὡς ὀλώλαμεν.
CYCLOPS: Alas indeed, how I have been outraged, how I am ruined!
§666ἀλλ’ οὔτι μὴ φύγητε τῆσδ’ ἔξω πέτρας §667χαίροντες, οὐδὲν ὄντες·
But you shall by no means escape out of this rock cave rejoicing, you nobodies!
ἐν πύλαισι γὰρ §668σταθεὶς φάραγγος τάσδ’ ἐναρμόσω χέρας.
For standing at the gates of the cavern, I will fit these hands of mine to block it.
§669τί χρῆμ’ ἀυτεῖς, ὦ Κύκλωψ;
CHORUS: What are you shouting for, Cyclops?
§669bἀπωλόμην.
CYCLOPS: I am ruined!
§670αἰσχρός γε φαίνῃ.
CHORUS: You look quite shameful.
§670bκἀπὶ τοῖσδέ γ’ ἄθλιος.
CYCLOPS: And on top of that, miserable!
§671μεθύων κατέπεσες ἐς μέσους τοὺς ἄνθρακας;
CHORUS: Did you fall into the middle of the coals while drunk?
§672Οὖτίς μ’ ἀπώλεσ’.
CYCLOPS: "Nobody" ruined me!
§672bοὐκ ἄρ’ οὐδεὶς ἠδίκει.
CHORUS: Then nobody was doing you wrong.
§673Οὖτίς με τυφλοῖ βλέφαρον.
CYCLOPS: "Nobody" blinds my eye!
§673bοὐκ ἄρ’ εἶ τυφλός.
CHORUS: Then you are not blind.
§674ὡς δὴ σύ—
CYCLOPS: May you—!
§674bκαὶ πῶς σ’ οὔτις ἂν θείη τυφλόν;
CHORUS: And how could "nobody" make you blind?
§675σκώπτεις.
CYCLOPS: You are mocking.
ὁ δ’ Οὖτις ποῦ’στιν;
But where is "Nobody"?
§675bοὐδαμοῦ, Κύκλωψ.
CHORUS: Nowhere, Cyclops.
§676ὁ ξένος, ἵν’ ὀρθῶς ἐκμάθῃς, μ’ ἀπώλεσεν, §677ὁ μιαρός, ὅς μοι δοὺς τὸ πῶμα κατέκλυσεν.
CYCLOPS: The stranger, so that you may learn the truth, ruined me, that vile wretch, who by giving me the drink overwhelmed me.
§678δεινὸς γὰρ οἷνος καὶ παλαίεσθαι βαρύς.
CHORUS: Yes, for wine is formidable and hard to wrestle with.
§679πρὸς θεῶν, πεφεύγασ’ ἢ μένουσ’ ἔσω δόμων;
CYCLOPS: By the gods, have they fled or do they remain inside the house?
§680οὗτοι σιωπῇ τὴν πέτραν ἐπήλυγα §681λαβόντες ἑστήκασι.
CHORUS: They are standing in silence, using the rock as a shelter to hide.
§681bποτέρας τῆς χερός;
CYCLOPS: On which hand?
§682ἐν δεξιᾷ σου.
CHORUS: On your right.
§682bποῦ;
CYCLOPS: Where?
§682cπρὸς αὐτῇ τῇ πέτρᾳ.
CHORUS: Right by the rock itself.
§683ἔχεις;
CHORUS: Have you got them?
§683bκακόν γε πρὸς κακῷ·
CYCLOPS: Evil upon evil indeed!
τὸ κρανίον §684παίσας κατέαγα.
I have struck my skull and broken it.
§684bκαί σε διαφεύγουσί γε.
CHORUS: And they are escaping you.
§685οὐ τῇδ’· ἐπεὶ τῇδ’ εἶπας;
CYCLOPS: Not this way; since did you say this way?
§685bοὔ· ταύτῃ λέγω.
CHORUS: No, I mean that way.
§686πῇ γάρ;
CYCLOPS: Which way then?
§686bπεριάγου, κεῖσε, πρὸς τἀριστερά.
CHORUS: Turn around, over there, to the left.
§687οἴμοι γελῶμαι·
CYCLOPS: Alas, I am mocked!
κερτομεῖτέ μ’ ἐν κακοῖς.
You are jeering at me in my misfortunes.
§688ἀλλ’ οὐκέτ’, ἀλλὰ πρόσθεν οὗτός ἐστί σου.
CHORUS: But no longer; rather, here he is right in front of you.
§689ὦ παγκάκιστε, ποῦ ποτ’ εἶ;
CYCLOPS: Oh you utter villain, where on earth are you?
§689bτηλοῦ σέθεν §690φυλακαῖσι φρουρῶ σῶμ’ Ὀδυσσέως τόδε.
ODYSSEUS: Far from you, I am guarding with watches this body of Odysseus.
§691πῶς εἶπας;
CYCLOPS: What did you say?
ὄνομα μεταβαλὼν καινὸν λέγεις.
You have changed your name and are telling a new one.
§692ὅπερ γ’ ὁ φύσας ὠνόμαζ’ Ὀδυσσέα.
ODYSSEUS: The very one which my father gave me, Odysseus.
§693δώσειν δ’ ἔμελλες ἀνοσίου δαιτὸς δίκας· §694κακῶς γὰρ ἂν Τροίαν γε διεπυρωσάμην §695εἰ μή σ’ ἑταίρων φόνον ἐτιμωρησάμην.
And you were destined to pay the penalty for your unholy feast; for I would have burned down Troy in vain, if I had not avenged the murder of my companions on you.
§696αἰαῖ·
CYCLOPS: Alas!
παλαιὸς χρησμὸς ἐκπεραίνεται.
An ancient oracle is being fulfilled.
§697τυφλὴν γὰρ ὄψιν ἐκ σέθεν σχήσειν μ’ ἔφη §698Τροίας ἀφορμηθέντος.
For it said that I would have my sight blinded by you, when you set out from Troy.
ἀλλὰ καὶ σέ τοι §699δίκας ὑφέξειν ἀντὶ τῶνδ’ ἐθέσπισεν, §700πολὺν θαλάσσῃ χρόνον ἐναιωρούμενον.
But it also prophesied that you indeed would pay the penalty for this, tossing about for a long time on the sea.
§701κλαίειν σ’ ἄνωγα·
ODYSSEUS: I bid you weep!
καὶ δέδραχ’ ὅπερ λέγεις.
And I have already done what you say.
§702ἐγὼ δ’ ἐπ’ ἀκτὰς εἶμι καὶ νεὼς σκάφος §703ἥσω’πὶ πόντον Σικελὸν ἔς τ’ ἐμὴν πάτραν.
But I will go to the shores, and launch the hull of my ship onto the Sicilian sea, and to my homeland.
§704οὐ δῆτ’, ἐπεί σε τῆσδ’ ἀπορρήξας πέτρας §705αὐτοῖσι συνναύταισι συντρίψω βαλών.
CYCLOPS: No indeed, for I will break off a piece of this rock, and throw it to crush you together with your sailors.
§706ἄνω δ’ ἐπ’ ὄχθον εἶμι, καίπερ ὢν τυφλός, §707δι’ ἀμφιτρῆτος τῆσδε προσβαίνων ποδί.
And I will go up onto the ridge, although I am blind, advancing with my feet through this double-mouthed cave.
§708ἡμεῖς δὲ συνναῦταί γε τοῦδ’ Ὀδυσσέως §709ὄντες τὸ λοιπὸν Βακχίῳ δουλεύσομεν.
CHORUS: And we, becoming the fellow-sailors of this Odysseus, will for the future serve Bacchus.

Notes

  1. 625οὐδὲ πνεῖν ἐῶ, οὐ σκαρδαμύσσειν οὐδὲ χρέμπτεσθαί τινα — The verb ἐῶ (allow) takes supplementary infinitives (πνεῖν, σκαρδαμύσσειν, χρέμπτεσθαι), with the accusative indefinite pronoun τινά acting as the subject accusative of these infinitives.
  2. 635μακροτέρω πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν ἑστῶτες ὠθεῖν — Following the comparative adverb μακροτέρω (too far), the infinitive ὠθεῖν (to thrust) expresses result, degree, or limitation ("standing too far before the doors to thrust the fire").
  3. 654ἐν τῷ Καρὶ κινδυνεύσομεν — Based on the ancient Greek proverb "to run the risk in the person of a Carian" (meaning to expose a low-status person to danger instead of oneself). Here, the Satyrs ironically justify leaving the dangerous task to Odysseus and his men.
  4. 672οὐκ ἄρ’ οὐδεὶς ἠδίκει — A wordplay where the Cyclops shouts the name "Outis" (Nobody) as a proper noun, while the Chorus interprets it as the common pronoun "nobody" (οὐδείς). Since Greek double negation (οὐκ... οὐδείς) strengthens the negative, it translates as "Then indeed nobody was doing wrong."
  5. 694κακῶς γὰρ ἂν Τροίαν γε διεπυρωσάμην εἰ μή σ’ ἐτιμωρησάμην — A past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence, structured with εἰ + aorist indicative in the protasis, and ἄν + aorist indicative (διεπυρωσάμην) in the apodosis ("I would have burned Troy in vain, if I had not avenged...").

Cite this passage

Euripides, Cyclops §625-709. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0006.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:625-709

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