§1Ὀδυσσεύς. ταῦτα μέν, ὦ Κίρκη, μεμαθηκέναι δοκῶ καὶ διαμνημονεύσειν·
\n Odysseus: These things, Circe, I think I have learned and will remember.
ἡδέως δʼ ἄν σου πυθοίμην, εἴ τινας ἔχεις Ἕλληνας ἐν τούτοις, οὓς λύκους καὶ λέοντας ἐξ ἀνθρώπων πεποίηκας. ΚΙΡΚΗ. καὶ πολλούς, ὦ ποθούμενʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ.
But I would gladly learn from you if you have any Greeks among these, whom you have turned from human beings into wolves and lions.\n Circe: Yes, many, beloved Odysseus.
πρὸς τί δὲ τοῦτο ἐρωτᾷς; ΟΔ. ὅτι νὴ Δία καλὴν ἄν μοι δοκῶ γενέσθαι φιλοτιμίαν πρὸς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, εἰ χάριτι σῇ λαβὼν τούτους, αὖθις εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἑταίρους ἀνασώσαιμι καὶ μὴ περιίδοιμι καταγηράσαντας παρὰ φύσιν ἐν σώμασι θηρίων, οἰκτρὰν καὶ ἄτιμον οὕτω δίαιταν ἔχοντας. ΚΙΡ. οὗτος ὁ ἀνὴρ οὐχ αὑτῷ μόνον οὐδὲ τοῖς ἑταίροις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μηδὲν προσήκουσιν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπʼ ἀβελτερίας συμφορὰν γενέσθαι τὴν αὑτοῦ φιλοτιμίαν. ΟΔ. ἕτερον αὖ τινα τοῦτον, ὦ Κίρκη, κυκεῶνα 20 λόγων ταράττεις καὶ ὑποφαρμάττεις, ἐμὲ γοῦν ἀτεχνῶς ρατιονε δτι; ποιοῦσα θηρίον, εἰ πείσομαί σοι ὡς συμφορὰ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ θηρίου γενέσθαι.
But why do you ask this? Od.: Because, by Zeus, it seems to me that it would be a fine source of honor for me among the Greeks, if by your favor I could receive these men and restore them again as human companions, and not look on while they grow old contrary to nature in the bodies of beasts, leading such a pitiful and dishonorable life. Cir.: This man thinks, out of sheer stupidity, that his own ambition ought to become a disaster not only for himself and his companions, but even for those who are in no way related to him. Od.: Circe, you are stirring and drugging another mixed potion (kykeon) of words, making me absolutely a beast in your argument, if I am to believe you that it is a disaster for a beast to become a human. Cir.: For have you not already made yourself more absurd than these?
ΚΙΡ. οὐ γὰρ ἢδη τούτων ἀτοπώτερα πεποίηκας σεαυτόν, ὃς τὸν ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀγήρων σὺν ἐμοὶ βίον ἀφεὶς ἐπὶ γυναῖκα θνητήν, ὡς δʼ ἐγώ φημι, καὶ γραῦν ἤδη διὰ μυρίων ἔτι κακῶν σπεύδεις, ὡς δὴ περίβλεπτος ἐκ τούτου καὶ ὀνομαστὸς ἔτι μᾶλλον ἢ νῦν γενησόμενος, κενὸν ἀγαθὸν καὶ εἴδωλον ἀντὶ τῆς ἀληθείας διώκων; ΟΔ. ἐχέτω ταῦτα, ὡς λέγεις, ὦ Κίρκη τί γὰρ δεῖ πολλάκις ζυγομαχεῖν ἡμᾶς περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν;
You who, abandoning the immortal and ageless life with me, are hastening to a mortal woman—and, as I say, one who is already an old woman—through countless evils still, as if you were to become thereby even more distinguished and famous than you are now, pursuing an empty good and a phantom instead of the truth?\n Od.: Let these things be as you say, Circe. For why must we repeatedly bicker about the same things?
τούτους δέ μοι δὸς ἀναλύσασα καὶ χάρισαι τοὺς ἄνδρας. ΚΙΡ. Οὐχ οὕτω γʼ ἁπλῶς, μὰ τὴν Ἑκάτην οὐ γὰρ οἱ τυχόντες εἰσίν·
Rather, release these men for me and grant them to me.\nCir.: Not so simply as that, by Hecate! For they are no ordinary men.
ἀλλʼ ἐροῦ πρῶτον αὐτούς, εἰ θέλουσιν ἂν δὲ μὴ φῶσι, διαλεχθείς, ὦ γενναῖε, πεῖσον·
But first ask them if they wish it; and if they say no, noble sir, converse with them and persuade them.
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ πείσῃς, ἀλλὰ καὶ περιγένωνται διαλεγόμενοι, ἱκανὸν ἔστω σοι περὶ σεαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν φίλων κακῶς βεβουλεῦσθαι
.
And if you do not persuade them, but they even get the better of you in the discussion, let it be enough for you to have deliberated badly concerning yourself and your friends.
ΟΔ. τί μου καταγελᾷς, ὦ μακαρία;
\nOd.: Why do you mock me, my good woman?
πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἢ δοῖεν οὗτοι λόγον ἢ λάβοιεν, ἕως ὄνοι καὶ σύες καὶ λέοντές εἰσι; ΚΙΡ. Θάρρει, φιλοτιμότατʼ ἀνθρώπων ἐγώ σοι παρέξω καὶ συνιέντας αὐτοὺς καὶ διαλεγομένους·
For how could they either give or receive speech, as long as they are donkeys, pigs, and lions?\nCir.: Courage, most ambitious of men!
μᾶλλον δʼ εἷς ἱκανὸς ἔσται καὶ διδοὺς καὶ λαμβάνων ὑπὲρ πάντων λόγον·
I will make them both understand and converse; or rather, one will be sufficient to both give and receive speech on behalf of them all.
ἰδού, τούτῳ διαλέγου. ΟΔ. καὶ τίνα τοῦτον, ὦ Κίρκη, προσαγορεύσομεν;
Look, converse with this one.\nOd.: And what shall we call this one, Circe?
ἢ τίς ἦν οὗτος ἀνθρώπων;
Or who among men was he?\nCir.: For what does this have to do with the discussion?
ΚΙΡ. τί γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς τὸν λόγον; ἀλλὰ καὶ κάλει αὐτόν, εἰ βούλει, Γρύλλον.
But call him, if you wish, Gryllus.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἐκστήσομαι ὑμῖν, μὴ καὶ παρὰ γνώμην ἐμοὶ δοκῇ χαριζόμενος διαλέγεσθαι.
I will withdraw from you, lest he seem to converse in order to please me, even against his own judgment.