Humanitext Reader

Homer · Odyssey §10.146-10.217

Slaying of the Stag and Eurylochus' Mission

Passage 67 of 173 · Greek

Summary

Odysseus spots smoke from Circe's palace from a lookout, slays a massive stag on his way back to sustain and comfort his men, and then divides them into two groups. The lot falls on Eurylochus, who leads his party to Circe's dwelling, where they encounter beasts tamed by her magic.

§10.146καρπαλίμως παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἐς περιωπήν, §10.147εἴ πως ἔργα ἴδοιμι βροτῶν ἐνοπήν τε πυθοίμην.
Quickly I went up from the ship to a lookout point, in the hope that I might see the works of mortals and hear their voice.
§10.148ἔστην δὲ σκοπιὴν ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἀνελθών, §10.149καί μοι ἐείσατο καπνὸς ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης, §10.150Κίρκης ἐν μεγάροισι, διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην.
And I stood, having climbed up to a rugged lookout-point, and there appeared to me smoke rising from the wide-wayed earth, in the halls of Circe, through the thick brush and the wood.
§10.151μερμήριξα δʼ ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν §10.152ἐλθεῖν ἠδὲ πυθέσθαι, ἐπεὶ ἴδον αἴθοπα καπνόν.
Then I pondered in my mind and in my heart whether to go and find out, since I had seen the bright smoke.
§10.153ὧδε δέ μοι φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι, §10.154πρῶτʼ ἐλθόντʼ ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης §10.155δεῖπνον ἑταίροισιν δόμεναι προέμεν τε πυθέσθαι.
And as I was pondering thus, it seemed to me to be better first to go to the swift ship and the shore of the sea, to give a meal to my companions, and then to send them forth to find out.
§10.156ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦα κιὼν νεὸς ἀμφιελίσσης, §10.157καὶ τότε τίς με θεῶν ὀλοφύρατο μοῦνον ἐόντα, §10.158ὅς ῥά μοι ὑψίκερων ἔλαφον μέγαν εἰς ὁδὸν αὐτὴν §10.159ἧκεν.
But when I was already near as I went to the curved ship, then indeed some one of the gods took pity on me being alone, who sent a great high-horned stag right into my very path.
ὁ μὲν ποταμόνδε κατήιεν ἐκ νομοῦ ὕλης §10.160πιόμενος· δὴ γάρ μιν ἔχεν μένος ἠελίοιο.
He was coming down to the river from his pasture in the wood to drink; for indeed the heat of the sun was oppressing him.
§10.161τὸν δʼ ἐγὼ ἐκβαίνοντα κατʼ ἄκνηστιν μέσα νῶτα §10.162πλῆξα· τὸ δʼ ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε, §10.163κὰδ δʼ ἔπεσʼ ἐν κονίῃσι μακών, ἀπὸ δʼ ἔπτατο θυμός.
And as he was coming out, I struck him on the spine, in the middle of his back, and the bronze spear passed straight through; and he fell moaning in the dust, and his life flew away.
§10.164τῷ δʼ ἐγὼ ἐμβαίνων δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς §10.165εἰρυσάμην· τὸ μὲν αὖθι κατακλίνας ἐπὶ γαίῃ §10.166εἴασʼ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σπασάμην ῥῶπάς τε λύγους τε, §10.167πεῖσμα δʼ, ὅσον τʼ ὄργυιαν, ἐυστρεφὲς ἀμφοτέρωθεν §10.168πλεξάμενος συνέδησα πόδας δεινοῖο πελώρου, §10.169βῆν δὲ καταλοφάδεια φέρων ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν §10.170ἔγχει ἐρειδόμενος, ἐπεὶ οὔ πως ἦεν ἐπʼ ὤμου §10.171χειρὶ φέρειν ἑτέρῃ· μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν.
And stepping upon him, I drew the bronze spear out of the wound; and laying it down there on the ground I let it lie; but I myself broke off twigs and willow-shoots, and having woven a well-twisted rope, about a fathom long, I bound together the feet of the dread monster, and went carrying it across my neck to the black ship, leaning on my spear, since there was no way to carry it on my shoulder with one hand; for it was indeed a very great beast.
§10.172κὰδʼ δʼ ἔβαλον προπάροιθε νεός, ἀνέγειρα δʼ ἑταίρους §10.173μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρασταδὸν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον· §10.174ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ πω καταδυσόμεθʼ ἀχνύμενοί περ §10.175εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους, πρὶν μόρσιμον ἦμαρ ἐπέλθῃ·
And I threw it down before the ship, and aroused my companions with gentle words, standing by each man: 'O friends, for we shall not yet descend, despite our grieving, to the house of Hades, before the day of destiny comes upon us.
§10.176ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ, ὄφρʼ ἐν νηὶ θοῇ βρῶσίς τε πόσις τε, §10.177μνησόμεθα βρώμης, μηδὲ τρυχώμεθα λιμῷ. §10.178ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δʼ ὦκα ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πίθοντο, §10.179ἐκ δὲ καλυψάμενοι παρὰ θῖνʼ ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο §10.180θηήσαντʼ ἔλαφον· μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν.
But come, while there is food and drink in the swift ship, let us think of food, and not be worn out with hunger.' So I spoke, and they quickly hearkened to my words, and throwing off their cloaks on the shore of the barren sea, they gazed at the stag; for it was indeed a very great beast.
§10.181αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ὁρώμενοι ὀφθαλμοῖσιν, §10.182χεῖρας νιψάμενοι τεύχοντʼ ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα.
But when they had satisfied their eyes with gazing, they washed their hands and prepared a glorious feast.
§10.183ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα §10.184ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τʼ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·
So then for the whole day until the going down of the sun we sat feasting on abundant meat and sweet wine.
§10.185ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε, §10.186δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.
But when the sun went down and darkness came on, then indeed we lay down to sleep on the beach of the sea.
§10.187ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, §10.188καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ πᾶσιν ἔειπον· §10.189κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων, κακά περ πάσχοντες ἑταῖροι·
And when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, then indeed I called an assembly and spoke among them all: 'Hearken to my words, my companions, though you suffer evils.
§10.190ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ τʼ ἴδμεν, ὅπῃ ζόφος οὐδʼ ὅπῃ ἠώς, §10.191οὐδʼ ὅπῃ ἠέλιος φαεσίμβροτος εἶσʼ ὑπὸ γαῖαν, §10.192οὐδʼ ὅπῃ ἀννεῖται· ἀλλὰ φραζώμεθα θᾶσσον §10.193εἴ τις ἔτʼ ἔσται μῆτις. ἐγὼ δʼ οὔκ οἴομαι εἶναι.
O friends, for we do not know where the darkness is, nor where the dawn, nor where the sun that gives light to mortals goes beneath the earth, nor where he rises; but let us quickly consider if any counsel shall yet be ours; but I do not think there is.
§10.194εἶδον γὰρ σκοπιὴν ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἀνελθὼν §10.195νῆσον, τὴν πέρι πόντος ἀπείριτος ἐστεφάνωται· §10.196αὐτὴ δὲ χθαμαλὴ κεῖται· καπνὸν δʼ ἐνὶ μέσσῃ §10.197ἔδρακον ὀφθαλμοῖσι διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην. §10.198ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ §10.199μνησαμένοις ἔργων Λαιστρυγόνος Ἀντιφάταο §10.200Κύκλωπός τε βίης μεγαλήτορος, ἀνδροφάγοιο.
For I saw, having climbed up to a rugged lookout-point, the island, around which the boundless sea is wreathed like a crown; and the island itself lies low; and in the midst of it I saw with my eyes smoke rising through the thick brush and the wood.' So I spoke, and their dear heart was broken as they remembered the deeds of Laestrygonian Antiphates and the violence of the great-hearted, man-eating Cyclops.
§10.201κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες· §10.202ἀλλʼ οὐ γάρ τις πρῆξις ἐγίγνετο μυρομένοισιν.
And they wept aloud, shedding big tears; but indeed no profit came to them as they wailed.
§10.203αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ δίχα πάντας ἐυκνήμιδας ἑταίρους §10.204ἠρίθμεον, ἀρχὸν δὲ μετʼ ἀμφοτέροισιν ὄπασσα· §10.205τῶν μὲν ἐγὼν ἦρχον, τῶν δʼ Εὐρύλοχος θεοειδής.
But I numbered all my well-greaved companions into two parties, and appointed a leader for each: of one party I was the leader, and of the other godlike Eurylochus.
§10.206κλήρους δʼ ἐν κυνέῃ χαλκήρεϊ πάλλομεν ὦκα· §10.207ἐκ δʼ ἔθορε κλῆρος μεγαλήτορος Εὐρυλόχοιο.
And quickly we shook lots in a bronze-bound helmet, and out leapt the lot of great-hearted Eurylochus.
§10.208βῆ δʼ ἰέναι, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω καὶ εἴκοσʼ ἑταῖροι §10.209κλαίοντες· κατὰ δʼ ἄμμε λίπον γοόωντας ὄπισθεν.
And he went on his way, and with him two and twenty companions, weeping; and they left us behind making lamentation.
§10.210εὗρον δʼ ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα Κίρκης §10.211ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ·
And they found in the forest glades the built house of Circe, of polished stones, in an open place.
§10.212ἀμφὶ δέ μιν λύκοι ἦσαν ὀρέστεροι ἠδὲ λέοντες, §10.213τοὺς αὐτὴ κατέθελξεν, ἐπεὶ κακὰ φάρμακʼ ἔδωκεν.
And all around it were mountain wolves and lions, whom she herself had bewitched, since she gave them evil drugs.
§10.214οὐδʼ οἵ γʼ ὡρμήθησαν ἐπʼ ἀνδράσιν, ἀλλʼ ἄρα τοί γε §10.215οὐρῇσιν μακρῇσι περισσαίνοντες ἀνέσταν.
And they did not rush upon the men, but rather they stood up, fawning upon them with their long tails.
§10.216ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα κύνες δαίτηθεν ἰόντα §10.217σαίνωσʼ, αἰεὶ γάρ τε φέρει μειλίγματα θυμοῦ,
And just as when dogs fawn about their master as he comes from a feast, for he always brings them morsels to please their hearts,

Notes

  1. 10.147εἴ πως ἔργα ἴδοιμι — The conjunction εἴ followed by the optative ἴδοιμι expresses an indirect question or a tentative condition implying purpose or expectation ('in the hope that I might see').
  2. 10.153δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι — The infinitive εἶναι functions as the subject of the verb δοάσσατο ('it seemed to be better'). The dative participle phrase μοι φρονέοντι limits the verb, meaning 'to me as I was pondering thus.'
  3. 10.174οὐ γάρ πω καταδυσόμεθʼ — The verb καταδυσόμεθα is a future indicative (or a short-vowel aorist subjunctive), expressing a confident denial about the future ('for we shall not yet descend').
  4. 10.202μυρομένοισιν — A present participle in the dative, functioning as a dative of disadvantage (or dative of reference), indicating 'for them, as they wept, (no progress was made).'

Cite this passage

Homer, Odyssey §10.146-10.217. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:10.146-10.217

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