§10.218ὣς τοὺς ἀμφὶ λύκοι κρατερώνυχες ἠδὲ λέοντες §10.219σαῖνον· τοὶ δʼ ἔδεισαν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον αἰνὰ πέλωρα.
Thus did the strong-clawed wolves and lions fawn about them; but they were afraid, when they saw the dread monsters.
§10.220ἔσταν δʼ ἐν προθύροισι θεᾶς καλλιπλοκάμοιο, §10.221Κίρκης δʼ ἔνδον ἄκουον ἀειδούσης ὀπὶ καλῇ, §10.222ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένης μέγαν ἄμβροτον, οἷα θεάων §10.223λεπτά τε καὶ χαρίεντα καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα πέλονται.
And they stood in the portico of the fair-haired goddess, and within they heard Circe singing with a sweet voice, as she went to and fro before a great, immortal web, such as is the light, graceful, and splendid work of goddesses.
§10.224τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Πολίτης ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν, §10.225ὅς μοι κήδιστος ἑτάρων ἦν κεδνότατός τε· §10.226ὦ φίλοι, ἔνδον γάρ τις ἐποιχομένη μέγαν ἱστὸν §10.227καλὸν ἀοιδιάει, δάπεδον δʼ ἅπαν ἀμφιμέμυκεν, §10.228ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή· ἀλλὰ φθεγγώμεθα θᾶσσον. §10.229ὣς ἄρʼ ἐφώνησεν, τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.
And Polites, a leader of men, who was to me the dearest and most trusty of my companions, began to speak among them: 'O friends, for some one within is going to and fro before a great web and singing sweetly, and all the floor echoes around, whether she be goddess or woman; let us quickly call out.' So he spoke, and they called aloud, summoning her.
And she straightway came out and opened the shining doors and called them; and they all followed together in their ignorance.
§10.232Εὐρύλοχος δʼ ὑπέμεινεν, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.
But Eurylochus remained behind, suspecting that there was a snare.
§10.233εἷσεν δʼ εἰσαγαγοῦσα κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε, §10.234ἐν δέ σφιν τυρόν τε καὶ ἄλφιτα καὶ μέλι χλωρὸν §10.235οἴνῳ Πραμνείῳ ἐκύκα· ἀνέμισγε δὲ σίτῳ §10.236φάρμακα λύγρʼ, ἵνα πάγχυ λαθοίατο πατρίδος αἴης.
And she led them in and seated them on settle and high chairs, and for them she mixed cheese and barley-meal and yellow honey with Pramnian wine; but she mingled with the food baneful drugs, that they might utterly forget their native land.
Now when she had given it and they had drunk it off, straightway then she struck them with her wand and penned them in styes.
§10.239οἱ δὲ συῶν μὲν ἔχον κεφαλὰς φωνήν τε τρίχας τε §10.240καὶ δέμας, αὐτὰρ νοῦς ἦν ἔμπεδος, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ.
And they had the heads, and voice, and bristles, and shape of swine, but their minds remained steadfast as before.
§10.241ὣς οἱ μὲν κλαίοντες ἐέρχατο, τοῖσι δὲ Κίρκη §10.242πάρ ῥʼ ἄκυλον βάλανόν τε βάλεν καρπόν τε κρανείης §10.243ἔδμεναι, οἷα σύες χαμαιευνάδες αἰὲν ἔδουσιν.
Thus they were penned in, weeping; and for them Circe threw down acorns of oak and ilex and the fruit of the cornel tree, to eat, such as swine that wallow on the ground are wont to feed upon.
§10.244Εὐρύλοχος δʼ αἶψʼ ἦλθε θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν §10.245ἀγγελίην ἑτάρων ἐρέων καὶ ἀδευκέα πότμον.
And Eurylochus came back quickly to the swift black ship to bring tidings of his companions and their unseemly fate.
§10.246οὐδέ τι ἐκφάσθαι δύνατο ἔπος ἱέμενός περ, §10.247κῆρ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος· ἐν δέ οἱ ὄσσε §10.248δακρυόφιν πίμπλαντο, γόον δʼ ὠίετο θυμός.
Nor was he able to utter a word, though he desired it eagerly, since his heart was stricken with great sorrow; and his eyes were filled with tears, and his soul was foreboding lamentation.
§10.249ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν πάντες ἀγασσάμεθʼ ἐξερέοντες, §10.250καὶ τότε τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων κατέλεξεν ὄλεθρον· §10.251ἤιομεν, ὡς ἐκέλευες, ἀνὰ δρυμά, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ· §10.252εὕρομεν ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα καλὰ §10.253ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ.
But when we all questioned him in amazement, then at last he told of the fate of the other companions: 'We went, as you bade, through the thickets, glorious Odysseus; we found in the forest glades a beautiful house built of polished stones, in an open place.
§10.254ἔνθα δέ τις μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένη λίγʼ ἄειδεν, §10.255ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή· τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.
And there some one was going to and fro before a great web and singing clearly, whether she be goddess or woman; and they called aloud, summoning her.
And she straightway came out and opened the shining doors and called them; and they all followed together in their ignorance.
§10.258αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπέμεινα, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.
But I remained behind, suspecting that there was a snare.
§10.259οἱ δʼ ἅμʼ ἀιστώθησαν ἀολλέες, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶν §10.260ἐξεφάνη· δηρὸν δὲ καθήμενος ἐσκοπίαζον. §10.261ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ περὶ μὲν ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον §10.262ὤμοιιν βαλόμην, μέγα χάλκεον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα· §10.263τὸν δʼ ἂψ ἠνώγεα αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡγήσασθαι.
And they all vanished together, nor did any of them appear again; and for a long time I sat and watched.' So he spoke, and I cast about my shoulders my silver-studded sword, a great sword of bronze, and my bow; and I bade him lead me back by the very same way.
§10.264αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἀμφοτέρῃσι λαβὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων §10.265καί μʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §10.266μή μʼ ἄγε κεῖσʼ ἀέκοντα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπʼ αὐτοῦ.
But he clasped my knees with both hands and entreated me, and with lamentation spoke to me winged words: 'Lead me not thither against my will, fosterling of Zeus, but leave me here.
For I know that you will neither return yourself nor bring back any other of your companions.
ἀλλὰ ξὺν τοίσδεσι θᾶσσον §10.269φεύγωμεν· ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ. §10.270ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον· §10.271Εὐρύλοχʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μένʼ αὐτοῦ τῷδʼ ἐνὶ χώρῳ §10.272ἔσθων καὶ πίνων κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ· §10.273αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εἶμι, κρατερὴ δέ μοι ἔπλετʼ ἀνάγκη. §10.274ὣς εἰπὼν παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἠδὲ θαλάσσης.
But let us flee quickly with these who are here, for yet we might escape the evil day.' So he spoke, and I answered him and said: 'Eurylochus, do you indeed remain here in this place, eating and drinking by the hollow black ship; but I will go, for strong necessity is laid upon me.' So saying, I went up from the ship and the sea.
§10.275ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον ἰὼν ἱερὰς ἀνὰ βήσσας §10.276Κίρκης ἵξεσθαι πολυφαρμάκου ἐς μέγα δῶμα, §10.277ἔνθα μοι Ἑρμείας χρυσόρραπις ἀντεβόλησεν §10.278ἐρχομένῳ πρὸς δῶμα, νεηνίῃ ἀνδρὶ ἐοικώς, §10.279πρῶτον ὑπηνήτῃ, τοῦ περ χαριεστάτη ἥβη·
But when as I went through the sacred glades I was about to come to the great house of Circe, skilled in many drugs, there Hermes of the golden wand met me as I was going toward the house, in the likeness of a young man, with the first down upon his lip, in whom the bloom of youth is fairest.
§10.280ἔν τʼ ἄρα μοι φῦ χειρί, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε· §10.281πῇ δὴ αὖτʼ, ὦ δύστηνε, διʼ ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος, §10.282χώρου ἄιδρις ἐών;
He clasped my hand, and spoke, and addressed me, saying: 'Whither now, hapless man, are you going alone through the hills, ignorant of the country?
ἕταροι δέ τοι οἵδʼ ἐνὶ Κίρκης §10.283ἔρχαται ὥς τε σύες πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχοντες.
And your companions are penned in Circe's house like swine, keeping close in their styes.
§10.284ἦ τοὺς λυσόμενος δεῦρʼ ἔρχεαι;
Is it to release them that you are coming hither?
οὐδέ σέ φημι §10.285αὐτὸν νοστήσειν, μενέεις δὲ σύ γʼ, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι.
I tell you that you will not return yourself, but will remain there where the others are.
§10.286ἀλλʼ ἄγε δή σε κακῶν ἐκλύσομαι ἠδὲ σαώσω.
But come, I will free you from your troubles and deliver you.
§10.287τῆ, τόδε φάρμακον ἐσθλὸν ἔχων ἐς δώματα Κίρκης
Here, take this potent herb, and go to the house of Circe...'