§11.145ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν· §11.146ῥηΐδιόν τοι ἔπος ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θήσω.
So I spoke, and he straightway answering addressed me: "An easy word I will tell you, and lay it upon your mind.
§11.147ὅν τινα μέν κεν ἐᾷς νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων §11.148αἵματος ἆσσον ἴμεν, ὁ δέ τοι νημερτὲς ἐνίψει· §11.149ᾧ δέ κʼ ἐπιφθονέῃς, ὁ δέ τοι πάλιν εἶσιν ὀπίσσω. §11.150ὣς φαμένη ψυχὴ μὲν ἔβη δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω §11.151Τειρεσίαο ἄνακτος, ἐπεὶ κατὰ θέσφατʼ ἔλεξεν·
Whomever of the dead that are departed you permit to come near the blood, he will speak the truth to you; but whomever you grudge it to, he will go back again." So saying, the soul of lord Teiresias went into the house of Hades, when he had declared his prophecies.
§11.152αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτοῦ μένον ἔμπεδον, ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ μήτηρ §11.153ἤλυθε καὶ πίεν αἷμα κελαινεφές· αὐτίκα δʼ ἔγνω, §11.154καί μʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §11.155τέκνον ἐμόν, πῶς ἦλθες ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠερόεντα
But I remained there steadfast, until my mother came and drank the dark blood; and straightway she knew me, and weeping she addressed me with winged words: "My child, how did you come beneath the murky darkness, being still alive?
§11.156ζωὸς ἐών; χαλεπὸν δὲ τάδε ζωοῖσιν ὁρᾶσθαι.
It is hard for the living to see these things.
§11.157μέσσῳ γὰρ μεγάλοι ποταμοὶ καὶ δεινὰ ῥέεθρα, §11.158Ὠκεανὸς μὲν πρῶτα, τὸν οὔ πως ἔστι περῆσαι §11.159πεζὸν ἐόντʼ, ἢν μή τις ἔχῃ ἐυεργέα νῆα.
For between us are great rivers and terrible streams, Oceanus first of all, which there is no way to cross on foot, unless one has a well-built ship.
Are you only now come hither, wandering from Troy with your ship and companions for a long time?
οὐδέ πω ἦλθες §11.162εἰς Ἰθάκην, οὐδʼ εἶδες ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκα; §11.163ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον· §11.164μῆτερ ἐμή, χρειώ με κατήγαγεν εἰς Ἀίδαο §11.165ψυχῇ χρησόμενον Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο·
Have you not yet come to Ithaca, nor seen your wife in your halls?" So she spoke, but I answering addressed her: "My mother, necessity brought me down to the house of Hades, to consult the soul of Theban Teiresias.
§11.166οὐ γάρ πω σχεδὸν ἦλθον Ἀχαιΐδος, οὐδέ πω ἁμῆς §11.167γῆς ἐπέβην, ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ἔχων ἀλάλημαι ὀιζύν, §11.168ἐξ οὗ τὰ πρώτισθʼ ἑπόμην Ἀγαμέμνονι δίῳ §11.169Ἴλιον εἰς ἐύπωλον, ἵνα Τρώεσσι μαχοίμην.
For I have not yet come near the Achaean land, nor yet set foot on my own country, but I have been wandering ever with troubles, ever since I first followed noble Agamemnon to Ilios famed for horses, that I might fight with the Trojans.
§11.170ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον· §11.171τίς νύ σε κὴρ ἐδάμασσε τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο;
But come, tell me this, and declare it truly: what doom of death that lays men low overcame you?
Was it a long disease, or did Artemis, who pours forth arrows, assail you with her gentle shafts and slay you?
§11.174εἰπὲ δέ μοι πατρός τε καὶ υἱέος, ὃν κατέλειπον, §11.175ἢ ἔτι πὰρ κείνοισιν ἐμὸν γέρας, ἦέ τις ἤδη §11.176ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχει, ἐμὲ δʼ οὐκέτι φασὶ νέεσθαι.
And tell me of my father and my son, whom I left behind, whether my honor is still with them, or does some other of men now hold it, and they say I shall return no more.
§11.177εἰπὲ δέ μοι μνηστῆς ἀλόχου βουλήν τε νόον τε, §11.178ἠὲ μένει παρὰ παιδὶ καὶ ἔμπεδα πάντα φυλάσσει §11.179ἦ ἤδη μιν ἔγημεν Ἀχαιῶν ὅς τις ἄριστος. §11.180ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ· §11.181καὶ λίην κείνη γε μένει τετληότι θυμῷ §11.182σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν· ὀιζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ §11.183φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.
And tell me of my wedded wife, her counsel and her mind, whether she abides with her child and keeps all things safe, or has already been wedded to whoever is best of the Achaeans." So I spoke, and straightway my noble mother answered: "And indeed she abides with steadfast heart in your halls; and ever sorrowful to her the nights and days waste away as she sheds tears.
§11.184σὸν δʼ οὔ πώ τις ἔχει καλὸν γέρας, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος §11.185Τηλέμαχος τεμένεα νέμεται καὶ δαῖτας ἐίσας §11.186δαίνυται, ἃς ἐπέοικε δικασπόλον ἄνδρʼ ἀλεγύνειν· §11.187πάντες γὰρ καλέουσι.
But no one yet holds your fair honor, but in peace Telemachus possesses your lands, and feasts on equal banquets, such as it is fitting for a man who dispenses justice to care for; for all men invite him.
πατὴρ δὲ σὸς αὐτόθι μίμνει §11.188ἀγρῷ, οὐδὲ πόλινδε κατέρχεται.
But your father abides there in the field, and does not go down to the city.
οὐδέ οἱ εὐναὶ §11.189δέμνια καὶ χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα, §11.190ἀλλʼ ὅ γε χεῖμα μὲν εὕδει ὅθι δμῶες ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, §11.191ἐν κόνι ἄγχι πυρός, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷται·
Nor has he bedding and blankets and bright rugs for his bed, but in winter he sleeps where the slaves sleep in the house, in the dust near the fire, and wears poor clothing on his body.
§11.192αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθῃσι θέρος τεθαλυῖά τʼ ὀπώρη, §11.193πάντῃ οἱ κατὰ γουνὸν ἀλωῆς οἰνοπέδοιο §11.194φύλλων κεκλιμένων χθαμαλαὶ βεβλήαται εὐναί.
But when summer comes and fruitful autumn, everywhere along the rising ground of his vineyard-plot lowly beds of fallen leaves are strewn for him.
§11.195ἔνθʼ ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων, μέγα δὲ φρεσὶ πένθος ἀέξει §11.196σὸν νόστον ποθέων, χαλεπὸν δʼ ἐπὶ γῆρας ἱκάνει.
There he lies grieving, and nurses great sorrow in his heart, longing for your return; and hard old age has come upon him.
§11.197οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐγὼν ὀλόμην καὶ πότμον ἐπέσπον·
For even so did I perish and meet my doom.
§11.198οὔτʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐύσκοπος ἰοχέαιρα §11.199οἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχομένη κατέπεφνεν, §11.200οὔτε τις οὖν μοι νοῦσος ἐπήλυθεν, ἥ τε μάλιστα §11.201τηκεδόνι στυγερῇ μελέων ἐξείλετο θυμόν· §11.202ἀλλά με σός τε πόθος σά τε μήδεα, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ, §11.203σή τʼ ἀγανοφροσύνη μελιηδέα θυμὸν ἀπηύρα. §11.204ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γʼ ἔθελον φρεσὶ μερμηρίξας §11.205μητρὸς ἐμῆς ψυχὴν ἑλέειν κατατεθνηυίης.
Neither did the keen-sighted archer Artemis in my halls assail me with her gentle shafts and slay me, nor did any disease come upon me, such as especially with hateful wasting takes the spirit from the limbs; but longing for you, and your counsels, glorious Odysseus, and your gentle-heartedness, took away my honey-sweet life." So she spoke, but I in my heart was eager, pondering, to embrace the soul of my dead mother.
§11.206τρὶς μὲν ἐφωρμήθην, ἑλέειν τέ με θυμὸς ἀνώγει, §11.207τρὶς δέ μοι ἐκ χειρῶν σκιῇ εἴκελον ἢ καὶ ὀνείρῳ §11.208ἔπτατʼ.
Thrice I sprang forward, and my heart urged me to embrace her, and thrice she flitted from my hands like a shadow or a dream.
ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ὀξὺ γενέσκετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον, §11.209καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων· §11.210μῆτερ ἐμή, τί νύ μʼ οὐ μίμνεις ἑλέειν μεμαῶτα, §11.211ὄφρα καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο φίλας περὶ χεῖρε βαλόντε §11.212ἀμφοτέρω κρυεροῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο;
And a sharp pain arose in my heart yet more, and speaking I addressed her with winged words: "My mother, why do you not abide me, who am eager to embrace you, so that even in the house of Hades, throwing our arms around each other, we both may take our fill of chill lamentation?"