Truly that was the most piteous thing that I saw with my eyes of all that I suffered as I searched out the paths of the sea.
§12.260αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πέτρας φύγομεν δεινήν τε Χάρυβδιν §12.261Σκύλλην τʼ, αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτα θεοῦ ἐς ἀμύμονα νῆσον §12.262ἱκόμεθʼ· ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν καλαὶ βόες εὐρυμέτωποι, §12.263πολλὰ δὲ ἴφια μῆλʼ Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο.
But when we had escaped the rocks and terrible Charybdis and Scylla, straightway thereafter to the excellent island of the god we came; and there were the beautiful, broad-browed cattle, and many sturdy sheep of Hyperion, the Sun.
§12.264δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἔτι πόντῳ ἐὼν ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ §12.265μυκηθμοῦ τʼ ἤκουσα βοῶν αὐλιζομενάων §12.266οἰῶν τε βληχήν· καί μοι ἔπος ἔμπεσε θυμῷ §12.267μάντηος ἀλαοῦ, Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο, §12.268Κίρκης τʼ Αἰαίης, ἥ μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε §12.269νῆσον ἀλεύασθαι τερψιμβρότου Ἠελίοιο.
Then indeed, while I was still out on the sea in my black ship, I heard the lowing of the cattle being stalled and the bleating of the sheep; and there fell upon my heart the word of the blind seer, Theban Tiresias, and of Aeaean Circe, who straitly charged me to avoid the island of the Sun who brings joy to mortals.
§12.270δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάροισι μετηύδων ἀχνύμενος κῆρ· §12.271κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων κακά περ πάσχοντες ἑταῖροι, §12.272ὄφρʼ ὑμῖν εἴπω μαντήια Τειρεσίαο §12.273Κίρκης τʼ Αἰαίης, ἥ μοι μάλα πόλλʼ ἐπέτελλε §12.274νῆσον ἀλεύασθαι τερψιμβρότου Ἠελίοιο· §12.275ἔνθα γὰρ αἰνότατον κακὸν ἔμμεναι ἄμμιν ἔφασκεν.
Then indeed I spoke to my companions, grieved at heart: "Hear my words, my companions, though you are suffering evils, so that I may tell you the prophecies of Tiresias and of Aeaean Circe, who straitly charged me to avoid the island of the Sun who brings joy to mortals; for she said that there our most terrible evil would be.
§12.276ἀλλὰ παρὲξ τὴν νῆσον ἐλαύνετε νῆα μέλαιναν. §12.277ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ.
But do you drive the black ship past the island." So I spoke, and their dear heart was broken within them.
§12.278αὐτίκα δʼ Εὐρύλοχος στυγερῷ μʼ ἠμείβετο μύθῳ· §12.279σχέτλιός εἰς, Ὀδυσεῦ· περί τοι μένος, οὐδέ τι γυῖα §12.280κάμνεις· ἦ ῥά νυ σοί γε σιδήρεα πάντα τέτυκται, §12.281ὅς ῥʼ ἑτάρους καμάτῳ ἁδηκότας ἠδὲ καὶ ὕπνῳ §12.282οὐκ ἐάᾳς γαίης ἐπιβήμεναι, ἔνθα κεν αὖτε §12.283νήσῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ λαρὸν τετυκοίμεθα δόρπον, §12.284ἀλλʼ αὔτως διὰ νύκτα θοὴν ἀλάλησθαι ἄνωγας §12.285νήσου ἀποπλαγχθέντας ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ.
And straightway Eurylochus answered me with a hateful speech: "Hard are you, Odysseus; your strength is beyond measure, nor do your limbs tire at all; surely you are fashioned of iron all over, you who do not allow your companions, worn out with toil and sleep, to set foot on land, where we might once again make a sweet supper on this sea-girt island, but instead you bid us wander on just as we are through the swift night, driven away from the island on the misty sea.
§12.286ἐκ νυκτῶν δʼ ἄνεμοι χαλεποί, δηλήματα νηῶν, §12.287γίγνονται· πῇ κέν τις ὑπεκφύγοι αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον, §12.288ἤν πως ἐξαπίνης ἔλθῃ ἀνέμοιο θύελλα, §12.289ἢ Νότου ἢ Ζεφύροιο δυσαέος, οἵ τε μάλιστα §12.290νῆα διαρραίουσι θεῶν ἀέκητι ἀνάκτων.
From the nights spring harsh winds, the ruin of ships; how could anyone escape sheer destruction if perchance there should suddenly come a tempest of wind, either of the South Wind or the ill-blowing West Wind, which most of all shatter a ship, even against the will of the gods who are lords.
§12.291ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι νῦν μὲν πειθώμεθα νυκτὶ μελαίνῃ §12.292δόρπον θʼ ὁπλισόμεσθα θοῇ παρὰ νηὶ μένοντες, §12.293ἠῶθεν δʼ ἀναβάντες ἐνήσομεν εὐρέι πόντῳ. §12.294ὣς ἔφατʼ Εὐρύλοχος, ἐπὶ δʼ ᾔνεον ἄλλοι ἑταῖροι.
But indeed, for now let us yield to the black night and make ready our supper, remaining by our swift ship, and at dawn we will go aboard and put out into the wide sea." So spoke Eurylochus, and the other companions agreed.
§12.295καὶ τότε δὴ γίγνωσκον ὃ δὴ κακὰ μήδετο δαίμων, §12.296καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων· §12.297Εὐρύλοχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή με βιάζετε μοῦνον ἐόντα.
And then indeed I knew what evil the god was planning, and I spoke and addressed him with winged words: "Eurylochus, surely you press me hard, since I am all alone.
§12.298ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν μοι πάντες ὀμόσσατε καρτερὸν ὅρκον· §12.299εἴ κέ τινʼ ἠὲ βοῶν ἀγέλην ἢ πῶυ μέγʼ οἰῶν §12.300εὕρωμεν, μή πού τις ἀτασθαλίῃσι κακῇσιν §12.301ἢ βοῦν ἠέ τι μῆλον ἀποκτάνῃ· ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι §12.302ἐσθίετε βρώμην, τὴν ἀθανάτη πόρε Κίρκη. §12.303ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀπώμνυον, ὡς ἐκέλευον.
But come now, do you all swear to me a mighty oath: if we find any herd of cattle or great flock of sheep, let no man in evil folly slay either a cow or any sheep; but undisturbed eat the food which immortal Circe provided." So I spoke, and they straightway swore as I bade them.
§12.304αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὄμοσάν τε τελεύτησάν τε τὸν ὅρκον, §12.305στήσαμεν ἐν λιμένι γλαφυρῷ ἐυεργέα νῆα §12.306ἄγχʼ ὕδατος γλυκεροῖο, καὶ ἐξαπέβησαν ἑταῖροι §12.307νηός, ἔπειτα δὲ δόρπον ἐπισταμένως τετύκοντο.
But when they had sworn and completed the oath, we moored our well-built ship in the hollow harbor near sweet water, and my companions went ashore from the ship, and then skillfully made ready their supper.
§12.308αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο, §12.309μνησάμενοι δὴ ἔπειτα φίλους ἔκλαιον ἑταίρους, §12.310οὓς ἔφαγε Σκύλλη γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἑλοῦσα· §12.311κλαιόντεσσι δὲ τοῖσιν ἐπήλυθε νήδυμος ὕπνος.
But when they had put away the desire for drink and food, then indeed they wept, remembering their dear companions whom Scylla had snatched from the hollow ship and devoured; and upon them as they wept came sweet sleep.
§12.312ἦμος δὲ τρίχα νυκτὸς ἔην, μετὰ δʼ ἄστρα βεβήκει, §12.313ὦρσεν ἔπι ζαῆν ἄνεμον νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς §12.314λαίλαπι θεσπεσίῃ, σὺν δὲ νεφέεσσι κάλυψε §12.315γαῖαν ὁμοῦ καὶ πόντον· ὀρώρει δʼ οὐρανόθεν νύξ.
But when it was the third part of the night, and the stars had turned their course, Zeus the cloud-gatherer rouse against us a fierce wind with a wondrous tempest, and covered with clouds the land and the sea alike; and night rushed down from heaven.
And when early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, we moored our ship, dragging it into a hollow cave.
§12.318ἔνθα δʼ ἔσαν νυμφέων καλοὶ χοροὶ ἠδὲ θόωκοι· §12.319καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπον· §12.320ὦ φίλοι, ἐν γὰρ νηὶ θοῇ βρῶσίς τε πόσις τε §12.321ἔστιν, τῶν δὲ βοῶν ἀπεχώμεθα, μή τι πάθωμεν· §12.322δεινοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ αἵδε βόες καὶ ἴφια μῆλα, §12.323Ἠελίου, ὃς πάντʼ ἐφορᾷ καὶ πάντʼ ἐπακούει.
And there were the beautiful dancing-places and seats of the nymphs; then I established an assembly and spoke among them: "O friends, since there is food and drink in our swift ship, let us keep our hands off the cattle, lest we suffer some harm; for these cattle and sturdy sheep belong to a dread god, the Sun, who sees all things and hears all things."