§12.324ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.
So I spoke, and their proud heart consented to it.
§12.325μῆνα δὲ πάντʼ ἄλληκτος ἄη Νότος, οὐδέ τις ἄλλος §12.326γίγνετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνέμων εἰ μὴ Εὖρός τε Νότος τε.
For a whole month the South Wind blew without ceasing, nor did any other of the winds arise thereafter, save the East Wind and the South Wind.
Now as long as they had grain and red wine, so long they kept their hands off the cattle, desiring to save their lives.
§12.329ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ νηὸς ἐξέφθιτο ἤια πάντα, §12.330καὶ δὴ ἄγρην ἐφέπεσκον ἀλητεύοντες ἀνάγκῃ, §12.331ἰχθῦς ὄρνιθάς τε, φίλας ὅ τι χεῖρας ἵκοιτο, §12.332γναμπτοῖς ἀγκίστροισιν, ἔτειρε δὲ γαστέρα λιμός·
But when all the provisions in the ship were spent, and indeed they went roaming in search of game by necessity, fish and birds, whatever might come to their hands, with curved hooks, for hunger pinched their bellies.
§12.333δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀνὰ νῆσον ἀπέστιχον, ὄφρα θεοῖσιν §12.334εὐξαίμην, εἴ τίς μοι ὁδὸν φήνειε νέεσθαι.
Then indeed I went away up into the island to pray to the gods, if perchance one of them might show me a way to return.
§12.335ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ διὰ νήσου ἰὼν ἤλυξα ἑταίρους, §12.336χεῖρας νιψάμενος, ὅθʼ ἐπὶ σκέπας ἦν ἀνέμοιο, §12.337ἠρώμην πάντεσσι θεοῖς οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν· §12.338οἱ δʼ ἄρα μοι γλυκὺν ὕπνον ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔχευαν.
But when, going through the island, I had avoided my companions, I washed my hands where there was shelter from the wind, and prayed to all the gods who hold Olympus; and they poured sweet sleep upon my eyelids.
§12.339Εὐρύλοχος δʼ ἑτάροισι κακῆς ἐξήρχετο βουλῆς· §12.340κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων κακά περ πάσχοντες ἑταῖροι.
Meanwhile Eurylochus began to offer evil counsel to the companions: "Hear my words, my companions, though you are suffering evils.
§12.341πάντες μὲν στυγεροὶ θάνατοι δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι, §12.342λιμῷ δʼ οἴκτιστον θανέειν καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν.
All deaths are hateful to wretched mortals, but to die of hunger and meet one's fate is the most piteous thing.
§12.343ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ, Ἠελίοιο βοῶν ἐλάσαντες ἀρίστας §12.344ῥέξομεν ἀθανάτοισι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν.
But come, let us drive off the best of the cattle of the Sun and sacrifice them to the immortals who hold the wide heaven.
§12.345εἰ δέ κεν εἰς Ἰθάκην ἀφικοίμεθα, πατρίδα γαῖαν, §12.346αἶψά κεν Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι πίονα νηὸν §12.347τεύξομεν, ἐν δέ κε θεῖμεν ἀγάλματα πολλὰ καὶ ἐσθλά.
And if we should ever reach Ithaca, our native land, straightway we will build a rich temple to Helios Hyperion, and place therein many noble offerings.
§12.348εἰ δὲ χολωσάμενός τι βοῶν ὀρθοκραιράων §12.349νῆʼ ἐθέλῃ ὀλέσαι, ἐπὶ δʼ ἕσπωνται θεοὶ ἄλλοι, §12.350βούλομʼ ἅπαξ πρὸς κῦμα χανὼν ἀπὸ θυμὸν ὀλέσσαι, §12.351ἢ δηθὰ στρεύγεσθαι ἐὼν ἐν νήσῳ ἐρήμῃ. §12.352ὣς ἔφατʼ Εὐρύλοχος, ἐπὶ δʼ ᾔνεον ἄλλοι ἑταῖροι.
But if, being wroth for his straight-horned cattle, he should wish to destroy our ship, and the other gods consent, I would rather close my mouth upon the wave and lose my life once for all, than to pine away slowly here on a desert island." So spoke Eurylochus, and the other companions agreed.
§12.353αὐτίκα δʼ Ἠελίοιο βοῶν ἐλάσαντες ἀρίστας §12.354ἐγγύθεν, οὐ γὰρ τῆλε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο §12.355βοσκέσκονθʼ ἕλικες καλαὶ βόες εὐρυμέτωποι·
And straightway they drove off the best of the cattle of the Sun from near at hand, for not far from the dark-prowed ship were grazing the crooked-horned, beautiful, broad-browed cattle.
§12.356τὰς δὲ περίστησάν τε καὶ εὐχετόωντο θεοῖσιν, §12.357φύλλα δρεψάμενοι τέρενα δρυὸς ὑψικόμοιο· §12.358οὐ γὰρ ἔχον κρῖ λευκὸν ἐυσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηός.
They stood around these and made their prayer to the gods, having plucked the tender leaves from a high-crested oak; for they had no white barley on their well-benched ship.
§12.359αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ εὔξαντο καὶ ἔσφαξαν καὶ ἔδειραν, §12.360μηρούς τʼ ἐξέταμον κατά τε κνίσῃ ἐκάλυψαν §12.361δίπτυχα ποιήσαντες, ἐπʼ αὐτῶν δʼ ὠμοθέτησαν.
But when they had made their prayer and had cut the throats of the cattle and flayed them, they cut out the thigh-pieces and covered them with fat, making a double fold, and laid raw flesh upon them.
§12.362οὐδʼ εἶχον μέθυ λεῖψαι ἐπʼ αἰθομένοις ἱεροῖσιν, §12.363ἀλλʼ ὕδατι σπένδοντες ἐπώπτων ἔγκατα πάντα.
Nor had they any wine to pour over the burning offerings, but making libation with water they roasted all the entrails.
§12.364αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κατὰ μῆρʼ ἐκάη καὶ σπλάγχνα πάσαντο, §12.365μίστυλλόν τʼ ἄρα τἆλλα καὶ ἀμφʼ ὀβελοῖσιν ἔπειραν.
But when the thigh-pieces were burned quite away and they had tasted the inner parts, they carved up the rest and pierced it with spits.
§12.366καὶ τότε μοι βλεφάρων ἐξέσσυτο νήδυμος ὕπνος, §12.367βῆν δʼ ἰέναι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης.
And just then sweet sleep fled from my eyelids, and I set out to go to the swift ship and the shore of the sea.
But when, as I went, I was near the curved ship, even then the sweet savor of the fat came floating around me.
§12.370οἰμώξας δὲ θεοῖσι μέγʼ ἀθανάτοισι γεγώνευν· §12.371Ζεῦ πάτερ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι μάκαρες θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες, §12.372ἦ με μάλʼ εἰς ἄτην κοιμήσατε νηλέι ὕπνῳ. §12.373οἱ δʼ ἕταροι μέγα ἔργον ἐμητίσαντο μένοντες. §12.374ὠκέα δʼ Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι ἄγγελος ἦλθε §12.375Λαμπετίη τανύπεπλος, ὅ οἱ βόας ἔκταμεν ἡμεῖς.
And I groaned and cried aloud to the immortal gods: "Father Zeus, and you other blessed gods who exist forever, surely you have lulled me into a pitiless sleep to my ruin, while my companions remaining behind have plotted a monstrous deed." Swiftly then to Helios Hyperion came the messenger, Lampetia of the flowing robes, to tell him that we had slain his cattle.
§12.376αὐτίκα δʼ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα χωόμενος κῆρ· §12.377Ζεῦ πάτερ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι μάκαρες θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες, §12.378τῖσαι δὴ ἑτάρους Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος, §12.379οἵ μευ βοῦς ἔκτειναν ὑπέρβιον, ᾗσιν ἐγώ γε §12.380χαίρεσκον μὲν ἰὼν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα, §12.381ἠδʼ ὁπότʼ ἂψ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἀπʼ οὐρανόθεν προτραποίμην.
And straightway he spoke among the immortals, angry at heart: "Father Zeus, and you other blessed gods who exist forever, take vengeance now on the companions of Odysseus, son of Laertes, who have insolently slain my cattle, in which I was wont to take delight as I went into the starry heaven, and when I turned back again to earth from heaven.
§12.382εἰ δέ μοι οὐ τίσουσι βοῶν ἐπιεικέʼ ἀμοιβήν, §12.383δύσομαι εἰς Ἀίδαο καὶ ἐν νεκύεσσι φαείνω. §12.384τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς· §12.385Ἠέλιʼ, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι φάεινε §12.386καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν· §12.387τῶν δέ κʼ ἐγὼ τάχα νῆα θοὴν ἀργῆτι κεραυνῷ §12.388τυτθὰ βαλὼν κεάσαιμι μέσῳ ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ. §12.389ταῦτα δʼ ἐγὼν ἤκουσα Καλυψοῦς ἠυκόμοιο·
But if they do not pay me fit recompense for the cattle, I will go down to the house of Hades and shine among the dead." And cloud-gatherer Zeus answered him and said: "Helios, do you indeed shine on among the immortals and among mortal men upon the fruitful earth; as for them, I will soon strike their swift ship with my bright thunderbolt and shatter it in pieces in the midst of the wine-dark sea." These things I heard from fair-haired Calypso.