§15.1ἡ δʼ εἰς εὐρύχορον Λακεδαίμονα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη §15.2ᾤχετʼ, Ὀδυσσῆος μεγαθύμου φαίδιμον υἱὸν §15.3νόστου ὑπομνήσουσα καὶ ὀτρυνέουσα νέεσθαι.
Pallas Athena went to spacious Lacedaemon, to remind the glorious son of great-hearted Odysseus of his return and to urge him to depart.
§15.4εὗρε δὲ Τηλέμαχον καὶ Νέστορος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν §15.5εὕδοντʼ ἐν προδόμῳ Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο, §15.6ἦ τοι Νεστορίδην μαλακῷ δεδμημένον ὕπνῳ· §15.7Τηλέμαχον δʼ οὐχ ὕπνος ἔχε γλυκύς, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ §15.8νύκτα διʼ ἀμβροσίην μελεδήματα πατρὸς ἔγειρεν.
She found Telemachus and the illustrious son of Nestor sleeping in the vestibule of glorious Menelaus, indeed the son of Nestor was overcome by soft sleep; but sweet sleep did not hold Telemachus, rather in his heart anxieties for his father kept him awake through the immortal night.
§15.9ἀγχοῦ δʼ ἱσταμένη προσέφη γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη· §15.10Τηλέμαχʼ, οὐκέτι καλὰ δόμων ἄπο τῆλʼ ἀλάλησαι, §15.11κτήματά τε προλιπὼν ἄνδρας τʼ ἐν σοῖσι δόμοισιν §15.12οὕτω ὑπερφιάλους· μή τοι κατὰ πάντα φάγωσι §15.13κτήματα δασσάμενοι, σὺ δὲ τηϋσίην ὁδὸν ἔλθῃς.
And standing near, flashing-eyed Athena addressed him: "Telemachus, no longer is it well for you to wander far from your home, leaving your possessions behind and men in your house so arrogant; lest they consume all your possessions by dividing them, and you go on a fruitless journey.
§15.14ἀλλʼ ὄτρυνε τάχιστα βοὴν ἀγαθὸν Μενέλαον §15.15πεμπέμεν, ὄφρʼ ἔτι οἴκοι ἀμύμονα μητέρα τέτμῃς.
But urge most quickly Menelaus, good at the war-cry, to send you away, so that you may still find your blameless mother at home.
§15.16ἤδη γάρ ῥα πατήρ τε κασίγνητοί τε κέλονται §15.17Εὐρυμάχῳ γήμασθαι· ὁ γὰρ περιβάλλει ἅπαντας §15.18μνηστῆρας δώροισι καὶ ἐξώφελλεν ἔεδνα· §15.19μή νύ τι σεῦ ἀέκητι δόμων ἐκ κτῆμα φέρηται.
For already indeed her father and brothers are urging her to marry Eurymachus; for he surpasses all the suitors in gifts and has increased the bride-gifts; lest she carry away some possessions from your house against your will.
§15.20οἶσθα γὰρ οἷος θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι γυναικός· §15.21κείνου βούλεται οἶκον ὀφέλλειν ὅς κεν ὀπυίῃ, §15.22παίδων δὲ προτέρων καὶ κουριδίοιο φίλοιο §15.23οὐκέτι μέμνηται τεθνηκότος οὐδὲ μεταλλᾷ.
For you know what kind of heart is in a woman's breast: she wishes to increase the house of him who weds her, but of her former children and her dear wedded husband once dead she no longer remembers nor inquires.
§15.24ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἐλθὼν αὐτὸς ἐπιτρέψειας ἕκαστα §15.25δμῳάων ἥ τίς τοι ἀρίστη φαίνεται εἶναι, §15.26εἰς ὅ κέ τοι φήνωσι θεοὶ κυδρὴν παράκοιτιν.
But you, having returned, entrust everything yourself to whichever of the handmaids seems to you to be the best, until the gods show you a glorious wife.
§15.27ἄλλο δέ τοί τι ἔπος ἐρέω, σὺ δὲ σύνθεο θυμῷ.
And another word I will tell you, and do you lay it up in your heart.
The chief men of the suitors are intentionally lying in wait for you in the strait between Ithaca and rugged Samos, desiring to kill you before you reach your native land.
§15.30ἱέμενοι κτεῖναι, πρὶν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι. §15.31ἀλλὰ τά γʼ οὐκ ὀΐω· πρὶν καί τινα γαῖα καθέξει §15.32ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, οἵ τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν.
But I do not think this will be; before that, the earth shall hold some of the suitors, who are devouring your livelihood.
§15.33ἀλλὰ ἑκὰς νήσων ἀπέχειν εὐεργέα νῆα, §15.34νυκτὶ δʼ ὁμῶς πλείειν· πέμψει δέ τοι οὖρον ὄπισθεν §15.35ἀθανάτων ὅς τίς σε φυλάσσει τε ῥύεταί τε.
But keep your well-built ship far from the islands, and sail likewise by night; and he will send you a favorable wind from behind, whichever of the immortals guards and protects you.
§15.36αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν πρώτην ἀκτὴν Ἰθάκης ἀφίκηαι, §15.37νῆα μὲν ἐς πόλιν ὀτρῦναι καὶ πάντας ἑταίρους, §15.38αὐτὸς δὲ πρώτιστα συβώτην εἰσαφικέσθαι, §15.39ὅς τοι ὑῶν ἐπίουρος, ὁμῶς δέ τοι ἤπια οἶδεν.
But when you reach the first shore of Ithaca, urge the ship and all your companions toward the city, but you yourself go first of all to the swineherd, who is the keeper of your swine, and likewise has kindly feelings toward you.
§15.40ἔνθα δὲ νύκτʼ ἀέσαι· τὸν δʼ ὀτρῦναι πόλιν εἴσω §15.41ἀγγελίην ἐρέοντα περίφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ, §15.42οὕνεκά οἱ σῶς ἐσσὶ καὶ ἐκ Πύλου εἰλήλουθας. §15.43ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπέβη πρὸς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον, §15.44αὐτὰρ ὁ Νεστορίδην ἐξ ἡδέος ὕπνου ἔγειρεν §15.45λὰξ ποδὶ κινήσας, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν· §15.46ἔγρεο, Νεστορίδη Πεισίστρατε, μώνυχας ἵππους §15.47ζεῦξον ὑφʼ ἅρματʼ ἄγων, ὄφρα πρήσσωμεν ὁδοῖο. §15.48τὸν δʼ αὖ Νεστορίδης Πεισίστρατος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §15.49Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ πως ἔστιν ἐπειγομένους περ ὁδοῖο §15.50νύκτα διὰ δνοφερὴν ἐλάαν· τάχα δʼ ἔσσεται ἠώς.
There spend the night; and urge him to go into the city to tell the news to wise Penelope, that you are safe for her and have come from Pylos." Thus having spoken she departed to lofty Olympus, but he woke the son of Nestor from sweet sleep, moving him with his foot, and addressed a word to him: "Awake, Pisistratus, son of Nestor, lead the whole-hooved horses and yoke them under the chariot, so that we may make speed on our journey." To him in turn Pisistratus, son of Nestor, spoke in answer: "Telemachus, there is no way for us, though eager for the journey, to drive through the dark night; soon indeed it will be dawn.
§15.51ἀλλὰ μένʼ εἰς ὅ κε δῶρα φέρων ἐπιδίφρια θήῃ §15.52ἥρως Ἀτρείδης, δουρικλειτὸς Μενέλαος, §15.53καὶ μύθοις ἀγανοῖσι παραυδήσας ἀποπέμψῃ.
But wait until the hero, son of Atreus, spear-famed Menelaus, brings gifts and places them on the chariot, and dismisses us with kindly words.
§15.54τοῦ γάρ τε ξεῖνος μιμνήσκεται ἤματα πάντα §15.55ἀνδρὸς ξεινοδόκου, ὅς κεν φιλότητα παράσχῃ. §15.56ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτίκα δὲ χρυσόθρονος ἤλυθεν Ἠώς.
For a guest remembers all his days the host who has shown him friendship." Thus he spoke, and immediately gold-throned Dawn came.
And near them came Menelaus, good at the war-cry, rising from his bed from beside fair-haired Helen.
§15.59τὸν δʼ ὡς οὖν ἐνόησεν Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός, §15.60σπερχόμενός ῥα χιτῶνα περὶ χροῒ σιγαλόεντα §15.61δῦνεν, καὶ μέγα φᾶρος ἐπὶ στιβαροῖς βάλετʼ ὤμοις §15.62ἥρως, βῆ δὲ θύραζε, παριστάμενος δὲ προσηύδα §15.63Τηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο· §15.64Ἀτρεΐδη Μενέλαε διοτρεφές, ὄρχαμε λαῶν, §15.65ἤδη νῦν μʼ ἀπόπεμπε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν· §15.66ἤδη γάρ μοι θυμὸς ἐέλδεται οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι. §15.67τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος·
When therefore the dear son of Odysseus noticed him, hastening he put on his shining tunic about his body, and the hero threw a large cloak over his sturdy shoulders, and went outside, and standing beside him addressed him, Telemachus, the dear son of divine Odysseus: "Menelaus, son of Atreus, nurtured by Zeus, leader of the people, now already dismiss me to my dear native land; for already my heart desires to reach home." To him then Menelaus, good at the war-cry, answered: "Telemachus, I indeed will not keep you here for a long time who are eager for your return; and I am indignant at any other host who should love exceedingly, or hate exceedingly; but moderation in all things is better.
§15.68Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ τί σʼ ἐγώ γε πολὺν χρόνον ἐνθάδʼ ἐρύξω §15.69ἱέμενον νόστοιο· νεμεσσῶμαι δὲ καὶ ἄλλῳ §15.70ἀνδρὶ ξεινοδόκῳ, ὅς κʼ ἔξοχα μὲν φιλέῃσιν, §15.71ἔξοχα δʼ ἐχθαίρῃσιν· ἀμείνω δʼ αἴσιμα πάντα. §15.72ἶσόν τοι κακόν ἐσθʼ, ὅς τʼ οὐκ ἐθέλοντα νέεσθαι §15.73ξεῖνον ἐποτρύνει καὶ ὃς ἐσσύμενον κατερύκει.
It is an equal evil indeed, both he who urges a guest to depart who does not wish to, and he who holds back one who is eager to go."