§16.138ἦ καὶ Λαέρτῃ αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἄγγελος ἔλθω §16.139δυσμόρῳ, ὃς τῆος μὲν Ὀδυσσῆος μέγʼ ἀχεύων §16.140ἔργα τʼ ἐποπτεύεσκε μετὰ δμώων τʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ §16.141πῖνε καὶ ἦσθʼ, ὅτε θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀνώγοι·
"Or shall I go as a messenger on this same journey also to luckless Laertes, who, though grieving greatly for Odysseus, hitherto used to oversee the farm-work and among the servants in the house would drink and eat, whenever the spirit in his breast bade him.
§16.142αὐτὰρ νῦν, ἐξ οὗ σύ γε ᾤχεο νηῒ Πύλονδε, §16.143οὔ πω μίν φασιν φαγέμεν καὶ πιέμεν αὔτως, §16.144οὐδʼ ἐπὶ ἔργα ἰδεῖν, ἀλλὰ στοναχῇ τε γόῳ τε §16.145ἧσται ὀδυρόμενος, φθινύθει δʼ ἀμφʼ ὀστεόφι χρώς. §16.146τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §16.147ἄλγιον, ἀλλʼ ἔμπης μιν ἐάσομεν, ἀχνύμενοί περ· §16.148εἰ γὰρ πως εἴη αὐτάγρετα πάντα βροτοῖσι, §16.149πρῶτόν κεν τοῦ πατρὸς ἑλοίμεθα νόστιμον ἦμαρ.
But now, since you departed by ship to Pylos, they say he has not yet eaten or drunk in this way, nor looked upon the farm-work, but with groaning and wailing sits lamenting, and his skin is wasting away around his bones." And him in turn wise Telemachus answered: "It is the more painful, but nevertheless we will leave him alone, though we are grieved; for if in any way all things were self-chosen for mortals, we would first of all choose the day of my father's return.
§16.150ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ ἀγγείλας ὀπίσω κίε, μηδὲ κατʼ ἀγροὺς §16.151πλάζεσθαι μετʼ ἐκεῖνον· ἀτὰρ πρὸς μητέρα εἰπεῖν §16.152ἀμφίπολον ταμίην ὀτρυνέμεν ὅττι τάχιστα §16.153κρύβδην· κείνη γὰρ κεν ἀπαγγείλειε γέροντι. §16.154ἦ ῥα καὶ ὦρσε συφορβόν· ὁ δʼ εἵλετο χερσὶ πέδιλα,
But you, having told your message, come back, and do not wander through the fields after him; but tell my mother to urge the house-dame, her handmaid, as quickly as possible, secretly; for she would report it to the old man." He spoke, and aroused the swineherd; and he took sandals in his hands, and having bound them under his feet, went to the city.
§16.155δησάμενος δʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶ πόλινδʼ ἴεν. οὐδʼ ἄρʼ Ἀθήνην §16.156λῆθεν ἀπὸ σταθμοῖο κιὼν Εὔμαιος ὑφορβός, §16.157ἀλλʼ ἥ γε σχεδὸν ἦλθε· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικὶ §16.158καλῇ τε μεγάλῃ τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα ἰδυίῃ.
Nor indeed did Athena escape the notice of Athena as he went from the station, but she came near; and in body she was like a woman, beautiful and tall and skilled in splendid handiworks.
§16.159στῆ δὲ κατʼ ἀντίθυρον κλισίης Ὀδυσῆϊ φανεῖσα· §16.160οὐδʼ ἄρα Τηλέμαχος ἴδεν ἀντίον οὐδʼ ἐνόησεν, §16.161οὐ γὰρ πω πάντεσσι θεοὶ φαίνονται ἐναργεῖς, §16.162ἀλλʼ Ὀδυσεύς τε κύνες τε ἴδον, καί ῥʼ οὐχ ὑλάοντο §16.163κνυζηθμῷ δʼ ἑτέρωσε διὰ σταθμοῖο φόβηθεν.
She stood before the doorway of the hut, appearing to Odysseus; but Telemachus did not see her opposite, nor notice her, for in no wise do the gods appear manifest to all, but Odysseus and the dogs saw her, and indeed they did not bark, but with a whimpering fled in fear to the other side through the station.
§16.164ἡ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦσε· νόησε δὲ δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, §16.165ἐκ δʼ ἦλθεν μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς, §16.166στῆ δὲ πάροιθʼ αὐτῆς· τὸν δὲ προσέειπεν Ἀθήνη· §16.167διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ. §16.168ἤδη νῦν σῷ παιδὶ ἔπος φάο μηδʼ ἐπίκευθε, §16.169ὡς ἄν μνηστῆρσιν θάνατον καὶ κῆρʼ ἀραρόντε §16.170ἔρχησθον προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν· οὐδʼ ἐγὼ αὐτὴ §16.171δηρὸν ἀπὸ σφῶϊν ἔσομαι μεμαυῖα μάχεσθαι. §16.172ἦ καὶ χρυσείῃ ῥάβδῳ ἐπεμάσσατʼ Ἀθήνη.
And she indeed nodded with her brows; and noble Odysseus noticed, and came out of the hall past the great wall of the courtyard, and stood before her; and Athena spoke to him: "Son of Laertes, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, now indeed speak a word to your son and do not conceal it, so that, having prepared death and fate for the suitors, you two may go to the glorious city; nor shall I myself be long away from you two, being eager to fight." She spoke, and Athena touched him with her golden wand.
First she placed a well-washed cloak and a tunic about his chest, and increased his stature and his youth.
§16.175ἂψ δὲ μελαγχροιὴς γένετο, γναθμοὶ δὲ τάνυσθεν, §16.176κυάνεαι δʼ ἐγένοντο γενειάδες ἀμφὶ γένειον.
And back again he became dark-skinned, and his jaws filled out, and dark grew the beard about his chin.
§16.177ἡ μὲν ἄρʼ ὣς ἔρξασα πάλιν κίεν· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §16.178ἤϊεν ἐς κλισίην· θάμβησε δέ μιν φίλος υἱός, §16.179ταρβήσας δʼ ἑτέρωσε βάλʼ ὄμματα, μὴ θεὸς εἴη, §16.180καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §16.181ἀλλοῖός μοι, ξεῖνε, φάνης νέον ἠὲ πάροιθεν, §16.182ἄλλα δὲ εἵματʼ ἔχεις, καί τοι χρὼς οὐκέθʼ ὁμοῖος.
She indeed, having so done, went back; but Odysseus went into the hut; and his dear son was amazed at him, and fearing, turned away his eyes, lest he should be a god, and speaking, he addressed him with winged words: "Different to me, stranger, you appeared just now than before, and you have other garments, and your skin is no longer the same.
§16.183ἦ μάλα τις θεός ἐσσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσιν· §16.184ἀλλʼ ἵληθʼ, ἵνα τοι κεχαρισμένα δώομεν ἱρὰ §16.185ἠδὲ χρύσεα δῶρα, τετυγμένα· φείδεο δʼ ἡμέων §16.186τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς· §16.187οὔ τίς τοι θεός εἰμι· τί μʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἐΐσκεις;
Surely you are indeed some god, of those who hold the wide heaven; but be gracious, so that we may give you pleasing sacrifices and golden gifts, well-wrought; and spare us." And him in turn answered then the patient, noble Odysseus: "In no wise am I some god; why do you liken me to the immortals?
§16.188ἀλλὰ πατὴρ τεός εἰμι, τοῦ εἵνεκα σὺ στεναχίζων §16.189πάσχεις ἄλγεα πολλά, βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν. §16.190ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας υἱὸν κύσε, κὰδ δὲ παρειῶν §16.191δάκρυον ἧκε χαμᾶζε· πάρος δʼ ἔχε νωλεμὲς αἰεί.
But I am your father, for whose sake you, groaning, suffer many griefs, enduring the violence of men." So indeed having spoken, he kissed his son, and down from his cheeks he let fall a tear to the ground; but before, he had held it back relentlessly.
§16.192Τηλέμαχος δʼ, οὐ γάρ πω ἐπείθετο ὃν πατέρʼ εἶναι, §16.193ἐξαῦτίς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν· §16.194οὐ σύ γʼ Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι, πατὴρ ἐμός, ἀλλά με δαίμων §16.195θέλγει, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω.
But Telemachus, for he did not yet believe him to be his father, again in turn spoke, answering him with words: "You are not indeed Odysseus, my father, but a divinity beguiles me, so that I may lament and groan yet more.
§16.196οὐ γάρ πως ἂν θνητὸς ἀνὴρ τάδε μηχανόῳτο §16.197ᾧ αὐτοῦ γε νόῳ, ὅτε μὴ θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼν §16.198ῥηϊδίως ἐθέλων θείη νέον ἠὲ γέροντα.
For in no wise would a mortal man devise these things by his own mind, unless a god himself should come upon him and easily, if he wished, make him young or old.
§16.199ἦ γάρ τοι νέον ἦσθα γέρων καὶ ἀεικέα ἕσσο· §16.200νῦν δὲ θεοῖσιν ἔοικας, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι. §16.201τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §16.202Τηλέμαχʼ, οὔ σε ἔοικε φίλον πατέρ ἔνδον ἐόντα §16.203οὔτε τι θαυμάζειν περιώσιον οὔτʼ ἀγάασθαι·
For indeed just now you were an old man and dressed unseemly; but now you are like the gods, who hold the wide heaven." And him in turn wise Odysseus answered: "Telemachus, it is not fitting for you to marvel or be amazed at your dear father being inside, excessively;