§16.341βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεναι μεθʼ ὕας, λίπε δʼ ἕρκεά τε μέγαρόν τε.
He went to go to the swine, and left the courtyard and the hall.
§16.342μνηστῆρες δʼ ἀκάχοντο κατήφησάν τʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ, §16.343ἐκ δʼ ἦλθον μεγάροιο παρὲκ μέγα τειχίον αὐλῆς, §16.344αὐτοῦ δὲ προπάροιθε θυράων ἑδριόωντο.
But the suitors were grieved and downcast in their hearts, and they went out of the hall past the great wall of the courtyard, and sat down there before the gates.
§16.345τοῖσιν δʼ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἦρχʼ ἀγορεύειν· §16.346ὦ φίλοι, ἦ μέγα ἔργον ὑπερφιάλως τετέλεσται §16.347Τηλεμάχῳ ὁδὸς ἥδε· φάμεν δέ οἱ οὐ τελέεσθαι.
And among them Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to speak: "O friends, truly a great deed has been arrogantly accomplished, this journey of Telemachus; and we said it should not be accomplished for him.
§16.348ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῆα μέλαιναν ἐρύσσομεν ἥ τις ἀρίστη, §16.349ἐς δʼ ἐρέτας ἁλιῆας ἀγείρομεν, οἵ κε τάχιστα §16.350κείνοις ἀγγείλωσι θοῶς οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι. §16.351οὔ πω πᾶν εἴρηθʼ, ὅτʼ ἄρʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἴδε νῆα, §16.352στρεφθεὶς ἐκ χώρης, λιμένος πολυβενθέος ἐντός, §16.353ἱστία τε στέλλοντας ἐρετμά τε χερσὶν ἔχοντας.
But come, let us launch a black ship, whichever is best, and gather seafaring rowers, who may quickly announce to those others to return home with speed." Not yet was all said, when Amphinomus saw the ship, turning from his place, within the deep harbor, furling their sails and holding the oars in their hands.
§16.354ἡδὺ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐκγελάσας μετεφώνεεν οἷς ἑτάροισι· §16.355μή τινʼ ἔτʼ ἀγγελίην ὀτρύνομεν· οἵδε γὰρ ἔνδον.
And laughing sweetly, he spoke among his companions: "Let us urge no message further; for they are within.
§16.356ἤ τίς σφιν τόδʼ ἔειπε θεῶν, ἢ εἴσιδον αὐτοὶ §16.357νῆα παρερχομένην, τὴν δʼ οὐκ ἐδύναντο κιχῆναι. §16.358ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης, §16.359αἶψα δὲ νῆα μέλαιναν ἐπʼ ἠπείροιο ἔρυσσαν, §16.360τεύχεα δέ σφʼ ἀπένεικαν ὑπέρθυμοι θεράποντες.
Either some one of the gods told this to them, or they themselves saw the ship passing by, and were not able to catch her." So he spoke, and they arose and went to the shore of the sea, and quickly they dragged the black ship up on the mainland, and high-hearted squires carried away their gear for them.
§16.361αὐτοὶ δʼ εἰς ἀγορὴν κίον ἀθρόοι, οὐδέ τινʼ ἄλλον §16.362εἴων οὔτε νέων μεταΐζειν οὔτε γερόντων.
And they themselves went to the assembly in a body, nor did they permit any other, whether of the young or of the old, to sit with them.
§16.363τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός· §16.364ὢ πόποι, ὡς τόνδʼ ἄνδρα θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν.
And among them Antinous spoke, the son of Eupeithes: "Alas, how the gods have delivered this man from destruction!
§16.365ἤματα μὲν σκοποὶ ἷζον ἐπʼ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας §16.366αἰὲν ἐπασσύτεροι· ἅμα δʼ ἠελίῳ καταδύντι §16.367οὔ ποτʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου νύκτʼ ἄσαμεν, ἀλλʼ ἐνὶ πόντῳ §16.368νηῒ θοῇ πλείοντες ἐμίμνομεν Ἠῶ δῖαν, §16.369Τηλέμαχον λοχόωντες, ἵνα φθίσωμεν ἑλόντες §16.370αὐτόν· τὸν δʼ ἄρα τῆος ἀπήγαγεν οἴκαδε δαίμων,
By day our watchmen sat upon the windy heights, continually succeeding one another; and with the setting of the sun we never spent the night upon the land, but on the deep, sailing in our swift ship, we awaited the bright Dawn, lying in wait for Telemachus, that we might take him and slay him; but meanwhile some deity led him home.
§16.371ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐνθάδε οἱ φραζώμεθα λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον §16.372Τηλεμάχῳ, μηδʼ ἧμας ὑπεκφύγοι· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω §16.373τούτου γε ζώοντος ἀνύσσεσθαι τάδε ἔργα.
So let us here devise for him a miserable death, even for Telemachus, and let him not escape us; for I do not think while he lives this work of ours will be accomplished.
For he himself is wise in counsel and understanding, and the people no longer favor us in any way.
§16.376ἀλλʼ ἄγετε, πρὶν κεῖνον ὁμηγυρίσασθαι Ἀχαιοὺς §16.377εἰς ἀγορήν—οὐ γάρ τι μεθησέμεναί μιν ὀΐω, §16.378ἀλλʼ ἀπομηνίσει, ἐρέει δʼ ἐν πᾶσιν ἀναστὰς §16.379οὕνεκά οἱ φόνον αἰπὺν ἐράπτομεν οὐδʼ ἐκίχημεν·
But come, before he gathers the Achaeans to the assembly—for I do not think he will let things slide, but will be filled with wrath, and will rise and speak among them all, how we plotted headlong murder against him and did not catch him.
§16.380οἱ δʼ οὐκ αἰνήσουσιν ἀκούοντες κακὰ ἔργα·
And they will not praise us when they hear of these evil deeds.
Beware lest they do us some harm and drive us out from our own land, and we come to the country of strangers.
§16.383ἀλλὰ φθέωμεν ἑλόντες ἐπʼ ἀγροῦ νόσφι πόληος §16.384ἢ ἐν ὁδῷ· βίοτον δʼ αὐτοὶ καὶ κτήματʼ ἔχωμεν, §16.385δασσάμενοι κατὰ μοῖραν ἐφʼ ἡμέας, οἰκία δʼ αὖτε §16.386κείνου μητέρι δοῖμεν ἔχειν ἠδʼ ὅστις ὀπυίοι.
But let us forestall him and take him in the field away from the city, or on the road; and let us ourselves keep his substance and his possessions, dividing them fairly among us, but the house let us give to his mother to possess, and to him who marries her.
§16.387εἰ δʼ ὑμῖν ὅδε μῦθος ἀφανδάνει, ἀλλὰ βόλεσθε §16.388αὐτόν τε ζώειν καὶ ἔχειν πατρώϊα πάντα, §16.389μή οἱ χρήματʼ ἔπειτα ἅλις θυμηδέʼ ἔδωμεν §16.390ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, ἀλλʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο ἕκαστος §16.391μνάσθω ἐέδνοισιν διζήμενος· ἡ δέ κʼ ἔπειτα §16.392γήμαιθʼ ὅς κε πλεῖστα πόροι καὶ μόρσιμος ἔλθοι. §16.393ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ.
But if this word displeases you, and you wish that he should live and keep all the inheritance of his father, then let us not gather here and consume his pleasing substance in abundance, but let each one from his own hall woo her, seeking her with marriage-gifts; and she then would marry him who offers most and who comes as her fated husband." So he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence.
§16.394τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀμφίνομος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπε, §16.395Νίσου φαίδιμος υἱός, Ἀρητιάδαο ἄνακτος, §16.396ὅς ῥʼ ἐκ Δουλιχίου πολυπύρου, ποιήεντος, §16.397ἡγεῖτο μνηστῆρσι, μάλιστα δὲ Πηνελοπείῃ §16.398ἥνδανε μύθοισι· φρεσὶ γὰρ κέχρητʼ ἀγαθῇσιν·
And among them Amphinomus spoke and addressed them, the illustrious son of Nisus, the son of lord Aretias, who led the suitors from Dulichium, rich in wheat and grassy, and above all he pleased Penelope with his words; for he possessed a good understanding.
§16.399ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν· §16.400ὦ φίλοι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε κατακτείνειν ἐθέλοιμι §16.401Τηλέμαχον· δεινὸν δὲ γένος βασιλήϊόν ἐστιν §16.402κτείνειν· ἀλλὰ πρῶτα θεῶν εἰρώμεθα βουλάς.
He with good intent spoke among them and said: "O friends, I indeed should not wish to kill Telemachus; for it is a terrible thing to slay one of royal seed; but first let us ask the counsel of the gods.
§16.403εἰ μέν κʼ αἰνήσωσι Διὸς μεγάλοιο θέμιστες, §16.404αὐτός τε κτενέω τούς τʼ ἄλλους πάντας ἀνώξω· §16.405εἰ δέ κʼ ἀποτρωπῶσι θεοί, παύσασθαι ἄνωγα. §16.406ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀμφίνομος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.
If the decrees of great Zeus approve, I will myself slay him and will bid all the others do so; but if the gods turn us away, I bid you cease." So spoke Amphinomus, and his word pleased them.
§16.407αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν δόμον εἰς Ὀδυσῆος, §16.408ἐλθόντες δὲ καθῖζον ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσι θρόνοισιν.
Straightway then they arose and went to the house of Odysseus, and entering they sat down on the polished chairs.
Then wise Penelope thought of another thing, to show herself to the suitors who possessed overweening insolence.
§16.411πεύθετο γὰρ οὗ παιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὄλεθρον·
For she had heard of the destruction of her son in the halls;