§18.1ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ πτωχὸς πανδήμιος, ὃς κατὰ ἄστυ §18.2πτωχεύεσκʼ Ἰθάκης, μετὰ δʼ ἔπρεπε γαστέρι μάργῃ §18.3ἀζηχὲς φαγέμεν καὶ πιέμεν· οὐδέ οἱ ἦν ἲς §18.4οὐδὲ βίη, εἶδος δὲ μάλα μέγας ἦν ὁράασθαι.
And there came a common beggar, who used to beg through the town of Ithaca; and he was notable for his greedy belly, eating and drinking without cease; but he had no strength nor might, though he was very large in size to look upon.
§18.5Ἀρναῖος δʼ ὄνομʼ ἔσκε· τὸ γὰρ θέτο πότνια μήτηρ §18.6ἐκ γενετῆς· Ἶρον δὲ νέοι κίκλησκον ἅπαντες, §18.7οὕνεκʼ ἀπαγγέλλεσκε κιών, ὅτε πού τις ἀνώγοι·
Arnaeus was his name; for his lady mother had given him this name from his birth; but all the young men called him Irus, because he used to go and carry messages whenever anyone bade him.
§18.8ὅς ῥʼ ἐλθὼν Ὀδυσῆα διώκετο οἷο δόμοιο, §18.9καί μιν νεικείων ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §18.10εἶκε, γέρον, προθύρου, μὴ δὴ τάχα καὶ ποδὸς ἕλκῃ.
He, coming, would drive Odysseus from his own house, and railing at him, he spoke winged words: 'Yield, old man, from the doorway, lest soon you be even dragged out by the foot.
Do you not see that they all are winking at me and bidding me drag you?
ἐγὼ δʼ αἰσχύνομαι ἔμπης.
But I am ashamed nevertheless.
§18.13ἀλλʼ ἄνα, μὴ τάχα νῶϊν ἔρις καὶ χερσὶ γένηται. §18.14τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §18.15δαιμόνιʼ, οὔτε τί σε ῥέζω κακὸν οὔτʼ ἀγορεύω, §18.16οὔτε τινὰ φθονέω δόμεναι καὶ πόλλʼ ἀνελόντα.
But arise, lest soon our strife turn even to blows of the hands.' Then looking darkly at him, wise Odysseus addressed him: 'Sir, I do you no evil, nor do I speak ill of you, nor do I grudge that anyone should give to you, though he take and give much.
§18.17οὐδὸς δʼ ἀμφοτέρους ὅδε χείσεται, οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ §18.18ἀλλοτρίων φθονέειν· δοκέεις δέ μοι εἶναι ἀλήτης §18.19ὥς περ ἐγών, ὄλβον δὲ θεοὶ μέλλουσιν ὀπάζειν.
This threshold will hold us both, nor is there any need for you to grudge others' goods; you seem to me to be a wanderer even as I am, and it is the gods who are likely to grant prosperity.
§18.20χερσὶ δὲ μή τι λίην προκαλίζεο, μή με χολώσῃς, §18.21μή σε γέρων περ ἐὼν στῆθος καὶ χείλεα φύρσω §18.22αἵματος· ἡσυχίη δʼ ἂν ἐμοὶ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔτʼ εἴη §18.23αὔριον· οὐ μὲν γάρ τί σʼ ὑποστρέψεσθαι ὀΐω §18.24δεύτερον ἐς μέγαρον Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος. §18.25τὸν δὲ χολωσάμενος προσεφώνεεν Ἶρος ἀλήτης· §18.26ὢ πόποι, ὡς ὁ μολοβρὸς ἐπιτροχάδην ἀγορεύει,
But do not challenge me too much to blows of the hands, lest you anger me, lest, old though I am, I defile your breast and lips with blood; so would I have even greater peace tomorrow; for indeed I do not think that you will return a second time to the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes.' To him, in great wrath, spoke the wanderer Irus: 'Ah, look now, how glibly this greedy glutton speaks, like an old oven-woman!
§18.27γρηῒ καμινοῖ ἶσος· ὃν ἂν κακὰ μητισαίμην §18.28κόπτων ἀμφοτέρῃσι, χαμαὶ δέ κε πάντας ὀδόντας §18.29γναθμῶν ἐξελάσαιμι συὸς ὣς ληϊβοτείρης.
I would devise evil for him, smiting him with both hands, and would knock all the teeth from his jaws upon the ground, like a crop-devouring wild sow.
§18.30ζῶσαι νῦν, ἵνα πάντες ἐπιγνώωσι καὶ οἵδε §18.31μαρναμένους· πῶς δʼ ἂν σὺ νεωτέρῳ ἀνδρὶ μάχοιο; §18.32ὣς οἱ μὲν προπάροιθε θυράων ὑψηλάων §18.33οὐδοῦ ἔπι ξεστοῦ πανθυμαδὸν ὀκριόωντο.
Gird yourself now, so that all these too may know of our fighting; but how could you fight with a younger man?' Thus they before the high doors on the polished threshold with all their hearts were provoking each other.
§18.34τοῖϊν δὲ ξυνέηχʼ ἱερὸν μένος Ἀντινόοιο, §18.35ἡδὺ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐκγελάσας μετεφώνει μνηστήρεσσιν· §18.36ὦ φίλοι, οὐ μέν πώ τι πάρος τοιοῦτον ἐτύχθη, §18.37οἵην τερπωλὴν θεὸς ἤγαγεν ἐς τόδε δῶμα.
And the mighty strength of Antinous heard the two, and laughing merrily, he spoke among the suitors: 'Friends, never before has any such thing happened, such delight as a god has brought to this house.
§18.38ὁ ξεῖνός τε καὶ Ἶρος ἐρίζετον ἀλλήλοιϊν §18.39χερσὶ μαχέσσασθαι· ἀλλὰ ξυνελάσσομεν ὦκα. §18.40ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀνήϊξαν γελόωντες, §18.41ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα πτωχοὺς κακοείμονας ἠγερέθοντο.
The stranger and Irus are wrangling with each other to fight with their fists; let us set them together quickly!' So he spoke, and they all sprang up laughing, and gathered around the ill-clad beggars.
§18.42τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός· §18.43κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες, ὄφρα τι εἴπω.
Then Antinous spoke among them, Eupeithes' son: 'Hear me, proud suitors, that I may say something.
§18.44γαστέρες αἵδʼ αἰγῶν κέατʼ ἐν πυρί, τὰς ἐπὶ δόρπῳ §18.45κατθέμεθα κνίσης τε καὶ αἵματος ἐμπλήσαντες·
Here are goats' bellies lying on the fire, which for supper we laid down, filled with fat and blood.
Whichever of the two wins and proves the better man, let him stand up and choose for himself whichever of these he will.
§18.48αἰεὶ αὖθʼ ἡμῖν μεταδαίσεται, οὐδέ τινʼ ἄλλον §18.49πτωχὸν ἔσω μίσγεσθαι ἐάσομεν αἰτήσοντα. §18.50ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀντίνοος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.
And he shall always feast with us, nor will we allow any other beggar to mingle among us within to ask for alms.' So spoke Antinous, and his word was pleasing to them.
§18.51τοῖς δὲ δολοφρονέων μετέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §18.52ὦ φίλοι, οὔ πως ἔστι νεωτέρῳ ἀνδρὶ μάχεσθαι §18.53ἄνδρα γέροντα, δύῃ ἀρημένον· ἀλλά με γαστὴρ §18.54ὀτρύνει κακοεργός, ἵνα πληγῇσι δαμείω.
Then with crafty mind wise Odysseus spoke among them: 'Friends, there is no way for an old man, worn out with distress, to fight with a younger man; but my evil-working belly urges me on, that I may be subdued by blows.
§18.55ἀλλʼ ἄγε νῦν μοι πάντες ὀμόσσατε καρτερὸν ὅρκον, §18.56μή τις ἐπʼ Ἴρῳ ἦρα φέρων ἐμὲ χειρὶ βαρείῃ §18.57πλήξῃ ἀτασθάλλων, τούτῳ δέ με ἶφι δαμάσσῃ. §18.58ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀπώμνυον ὡς ἐκέλευεν.
But come, now, all of you swear to me a mighty oath, lest any man, showing favor to Irus, with heavy hand strike me unfairly, and so by force subdue me for him.' So he spoke, and they all swore that they would not, as he bade.
§18.59αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ὄμοσάν τε τελεύτησάν τε τὸν ὅρκον, §18.60τοῖς δʼ αὖτις μετέειφʼ ἱερὴ ἲς Τηλεμάχοιο· §18.61ξεῖνʼ, εἴ σʼ ὀτρύνει κραδίη καὶ θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ §18.62τοῦτον ἀλέξασθαι, τῶν δʼ ἄλλων μή τινʼ Ἀχαιῶν §18.63δείδιθʼ, ἐπεὶ πλεόνεσσι μαχήσεται ὅς κέ σε θείνῃ· §18.64ξεινοδόκος μὲν ἐγών, ἐπὶ δʼ αἰνεῖτον βασιλῆες, §18.65Ἀντίνοός τε καὶ Εὐρύμαχος, πεπνυμένω ἄμφω. §18.66ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἐπῄνεον·
But when they had sworn and completed the oath, then the mighty strength of Telemachus spoke among them again: 'Stranger, if your heart and proud spirit urge you to ward off this fellow, then fear none of the other Achaeans; for whoever strikes you shall fight against more; I am the host, and the kings assent, Antinous and Eurymachus, prudent men both.' So he spoke, and they all approved.
αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §18.67ζώσατο μὲν ῥάκεσιν περὶ μήδεα, φαῖνε δὲ μηροὺς §18.68καλούς τε μεγάλους τε, φάνεν δέ οἱ εὐρέες ὦμοι §18.69στήθεά τε στιβαροί τε βραχίονες·
Then Odysseus girded his rags about his loins, and showed his thighs, comely and great, and his broad shoulders and breast and strong arms were revealed.
αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη §18.70ἄγχι παρισταμένη μέλεʼ ἤλδανε ποιμένι λαῶν.
And Athena, drawing near, made larger the limbs of the shepherd of the people.
§18.71μνηστῆρες δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως ἀγάσαντο·
And all the suitors marvelled exceedingly;