§19.204τῆς δʼ ἄρʼ ἀκουούσης ῥέε δάκρυα, τήκετο δὲ χρώς· §19.205ὡς δὲ χιὼν κατατήκετʼ ἐν ἀκροπόλοισιν ὄρεσσιν, §19.206ἥν τʼ Εὖρος κατέτηξεν, ἐπὴν Ζέφυρος καταχεύῃ· §19.207τηκομένης δʼ ἄρα τῆς ποταμοὶ πλήθουσι ῥέοντες· §19.208ὣς τῆς τήκετο καλὰ παρήϊα δάκρυ χεούσης, §19.209κλαιούσης ἑὸν ἄνδρα παρήμενον.
As she listened, her tears flowed and her skin melted; and as the snow melts on the lofty mountains, which the East Wind melts, after the West Wind has poured it down; and as it melts, the flowing rivers are filled; so her fair cheeks melted as she shed tears, weeping for her own husband who was sitting beside her.
αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §19.210θυμῷ μὲν γοόωσαν ἑὴν ἐλέαιρε γυναῖκα, §19.211ὀφθαλμοὶ δʼ ὡς εἰ κέρα ἕστασαν ἠὲ σίδηρος §19.212ἀτρέμας ἐν βλεφάροισι· δόλῳ δʼ ὅ γε δάκρυα κεῦθεν.
But Odysseus in his heart pitied his weeping wife, yet his eyes stood as if they were horn or iron, steady within his eyelids; and by guile he hid his tears.
§19.213ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τάρφθη πολυδακρύτοιο γόοιο, §19.214ἐξαῦτίς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβομένη προσέειπε· §19.215νῦν μὲν δή σευ, ξεῖνέ γʼ, ὀΐω πειρήσεσθαι, §19.216εἰ ἐτεὸν δὴ κεῖθι σὺν ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισι §19.217ξείνισας ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμὸν πόσιν, ὡς ἀγορεύεις.
But when she had had her fill of tearful lamentation, then she answered him again, and spoke to him, saying: "Now indeed, stranger, I think I will put you to the test, whether in truth you did there, with your godlike companions, entertain my husband in your halls, as you say.
§19.218εἰπέ μοι ὁπποῖʼ ἄσσα περὶ χροῒ εἵματα ἕστο, §19.219αὐτός θʼ οἷος ἔην, καὶ ἑταίρους, οἵ οἱ ἕποντο. §19.220τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §19.221ὦ γύναι, ἀργαλέον τόσσον χρόνον ἀμφὶς ἐόντα §19.222εἰπέμεν· ἤδη γάρ οἱ ἐεικοστὸν ἔτος ἐστὶν §19.223ἐξ οὗ κεῖθεν ἔβη καὶ ἐμῆς ἀπελήλυθε πάτρης·
Tell me what manner of clothing he had about his body, and what manner of man he was himself, and of the companions who followed him." Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, saying: "O lady, it is hard for one who has been so long parted from him to speak of this; for it is now the twentieth year since he went thence and departed from my country.
§19.224αὐτάρ τοι ἐρέω ὥς μοι ἰνδάλλεται ἦτορ.
Yet even so I will tell you as my heart pictures him.
§19.225χλαῖναν πορφυρέην οὔλην ἔχε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, §19.226διπλῆν· αὐτάρ οἱ περόνη χρυσοῖο τέτυκτο §19.227αὐλοῖσιν διδύμοισι· πάροιθε δὲ δαίδαλον ἦεν· §19.228ἐν προτέροισι πόδεσσι κύων ἔχε ποικίλον ἐλλόν, §19.229ἀσπαίροντα λάων·
Noble Odysseus wore a purple cloak of wool, double-folded; and for him a brooch of gold was fashioned with double clasps; and on the front was an exquisite carving: in its forepaws a dog held a dappled fawn, gazing at it as it gasped.
τὸ δὲ θαυμάζεσκον ἅπαντες, §19.230ὡς οἱ χρύσεοι ἐόντες ὁ μὲν λάε νεβρὸν ἀπάγχων, §19.231αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐκφυγέειν μεμαὼς ἤσπαιρε πόδεσσι.
And all men marveled at this, how, though they were of gold, the dog was gazing as he throttled the fawn, and the fawn was gasping and struggling with its feet to escape.
§19.232τὸν δὲ χιτῶνʼ ἐνόησα περὶ χροῒ σιγαλόεντα, §19.233οἷόν τε κρομύοιο λοπὸν κάτα ἰσχαλέοιο· §19.234τὼς μὲν ἔην μαλακός, λαμπρὸς δʼ ἦν ἠέλιος ὥς· §19.235ἦ μὲν πολλαί γʼ αὐτὸν ἐθηήσαντο γυναῖκες.
And I noticed the gleaming tunic about his body, like the skin of a dried onion; so soft was it, and bright as the sun; and indeed many women gazed at it with wonder.
§19.236ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν· §19.237οὐκ οἶδʼ ἢ τάδε ἕστο περὶ χροῒ οἴκοθʼ Ὀδυσσεύς, §19.238ἦ τις ἑταίρων δῶκε θοῆς ἐπὶ νηὸς ἰόντι, §19.239ἤ τίς που καὶ ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολλοῖσιν Ὀδυσσεὺς §19.240ἔσκε φίλος· παῦροι γὰρ Ἀχαιῶν ἦσαν ὁμοῖοι.
And another thing I will tell you, and do you lay it to heart: I know not whether Odysseus wore these garments at home, or if some companion gave them to him as he went on his swift ship, or perhaps some stranger, since to many men Odysseus was dear; for few of the Achaeans were his equal.
§19.241καί οἱ ἐγὼ χάλκειον ἄορ καὶ δίπλακα δῶκα §19.242καλὴν πορφυρέην καὶ τερμιόεντα χιτῶνα, §19.243αἰδοίως δʼ ἀπέπεμπον ἐϋσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηός.
And I too gave him a bronze sword and a double-folded cloak of fair purple, and a fringed tunic, and with all honor sent him away on his well-benched ship.
§19.244καὶ μέν οἱ κῆρυξ ὀλίγον προγενέστερος αὐτοῦ §19.245εἵπετο· καὶ τόν τοι μυθήσομαι, οἷος ἔην περ.
And a herald, slightly older than himself, followed him; and I will tell you of him too, what manner of man he was.
§19.246γυρὸς ἐν ὤμοισιν, μελανόχροος, οὐλοκάρηνος, §19.247Εὐρυβάτης δʼ ὄνομʼ ἔσκε· τίεν δέ μιν ἔξοχον ἄλλων §19.248ὧν ἑτάρων Ὀδυσεύς, ὅτι οἱ φρεσὶν ἄρτια ᾔδη.
Round-shouldered he was, dark-skinned, and curly-haired, and his name was Eurybates; and Odysseus honored him above all other of his companions, because he was of one mind with himself.
§19.249ὣς φάτο, τῇ δʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο, §19.250σήματʼ ἀναγνούσῃ τά οἱ ἔμπεδα πέφραδʼ Ὀδυσσεύς.
So he spoke, and in her he aroused yet more the desire of weeping, as she recognized the sure tokens which Odysseus showed so clearly.
§19.251ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τάρφθη πολυδακρύτοιο γόοιο. §19.252καὶ τότε μιν μύθοισιν ἀμειβομένη προσέειπε· §19.253νῦν μὲν δή μοι, ξεῖνε, πάρος περ ἐὼν ἐλεεινός, §19.254ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐμοῖσι φίλος τʼ ἔσῃ αἰδοῖός τε· §19.255αὐτὴ γὰρ τάδε εἵματʼ ἐγὼ πόρον, οἷʼ ἀγορεύεις, §19.256πτύξασʼ ἐκ θαλάμου, περόνην τʼ ἐπέθηκα φαεινὴν §19.257κείνῳ ἄγαλμʼ ἔμεναι· τὸν δʼ οὐχ ὑποδέξομαι αὖτις §19.258οἴκαδε νοστήσαντα φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.
But when she had had her fill of tearful lamentation, then she answered him again and spoke to him, saying: "Now indeed, stranger, though before you were pitied in my sight, you shall be beloved and honored in my halls; for I myself gave him these garments, such as you describe, folding them from my chamber, and I put upon him the bright brooch to be an ornament for him; but him I shall never welcome again returning home to his dear native land.
§19.259τῷ ῥα κακῇ αἴσῃ κοίλης ἐπὶ νηὸς Ὀδυσσεὺς §19.260ᾤχετʼ ἐποψόμενος Κακοΐλιον οὐκ ὀνομαστήν. §19.261τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §19.262ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος, §19.263μηκέτι νῦν χρόα καλὸν ἐναίρεο, μηδέ τι θυμὸν §19.264τῆκε, πόσιν γοόωσα.
Therefore by an evil fate did Odysseus go on his hollow ship to see accursed Ilium, that should not be named." Then Odysseus of many wiles answered her, saying: "O honored wife of Odysseus, son of Laertes, deface no more your fair skin, nor melt your heart in weeping for your husband.
νεμεσσῶμαί γε μὲν οὐδέν· §19.265καὶ γάρ τίς τʼ ἀλλοῖον ὀδύρεται ἄνδρʼ ὀλέσασα §19.266κουρίδιον, τῷ τέκνα τέκῃ φιλότητι μιγεῖσα, §19.267ἢ Ὀδυσῆʼ, ὅν φασι θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιον εἶναι.
Yet indeed I blame you not; for any woman laments when she has lost her wedded husband, to whom she has borne children in love, even though he were other than Odysseus, who they say is like the gods.