§2.1ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς, §2.2ὤρνυτʼ ἄρʼ ἐξ εὐνῆφιν Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱὸς §2.3εἵματα ἑσσάμενος, περὶ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτʼ ὤμῳ, §2.4ποσσὶ δʼ ὑπὸ λιπαροῖσιν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα, §2.5βῆ δʼ ἴμεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο θεῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἄντην.
When early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appeared, rose from his bed the dear son of Odysseus, putting on his clothes; and around his shoulder he slung his sharp sword, and under his shining feet he bound his fair sandals, and went forth from his chamber, like a god to look upon.
Straightway he ordered the clear-voiced heralds to summon the long-haired Achaeans to the assembly.
§2.8οἱ μὲν ἐκήρυσσον, τοὶ δʼ ἠγείροντο μάλʼ ὦκα.
They made the summons, and the others gathered very quickly.
§2.9αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἤγερθεν ὁμηγερέες τʼ ἐγένοντο, §2.10βῆ ῥʼ ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορήν, παλάμῃ δʼ ἔχε χάλκεον ἔγχος, §2.11οὐκ οἶος, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.
But when they were gathered and the assembly was met, he went to the assembly, and in his hand he held a bronze spear, not alone, but with him two swift hounds followed.
§2.12θεσπεσίην δʼ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατέχευεν Ἀθήνη.
And upon him Athena shed wondrous grace.
All the people marveled at him as he came; he sat in his father's seat, and the elders made way.
Then among them the hero Aegyptius began to speak, who was bent with age and knew thousands of things.
§2.17καὶ γὰρ τοῦ φίλος υἱὸς ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι §2.18Ἴλιον εἰς ἐύπωλον ἔβη κοίλῃς ἐνὶ νηυσίν, §2.19Ἄντιφος αἰχμητής· τὸν δʼ ἄγριος ἔκτανε Κύκλωψ §2.20ἐν σπῆι γλαφυρῷ, πύματον δʼ ὡπλίσσατο δόρπον.
For his dear son, the spearman Antiphus, had gone with godlike Odysseus to horse-famed Ilium in the hollow ships; but him the savage Cyclops slew in his hollow cave, and made him his last meal.
§2.21τρεῖς δέ οἱ ἄλλοι ἔσαν, καὶ ὁ μὲν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμίλει, §2.22Εὐρύνομος, δύο δʼ αἰὲν ἔχον πατρώια ἔργα.
Three others he had: one, Eurynomus, associated with the suitors, while two always kept their father's estates.
§2.23ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς τοῦ λήθετʼ ὀδυρόμενος καὶ ἀχεύων.
But not even so did he forget the other, mourning and grieving.
Weeping for him, he spoke and addressed them: "Hear now from me, men of Ithaca, what I shall say.
Never has our assembly been held, nor our session, since noble Odysseus went in the hollow ships.
§2.28νῦν δὲ τίς ὧδʼ ἤγειρε;
But now, who has gathered us thus?
τίνα χρειὼ τόσον ἵκει §2.29ἠὲ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἢ οἳ προγενέστεροί εἰσιν;
To whom has such need come, whether of the young men or of those who are older?
§2.30ἠέ τινʼ ἀγγελίην στρατοῦ ἔκλυεν ἐρχομένοιο, §2.31ἥν χʼ ἡμῖν σάφα εἴποι, ὅτε πρότερός γε πύθοιτο;
Has he heard some news of an army returning, which he might clearly tell us, since he heard it first?
§2.32ἦέ τι δήμιον ἄλλο πιφαύσκεται ἠδʼ ἀγορεύει;
Or is he declaring and speaking of some other public matter?
§2.33ἐσθλός μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι, ὀνήμενος.
An honorable man he seems to me, and blessed.
εἴθε οἱ αὐτῷ §2.34Ζεὺς ἀγαθὸν τελέσειεν, ὅτι φρεσὶν ᾗσι μενοινᾷ. §2.35ὣς φάτο, χαῖρε δὲ φήμῃ Ὀδυσσῆος φίλος υἱός, §2.36οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔτι δὴν ἧστο, μενοίνησεν δʼ ἀγορεύειν, §2.37στῆ δὲ μέσῃ ἀγορῇ· σκῆπτρον δέ οἱ ἔμβαλε χειρὶ §2.38κῆρυξ Πεισήνωρ πεπνυμένα μήδεα εἰδώς.
May Zeus accomplish for him the good that he purposes in his mind." So he spoke, and the dear son of Odysseus rejoiced at the omen; he sat no longer, but was eager to speak, and stood in the midst of the assembly; and into his hand the staff was placed by the herald Peisenor, who knew wise counsels.
§2.39πρῶτον ἔπειτα γέροντα καθαπτόμενος προσέειπεν· §2.40ὦ γέρον, οὐχ ἑκὰς οὗτος ἀνήρ, τάχα δʼ εἴσεαι αὐτός, §2.41ὃς λαὸν ἤγειρα· μάλιστα δέ μʼ ἄλγος ἱκάνει.
Then first, addressing the old man, he spoke: "Old man, not far off is this man—and soon you shall know yourself— who gathered the people; and grief comes to me most of all.
§2.42οὔτε τινʼ ἀγγελίην στρατοῦ ἔκλυον ἐρχομένοιο, §2.43ἥν χʼ ὑμῖν σάφα εἴπω, ὅτε πρότερός γε πυθοίμην, §2.44οὔτε τι δήμιον ἄλλο πιφαύσκομαι οὐδʼ ἀγορεύω, §2.45ἀλλʼ ἐμὸν αὐτοῦ χρεῖος, ὅ μοι κακὰ ἔμπεσεν οἴκῳ §2.46δοιά· τὸ μὲν πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ἀπώλεσα, ὅς ποτʼ ἐν ὑμῖν §2.47τοίσδεσσιν βασίλευε, πατὴρ δʼ ὣς ἤπιος ἦεν· §2.48νῦν δʼ αὖ καὶ πολὺ μεῖζον, ὃ δὴ τάχα οἶκον ἅπαντα §2.49πάγχυ διαρραίσει, βίοτον δʼ ἀπὸ πάμπαν ὀλέσσει.
I have heard no news of an army returning, which I might clearly tell you, having heard it first, nor am I declaring or speaking of any other public matter, but my own need, since evil has fallen upon my house, twofold: on the one hand, I lost my noble father, who once ruled among you here, and was gentle as a father; and now, on the other hand, a far greater evil, which soon my whole house will utterly destroy and completely ruin my livelihood.
§2.50μητέρι μοι μνηστῆρες ἐπέχραον οὐκ ἐθελούσῃ, §2.51τῶν ἀνδρῶν φίλοι υἷες, οἳ ἐνθάδε γʼ εἰσὶν ἄριστοι, §2.52οἳ πατρὸς μὲν ἐς οἶκον ἀπερρίγασι νέεσθαι §2.53Ἰκαρίου, ὥς κʼ αὐτὸς ἐεδνώσαιτο θύγατρα, §2.54δοίη δʼ ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλοι καί οἱ κεχαρισμένος ἔλθοι·
Suitors have beset my mother against her will, the dear sons of those men who are here the noblest, who shrink from going to the house of her father, Icarius, so that he himself might arrange the dowry for his daughter, and give her to whom he will, and who comes welcome to him.
§2.55οἱ δʼ εἰς ἡμέτερον πωλεύμενοι ἤματα πάντα, §2.56βοῦς ἱερεύοντες καὶ ὄις καὶ πίονας αἶγας §2.57εἰλαπινάζουσιν πίνουσί τε αἴθοπα οἶνον §2.58μαψιδίως· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ κατάνεται.
But they, coming to our house day after day, slaughtering oxen and sheep and fat goats, feast and drink the sparkling wine recklessly; and most of our goods are consumed.
οὐ γὰρ ἔπʼ ἀνήρ, §2.59οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν, ἀρὴν ἀπὸ οἴκου ἀμῦναι.
For there is no man here, such as Odysseus was, to ward off ruin from the house.
§2.60ἡμεῖς δʼ οὔ νύ τι τοῖοι ἀμυνέμεν· ἦ καὶ ἔπειτα §2.61λευγαλέοι τʼ ἐσόμεσθα καὶ οὐ δεδαηκότες ἀλκήν.
We are not such as can ward it off; indeed, even hereafter we shall be pitiful and unskilled in fight.
§2.62ἦ τʼ ἂν ἀμυναίμην, εἴ μοι δύναμίς γε παρείη.
Yet truly I would defend myself, if only strength were mine.
For deeds no longer bearable have been done, and no longer decently is my house destroyed.
νεμεσσήθητε καὶ αὐτοί, §2.65ἄλλους τʼ αἰδέσθητε περικτίονας ἀνθρώπους, §2.66οἳ περιναιετάουσι· θεῶν δʼ ὑποδείσατε μῆνιν, §2.67μή τι μεταστρέψωσιν ἀγασσάμενοι κακὰ ἔργα.
Be indignant yourselves, and respect other men who dwell around us, our neighbors; and fear the wrath of the gods, lest they should turn upon you in anger at your evil deeds.
§2.68λίσσομαι ἠμὲν Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου ἠδὲ Θέμιστος, §2.69ἥ τʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀγορὰς ἠμὲν λύει ἠδὲ καθίζει· §2.70σχέσθε, φίλοι, καί μʼ οἶον ἐάσατε πένθεϊ λυγρῷ
I beseech you both by Olympian Zeus and by Themis, who dissolves and gathers the assemblies of men: hold back, friends, and leave me alone in my grievous sorrow