§20.1αὐτὰρ ὁ ἐν προδόμῳ εὐνάζετο δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·
But noble Odysseus slept in the forecourt.
§20.2κὰμ μὲν ἀδέψητον βοέην στόρεσʼ, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθε §20.3κώεα πόλλʼ ὀΐων, τοὺς ἱρεύεσκον Ἀχαιοί· §20.4Εὐρυνόμη δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπὶ χλαῖναν βάλε κοιμηθέντι.
He spread an undressed ox-hide, and above it many fleeces of sheep which the Achaians were wont to sacrifice; and Eurynome threw a cloak over him when he had laid himself down.
§20.5ἔνθʼ Ὀδυσεὺς μνηστῆρσι κακὰ φρονέων ἐνὶ θυμῷ §20.6κεῖτʼ ἐγρηγορόων· ταὶ δʼ ἐκ μεγάροιο γυναῖκες §20.7ἤϊσαν, αἳ μνηστῆρσιν ἐμισγέσκοντο πάρος περ, §20.8ἀλλήλῃσι γέλω τε καὶ εὐφροσύνην παρέχουσαι.
There Odysseus, plotting in his heart evil for the suitors, lay awake; and the women went forth from the hall, they who before were wont to mingle with the suitors, making laughter and merriment among themselves.
§20.9τοῦ δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι· §20.10πολλὰ δὲ μερμήριζε κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν, §20.11ἠὲ μεταΐξας θάνατον τεύξειεν ἑκάστῃ, §20.12ἦ ἔτʼ ἐῷ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι μιγῆναι §20.13ὕστατα καὶ πύματα, κραδίη δέ οἱ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει.
And his heart was stirred within his breast, and he pondered much in mind and heart, whether he should spring upon them and deal death to each, or suffer them to mingle with the insolent suitors yet once more, for the very last time; and his heart growled within him.
§20.14ὡς δὲ κύων ἀμαλῇσι περὶ σκυλάκεσσι βεβῶσα §20.15ἄνδρʼ ἀγνοιήσασʼ ὑλάει μέμονέν τε μάχεσθαι, §20.16ὥς ῥα τοῦ ἔνδον ὑλάκτει ἀγαιομένου κακὰ ἔργα·
And even as a dog, standing over her tender pups, snarls at a stranger and is eager to fight, so growled his heart within him in anger at their evil deeds.
§20.17στῆθος δὲ πλήξας κραδίην ἠνίπαπε μύθῳ· §20.18τέτλαθι δή, κραδίη· καὶ κύντερον ἄλλο ποτʼ ἔτλης. §20.19ἤματι τῷ ὅτε μοι μένος ἄσχετος ἤσθιε Κύκλωψ §20.20ἰφθίμους ἑτάρους· σὺ δʼ ἐτόλμας, ὄφρα σε μῆτις §20.21ἐξάγαγʼ ἐξ ἄντροιο ὀϊόμενον θανέεσθαι. §20.22ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἐν στήθεσσι καθαπτόμενος φίλον ἦτορ·
But he smote his breast, and rebuked his heart with a word, saying: "Endure, my heart; a more shameful thing than this you once endured, on that day when the Cyclops, unrestrained in fury, devoured my mighty companions; but you did endure, until your cunning led you out from the cave, though you thought you would die." So he spoke, addressing the dear heart in his breast; and his heart remained fast in obedience, enduring steadfastly; but he himself tossed to and fro.
§20.23τῷ δὲ μάλʼ ἐν πείσῃ κραδίη μένε τετληυῖα §20.24νωλεμέως· ἀτὰρ αὐτὸς ἑλίσσετο ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα. §20.25ὡς δʼ ὅτε γαστέρʼ ἀνὴρ πολέος πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο, §20.26ἐμπλείην κνίσης τε καὶ αἵματος, ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα §20.27αἰόλλῃ, μάλα δʼ ὦκα λιλαίεται ὀπτηθῆναι, §20.28ὣς ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα ἑλίσσετο, μερμηρίζων §20.29ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσει §20.30μοῦνος ἐὼν πολέσι.
And as when a man before a great glowing fire turns to and fro a stomach filled with fat and blood, and is very eager to have it roasted quickly, so he tossed to and fro, pondering how he might lay hands on the shameless suitors, being but one against many.
σχεδόθεν δέ οἱ ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη §20.31οὐρανόθεν καταβᾶσα· δέμας δʼ ἤϊκτο γυναικί·
And Athena came near to him, descending from heaven; and in form she was like a woman.
§20.32στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε· §20.33τίπτʼ αὖτʼ ἐγρήσσεις, πάντων περὶ κάμμορε φωτῶν;
She stood over his head, and spoke to him, saying: "Why are you awake again, most ill-fated of all men?
§20.34οἶκος μέν τοι ὅδʼ ἐστί, γυνὴ δέ τοι ἥδʼ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ §20.35καὶ, πάϊς, οἷόν πού τις ἐέλδεται ἔμμεναι υἷα. §20.36τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §20.37ναὶ δὴ ταῦτά γε πάντα, θεά, κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες·
Indeed, this is your house, and your wife is in the house, and your child, such a son as any man might pray to have." And answering her, resourceful Odysseus spoke: "Yes, goddess, in truth all this you have spoken rightly.
§20.38ἀλλά τί μοι τόδε θυμὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζει, §20.39ὅππως δὴ μνηστῆρσιν ἀναιδέσι χεῖρας ἐφήσω, §20.40μοῦνος ἐών· οἱ δʼ αἰὲν ἀολλέες ἔνδον ἔασι.
But my heart in my breast is pondering on this, how I may lay hands on the shameless suitors, being but one, while they are always inside in a body.
§20.41πρὸς δʼ ἔτι καὶ τόδε μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμηρίζω· §20.42εἴ περ γὰρ κτείναιμι Διός τε σέθεν τε ἕκητι, §20.43πῆ κεν ὑπεκπροφύγοιμι;
And furthermore, this even greater thing I ponder in my mind: if indeed I should slay them by the will of Zeus and of yourself, whither should I flee to escape?
τά σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα. §20.44τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·
I bid you consider this." To him in turn spoke the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena: "Stubborn man!
§20.45σχέτλιε, καὶ μέν τίς τε χερείονι πείθεθʼ ἑταίρῳ, §20.46ὅς περ θνητός τʼ ἐστὶ καὶ οὐ τόσα μήδεα οἶδεν·
Many a one puts trust in a weaker companion, who is but mortal and knows not so many counsels.
But I am a god, who guard you continually in all your travails.
ἐρέω δέ τοι ἐξαναφανδόν· §20.49εἴ περ πεντήκοντα λόχοι μερόπων ἀνθρώπων §20.50νῶϊ περισταῖεν, κτεῖναι μεμαῶτες Ἄρηϊ, §20.51καί κεν τῶν ἐλάσαιο βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα.
And I will tell you openly: even if fifty companies of mortal men should surround us, eager to slay us in battle, even so you would drive off their oxen and fat sheep.
§20.52ἀλλʼ ἑλέτω σε καὶ ὕπνος· ἀνίη καὶ τὸ φυλάσσειν §20.53πάννυχον ἐγρήσσοντα, κακῶν δʼ ὑποδύσεαι ἤδη. §20.54ὣς φάτο, καί ῥά οἱ ὕπνον ἐπὶ βλεφάροισιν ἔχευεν, §20.55αὐτὴ δʼ ἂψ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἀφίκετο δῖα θεάων.
But let sleep take you too; it is a vexation to watch all night long, and soon you shall rise out of your troubles." So she spoke, and shed sleep upon his eyelids, and she herself, noble among goddesses, went back to Olympus.
§20.56εὖτε τὸν ὕπνος ἔμαρπτε, λύων μελεδήματα θυμοῦ, §20.57λυσιμελής, ἄλοχος δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπέγρετο κεδνὰ ἰδυῖα· §20.58κλαῖε δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν λέκτροισι καθεζομένη μαλακοῖσιν.
And when sleep seized him, freeing him from the cares of his heart, sleep that loosens the limbs, then his watchful wife awoke, and sat weeping on her soft bed.
§20.59αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίουσα κορέσσατο ὃν κατὰ θυμόν, §20.60Ἀρτέμιδι πρώτιστον ἐπεύξατο δῖα γυναικῶν· §20.61Ἄρτεμι, πότνα θεά, θύγατερ Διός, αἴθε μοι ἤδη §20.62ἰὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι βαλοῦσʼ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕλοιο §20.63αὐτίκα νῦν, ἢ ἔπειτα μʼ ἀναρπάξασα θύελλα §20.64οἴχοιτο προφέρουσα κατʼ ἠερόεντα κέλευθα,
But when she was satisfied with weeping in her heart, the noble lady prayed first of all to Artemis: "Artemis, queenly goddess, daughter of Zeus, would that even now you would cast an arrow into my breast and take away my life this very moment, or that a tempest might snatch me away and carry me onward along the misty paths,