§21.219οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ με σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντι §21.220Παρνησόνδʼ ἐλθόντα σὺν υἱάσιν Αὐτολύκοιο. §21.221ὣς εἰπὼν ῥάκεα μεγάλης ἀποέργαθεν οὐλῆς.
"the scar, which once a boar inflicted on me with its white tusk, when I went to Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus." So saying, he pushed back the rags from the great scar.
§21.222τὼ δʼ ἐπεὶ εἰσιδέτην εὖ τʼ ἐφράσσαντο ἕκαστα, §21.223κλαῖον ἄρʼ ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι χεῖρε βαλόντε, §21.224καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμενοι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὤμους
And when those two looked at it and well marked each detail, they wept, throwing their arms around wise Odysseus, and affectionately kissed his head and his shoulders.
§21.225ὣς δʼ αὔτως Ὀδυσεὺς κεφαλὰς καὶ χεῖρας ἔκυσσε.
In the same way, Odysseus kissed their heads and hands.
§21.226καί νύ κʼ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο, §21.227εἰ μὴ Ὀδυσσεὺς αὐτὸς ἐρύκακε φώνησέν τε· §21.228παύεσθον κλαυθμοῖο γόοιό τε, μή τις ἴδηται §21.229ἐξελθὼν μεγάροιο, ἀτὰρ εἴπῃσι καὶ εἴσω.
And now the light of the sun would have set upon their weeping, had not Odysseus himself restrained them and spoken: "Cease from weeping and lamentation, lest someone coming out of the hall should see us, and tell it inside as well.
§21.230ἀλλὰ προμνηστῖνοι ἐσέλθετε, μηδʼ ἅμα πάντες, §21.231πρῶτος ἐγώ, μετὰ δʼ ὔμμες· ἀτὰρ τόδε σῆμα τετύχθω·
Rather go in one after another, and not all together, I first, and you after; and let this be ordained as a sign.
§21.232ἄλλοι μὲν γὰρ πάντες, ὅσοι μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοί, §21.233οὐκ ἐάσουσιν ἐμοὶ δόμεναι βιὸν ἠδὲ φαρέτρην·
For all the others, as many as are the proud suitors, will not allow the bow and quiver to be given to me.
§21.234ἀλλὰ σύ, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, φέρων ἀνὰ δώματα τόξον §21.235ἐν χείρεσσιν ἐμοὶ θέμεναι, εἰπεῖν τε γυναιξὶ §21.236κληῗσαι μεγάροιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας,
But you, noble Eumaeus, carrying the bow through the halls, place it in my hands, and tell the women to bar the close-fitting doors of the hall.
§21.237ἢν δέ τις ἢ στοναχῆς ἠὲ κτύπου ἔνδον ἀκούσῃ §21.238ἀνδρῶν ἡμετέροισιν ἐν ἕρκεσι, μή τι θύραζε §21.239προβλώσκειν, ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ ἀκὴν ἔμεναι παρὰ ἔργῳ.
And if anyone inside hears a groaning or a din of men within our walls, let them not go forth, but remain there in silence at their work.
§21.240σοὶ δέ, Φιλοίτιε δῖε, θύρας ἐπιτέλλομαι αὐλῆς §21.241κληῗσαι κληῗδι, θοῶς δʼ ἐπὶ δεσμὸν ἰῆλαι. §21.242ὣς εἰπὼν εἰσῆλθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας· §21.243ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐπὶ δίφρον ἰών, ἔνθεν περ ἀνέστη·
And to you, noble Philoetius, I give charge to bar the gate of the courtyard with the key, and quickly cast the cord upon it." So saying, he entered the well-built house, and then went and sat on the seat from which he had risen.
§21.244ἐς δʼ ἄρα καὶ τὼ δμῶε ἴτην θείου Ὀδυσῆος.
And the two servants of divine Odysseus went in also.
§21.245Εὐρύμαχος δʼ ἤδη τόξον μετὰ χερσὶν ἐνώμα, §21.246θάλπων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα σέλᾳ πυρός· ἀλλά μιν οὐδʼ ὣς §21.247ἐντανύσαι δύνατο, μέγα δʼ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·
Eurymachus was already handling the bow, warming it here and there with the light of the fire; but even so he could not string it, and his glorious heart groaned aloud.
§21.248ὀχθήσας δʼ ἄρα εἶπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν· §21.249ὢ πόποι, ἧ μοι ἄχος περί τʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ πάντων·
And vexed at heart, he spoke and addressed them: "Ah, truly, grief is mine both for myself and for all.
§21.250οὔ τι γάμου τοσσοῦτον ὀδύρομαι, ἀχνύμενός περ· §21.251εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλαι πολλαὶ Ἀχαιΐδες, αἱ μὲν ἐν αὐτῇ §21.252ἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, αἱ δʼ ἄλλῃσιν πολίεσσιν·
It is not so much for the marriage that I grieve, though sorrowing; there are many other Achaean women, some in sea-girt Ithaca itself, and others in other cities.
§21.253ἀλλʼ εἰ δὴ τοσσόνδε βίης ἐπιδευέες εἰμὲν §21.254ἀντιθέου Ὀδυσῆος, ὅ τʼ οὐ δυνάμεσθα τανύσσαι §21.255τόξον· ἐλεγχείη δὲ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι. §21.256τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός· §21.257Εὐρύμαχʼ, οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται· νοέεις δὲ καὶ αὐτός.
But if indeed we are so far lacking in the strength of godlike Odysseus, that we cannot string the bow, it will be a reproach even for men to come to hear of." Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: "Eurymachus, it shall not be so; and you yourself know it.
For now indeed there is a holy feast of that god in the land; and who would bend bows?
ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοι §21.260κάτθετʼ· ἀτὰρ πελέκεάς γε καὶ εἴ κʼ εἰῶμεν ἅπαντας §21.261ἑστάμεν· οὐ μὲν γάρ τινʼ ἀναιρήσεσθαι ὀΐω, §21.262ἐλθόντʼ ἐς μέγαρον Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος.
Rather, quiet lay them aside; but as for the axes, even if we let them all stand, I do not think anyone will carry them off, coming into the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes.
§21.263ἀλλʼ ἄγετʼ, οἰνοχόος μὲν ἐπαρξάσθω δεπάεσσιν, §21.264ὄφρα σπείσαντες καταθείομεν ἀγκύλα τόξα·
But come, let the wine-pourer make beginning with the cups, so that having poured libations we may lay aside the curved bow.
§21.265ἠῶθεν δὲ κέλεσθε Μελάνθιον, αἰπόλον αἰγῶν, §21.266αἶγας ἄγειν, αἳ πᾶσι μέγʼ ἔξοχοι αἰπολίοισιν, §21.267ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ μηρία θέντες Ἀπόλλωνι κλυτοτόξῳ §21.268τόξου πειρώμεσθα καὶ ἐκτελέωμεν ἄεθλον. §21.269ὣς ἔφατʼ Ἀντίνοος, τοῖσιν δʼ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.
And in the morning, order Melanthius, the goatherd, to bring goats, by far the best in all the herds, so that laying the thigh-pieces before Apollo, famed for the bow, we may make trial of the bow and finish the contest." So spoke Antinous, and his word was pleasing to them.
§21.270τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν, §21.271κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο, §21.272νώμησαν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.
The heralds poured water upon their hands, and the youths crowned the bowls with drink, distributed it to all, pouring first into the cups.
§21.273οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιόν θʼ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός, §21.274τοῖς δὲ δολοφρονέων μετέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §21.275κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης· §21.276ὄφρʼ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει·
But when they had poured libations and drunk as much as their heart wished, then with crafty mind spoke wise Odysseus among them: "Hear me, suitors of the illustrious queen, so that I may speak what the heart in my breast bids me.
§21.277Εὐρύμαχον δὲ μάλιστα καὶ Ἀντίνοον θεοειδέα §21.278λίσσομʼ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπε, §21.279νῦν μὲν παῦσαι τόξον, ἐπιτρέψαι δὲ θεοῖσιν· §21.280ἠῶθεν δὲ θεὸς δώσει κράτος ᾧ κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν.
Especially to Eurymachus and godlike Antinous I make entreaty, since he indeed spoke this word aright, to stay the bow now, and leave it to the gods; and in the morning the god will give strength to whomsoever he will.
§21.281ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ἐμοὶ δότε τόξον ἐΰξοον, ὄφρα μεθʼ ὑμῖν §21.282χειρῶν καὶ σθένεος πειρήσομαι, ἤ μοι ἔτʼ ἐστὶν §21.283ἴς, οἵη πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσιν, §21.284ἦ ἤδη μοι ὄλεσσεν ἄλη τʼ ἀκομιστίη τε. §21.285ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως νεμέσησαν, §21.286δείσαντες μὴ τόξον ἐΰξοον ἐντανύσειεν.
But come, give me the well-polished bow, so that among you I may make trial of my hands and strength, whether I still have force, such as once was in my supple limbs, or whether wandering and lack of care have now destroyed it." So he spoke, and they were all exceedingly indignant, fearing lest he should string the well-polished bow.