§22.141τεύχεα κατθέσθην Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ φαίδιμος υἱός.
where Odysseus and his glorious son had laid down the arms.
So saying, Melanthius, the goatherd, went up to the storerooms of Odysseus by the openings of the hall.
§22.144ἔνθεν δώδεκα μὲν σάκεʼ ἔξελε, τόσσα δὲ δοῦρα §22.145καὶ τόσσας κυνέας χαλκήρεας ἱπποδασείας· §22.146βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι, μάλα δʼ ὦκα φέρων μνηστῆρσιν ἔδωκεν.
Thence he took twelve shields, and as many spears, and as many helmets of bronze with thick plumes of horsehair; and he went and carried them, and very quickly gave them to the suitors.
§22.147καὶ τότʼ Ὀδυσσῆος λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἦτορ, §22.148ὡς περιβαλλομένους ἴδε τεύχεα χερσί τε δοῦρα §22.149μακρὰ τινάσσοντας· μέγα δʼ αὐτῷ φαίνετο ἔργον.
Then the knees of Odysseus and his dear heart were loosened, when he saw them putting on the armor, and in their hands shaking the long spears; and a great task it seemed to him.
§22.150αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §22.151Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ μάλα δή τις ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναικῶν §22.152νῶϊν ἐποτρύνει πόλεμον κακὸν ἠὲ Μελανθεύς. §22.153τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §22.154ὦ πάτερ, αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τόδε γʼ ἤμβροτον—οὐδέ τις ἄλλος §22.155αἴτιος—ὃς θαλάμοιο θύρην πυκινῶς ἀραρυῖαν §22.156κάλλιπον ἀγκλίνας· τῶν δὲ σκοπὸς ἦεν ἀμείνων.
And straightway he spoke winged words to Telemachus: "Telemachus, surely indeed some one of the women in the hall is stirring up an evil battle against us, or else Melanthius." To him again wise Telemachus made answer: "Father, I myself erred in this—and no other is to blame—who left the close-fitting door of the chamber ajar; and their watchman was better than I.
§22.157ἀλλʼ ἴθι, δῖʼ Εὔμαιε, θύρην ἐπίθες θαλάμοιο §22.158καὶ φράσαι ἤ τις ἄρʼ ἐστὶ γυναικῶν ἣ τάδε ῥέζει, §22.159ἢ υἱὸς Δολίοιο, Μελανθεύς, τόν περ ὀΐω. §22.160ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον, §22.161βῆ δʼ αὖτις θάλαμόνδε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν, §22.162οἴσων τεύχεα καλά.
But go, noble Eumaeus, close the door of the chamber, and see whether it is indeed one of the women who does this, or the son of Dolius, Melanthius, whom I suspect." Thus they spoke such words to one another, and Melanthius, the goatherd, went again to the chamber to bring beautiful armor.
νόησε δὲ δῖος ὑφορβός, §22.163αἶψα δʼ Ὀδυσσῆα προσεφώνεεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντα· §22.164διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ, §22.165κεῖνος δʼ αὖτʼ ἀΐδηλος ἀνήρ, ὃν ὀϊόμεθʼ αὐτοί, §22.166ἔρχεται ἐς θάλαμον· σὺ δέ μοι νημερτὲς ἐνίσπες, §22.167ἤ μιν ἀποκτείνω, αἴ κε κρείσσων γε γένωμαι, §22.168ἦε σοὶ ἐνθάδʼ ἄγω, ἵνʼ ὑπερβασίας ἀποτίσῃ §22.169πολλάς, ὅσσας οὗτος ἐμήσατο σῷ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ. §22.170τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §22.171ἦ τοι ἐγὼ καὶ Τηλέμαχος μνηστῆρας ἀγαυοὺς §22.172σχήσομεν ἔντοσθεν μεγάρων, μάλα περ μεμαῶτας.
But the noble swineherd marked him, and straightway spoke to Odysseus, who was near: "Laertes-born, sprung from Zeus, Odysseus of many wiles, that destructive man, whom we ourselves suspect, is going again to the chamber; but tell me truly, whether I shall kill him, if indeed I prove the stronger, or bring him hither to thee, that he may pay for the many outrages he has devised in thy house." Then Odysseus of many wiles answered him and said: "Verily I and Telemachus will hold back the lordly suitors within the hall, howsoever fiercely they rage.
§22.173σφῶϊ δʼ ἀποστρέψαντε πόδας καὶ χεῖρας ὕπερθεν §22.174ἐς θάλαμον βαλέειν, σανίδας δʼ ἐκδῆσαι ὄπισθε, §22.175σειρὴν δὲ πλεκτὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ πειρήναντε §22.176κίονʼ ἀνʼ ὑψηλὴν ἐρύσαι πελάσαι τε δοκοῖσιν, §22.177ὥς κεν δηθὰ ζωὸς ἐὼν χαλέπʼ ἄλγεα πάσχῃ· §22.178ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο, §22.179βὰν δʼ ἴμεν ἐς θάλαμον, λαθέτην δέ μιν ἔνδον ἐόντα.
But do you two twist his feet and hands behind him and cast him into the chamber, and bind the doors fast behind him; and having bound a plaited rope around him, drag him up the high pillar and bring him near the beams, that he may live for a long time and suffer grievous torments." So he spoke, and they listened to him and obeyed, and went to the chamber, but they were unnoticed by him who was within.
§22.180ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν θαλάμοιο μυχὸν κάτα τεύχεʼ ἐρεύνα, §22.181τὼ δʼ ἔσταν ἑκάτερθε παρὰ σταθμοῖσι μένοντε.
He indeed was searching for armor in the innermost part of the chamber, and the two stood waiting on either side of the doorposts.
§22.182εὖθʼ ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἔβαινε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν, §22.183τῇ ἑτέρῃ μὲν χειρὶ φέρων καλὴν τρυφάλειαν, §22.184τῇ δʼ ἑτέρῃ σάκος εὐρὺ γέρον, πεπαλαγμένον ἄζῃ, §22.185Λαέρτεω ἥρωος, ὃ κουρίζων φορέεσκε· §22.186δὴ τότε γʼ ἤδη κεῖτο, ῥαφαὶ δὲ λέλυντο ἱμάντων· §22.187τὼ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπαΐξανθʼ ἑλέτην ἔρυσάν τέ μιν εἴσω §22.188κουρίξ, ἐν δαπέδῳ δὲ χαμαὶ βάλον ἀχνύμενον κῆρ, §22.189σὺν δὲ πόδας χεῖράς τε δέον θυμαλγέϊ δεσμῷ §22.190εὖ μάλʼ ἀποστρέψαντε διαμπερές, ὡς ἐκέλευσεν §22.191υἱὸς Λαέρταο, πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς· §22.192σειρὴν δὲ πλεκτὴν ἐξ αὐτοῦ πειρήναντε §22.193κίονʼ ἀνʼ ὑψηλὴν ἔρυσαν πέλασάν τε δοκοῖσι.
When Melanthius, the goatherd, was stepping over the threshold, bearing in one hand a beautiful helmet, and in the other a broad old shield, splattered with dirt, of the hero Laertes, which he was wont to bear in his youth; but then indeed it had long lain there, and the seams of its straps were loosened; then the two rushed upon him and seized him, and dragged him inside by his hair, and cast him down on the floor, grieving in his heart, and bound his feet and hands together with a painful bond, twisting them back thoroughly, even as he commanded, the son of Laertes, much-enduring noble Odysseus; and having bound a plaited rope around him, they dragged him up the high pillar and brought him near the beams.
§22.194τὸν δʼ ἐπικερτομέων προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα· §22.195νῦν μὲν δὴ μάλα πάγχυ, Μελάνθιε, νύκτα φυλάξεις, §22.196εὐνῇ ἔνι μαλακῇ καταλέγμενος, ὥς σε ἔοικεν· §22.197οὐδέ σέ γʼ ἠριγένεια παρʼ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥοάων §22.198λήσει ἐπερχομένη χρυσόθρονος, ἡνίκʼ ἀγινεῖς §22.199αἶγας μνηστήρεσσι δόμον κάτα δαῖτα πένεσθαι. §22.200ὣς ὁ μὲν αὖθι λέλειπτο, ταθεὶς ὀλοῷ ἐνὶ δεσμῷ·
Then didst thou mock him and address him, swineherd Eumaeus: "Now indeed, Melanthius, shalt thou watch through the whole night, lying on a soft bed, as is fitting for thee; nor shall the early-born, golden-throned Dawn from the streams of Oceanus escape thee as she comes up, when thou bringest the goats for the suitors to prepare the feast in the house." Thus he was left there, stretched in the deadly bond.
§22.201τὼ δʼ ἐς τεύχεα δύντε, θύρην ἐπιθέντε φαεινήν, §22.202βήτην εἰς Ὀδυσῆα δαΐφρονα, ποικιλομήτην.
But the two put on their armor, and closed the bright door, and went to wise and crafty Odysseus.
§22.203ἔνθα μένος πνείοντες ἐφέστασαν, οἱ μὲν ἐπʼ οὐδοῦ §22.204τέσσαρες, οἱ δʼ ἔντοσθε δόμων πολέες τε καὶ ἐσθλοί.
There they stood, breathing fury, those on the threshold four, and those within the house many and brave.
§22.205τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ ἀγχίμολον θυγάτηρ Διὸς ἦλθεν Ἀθήνη, §22.206Μέντορι εἰδομένη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ αὐδήν.
And near to them came Athena, daughter of Zeus, likened to Mentor both in form and in voice.
§22.207τὴν δʼ Ὀδυσεὺς γήθησεν ἰδὼν καὶ μῦθον ἔειπε· §22.208Μέντορ, ἄμυνον ἀρήν, μνῆσαι δʼ ἑτάροιο φίλοιο, §22.209ὅς σʼ ἀγαθὰ ῥέζεσκον· ὁμηλικίην δέ μοί ἐσσι. §22.210ὣς φάτʼ, ὀϊόμενος λαοσσόον ἔμμεν Ἀθήνην.
And Odysseus rejoiced when he saw her, and spoke: "Mentor, ward off ruin, and remember thy dear companion, who was wont to do thee good; and thou art of like age with me." So he spoke, though he deemed that she was Athena, driver of hosts.
§22.211μνηστῆρες δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ὁμόκλεον ἐν μεγάροισι·
But the suitors on the other side shouted aloud in the hall;