§23.75τὴν ἀπονίζουσα φρασάμην, ἔθελον δὲ σοὶ αὐτῇ §23.76εἰπέμεν· ἀλλά με κεῖνος ἑλὼν ἐπὶ μάστακα χερσὶν §23.77οὐκ ἔα εἰπέμεναι πολυϊδρείῃσι νόοιο.
"I perceived it while washing his feet, and I wished to tell thee thyself; but he laid his hand upon my mouth and did not suffer me to speak, in the deep wisdom of his heart.
§23.78ἀλλʼ ἕπευ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐμέθεν περιδώσομαι αὐτῆς, §23.79αἴ κέν σʼ ἐξαπάφω, κτεῖναί μʼ οἰκτίστῳ ὀλέθρῳ. §23.80τὴν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια· §23.81μαῖα φίλη, χαλεπόν σε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων §23.82δήνεα εἴρυσθαι, μὰλα περ πολύϊδριν ἐοῦσαν.
But follow me; and I will stake my very life, if I deceive thee, that thou mayest slay me by the most pitiful death." Then wise Penelope answered her: "Dear nurse, it is hard for thee to understand the counsels of the everlasting gods, though thou art very wise.
§23.83ἀλλʼ ἔμπης ἴομεν μετὰ παῖδʼ ἐμόν, ὄφρα ἴδωμαι §23.84ἄνδρας μνηστῆρας τεθνηότας, ἠδʼ ὃς ἔπεφνεν. §23.85ὣς φαμένη κατέβαινʼ ὑπερώϊα· πολλὰ δέ οἱ κῆρ §23.86ὥρμαινʼ, ἢ ἀπάνευθε φίλον πόσιν ἐξερεείνοι, §23.87ἦ παρστᾶσα κύσειε κάρη καὶ χεῖρε λαβοῦσα.
Yet let us go to my son, that I may see the suitors dead, and him who slew them." So saying she went down from the upper chamber; and much her heart debated, whether she should question her dear husband from aloof, or stand by his side and kiss his face, taking his hands.
§23.88ἡ δʼ ἐπεὶ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν, §23.89ἕζετʼ ἔπειτʼ Ὀδυσῆος ἐναντίη, ἐν πυρὸς αὐγῇ, §23.90τοίχου τοῦ ἑτέρου· ὁ δʼ ἄρα πρὸς κίονα μακρὴν §23.91ἧστο κάτω ὁρόων, ποτιδέγμενος εἴ τί μιν εἴποι §23.92ἰφθίμη παράκοιτις, ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν.
And when she had entered and passed over the stone threshold, she sat down opposite Odysseus, in the light of the fire, by the further wall; but he sat against a tall pillar, looking down, waiting if his noble wife would say anything to him, when she saw him with her eyes.
§23.93ἡ δʼ ἄνεω δὴν ἧστο, τάφος δέ οἱ ἦτορ ἵκανεν· §23.94ὄψει δʼ ἄλλοτε μέν μιν ἐνωπαδίως ἐσίδεσκεν, §23.95ἄλλοτε δʼ ἀγνώσασκε κακὰ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντα.
But she sat long in silence, and amazement came upon her heart; and at one time she would look upon his face directly, and at another time she would fail to know him, because he had wretched clothing on his body.
§23.96Τηλέμαχος δʼ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε· §23.97μῆτερ ἐμή, δύσμητερ, ἀπηνέα θυμὸν ἔχουσα, §23.98τίφθʼ οὕτω πατρὸς νοσφίζεαι, οὐδὲ παρʼ αὐτὸν §23.99ἑζομένη μύθοισιν ἀνείρεαι οὐδὲ μεταλλᾷς;
And Telemachus chid her, and spoke a word, and addressed her: "My mother, ill mother, that hast a hard heart, why dost thou hold thyself thus aloof from my father, and dost not sit by him and ask him with words, and question him?
§23.100οὐ μέν κʼ ἄλλη γʼ ὧδε γυνὴ τετληότι θυμῷ §23.101ἀνδρὸς ἀφεσταίη, ὅς οἱ κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας §23.102ἔλθοι ἐεικοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν· §23.103σοὶ δʼ αἰεὶ κραδίη στερεωτέρη ἐστὶ λίθοιο. §23.104τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια· §23.105τέκνον ἐμόν, θυμός μοι ἐνὶ στήθεσσι τέθηπεν, §23.106οὐδέ τι προσφάσθαι δύναμαι ἔπος οὐδʼ ἐρέεσθαι §23.107οὐδʼ εἰς ὦπα ἰδέσθαι ἐναντίον.
No other woman would hold aloof with so stubborn a heart from her husband, who after suffering many evils had come back in the twentieth year to his native land; but thy heart is ever harder than stone." Then wise Penelope answered him: "My child, my heart within my breast is amazed, and I cannot speak a word to him, nor ask him, nor look him in the face.
εἰ δʼ ἐτεὸν δὴ §23.108ἔστʼ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ οἶκον ἱκάνεται, ἦ μάλα νῶϊ §23.109γνωσόμεθʼ ἀλλήλων καὶ λώϊον· ἔστι γὰρ ἡμῖν §23.110σήμαθʼ, ἃ δὴ καὶ νῶϊ κεκρυμμένα ἴδμεν ἀπʼ ἄλλων. §23.111ὣς φάτο, μείδησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, §23.112αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §23.113Τηλέμαχʼ, ἦ τοι μητέρʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔασον §23.114πειράζειν ἐμέθεν·
But if in truth he is Odysseus, and has returned home, indeed we two shall know each other even better; for we have signs which we two know, hidden from others." So she spoke, and the much-enduring noble Odysseus smiled, and straightway spoke to Telemachus winged words: "Telemachus, suffer thy mother in the halls to test me; and soon she will know me better.
τάχα δὲ φράσεται καὶ ἄρειον. §23.115νῦν δʼ ὅττι ῥυπόω, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷμαι, §23.116τοὔνεκʼ ἀτιμάζει με καὶ οὔ πω φησὶ τὸν εἶναι.
But now because I am filthy and have wretched clothing on my body, therefore she dishonours me, and says not yet that I am he.
§23.117ἡμεῖς δὲ φραζώμεθʼ ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένηται.
But let us take counsel how all may be for the very best.
§23.118καὶ γάρ τίς θʼ ἕνα φῶτα κατακτείνας ἐνὶ δήμῳ, §23.119ᾧ μὴ πολλοὶ ἔωσιν ἀοσσητῆρες ὀπίσσω, §23.120φεύγει πηούς τε προλιπὼν καὶ πατρίδα γαῖαν· §23.121ἡμεῖς δʼ ἕρμα πόληος ἀπέκταμεν, οἳ μέγʼ ἄριστοι §23.122κούρων εἰν Ἰθάκῃ· τὰ δέ σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα. §23.123τὸν δʼ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §23.124αὐτὸς ταῦτά γε λεῦσσε, πάτερ φίλε· σὴν γὰρ ἀρίστην §23.125μῆτιν ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους φάσʼ ἔμμεναι, οὐδέ κέ τίς τοι §23.126ἄλλος ἀνὴρ ἐρίσειε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.
For if one has slain but one man in a community, even one who has not many helpers to follow after him, he flees, leaving his kinsmen and his native land; but we have slain the pillar of the city, they who were by far the best of the youths in Ithaca; this I bid thee consider." Then wise Telemachus answered him: "Do thou thyself look to this, dear father; for thy wisdom is said to be the best among men, nor could any other of mortal men contend with thee.
§23.127ἡμεῖς δʼ ἐμμεμαῶτες ἅμʼ ἑψόμεθʼ, οὐδέ τί φημι §23.128ἀλκῆς δευήσεσθαι, ὅση δύναμίς γε πάρεστιν. §23.129τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς §23.130τοιγὰρ ἐγὼν ἐρέω ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα.
And we will follow thee eagerly, nor do I think we shall lack courage, so far as our power goes." Then resourceful Odysseus answered him: "Therefore will I tell thee what seems to me to be best.
§23.131πρῶτα μὲν ἂρ λούσασθε καὶ ἀμφιέσασθε χιτῶνας, §23.132δμῳὰς δʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἀνώγετε εἵμαθʼ ἑλέσθαι· §23.133αὐτὰρ θεῖος ἀοιδὸς ἔχων φόρμιγγα λίγειαν §23.134ἡμῖν ἡγείσθω φιλοπαίγμονος ὀρχηθμοῖο, §23.135ὥς κέν τις φαίη γάμον ἔμμεναι ἐκτὸς ἀκούων, §23.136ἢ ἀνʼ ὁδὸν στείχων, ἢ οἳ περιναιετάουσι· §23.137μὴ πρόσθε κλέος εὐρὺ φόνου κατὰ ἄστυ γένηται §23.138ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων, πρίν γʼ ἡμέας ἐλθέμεν ἔξω §23.139ἀγρὸν ἐς ἡμέτερον πολυδένδρεον· ἔνθα δʼ ἔπειτα §23.140φρασσόμεθʼ ὅττι κε κέρδος Ὀλύμπιος ἐγγυαλίξῃ. §23.141ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο
First bathe yourselves, and put on your tunics, and bid the handmaids in the halls to choose their raiment; and let the divine minstrel with his clear-toned lyre lead us in the mirthful dance, that anyone who hears from without may say it is a wedding, whether he be one passing along the way or of those who dwell around; lest the wide rumour of the slaying of the suitors go through the city before we go forth to our wooded farm; there indeed thereafter to our wooded farm; there indeed thereafter we shall consider what device the Olympian may grant us." So he spoke, and they readily hearkened to him and obeyed.
§23.142πρῶτα μὲν οὖν λούσαντο καὶ ἀμφιέσαντο χιτῶνας, §23.143ὅπλισθεν δὲ γυναῖκες· ὁ δʼ εἵλετο θεῖος ἀοιδὸς §23.144φόρμιγγα γλαφυρήν, ἐν δέ σφισιν ἵμερον ὦρσε §23.145μολπῆς τε γλυκερῆς καὶ ἀμύμονος ὀρχηθμοῖο.
First then they bathed and put on their tunics, and the women arrayed themselves; and the divine minstrel took the hollow lyre, and aroused in them the desire for sweet song and the flawless dance.
And the great house resounded around with the feet of men dancing and of fair-girdled women.