§24.347ἀμφὶ δὲ παιδὶ φίλῳ βάλε πήχεε· τὸν δὲ ποτὶ οἷ §24.348εἷλεν ἀποψύχοντα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.
He threw his arms around his dear son; and him to himself drew, as he fainted, steadfast noble Odysseus.
§24.349αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἄμπνυτο καὶ ἐς φρένα θυμὸς ἀγέρθη, §24.350ἐξαῦτις μύθοισιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε· §24.351Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἦ ῥα ἔτʼ ἔστε θεοὶ κατὰ μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον, §24.352εἰ ἐτεὸν μνηστῆρες ἀτάσθαλον ὕβριν ἔτισαν.
But when he caught his breath and his spirit was gathered back into his mind, he spoke again, answering with words: "Father Zeus, surely indeed you gods still exist on high Olympus, if truly the suitors have paid for their reckless insolence.
§24.353νῦν δʼ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα μὴ τάχα πάντες §24.354ἐνθάδʼ ἐπέλθωσιν Ἰθακήσιοι, ἀγγελίας δὲ §24.355πάντη ἐποτρύνωσι Κεφαλλήνων πολίεσσι. §24.356τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §24.357θάρσει, μή τοι ταῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶ σῇσι μελόντων.
But now I fear terribly in my heart lest all the Ithacans come here at once, and send messages everywhere to the cities of the Cephallenians." Then in answer to him spoke resourceful Odysseus: "Take heart, do not let these things be a care in your mind.
§24.358ἀλλʼ ἴομεν προτὶ οἶκον, ὃς ὀρχάτου ἐγγύθι κεῖται· §24.359ἔνθα δὲ Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην §24.360προὔπεμψʼ, ὡς ἂν δεῖπνον ἐφοπλίσσωσι τάχιστα. §24.361ὣς ἄρα φωνήσαντε βάτην πρὸς δώματα καλά.
But let us go to the house which lies near the orchard; there I sent forward Telemachus, the herdsman, and the swineherd, so that they might prepare dinner as quickly as possible." So speaking, the two went to the beautiful house.
§24.362οἱ δʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας, §24.363εὗρον Τηλέμαχον καὶ βουκόλον ἠδὲ συβώτην §24.364ταμνομένους κρέα πολλὰ κερῶντάς τʼ αἴθοπα οἶνον.
And when they came to the well-built house, they found Telemachus, the herdsman, and the swineherd carving much meat and mixing the sparkling wine.
§24.365τόφρα δὲ Λαέρτην μεγαλήτορα ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ §24.366ἀμφίπολος Σικελὴ λοῦσεν καὶ χρῖσεν ἐλαίῳ, §24.367ἀμφὶ δʼ ἄρα χλαῖναν καλὴν βάλεν· αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνη §24.368ἄγχι παρισταμένη μέλεʼ ἤλδανε ποιμένι λαῶν, §24.369μείζονα δʼ ἠὲ πάρος καὶ πάσσονα θῆκεν ἰδέσθαι.
Meanwhile, in his house, the Sicilian handmaid bathed great-hearted Laertes and anointed him with oil, and threw a beautiful cloak about him; and Athena, standing near, enlarged the limbs of the shepherd of the people, and made him taller and stouter to look upon than before.
§24.370ἐκ δʼ ἀσαμίνθου βῆ· θαύμαζε δέ μιν φίλος υἱός, §24.371ὡς ἴδεν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιον ἄντην· §24.372καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §24.373ὦ πάτερ, ἦ μάλα τίς σε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων §24.374εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε ἀμείνονα θῆκεν ἰδέσθαι. §24.375τὸν δʼ αὖ Λαέρτης πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα· §24.376αἲ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ Ἄπολλον, §24.377οἷος Νήρικον εἷλον, ἐϋκτίμενον πτολίεθρον, §24.378ἀκτὴν ἠπείροιο, Κεφαλλήνεσσιν ἀνάσσων, §24.379τοῖος ἐών τοι χθιζὸς ἐν ἡμετέροισι δόμοισιν, §24.380τεύχεʼ ἔχων ὤμοισιν, ἐφεστάμεναι καὶ ἀμύνειν §24.381ἄνδρας μνηστῆρας·
And he stepped out of the bath; and his dear son marveled at him, when he saw him face-to-face, like the immortal gods; and he spoke and addressed him with winged words: "Father, surely indeed some one of the everlasting gods has made you better to look upon in form and stature." Wise Laertes spoke back to him in turn: "Would that, Father Zeus and Athena and Apollo, being such as when I took Nericus, the well-built citadel, the headland of the mainland, when I ruled over the Cephallenians— being such a man, I say, I had stood by you yesterday in our house with armor on my shoulders, and had stood by you to ward off the suitors!
τῷ κε σφέων γούνατʼ ἔλυσα §24.382πολλῶν ἐν μεγάροισι, σὺ δὲ φρένας ἔνδον ἐγήθεις. §24.383ὣς οἷ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον.
Then I would have loosened the knees of many of them in the halls, and your heart within would have rejoiced." So they spoke such things to one another.
§24.384οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν παύσαντο πόνου τετύκοντό τε δαῖτα, §24.385ἑξείης ἕζοντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε· §24.386ἔνθʼ οἱ μὲν δείπνῳ ἐπεχείρεον, ἀγχίμολον δὲ §24.387ἦλθʼ ὁ γέρων Δολίος, σὺν δʼ υἱεῖς τοῖο γέροντος, §24.388ἐξ ἔργων μογέοντες, ἐπεὶ προμολοῦσα κάλεσσεν §24.389μήτηρ γρηῦς Σικελή, ἥ σφεας τρέφε καί ῥα γέροντα §24.390ἐνδυκέως κομέεσκεν, ἐπεὶ κατὰ γῆρας ἔμαρψεν.
And when they had ceased from their labor and prepared the feast, they sat down in order on couches and chairs; then they were setting their hands to the meal, when near came the old man Dolius, and with him the sons of that old man, weary from their labors, since their mother, the old Sicilian woman, had gone forth and called them—she who nurtured them and carefully tended the old man, since old age had seized him.
§24.391οἱ δʼ ὡς οὖν Ὀδυσῆα ἴδον φράσσαντό τε θυμῷ, §24.392ἔσταν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι τεθηπότες· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §24.393μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι καθαπτόμενος προσέειπεν· §24.394ὦ γέρον, ἵζʼ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον, ἀπεκλελάθεσθε δὲ θάμβευς· §24.395δηρὸν γὰρ σίτῳ ἐπιχειρήσειν μεμαῶτες §24.396μίμνομεν ἐν μεγάροις, ὑμέας ποτιδέγμενοι αἰεί. §24.397ὣς ἄρ ἔφη, Δολίος δʼ ἰθὺς κίε χεῖρε πετάσσας §24.398ἀμφοτέρας, Ὀδυσεῦς δὲ λαβὼν κύσε χεῖρʼ ἐπὶ καρπῷ, §24.399καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §24.400ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ νόστησας ἐελδομένοισι μάλʼ ἡμῖν §24.401οὐδʼ ἔτʼ ὀϊομένοισι, θεοὶ δέ σʼ ἀνήγαγον αὐτοί, §24.402οὖλέ τε καὶ μάλα χαῖρε, θεοὶ δέ τοι ὄλβια δοῖεν.
And when they saw Odysseus and recognized him in their hearts, they stood in the halls astounded; but Odysseus addressed them with soothing words and said: "Old man, sit down to dinner, and forget your amazement; for we have been waiting long in the halls, eager to lay hands on the food, always expecting you." So he spoke, and Dolius went straight to him, stretching out both hands, and took Odysseus' hand and kissed it on the wrist, and he spoke and addressed him with winged words: "Dear friend, since you have returned to us who longed for you and no longer expected you, and the gods themselves have brought you back, hail and welcome indeed, and may the gods grant you blessings!
§24.403καί μοι τοῦτʼ ἀγόρευσον ἐτήτυμον, ὄφρʼ ἐῢ εἰδῶ, §24.404ἢ ἤδη σάφα οἶδε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια §24.405νοστήσαντά σε δεῦρʼ, ἦ ἄγγελον ὀτρύνωμεν. §24.406τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς §24.407ὦ γέρον, ἤδη οἶδε· τί σε χρὴ ταῦτα πένεσθαι; §24.408ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δʼ αὖτις ἄρʼ ἕζετʼ ἐϋξέστου ἐπὶ δίφρου.
And tell me this truly, so that I may know well, whether wise Penelope already knows clearly of your return here, or whether we should send a messenger." Then in answer to him spoke resourceful Odysseus: "Old man, she already knows; why should you trouble yourself about this?" So he spoke, and Dolius sat down again on his well-carved chair.
§24.409ὣς δʼ αὔτως παῖδες Δολίου κλυτὸν ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα §24.410δεικανόωντʼ ἐπέεσσι καὶ ἐν χείρεσσι φύοντο, §24.411ἑξείης δʼ ἕζοντο παραὶ Δολίον, πατέρα σφόν.
And in like manner the sons of Dolius gathered around glorious Odysseus, welcoming him with words and clasping his hands, and sat down in order beside Dolius, their father.
§24.412ὣς οἱ μὲν περὶ δεῖπνον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πένοντο·
So they were busied with their meal in the halls.