§8.149ἀλλʼ ἄγε πείρησαι, σκέδασον δʼ ἀπὸ κήδεα θυμοῦ.
"But come, make trial, and disperse the cares from your heart.
§8.150σοὶ δʼ ὁδὸς οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀπέσσεται, ἀλλά τοι ἤδη §8.151νηῦς τε κατείρυσται καὶ ἐπαρτέες εἰσὶν ἑταῖροι. §8.152τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·
For your journey shall no longer be long delayed, but already for you the ship has been drawn down and the companions are ready." And resourceful Odysseus answered him and said: "Laodamas, why do you command me these things, mocking me?
§8.153Λαοδάμα, τί με ταῦτα κελεύετε κερτομέοντες; §8.154κήδεά μοι καὶ μᾶλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἤ περ ἄεθλοι, §8.155ὃς πρὶν μὲν μάλα πολλὰ πάθον καὶ πολλὰ μόγησα, §8.156νῦν δὲ μεθʼ ὑμετέρῃ ἀγορῇ νόστοιο χατίζων §8.157ἧμαι, λισσόμενος βασιλῆά τε πάντα τε δῆμον. §8.158τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύαλος ἀπαμείβετο νείκεσέ τʼ ἄντην· §8.159οὐ γάρ σʼ οὐδέ, ξεῖνε, δαήμονι φωτὶ ἐίσκω §8.160ἄθλων, οἷά τε πολλὰ μετʼ ἀνθρώποισι πέλονται, §8.161ἀλλὰ τῷ, ὅς θʼ ἅμα νηὶ πολυκλήιδι θαμίζων, §8.162ἀρχὸς ναυτάων οἵ τε πρηκτῆρες ἔασιν, §8.163φόρτου τε μνήμων καὶ ἐπίσκοπος ᾖσιν ὁδαίων §8.164κερδέων θʼ ἁρπαλέων· οὐδʼ ἀθλητῆρι ἔοικας. §8.165τὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §8.166ξεῖνʼ, οὐ καλὸν ἔειπες· ἀτασθάλῳ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικας.
Cares are in my mind even more than contests, I who in time past have suffered very much and toiled much, and now I sit in your assembly, longing for my return, entreating the king and all the people." And Euryalus in turn answered him and reviled him to his face: "For indeed, stranger, I do not liken you to a man skilled in contests, such as are many among men, but to one who, continually going in a many-benched ship, is a leader of sailors who are merchant-traders, mindful of his cargo and watchful of his freight and greedy gains; you do not look like an athlete." Then with an angry glance, resourceful Odysseus addressed him: "Stranger, you have not spoken well; you look like a reckless man.
§8.167οὕτως οὐ πάντεσσι θεοὶ χαρίεντα διδοῦσιν §8.168ἀνδράσιν, οὔτε φυὴν οὔτʼ ἂρ φρένας οὔτʼ ἀγορητύν.
Thus the gods do not give graceful gifts to all men, neither noble stature, nor mind, nor eloquence.
§8.169ἄλλος μὲν γάρ τʼ εἶδος ἀκιδνότερος πέλει ἀνήρ, §8.170ἀλλὰ θεὸς μορφὴν ἔπεσι στέφει, οἱ δέ τʼ ἐς αὐτὸν §8.171τερπόμενοι λεύσσουσιν· ὁ δʼ ἀσφαλέως ἀγορεύει §8.172αἰδοῖ μειλιχίῃ, μετὰ δὲ πρέπει ἀγρομένοισιν, §8.173ἐρχόμενον δʼ ἀνὰ ἄστυ θεὸν ὣς εἰσορόωσιν.
For one man is weaker in appearance, but god crowns his form with words, and people look upon him with delight; and he speaks without stumbling, with gentle modesty, and is conspicuous among those gathered, and as he walks through the city, they look upon him as a god.
§8.174ἄλλος δʼ αὖ εἶδος μὲν ἀλίγκιος ἀθανάτοισιν, §8.175ἀλλʼ οὔ οἱ χάρις ἀμφιπεριστέφεται ἐπέεσσιν, §8.176ὡς καὶ σοὶ εἶδος μὲν ἀριπρεπές, οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως §8.177οὐδὲ θεὸς τεύξειε, νόον δʼ ἀποφώλιός ἐσσι.
Another, again, is like the immortals in form, but no grace crowns his words, even as for you, your form is pre-eminent, nor in any other way could even a god fashion it, but in mind you are empty.
You have stirred the anger in my breast speaking out of order.
ἐγὼ δʼ οὐ νῆις ἀέθλων, §8.180ὡς σύ γε μυθεῖαι, ἀλλʼ ἐν πρώτοισιν ὀίω §8.181ἔμμεναι, ὄφρʼ ἥβῃ τε πεποίθεα χερσί τʼ ἐμῇσι.
Indeed, I am not ignorant of contests, as you say, but I think I was among the first, as long as I trusted in my youth and in my hands.
§8.182νῦν δʼ ἔχομαι κακότητι καὶ ἄλγεσι· πολλὰ γὰρ ἔτλην §8.183ἀνδρῶν τε πτολέμους ἀλεγεινά τε κύματα πείρων.
But now I am bound by misery and grief; for much have I suffered, cleaving through wars of men and painful waves.
§8.184ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥς, κακὰ πολλὰ παθών, πειρήσομʼ ἀέθλων· §8.185θυμοδακὴς γὰρ μῦθος, ἐπώτρυνας δέ με εἰπών. §8.186ἦ ῥα καὶ αὐτῷ φάρει ἀναΐξας λάβε δίσκον §8.187μείζονα καὶ πάχετον, στιβαρώτερον οὐκ ὀλίγον περ §8.188ἢ οἵῳ Φαίηκες ἐδίσκεον ἀλλήλοισι.
But even so, though I have suffered many evils, I will make trial of the contests; for your word has bitten my heart, and you have spurred me by speaking." He spoke, and leaping up with his cloak still on, he seized a discus, larger and thicker, and not a little heavier than those with which the Phaeacians threw at one another.
§8.189τόν ῥα περιστρέψας ἧκε στιβαρῆς ἀπὸ χειρός, §8.190βόμβησεν δὲ λίθος· κατὰ δʼ ἔπτηξαν ποτὶ γαίῃ §8.191Φαίηκες δολιχήρετμοι, ναυσίκλυτοι ἄνδρες, §8.192λᾶος ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς· ὁ δʼ ὑπέρπτατο σήματα πάντων §8.193ῥίμφα θέων ἀπὸ χειρός.
This he whirled and sent from his stout hand, and the stone hummed; and they cowered down to the earth, the Phaeacians of the long oars, men famous for their ships, before the rush of the stone; and it flew over the marks of all, speeding lightly from his hand.
ἔθηκε δὲ τέρματʼ Ἀθήνη §8.194ἀνδρὶ δέμας ἐικυῖα, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζεν· §8.195καί κʼ ἀλαός τοι, ξεῖνε, διακρίνειε τὸ σῆμα §8.196ἀμφαφόων, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι μεμιγμένον ἐστὶν ὁμίλῳ, §8.197ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρῶτον.
And Athena marked the limit, likening herself to a man, and she spoke a word and addressed him: "Even a blind man, stranger, could distinguish your mark by feeling it, since it is not at all mixed with the crowd, but is far the first.
σὺ δὲ θάρσει τόνδε γʼ ἄεθλον· §8.198οὔ τις Φαιήκων τόδε γʼ ἵξεται, οὐδʼ ὑπερήσει. §8.199ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, §8.200χαὶρων, οὕνεχʼ ἑταῖρον ἐνηέα λεῦσσʼ ἐν ἀγῶνι.
Have courage as to this contest, at least; no one of the Phaeacians will reach this, nor throw beyond it." So she spoke, and much-enduring noble Odysseus was glad, rejoicing because he saw a kindly companion in the arena.
And then with a lighter heart he spoke among the Phaeacians: "Reach this now, young men!
τάχα δʼ ὕστερον ἄλλον §8.203ἥσειν ἢ τοσσοῦτον ὀίομαι ἢ ἔτι μᾶσσον.
And soon after, I think, I shall send another either as far, I think, or even further.
§8.204τῶν δʼ ἄλλων ὅτινα κραδίη θυμός τε κελεύει, §8.205δεῦρʼ ἄγε πειρηθήτω, ἐπεί μʼ ἐχολώσατε λίην, §8.206ἢ πὺξ ἠὲ πάλῃ ἢ καὶ ποσίν, οὔ τι μεγαίρω, §8.207πάντων Φαιήκων, πλήν γʼ αὐτοῦ Λαοδάμαντος.
And of the others, whomsoever his heart and spirit bid, let him come hither and make trial, since you have angered me exceedingly, whether in boxing or wrestling or even running, I do not begrudge it at all, of all the Phaeacians, except indeed Laodamas himself.
§8.208ξεῖνος γάρ μοι ὅδʼ ἐστί· τίς ἂν φιλέοντι μάχοιτο;
For he is my host; who would fight with one who treats him kindly?
§8.209ἄφρων δὴ κεῖνός γε καὶ οὐτιδανὸς πέλει ἀνήρ, §8.210ὅς τις ξεινοδόκῳ ἔριδα προφέρηται ἀέθλων §8.211δήμῳ ἐν ἀλλοδαπῷ· ἕο δʼ αὐτοῦ πάντα κολούει.
Foolish indeed is that man, and worth nothing, whoever proposes a contest in games to his host in a foreign land; he cuts down all his own concerns.
§8.212τῶν δʼ ἄλλων οὔ πέρ τινʼ ἀναίνομαι οὐδʼ ἀθερίζω, §8.213ἀλλʼ ἐθέλω ἴδμεν καὶ πειρηθήμεναι ἄντην.
But of the rest, I refuse none and make light of none, but I wish to know them and to make trial of them face to face.
§8.214πάντα γὰρ οὐ κακός εἰμι, μετʼ ἀνδράσιν ὅσσοι ἄεθλοι·
For in all things I am not bad, in all contests that are among men.
§8.215εὖ μὲν τόξον οἶδα ἐύξοον ἀμφαφάασθαι· §8.216πρῶτός κʼ ἄνδρα βάλοιμι ὀιστεύσας ἐν ὁμίλῳ §8.217ἀνδρῶν δυσμενέων, εἰ καὶ μάλα πολλοὶ ἑταῖροι §8.218ἄγχι παρασταῖεν καὶ τοξαζοίατο φωτῶν.
Well do I know how to handle the well-polished bow; I would be the first to strike a man, sending an arrow into the crowd of hostile men, even if many companions stood near and were shooting at the men.