"He is gone to Lemnos, to the Sintians of savage speech." So he spoke, and to her it seemed right welcome to lie with him.
§8.296τὼ δʼ ἐς δέμνια βάντε κατέδραθον· ἀμφὶ δὲ δεσμοὶ §8.297τεχνήεντες ἔχυντο πολύφρονος Ἡφαίστοιο, §8.298οὐδέ τι κινῆσαι μελέων ἦν οὐδʼ ἀναεῖραι.
And the two went to bed and fell asleep, and round them the bonds of cunning Hephaestus were poured, and they could in no way move or raise their limbs.
§8.299καὶ τότε δὴ γίγνωσκον, ὅ τʼ οὐκέτι φυκτὰ πέλοντο.
Then indeed they knew that there was no longer any escaping.
§8.300ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις, §8.301αὖτις ὑποστρέψας πρὶν Λήμνου γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι· §8.302Ἠέλιος γάρ οἱ σκοπιὴν ἔχεν εἶπέ τε μῦθον.
And near at hand came to them the famous lame god, having turned back again before he reached the land of Lemnos; for Helios kept watch for him and brought him word.
§8.303βῆ δʼ ἴμεναι πρὸς δῶμα φίλον τετιημένος ἦτορ· §8.304ἔστη δʼ ἐν προθύροισι, χόλος δέ μιν ἄγριος ᾕρει· §8.305σμερδαλέον δʼ ἐβόησε, γέγωνέ τε πᾶσι θεοῖσιν· §8.306Ζεῦ πάτερ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι μάκαρες θεοὶ αἰὲν ἐόντες, §8.307δεῦθʼ, ἵνα ἔργα γελαστὰ καὶ οὐκ ἐπιεικτὰ ἴδησθε, §8.308ὡς ἐμὲ χωλὸν ἐόντα Διὸς θυγάτηρ Ἀφροδίτη §8.309αἰὲν ἀτιμάζει, φιλέει δʼ ἀίδηλον Ἄρηα, §8.310οὕνεχʼ ὁ μὲν καλός τε καὶ ἀρτίπος, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε §8.311ἠπεδανὸς γενόμην.
And he went on his way to his house, grieved in his heart; and he stood in the doorway, and fierce anger seized him; and he cried out terribly, and called aloud to all the gods: "Father Zeus, and you other blessed gods who exist forever, come hither, that you may see deeds laughable and intolerable, how me, who am lame, Zeus' daughter Aphrodite ever dishonors, and loves destructive Ares, because he is fair and straight of limb, whereas I was born weak.
ἀτὰρ οὔ τί μοι αἴτιος ἄλλος, §8.312ἀλλὰ τοκῆε δύω, τὼ μὴ γείνασθαι ὄφελλον.
But no other is to be blamed for me, save my two parents, who I would had never begotten me!
§8.313ἀλλʼ ὄψεσθʼ, ἵνα τώ γε καθεύδετον ἐν φιλότητι §8.314εἰς ἐμὰ δέμνια βάντες, ἐγὼ δʼ ὁρόων ἀκάχημαι.
But come, look where these two lie sleeping in love, having gone into my bed, while I am grieved at the sight.
§8.315οὐ μέν σφεας ἔτʼ ἔολπα μίνυνθά γε κειέμεν οὕτως §8.316καὶ μάλα περ φιλέοντε· τάχʼ οὐκ ἐθελήσετον ἄμφω §8.317εὕδειν· ἀλλά σφωε δόλος καὶ δεσμὸς ἐρύξει, §8.318εἰς ὅ κέ μοι μάλα πάντα πατὴρ ἀποδῷσιν ἔεδνα, §8.319ὅσσα οἱ ἐγγυάλιξα κυνώπιδος εἵνεκα κούρης, §8.320οὕνεκά οἱ καλὴ θυγάτηρ, ἀτὰρ οὐκ ἐχέθυμος. §8.321ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἀγέροντο θεοὶ ποτὶ χαλκοβατὲς δῶ·
I do not think they will care to lie thus any longer, even for a little, though they love each other ever so much; soon they will have no mind, both of them, to sleep; but my snare and bonds shall hold them fast, until their father pays me back all the bridal gifts which I put into his hands for the sake of the shameless girl, because his daughter is beautiful, but not self-controlled." So he spoke, and the gods gathered to the house with brazen floor.
Poseidon, the girdler of the earth, came, and helper Hermes came, and the king, far-darting Apollo.
§8.324θηλύτεραι δὲ θεαὶ μένον αἰδοῖ οἴκοι ἑκάστη.
But the female goddesses remained at home, each for shame.
§8.325ἔσταν δʼ ἐν προθύροισι θεοί, δωτῆρες ἑάων· §8.326ἄσβεστος δʼ ἄρʼ ἐνῶρτο γέλως μακάρεσσι θεοῖσι §8.327τέχνας εἰσορόωσι πολύφρονος Ἡφαίστοιο.
And the gods, the givers of good things, stood in the doorway; and unquenchable laughter arose among the blessed gods as they looked upon the craft of wise Hephaestus.
§8.328ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον· §8.329οὐκ ἀρετᾷ κακὰ ἔργα· κιχάνει τοι βραδὺς ὠκύν,
And thus would one speak, looking at his neighbor: "Ill deeds thrive not; lo, the slow catches the swift!
§8.330ὡς καὶ νῦν Ἥφαιστος ἐὼν βραδὺς εἷλεν Ἄρηα §8.331ὠκύτατόν περ ἐόντα θεῶν οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν, §8.332χωλὸς ἐὼν τέχνῃσι·
As now Hephaestus, slow though he be, has caught Ares, though he is the fleetest of the gods who hold Olympus, catching him by his craft, though he is lame.
τὸ καὶ μοιχάγριʼ ὀφέλλει. §8.333ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·
Therefore Ares owes the fine of the adulterer." Thus they spoke to one another.
§8.334Ἑρμῆν δὲ προσέειπεν ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων· §8.335Ἑρμεία, Διὸς υἱέ, διάκτορε, δῶτορ ἑάων, §8.336ἦ ῥά κεν ἐν δεσμοῖς ἐθέλοις κρατεροῖσι πιεσθεὶς §8.337εὕδειν ἐν λέκτροισι παρὰ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ; §8.338τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης· §8.339αἲ γὰρ τοῦτο γένοιτο, ἄναξ ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον·
And the king, Apollo, son of Zeus, spoke to Hermes: "Hermes, son of Zeus, messenger, giver of good things, would you indeed be willing, pressed down by strong bonds, to sleep in bed beside golden Aphrodite?" And the messenger, the slayer of Argus, answered him: "Would that this might be, lord Apollo, far-shooter!
§8.340δεσμοὶ μὲν τρὶς τόσσοι ἀπείρονες ἀμφὶς ἔχοιεν, §8.341ὑμεῖς δʼ εἰσορόῳτε θεοὶ πᾶσαί τε θέαιναι, §8.342αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εὕδοιμι παρὰ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ. §8.343ὣς ἔφατʼ, ἐν δὲ γέλως ὦρτʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν.
Let there be bonds thrice as many, past finding out, to hold me fast, and you gods look on, and all the goddesses too, yet would I sleep beside golden Aphrodite." So he spoke, and laughter arose among the deathless gods.
But Poseidon laughed not; rather he kept praying Hephaestus, famous for his work, that he would loose Ares.
§8.346καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §8.347λῦσον· ἐγὼ δέ τοι αὐτὸν ὑπίσχομαι, ὡς σὺ κελεύεις, §8.348τίσειν αἴσιμα πάντα μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν. §8.349τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις· §8.350μή με, Ποσείδαον γαιήοχε, ταῦτα κέλευε·
And he spoke, and addressed him with winged words: "Loose him, and I promise you that he himself, as you bid, shall pay all that is right in the presence of the deathless gods." Then the famous lame god answered him: "Ask me not this, Poseidon, girdler of the earth.
§8.351δειλαί τοι δειλῶν γε καὶ ἐγγύαι ἐγγυάασθαι.
Verily, a surety for a knave is a sorry thing to take.
§8.352πῶς ἂν ἐγώ σε δέοιμι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν, §8.353εἴ κεν Ἄρης οἴχοιτο χρέος καὶ δεσμὸν ἀλύξας; §8.354τὸν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων· §8.355Ἥφαιστʼ, εἴ περ γάρ κεν Ἄρης χρεῖος ὑπαλύξας §8.356οἴχηται φεύγων, αὐτός τοι ἐγὼ τάδε τίσω. §8.357τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις· §8.358οὐκ ἔστʼ οὐδὲ ἔοικε τεὸν ἔπος ἀρνήσασθαι. §8.359ὣς εἰπὼν δεσμὸν ἀνίει μένος Ἡφαίστοιο.
How could I bind you in the presence of the deathless gods, if Ares should depart, escaping both his debt and his bonds?" Then Poseidon, the shaker of the earth, answered him: "Hephaestus, even if Ares should escape his debt and flee away, I myself will pay you this." Then the famous lame god answered him: "It is not possible, nor is it seemly, that I should deny your word." So saying, the mighty strength of Hephaestus loosed the bonds.
§8.360τὼ δʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ δεσμοῖο λύθεν, κρατεροῦ περ ἐόντος, §8.361αὐτίκʼ ἀναΐξαντε ὁ μὲν Θρῄκηνδε βεβήκει, §8.362ἡ δʼ ἄρα Κύπρον ἵκανε φιλομμειδὴς Ἀφροδίτη, §8.363ἐς Πάφον· ἔνθα δέ οἱ τέμενος βωμός τε θυήεις.
And the two, when they were loosed from the bonds, strong though they were, straightway sprang up, and he went to Thrace, and she, the laughter-loving Aphrodite, came to Cyprus, to Paphos, where is her precinct and fragrant altar.
§8.364ἔνθα δέ μιν Χάριτες λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ §8.365ἀμβρότῳ, οἷα θεοὺς ἐπενήνοθεν αἰὲν ἐόντας, §8.366ἀμφὶ δὲ εἵματα ἕσσαν ἐπήρατα, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι.
There the Graces bathed her and anointed her with oil, deathless oil, such as is on the gods who exist forever, and they clothed her in lovely raiment, a wonder to behold.
§8.367ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς
This then was the song of the famous minstrel; but Odysseus