§8.443αὐτὸς νῦν ἴδε πῶμα, θοῶς δʼ ἐπὶ δεσμὸν ἴηλον, §8.444μή τίς τοι καθʼ ὁδὸν δηλήσεται, ὁππότʼ ἂν αὖτε §8.445εὕδῃσθα γλυκὺν ὕπνον ἰὼν ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ. §8.446αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, §8.447αὐτίκʼ ἐπήρτυε πῶμα, θοῶς δʼ ἐπὶ δεσμὸν ἴηλεν §8.448ποικίλον, ὅν ποτέ μιν δέδαε φρεσὶ πότνια Κίρκη·
"Look now yourself to the lid, and quickly cast a cord upon it, lest someone despoil you on the way, when again you sleep sweet sleep, going in your black ship." But when much-enduring noble Odysseus heard this, straightway he fitted on the lid, and quickly cast upon it a cunning knot, which once lady Circe had taught his mind.
§8.449αὐτόδιον δʼ ἄρα μιν ταμίη λούσασθαι ἀνώγει §8.450ἔς ῥʼ ἀσάμινθον βάνθʼ· ὁ δʼ ἄρ ἀσπασίως ἴδε θυμῷ §8.451θερμὰ λοέτρʼ, ἐπεὶ οὔ τι κομιζόμενός γε θάμιζεν, §8.452ἐπεὶ δὴ λίπε δῶμα Καλυψοῦς ἠυκόμοιο.
And straightway then the housekeeper bade him go to the bath and step into the tub; and he gladly saw in his heart the warm bath, for he was not often cared for since he had left the house of fair-haired Calypso.
§8.453τόφρα δέ οἱ κομιδή γε θεῷ ὣς ἔμπεδος ἦεν.
Yet all that time his care had been constant, like a god's.
§8.454τὸν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ, §8.455ἀμφὶ δέ μιν χλαῖναν καλὴν βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνα, §8.456ἔκ ῥʼ ἀσαμίνθου βὰς ἄνδρας μέτα οἰνοποτῆρας §8.457ἤιε· Ναυσικάα δὲ θεῶν ἄπο κάλλος ἔχουσα §8.458στῆ ῥα παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο, §8.459θαύμαζεν δʼ Ὀδυσῆα ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶσα, §8.460καί μιν φωνήσασʼ ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα· §8.461χαῖρε, ξεῖνʼ, ἵνα καί ποτʼ ἐὼν ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ §8.462μνήσῃ ἐμεῦ, ὅτι μοι πρώτῃ ζωάγριʼ ὀφέλλεις. §8.463τὴν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς. §8.464Ναυσικάα θύγατερ μεγαλήτορος Ἀλκινόοιο, §8.465οὕτω νῦν Ζεὺς θείη, ἐρίγδουπος πόσις Ἥρης,
But when the handmaids had washed him and anointed him with oil, and cast about him a beautiful cloak and a tunic, he stepped out of the tub and went to join the men at their wine; and Nausicaa, possessing beauty from the gods, stood by the doorpost of the well-built hall, and she marveled at Odysseus, beholding him with her eyes, and she spoke and addressed him with winged words: "Farewell, stranger, so that when you are in your fatherland you may remember me, since to me first you owe the price of your life." And resourceful Odysseus answered her, and said: "Nausicaa, daughter of great-hearted Alcinous, so may Zeus now grant, the loud-thundering husband of Hera, that I may reach home and see the day of my return.
§8.466οἴκαδέ τʼ ἐλθέμεναι καὶ νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἰδέσθαι· §8.467τῷ κέν τοι καὶ κεῖθι θεῷ ὣς εὐχετοῴμην §8.468αἰεὶ ἤματα πάντα· σὺ γάρ μʼ ἐβιώσαο, κούρη.
Then would I even there pray to you as to a god always, all my days; for you gave me life, maiden." He spoke, and sat down upon a seat beside King Alcinous.
§8.469ἦ ῥα καὶ ἐς θρόνον ἷζε παρʼ Ἀλκίνοον βασιλῆα· §8.470οἱ δʼ ἤδη μοίρας τʼ ἔνεμον κερόωντό τε οἶνον.
And they were already portioning out the messes and mixing the wine.
§8.471κῆρυξ δʼ ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεν ἄγων ἐρίηρον ἀοιδόν, §8.472Δημόδοκον λαοῖσι τετιμένον· εἷσε δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτὸν §8.473μέσσῳ δαιτυμόνων, πρὸς κίονα μακρὸν ἐρείσας.
And a herald came near, leading the beloved minstrel, Demodocus, honored by the people; and he seated him in the midst of the feasted guests, leaning him against a tall pillar.
§8.474δὴ τότε κήρυκα προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς, §8.475νώτου ἀποπροταμών, ἐπὶ δὲ πλεῖον ἐλέλειπτο, §8.476ἀργιόδοντος ὑός, θαλερὴ δʼ ἦν ἀμφὶς ἀλοιφή· §8.477κῆρυξ, τῆ δή, τοῦτο πόρε κρέας, ὄφρα φάγῃσιν, §8.478Δημοδόκῳ· καί μιν προσπτύξομαι ἀχνύμενός περ·
Then to the herald spoke resourceful Odysseus, cutting off a portion from the back—and more was left over— of a white-tusked boar, and rich fat was all about it: "Herald, take now this meat, and give it to Demodocus, that he may eat, to Demodocus; and I will embrace him, even though I am grieved.
§8.479πᾶσι γὰρ ἀνθρώποισιν ἐπιχθονίοισιν ἀοιδοὶ §8.480τιμῆς ἔμμοροί εἰσι καὶ αἰδοῦς, οὕνεκʼ ἄρα σφέας §8.481οἴμας μοῦσʼ ἐδίδαξε, φίλησε δὲ φῦλον ἀοιδῶν. §8.482ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφη, κῆρυξ δὲ φέρων ἐν χερσὶν ἔθηκεν §8.483ἥρῳ Δημοδόκῳ· ὁ δʼ ἐδέξατο, χαῖρε δὲ θυμῷ.
For among all men on earth minstrels have a share of honor and reverence, because the Muse has taught them the paths of song, and loved the tribe of minstrels." So he spoke, and the herald took and placed it in the hands of the hero Demodocus; and he received it, and rejoiced in his heart.
§8.484οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.
And they stretched forth their hands to the good things lying ready before them.
§8.485αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο, §8.486δὴ τότε Δημόδοκον προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· §8.487Δημόδοκʼ, ἔξοχα δή σε βροτῶν αἰνίζομʼ ἁπάντων.
But when they had put from them the desire for drink and food, then to Demodocus spoke resourceful Odysseus: "Demodocus, I praise you far above all mortal men.
§8.488ἢ σέ γε μοῦσʼ ἐδίδαξε, Διὸς πάϊς, ἢ σέ γʼ Ἀπόλλων· §8.489λίην γὰρ κατὰ κόσμον Ἀχαιῶν οἶτον ἀείδεις, §8.490ὅσσʼ ἔρξαν τʼ ἔπαθόν τε καὶ ὅσσʼ ἐμόγησαν Ἀχαιοί, §8.491ὥς τέ που ἢ αὐτὸς παρεὼν ἢ ἄλλου ἀκούσας.
Either the Muse, daughter of Zeus, has taught you, or Apollo; for too well and truly do you sing of the fate of the Achaeans, all that they did and suffered, and all the hardships they endured, as if you yourself had been present, or had heard it from another.
§8.492ἀλλʼ ἄγε δὴ μετάβηθι καὶ ἵππου κόσμον ἄεισον §8.493δουρατέου, τὸν Ἐπειὸς ἐποίησεν σὺν Ἀθήνῃ, §8.494ὅν ποτʼ ἐς ἀκρόπολιν δόλον ἤγαγε δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς §8.495ἀνδρῶν ἐμπλήσας οἵ ῥʼ Ἴλιον ἐξαλάπαξαν.
But come now, change your theme, and sing of the building of the wooden horse, which Epeius made with the help of Athena, the snare which noble Odysseus once led into the citadel, having filled it with the men who sacked Ilium.
§8.496αἴ κεν δή μοι ταῦτα κατὰ μοῖραν καταλέξῃς, §8.497αὐτίκʼ ἐγὼ πᾶσιν μυθήσομαι ἀνθρώποισιν, §8.498ὡς ἄρα τοι πρόφρων θεὸς ὤπασε θέσπιν ἀοιδήν. §8.499ὣς φάθʼ, ὁ δʼ ὁρμηθεὶς θεοῦ ἤρχετο, φαῖνε δʼ ἀοιδήν, §8.500ἔνθεν ἑλὼν ὡς οἱ μὲν ἐυσσέλμων ἐπὶ νηῶν §8.501βάντες ἀπέπλειον, πῦρ ἐν κλισίῃσι βαλόντες, §8.502Ἀργεῖοι, τοὶ δʼ ἤδη ἀγακλυτὸν ἀμφʼ Ὀδυσῆα §8.503ἥατʼ ἐνὶ Τρώων ἀγορῇ κεκαλυμμένοι ἵππῳ· §8.504αὐτοὶ γάρ μιν Τρῶες ἐς ἀκρόπολιν ἐρύσαντο.
If you indeed relate these things to me in order, then will I straightway declare to all mankind that a kindly god has granted you the gift of divine song." So he spoke, and the minstrel, moved by the god, began and showed his song, taking up the theme from where the Argives had gone on board their well-benched ships and were sailing away, having set fire to their huts, while the others, now around renowned Odysseus, sat hidden in the horse in the assembly-place of the Trojans; for the Trojans themselves had dragged it into the citadel.
§8.505ὣς ὁ μὲν ἑστήκει, τοὶ δʼ ἄκριτα πόλλʼ ἀγόρευον §8.506ἥμενοι ἀμφʼ αὐτόν· τρίχα δέ σφισιν ἥνδανε βουλή, §8.507ἠὲ διαπλῆξαι κοῖλον δόρυ νηλέι χαλκῷ, §8.508ἢ κατὰ πετράων βαλέειν ἐρύσαντας ἐπʼ ἄκρης, §8.509ἢ ἐάαν μέγʼ ἄγαλμα θεῶν θελκτήριον εἶναι, §8.510τῇ περ δὴ καὶ ἔπειτα τελευτήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν· §8.511αἶσα γὰρ ἦν ἀπολέσθαι, ἐπὴν πόλις ἀμφικαλύψῃ §8.512δουράτεον μέγαν ἵππον, ὅθʼ ἥατο πάντες ἄριστοι §8.513Ἀργείων Τρώεσσι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φέροντες.
So there it stood, and they spoke many undecided things, sitting around it; and their counsel was divided three ways: either to cleave the hollow wood with pitiless bronze, or to drag it to the summit and cast it down the rocks, or to let it stand as a great offering to appease the gods, which very way was destined to be the end of it; for it was their fate to perish when the city should enclose the great wooden horse, where sat all the best of the Argives, bearing death and fate to the Trojans.