And he sang how the sons of the Achaeans sacked the city, pouring forth from the horse, leaving their hollow ambush.
§8.516ἄλλον δʼ ἄλλῃ ἄειδε πόλιν κεραϊζέμεν αἰπήν, §8.517αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσῆα προτὶ δώματα Δηιφόβοιο §8.518βήμεναι, ἠύτʼ Ἄρηα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Μενελάῳ.
He sang of one here and another there laying waste the lofty city, but of Odysseus going to the palace of Deiphobus, going like Ares, with godlike Menelaus.
There indeed, he said, having dared the most terrible war, he conquered in the end, by means of great-hearted Athena.
§8.521ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §8.522τήκετο, δάκρυ δʼ ἔδευεν ὑπὸ βλεφάροισι παρειάς.
These things then the renowned minstrel sang; but Odysseus was melted, and a tear from beneath his eyelids wet his cheeks.
§8.523ὡς δὲ γυνὴ κλαίῃσι φίλον πόσιν ἀμφιπεσοῦσα, §8.524ὅς τε ἑῆς πρόσθεν πόλιος λαῶν τε πέσῃσιν, §8.525ἄστεϊ καὶ τεκέεσσιν ἀμύνων νηλεὲς ἦμαρ· §8.526ἡ μὲν τὸν θνήσκοντα καὶ ἀσπαίροντα ἰδοῦσα §8.527ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ χυμένη λίγα κωκύει· οἱ δέ τʼ ὄπισθε §8.528κόπτοντες δούρεσσι μετάφρενον ἠδὲ καὶ ὤμους §8.529εἴρερον εἰσανάγουσι, πόνον τʼ ἐχέμεν καὶ ὀιζύν· §8.530τῆς δʼ ἐλεεινοτάτῳ ἄχεϊ φθινύθουσι παρειαί· §8.531ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς ἐλεεινὸν ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυον εἶβεν.
And as a woman wails, falling about her beloved husband, who has fallen before his own city and people, warding off the pitiless day from his town and children; she, beholding him dying and gasping, clinging around him, wails aloud; while they behind, striking her back and shoulders with spears, lead her into captivity, to have toil and misery; and with most pitiable grief her cheeks are wasted; so Odysseus let fall a pitiable tear from beneath his brows.
§8.532ἔνθʼ ἄλλους μὲν πάντας ἐλάνθανε δάκρυα λείβων, §8.533Ἀλκίνοος δέ μιν οἶος ἐπεφράσατʼ ἠδʼ ἐνόησεν, §8.534ἥμενος ἄγχʼ αὐτοῦ, βαρὺ δὲ στενάχοντος ἄκουσεν.
There he escaped the notice of all the others as he shed tears, but Alcinous alone observed and noticed him, sitting near him, and heard him groaning heavily.
§8.535αἶψα δὲ Φαιήκεσσι φιληρέτμοισι μετηύδα· §8.536κέκλυτε, Φαιήκων ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες, §8.537Δημόδοκος δʼ ἤδη σχεθέτω φόρμιγγα λίγειαν· §8.538οὐ γάρ πως πάντεσσι χαριζόμενος τάδʼ ἀείδει.
And straightway he spoke among the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar: "Hearken, leaders and rulers of the Phaeacians, and let Demodocus now stay his clear-toned lyre; for in no wise pleasing to all does he sing these things.
§8.539ἐξ οὗ δορπέομέν τε καὶ ὤρορε θεῖος ἀοιδός, §8.540ἐκ τοῦ δʼ οὔ πω παύσατʼ ὀιζυροῖο γόοιο §8.541ὁ ξεῖνος· μάλα πού μιν ἄχος φρένας ἀμφιβέβηκεν.
Since we have been feasting and the divine minstrel began, since then has he in no wise ceased from painful lamentation, the stranger; surely some great grief has encompassed his heart.
§8.542ἀλλʼ ἄγʼ ὁ μὲν σχεθέτω, ἵνʼ ὁμῶς τερπώμεθα πάντες, §8.543ξεινοδόκοι καὶ ξεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πολὺ κάλλιον οὕτως· §8.544εἵνεκα γὰρ ξείνοιο τάδʼ αἰδοίοιο τέτυκται, §8.545πομπὴ καὶ φίλα δῶρα, τά οἱ δίδομεν φιλέοντες.
But come, let him cease, so that we may all alike rejoice, hosts and guest, since it is much better thus; for on account of the revered stranger all these things have been prepared, the escort and the friendly gifts which we give him in love.
§8.546ἀντὶ κασιγνήτου ξεῖνός θʼ ἱκέτης τε τέτυκται §8.547ἀνέρι, ὅς τʼ ὀλίγον περ ἐπιψαύῃ πραπίδεσσι.
In place of a brother is a stranger and a suppliant held by a man who touches wisdom even a little.
§8.548τῷ νῦν μηδὲ σὺ κεῦθε νοήμασι κερδαλέοισιν §8.549ὅττι κέ σʼ εἴρωμαι· φάσθαι δέ σε κάλλιόν ἐστιν.
Therefore do not you now hide with crafty thoughts whatever I may ask you; to speak out is better.
§8.550εἴπʼ ὄνομʼ ὅττι σε κεῖθι κάλεον μήτηρ τε πατήρ τε §8.551ἄλλοι θʼ οἳ κατὰ ἄστυ καὶ οἳ περιναιετάουσιν.
Tell me the name by which they called you there, your mother and father, and the others who dwell in the town and round about.
§8.552οὐ μὲν γάρ τις πάμπαν ἀνώνυμός ἐστʼ ἀνθρώπων, §8.553οὐ κακὸς οὐδὲ μὲν ἐσθλός, ἐπὴν τὰ πρῶτα γένηται, §8.554ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τίθενται, ἐπεί κε τέκωσι, τοκῆες.
For no one of men is utterly nameless, neither the base nor the noble, from the moment he is born, but parents give them names, when they give them birth.
§8.555εἰπὲ δέ μοι γαῖάν τε· τεὴν δῆμόν τε πόλιν τε, §8.556ὄφρα σε τῇ πέμπωσι τιτυσκόμεναι φρεσὶ νῆες· §8.557οὐ γὰρ Φαιήκεσσι κυβερνητῆρες ἔασιν, §8.558οὐδέ τι πηδάλιʼ ἔστι, τά τʼ ἄλλαι νῆες ἔχουσιν· §8.559ἀλλʼ αὐταὶ ἴσασι νοήματα καὶ φρένας ἀνδρῶν, §8.560καὶ πάντων ἴσασι πόλιας καὶ πίονας ἀγροὺς §8.561ἀνθρώπων, καὶ λαῖτμα τάχισθʼ ἁλὸς ἐκπερόωσιν §8.562ἠέρι καὶ νεφέλῃ κεκαλυμμέναι· οὐδέ ποτέ σφιν §8.563οὔτε τι πημανθῆναι ἔπι δέος οὔτʼ ἀπολέσθαι.
And tell me your land, and your people, and your city, so that the ships, guiding themselves by their own minds, may send you there; for the Phaeacians have no helmsmen, nor is there any steering-oar, such as other ships have; but the ships themselves know the thoughts and minds of men, and they know the cities and rich fields of all men, and very swiftly they cross the gulf of the sea, hidden in mist and cloud; nor ever is there any fear of being damaged or of perishing.
§8.564ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ὥς ποτε πατρὸς ἐγὼν εἰπόντος ἄκουσα §8.565Ναυσιθόου, ὃς ἔφασκε Ποσειδάωνʼ ἀγάσασθαι §8.566ἡμῖν, οὕνεκα πομποὶ ἀπήμονές εἰμεν ἁπάντων.
But this I once heard my father say, Nausithous, who said that Poseidon was wroth with us, because we are safe escorts for all men.
§8.567φῆ ποτὲ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐυεργέα νῆα §8.568ἐκ πομπῆς ἀνιοῦσαν ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ §8.569ῥαισέμεναι, μέγα δʼ ἧμιν ὄρος πόλει ἀμφικαλύψειν.
He said that some day he would shatter a well-built ship of Phaeacian men, returning from an escort on the misty sea, and would overshadow our city with a great mountain.
§8.570ὣς ἀγόρευʼ ὁ γέρων· τὰ δέ κεν θεὸς ἢ τελέσειεν §8.571ἤ κʼ ἀτέλεστʼ εἴη, ὥς οἱ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ·
So the old man spoke; and these things the god might either bring to pass or they might be unfulfilled, as is pleasing to his heart.
§8.572ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον, §8.573ὅππῃ ἀπεπλάγχθης τε καὶ ἅς τινας ἵκεο χώρας §8.574ἀνθρώπων, αὐτούς τε πόλιάς τʼ ἐὺ ναιετοώσας, §8.575ἠμὲν ὅσοι χαλεποί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι, §8.576οἵ τε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής.
But come, tell me this and relate it truly: whither you have wandered and to what lands of men you came, and themselves and their well-inhabited cities, both those who are cruel and wild and unjust, and those who are friendly to strangers, and have a god-fearing mind.
And tell me why you weep and lament in your heart, hearing the fate of the Argives and Danaans and of Ilium.
§8.579τὸν δὲ θεοὶ μὲν τεῦξαν, ἐπεκλώσαντο δʼ ὄλεθρον §8.580ἀνθρώποις, ἵνα ᾖσι καὶ ἐσσομένοισιν ἀοιδή.
This the gods fashioned, and spun the thread of ruin for men, that there might be a song even for those to come.
§8.581ἦ τίς τοι καὶ πηὸς ἀπέφθιτο Ἰλιόθι πρὸ §8.582ἐσθλὸς ἐών, γαμβρὸς ἢ πενθερός, οἵ τε μάλιστα §8.583κήδιστοι τελέθουσι μεθʼ αἷμά τε καὶ γένος αὐτῶν;
Did some kinsman of yours perish before Ilium, noble as he was, a son-in-law or father-in-law, who are nearest to us after our own blood and kin?
Or perhaps some companion, a man knowing pleasing things, noble?
ἐπεὶ οὐ μέν τι κασιγνήτοιο χερείων §8.586γίγνεται, ὅς κεν ἑταῖρος ἐὼν πεπνυμένα εἰδῇ.
Since indeed in no wise inferior to a brother is he who, being a companion, knows what is wise."