§8.76ὥς ποτε δηρίσαντο θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαλείῃ §8.77ἐκπάγλοις ἐπέεσσιν, ἄναξ δʼ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγαμέμνων §8.78χαῖρε νόῳ, ὅ τʼ ἄριστοι Ἀχαιῶν δηριόωντο.
Thus they once fought at the rich feast of the gods, with terrible words; and Agamemnon, lord of men, rejoiced in his mind when the best of the Achaeans were quarreling.
§8.79ὣς γάρ οἱ χρείων μυθήσατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων §8.80Πυθοῖ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ, ὅθʼ ὑπέρβη λάινον οὐδὸν §8.81χρησόμενος· τότε γάρ ῥα κυλίνδετο πήματος ἀρχὴ §8.82Τρωσί τε καὶ Δαναοῖσι Διὸς μεγάλου διὰ βουλάς.
For thus Phoebus Apollo had spoken to him in prophecy, in sacred Pytho, when he crossed the stone threshold to consult the oracle; for then the beginning of woe was rolling upon Trojans and Danaans alike, through the counsel of great Zeus.
§8.83ταῦτʼ ἄρʼ ἀοιδὸς ἄειδε περικλυτός· αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς §8.84πορφύρεον μέγα φᾶρος ἑλὼν χερσὶ στιβαρῇσι §8.85κὰκ κεφαλῆς εἴρυσσε, κάλυψε δὲ καλὰ πρόσωπα· §8.86αἴδετο γὰρ Φαίηκας ὑπʼ ὀφρύσι δάκρυα λείβων.
These things then the famous singer sang; but Odysseus, taking a great purple cloak in his stout hands, drew it down over his head, and hid his comely face; for he was ashamed before the Phaeacians as he let tears fall from beneath his brows.
§8.87ἦ τοι ὅτε λήξειεν ἀείδων θεῖος ἀοιδός, §8.88δάκρυ ὀμορξάμενος κεφαλῆς ἄπο φᾶρος ἕλεσκε §8.89καὶ δέπας ἀμφικύπελλον ἑλὼν σπείσασκε θεοῖσιν·
Indeed, whenever the divine singer ceased singing, he would wipe away his tears and take the cloak off his head, and taking a two-handled cup, would pour libations to the gods.
§8.90αὐτὰρ ὅτʼ ἂψ ἄρχοιτο καὶ ὀτρύνειαν ἀείδειν §8.91Φαιήκων οἱ ἄριστοι, ἐπεὶ τέρποντʼ ἐπέεσσιν, §8.92ἂψ Ὀδυσεὺς κατὰ κρᾶτα καλυψάμενος γοάασκεν.
But whenever he began again, and they urged him to sing, the best of the Phaeacians, since they delighted in his words, Odysseus would again veil his head and wail.
§8.93ἔνθʼ ἄλλους μὲν πάντας ἐλάνθανε δάκρυα λείβων, §8.94Ἀλκίνοος δέ μιν οἶος ἐπεφράσατʼ ἠδʼ ἐνόησεν §8.95ἥμενος ἄγχʼ αὐτοῦ, βαρὺ δὲ στενάχοντος ἄκουσεν.
Then he escaped the notice of all the others as he let tears fall, but Alcinous alone noticed and marked him, sitting near him, and heard him sighing heavily.
And quickly he spoke among the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar: "Hear me, leaders and rulers of the Phaeacians.
Now indeed we have satisfied our heart with the equal feast, and with the lyre, which is the companion of the rich feast.
§8.100νῦν δʼ ἐξέλθωμεν καὶ ἀέθλων πειρηθῶμεν §8.101πάντων, ὥς χʼ ὁ ξεῖνος ἐνίσπῃ οἷσι φίλοισιν §8.102οἴκαδε νοστήσας, ὅσσον περιγιγνόμεθʼ ἄλλων §8.103πύξ τε παλαιμοσύνῃ τε καὶ ἅλμασιν ἠδὲ πόδεσσιν. §8.104ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας ἡγήσατο, τοὶ δʼ ἅμʼ ἕποντο.
But now let us go out and make trial of all the contests, so that the stranger may tell his friends, having returned home, how much we surpass others in boxing and wrestling and jumping and running." Having thus spoken, he led the way, and they followed together.
§8.105κὰδ δʼ ἐκ πασσαλόφι κρέμασεν φόρμιγγα λίγειαν, §8.106Δημοδόκου δʼ ἕλε χεῖρα καὶ ἔξαγεν ἐκ μεγάροιο §8.107κῆρυξ· ἦρχε δὲ τῷ αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἥν περ οἱ ἄλλοι §8.108Φαιήκων οἱ ἄριστοι, ἀέθλια θαυμανέοντες.
And from the peg he hung the clear-toned lyre, and the herald took the hand of Demodocus and led him out of the hall, the herald; and he guided him on the very same path that the others, the best of the Phaeacians, were taking to go to marvel at the contests.
§8.109βὰν δʼ ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορήν, ἅμα δʼ ἕσπετο πουλὺς ὅμιλος, §8.110μυρίοι· ἂν δʼ ἵσταντο νέοι πολλοί τε καὶ ἐσθλοί.
And they went to go to the assembly place, and with them followed a great crowd, thousands; and many noble young men stood up.
§8.111ὦρτο μὲν Ἀκρόνεώς τε καὶ Ὠκύαλος καὶ Ἐλατρεύς, §8.112Ναυτεύς τε Πρυμνεύς τε καὶ Ἀγχίαλος καὶ Ἐρετμεύς, §8.113Ποντεύς τε Πρωρεύς τε, Θόων Ἀναβησίνεώς τε §8.114Ἀμφίαλός θʼ, υἱὸς Πολυνήου Τεκτονίδαο· §8.115ἂν δὲ καὶ Εὐρύαλος, βροτολοιγῷ ἶσος Ἄρηϊ, §8.116Ναυβολίδης, ὃς ἄριστος ἔην εἶδός τε δέμας τε §8.117πάντων Φαιήκων μετʼ ἀμύμονα Λαοδάμαντα.
There arose Acroneus and Ocyalus and Elatreus, and Nauteus and Prymneus and Anchialus and Eretmeus, and Ponteus and Proreus, Thoon and Anabesineos, and Amphialus, son of Polyneus, son of Tekton; and up also rose Euryalus, the peer of bane-of-mortals Ares, son of Naubolus, who was the best in form and beauty of all the Phaeacians, after flawless Laodamas.
§8.118ἂν δʼ ἔσταν τρεῖς παῖδες ἀμύμονος Ἀλκινόοιο, §8.119Λαοδάμας θʼ Ἅλιός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Κλυτόνηος.
And up stood the three sons of flawless Alcinous, Laodamas and Halius and godlike Clytoneus.
§8.120οἱ δʼ ἦ τοι πρῶτον μὲν ἐπειρήσαντο πόδεσσι.
These indeed first made trial with their feet.
§8.121τοῖσι δʼ ἀπὸ νύσσης τέτατο δρόμος· οἱ δʼ ἅμα πάντες §8.122καρπαλίμως ἐπέτοντο κονίοντες πεδίοιο·
For them the course was stretched from the starting point; and they all together flew swiftly, raising dust over the plain.
§8.123τῶν δὲ θέειν ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἔην Κλυτόνηος ἀμύμων· §8.124ὅσσον τʼ ἐν νειῷ οὖρον πέλει ἡμιόνοιιν, §8.125τόσσον ὑπεκπροθέων λαοὺς ἵκεθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἐλίποντο.
And among them flawless Clytoneus was by far the best at running; as far as is the range of a team of mules in fallow land, so far he ran ahead and reached the people, and they were left behind.
§8.126οἱ δὲ παλαιμοσύνης ἀλεγεινῆς πειρήσαντο· §8.127τῇ δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύαλος ἀπεκαίνυτο πάντας ἀρίστους.
Then they made trial of painful wrestling; and in this again Euryalus surpassed all who were best.
§8.128ἅλματι δʼ Ἀμφίαλος πάντων προφερέστατος ἦεν· §8.129δίσκῳ δʼ αὖ πάντων πολὺ φέρτατος ἦεν Ἐλατρεύς, §8.130πὺξ δʼ αὖ Λαοδάμας, ἀγαθὸς πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο.
And in jumping Amphialus was the most excellent of all; and with the discus again Elatreus was by far the best of all, and in boxing again Laodamas, the good son of Alcinous.
§8.131αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντες ἐτέρφθησαν φρένʼ ἀέθλοις, §8.132τοῖς ἄρα Λαοδάμας μετέφη πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο· §8.133δεῦτε, φίλοι, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐρώμεθα εἴ τινʼ ἄεθλον §8.134οἶδέ τε καὶ δεδάηκε.
But when they had all delighted their hearts with the contests, then Laodamas, the son of Alcinous, spoke among them: "Come, friends, let us ask the stranger if he knows and has learned any contest.
φυήν γε μὲν οὐ κακός ἐστι, §8.135μηρούς τε κνήμας τε καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρας ὕπερθεν §8.136αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν μέγα τε σθένος· οὐδέ τι ἥβης §8.137δεύεται, ἀλλὰ κακοῖσι συνέρρηκται πολέεσσιν· §8.138οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γέ τί φημι κακώτερον ἄλλο θαλάσσης §8.139ἄνδρα γε συγχεῦαι, εἰ καὶ μάλα καρτερὸς εἴη. §8.140τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Εὐρύαλος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε· §8.141Λαοδάμα, μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.
Indeed, in build he is not bad, in thighs and shins, and both arms above, and stout neck and great strength; nor is he at all lacking in youth, but he has been broken down by many evils; for I say that there is nothing else worse than the sea to break down a man, even if he be ever so strong." And Euryalus in turn answered him and said: "Laodamas, you have spoken this word very properly.
§8.142αὐτὸς νῦν προκάλεσσαι ἰὼν καὶ πέφραδε μῦθον. §8.143αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γʼ ἄκουσʼ ἀγαθὸς πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο, §8.144στῆ ῥʼ ἐς μέσσον ἰὼν καὶ Ὀδυσσῆα προσέειπε· §8.145δεῦρʼ ἄγε καὶ σύ, ξεῖνε πάτερ, πείρησαι ἀέθλων, §8.146εἴ τινά που δεδάηκας· ἔοικε δέ σʼ ἴδμεν ἀέθλους·
Go now yourself and challenge him, and speak your word." But when the good son of Alcinous heard this, he went and stood in the midst, and addressed Odysseus: "Come hither, stranger father, you too make trial of the contests, if perhaps you have learned any; and it is likely that you know contests.