Book X

Homeric Greek

1"Αἰολίην δ' ἐς νῆσον ἀφικόμεθ': ἔνθα δ' ἔναιεν

Αἴολος Ἱπποτάδης, φίλος ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν,

πλωτῇ ἐνὶ νήσῳ: πᾶσαν δέ τέ μιν πέρι τεῖχος

χάλκεον ἄρρηκτον, λισσὴ δ' ἀναδέδρομε πέτρη.

5τοῦ καὶ δώδεκα παῖδες ἐνὶ μεγάροις γεγάασιν,

Transliteration

1"Aioliēn d' es nēson aphikometh': entha d' enaien

Aiolos Hippotadēs, philos athanatoisi theoisin,

plōtēi eni nēsōi: pasan de te min peri teichos

chalkeon arrēkton, lissē d' anadedrome petrē.

5tou kai dōdeka paides eni megarois gegaasin,

English

Thence we went on to the Aeolian island where lives Aeolus son of Hippotas, dear to the immortal gods. It is an island that floats (as it were) upon the sea, iron bound with a wall that girds it.

Homeric Greek

ἓξ μὲν θυγατέρες, ἓξ δ' υἱέες ἡβώοντες:

ἔνθ' ὅ γε θυγατέρας πόρεν υἱάσιν εἶναι ἀκοίτις.

οἱ δ' αἰεὶ παρὰ πατρὶ φίλῳ καὶ μητέρι κεδνῇ

δαίνυνται, παρὰ δέ σφιν ὀνείατα μυρία κεῖται,

10κνισῆεν δέ τε δῶμα περιστεναχίζεται αὐλῇ

Transliteration

hex men thygateres, hex d' huiees hēbōontes:

enth' ho ge thygateras poren huiasin einai akoitis.

hoi d' aiei para patri philōi kai mēteri kednēi

dainyntai, para de sphin oneiata myria keitai,

10knisēen de te dōma peristenachizetai aulēi

English

Now, Aeolus has six daughters and six sons in the bloom of youth, so he made the sons marry the daughters, and they all live with their dear father and mother, feasting and enjoying every conceivable kind of luxury. All day long the atmosphere of the house is loaded with the savor of roasting meats till it groans again, yard and all;

Homeric Greek

ἤματα: νύκτας δ' αὖτε παρ' αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν

εὕδουσ' ἔν τε τάπησι καὶ ἐν τρητοῖσι λέχεσσι.

καὶ μὲν τῶν ἱκόμεσθα πόλιν καὶ δώματα καλά.

μῆνα δὲ πάντα φίλει με καὶ ἐξερέεινεν ἕκαστα,

15Ἴλιον Ἀργείων τε νέας καὶ νόστον Ἀχαιῶν:

Transliteration

ēmata: nyktas d' aute par' aidoiēis alochoisin

heudous' en te tapēsi kai en trētoisi lechessi.

kai men tōn hikomestha polin kai dōmata kala.

mēna de panta philei me kai exereeinen hekasta,

15Ilion Argeiōn te neas kai noston Achaiōn:

English

but by night they sleep on their well-made bedsteads, each with his own wife between the blankets. These were the people among whom we had now come. "Aeolus entertained me for a whole month asking me questions all the time about Troy, the Argive fleet, and the return of the Achaeans.

Homeric Greek

καὶ μὲν ἐγὼ τῷ πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν κατέλεξα.

ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ καὶ ἐγὼν ὁδὸν ᾔτεον ἠδ' ἐκέλευον

πεμπέμεν, οὐδέ τι κεῖνος ἀνήνατο, τεῦχε δὲ πομπήν.

δῶκε δέ μ' ἐκδείρας ἀσκὸν βοὸς ἐννεώροιο,

20ἔνθα δὲ βυκτάων ἀνέμων κατέδησε κέλευθα:

Transliteration

kai men egō tōi panta kata moiran katelexa.

all' hote dē kai egōn hodon ēiteon ēd' ekeleuon

pempemen, oude ti keinos anēnato, teuche de pompēn.

dōke de m' ekdeiras askon boos enneōroio,

20entha de byktaōn anemōn katedēse keleutha:

English

I told him exactly how everything had happened, and when I said I must go, and asked him to further me on my way, he made no sort of difficulty, but set about doing so at once. Moreover, he flayed me a prime ox-hide to hold the ways of the roaring winds, which he shut up in the hide as in a

Homeric Greek

κεῖνον γὰρ ταμίην ἀνέμων ποίησε Κρονίων,

ἠμὲν παυέμεναι ἠδ' ὀρνύμεν, ὅν κ' ἐθέλῃσι.

νηὶ δ' ἐνὶ γλαφυρῇ κατέδει μέρμιθι φαεινῇ

ἀργυρέῃ, ἵνα μή τι παραπνεύσῃ ὀλίγον περ:

25αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ πνοιὴν Ζεφύρου προέηκεν ἀῆναι,

Transliteration

keinon gar tamiēn anemōn poiēse Kroniōn,

ēmen pauemenai ēd' ornymen, hon k' ethelēisi.

nēi d' eni glaphyrēi katedei mermithi phaeinēi

argyreēi, hina mē ti parapneusēi oligon per:

25autar emoi pnoiēn Zephyrou proeēken aēnai,

English

sack - for Zeus had made him captain over the winds, and he could stir or still each one of them according to his own pleasure. He put the sack in the ship and bound the mouth so tightly with a silver thread that not even a breath of a side-wind could blow from any quarter.

Homeric Greek

ὄφρα φέροι νῆάς τε καὶ αὐτούς: οὐδ' ἄρ' ἔμελλεν

ἐκτελέειν: αὐτῶν γὰρ ἀπωλόμεθ' ἀφραδίῃσιν.

"ἐννῆμαρ μὲν ὁμῶς πλέομεν νύκτας τε καὶ ἦμαρ,

τῇ δεκάτῃ δ' ἤδη ἀνεφαίνετο πατρὶς ἄρουρα,

30καὶ δὴ πυρπολέοντας ἐλεύσσομεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντες:

Transliteration

ophra pheroi nēas te kai autous: oud' ar' emellen

ekteleein: autōn gar apōlometh' aphradiēisin.

"ennēmar men homōs pleomen nyktas te kai ēmar,

tēi dekatēi d' ēdē anephaineto patris aroura,

30kai dē pyrpoleontas eleussomen engys eontes:

English

The West wind which was fair for us did he alone let blow as it chose; but it all came to nothing, for we were lost through our own folly. "Nine days and nine nights did we sail, and on the tenth day our native land showed on the horizon.

Homeric Greek

ἔνθ' ἐμὲ μὲν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἐπήλυθε κεκμηῶτα,

αἰεὶ γὰρ πόδα νηὸς ἐνώμων, οὐδέ τῳ ἄλλῳ

δῶχ' ἑτάρων, ἵνα θᾶσσον ἱκοίμεθα πατρίδα γαῖαν:

οἱ δ' ἕταροι ἐπέεσσι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον,

35καί μ' ἔφασαν χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον οἴκαδ' ἄγεσθαι

Transliteration

enth' eme men glykys hypnos epēlythe kekmēōta,

aiei gar poda nēos enōmōn, oude tōi allōi

dōch' hetarōn, hina thasson hikoimetha patrida gaian:

hoi d' hetaroi epeessi pros allēlous agoreuon,

35kai m' ephasan chryson te kai argyron oikad' agesthai

English

We got so close in that we could see the stubble fires burning, and I, being then dead tired, fell into a light sleep, for I had never let the rudder out of my own hands, that we might get home the faster.

Homeric Greek

δῶρα παρ' Αἰόλου μεγαλήτορος Ἱπποτάδαο.

ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον:

"'ὦ πόποι, ὡς ὅδε πᾶσι φίλος καὶ τίμιός ἐστιν

ἀνθρώποις, ὅτεών τε πόλιν καὶ γαῖαν ἵκηται.

40πολλὰ μὲν ἐκ Τροίης ἄγεται κειμήλια καλὰ

Transliteration

dōra par' Aiolou megalētoros Hippotadao.

hōde de tis eipesken idōn es plēsion allon:

"'ō popoi, hōs hode pasi philos kai timios estin

anthrōpois, hoteōn te polin kai gaian hikētai.

40polla men ek Troiēs agetai keimēlia kala

English

On this the men fell to talking among themselves, and said I was bringing back gold and silver in the sack that Aeolus had given me. ‘Bless my heart,’ would one turn to his neighbor, saying, ‘how this man gets honored and makes friends in whatever city or country he may go.

Homeric Greek

ληίδος, ἡμεῖς δ' αὖτε ὁμὴν ὁδὸν ἐκτελέσαντες

οἴκαδε νισσόμεθα κενεὰς σὺν χεῖρας ἔχοντες:

καὶ νῦν οἱ τάδ' ἔδωκε χαριζόμενος φιλότητι

Αἴολος. ἀλλ' ἄγε θᾶσσον ἰδώμεθα ὅττι τάδ' ἐστίν,

45ὅσσος τις χρυσός τε καὶ ἄργυρος ἀσκῷ ἔνεστιν.'

Transliteration

lēidos, hēmeis d' aute homēn hodon ektelesantes

oikade nissometha keneas syn cheiras echontes:

kai nyn hoi tad' edōke charizomenos philotēti

Aiolos. all' age thasson idōmetha hotti tad' estin,

45hossos tis chrysos te kai argyros askōi enestin.'

English

See what fine prizes he is taking home from Troy, while we, who have traveled just as far as he has, come back with hands as empty as we set out with - and now Aeolus has given him ever so much more. Quick - let us see what it all is, and how much gold and silver there is in the sack he gave him.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς ἔφασαν, βουλὴ δὲ κακὴ νίκησεν ἑταίρων:

ἀσκὸν μὲν λῦσαν, ἄνεμοι δ' ἐκ πάντες ὄρουσαν.

τοὺς δ' αἶψ' ἁρπάξασα φέρεν πόντονδε θύελλα

κλαίοντας, γαίης ἄπο πατρίδος. αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε

50ἐγρόμενος κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονα μερμήριξα,

Transliteration

"hōs ephasan, boulē de kakē nikēsen hetairōn:

askon men lysan, anemoi d' ek pantes orousan.

tous d' aips' harpaxasa pheren pontonde thyella

klaiontas, gaiēs apo patridos. autar egō ge

50egromenos kata thymon amymona mermērixa,

English

"Thus they talked and evil counsels prevailed. They loosed the sack, whereupon the wind flew howling forth and raised a storm that carried us weeping out to sea and away from our own country.

Homeric Greek

ἠὲ πεσὼν ἐκ νηὸς ἀποφθίμην ἐνὶ πόντῳ,

ἦ ἀκέων τλαίην καὶ ἔτι ζωοῖσι μετείην.

ἀλλ' ἔτλην καὶ ἔμεινα, καλυψάμενος δ' ἐνὶ νηὶ

κείμην. αἱ δ' ἐφέροντο κακῇ ἀνέμοιο θυέλλῃ

55αὖτις ἐπ' Αἰολίην νῆσον, στενάχοντο δ' ἑταῖροι.

Transliteration

ēe pesōn ek nēos apophthimēn eni pontōi,

ē akeōn tlaiēn kai eti zōoisi meteiēn.

all' etlēn kai emeina, kalypsamenos d' eni nēi

keimēn. hai d' epheronto kakēi anemoio thyellēi

55autis ep' Aioliēn nēson, stenachonto d' hetairoi.

English

Then I awoke, and knew not whether to throw myself into the sea or to live on and make the best of it; but I bore it, covered myself up, and lay down in the ship, while the men lamented bitterly as the fierce winds bore our fleet back to the Aeolian island.

Homeric Greek

"ἔνθα δ' ἐπ' ἠπείρου βῆμεν καὶ ἀφυσσάμεθ' ὕδωρ,

αἶψα δὲ δεῖπνον ἕλοντο θοῇς παρὰ νηυσὶν ἑταῖροι.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σίτοιό τ' ἐπασσάμεθ' ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,

δὴ τότ' ἐγὼ κήρυκά τ' ὀπασσάμενος καὶ ἑταῖρον

60βῆν εἰς Αἰόλου κλυτὰ δώματα: τὸν δ' ἐκίχανον

Transliteration

"entha d' ep' ēpeirou bēmen kai aphyssameth' hydōr,

aipsa de deipnon helonto thoēis para nēusin hetairoi.

autar epei sitoio t' epassameth' ēde potētos,

dē tot' egō kēryka t' opassamenos kai hetairon

60bēn eis Aiolou klyta dōmata: ton d' ekichanon

English

"When we reached it we went ashore to take in water, and dined hard by the ships. Immediately after dinner I took a herald and one of my men and went straight to the house of Aeolus, where I found him feasting with his wife and family;

Homeric Greek

δαινύμενον παρὰ ᾗ τ' ἀλόχῳ καὶ οἷσι τέκεσσιν.

ἐλθόντες δ' ἐς δῶμα παρὰ σταθμοῖσιν ἐπ' οὐδοῦ

ἑζόμεθ': οἱ δ' ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἐθάμβεον ἔκ τ' ἐρέοντο:

"'πῶς ἦλθες, Ὀδυσεῦ; τίς τοι κακὸς ἔχραε δαίμων;

65ἦ μέν σ' ἐνδυκέως ἀπεπέμπομεν, ὄφρ' ἀφίκοιο

Transliteration

dainymenon para hēi t' alochōi kai hoisi tekessin.

elthontes d' es dōma para stathmoisin ep' oudou

hezometh': hoi d' ana thymon ethambeon ek t' ereonto:

"'pōs ēlthes, Odyseu; tis toi kakos echrae daimōn;

65ē men s' endykeōs apepempomen, ophr' aphikoio

English

so we sat down as suppliants on the threshold. They were astounded when they saw us and said, ‘Odysseus, what brings you here? What daimôn has been ill-treating you? We took great pains to further you on your way home to Ithaca, or

Homeric Greek

πατρίδα σὴν καὶ δῶμα καὶ εἴ πού τοι φίλον ἐστίν.'

"ὣς φάσαν, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ μετεφώνεον ἀχνύμενος κῆρ:

"ἄασάν μ' ἕταροί τε κακοὶ πρὸς τοῖσί τε ὕπνος

σχέτλιος. ἀλλ' ἀκέσασθε, φίλοι: δύναμις γὰρ ἐν ὑμῖν.'

70"ὣς ἐφάμην μαλακοῖσι καθαπτόμενος ἐπέεσσιν,

Transliteration

patrida sēn kai dōma kai ei pou toi philon estin.'

"hōs phasan, autar egō metephōneon achnymenos kēr:

"aasan m' hetaroi te kakoi pros toisi te hypnos

schetlios. all' akesasthe, philoi: dynamis gar en hymin.'

70"hōs ephamēn malakoisi kathaptomenos epeessin,

English

wherever it was that you wanted to go to.’ "Thus did they speak, but I answered sorrowfully, ‘My men have undone me; they, and cruel sleep, have ruined me. My friends, mend me this mischief, for you can if you will.’ "I spoke as movingly as I could, but

Homeric Greek

οἱ δ' ἄνεῳ ἐγένοντο: πατὴρ δ' ἠμείβετο μύθῳ:

"'ἔρρ' ἐκ νήσου θᾶσσον, ἐλέγχιστε ζωόντων:

οὐ γάρ μοι θέμις ἐστὶ κομιζέμεν οὐδ' ἀποπέμπειν

ἄνδρα τόν, ὅς κε θεοῖσιν ἀπέχθηται μακάρεσσιν:

75ἔρρε, ἐπεὶ ἄρα θεοῖσιν ἀπεχθόμενος τόδ' ἱκάνεις.'

Transliteration

hoi d' aneōi egenonto: patēr d' ēmeibeto mythōi:

"'err' ek nēsou thasson, elenchiste zōontōn:

ou gar moi themis esti komizemen oud' apopempein

andra ton, hos ke theoisin apechthētai makaressin:

75erre, epei ara theoisin apechthomenos tod' hikaneis.'

English

they said nothing, till their father answered, ‘Vilest of humankind, get you gone at once out of the island; him whom heaven hates will I in no wise help. Be off, for you come here as one abhorred of heaven.'

Homeric Greek

"ὣς εἰπὼν ἀπέπεμπε δόμων βαρέα στενάχοντα.

ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ.

τείρετο δ' ἀνδρῶν θυμὸς ὑπ' εἰρεσίης ἀλεγεινῆς

ἡμετέρῃ ματίῃ, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι φαίνετο πομπή.

80ἑξῆμαρ μὲν ὁμῶς πλέομεν νύκτας τε καὶ ἦμαρ,

Transliteration

"hōs eipōn apepempe domōn barea stenachonta.

enthen de proterō pleomen akachēmenoi ētor.

teireto d' andrōn thymos hyp' eiresiēs alegeinēs

hēmeterēi matiēi, epei ouketi phaineto pompē.

80hexēmar men homōs pleomen nyktas te kai ēmar,

English

And with these words he sent me sorrowing from his door. "Thence we sailed sadly on till the men were worn out with long and fruitless rowing, for there was no longer any wind to help them. Six days, night and day did we toil, and on the seventh day we reached the rocky stronghold of Lamos

Homeric Greek

ἑβδομάτῃ δ' ἱκόμεσθα Λάμου αἰπὺ πτολίεθρον,

Τηλέπυλον Λαιστρυγονίην, ὅθι ποιμένα ποιμὴν

ἠπύει εἰσελάων, ὁ δέ τ' ἐξελάων ὑπακούει.

ἔνθα κ' ἄυπνος ἀνὴρ δοιοὺς ἐξήρατο μισθούς,

85τὸν μὲν βουκολέων, τὸν δ' ἄργυφα μῆλα νομεύων:

Transliteration

hebdomatēi d' hikomestha Lamou aipy ptoliethron,

Tēlepylon Laistrygoniēn, hothi poimena poimēn

ēpyei eiselaōn, ho de t' exelaōn hypakouei.

entha k' aupnos anēr doious exērato misthous,

85ton men boukoleōn, ton d' argypha mēla nomeuōn:

English

- Telepylos, the city of the Laestrygonians, where the shepherd who is driving in his sheep and goats salutes him who is driving out his flock and this last answers the salute. In that country a man who could do without sleep might earn double wages, one as a herdsman of cattle, and another as a shepherd, for

Homeric Greek

ἐγγὺς γὰρ νυκτός τε καὶ ἤματός εἰσι κέλευθοι.

ἔνθ' ἐπεὶ ἐς λιμένα κλυτὸν ἤλθομεν, ὃν πέρι πέτρη

ἠλίβατος τετύχηκε διαμπερὲς ἀμφοτέρωθεν,

ἀκταὶ δὲ προβλῆτες ἐναντίαι ἀλλήλῃσιν

90ἐν στόματι προύχουσιν, ἀραιὴ δ' εἴσοδός ἐστιν,

Transliteration

engys gar nyktos te kai ēmatos eisi keleuthoi.

enth' epei es limena klyton ēlthomen, hon peri petrē

ēlibatos tetychēke diamperes amphoterōthen,

aktai de problētes enantiai allēlēisin

90en stomati prouchousin, araiē d' eisodos estin,

English

they work much the same by night as they do by day. "When we reached the harbor we found it land-locked under steep cliffs, with a narrow entrance between two headlands.

Homeric Greek

ἔνθ' οἵ γ' εἴσω πάντες ἔχον νέας ἀμφιελίσσας.

αἱ μὲν ἄρ' ἔντοσθεν λιμένος κοίλοιο δέδεντο

πλησίαι: οὐ μὲν γάρ ποτ' ἀέξετο κῦμά γ' ἐν αὐτῷ,

οὔτε μέγ' οὔτ' ὀλίγον, λευκὴ δ' ἦν ἀμφὶ γαλήνη:

95αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν οἶος σχέθον ἔξω νῆα μέλαιναν,

Transliteration

enth' hoi g' eisō pantes echon neas amphielissas.

hai men ar' entosthen limenos koiloio dedento

plēsiai: ou men gar pot' aexeto kyma g' en autōi,

oute meg' out' oligon, leukē d' ēn amphi galēnē:

95autar egōn oios schethon exō nēa melainan,

English

My captains took all their ships inside, and made them fast close to one another, for there was never so much as a breath of wind inside, but it was always dead calm.

Homeric Greek

αὐτοῦ ἐπ' ἐσχατιῇ, πέτρης ἐκ πείσματα δήσας:

ἔστην δὲ σκοπιὴν ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἀνελθών.

ἔνθα μὲν οὔτε βοῶν οὔτ' ἀνδρῶν φαίνετο ἔργα,

καπνὸν δ' οἶον ὁρῶμεν ἀπὸ χθονὸς ἀίσσοντα.

100δὴ τότ' ἐγὼν ἑτάρους προί̈ειν πεύθεσθαι ἰόντας,

Transliteration

autou ep' eschatiēi, petrēs ek peismata dēsas:

estēn de skopiēn es paipaloessan anelthōn.

entha men oute boōn out' andrōn phaineto erga,

kapnon d' oion horōmen apo chthonos aissonta.

100dē tot' egōn hetarous proïein peuthesthai iontas,

English

I kept my own ship outside, and moored it to a rock at the very end of the point; then I climbed a high rock to reconnoiter, but could see no sign neither of man nor cattle, only some smoke rising from the ground.

Homeric Greek

οἵ τινες ἀνέρες εἶεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ σῖτον ἔδοντες,

ἄνδρε δύω κρίνας, τρίτατον κήρυχ' ἅμ' ὀπάσσας.

οἱ δ' ἴσαν ἐκβάντες λείην ὁδόν, ᾗ περ ἄμαξαι

ἄστυδ' ἀφ' ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων καταγίνεον ὕλην,

105κούρῃ δὲ ξύμβληντο πρὸ ἄστεος ὑδρευούσῃ,

Transliteration

hoi tines aneres eien epi chthoni siton edontes,

andre dyō krinas, tritaton kērych' ham' opassas.

hoi d' isan ekbantes leiēn hodon, hēi per amaxai

astyd' aph' hypsēlōn oreōn katagineon hylēn,

105kourēi de xymblēnto pro asteos hydreuousēi,

English

So I sent two of my company with an attendant to find out what sort of people the inhabitants were. "The men when they got on shore followed a level road by which the people draw their firewood from the mountains into the town, till presently they met a young woman who had come

Homeric Greek

θυγατέρ' ἰφθίμῃ Λαιστρυγόνος Ἀντιφάταο.

ἡ μὲν ἄρ' ἐς κρήνην κατεβήσετο καλλιρέεθρον

Ἀρτακίην: ἔνθεν γὰρ ὕδωρ προτὶ ἄστυ φέρεσκον:

οἱ δὲ παριστάμενοι προσεφώνεον ἔκ τ' ἐρέοντο

110ὅς τις τῶνδ' εἴη βασιλεὺς καὶ οἷσιν ἀνάσσοι:

Transliteration

thygater' iphthimēi Laistrygonos Antiphatao.

hē men ar' es krēnēn katebēseto kallireethron

Artakiēn: enthen gar hydōr proti asty phereskon:

hoi de paristamenoi prosephōneon ek t' ereonto

110hos tis tōnd' eiē basileus kai hoisin anassoi:

English

outside to fetch water, and who was daughter to a Laestrygonian named Antiphates. She was going to the fountain Artacia from which the people bring in their water, and when my men had come close up to her, they asked her who the king of that country might be, and over what kind of people he ruled;

Homeric Greek

ἡ δὲ μάλ' αὐτίκα πατρὸς ἐπέφραδεν ὑψερεφὲς δῶ.

οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ εἰσῆλθον κλυτὰ δώματα, τὴν δὲ γυναῖκα

εὗρον, ὅσην τ' ὄρεος κορυφήν, κατὰ δ' ἔστυγον αὐτήν.

ἡ δ' αἶψ' ἐξ ἀγορῆς ἐκάλει κλυτὸν Ἀντιφατῆα,

115ὃν πόσιν, ὃς δὴ τοῖσιν ἐμήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον.

Transliteration

hē de mal' autika patros epephraden hypserephes dō.

hoi d' epei eisēlthon klyta dōmata, tēn de gynaika

heuron, hosēn t' oreos koryphēn, kata d' estygon autēn.

hē d' aips' ex agorēs ekalei klyton Antiphatēa,

115hon posin, hos dē toisin emēsato lygron olethron.

English

so she directed them to her father's house, but when they got there they found his wife to be a giantess as huge as a mountain, and they were horrified at the sight of her. "She at once called her husband Antiphates from the place of assembly, and forthwith he set about killing my men.

Homeric Greek

αὐτίχ' ἕνα μάρψας ἑτάρων ὡπλίσσατο δεῖπνον:

τὼ δὲ δύ' ἀίξαντε φυγῇ ἐπὶ νῆας ἱκέσθην.

αὐτὰρ ὁ τεῦχε βοὴν διὰ ἄστεος: οἱ δ' ἀίοντες

φοίτων ἴφθιμοι Λαιστρυγόνες ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος,

120μυρίοι, οὐκ ἄνδρεσσιν ἐοικότες, ἀλλὰ Γίγασιν.

Transliteration

autich' hena marpsas hetarōn hōplissato deipnon:

tō de dy' aixante phygēi epi nēas hikesthēn.

autar ho teuche boēn dia asteos: hoi d' aiontes

phoitōn iphthimoi Laistrygones allothen allos,

120myrioi, ouk andressin eoikotes, alla Gigasin.

English

He snatched up one of them, and began to make his dinner of him then and there, whereon the other two ran back to the ships as fast as ever they could. But Antiphates raised a hue and cry after them, and thousands of sturdy Laestrygonians sprang up from every quarter - ogres, not men.

Homeric Greek

οἵ ῥ' ἀπὸ πετράων ἀνδραχθέσι χερμαδίοισιν

βάλλον: ἄφαρ δὲ κακὸς κόναβος κατὰ νῆας ὀρώρει

ἀνδρῶν τ' ὀλλυμένων νηῶν θ' ἅμα ἀγνυμενάων:

ἰχθῦς δ' ὣς πείροντες ἀτερπέα δαῖτα φέροντο.

125ὄφρ' οἱ τοὺς ὄλεκον λιμένος πολυβενθέος ἐντός,

Transliteration

hoi rh' apo petraōn andrachthesi chermadioisin

ballon: aphar de kakos konabos kata nēas orōrei

andrōn t' ollymenōn nēōn th' hama agnymenaōn:

ichthys d' hōs peirontes aterpea daita pheronto.

125ophr' hoi tous olekon limenos polybentheos entos,

English

They threw vast rocks at us from the cliffs as though they had been mere stones, and I heard the horrid sound of the ships crunching up against one another, and the death cries of my men, as the Laestrygonians speared them like fishes and took them home to eat them.

Homeric Greek

τόφρα δ' ἐγὼ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

τῷ ἀπὸ πείσματ' ἔκοψα νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο.

αἶψα δ' ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσα

ἐμβαλέειν κώπῃς, ἵν' ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν:

130οἱ δ' ἅλα πάντες ἀνέρριψαν, δείσαντες ὄλεθρον.

Transliteration

tophra d' egō xiphos oxy eryssamenos para mērou

tōi apo peismat' ekopsa neos kyanoprōiroio.

aipsa d' emois hetaroisin epotrynas ekeleusa

embaleein kōpēis, hin' hypek kakotēta phygoimen:

130hoi d' hala pantes anerripsan, deisantes olethron.

English

While they were thus killing my men within the harbor I drew my sword, cut the cable of my own ship, and told my men to row with all their might if they too would not fare like the rest; so they laid out for their lives, and we were thankful enough when we got into open water out of reach of the rocks they hurled at us.

Homeric Greek

ἀσπασίως δ' ἐς πόντον ἐπηρεφέας φύγε πέτρας

νηῦς ἐμή: αὐτὰρ αἱ ἄλλαι ἀολλέες αὐτόθ' ὄλοντο.

"ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ,

ἄσμενοι ἐκ θανάτοιο, φίλους ὀλέσαντες ἑταίρους.

135Αἰαίην δ' ἐς νῆσον ἀφικόμεθ': ἔνθα δ' ἔναιε

Transliteration

aspasiōs d' es ponton epērepheas phyge petras

nēus emē: autar hai allai aollees autoth' olonto.

"enthen de proterō pleomen akachēmenoi ētor,

asmenoi ek thanatoio, philous olesantes hetairous.

135Aiaiēn d' es nēson aphikometh': entha d' enaie

English

As for the others there was not one of them left. "Thence we sailed sadly on, glad to have escaped death, though we had lost our comrades, and came to the Aeaean island, where Circe lives, a

Homeric Greek

Κίρκη ἐυπλόκαμος, δεινὴ θεὸς αὐδήεσσα,

αὐτοκασιγνήτη ὀλοόφρονος Αἰήταο:

ἄμφω δ' ἐκγεγάτην φαεσιμβρότου Ἠελίοιο

μητρός τ' ἐκ Πέρσης, τὴν Ὠκεανὸς τέκε παῖδα.

140ἔνθα δ' ἐπ' ἀκτῆς νηὶ κατηγαγόμεσθα σιωπῇ

Transliteration

Kirkē euplokamos, deinē theos audēessa,

autokasignētē oloophronos Aiētao:

amphō d' ekgegatēn phaesimbrotou Ēelioio

mētros t' ek Persēs, tēn Ōkeanos teke paida.

140entha d' ep' aktēs nēi katēgagomestha siōpēi

English

great and cunning goddess who is own sister to the magician Aietes - for they are both children of the sun by Perse, who is daughter to Okeanos. We brought our ship into a safe harbor without a word, for some god guided us

Homeric Greek

ναύλοχον ἐς λιμένα, καί τις θεὸς ἡγεμόνευεν.

ἔνθα τότ' ἐκβάντες δύο τ' ἤματα καὶ δύο νύκτας

κείμεθ' ὁμοῦ καμάτῳ τε καὶ ἄλγεσι θυμὸν ἔδοντες.

ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ τρίτον ἦμαρ ἐυπλόκαμος τέλεσ' Ἠώς,

145καὶ τότ' ἐγὼν ἐμὸν ἔγχος ἑλὼν καὶ φάσγανον ὀξὺ

Transliteration

naulochon es limena, kai tis theos hēgemoneuen.

entha tot' ekbantes dyo t' ēmata kai dyo nyktas

keimeth' homou kamatōi te kai algesi thymon edontes.

all' hote dē triton ēmar euplokamos teles' Ēōs,

145kai tot' egōn emon enchos helōn kai phasganon oxy

English

there, and having landed we stayed there for two days and two nights, worn out in body and mind. When the morning of the third day came I took my spear and my sword, and went away from the ship to reconnoiter, and see

Homeric Greek

καρπαλίμως παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἐς περιωπήν,

εἴ πως ἔργα ἴδοιμι βροτῶν ἐνοπήν τε πυθοίμην.

ἔστην δὲ σκοπιὴν ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἀνελθών,

καί μοι ἐείσατο καπνὸς ἀπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης,

150Κίρκης ἐν μεγάροισι, διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην.

Transliteration

karpalimōs para nēos anēion es periōpēn,

ei pōs erga idoimi brotōn enopēn te pythoimēn.

estēn de skopiēn es paipaloessan anelthōn,

kai moi eeisato kapnos apo chthonos euryodeiēs,

150Kirkēs en megaroisi, dia dryma pykna kai hylēn.

English

if I could discover signs of human handiwork, or hear the sound of voices. Climbing to the top of a high look-out I espied the smoke of Circe's house rising upwards amid a dense forest of trees, and when I saw this I doubted

Homeric Greek

μερμήριξα δ' ἔπειτα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμὸν

ἐλθεῖν ἠδὲ πυθέσθαι, ἐπεὶ ἴδον αἴθοπα καπνόν.

ὧδε δέ μοι φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι,

πρῶτ' ἐλθόντ' ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης

155δεῖπνον ἑταίροισιν δόμεναι προέμεν τε πυθέσθαι.

Transliteration

mermērixa d' epeita kata phrena kai kata thymon

elthein ēde pythesthai, epei idon aithopa kapnon.

hōde de moi phroneonti doassato kerdion einai,

prōt' elthont' epi nēa thoēn kai thina thalassēs

155deipnon hetairoisin domenai proemen te pythesthai.

English

whether, having seen the smoke, I would not go on at once and find out more, but in the end I deemed it best to go back to the ship, give the men their dinners, and send some of them instead of going myself.

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ σχεδὸν ἦα κιὼν νεὸς ἀμφιελίσσης,

καὶ τότε τίς με θεῶν ὀλοφύρατο μοῦνον ἐόντα,

ὅς ῥά μοι ὑψίκερων ἔλαφον μέγαν εἰς ὁδὸν αὐτὴν

ἧκεν. ὁ μὲν ποταμόνδε κατήιεν ἐκ νομοῦ ὕλης

160πιόμενος: δὴ γάρ μιν ἔχεν μένος ἠελίοιο.

Transliteration

all' hote dē schedon ēa kiōn neos amphielissēs,

kai tote tis me theōn olophyrato mounon eonta,

hos rha moi hypsikerōn elaphon megan eis hodon autēn

hēken. ho men potamonde katēien ek nomou hylēs

160piomenos: dē gar min echen menos ēelioio.

English

"When I had nearly got back to the ship some god took pity upon my solitude, and sent a fine antlered stag right into the middle of my path. He was coming down his pasture in the forest to drink of the river, for the heat of the sun drove him, and as he passed I struck him in the middle of the back;

Homeric Greek

τὸν δ' ἐγὼ ἐκβαίνοντα κατ' ἄκνηστιν μέσα νῶτα

πλῆξα: τὸ δ' ἀντικρὺ δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξεπέρησε,

κὰδ δ' ἔπεσ' ἐν κονίῃσι μακών, ἀπὸ δ' ἔπτατο θυμός.

τῷ δ' ἐγὼ ἐμβαίνων δόρυ χάλκεον ἐξ ὠτειλῆς

165εἰρυσάμην: τὸ μὲν αὖθι κατακλίνας ἐπὶ γαίῃ

Transliteration

ton d' egō ekbainonta kat' aknēstin mesa nōta

plēxa: to d' antikry dory chalkeon exeperēse,

kad d' epes' en koniēisi makōn, apo d' eptato thymos.

tōi d' egō embainōn dory chalkeon ex ōteilēs

165eirysamēn: to men authi kataklinas epi gaiēi

English

the bronze point of the spear went clean through him, and he lay groaning in the dust until the life went out of him. Then I set my foot upon him, drew my spear from the wound, and laid it down;

Homeric Greek

εἴασ': αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σπασάμην ῥῶπάς τε λύγους τε,

πεῖσμα δ', ὅσον τ' ὄργυιαν, ἐυστρεφὲς ἀμφοτέρωθεν

πλεξάμενος συνέδησα πόδας δεινοῖο πελώρου,

βῆν δὲ καταλοφάδεια φέρων ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν

170ἔγχει ἐρειδόμενος, ἐπεὶ οὔ πως ἦεν ἐπ' ὤμου

Transliteration

eias': autar egō spasamēn rhōpas te lygous te,

peisma d', hoson t' orguian, eustrephes amphoterōthen

plexamenos synedēsa podas deinoio pelōrou,

bēn de katalophadeia pherōn epi nēa melainan

170enchei ereidomenos, epei ou pōs ēen ep' ōmou

English

I also gathered rough grass and rushes and twisted them into a fathom or so of good stout rope, with which I bound the four feet of the noble creature together; having so done I hung him round my neck and walked back to the ship leaning upon my spear, for the stag

Homeric Greek

χειρὶ φέρειν ἑτέρῃ: μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν.

κὰδ' δ' ἔβαλον προπάροιθε νεός, ἀνέγειρα δ' ἑταίρους

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρασταδὸν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον:

"ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ πω καταδυσόμεθ' ἀχνύμενοί περ

175εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους, πρὶν μόρσιμον ἦμαρ ἐπέλθῃ:

Transliteration

cheiri pherein heterēi: mala gar mega thērion ēen.

kad' d' ebalon proparoithe neos, anegeira d' hetairous

meilichiois epeessi parastadon andra hekaston:

"ō philoi, ou gar pō katadysometh' achnymenoi per

175eis Aidao domous, prin morsimon ēmar epelthēi:

English

was much too big for me to be able to carry him on my shoulder, steadying him with one hand. As I threw him down in front of the ship, I called the men and spoke cheeringly man by man to each of them.

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' ἄγετ', ὄφρ' ἐν νηὶ θοῇ βρῶσίς τε πόσις τε,

μνησόμεθα βρώμης, μηδὲ τρυχώμεθα λιμῷ.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δ' ὦκα ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πίθοντο,

ἐκ δὲ καλυψάμενοι παρὰ θῖν' ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο

180θηήσαντ' ἔλαφον: μάλα γὰρ μέγα θηρίον ἦεν.

Transliteration

all' aget', ophr' en nēi thoēi brōsis te posis te,

mnēsometha brōmēs, mēde trychōmetha limōi.'

"hōs ephamēn, hoi d' ōka emois epeessi pithonto,

ek de kalypsamenoi para thin' halos atrygetoio

180thēēsant' elaphon: mala gar mega thērion ēen.

English

‘Look here my friends,’ said I, ‘we are not going to die so much before our time after all, and at any rate we will not starve so long as we have got something to eat and drink on board.’ On this they uncovered their heads upon the sea shore and admired the stag, for he was indeed a splendid man.

Homeric Greek

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τάρπησαν ὁρώμενοι ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

χεῖρας νιψάμενοι τεύχοντ' ἐρικυδέα δαῖτα.

ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τ' ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ:

185ἦμος δ' ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε,

Transliteration

autar epei tarpēsan horōmenoi ophthalmoisin,

cheiras nipsamenoi teuchont' erikydea daita.

hōs tote men propan ēmar es ēelion katadynta

hēmetha dainymenoi krea t' aspeta kai methy hēdy:

185ēmos d' ēelios katedy kai epi knephas ēlthe,

English

Then, when they had feasted their eyes upon him sufficiently, they washed their hands and began to cook him for dinner. "Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun we stayed there eating and drinking our fill, but when the sun went down and it came on dark, we camped upon the sea shore.

Homeric Greek

δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

ἦμος δ' ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

καὶ τότ' ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ πᾶσιν ἔειπον:

"'κέκλυτέ μευ μύθων, κακά περ πάσχοντες ἑταῖροι:

190ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ τ' ἴδμεν, ὅπῃ ζόφος οὐδ' ὅπῃ ἠώς,

Transliteration

dē tote koimēthēmen epi rhēgmini thalassēs.

ēmos d' ērigeneia phanē rhododaktylos Ēōs,

kai tot' egōn agorēn themenos meta pasin eeipon:

"'keklyte meu mythōn, kaka per paschontes hetairoi:

190ō philoi, ou gar t' idmen, hopēi zophos oud' hopēi ēōs,

English

When the child of morning, fingered Dawn, appeared, I called a council and said, ‘My friends, we are in very great difficulties; listen therefore to me. We have no idea where the sun either sets or rises, so that we do not even know East from West.

Homeric Greek

οὐδ' ὅπῃ ἠέλιος φαεσίμβροτος εἶσ' ὑπὸ γαῖαν,

οὐδ' ὅπῃ ἀννεῖται: ἀλλὰ φραζώμεθα θᾶσσον

εἴ τις ἔτ' ἔσται μῆτις. ἐγὼ δ' οὔκ οἴομαι εἶναι.

εἶδον γὰρ σκοπιὴν ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἀνελθὼν

195νῆσον, τὴν πέρι πόντος ἀπείριτος ἐστεφάνωται:

Transliteration

oud' hopēi ēelios phaesimbrotos eis' hypo gaian,

oud' hopēi anneitai: alla phrazōmetha thasson

ei tis et' estai mētis. egō d' ouk oiomai einai.

eidon gar skopiēn es paipaloessan anelthōn

195nēson, tēn peri pontos apeiritos estephanōtai:

English

I see no way out of it; nevertheless, we must try and find one. We are certainly on an island, for I went as high as I could this morning, and saw the sea reaching all round it to the horizon;

Homeric Greek

αὐτὴ δὲ χθαμαλὴ κεῖται: καπνὸν δ' ἐνὶ μέσσῃ

ἔδρακον ὀφθαλμοῖσι διὰ δρυμὰ πυκνὰ καὶ ὕλην.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ

μνησαμένοις ἔργων Λαιστρυγόνος Ἀντιφάταο

200Κύκλωπός τε βίης μεγαλήτορος, ἀνδροφάγοιο.

Transliteration

autē de chthamalē keitai: kapnon d' eni messēi

edrakon ophthalmoisi dia dryma pykna kai hylēn.'

"hōs ephamēn, toisin de kateklasthē philon ētor

mnēsamenois ergōn Laistrygonos Antiphatao

200Kyklōpos te biēs megalētoros, androphagoio.

English

it lies low, but towards the middle I saw smoke rising from out of a thick forest of trees.’ "Their hearts sank as they heard me, for they remembered how they had been treated by the Laestrygonian Antiphates, and by the savage ogre Polyphemus.

Homeric Greek

κλαῖον δὲ λιγέως θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες:

ἀλλ' οὐ γάρ τις πρῆξις ἐγίγνετο μυρομένοισιν.

"αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ δίχα πάντας ἐυκνήμιδας ἑταίρους

ἠρίθμεον, ἀρχὸν δὲ μετ' ἀμφοτέροισιν ὄπασσα:

205τῶν μὲν ἐγὼν ἦρχον, τῶν δ' Εὐρύλοχος θεοειδής.

Transliteration

klaion de ligeōs thaleron kata dakry cheontes:

all' ou gar tis prēxis egigneto myromenoisin.

"autar egō dicha pantas euknēmidas hetairous

ērithmeon, archon de met' amphoteroisin opassa:

205tōn men egōn ērchon, tōn d' Eurylochos theoeidēs.

English

They wept bitterly in their dismay, but there was nothing to be got by crying, so I divided them into two companies and set a leader over each; I gave one company to Eurylokhos, while I took command of the other myself.

Homeric Greek

κλήρους δ' ἐν κυνέῃ χαλκήρεϊ πάλλομεν ὦκα:

ἐκ δ' ἔθορε κλῆρος μεγαλήτορος Εὐρυλόχοιο.

βῆ δ' ἰέναι, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω καὶ εἴκοσ' ἑταῖροι

κλαίοντες: κατὰ δ' ἄμμε λίπον γοόωντας ὄπισθεν.

210εὗρον δ' ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα Κίρκης

Transliteration

klērous d' en kyneēi chalkēreï pallomen ōka:

ek d' ethore klēros megalētoros Eurylochoio.

bē d' ienai, hama tōi ge dyō kai eikos' hetairoi

klaiontes: kata d' amme lipon gooōntas opisthen.

210heuron d' en bēssēisi tetygmena dōmata Kirkēs

English

Then we cast lots in a helmet, and the lot fell upon Eurylokhos; so he set out with his twenty-two men, and they wept, as also did we who were left behind. "When they reached Circe's house they found it built of cut

Homeric Greek

ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ:

ἀμφὶ δέ μιν λύκοι ἦσαν ὀρέστεροι ἠδὲ λέοντες,

τοὺς αὐτὴ κατέθελξεν, ἐπεὶ κακὰ φάρμακ' ἔδωκεν.

οὐδ' οἵ γ' ὡρμήθησαν ἐπ' ἀνδράσιν, ἀλλ' ἄρα τοί γε

215οὐρῇσιν μακρῇσι περισσαίνοντες ἀνέσταν.

Transliteration

xestoisin laessi, periskeptōi eni chōrōi:

amphi de min lykoi ēsan oresteroi ēde leontes,

tous autē katethelxen, epei kaka pharmak' edōken.

oud' hoi g' hōrmēthēsan ep' andrasin, all' ara toi ge

215ourēisin makrēisi perissainontes anestan.

English

stones, on a site that could be seen from far, in the middle of the forest. There were wild mountain wolves and lions prowling all round it - poor bewitched creatures whom she had tamed by her enchantments and drugged into subjection. They did not attack my men, but wagged their great tails, fawned upon them, and rubbed their noses lovingly against them.

Homeric Greek

ὡς δ' ὅτ' ἂν ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα κύνες δαίτηθεν ἰόντα

σαίνωσ', αἰεὶ γάρ τε φέρει μειλίγματα θυμοῦ,

ὣς τοὺς ἀμφὶ λύκοι κρατερώνυχες ἠδὲ λέοντες

σαῖνον: τοὶ δ' ἔδεισαν, ἐπεὶ ἴδον αἰνὰ πέλωρα.

220ἔσταν δ' ἐν προθύροισι θεᾶς καλλιπλοκάμοιο,

Transliteration

hōs d' hot' an amphi anakta kynes daitēthen ionta

sainōs', aiei gar te pherei meiligmata thymou,

hōs tous amphi lykoi kraterōnyches ēde leontes

sainon: toi d' edeisan, epei idon aina pelōra.

220estan d' en prothyroisi theas kalliplokamoio,

English

As hounds crowd round their master when they see him coming from dinner - for they know he will bring them something - even so did these wolves and lions with their great claws fawn upon my men, but the men were terribly frightened at seeing such strange creatures.

Homeric Greek

Κίρκης δ' ἔνδον ἄκουον ἀειδούσης ὀπὶ καλῇ,

ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένης μέγαν ἄμβροτον, οἷα θεάων

λεπτά τε καὶ χαρίεντα καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργα πέλονται.

τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε Πολίτης ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν,

225ὅς μοι κήδιστος ἑτάρων ἦν κεδνότατός τε:

Transliteration

Kirkēs d' endon akouon aeidousēs opi kalēi,

histon epoichomenēs megan ambroton, hoia theaōn

lepta te kai charienta kai aglaa erga pelontai.

toisi de mythōn ērche Politēs orchamos andrōn,

225hos moi kēdistos hetarōn ēn kednotatos te:

English

Presently they reached the gates of the goddess’ house, and as they stood there they could hear Circe within, singing most beautifully as she worked at her loom, making a web so fine, so soft, and of such dazzling colors as no one but a goddess could weave.

Homeric Greek

"ὦ φίλοι, ἔνδον γάρ τις ἐποιχομένη μέγαν ἱστὸν

καλὸν ἀοιδιάει, δάπεδον δ' ἅπαν ἀμφιμέμυκεν,

ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή: ἀλλὰ φθεγγώμεθα θᾶσσον.'

"ὣς ἄρ' ἐφώνησεν, τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.

230ἡ δ' αἶψ' ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰς

Transliteration

"ō philoi, endon gar tis epoichomenē megan histon

kalon aoidiaei, dapedon d' hapan amphimemyken,

ē theos ēe gynē: alla phthengōmetha thasson.'

"hōs ar' ephōnēsen, toi de phthengonto kaleuntes.

230hē d' aips' exelthousa thyras ōixe phaeinas

English

On this Polites, whom I valued and trusted more than any other of my men, said, ‘There is some one inside working at a loom and singing most beautifully; the whole place resounds with it, let us call her and see whether she is woman or goddess.’ "They called her and she came down, unfastened the door, and bade them enter.

Homeric Greek

καὶ κάλει: οἱ δ' ἅμα πάντες ἀιδρείῃσιν ἕποντο:

Εὐρύλοχος δ' ὑπέμεινεν, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.

εἷσεν δ' εἰσαγαγοῦσα κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,

ἐν δέ σφιν τυρόν τε καὶ ἄλφιτα καὶ μέλι χλωρὸν

235οἴνῳ Πραμνείῳ ἐκύκα: ἀνέμισγε δὲ σίτῳ

Transliteration

kai kalei: hoi d' hama pantes aidreiēisin heponto:

Eurylochos d' hypemeinen, oisamenos dolon einai.

heisen d' eisagagousa kata klismous te thronous te,

en de sphin tyron te kai alphita kai meli chlōron

235oinōi Pramneiōi ekyka: anemisge de sitōi

English

They, thinking no evil, followed her, all except Eurylokhos, who suspected mischief and stayed outside. When she had got them into her house, she set them upon benches and seats and mixed them a drink with cheese, honey, meal, and Pramnian wine but she drugged it with wicked poisons to make them

Homeric Greek

φάρμακα λύγρ', ἵνα πάγχυ λαθοίατο πατρίδος αἴης.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δῶκέν τε καὶ ἔκπιον, αὐτίκ' ἔπειτα

ῥάβδῳ πεπληγυῖα κατὰ συφεοῖσιν ἐέργνυ.

οἱ δὲ συῶν μὲν ἔχον κεφαλὰς φωνήν τε τρίχας τε

240καὶ δέμας, αὐτὰρ νοῦς ἦν ἔμπεδος, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ.

Transliteration

pharmaka lygr', hina panchy lathoiato patridos aiēs.

autar epei dōken te kai ekpion, autik' epeita

rhabdōi peplēguia kata sypheoisin eergny.

hoi de syōn men echon kephalas phōnēn te trichas te

240kai demas, autar nous ēn empedos, hōs to paros per.

English

forget their homes, and when they had drunk she turned them into pigs by a stroke of her wand, and shut them up in her pigsties. They were like pigs- head, hair, and all, and they grunted just as pigs do; but their senses were the same as before, and they remembered everything.

Homeric Greek

ὣς οἱ μὲν κλαίοντες ἐέρχατο, τοῖσι δὲ Κίρκη

πάρ ῥ' ἄκυλον βάλανόν τε βάλεν καρπόν τε κρανείης

ἔδμεναι, οἷα σύες χαμαιευνάδες αἰὲν ἔδουσιν.

"Εὐρύλοχος δ' αἶψ' ἦλθε θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν

245ἀγγελίην ἑτάρων ἐρέων καὶ ἀδευκέα πότμον.

Transliteration

hōs hoi men klaiontes eerchato, toisi de Kirkē

par rh' akylon balanon te balen karpon te kraneiēs

edmenai, hoia syes chamaieunades aien edousin.

"Eurylochos d' aips' ēlthe thoēn epi nēa melainan

245angeliēn hetarōn ereōn kai adeukea potmon.

English

"Thus then were they shut up squealing, and Circe threw them some acorns and beech masts such as pigs eat, but Eurylokhos hurried back to tell me about the sad fate of our comrades.

Homeric Greek

οὐδέ τι ἐκφάσθαι δύνατο ἔπος ἱέμενός περ,

κῆρ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος: ἐν δέ οἱ ὄσσε

δακρυόφιν πίμπλαντο, γόον δ' ὠίετο θυμός.

ἀλλ' ὅτε δή μιν πάντες ἀγασσάμεθ' ἐξερέοντες,

250καὶ τότε τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων κατέλεξεν ὄλεθρον:

Transliteration

oude ti ekphasthai dynato epos hiemenos per,

kēr acheï megalōi bebolēmenos: en de hoi osse

dakryophin pimplanto, goon d' ōieto thymos.

all' hote dē min pantes agassameth' exereontes,

250kai tote tōn allōn hetarōn katelexen olethron:

English

He was so overcome with dismay that though he tried to speak he could find no words to do so; his eyes filled with tears and he could only sob and sigh, till at last we forced his story out of him, and he told us what had happened to the others.

Homeric Greek

"'ἤιομεν, ὡς ἐκέλευες, ἀνὰ δρυμά, φαίδιμ' Ὀδυσσεῦ:

εὕρομεν ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα καλὰ

ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ.

ἔνθα δέ τις μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένη λίγ' ἄειδεν,

255ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή: τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες.

Transliteration

"'ēiomen, hōs ekeleues, ana dryma, phaidim' Odysseu:

heuromen en bēssēisi tetygmena dōmata kala

xestoisin laessi, periskeptōi eni chōrōi.

entha de tis megan histon epoichomenē lig' aeiden,

255ē theos ēe gynē: toi de phthengonto kaleuntes.

English

"‘We went,’ said he, ‘as you told us, through the forest, and in the middle of it there was a fine house built with cut stones in a place that could be seen from far. There we found a woman, or else she was a goddess, working at her loom and singing sweetly;

Homeric Greek

ἡ δ' αἶψ' ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰς

καὶ κάλει: οἱ δ' ἅμα πάντες ἀιδρείῃσιν ἕποντο:

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπέμεινα, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι.

οἱ δ' ἅμ' ἀιστώθησαν ἀολλέες, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶν

260ἐξεφάνη: δηρὸν δὲ καθήμενος ἐσκοπίαζον.'

Transliteration

hē d' aips' exelthousa thyras ōixe phaeinas

kai kalei: hoi d' hama pantes aidreiēisin heponto:

autar egōn hypemeina, oisamenos dolon einai.

hoi d' ham' aistōthēsan aollees, oude tis autōn

260exephanē: dēron de kathēmenos eskopiazon.'

English

so the men shouted to her and called her, whereon she at once came down, opened the door, and invited us in. The others did not suspect any mischief so they followed her into the house, but I stayed where I was, for I thought there might be some treachery. From that moment I saw them no more, for not one of them ever came out, though I sat a long time watching for them.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ περὶ μὲν ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

ὤμοιιν βαλόμην, μέγα χάλκεον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα:

τὸν δ' ἂψ ἠνώγεα αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡγήσασθαι.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γ' ἀμφοτέρῃσι λαβὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων

265καί μ' ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα:

Transliteration

"hōs ephat', autar egō peri men xiphos argyroēlon

ōmoiin balomēn, mega chalkeon, amphi de toxa:

ton d' aps ēnōgea autēn hodon hēgēsasthai.

autar ho g' amphoterēisi labōn ellisseto gounōn

265kai m' olophyromenos epea pteroenta prosēuda:

English

"Then I took my sword of bronze and slung it over my shoulders; I also took my bow, and told Eurylokhos to come back with me and show me the way. But he laid hold of me with both his hands and spoke piteously, saying, ‘Sir, do not force me to go with you, but let me

Homeric Greek

"'μή μ' ἄγε κεῖσ' ἀέκοντα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπ' αὐτοῦ.

οἶδα γάρ, ὡς οὔτ' αὐτὸς ἐλεύσεαι οὔτε τιν' ἄλλον

ἄξεις σῶν ἑτάρων. ἀλλὰ ξὺν τοίσδεσι θᾶσσον

φεύγωμεν: ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ.'

270"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον:

Transliteration

"'mē m' age keis' aekonta, diotrephes, alla lip' autou.

oida gar, hōs out' autos eleuseai oute tin' allon

axeis sōn hetarōn. alla xyn toisdesi thasson

pheugōmen: eti gar ken alyxaimen kakon ēmar.'

270"hōs ephat', autar egō min ameibomenos proseeipon:

English

stay here, for I know you will not bring one of them back with you, nor even return alive yourself; let us rather see if we cannot escape at any rate with the few that are left us, for we may still save our lives.’ "‘Stay where you are, then,’ answered

Homeric Greek

Εὐρύλοχ', ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μέν' αὐτοῦ τῷδ' ἐνὶ χώρῳ

ἔσθων καὶ πίνων κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ:

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εἶμι, κρατερὴ δέ μοι ἔπλετ' ἀνάγκη.'

"ὣς εἰπὼν παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἠδὲ θαλάσσης.

275ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ ἄρ' ἔμελλον ἰὼν ἱερὰς ἀνὰ βήσσας

Transliteration

Euryloch', ē toi men sy men' autou tōid' eni chōrōi

esthōn kai pinōn koilēi para nēi melainēi:

autar egōn eimi, kraterē de moi eplet' anankē.'

"hōs eipōn para nēos anēion ēde thalassēs.

275all' hote dē ar' emellon iōn hieras ana bēssas

English

I, ‘eating and drinking at the ship, but I must go, for I am most urgently bound to do so.’ "With this I left the ship and went up inland. When I got through the charmed grove, and was near the great house of

Homeric Greek

Κίρκης ἵξεσθαι πολυφαρμάκου ἐς μέγα δῶμα,

ἔνθα μοι Ἑρμείας χρυσόρραπις ἀντεβόλησεν

ἐρχομένῳ πρὸς δῶμα, νεηνίῃ ἀνδρὶ ἐοικώς,

πρῶτον ὑπηνήτῃ, τοῦ περ χαριεστάτη ἥβη:

280ἔν τ' ἄρα μοι φῦ χειρί, ἔπος τ' ἔφατ' ἔκ τ' ὀνόμαζε:

Transliteration

Kirkēs hixesthai polypharmakou es mega dōma,

entha moi Hermeias chrysorrapis antebolēsen

erchomenōi pros dōma, neēniēi andri eoikōs,

prōton hypēnētēi, tou per chariestatē hēbē:

280en t' ara moi phy cheiri, epos t' ephat' ek t' onomaze:

English

the enchantress Circe, I met Hermes with his golden wand, disguised as a young man in the hey-day of his youth and beauty with the down just coming upon his face. He came up to me and took my hand within his own, saying, ‘My poor unhappy man, whither are you going over this mountain top, alone and without knowing the way?

Homeric Greek

"'πῇ δὴ αὖτ', ὦ δύστηνε, δι' ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος,

χώρου ἄιδρις ἐών; ἕταροι δέ τοι οἵδ' ἐνὶ Κίρκης

ἔρχαται ὥς τε σύες πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχοντες.

ἦ τοὺς λυσόμενος δεῦρ' ἔρχεαι; οὐδέ σέ φημι

285αὐτὸν νοστήσειν, μενέεις δὲ σύ γ', ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι.

Transliteration

"'pēi dē aut', ō dystēne, di' akrias ercheai oios,

chōrou aidris eōn; hetaroi de toi hoid' eni Kirkēs

erchatai hōs te syes pykinous keuthmōnas echontes.

ē tous lysomenos deur' ercheai; oude se phēmi

285auton nostēsein, meneeis de sy g', entha per alloi.

English

Your men are shut up in Circe's pigsties, like so many wild boars in their lairs. You surely do not fancy that you can set them free? I can tell you that you will never get back and will have to stay there with the rest of them. But never mind, I will protect you and get you out of your difficulty.

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' ἄγε δή σε κακῶν ἐκλύσομαι ἠδὲ σαώσω.

τῆ, τόδε φάρμακον ἐσθλὸν ἔχων ἐς δώματα Κίρκης

ἔρχευ, ὅ κέν τοι κρατὸς ἀλάλκῃσιν κακὸν ἦμαρ.

πάντα δέ τοι ἐρέω ὀλοφώια δήνεα Κίρκης.

290τεύξει τοι κυκεῶ, βαλέει δ' ἐν φάρμακα σίτῳ.

Transliteration

all' age dē se kakōn eklysomai ēde saōsō.

tē, tode pharmakon esthlon echōn es dōmata Kirkēs

ercheu, ho ken toi kratos alalkēisin kakon ēmar.

panta de toi ereō olophōia dēnea Kirkēs.

290teuxei toi kykeō, baleei d' en pharmaka sitōi.

English

Take this herb, which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to Circe's house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief. "‘And I will tell you of all the wicked witchcraft that Circe will try to practice upon you.

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' οὐδ' ὣς θέλξαι σε δυνήσεται: οὐ γὰρ ἐάσει

φάρμακον ἐσθλόν, ὅ τοι δώσω, ἐρέω δὲ ἕκαστα.

ὁππότε κεν Κίρκη σ' ἐλάσῃ περιμήκεϊ ῥάβδῳ,

δὴ τότε σὺ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

295Κίρκῃ ἐπαῖξαι, ὥς τε κτάμεναι μενεαίνων.

Transliteration

all' oud' hōs thelxai se dynēsetai: ou gar easei

pharmakon esthlon, ho toi dōsō, ereō de hekasta.

hoppote ken Kirkē s' elasēi perimēkeï rhabdōi,

dē tote sy xiphos oxy eryssamenos para mērou

295Kirkēi epaixai, hōs te ktamenai meneainōn.

English

She will mix a potion for you to drink, and she will drug the meal with which she makes it, but she will not be able to charm you, for the virtue of the herb that I shall give you will prevent her spells from working. I will tell you all about it. When Circe strikes you with her wand, draw your sword and spring upon her as though you were goings to kill her.

Homeric Greek

ἡ δέ σ' ὑποδείσασα κελήσεται εὐνηθῆναι:

ἔνθα σὺ μηκέτ' ἔπειτ' ἀπανήνασθαι θεοῦ εὐνήν,

ὄφρα κέ τοι λύσῃ θ' ἑτάρους αὐτόν τε κομίσσῃ:

ἀλλὰ κέλεσθαί μιν μακάρων μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι,

300μή τί τοι αὐτῷ πῆμα κακὸν βουλευσέμεν ἄλλο,

Transliteration

hē de s' hypodeisasa kelēsetai eunēthēnai:

entha sy mēket' epeit' apanēnasthai theou eunēn,

ophra ke toi lysēi th' hetarous auton te komissēi:

alla kelesthai min makarōn megan horkon omossai,

300mē ti toi autōi pēma kakon bouleusemen allo,

English

She will then be frightened and will desire you to go to bed with her; on this you must not point blank refuse her, for you want her to set your companions free, and to take good care also of yourself, but you make her swear solemnly by all the blessed that she will plot no further mischief against you, or else when she has

Homeric Greek

μή σ' ἀπογυμνωθέντα κακὸν καὶ ἀνήνορα θήῃ.'

"ὣς ἄρα φωνήσας πόρε φάρμακον ἀργεϊφόντης

ἐκ γαίης ἐρύσας, καί μοι φύσιν αὐτοῦ ἔδειξε.

ῥίζῃ μὲν μέλαν ἔσκε, γάλακτι δὲ εἴκελον ἄνθος:

305μῶλυ δέ μιν καλέουσι θεοί: χαλεπὸν δέ τ' ὀρύσσειν

Transliteration

mē s' apogymnōthenta kakon kai anēnora thēēi.'

"hōs ara phōnēsas pore pharmakon argeïphontēs

ek gaiēs erysas, kai moi physin autou edeixe.

rhizēi men melan eske, galakti de eikelon anthos:

305mōly de min kaleousi theoi: chalepon de t' oryssein

English

got you naked she will unman you and make you fit for nothing.’ "As he spoke he pulled the herb out of the ground an showed me what it was like. The root was black, while the flower was as white as milk;

Homeric Greek

ἀνδράσι γε θνητοῖσι, θεοὶ δέ τε πάντα δύνανται.

Ἑρμείας μὲν ἔπειτ' ἀπέβη πρὸς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον

νῆσον ἀν' ὑλήεσσαν, ἐγὼ δ' ἐς δώματα Κίρκης

ἤια, πολλὰ δέ μοι κραδίη πόρφυρε κιόντι.

310ἔστην δ' εἰνὶ θύρῃσι θεᾶς καλλιπλοκάμοιο:

Transliteration

andrasi ge thnētoisi, theoi de te panta dynantai.

Hermeias men epeit' apebē pros makron Olympon

nēson an' hylēessan, egō d' es dōmata Kirkēs

ēia, polla de moi kradiē porphyre kionti.

310estēn d' eini thyrēisi theas kalliplokamoio:

English

the gods call it Moly, and mortal men cannot uproot it, but the gods can do whatever they like. "Then Hermes went back to high Olympus passing over the wooded island; but I fared onward to the house of Circe, and my heart was clouded with care as I walked along.

Homeric Greek

ἔνθα στὰς ἐβόησα, θεὰ δέ μευ ἔκλυεν αὐδῆς.

ἡ δ' αἶψ' ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰς

καὶ κάλει: αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἑπόμην ἀκαχήμενος ἦτορ.

εἷσε δέ μ' εἰσαγαγοῦσα ἐπὶ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου

315καλοῦ δαιδαλέου: ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν:

Transliteration

entha stas eboēsa, thea de meu eklyen audēs.

hē d' aips' exelthousa thyras ōixe phaeinas

kai kalei: autar egōn hepomēn akachēmenos ētor.

heise de m' eisagagousa epi thronou argyroēlou

315kalou daidaleou: hypo de thrēnys posin ēen:

English

When I got to the gates I stood there and called the goddess, and as soon as she heard me she came down, opened the door, and asked me to come in; so I followed her - much troubled in my mind. She set me on a richly decorated seat inlaid with silver, there was a footstool also under my feet,

Homeric Greek

τεῦχε δέ μοι κυκεῶ χρυσέῳ δέπαι, ὄφρα πίοιμι,

ἐν δέ τε φάρμακον ἧκε, κακὰ φρονέουσ' ἐνὶ θυμῷ.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δῶκέν τε καὶ ἔκπιον, οὐδέ μ' ἔθελξε,

ῥάβδῳ πεπληγυῖα ἔπος τ' ἔφατ' ἔκ τ' ὀνόμαζεν:

320'ἔρχεο νῦν συφεόνδε, μετ' ἄλλων λέξο ἑταίρων.'

Transliteration

teuche de moi kykeō chryseōi depai, ophra pioimi,

en de te pharmakon hēke, kaka phroneous' eni thymōi.

autar epei dōken te kai ekpion, oude m' ethelxe,

rhabdōi peplēguia epos t' ephat' ek t' onomazen:

320'ercheo nyn sypheonde, met' allōn lexo hetairōn.'

English

and she mixed a mess in a golden goblet for me to drink; but she drugged it, for she meant me mischief. When she had given it me, and I had drunk it without its charming me, she struck me with her wand. ‘There now,’ she cried, ‘be off to the pigsty, and make your lair with the rest of them.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς φάτ', ἐγὼ δ' ἄορ ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

Κίρκῃ ἐπήιξα ὥς τε κτάμεναι μενεαίνων.

ἡ δὲ μέγα ἰάχουσα ὑπέδραμε καὶ λάβε γούνων,

καί μ' ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα:

325"'τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν; πόθι τοι πόλις ἠδὲ τοκῆες;

Transliteration

"hōs phat', egō d' aor oxy eryssamenos para mērou

Kirkēi epēixa hōs te ktamenai meneainōn.

hē de mega iachousa hypedrame kai labe gounōn,

kai m' olophyromenē epea pteroenta prosēuda:

325"'tis pothen eis andrōn; pothi toi polis ēde tokēes;

English

"But I rushed at her with my sword drawn as though I would kill her, whereon she fell with a loud scream, clasped my knees, and spoke piteously, saying, ‘Who and whence are you? From what place and people have you come?

Homeric Greek

θαῦμά μ' ἔχει ὡς οὔ τι πιὼν τάδε φάρμακ' ἐθέλχθης:

οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδέ τις ἄλλος ἀνὴρ τάδε φάρμακ' ἀνέτλη,

ὅς κε πίῃ καὶ πρῶτον ἀμείψεται ἕρκος ὀδόντων.

σοὶ δέ τις ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀκήλητος νόος ἐστίν.

330ἦ σύ γ' Ὀδυσσεύς ἐσσι πολύτροπος, ὅν τέ μοι αἰεὶ

Transliteration

thauma m' echei hōs ou ti piōn tade pharmak' ethelchthēs:

oude gar oude tis allos anēr tade pharmak' anetlē,

hos ke piēi kai prōton ameipsetai herkos odontōn.

soi de tis en stēthessin akēlētos noos estin.

330ē sy g' Odysseus essi polytropos, hon te moi aiei

English

How can it be that my drugs have no power to charm you? Never yet was any man able to stand so much as a taste of the herb I gave you; you must have some sort of spell-proof noos;

Homeric Greek

φάσκεν ἐλεύσεσθαι χρυσόρραπις ἀργεϊφόντης,

ἐκ Τροίης ἀνιόντα θοῇ σὺν νηὶ μελαίνῃ.

ἀλλ' ἄγε δὴ κολεῷ μὲν ἄορ θέο, νῶι δ' ἔπειτα

εὐνῆς ἡμετέρης ἐπιβείομεν, ὄφρα μιγέντε

335εὐνῇ καὶ φιλότητι πεποίθομεν ἀλλήλοισιν.'

Transliteration

phasken eleusesthai chrysorrapis argeïphontēs,

ek Troiēs anionta thoēi syn nēi melainēi.

all' age dē koleōi men aor theo, nōi d' epeita

eunēs hēmeterēs epibeiomen, ophra migente

335eunēi kai philotēti pepoithomen allēloisin.'

English

surely you can be none other than the bold hero Odysseus, who Hermes always said would come here some day with his ship while on his way home from Troy; so be it then; sheathe your sword and let us go to bed, that we may make friends and learn to trust each other.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον:

'ὦ Κίρκη, πῶς γάρ με κέλεαι σοὶ ἤπιον εἶναι,

ἥ μοι σῦς μὲν ἔθηκας ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἑταίρους,

αὐτὸν δ' ἐνθάδ' ἔχουσα δολοφρονέουσα κελεύεις

340ἐς θάλαμόν τ' ἰέναι καὶ σῆς ἐπιβήμεναι εὐνῆς,

Transliteration

"hōs ephat', autar egō min ameibomenos proseeipon:

'ō Kirkē, pōs gar me keleai soi ēpion einai,

hē moi sys men ethēkas eni megaroisin hetairous,

auton d' enthad' echousa dolophroneousa keleueis

340es thalamon t' ienai kai sēs epibēmenai eunēs,

English

"And I answered, ‘Circe, how can you expect me to be friendly with you when you have just been turning all my men into pigs? And now that you have got me here myself, you mean me mischief when you ask me to go to bed with you, and will unman me and make me fit for nothing.

Homeric Greek

ὄφρα με γυμνωθέντα κακὸν καὶ ἀνήνορα θήῃς.

οὐδ' ἂν ἐγώ γ' ἐθέλοιμι τεῆς ἐπιβήμεναι εὐνῆς,

εἰ μή μοι τλαίης γε, θεά, μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι

μή τί μοι αὐτῷ πῆμα κακὸν βουλευσέμεν ἄλλο.'

345"ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ' αὐτίκ' ἀπώμνυεν, ὡς ἐκέλευον.

Transliteration

ophra me gymnōthenta kakon kai anēnora thēēis.

oud' an egō g' etheloimi teēs epibēmenai eunēs,

ei mē moi tlaiēs ge, thea, megan horkon omossai

mē ti moi autōi pēma kakon bouleusemen allo.'

345"hōs ephamēn, hē d' autik' apōmnyen, hōs ekeleuon.

English

I shall certainly not consent to go to bed with you unless you will first take your solemn oath to plot no further harm against me.’ "So she swore at once as I had

Homeric Greek

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ' ὄμοσέν τε τελεύτησέν τε τὸν ὅρκον,

καὶ τότ' ἐγὼ Κίρκης ἐπέβην περικαλλέος εὐνῆς.

"ἀμφίπολοι δ' ἄρα τέως μὲν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι πένοντο

τέσσαρες, αἵ οἱ δῶμα κάτα δρήστειραι ἔασι:

350γίγνονται δ' ἄρα ταί γ' ἔκ τε κρηνέων ἀπό τ' ἀλσέων

Transliteration

autar epei rh' omosen te teleutēsen te ton horkon,

kai tot' egō Kirkēs epebēn perikalleos eunēs.

"amphipoloi d' ara teōs men eni megaroisi penonto

tessares, hai hoi dōma kata drēsteirai easi:

350gignontai d' ara tai g' ek te krēneōn apo t' alseōn

English

told her, and when she had completed her oath then I went to bed with her. "Meanwhile her four servants, who are her housemaids, set about their work. They are the children of the groves and fountains, and of the holy waters that run down into the sea.

Homeric Greek

ἔκ θ' ἱερῶν ποταμῶν, οἵ τ' εἰς ἅλαδε προρέουσι.

τάων ἡ μὲν ἔβαλλε θρόνοις ἔνι ῥήγεα καλὰ

πορφύρεα καθύπερθ', ὑπένερθε δὲ λῖθ' ὑπέβαλλεν:

ἡ δ' ἑτέρη προπάροιθε θρόνων ἐτίταινε τραπέζας

355ἀργυρέας, ἐπὶ δέ σφι τίθει χρύσεια κάνεια:

Transliteration

ek th' hierōn potamōn, hoi t' eis halade proreousi.

taōn hē men eballe thronois eni rhēgea kala

porphyrea kathyperth', hypenerthe de lith' hypeballen:

hē d' heterē proparoithe thronōn etitaine trapezas

355argyreas, epi de sphi tithei chryseia kaneia:

English

One of them spread a fair purple cloth over a seat, and laid a carpet underneath it. Another brought tables of silver up to the seats, and set them with baskets of gold. A third mixed some sweet wine with water in a silver bowl and put golden cups upon

Homeric Greek

ἡ δὲ τρίτη κρητῆρι μελίφρονα οἶνον ἐκίρνα

ἡδὺν ἐν ἀργυρέῳ, νέμε δὲ χρύσεια κύπελλα:

ἡ δὲ τετάρτη ὕδωρ ἐφόρει καὶ πῦρ ἀνέκαιε

πολλὸν ὑπὸ τρίποδι μεγάλῳ: ἰαίνετο δ' ὕδωρ.

360αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ ζέσσεν ὕδωρ ἐνὶ ἤνοπι χαλκῷ,

Transliteration

hē de tritē krētēri meliphrona oinon ekirna

hēdyn en argyreōi, neme de chryseia kypella:

hē de tetartē hydōr ephorei kai pyr anekaie

pollon hypo tripodi megalōi: iaineto d' hydōr.

360autar epei dē zessen hydōr eni ēnopi chalkōi,

English

the tables, while the fourth brought in water and set it to boil in a large cauldron over a good fire which she had lighted. When the water in the cauldron was boiling, she poured cold into it till it was just as I liked it, and then she set

Homeric Greek

ἔς ῥ' ἀσάμινθον ἕσασα λό' ἐκ τρίποδος μεγάλοιο,

θυμῆρες κεράσασα, κατὰ κρατός τε καὶ ὤμων,

ὄφρα μοι ἐκ κάματον θυμοφθόρον εἵλετο γυίων.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπ' ἐλαίῳ,

365ἀμφὶ δέ με χλαῖναν καλὴν βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνα,

Transliteration

es rh' asaminthon hesasa lo' ek tripodos megaloio,

thymēres kerasasa, kata kratos te kai ōmōn,

ophra moi ek kamaton thymophthoron heileto guiōn.

autar epei lousen te kai echrisen lip' elaiōi,

365amphi de me chlainan kalēn balen ēde chitōna,

English

me in a bath and began washing me from the cauldron about the head and shoulders, to take the tire and stiffness out of my limbs. As soon as she had done washing me and anointing me with oil, she arrayed me in a good cloak and shirt and led me to a richly decorated seat inlaid with silver;

Homeric Greek

εἷσε δέ μ' εἰσαγαγοῦσα ἐπὶ θρόνου ἀργυροήλου

καλοῦ δαιδαλέου, ὑπὸ δὲ θρῆνυς ποσὶν ἦεν:

χέρνιβα δ' ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσα

καλῇ χρυσείῃ, ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,

370νίψασθαι: παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.

Transliteration

heise de m' eisagagousa epi thronou argyroēlou

kalou daidaleou, hypo de thrēnys posin ēen:

cherniba d' amphipolos prochoōi epecheue pherousa

kalēi chryseiēi, hyper argyreoio lebētos,

370nipsasthai: para de xestēn etanysse trapezan.

English

there was a footstool also under my feet. A maid servant then brought me water in a beautiful golden ewer and poured it into a silver basin for me to wash my hands, and she drew a clean table beside me;

Homeric Greek

σῖτον δ' αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,

εἴδατα πόλλ' ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων.

ἐσθέμεναι δ' ἐκέλευεν: ἐμῷ δ' οὐχ ἥνδανε θυμῷ,

ἀλλ' ἥμην ἀλλοφρονέων, κακὰ δ' ὄσσετο θυμός.

375"Κίρκη δ' ὡς ἐνόησεν ἔμ' ἥμενον οὐδ' ἐπὶ σίτῳ

Transliteration

siton d' aidoiē tamiē parethēke pherousa,

eidata poll' epitheisa, charizomenē pareontōn.

esthemenai d' ekeleuen: emōi d' ouch hēndane thymōi,

all' hēmēn allophroneōn, kaka d' osseto thymos.

375"Kirkē d' hōs enoēsen em' hēmenon oud' epi sitōi

English

an upper servant brought me bread and offered me many things of what there was in the house, and then Circe bade me eat, but I would not, and sat without heeding what was before me, still moody and suspicious. "When Circe saw me sitting there without eating, and

Homeric Greek

χεῖρας ἰάλλοντα, κρατερὸν δέ με πένθος ἔχοντα,

ἄγχι παρισταμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα:

" 'τίφθ' οὕτως, Ὀδυσεῦ, κατ' ἄρ' ἕζεαι ἶσος ἀναύδῳ,

θυμὸν ἔδων, βρώμης δ' οὐχ ἅπτεαι οὐδὲ ποτῆτος;

380ἦ τινά που δόλον ἄλλον ὀίεαι: οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ

Transliteration

cheiras iallonta, krateron de me penthos echonta,

anchi paristamenē epea pteroenta prosēuda:

" 'tiphth' houtōs, Odyseu, kat' ar' hezeai isos anaudōi,

thymon edōn, brōmēs d' ouch hapteai oude potētos;

380ē tina pou dolon allon oieai: oude ti se chrē

English

in great grief, she came to me and said, ‘Odysseus, why do you sit like that as though you were dumb, gnawing at your own heart, and refusing both meat and drink? Is it that you are still suspicious?

Homeric Greek

δειδίμεν: ἤδη γάρ τοι ἀπώμοσα καρτερὸν ὅρκον.'

"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον:

'ὦ Κίρκη, τίς γάρ κεν ἀνήρ, ὃς ἐναίσιμος εἴη,

πρὶν τλαίη πάσσασθαι ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,

385πρὶν λύσασθ' ἑτάρους καὶ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι;

Transliteration

deidimen: ēdē gar toi apōmosa karteron horkon.'

"hōs ephat', autar egō min ameibomenos proseeipon:

'ō Kirkē, tis gar ken anēr, hos enaisimos eiē,

prin tlaiē passasthai edētyos ēde potētos,

385prin lysasth' hetarous kai en ophthalmoisin idesthai;

English

You ought not to be, for I have already sworn solemnly that I will not hurt you.’ "And I said, ‘Circe, no man with any sense of what is right can think of either eating or drinking in your house until you have set his friends free and let him see them.

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' εἰ δὴ πρόφρασσα πιεῖν φαγέμεν τε κελεύεις,

λῦσον, ἵν' ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδω ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, Κίρκη δὲ διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκει

ῥάβδον ἔχουσ' ἐν χειρί, θύρας δ' ἀνέῳξε συφειοῦ,

390ἐκ δ' ἔλασεν σιάλοισιν ἐοικότας ἐννεώροισιν.

Transliteration

all' ei dē prophrassa piein phagemen te keleueis,

lyson, hin' ophthalmoisin idō eriēras hetairous.'

"hōs ephamēn, Kirkē de diek megaroio bebēkei

rhabdon echous' en cheiri, thyras d' aneōixe sypheiou,

390ek d' elasen sialoisin eoikotas enneōroisin.

English

If you want me to eat and drink, you must free my men and bring them to me that I may see them with my own eyes.’ "When I had said this she went straight through the court with her wand in her hand and opened the pigsty doors.

Homeric Greek

οἱ μὲν ἔπειτ' ἔστησαν ἐναντίοι, ἡ δὲ δι' αὐτῶν

ἐρχομένη προσάλειφεν ἑκάστῳ φάρμακον ἄλλο.

τῶν δ' ἐκ μὲν μελέων τρίχες ἔρρεον, ἃς πρὶν ἔφυσε

φάρμακον οὐλόμενον, τό σφιν πόρε πότνια Κίρκη:

395ἄνδρες δ' ἂψ ἐγένοντο νεώτεροι ἢ πάρος ἦσαν,

Transliteration

hoi men epeit' estēsan enantioi, hē de di' autōn

erchomenē prosaleiphen hekastōi pharmakon allo.

tōn d' ek men meleōn triches erreon, has prin ephyse

pharmakon oulomenon, to sphin pore potnia Kirkē:

395andres d' aps egenonto neōteroi ē paros ēsan,

English

My men came out like so many prime hogs and stood looking at her, but she went about among them and anointed each with a second drug, whereon the bristles that the bad drug had given them fell off, and they became men again, younger than they were before, and much taller and better looking.

Homeric Greek

καὶ πολὺ καλλίονες καὶ μείζονες εἰσοράασθαι.

ἔγνωσαν δέ μ' ἐκεῖνοι ἔφυν τ' ἐν χερσὶν ἕκαστος.

πᾶσιν δ' ἱμερόεις ὑπέδυ γόος, ἀμφὶ δὲ δῶμα

σμερδαλέον κονάβιζε: θεὰ δ' ἐλέαιρε καὶ αὐτή.

400"ἡ δέ μευ ἄγχι στᾶσα προσηύδα δῖα θεάων:

Transliteration

kai poly kalliones kai meizones eisoraasthai.

egnōsan de m' ekeinoi ephyn t' en chersin hekastos.

pasin d' himeroeis hypedy goos, amphi de dōma

smerdaleon konabize: thea d' eleaire kai autē.

400"hē de meu anchi stasa prosēuda dia theaōn:

English

They knew me at once, seized me each of them by the hand, and wept for joy till the whole house was filled with the sound of their wailing, and Circe herself was so sorry for them that she came up to me and

Homeric Greek

'διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ,

ἔρχεο νῦν ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης.

νῆα μὲν ἂρ πάμπρωτον ἐρύσσατε ἤπειρόνδε,

κτήματα δ' ἐν σπήεσσι πελάσσατε ὅπλα τε πάντα:

405αὐτὸς δ' ἂψ ἰέναι καὶ ἄγειν ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους.'

Transliteration

'diogenes Laertiadē, polymēchan' Odysseu,

ercheo nyn epi nēa thoēn kai thina thalassēs.

nēa men ar pamprōton eryssate ēpeironde,

ktēmata d' en spēessi pelassate hopla te panta:

405autos d' aps ienai kai agein eriēras hetairous.'

English

said, ‘Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, go back at once to the sea where you have left your ship, and first draw it on to the land. Then, hide all your ship's gear and property in some cave, and come back here with your men.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γ' ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ,

βῆν δ' ἰέναι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης.

εὗρον ἔπειτ' ἐπὶ νηὶ θοῇ ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους

οἴκτρ' ὀλοφυρομένους, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντας.

410ὡς δ' ὅτ' ἂν ἄγραυλοι πόριες περὶ βοῦς ἀγελαίας,

Transliteration

"hōs ephat', autar emoi g' epepeitheto thymos agēnōr,

bēn d' ienai epi nēa thoēn kai thina thalassēs.

heuron epeit' epi nēi thoēi eriēras hetairous

oiktr' olophyromenous, thaleron kata dakry cheontas.

410hōs d' hot' an agrauloi pories peri bous agelaias,

English

"I agreed to this, so I went back to the sea shore, and found the men at the ship weeping and wailing most piteously. When they saw me the silly blubbering men began frisking round me as calves break

Homeric Greek

ἐλθούσας ἐς κόπρον, ἐπὴν βοτάνης κορέσωνται,

πᾶσαι ἅμα σκαίρουσιν ἐναντίαι: οὐδ' ἔτι σηκοὶ

ἴσχουσ', ἀλλ' ἁδινὸν μυκώμεναι ἀμφιθέουσι:

μητέρας: ὣς ἔμ' ἐκεῖνοι ἐπεὶ ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσι,

415δακρυόεντες ἔχυντο: δόκησε δ' ἄρα σφίσι θυμὸς

Transliteration

elthousas es kopron, epēn botanēs koresōntai,

pasai hama skairousin enantiai: oud' eti sēkoi

ischous', all' hadinon mykōmenai amphitheousi:

mēteras: hōs em' ekeinoi epei idon ophthalmoisi,

415dakryoentes echynto: dokēse d' ara sphisi thymos

English

out and gambol round their mothers, when they see them coming home to be milked after they have been feeding all day, and the homestead resounds with their lowing.

Homeric Greek

ὣς ἔμεν, ὡς εἰ πατρίδ' ἱκοίατο καὶ πόλιν αὐτὴν

τρηχείης Ἰθάκης, ἵνα τ' ἔτραφεν ἠδ' ἐγένοντο.

καί μ' ὀλοφυρόμενοι ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων:

" 'σοὶ μὲν νοστήσαντι, διοτρεφές, ὣς ἐχάρημεν,

420ὡς εἴ τ' εἰς Ἰθάκην ἀφικοίμεθα πατρίδα γαῖαν:

Transliteration

hōs emen, hōs ei patrid' hikoiato kai polin autēn

trēcheiēs Ithakēs, hina t' etraphen ēd' egenonto.

kai m' olophyromenoi epea pteroenta prosēudōn:

" 'soi men nostēsanti, diotrephes, hōs echarēmen,

420hōs ei t' eis Ithakēn aphikoimetha patrida gaian:

English

They seemed as glad to see me as though they had got back to their own rugged Ithaca, where they had been born and bred. ‘Sir,’ said the affectionate creatures, ‘we are as glad to see you back as though we had got safe home to Ithaca;

Homeric Greek

ἀλλ' ἄγε, τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων κατάλεξον ὄλεθρον.'

"ὣς ἔφαν, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ προσέφην μαλακοῖς ἐπέεσσι:

'νῆα μὲν ἂρ πάμπρωτον ἐρύσσομεν ἤπειρόνδε,

κτήματα δ' ἐν σπήεσσι πελάσσομεν ὅπλα τε πάντα:

425αὐτοὶ δ' ὀτρύνεσθε ἐμοὶ ἅμα πάντες ἕπεσθαι,

Transliteration

all' age, tōn allōn hetarōn katalexon olethron.'

"hōs ephan, autar egō prosephēn malakois epeessi:

'nēa men ar pamprōton eryssomen ēpeironde,

ktēmata d' en spēessi pelassomen hopla te panta:

425autoi d' otrynesthe emoi hama pantes hepesthai,

English

but tell us all about the fate of our comrades.’ "I spoke comfortingly to them and said, ‘We must draw our ship on to the land, and hide the ship's gear with all our property in some cave;

Homeric Greek

ὄφρα ἴδηθ' ἑτάρους ἱεροῖς ἐν δώμασι Κίρκης

πίνοντας καὶ ἔδοντας: ἐπηετανὸν γὰρ ἔχουσιν.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, οἱ δ' ὦκα ἐμοῖς ἐπέεσσι πίθοντο.

Εὐρύλοχος δέ μοι οἶος ἐρύκανε πάντας ἑταίρους:

430καί σφεας φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα:

Transliteration

ophra idēth' hetarous hierois en dōmasi Kirkēs

pinontas kai edontas: epēetanon gar echousin.'

"hōs ephamēn, hoi d' ōka emois epeessi pithonto.

Eurylochos de moi oios erykane pantas hetairous:

430kai spheas phōnēsas epea pteroenta prosēuda:

English

then come with me all of you as fast as you can to Circe's house, where you will find your comrades eating and drinking in the midst of great abundance.’ "On this the men would have come with me at once, but Eurylokhos tried to hold them back and said, ‘Alas, poor wretches that we are, what will become of us?

Homeric Greek

"'ἆ δειλοί, πόσ' ἴμεν; τί κακῶν ἱμείρετε τούτων;

Κίρκης ἐς μέγαρον καταβήμεναι, ἥ κεν ἅπαντας

ἢ σῦς ἠὲ λύκους ποιήσεται ἠὲ λέοντας,

οἵ κέν οἱ μέγα δῶμα φυλάσσοιμεν καὶ ἀνάγκῃ,

435ὥς περ Κύκλωψ ἔρξ', ὅτε οἱ μέσσαυλον ἵκοντο

Transliteration

"'a deiloi, pos' imen; ti kakōn himeirete toutōn;

Kirkēs es megaron katabēmenai, hē ken hapantas

ē sys ēe lykous poiēsetai ēe leontas,

hoi ken hoi mega dōma phylassoimen kai anankēi,

435hōs per Kyklōps erx', hote hoi messaulon hikonto

English

Rush not on your ruin by going to the house of Circe, who will turn us all into pigs or wolves or lions, and we shall have to keep guard over her house. Remember how the Cyclops treated us when our comrades went inside his cave, and Odysseus with them.

Homeric Greek

ἡμέτεροι ἕταροι, σὺν δ' ὁ θρασὺς εἵπετ' Ὀδυσσεύς:

τούτου γὰρ καὶ κεῖνοι ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο.'

"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε μετὰ φρεσὶ μερμήριξα,

σπασσάμενος τανύηκες ἄορ παχέος παρὰ μηροῦ,

440τῷ οἱ ἀποπλήξας κεφαλὴν οὖδάσδε πελάσσαι,

Transliteration

hēmeteroi hetaroi, syn d' ho thrasys heipet' Odysseus:

toutou gar kai keinoi atasthaliēisin olonto.'

"hōs ephat', autar egō ge meta phresi mermērixa,

spassamenos tanyēkes aor pacheos para mērou,

440tōi hoi apoplēxas kephalēn oudasde pelassai,

English

It was all through his sheer folly that those men lost their lives.’ "When I heard him I was in two minds whether or no to draw the keen blade that hung by my sturdy thigh and cut his head off in spite of his being a near relation of my own;

Homeric Greek

καὶ πηῷ περ ἐόντι μάλα σχεδόν: ἀλλά μ' ἑταῖροι

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος:

"'διογενές, τοῦτον μὲν ἐάσομεν, εἰ σὺ κελεύεις,

αὐτοῦ πὰρ νηί τε μένειν καὶ νῆα ἔρυσθαι:

445ἡμῖν δ' ἡγεμόνευ' ἱερὰ πρὸς δώματα Κίρκης.'

Transliteration

kai pēōi per eonti mala schedon: alla m' hetairoi

meilichiois epeessin erētyon allothen allos:

"'diogenes, touton men easomen, ei sy keleueis,

autou par nēi te menein kai nēa erysthai:

445hēmin d' hēgemoneu' hiera pros dōmata Kirkēs.'

English

but the men interceded for him and said, ‘Sir, if it may so be, let this man stay here and mind the ship, but take the rest of us with you to Circe's house.’

Homeric Greek

"ὣς φάμενοι παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἠδὲ θαλάσσης.

οὐδὲ μὲν Εὐρύλοχος κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ λέλειπτο,

ἀλλ' ἕπετ': ἔδεισεν γὰρ ἐμὴν ἔκπαγλον ἐνιπήν.

"τόφρα δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους ἑτάρους ἐν δώμασι Κίρκη

450ἐνδυκέως λοῦσέν τε καὶ ἔχρισεν λίπ' ἐλαίῳ,

Transliteration

"hōs phamenoi para nēos anēion ēde thalassēs.

oude men Eurylochos koilēi para nēi leleipto,

all' hepet': edeisen gar emēn ekpaglon enipēn.

"tophra de tous allous hetarous en dōmasi Kirkē

450endykeōs lousen te kai echrisen lip' elaiōi,

English

"On this we all went inland, and Eurylokhos was not left behind after all, but came on too, for he was frightened by the severe reprimand that I had given him. "Meanwhile Circe had been seeing that the men who had been left behind were washed and anointed with olive oil;

Homeric Greek

ἀμφὶ δ' ἄρα χλαίνας οὔλας βάλεν ἠδὲ χιτῶνας:

δαινυμένους δ' ἐὺ πάντας ἐφεύρομεν ἐν μεγάροισιν.

οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ ἀλλήλους εἶδον φράσσαντό τ' ἐσάντα,

κλαῖον ὀδυρόμενοι, περὶ δὲ στεναχίζετο δῶμα.

455ἡ δέ μευ ἄγχι στᾶσα προσηύδα δῖα θεάων:

Transliteration

amphi d' ara chlainas oulas balen ēde chitōnas:

dainymenous d' eu pantas epheuromen en megaroisin.

hoi d' epei allēlous eidon phrassanto t' esanta,

klaion odyromenoi, peri de stenachizeto dōma.

455hē de meu anchi stasa prosēuda dia theaōn:

English

she had also given them woolen cloaks and shirts, and when we came we found them all comfortably at dinner in her house. As soon as the men saw each other face to face and knew one another, they wept for joy and cried aloud till the whole palace rang again.

Homeric Greek

"'μηκέτι νῦν θαλερὸν γόον ὄρνυτε: οἶδα καὶ αὐτὴ

ἠμὲν ὅσ' ἐν πόντῳ πάθετ' ἄλγεα ἰχθυόεντι,

ἠδ' ὅσ' ἀνάρσιοι ἄνδρες ἐδηλήσαντ' ἐπὶ χέρσου.

ἀλλ' ἄγετ' ἐσθίετε βρώμην καὶ πίνετε οἶνον,

460εἰς ὅ κεν αὖτις θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι λάβητε,

Transliteration

"'mēketi nyn thaleron goon ornyte: oida kai autē

ēmen hos' en pontōi pathet' algea ichthyoenti,

ēd' hos' anarsioi andres edēlēsant' epi chersou.

all' aget' esthiete brōmēn kai pinete oinon,

460eis ho ken autis thymon eni stēthessi labēte,

English

Thereon Circe came up to me and said, ‘Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, tell your men to leave off crying; I know how much you have all of you suffered at sea, and how ill you have fared among cruel savages on the mainland, but that is over now, so stay here, and eat

Homeric Greek

οἷον ὅτε πρώτιστον ἐλείπετε πατρίδα γαῖαν

τρηχείης Ἰθάκης. νῦν δ' ἀσκελέες καὶ ἄθυμοι,

αἰὲν ἄλης χαλεπῆς μεμνημένοι, οὐδέ ποθ' ὕμιν

θυμὸς ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, ἐπεὶ ἦ μάλα πολλὰ πέποσθε.'

465"ὣς ἔφαθ', ἡμῖν δ' αὖτ' ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.

Transliteration

hoion hote prōtiston eleipete patrida gaian

trēcheiēs Ithakēs. nyn d' askelees kai athymoi,

aien alēs chalepēs memnēmenoi, oude poth' hymin

thymos en euphrosynēi, epei ē mala polla peposthe.'

465"hōs ephath', hēmin d' aut' epepeitheto thymos agēnōr.

English

and drink till you are once more as strong and hearty as you were when you left Ithaca; for at present you are weakened both in body and mind; you keep all the time thinking of the hardships - you have suffered during your travels, so that you have no more cheerfulness left in you.’

Homeric Greek

ἔνθα μὲν ἤματα πάντα τελεσφόρον εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν

ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τ' ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ:

ἀλλ' ὅτε δή ῥ' ἐνιαυτὸς ἔην, περὶ δ' ἔτραπον ὧραι

μηνῶν φθινόντων, περὶ δ' ἤματα μακρὰ τελέσθη,

470καὶ τότε μ' ἐκκαλέσαντες ἔφαν ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι:

Transliteration

entha men ēmata panta telesphoron eis eniauton

hēmetha dainymenoi krea t' aspeta kai methy hēdy:

all' hote dē rh' eniautos eēn, peri d' etrapon hōrai

mēnōn phthinontōn, peri d' ēmata makra telesthē,

470kai tote m' ekkalesantes ephan eriēres hetairoi:

English

"Thus did she speak and we assented. We stayed with Circe for a whole twelvemonth feasting upon an untold quantity both of meat and wine. But when the year had passed, and the seasons had turned round, and the waning of moons and the long days

Homeric Greek

"'δαιμόνι', ἤδη νῦν μιμνήσκεο πατρίδος αἴης,

εἴ τοι θέσφατόν ἐστι σαωθῆναι καὶ ἱκέσθαι

οἶκον ἐς ὑψόροφον καὶ σὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.'

"ὣς ἔφαν, αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γ' ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.

475ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

Transliteration

"'daimoni', ēdē nyn mimnēskeo patridos aiēs,

ei toi thesphaton esti saōthēnai kai hikesthai

oikon es hypsorophon kai sēn es patrida gaian.'

"hōs ephan, autar emoi g' epepeitheto thymos agēnōr.

475hōs tote men propan ēmar es ēelion katadynta

English

had begun, my men called me apart and said, ‘Sir, it is time you began to think about going home, if so be you are to be spared to see your house and native country at all.’ "Thus did they speak and I assented.

Homeric Greek

ἥμεθα, δαινύμενοι κρέα τ' ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ:

ἦμος δ' ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθεν,

οἱ μὲν κοιμήσαντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ Κίρκης ἐπιβὰς περικαλλέος εὐνῆς

480γούνων ἐλλιτάνευσα, θεὰ δέ μευ ἔκλυεν αὐδῆς:

Transliteration

hēmetha, dainymenoi krea t' aspeta kai methy hēdy:

ēmos d' ēelios katedy kai epi knephas ēlthen,

hoi men koimēsanto kata megara skioenta.

autar egō Kirkēs epibas perikalleos eunēs

480gounōn ellitaneusa, thea de meu eklyen audēs:

English

Thereon through the livelong day to the going down of the sun we feasted our fill on meat and wine, but when the sun went down and it came on dark the men laid themselves down to sleep in the covered cloisters.

Homeric Greek

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων:

"'ὢ Κίρκη, τέλεσόν μοι ὑπόσχεσιν ἥν περ ὑπέστης,

οἴκαδε πεμψέμεναι: θυμὸς δέ μοι ἔσσυται ἤδη,

ἠδ' ἄλλων ἑτάρων, οἵ μευ φθινύθουσι φίλον κῆρ

485ἀμφ' ἔμ' ὀδυρόμενοι, ὅτε που σύ γε νόσφι γένηαι.'

Transliteration

kai min phōnēsas epea pteroenta prosēudōn:

"'ō Kirkē, teleson moi hyposchesin hēn per hypestēs,

oikade pempsemenai: thymos de moi essytai ēdē,

ēd' allōn hetarōn, hoi meu phthinythousi philon kēr

485amph' em' odyromenoi, hote pou sy ge nosphi genēai.'

English

I, however, after I had got into bed with Circe, besought her by her knees, and the goddess listened to what I had got to say. ‘Circe,’ said I, ‘please keep the promise you made me about furthering me on my homeward voyage. I want to get back and so do my men, they are always pestering me

Homeric Greek

"ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ' αὐτίκ' ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων:

'διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ,

μηκέτι νῦν ἀέκοντες ἐμῷ ἐνὶ μίμνετε οἴκῳ.

ἀλλ' ἄλλην χρὴ πρῶτον ὁδὸν τελέσαι καὶ ἱκέσθαι

490εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης,

Transliteration

"hōs ephamēn, hē d' autik' ameibeto dia theaōn:

'diogenes Laertiadē, polymēchan' Odysseu,

mēketi nyn aekontes emōi eni mimnete oikōi.

all' allēn chrē prōton hodon telesai kai hikesthai

490eis Aidao domous kai epainēs Persephoneiēs,

English

with their complaints as soon as ever your back is turned.’ "And the goddess answered, ‘Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, you shall none of you stay here any longer if you do not want to, but there is another journey which you have got to take before you can sail homewards.

Homeric Greek

ψυχῇ χρησομένους Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,

μάντηος ἀλαοῦ, τοῦ τε φρένες ἔμπεδοί εἰσι:

τῷ καὶ τεθνηῶτι νόον πόρε Περσεφόνεια,

οἴῳ πεπνῦσθαι, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀίσσουσιν.'

495"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἐμοί γε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ:

Transliteration

psychēi chrēsomenous Thēbaiou Teiresiao,

mantēos alaou, tou te phrenes empedoi eisi:

tōi kai tethnēōti noon pore Persephoneia,

oiōi pepnysthai, toi de skiai aissousin.'

495"hōs ephat', autar emoi ge kateklasthē philon ētor:

English

You must go to the house of Hades and of dread Persephone to consult the ghost of the blind Theban seer Teiresias whose mind is still in place within him. To him alone has Persephone left his consciousness even in death, but the other ghosts flit about aimlessly.’

Homeric Greek

κλαῖον δ' ἐν λεχέεσσι καθήμενος, οὐδέ νύ μοι κῆρ

ἤθελ' ἔτι ζώειν καὶ ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίων τε κυλινδόμενος τ' ἐκορέσθην,

καὶ τότε δή μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον:

500"'ὢ Κίρκη, τίς γὰρ ταύτην ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσει;

Transliteration

klaion d' en lecheessi kathēmenos, oude ny moi kēr

ēthel' eti zōein kai horan phaos ēelioio.

autar epei klaiōn te kylindomenos t' ekoresthēn,

kai tote dē min epessin ameibomenos proseeipon:

500"'ō Kirkē, tis gar tautēn hodon hēgemoneusei;

English

"I was dismayed when I heard this. I sat up in bed and wept, and would gladly have lived no longer to see the light of the sun, but presently when I was tired of weeping and tossing myself about,

Homeric Greek

εἰς Ἄϊδος δ' οὔ πώ τις ἀφίκετο νηὶ μελαίνῃ.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ' αὐτίκ' ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων:

'διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ,

μή τί τοι ἡγεμόνος γε ποθὴ παρὰ νηὶ μελέσθω,

505ἱστὸν δὲ στήσας, ἀνά θ' ἱστία λευκὰ πετάσσας

Transliteration

eis Aïdos d' ou pō tis aphiketo nēi melainēi.'

"hōs ephamēn, hē d' autik' ameibeto dia theaōn:

'diogenes Laertiadē, polymēchan' Odysseu,

mē ti toi hēgemonos ge pothē para nēi melesthō,

505histon de stēsas, ana th' histia leuka petassas

English

I said, ‘And who shall guide me upon this voyage - for the house of Hades is a port that no ship can reach.’ "‘You will want no guide,’ she answered; ‘raise you mast, set your white sails, sit quite still, and the North Wind will blow you there of itself.

Homeric Greek

ἧσθαι: τὴν δέ κέ τοι πνοιὴ Βορέαο φέρῃσιν.

ἀλλ' ὁπότ' ἂν δὴ νηὶ δι' Ὠκεανοῖο περήσῃς,

ἔνθ' ἀκτή τε λάχεια καὶ ἄλσεα Περσεφονείης,

μακραί τ' αἴγειροι καὶ ἰτέαι ὠλεσίκαρποι,

510νῆα μὲν αὐτοῦ κέλσαι ἐπ' Ὠκεανῷ βαθυδίνῃ,

Transliteration

hēsthai: tēn de ke toi pnoiē Boreao pherēisin.

all' hopot' an dē nēi di' Ōkeanoio perēsēis,

enth' aktē te lacheia kai alsea Persephoneiēs,

makrai t' aigeiroi kai iteai ōlesikarpoi,

510nēa men autou kelsai ep' Ōkeanōi bathydinēi,

English

When your ship has traversed the waters of Okeanos, you will reach the fertile shore of Persephone's country with its groves of tall poplars and willows that shed their fruit untimely; here beach your ship upon the shore of Okeanos, and go straight on to the dark abode of Hades.

Homeric Greek

αὐτὸς δ' εἰς Ἀίδεω ἰέναι δόμον εὐρώεντα.

ἔνθα μὲν εἰς Ἀχέροντα Πυριφλεγέθων τε ῥέουσιν

Κώκυτός θ', ὃς δὴ Στυγὸς ὕδατός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ,

πέτρη τε ξύνεσίς τε δύω ποταμῶν ἐριδούπων:

515ἔνθα δ' ἔπειθ', ἥρως, χριμφθεὶς πέλας, ὥς σε κελεύω,

Transliteration

autos d' eis Aideō ienai domon eurōenta.

entha men eis Acheronta Pyriphlegethōn te rheousin

Kōkytos th', hos dē Stygos hydatos estin aporrōx,

petrē te xynesis te dyō potamōn eridoupōn:

515entha d' epeith', hērōs, chrimphtheis pelas, hōs se keleuō,

English

You will find it near the place where the rivers Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus (which is a branch of the river Styx) flow into Acheron, and you will see a rock near it, just where the two roaring rivers run into one another.

Homeric Greek

βόθρον ὀρύξαι, ὅσον τε πυγούσιον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,

ἀμφ' αὐτῷ δὲ χοὴν χεῖσθαι πᾶσιν νεκύεσσιν,

πρῶτα μελικρήτῳ, μετέπειτα δὲ ἡδέι οἴνῳ,

τὸ τρίτον αὖθ' ὕδατι: ἐπὶ δ' ἄλφιτα λευκὰ παλύνειν.

520πολλὰ δὲ γουνοῦσθαι νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα,

Transliteration

bothron oryxai, hoson te pygousion entha kai entha,

amph' autōi de choēn cheisthai pasin nekyessin,

prōta melikrētōi, metepeita de hēdei oinōi,

to triton auth' hydati: epi d' alphita leuka palynein.

520polla de gounousthai nekyōn amenēna karēna,

English

"‘When you have reached this spot, as I now tell you, dig a trench a cubit or so in length, breadth, and depth, and pour into it as a drink-offering to all the dead, first, honey mixed with milk, then wine, and in the third place water-sprinkling white barley meal over the whole.

Homeric Greek

ἐλθὼν εἰς Ἰθάκην στεῖραν βοῦν, ἥ τις ἀρίστη,

ῥέξειν ἐν μεγάροισι πυρήν τ' ἐμπλησέμεν ἐσθλῶν,

Τειρεσίῃ δ' ἀπάνευθεν ὄιν ἱερευσέμεν οἴῳ

παμμέλαν', ὃς μήλοισι μεταπρέπει ὑμετέροισιν.

525αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν εὐχῇσι λίσῃ κλυτὰ ἔθνεα νεκρῶν,

Transliteration

elthōn eis Ithakēn steiran boun, hē tis aristē,

rhexein en megaroisi pyrēn t' emplēsemen esthlōn,

Teiresiēi d' apaneuthen oin hiereusemen oiōi

pammelan', hos mēloisi metaprepei hymeteroisin.

525autar epēn euchēisi lisēi klyta ethnea nekrōn,

English

Moreover you must offer many prayers to the poor feeble ghosts, and promise them that when you get back to Ithaca you will sacrifice a barren heifer to them, the best you have, and will load the pyre with good things. More particularly you must promise that Teiresias shall have a black sheep all to himself, the finest in all your flocks.

Homeric Greek

ἔνθ' ὄιν ἀρνειὸν ῥέζειν θῆλύν τε μέλαιναν

εἰς Ἔρεβος στρέψας, αὐτὸς δ' ἀπονόσφι τραπέσθαι

ἱέμενος ποταμοῖο ῥοάων: ἔνθα δὲ πολλαὶ

ψυχαὶ ἐλεύσονται νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων.

530δὴ τότ' ἔπειθ' ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρῦναι καὶ ἀνῶξαι

Transliteration

enth' oin arneion rhezein thēlyn te melainan

eis Erebos strepsas, autos d' aponosphi trapesthai

hiemenos potamoio rhoaōn: entha de pollai

psychai eleusontai nekyōn katatethnēōtōn.

530dē tot' epeith' hetaroisin epotrynai kai anōxai

English

"‘When you shall have thus besought the ghosts with your prayers, offer them a ram and a black ewe, bending their heads towards Erebus; but yourself turn away from them as though you would make towards the river.

Homeric Greek

μῆλα, τὰ δὴ κατάκειτ' ἐσφαγμένα νηλέι χαλκῷ,

δείραντας κατακῆαι, ἐπεύξασθαι δὲ θεοῖσιν,

ἰφθίμῳ τ' Ἀίδῃ καὶ ἐπαινῇ Περσεφονείῃ:

αὐτὸς δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

535ἧσθαι, μηδὲ ἐᾶν νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα

Transliteration

mēla, ta dē katakeit' esphagmena nēlei chalkōi,

deirantas katakēai, epeuxasthai de theoisin,

iphthimōi t' Aidēi kai epainēi Persephoneiēi:

autos de xiphos oxy eryssamenos para mērou

535hēsthai, mēde ean nekyōn amenēna karēna

English

On this, many dead men's ghosts will come to you, and you must tell your men to skin the two sheep that you have just killed, and offer them as a burnt sacrifice with prayers to Hades and to Persephone.

Homeric Greek

αἵματος ἆσσον ἴμεν, πρὶν Τειρεσίαο πυθέσθαι.

ἔνθα τοι αὐτίκα μάντις ἐλεύσεται, ὄρχαμε λαῶν,

ὅς κέν τοι εἴπῃσιν ὁδὸν καὶ μέτρα κελεύθου

νόστον θ', ὡς ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλεύσεαι ἰχθυόεντα.'

540"ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτίκα δὲ χρυσόθρονος ἤλυθεν Ἠώς.

Transliteration

haimatos asson imen, prin Teiresiao pythesthai.

entha toi autika mantis eleusetai, orchame laōn,

hos ken toi eipēisin hodon kai metra keleuthou

noston th', hōs epi ponton eleuseai ichthyoenta.'

540"hōs ephat', autika de chrysothronos ēlythen Ēōs.

English

Then draw your sword and sit there, so as to prevent any other poor ghost from coming near the spilt blood before Teiresias shall have answered your questions. The seer will presently come to you, and will tell you about your voyage - what stages you are to make, and how you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home.’

Homeric Greek

ἀμφὶ δέ με χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε εἵματα ἕσσεν:

αὐτὴ δ' ἀργύφεον φᾶρος μέγα ἕννυτο νύμφη,

λεπτὸν καὶ χαρίεν, περὶ δὲ ζώνην βάλετ' ἰξυῖ

καλὴν χρυσείην, κεφαλῇ δ' ἐπέθηκε καλύπτρην.

545αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ διὰ δώματ' ἰὼν ὤτρυνον ἑταίρους

Transliteration

amphi de me chlainan te chitōna te heimata hessen:

autē d' argypheon pharos mega hennyto nymphē,

lepton kai charien, peri de zōnēn balet' ixui

kalēn chryseiēn, kephalēi d' epethēke kalyptrēn.

545autar egō dia dōmat' iōn ōtrynon hetairous

English

"It was day-break by the time she had done speaking, so she dressed me in my shirt and cloak. As for herself she threw a beautiful light gossamer fabric over her shoulders, fastening it with a golden girdle round her waist, and she covered her head with a mantle.

Homeric Greek

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρασταδὸν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον:

"'μηκέτι νῦν εὕδοντες ἀωτεῖτε γλυκὺν ὕπνον,

ἀλλ' ἴομεν: δὴ γάρ μοι ἐπέφραδε πότνια Κίρκη.'

"ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δ' ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.

550οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ' ἔνθεν περ ἀπήμονας ἦγον ἑταίρους.

Transliteration

meilichiois epeessi parastadon andra hekaston:

"'mēketi nyn heudontes aōteite glykyn hypnon,

all' iomen: dē gar moi epephrade potnia Kirkē.'

"hōs ephamēn, toisin d' epepeitheto thymos agēnōr.

550oude men oud' enthen per apēmonas ēgon hetairous.

English

Then I went about among the men everywhere all over the house, and spoke kindly to each of them man by man: ‘You must not lie sleeping here any longer,’ said I to them, ‘we must be going, for Circe has told me all about it.’ And this they did as I bade them.

Homeric Greek

Ἐλπήνωρ δέ τις ἔσκε νεώτατος, οὔτε τι λίην

ἄλκιμος ἐν πολέμῳ οὔτε φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἀρηρώς:

ὅς μοι ἄνευθ' ἑτάρων ἱεροῖς ἐν δώμασι Κίρκης,

ψύχεος ἱμείρων, κατελέξατο οἰνοβαρείων.

555κινυμένων δ' ἑτάρων ὅμαδον καὶ δοῦπον ἀκούσας

Transliteration

Elpēnōr de tis eske neōtatos, oute ti liēn

alkimos en polemōi oute phresin hēisin arērōs:

hos moi aneuth' hetarōn hierois en dōmasi Kirkēs,

psycheos himeirōn, katelexato oinobareiōn.

555kinymenōn d' hetarōn homadon kai doupon akousas

English

"Even so, however, I did not get them away without misadventure. We had with us a certain youth named Elpenor, not very remarkable for sense or courage, who had got drunk and was lying on the house-top away from the rest of the men, to sleep off his liquor in the cool.

Homeric Greek

ἐξαπίνης ἀνόρουσε καὶ ἐκλάθετο φρεσὶν ᾗσιν

ἄψορρον καταβῆναι ἰὼν ἐς κλίμακα μακρήν,

ἀλλὰ καταντικρὺ τέγεος πέσεν: ἐκ δέ οἱ αὐχὴν

ἀστραγάλων ἐάγη, ψυχὴ δ' Ἄϊδόσδε κατῆλθεν.

560"ἐρχομένοισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἐγὼ μετὰ μῦθον ἔειπον:

Transliteration

exapinēs anorouse kai eklatheto phresin hēisin

apsorron katabēnai iōn es klimaka makrēn,

alla katantikry tegeos pesen: ek de hoi auchēn

astragalōn eagē, psychē d' Aïdosde katēlthen.

560"erchomenoisi de toisin egō meta mython eeipon:

English

When he heard the noise of the men bustling about, he jumped up on a sudden and forgot all about coming down by the main staircase, so he tumbled right off the roof and broke his neck, and his soul went down to the house of Hades.

Homeric Greek

'φάσθε νύ που οἶκόνδε φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

ἔρχεσθ': ἄλλην δ' ἧμιν ὁδὸν τεκμήρατο Κίρκη,

εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης

ψυχῇ χρησομένους Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο.'

565"ὣς ἐφάμην, τοῖσιν δὲ κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ,

Transliteration

'phasthe ny pou oikonde philēn es patrida gaian

erchesth': allēn d' hēmin hodon tekmērato Kirkē,

eis Aidao domous kai epainēs Persephoneiēs

psychēi chrēsomenous Thēbaiou Teiresiao.'

565"hōs ephamēn, toisin de kateklasthē philon ētor,

English

"When I had got the men together I said to them, ‘You think you are about to start home again, but Circe has explained to me that instead of this, we have got to go to the house of Hades and Persephone to consult the ghost of the Theban seer Teiresias.’

Homeric Greek

ἑζόμενοι δὲ κατ' αὖθι γόων τίλλοντό τε χαίτας:

ἀλλ' οὐ γάρ τις πρῆξις ἐγίγνετο μυρομένοισιν.

"ἀλλ' ὅτε δή ῥ' ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης

ᾔομεν ἀχνύμενοι θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες,

570τόφρα δ' ἄρ' οἰχομένη Κίρκη παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ

Transliteration

hezomenoi de kat' authi goōn tillonto te chaitas:

all' ou gar tis prēxis egigneto myromenoisin.

"all' hote dē rh' epi nēa thoēn kai thina thalassēs

ēiomen achnymenoi thaleron kata dakry cheontes,

570tophra d' ar' oichomenē Kirkē para nēi melainēi

English

"The men were broken-hearted as they heard me, and threw themselves on the ground groaning and tearing their hair, but they did not mend matters by crying. When we reached the sea shore, weeping and lamenting our fate, Circe brought the ram and the ewe, and we made them fast hard by the ship.

Homeric Greek

ἀρνειὸν κατέδησεν ὄιν θῆλύν τε μέλαιναν,

ῥεῖα παρεξελθοῦσα: τίς ἂν θεὸν οὐκ ἐθέλοντα

ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδοιτ' ἢ ἔνθ' ἢ ἔνθα κιόντα;

Transliteration

arneion katedēsen oin thēlyn te melainan,

rheia parexelthousa: tis an theon ouk ethelonta

ophthalmoisin idoit' ē enth' ē entha kionta;

English

She passed through the midst of us without our knowing it, for who can see the comings and goings of a god, if the god does not wish to be seen?