τὸν δʼ ἠμείβετʼ ἔπειτα θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη·80

ὦ πάτερ ἡμέτερε Κρονίδη, ὕπατε κρειόντων,

εἰ μὲν δὴ νῦν τοῦτο φίλον μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν,

νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε,

Ἑρμείαν μὲν ἔπειτα διάκτορον ἀργεϊφόντην

νῆσον ἐς Ὠγυγίην ὀτρύνομεν, ὄφρα τάχιστα85

νύμφῃ ἐυπλοκάμῳ εἴπῃ νημερτέα βουλήν,

νόστον Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὥς κε νέηται·

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν Ἰθάκηνδʼ ἐσελεύσομαι, ὄφρα οἱ υἱὸν

μᾶλλον ἐποτρύνω καί οἱ μένος ἐν φρεσὶ θείω,

εἰς ἀγορὴν καλέσαντα κάρη κομόωντας Ἀχαιοὺς90

πᾶσι μνηστήρεσσιν ἀπειπέμεν, οἵ τέ οἱ αἰεὶ

μῆλʼ ἁδινὰ σφάζουσι καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς.

πέμψω δʼ ἐς Σπάρτην τε καὶ ἐς Πύλον ἠμαθόεντα

νόστον πευσόμενον πατρὸς φίλου, ἤν που ἀκούσῃ,

ἠδʼ ἵνα μιν κλέος ἐσθλὸν ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔχῃσιν.95

ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,

ἀμβρόσια χρύσεια, τά μιν φέρον ἠμὲν ἐφʼ ὑγρὴν

ἠδʼ ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν ἅμα πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο·

εἵλετο δʼ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ἀκαχμένον ὀξέι χαλκῷ,

βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν, τῷ δάμνησι στίχας ἀνδρῶν100

ἡρώων, τοῖσίν τε κοτέσσεται ὀβριμοπάτρη.

βῆ δὲ κατʼ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀίξασα,

στῆ δʼ Ἰθάκης ἐνὶ δήμῳ ἐπὶ προθύροις Ὀδυσῆος,

οὐδοῦ ἐπʼ αὐλείου· παλάμῃ δʼ ἔχε χάλκεον ἔγχος,

εἰδομένη ξείνῳ, Ταφίων ἡγήτορι Μέντῃ.105

εὗρε δʼ ἄρα μνηστῆρας ἀγήνορας. οἱ μὲν ἔπειτα

πεσσοῖσι προπάροιθε θυράων θυμὸν ἔτερπον

ἥμενοι ἐν ῥινοῖσι βοῶν, οὓς ἔκτανον αὐτοί·

κήρυκες δʼ αὐτοῖσι καὶ ὀτρηροὶ θεράποντες

οἱ μὲν οἶνον ἔμισγον ἐνὶ κρητῆρσι καὶ ὕδωρ,110

οἱ δʼ αὖτε σπόγγοισι πολυτρήτοισι τραπέζας

νίζον καὶ πρότιθεν, τοὶ δὲ κρέα πολλὰ δατεῦντο.

τὴν δὲ πολὺ πρῶτος ἴδε Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής,

ἧστο γὰρ ἐν μνηστῆρσι φίλον τετιημένος ἦτορ,

ὀσσόμενος πατέρʼ ἐσθλὸν ἐνὶ φρεσίν, εἴ ποθεν ἐλθὼν115

μνηστήρων τῶν μὲν σκέδασιν κατὰ δώματα θείη,

τιμὴν δʼ αὐτὸς ἔχοι καὶ δώμασιν οἷσιν ἀνάσσοι.

τὰ φρονέων, μνηστῆρσι μεθήμενος, εἴσιδʼ Ἀθήνην.

βῆ δʼ ἰθὺς προθύροιο, νεμεσσήθη δʼ ἐνὶ θυμῷ

ξεῖνον δηθὰ θύρῃσιν ἐφεστάμεν· ἐγγύθι δὲ στὰς120

χεῖρʼ ἕλε δεξιτερὴν καὶ ἐδέξατο χάλκεον ἔγχος,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

χαῖρε, ξεῖνε, παρʼ ἄμμι φιλήσεαι· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

δείπνου πασσάμενος μυθήσεαι ὅττεό σε χρή.

    Hearing Zeus’s diplomatic reply to her complaint, Athena moves fast before Poseidon gets back, laying out the two-pronged offensive that will occupy the first five books of the poem.

    read full essay

    Hermes is to go to Calypso and deliver the news that the gods have decided that Odysseus must be released; Athena, meanwhile, will visit Ithaka and get Telemachus moving. He is to rally the rest of the citizens to oppose the suitors and then travel to Pylos and Sparta in search of news about his father. We will hear about these two initiatives serially and in reverse order of Athena’s telling, with Telemachus’s adventures in Books 1–4 and Odysseus’s release coming in Book 5.

     

    The connection between the two parts of the mission is marked by some verbal and thematic parallels between this divine assembly and the one that opens Book 5. In each, Athena lodges a bitter complaint: The gods don’t care about Odysseus, who is being held against his will by Calypso (1.44–62; 5.7–20). Zeus’s reply in both cases is mildly indignant:

    τέκνον ἐμόν, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.

    My child, what sort of word has crossed the barrier of your teeth?

    Odyssey 1.64 = 5.22

    Here, Zeus protests that he loves Odysseus, a brilliant man who gives excellent sacrifices. The culprit is Poseidon, and he must give way to the will of all the other gods. In Book 5, Zeus’s tone is similar, but is prompted by puzzlement: Why is Athena bothering him? Hasn’t she arranged ahead of time for Odysseus to arrive safely home and wreak revenge on the suitors? (5.22–27) The implications of this latter response for our understanding of the poem’s portrait of divine will and human choice are profound and we will return to them in our discussion of Book 5 (see essay on 5.1–42).

    The preparations for Athena’s journey unfold in a full, leisurely style that characterizes much of the traditional material in Homeric poetry. Each act receives the poet’s unhurried attention, nouns appearing with their ornamental epithets, with a high coincidence of verse length and sense units, adjectives at the beginning of the verse modifying nouns in the previous verse while pointing forward by expanding the original thought (e.g., 96–97; 99–100):

    ὣς εἰποῦσ᾽ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,
    ἀμβρόσια χρύσεια, τά μιν φέρον ἠμὲν ἐφ᾽ ὑγρὴν
    ἠδ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν ἅμα πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο:
    εἵλετο δ᾽ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ἀκαχμένον ὀξέι χαλκῷ,
    βριθὺ μέγα στιβαρόν, τῷ δάμνησι στίχας ἀνδρῶν
    ἡρώων, τοῖσίν τε κοτέσσεται ὀβριμοπάτρη.
    βῆ δὲ κατ᾽ Οὐλύμποιο καρήνων ἀίξασα,
    στῆ δ᾽ Ἰθάκης ἐνὶ δήμῳ ἐπὶ προθύροις Ὀδυσῆος,
    οὐδοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐλείου: παλάμῃ δ᾽ ἔχε χάλκεον ἔγχος,
    εἰδομένη ξείνῳ, Ταφίων ἡγήτορι Μέντῃ.

    Speaking thus, she bound lovely sandals under her feet,
    immortal, golden sandals, which carry her across the water
    and the boundless earth with a puff of wind.
    Then she took up the stout sword, tipped with sharp bronze,
    heavy, huge, and thick, with which she dominates the armies of men,
    heroes, at whom she, daughter of a mighty father, is angered.
    Darting down from the peaks of Olympus she flew,
    and landed on the porch of Odysseus, in the land of Ithaka,
    on the threshold of the court, and she held a bronze sword,
    likening herself to a guest friend, Mentes, leader of the Taphians.

    Odyssey 1.96–105

    The divine messenger for the second part of the mission is Hermes:

    ὣς ἔφατ᾽, οὐδ᾽ ἀπίθησε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης.
    αὐτίκ᾽ ἔπειθ᾽ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλα,
    ἀμβρόσια χρύσεια, τά μιν φέρον ἠμὲν ἐφ᾽ ὑγρὴν
    ἠδ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν ἅμα πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο.
    εἵλετο δὲ ῥάβδον, τῇ τ᾽ ἀνδρῶν ὄμματα θέλγει,
    ὧν ἐθέλει, τοὺς δ᾽ αὖτε καὶ ὑπνώοντας ἐγείρει.
    τὴν μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων πέτετο κρατὺς ἀργεϊφόντης.
    Πιερίην δ᾽ ἐπιβὰς ἐξ αἰθέρος ἔμπεσε πόντῳ:
    σεύατ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἐπὶ κῦμα λάρῳ ὄρνιθι ἐοικώς,
    ὅς τε κατὰ δεινοὺς κόλπους ἁλὸς ἀτρυγέτοιο
    ἰχθῦς ἀγρώσσων πυκινὰ πτερὰ δεύεται ἅλμῃ:
    τῷ ἴκελος πολέεσσιν ὀχήσατο κύμασιν Ἑρμῆς.
    ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ τὴν νῆσον ἀφίκετο τηλόθ᾽ ἐοῦσαν,
    ἔνθ᾽ ἐκ πόντου βὰς ἰοειδέος ἤπειρόνδε
    ἤιεν, ὄφρα μέγα σπέος ἵκετο, τῷ ἔνι νύμφη
    ναῖεν ἐυπλόκαμος: τὴν δ᾽ ἔνδοθι τέτμεν ἐοῦσαν.

    So [Zeus] spoke, and the messenger, slayer of Argos, did not disobey.
    Right away, he bound lovely sandals under his feet,
    immortal, golden sandals, which carry him across the water
    and the boundless earth with a puff of wind.
    Then he took up his wand, with which he charms the eyes of mortals
    whom he enchants, putting them to sleep and waking them.
    Taking it in his hands the powerful slayer of Argos flew;
    standing on Pieria, he launched himself over the sea.
    Then he raced across the waves like a seagull
    that over the deadly depths of the barren sea
    hunts fish, dipping his wings in the briny sea.
    Like this creature, Hermes flew across the heaving deep.
    But when he came near to the faraway island,
    stepping out of the deep blue sea he went on
    land, where he came upon the great cave where the nymph
    with lovely braids lived and found her there within.

    Odyssey 5.44–58

    The verbatim repetition in the two passages suggests we have examples of what Homeric scholars call a “type scene,” a frequently occurring event described in identical language, except when the context might require some modification. Such scenes are common in Homeric epic, probably reflecting the origins of Homeric style in an oral tradition, where poetry was composed without the aid of writing.

    The verbal similarities mirror thematic and functional parallels between the two passages. Both assemblies supply the impetus for getting the story moving after an extended period of stasis, the suitors’ siege of the household and Calypso’s detention of Odysseus. At the same time, the differences between the two departure scenes are instructive. First, the two gods perform a variation on the warrior’s arming, another type scene (cf. Il. 3.330–7; 11.17–44; 16.131–44; 19.369–92). Both gods strap on sandals and grab a weapon that fits his or her divine nature. But the two passages diverge after each god darts off the ground. Athena leaves Olympus and in the next verse is standing on Odysseus’s front porch, the equivalent of being beamed into Ithaka from the Starship Enterprise. The description of Hermes’s journey is more expansive: he launches himself over the sea, which reminds the poet of a seagull, skimming across the waves, dipping his wings in the water in search of food. Later, when questioned by Calypso, he grumbles about the journey:

    Ζεὺς ἐμέ γ᾽ ἠνώγει δεῦρ᾽ ἐλθέμεν οὐκ ἐθέλοντα:
    τίς δ᾽ ἂν ἑκὼν τοσσόνδε διαδράμοι ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ
    ἄσπετον; οὐδέ τις ἄγχι βροτῶν πόλις, οἵ τε θεοῖσιν
    ἱερά τε ῥέζουσι καὶ ἐξαίτους ἑκατόμβας.
    ἀλλὰ μάλ᾽ οὔ πως ἔστι Διὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο
    οὔτε παρεξελθεῖν ἄλλον θεὸν οὔθ᾽ ἁλιῶσαι.

    Zeus ordered me to come here: I didn’t want to.
    Who would willingly cross such a vast expanse of water,
    endless! No city nearby, with mortals who
    make sacrifices and burn excellent hecatombs.
    But there is no way for another god to escape
    or nullify the will of aegis-bearing Zeus.

    Odyssey 5.99–104

    Athena’s instant journey is what we would expect from an omnipotent being and suits the urgency of the occasion: the goddess must get things going. But the poet takes his time describing Hermes laboring across the vast deep because the geographical isolation of Calypso is important to her identity in the story. She is far away from both humans and gods, living in a liminal space, between time and timelessness. Staying in her magical realm takes Odysseus out of time, marooned in a static, godlike existence. Leaving her island and making his way to the Phaeacians, Odysseus begins the transition back into the human world of death and change, where, as we learn in Book 5, he prefers to live (5.215–24). Comparing the two journeys is a good way to study Homer’s manipulation of traditional stylistic forms to fit his particular purposes. Though he inherited a highly developed, sophisticated style, he is always the master of that medium, not its servant.

     

    Further Reading

    Dimock, G. 1989. The Unity of the Odyssey, 63–75. Amherst: The University of Massachusetts Press.

    Edwards, M. 1975. “Type Scenes and Homeric Hospitality.” Transaction of the American Philological Association 105: 51–72.

    ———. 1987. Homer, Poet of the Iliad, 45–53; 71–77. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    Pucci, P. 1979. “The Song of the Sirens.” Arethusa 12: 121–132.

     

    82  τοῦτο φίλον: “if it is dear …,” understand the verb ἐστι, probably in the indicative, making this a present simple condition with a hortatory subjunctive in the apodosis (Smyth 2300c).

    83  νοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα: infinitive and its subject accusative introduced by τοῦτο φίλον [ἐστι]. The infinitive explains τοῦτο in line 82: “if this is dear …., namely…”

    83  ὅνδε: possessive. The suffix –δε here and on the following noun is an enclitic indicating the goal (or limit) of motion (Smyth 1589).

    85  ὀτρύνομεν: short-vowel hortatory subj. 

    87  νόστον... ταλασίφροωος: the content of the advice being given. In apposition to νημερτέα βουλήν.

    87  ὥς κε νέηται: ὥς κε (ἄν) + subj. in a purpose clause is often found in Homer, whereas ἄν is usually absent in purpose clauses in Attic prose (Smyth 2201a).

    88  ὑιὸν: Telemachus. 

    89  θείω: 1st sing. aor. subj. > τίθημι.

    90  καλέσαντα: agrees with ὑιὸν in line 88, shifting back to the accusative after the dative οἱ in line 89.

    90  κάρη κομόωντας: “long-haired” is a frequent epithet of the Achaeans. The construction is accusative of respect and attributive participle > κομάω.

    91  ἀπειπέμεν: infin., complementing ἐποτρύνω (Smyth 1991).

    91  οἱ: dative of possession, referring to Telemachus.

    93  πέμψω: understand Telemachus as the object.

    93  ἐς Σπάρτην τε καὶ ἐς Πὐλον: Sparta and Pylos are home to Menelaus and Nestor respectfully, who fought in the Trojan war beside Odysseus and left Troy when he did. Map of Telemachus' journey.

    94  πευσόμενον: fut. ptc. > πυνθάνομαι, indicating purpose.

    94  ἤν: = ἐάν, with the subjunctive, “on the chance that” (Smyth 2354).

    98  ἅμα: “keeping pace with” + dative (Stanford).

    100  δάμνησι: 3rd sing. pres. act. indic. > δάμνημι, “to subdue.”

    101  τοῖσίν: “at whom,” dat. rel. pron., with κοτέσσεται, which takes a dative.

    101  κοτέσσεται 3rd sing. aor. mid. short-vowel subj. > κοτέω. Subjunctive in an indefinite relative clause or present general conditional relative clause (Homeric Language Notes 11b., Smyth 2567b). The τε is also generalizing. 

    105  Ταφίων: the Taphians were pirates inhabiting the islands off the western coast of Greece.

    107  πεσσοῖσι: strategy game played similar to checkers with circular pieces on a board with five lines. The goal of the game was either to destroy all of the opponent's men or circle them all. (Harper's Dictionary, Peck, 927 "Latrunculi") Achilles and Ajax playing a game.

    106  οἱ: i.e., the suitors.

    109  κήρυκες δ᾽ αὐτοῖσι καὶ ὀτρηροὶ θεράποντες: understand ἦσαν, “there were” (or “they had,” with the dative of possession), at the beginning of the sentence. 

    110  οἱ μὲν: i.e., the κήρυκες.

    111  οἱ δ᾽: i.e., the θεράποντες.

    112  νίζον καὶ πρότιθεν: unaugmented impfs.

    113  τὴν: i.e., Athena, in the guise of Mentes.

    113  πολὺ πρῶτος: "the very first"

    115  εἴ: introducing an optative of wish, with the optatives θείη, ἔχοι, and ἀνάσσοι. This can be understood as indirect discourse, loosely introduced by ὀσσόμενος (“reflecting on his father, if only he would…”).

    116  τῶν: masc. gen. pl. demonstrative adj. = τούτων.

    116  σκέδασιν … θείη: “he might scatter,” with genitive (LSJ σκέδασις).

    117  οἷσιν: possessive pron.

    120  ξεῖνον … ἐφεστάμεν: subject accusative and (perfect) infinitive in indirect discourse introduced by νεμεσσήθη (line 119)

    120 ἐφεστάμεν: Homeric perf. act. infin. > ἐφίστημι

    123  φιλήσεαι: 2nd sing. fut. pass. indic. > φιλέω (LSJ φιλέω I.2, citing this passage).

    124  πασσάμενος: aor. ptc. > πατέομαι, with genitive.

    124  ὅττεό: interrogative pronoun. neut. gen. sing. pron. = οὗτινος (ὅτου). 

    124 χρή:  the impersonal verb takes an accusative of person (σε) and a genitive of thing (ὅττεό). For this Homeric construction, see LSJ χρή I.2.

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: change, respond, alternate  80

    θεά –ᾶς ἡ: a goddess

    γλαυκῶπις –ιδος: with gleaming eyes, brighteyed

    Ἀθηνᾶ –ᾶς ἡ: Athena

    Κρονίδης –ου ὁ: son of Cronus

    ὕπατος –η –ον: highest, the top of

    κρείων –οντος ὁ: a ruler, lord, master

    μέν: on the one hand, on the other hand

    φίλος –η –ον: friend; loved, beloved, dear

    μάκαρ μάκαρος: blessed, happy

    νοστέω νοστήσω ἐνόστησα νενόστηκα: to return, return home

    Ὀδυσσεύς –έως ὁ: Odysseus, king of Ithaca, hero of the Odyssey

    πολύφρων –ον: much-thinking, thoughtful, ingenious, inventive

    δόμονδε: home, homeward

    Ἑρμῆς –οῦ ὁ: Hermes

    διάκτορος –ου ὁ: the messenger

    ἀργειφόντης –ου ὁ: slayer of Argus, epithet of Hermes

    Ὠγυγία –ας ἡ: Ogygia, a mythical island in the Mediterranean, the abode of Calypso 85

    ὀτρύνω ὀτρυνῶ ὤτρυνα ––– ––– –––: to stir up, rouse, egg on, spur on, encourage

    ὄφρα: in order that; as long as, until

    νύμφη –ης ἡ: nymph

    εὐπλόκαμος –ον: with beautiful locks, fairhaired

    νημερτής –ές: unerring, infallible

    νόστος –ου ὁ: a return home

    ταλασίφρων –ον: patient of mind, stout-hearted

    νέομαι ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to go

    ἀτάρ: but, yet

    Ἰθάκηνδε: to Ithaca

    εἰσέρχομαι εἰσελεύσομαι εἰσῆλθον εἰσελήλυθα ––– –––: go in/into, enter

    ἐποτρύνω ἐποτρυνῶ ἐπώτρυνα: to urge one, exhort; (mid.) hasten on with

    οὗ, οἷ, ἕ and encl. οὑ, οἱ, ἑ: him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    μένος –ους τό: might, force, strength, prowess, courage

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: heart, mind

    ἀγορά –ᾶς ἡ: an assembly of the people 90

    κάρα –ατος τό: the head

    κομάω (Ion. κομέω) κομήσω ἐκόμησα: to let the hair grow long, wear long hair

    Ἀχαιός –ά –όν: Achaian

    μνηστήρ –ῆρος ὁ: suitor

    ἀπεῖπον: speak out, renounce

    μῆλον –ου τό: sheep or goat, (plur.) flock

    ἁδινός –ή –όν: crowded, thronging

    σφάζω σφάξω ἔσφαξα ἔσφακα ἔσφαγμαι ἐσφάχθην: kill, slaughter

    εἰλίπους –ποδος: rolling in their gait, with rolling walk

    ἕλιξ –ικος: curved, twisted horns

    Σπάρτη –ης ἡ: Sparta, a city in Laconia in the Eurotas Valley East of the Tygetus mountains, mythological home of Helen and Menelaus

    Πύλος –ου ἡ: Pylos, a city in Messenian Elis, on the coast opposite the southern extremity of the island of Sphacteria, or, a city in Triphylia of Elis, south of the Alphēus, mythological home of Nestor

    ἠμαθόεις –εσσα –εν: sandy

    ἠδέ: and 95

    μιν: himself, herself (indecl.)

    κλέος –ους τό: fame, glory

    ἑσθλός –ή –όν: good

    δέω δήσω ἔδησα δέδηκα ––– –––: to tie, fasten

    πέδιλον –ου τό: sandals

    ἀμβρόσιος [–α] –ον: divinely beautiful

    χρύσεος –η –ον: golden, of gold, decked

    μιν: him, her, it

    ἠμέν: both.. (and)

    ὑγρός –ά –όν: sea, wet, moist, running, fluid

    ἀπείρων –ον: boundless

    γαῖα –ας ἡ: land

    πνοή –ῆς ἡ: a blowing, blast, breeze

    ἄνεμος –ου ὁ: wind

    ἄλκιμος –η –ον: warlike, strong, stout

    ἔγχος –ους τό: spear, lance

    ἀκαχμένος –η –ον: sharpened

    βριθύς –εῖα –ύ: weighty, heavy 100

    στιβαρός –ά –όν: compact, strong, stout, sturdy

    δάμνημι/δαμάζω δαμάσω ἐδάμασα δεδάμακα δεδάμασμαι/δέδμημαι ἐδαμάσθην/ἐδμήθην: subdue, tame

    στίξ στιχός ἡ: a row, line, rank

    ἥρως ἥρωος ὁ: warrior, hero

    κοτέω κοτήσω ἐκότησα: to bear a grudge against

    ὀβριμοπάτρη –ης ἡ: daughter of a mighty sire

    Ὄλυμπος –ου ὁ: Olympus

    κάρηνον –ου τό: the peak

    ἀίσσω ––– ἤῑξα ἀίξασκον ––– ἠίχθην: dart

    Ἰθάκη –ης ἡ: Ithaca, the home of Odysseus, an island on the West coast of Greece

    πρόθυρον –ου τό: the front-door, the door leading from the αὐλή

    οὐδός –οῦ ὁ: a threshold

    αὔλειος [–α] –ον: of or belonging to the courtyard (αὐλή)

    παλάμη –ης ἡ: the palm of the hand, the hand

    χάλκεος –α –ον: of copper

    εἴδομαι εἴσομαι εἰσάμην: are visible, appear 105

    Τάφιοι –ων οἱ: the Taphians, inhabitants of Taphos, notorious for their piracy

    ἡγήτωρ –ορος ὁ: a leader, commander, chief

    Μέντης –ου ὁ: Mentes, leader of the Ciconians, or, son of Anchialus, king of the Taphians, under whose form Athena visits Telemachus

    ἄρα: particle: 'so'

    ἀγήνωρ –ορος: bold, arrogant, manly, lordly

    πεσσός –οῦ ὁ: an oval-shaped stone for playing a game like our checkers

    προπάροιθε: before, in front of

    θύρα –ας ἡ: a door

    τέρπω τέρψω ἔτερψα ––– ––– ἐτάρφθην/ἐτέρφθην: to satisfy, delight, gladden, cheer

    ἧμαι (or κάθημαι) ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to be seated, sit

    ῥινός –οῦ ἡ: the skin

    κτείνω κτενῶ ἔκτεινα ἀπέκτονα ––– –––: to kill, slay

    κῆρυξ –υκος ὁ: herald

    ὀτρηρός –ά –όν: quick, busy, ready

    θεράπων –ονος ὁ: servant, attendant, slave

    οἶνος –ου ὁ: wine 110

    κρατήρ (Ion. κρητήρ) –ῆρος ὁ: a mixing vessel

    αὖτε: again

    σπόγγος –ου ὁ: a sponge

    πολύτρητος –ον: full of holes, porous, much-pierced

    τράπεζα –ης ἡ: table

    νίζω νίψω ἔνιψα ––– νένιμμαι ἐνίφθην: to wash the hands

    προθέω προθεύσομαι ––– ––– ––– –––: to set out, prepare

    κρέας –ως τό: meat, a piece of meat

    δατέομαι δάσομαι ἐδασάμην δέδασμαι: to divide among themselves

    Τηλέμαχος –ου ὁ: Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope

    θεοειδής –ές: godlike

    ἧμαι (or κάθημαι) ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to be seated, sit

    τετίημαι (perf. with no pres. in use): to be sorrowful, to sorrow, mourn

    ἦτορ τό: the heart

    ὄσσομαι – – – – –: to imagine, perceive 115

    ἑσθλός –ή –όν: good

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: heart, mind

    ποθεν: from some place

    σκέδασις –εως ἡ: a scattering

    δῶμα –ατος τό: a house

    ἀνάσσω ἀνάξω ἤναξα: to be lord, master, owner, to rule, in

    μέθημαι (perf. pass. with pres. act. use): to sit among

    εἰσοράω εἰσόψομαι εἰσεῖδον εἰσεόρακα/εἰσεώρακα/εἰσόπωπα εἰσεόραμαι/εἰσεώραμαι/εἰσῶμμαι εἰσώφθην: to look at, see

    ἰθύς ἰθεῖα ἰθύ: straight, direct

    νεμεσάω νεμεσήσω ἐνεμέσησα: (active) to feel just resentment; (middle-passive) to be ashamed

    δηθά: for a long time 120

    ἐφίστημι ἐπστήσω ἐπέστησα (or ἐπέστην) ἐπέστηκα ἐπέσταμαι ἐπεστάθην: set upon, stand over

    ἐγγύθι: near

    δεξιτερός –ά –όν: right

    φωνέω φωνήσω ἐφώνησα πεφώνηκα πεφώνημαι ἐφωνήθην: to say, speak

    πτερόεις πτερόεσσα πτερόεν: feathered, winged

    προσαυδάω προσαυδήσω προσηύδησα προσηύδηκα προσηύδημαι προσηυδήθην: to speak to, address, accost

    φιλέω φιλήσω ἐφίλησα πεφίλημαι ἐφιλήθην: to welcome

    δεῖπνον –ου τό: dinner, feast

    πατέομαι πάσομαι ἐπασάμην πέπασμαι: to eat

    μυθέομαι μυθήσομαι μεμύθημαι ἐμυθήθην: to say, speak

     

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    Suggested Citation

    Thomas Van Nortwick and Rob Hardy, Homer: Odyssey 5–12. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2024. ISBN: 978-1-947822-17-7 https://dcc.dickinson.edu/homer-odyssey/i-80%E2%80%93124