ὣς φάτο, τοῖσι δὲ πᾶσιν ὑφʼ ἵμερον ὦρσε γόοιο.

κλαῖε μὲν Ἀργείη Ἑλένη, Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖα,

κλαῖε δὲ Τηλέμαχός τε καὶ Ἀτρεΐδης Μενέλαος,185

οὐδʼ ἄρα Νέστορος υἱὸς ἀδακρύτω ἔχεν ὄσσε·

μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Ἀντιλόχοιο,

τόν ῥʼ Ἠοῦς ἔκτεινε φαεινῆς ἀγλαὸς υἱός·

τοῦ ὅ γʼ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευεν·

Ἀτρεΐδη, περὶ μέν σε βροτῶν πεπνυμένον εἶναι190

Νέστωρ φάσχʼ ὁ γέρων, ὅτʼ ἐπιμνησαίμεθα σεῖο

οἷσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισι, καὶ ἀλλήλους ἐρέοιμεν.

καὶ νῦν, εἴ τί που ἔστι, πίθοιό μοι· οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γε

τέρπομʼ ὀδυρόμενος μεταδόρπιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἠὼς

ἔσσεται ἠριγένεια· νεμεσσῶμαί γε μὲν οὐδὲν195

κλαίειν ὅς κε θάνῃσι βροτῶν καὶ πότμον ἐπίσπῃ.

τοῦτό νυ καὶ γέρας οἶον ὀιζυροῖσι βροτοῖσιν,

κείρασθαί τε κόμην βαλέειν τʼ ἀπὸ δάκρυ παρειῶν.

καὶ γὰρ ἐμὸς τέθνηκεν ἀδελφεός, οὔ τι κάκιστος

Ἀργείων· μέλλεις δὲ σὺ ἴδμεναι· οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γε200

ἤντησʼ οὐδὲ ἴδον· περὶ δʼ ἄλλων φασὶ γενέσθαι

Ἀντίλοχον, πέρι μὲν θείειν ταχὺν ἠδὲ μαχητήν.

τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη ξανθὸς Μενέλαος·

ὦ φίλʼ, ἐπεὶ τόσα εἶπες, ὅσʼ ἂν πεπνυμένος ἀνὴρ

εἴποι καὶ ῥέξειε, καὶ ὃς προγενέστερος εἴη·205

τοίου γὰρ καὶ πατρός, ὃ καὶ πεπνυμένα βάζεις,

ῥεῖα δʼ ἀρίγνωτος γόνος ἀνέρος ᾧ τε Κρονίων

ὄλβον ἐπικλώσῃ γαμέοντί τε γεινομένῳ τε,

ὡς νῦν Νέστορι δῶκε διαμπερὲς ἤματα πάντα

αὐτὸν μὲν λιπαρῶς γηρασκέμεν ἐν μεγάροισιν,210

υἱέας αὖ πινυτούς τε καὶ ἔγχεσιν εἶναι ἀρίστους.

ἡμεῖς δὲ κλαυθμὸν μὲν ἐάσομεν, ὃς πρὶν ἐτύχθη,

δόρπου δʼ ἐξαῦτις μνησώμεθα, χερσὶ δʼ ἐφʼ ὕδωρ

χευάντων. μῦθοι δὲ καὶ ἠῶθέν περ ἔσονται

Τηλεμάχῳ καὶ ἐμοὶ διαειπέμεν ἀλλήλοισιν.215

ὣς ἔφατʼ, Ἀσφαλίων δʼ ἄρʼ ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευεν,

ὀτρηρὸς θεράπων Μενελάου κυδαλίμοιο.

οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ὀνείαθʼ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.

    184  ἐκγεγαυῖα: nom. fem. sing. pf. act. ptc. > ἐκγίγνομαι.

    186  ἀδακρύτω … ὄσσε: dual accs.

    188  Ἠοῦς … υἱός: Memnon.

    190  περὶ: “beyond,” “superior to,” with genitive (LSJ περί III). Supply πάντων or ἄλλων with the genitive βροτῶν (“beyond all/other men”).

    191  φάσχ᾽ : = ἔφασκε, unaugmented impf. > φάσκω. Introducing indirect discourse with accusative and infinitive. Although the form is identical to the present, this must be imperfect because it forms the main clause of a past general temporal sentence and is followed by the optative in the dependent clause (Smyth 2414)

    191  ὅτ᾽ ἐπιμνησαίμεθα: past general temporal clause (“whenever…”) (Smyth 2414).

    192  οἷσιν: “his,” dat. pl. possessive adj.

    192  ἐρέοιμεν: optative in past general temporal clause (a continuation of the sentence begun with ὅτε in 191) > ἐρέω (LSJ ἐρέω A.2). Understand περὶ σοῦ (“about you”) with the verb.

    193  ἔστι: “it is possible” (LSJ εἰμί VI).

    193  πίθοιό: “be persuaded by,” 2nd sing. aor. pass. opt. > πείθω. Imperative optative (Smyth 1820) with dative.

    195  νεμεσσῶμαί: “I shrink from (infin.).” 

    195 οὐδὲν: “not at all,” adverbial. 

    196  ὅς: understand τινα, “anyone,” as the unexpressed antecedent (Smyth 2530). κε with the subjunctive makes this a present general relative clause.

    198  κείρασθαί … βαλέειν: “namely, to …,” infins., explaining γέρας. To cut one’s hair (κείρασθαί τε κόμην) was a sign of mourning.

    198  ἀπὸ δάκρυ παρειῶν: ἀπὸ goes with the genitive. An example of hyperbaton (Smyth 3028).

    201  ἤντησ᾽ οὐδὲ ἴδον: Peisistratus must have been born after Antilochus left for Troy.

    201  περὶ: “beyond,” “superior to,” with genitive (LSJ περί III).

    202  πέρι: “above all others,” adverbial (LSJ περί E.II.1). This line is a near repetition of 3.112 (where Ἀντίλοχος and its modifiers are in the nominative).

    202  θείειν: infin. > θέω (LSJ θέω A). Explanatory infinitive with ταχὺς (Smyth 2002).

    205  καὶ ὃς: “and one who is … .” The indefinite antecedent is ἀνὴρ.

    206  τοίου … πατρός: possessive gen. (or genitive of source, Smyth 1411b), with εἶ understood.

    206  : “because” (Smyth 2240a).

    207  ἀρίγνωτος: understand the verb ἐστι. ῥεῖα δ᾽ ἀρίγνωτος (“easily easily-known”) is an example of pleonasm (Smyth 3042b).

    208  γαμέοντί τε γεινομένῳ τε: an example of hysteron proteron (Smyth 3030).

    209  δῶκε: the subject is Κρονίων, supplied from 207. The construction with δίδωμι is: “granted to (dat. of person) that (acc.) may (infin.) …” (LSJ δίδωμι III). Thus Νέστορι is dative, but the accusative αὐτὸν (“he himself”) also refers to Nestor. 

    211 υἱέας αὖ: answering αὐτὸν μὲν. In Homer αὖ (rather than δέ) often serves as the correlative to μέν (Smyth 2802).

    212  ἐάσομεν: “let us leave off,” “let us stop,” short-vowel aor. hortatory subj. > ἐάω.

    212  ἐτύχθη: “arose,” “occurred” (LSJ τεύχω II). 

    213  ἐφ᾽ … / χευάντων: 3rd pl. pres. imperat., tmesis > ἐπιχέω. A subject needs to be supplied: Stanford suggests θεράποντες (“attendants”). An attendant named Asphalios is the one who ultimately pours out the water (216).

    215  διαειπέμεν: infinitive of purpose (Smyth 2009).

    218  ἐπ᾽ ὀνείαθ᾽ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον: “they put their hands to the food that was prepared and ready.” A common formula in Homer (LSJ ἰάλλω).

    ἵμερος –ου ὁ: a longing

    ὄρνυμι ὄρσω ὦρσα ὄρωρα ὀρώρεμαι –––: to stir, stir up

    γόος –ου ὁ: weeping, wailing, groaning, howling, mourning, lamentation

    κλαίω/κλάω κλαύσομαι/κλαήσω ἔκλαυσα ––– κέκλαυμαι/κέκλαυσμαι ἐκλαύσθην: to weep, lament, wail

    Ἀργεῖος –η –ον: of/from Argos, Argive

    Ἑλένη –ης ἡ: Helen, the wife of Menelāus, daughter of Zeus and Leda

    Ζεύς Διός ὁ: Zeus

    ἐκγίγνομαι (Ion. ἐκγίνομαι) ἐκγενήσομαι ἐκγέγαα: to be born of

    Τηλέμαχος –ου ὁ: Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope185

    Ἀτρείδης –ου ὁ: son of Atreus

    Μενέλαος –ου ὁ: Menelāus, son of Atreus and brother of Agamemnon, the successful suitor of Helen

    ἄρα: particle: 'so'

    Νέστωρ –ορος ὁ: Nestor, the aged king of Pylos

    ἀδάκρυτος –ον: without tears

    ὄσσος –ου ὁ: eye

    ἀμύμων –ον: blameless, noble, excellent

    Ἀντίλοχος –ου ὁ: Antilochus, son of Nestor

    Ἐώς Ἐοῦς ἡ: Dawn, goddess of dawn

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

    φαεινός –ή –όν: shining, beaming, radiant

    ἀγλαός –ή –όν: splendid, shining, bright, beautiful

    ἐπιμιμνήσκομαι ἐπιμνήσομαι ἐπεμνησάμην ἐπιμέμνημαι ἐπεμνήσθην: to remember, think of; to mention

    πτερόεις πτερόεσσα πτερόεν: feathered, winged

    ἀγορεύω ἀγορεύσω ἠγόρευσα ἠγόρευκα ἠγόρευμαι ἠγορεύθην: to speak in the assembly, harangue, speak

    βροτός –οῦ ὁ: a mortal man190

    πέπνυμαι (old Epic perf. pass. of πνέω with pres. sense): to be wise, be prudent

    φάσκω φάσκσω ἔφασκσα ––– ––– –––: to say, affirm, assert

    γέρων –οντος ὁ: an old man (in apposition as adj., old)

    ἑός ἑή ἑόν: his, her own

    μέγαρον –ου τό: a large room

    ἐρωτάω, ἐρωτήσω/ἐρήσομαι, ἠρώτησα/ἠρόμην, ἠρώτηκα, ἠρώτημαι, ἠρωτήθην: to ask, inquire

    τι: at all

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

    ὀδύρομαι ὀδυροῦμαι ὠδυράμην ––– ––– κατωδύρθην/ὠδύρθην: to lament, bewail, mourn for

    μεταδόρπιος –ον: in the middle of supper, during supper

    ἠώς ἠοῦς ἡ: dawn, morning-red

    ἠριγένεια –ας ἡ: early-born, child of morn

    νεμεσάω νεμεσήσω ἐνεμέσησα: to feel resentment, shrink from195

    πότμος –ου ὁ: destiny

    ἐφέπω ἐφέψω ἔπεσπον ––– ––– –––: to go after, follow, pursue

    γέρας –ως τό: privilege, honor

    οἷος –α –ον: only

    ὀιζυρός –ά –όν: woeful, pitiable, miserable

    κείρω κερῶ ἔκειρα κέκαρκα κέκαρμαι ἐκέρθην: to cut

    κόμη –ης ἡ: the hair

    δάκρυον –ου τό: a tear

    παρειά –ᾶς ἡ: the cheek200

    ἀντάω ἀντήσω ἤντησα ––– ––– –––: to meet face to face

    θέω θεύσομαι ἔδραμον δεδράμηκα ––– –––: to run

    ἠδέ: and

    μαχητής –οῦ ὁ: a fighter, warrior

    ἀπαμείβομαι ἀπαμείψομαι ἀπημειψάμην ἀπημείφθην: to reply, answer

    πρόσφημι πρόσφησω προσέφησα: to speak to, address

    ξανθός –ή –όν: blonde

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

    τόσος –η –ον: so very, so great

    ῥέζω ῥέξω ἔρρεξα – – ἐρρέχθην: to do205

    προγενέστερος –η –ον: older

    τοῖος –α –ον: such

    βάζω βάξω ἔβαξα: to speak, say

    ῥεῖα: easily

    ἀρίγνωτος [–η] –ον: easly recognizable

    γόνος –ου ὁ: offspring

    Κρονίων –ωνος ὁ: son of Cronus

    ὄλβος –ου ὁ: happiness, fortune, prosperity

    ἐπικλώθω ἐπικλώσω ἐπέκλωσα – ἐπικέκλωσμαι ἐπεκλώσθην: to spin

    γαμέω γαμῶ ἔγημα γεγάμηκα γεγάμημαι –––: marry

    γείνομαι ––– ἐγεινάμην ––– ––– –––: to be born

    διαμπερές: through and through

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    λιπαρός –ά –όν: comfortably, easily210

    γηράσκω γηράσομαι/γηράσω ἐγήρασα γεγήρακα ––– –––: to grow old, become old

    πινυτός –ή –όν: prudent, wise

    ἔγχος –ους τό: spear, lance

    κλαυθμός –οῦ ὁ: a weeping

    τεύχω τεύξω ἔτευξα τέτευχα τέτυγμαι ἐτύχθην: to happen, occur

    δόρπον –ου τό : the evening meal

    ἐξαῦτις: over again, once more, anew

    χέω χέω ἔχεα κέχυκα κέχυμαι ἐχύθην: to pour

    μῦθος –ου ὁ: speech, word, story

    ἠῶθεν: in the morning

    διεῖπον (aor. of διαλέγω): to say through, tell fully215

    Ἀσφαλίων –ωνος ὁ: Asphalion, a servant of Menelāus

    ὀτρηρός –ά –όν: quick busy

    θεράπων –ονος ὁ: servant, attendant, slave

    κυδάλιμος [–η] –ον: glorious, renowned, famous

    ὄνειαρ –ατος τό: food

    ἑτοῖμος –η –ον: at hand, ready, prepared

    πρόκειμαι προκείσομαι ––– ––– ––– –––: to be set before one

    ἰάλλω ἰαλῶ ἴηλα ––– ––– –––: to send forth

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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/iv-183-218