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.
notes
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 ὃ: “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).
vocabulary
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