"ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή.

Κύκλωπος γὰρ ἔκειτο μέγα ῥόπαλον παρὰ σηκῷ,

χλωρὸν ἐλαΐνεον· τὸ μὲν ἔκταμεν, ὄφρα φοροίη320

αὐανθέν. τὸ μὲν ἄμμες ἐίσκομεν εἰσορόωντες

ὅσσον θ᾽ ἱστὸν νηὸς ἐεικοσόροιο μελαίνης,

φορτίδος εὐρείης, ἥ τ᾽ ἐκπεράᾳ μέγα λαῖτμα·

τόσσον ἔην μῆκος, τόσσον πάχος εἰσοράασθαι.

τοῦ μὲν ὅσον τ᾽ ὄργυιαν ἐγὼν ἀπέκοψα παραστὰς325

καὶ παρέθηχ᾽ ἑτάροισιν, ἀποξῦναι δ᾽ ἐκέλευσα·

οἱ δ᾽ ὁμαλὸν ποίησαν: ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἐθόωσα παραστὰς

ἄκρον, ἄφαρ δὲ λαβὼν ἐπυράκτεον ἐν πυρὶ κηλέῳ.

καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκα κατακρύψας ὑπὸ κόπρῳ,

ἥ ῥα κατὰ σπείους κέχυτο μεγάλ᾽ ἤλιθα πολλή·330

αὐτὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους κλήρῳ πεπαλάσθαι ἄνωγον,

ὅς τις τολμήσειεν ἐμοὶ σὺν μοχλὸν ἀείρας

τρῖψαι ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ, ὅτε τὸν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἱκάνοι.

οἱ δ᾽ ἔλαχον τοὺς ἄν κε καὶ ἤθελον αὐτὸς ἑλέσθαι,

τέσσαρες, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ πέμπτος μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέγμην.335

ἑσπέριος δ᾽ ἦλθεν καλλίτριχα μῆλα νομεύων.

αὐτίκα δ᾽ εἰς εὐρὺ σπέος ἤλασε πίονα μῆλα

πάντα μάλ᾽, οὐδέ τι λεῖπε βαθείης ἔκτοθεν αὐλῆς,

ἤ τι ὀισάμενος, ἢ καὶ θεὸς ὣς ἐκέλευσεν.

αὐτὰρ ἔπειτ᾽ ἐπέθηκε θυρεὸν μέγαν ὑψόσ᾽ ἀείρας,340

ἑζόμενος δ᾽ ἤμελγεν ὄις καὶ μηκάδας αἶγας,

πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, καὶ ὑπ᾽ ἔμβρυον ἧκεν ἑκάστῃ.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σπεῦσε πονησάμενος τὰ ἃ ἔργα,

σὺν δ᾽ ὅ γε δὴ αὖτε δύω μάρψας ὡπλίσσατο δόρπον.

καὶ τότ᾽ ἐγὼ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων ἄγχι παραστάς,345

κισσύβιον μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων μέλανος οἴνοιο·

‘Κύκλωψ, τῆ, πίε οἶνον, ἐπεὶ φάγες ἀνδρόμεα κρέα,

ὄφρ᾽ εἰδῇς οἷόν τι ποτὸν τόδε νηῦς ἐκεκεύθει

ἡμετέρη. σοὶ δ᾽ αὖ λοιβὴν φέρον, εἴ μ᾽ ἐλεήσας

οἴκαδε πέμψειας: σὺ δὲ μαίνεαι οὐκέτ᾽ ἀνεκτῶς.350

σχέτλιε, πῶς κέν τίς σε καὶ ὕστερον ἄλλος ἵκοιτο

ἀνθρώπων πολέων, ἐπεὶ οὐ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔρεξας;’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δ᾽ ἔδεκτο καὶ ἔκπιεν: ἥσατο δ᾽ αἰνῶς

ἡδὺ ποτὸν πίνων καὶ μ᾽ ᾔτεε δεύτερον αὖτις·

‘δός μοι ἔτι πρόφρων, καί μοι τεὸν οὔνομα εἰπὲ355

αὐτίκα νῦν, ἵνα τοι δῶ ξείνιον, ᾧ κε σὺ χαίρῃς·

καὶ γὰρ Κυκλώπεσσι φέρει ζείδωρος ἄρουρα

οἶνον ἐριστάφυλον, καί σφιν Διὸς ὄμβρος ἀέξει·

ἀλλὰ τόδ᾽ ἀμβροσίης καὶ νέκταρός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ.’

    Odysseus plans revenge.

    One of the most remarkable features of the Homeric epics is the way in which the poet draws on traditional material, verbal and thematic, from within the poems and also from the wider background of Mediterranean myth and folktale, to create strikingly individual scenes. In the former category, we have seen how the common Homeric language of sacrifice and meal preparation underlies the gruesome feasting of the Cyclops, rendered in meticulous detail.

    read full essay

    πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, with humans replacing cattle as both offering and meal; in the latter, the paradigm of the culture hero, preserving civilization by imposing control over disorderly monsters, informs—often with ironic overtones, as we have seen—the battle of Odysseus and Polyphemus. The adventures in Books 9–12 reflect the influence of yet another source, a rich folktale tradition that reaches far beyond the Mediterranean. There appear in the Polyphemus episode elements of a ubiquitous folktale, the capture and killing of a cave-dwelling ogre with one eye, found in over 200 different versions across 25 countries. At the same time, the particular form that the tale takes here shows the impress of the Odyssey poet in several details, all working to integrate the episode smoothly into the poem’s larger thematic structure. Certain key departures from the usual version of the story are especially telling, as we will see.

    A nearly universal feature of the folktale is the blinding of the monster. In most versions, the captives use the monster’s iron spit, heated over the fire, to poke out their captor’s eye. Here the weapon is to be a large bludgeon made of olive wood, sharpened and then heated in the fire. The substitution of olive wood for iron is telling in several ways. Though Polyphemus routinely makes a fire in the cave, “for his dinner” (234), we never see him cooking anything over it. Each time he kills members of the crew, he eats them raw, “like a lion from the mountains” (292). Cooking food is a universal sign of human culture and its absence here underscores the monster’s savagery. Unlike the iron spit, which comes ready for maiming, the wooden stake requires careful preparation. As Odysseus and his men fashion the weapon, we hear echoes of the everyday, step-by-step activities that always receive careful attention from the poet, preparing a meal, beaching a boat. In particular, we may remember when Calypso provides raw materials for Odysseus to build the boat that will take him away from her island, prompting an elaborate description, sawing, smoothing, joining (5.234–55). In both passages, the transformation of materials from nature into an instrument for human use reflects the dominant civilizing paradigm in Greek culture. Polyphemus has begun work on the weapon, but one that represents only a partial realization of this paradigm. It remains for the Greeks to finish the process. Finally, the substitution of olive wood, sacred to Athena, for iron reminds us that even if Odysseus does not see her, the goddess is with him in his struggles. As with the olive bush on the shore of Scheria that he crawls under to sleep (5.476–77), Athena’s protection is always close at hand.

    Once the weapon is finished, Odysseus hides it under a pile of dung in the cave, perhaps another echo from the end of Book 5, where the poet uses a vivid simile to describe Odysseus sleeping under a pile of leaves:

    ὡς δ᾽ ὅτε τις δαλὸν σποδιῇ ἐνέκρυψε μελαίνῃ
    ἀγροῦ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχατιῆς, ᾧ μὴ πάρα γείτονες ἄλλοι,
    σπέρμα πυρὸς σώζων, ἵνα μή ποθεν ἄλλοθεν αὔοι,
    ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς φύλλοισι καλύψατο:

    As when someone hides a burning log in a pile of black ashes
    in some remote estate, with no neighbors nearby,
    saving the seeds of the fire, when he cannot get a flame from elsewhere,
    so Odysseus buried himself in the leaves…

    Odyssey 5.488–91

    Like the smoldering firebrand, the wooden stake—itself about to be fired—symbolizes the hero, a symbol of potent force ready to be tapped.

    Polyphemus returns, methodically tending to his flocks, then snatching up two more crew members for his dinner. Now Odysseus’s other weapon, the potent wine he has been saving, comes into play. Getting the monster drunk is not a regular feature of the folktale, perhaps the poet’s own invention, perhaps borrowed from another common story about a demon who is disabled by drink and forced to reveal some special knowledge. In any event, the seductive lure of the wine’s fragrance is as we have seen a familiar feature of Homeric poetry. Odysseus, himself now playing the genial host in the ongoing parody of proper behavior, offers the monster a drink and some pointed criticism, which Polyphemus ignores as he gulps down the wine. Demanding another drink, he steps back into the role of host, observing the niceties by only now asking Odysseus for his name—refraining until after refreshment has been served, but to him rather than his guest—so that he can give him a “guest gift,” and remarking on the superiority of this wine to what the island’s grapes can produce. It seems to be made of “nectar and ambrosia,” he exclaims (359), unwittingly completing the motif that marks Odysseus’s deception.

    Like bread and beer, wine is a product of humans modifying natural resources. Its importance here is part of the ongoing and often ironic meditation in the Cyclops episode on the nature of human civilization, using Polyphemus’s overt savagery and oafish appropriation of the rituals of hospitality as a foil. The dominant narrative is clear enough: Odysseus the culture hero will conquer the disorderly monster and preserve human civilization. But true to the Odyssey’s complex view of traditional heroic values, this scenario will unfold less straightforwardly than we might expect, as the poet manipulates the rituals of hospitality to add another layer of complexity.

     

    Further Reading

    Clay, J. 1983. The Wrath of Athena: Gods and Men in the Odyssey, 112–125. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Glenn, J. 1971. “The Polyphemus Folktale and Homer’s Kyklopeia.” Transactions of the American Philological Association 102: 133–181.

    Mondi, R. 1983. “The Homeric Cyclopes: Folktale, Tradition, and Theme.” Transactions of the American Philological Association 113: 17–38.

    Page, D. 1955. The Homeric Odyssey, 1–20. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Schein, S. 1970. “Odysseus and Polyphemus in the Odyssey.” Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 11: 73–83.

     

    320  τὸ μὲν ἔκταμεν: τὸ = “it” (Monro 256) referring to the ῥόπαλον.  

    320  ἔκταμεν: = ἐξέταμεν, 3rd sing. aor. > ἐκτέμνω. The Cyclops is the subject.

    321  αὐανθέν: “once it was dried out,” neut. sing. aor. pass. ptc. > αὐαίνω.

    321-3  τὸ μἐν ἄμμες ἐΐσκομεν … / ὅσσον … / τόσσον ἔην: “it seemed to us as large as … so great was it” (lit., “we likened it as great as … so great was it …”).

    324  μῆκος … πάχος: accusatives of respect (Goodell 537; Monro 137).

    324  εἰσοράασθαι: “to look at,” epexegetical or explanatory infin.

    325  τοῦ: “from it,” or “of it” (Monro 256)

    325  ὅσον τ᾽ ὄργυιαν: “as much as a fathom,” six feet, defined as the length of the outstretched arms (LSJ ὄργυια)

    326  ἑτάροισιν: indirect object after παρέθηχ᾽ (= παρέθηκε), “I provided (it) to.”

    329  τὸ μὲν: “it.” μέν looks forward to αὐτὰρ in line 331.

    329  εὖ: best taken with κατακρύψας, “hid it well.”

    330  ἥ ῥα: “which, you see….” ῥα (ἄρα) is explanatory. The antecedent of ἥ is ἡ κόπρος.

    330  μεγάλ[α]: “In great quantities” (adverbial).

    331  κλήρῳ πεπαλάσθαι: “to draw lots,” lit., “to cast by lot.”

    331  πεπαλάσθαι: pf. mid. infin. > πάλλω.

    332–33  ὅς τις τολμήσειεν: indirect question, implied in the drawing of lots (“…draw lots [to determine] who…”).

    332  ἐμοὶ σὺν: σύν ἐμοί, anastrophe.

    332–33  μοχλὸν … / τρῖψαι ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ: “tο push the stake into his eye and work it around” (LSJ τρίβω A.1).

    334  οἱ δ᾽ ἔλαχον τοὺς: “those men won the draw whom….” (Monro 262).

    334  ἄν κε ... ἤθελον: “I would have wished,” past potential (Goodell 467.c). ἄν and κε are equivalent (Monro 362).

    334  ἑλέσθαι: "to be chosen," aor. 2 mid. inf. > αἱρέω, functioning as passive.

    334  αὐτὸς: “I myself”

    335  ἐλέγμην: “was chosen,” = ἐλέγην, aor. 2 pass. > λέγω.

    338  πάντα μάλ᾽: “every single one.”

    339  τι ὀϊσάμενος: “suspecting something” (LSJ ὀΐομαι A.1).

    339  θεὸς: “a god,” none in particular.

    339  ὣς: “(to act) in this way.”

    340  The line is a repetition of line 240.

    341  The line is a repetition of line 244.

    342  The line is a repetition of line 245.

    343  The line is a repetition of line 310 and 250.

    344  The line is a repetition of line 311, with the substitution of δόρπον for δεῖπνον.

    345  προσηύδων: “I began to address,” inchoative impf. (Smyth 1900) > προσαυδάω.

    347  πίε: aor. 2 imperat. > πίνω, “drink.”

    347  φάγες: ἔφαγες.

    348  οἷόν τι ποτὸν τόδε: “what sort of drink,” the object of ἐκεκεύθει (plupf. > κεύθω).

    349  φέρον: ἔφερον.

    349  λοιβὴν: appositive: “as a libation.”

    349  εἰ … πέμψειας: “on the chance that you might send,” “in the hope that you might,” εἴ + opt., related to an optative of wish (Smyth 2354).

    350  μαίνεαι: 2nd sing. = μαίνεσαι.

    350  οὐκέτ’ ἀνεκτῶς: “in a manner no longer tolerable” (lit., “no longer tolerably”).

    351  κέν … ἵκοιτο: potential optative (Goodell 479).

    352  ἀνθρώπων πολέων: partitive genitive, with τις ἄλλος.

    352  πολέων = πολλῶν.

    352  κατὰ μοῖραν: “in order,” “properly” (LSJ μοῖρα IV.1).

    352  ἔρεξας:  aor. > ῥεζω.

    353  δέκτο: = Att. ἐδέξατο.

    353  ἥσατο: aor. > ἥδομαι.

    354  ᾔτεε: 3rd sing. impf. > αίτέω.

    355  δός: aor. 2 imperat. > δίδωμι.

    356  τοι: “to you,” = σοί.

    356  ᾧ κε … χαίρῃς: “in which you may find joy,” relative clause of purpose with κε + subj. (Smyth 2554.c, Monro 282).

    357  Κυκλώπεσσι ... / ... σφιν: datives denoting the person interested or affected (Goodell 523).

    359  ἀπορρώξ: “a piece (broken off) of,” + gen., i.e. “as good as.”

    Κύκλωψ –πος ὁ: Cyclops

    ῥόπαλον –ου τό: a club, cudgel

    σηκός –οῦ ὁ: a pen, fold

    χλωρός –ά –όν: greenish-yellow

    ἐλαΐνεος –α –ον: of olive-wood.

    ἐκτάμνω, aor. ἐξέταμον or  ἔκταμε: to cut out

    ὄφρα: while; until; so that; ὄφρα … τόφρα, while … for so long

    φορέω φορέσω/φορήσω ἐφόρεσα/ἐφόρησα πεφόρηκα πεφόρημαι ἐφορήθην: bear or carry habitually or repeatedly 320

    αὐαίνω αὐανῶ ηὔηνα ηὐάνθην: to dry out, wither away

    ἐΐσκω – – – – –: to make like; to reckon similar, liken, compare

    εἰσοράω εἰσόψομαι εἰσεῖδον εἰσεόρακα/εἰσεώρακα/εἰσόπωπα εἰσεόραμαι/εἰσεώραμαι/εἰσῶμμαι εἰσώφθην: to look into, look upon, view, behold

    ἱστός –οῦ ὁ: mast, beam

    εἰκόσορος –ον: with twenty oars

    μέλας μέλαινα μέλαν: black, dark, obscure

    φορτίς –ίδος: for cargo, mercantile (of a ship)

    εὐρύς –εῖα –ύ: broad

    ἐκπεράω ἐκπεράσω ἐξεπέρασα ἐκπεπέρακα ––– –––: to go out over, pass beyond

    λαῖτμα –ατος τό: the depths of the sea

    τόσος –η –ον: so great, so vast

    μῆκος –ους τό: length, stature, distance

    τόσος –η –ον: so great, so vast

    πάχος –ους τό: thickness

    εἰσοράω εἰσόψομαι εἰσεῖδον εἰσεόρακα/εἰσεώρακα/εἰσόπωπα εἰσεόραμαι/εἰσεώραμαι/εἰσῶμμαι εἰσώφθην: to look into, look upon, view, behold

    ὄργυια –ας ἡ: the length of the outstretched arms, a fathom

    ἀποκόπτω ἀποκόψω ἀπέκοψα ἀποκέκοφα ἀποκέκομμαι ἀπεκόπην: to cut off, hew off

    παρίστημι παρήσω παρέστησα (or παρέστην) παρέστηκα παρέσταμαι παρεστάθην: to stand by or near 325

    παρατίθημι παραθήσω παρέθηκα παρατέθηκα ––– παρετέθην: place beside, provide, set before

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

    ἀποξύνω ἀποξυνῶ ἀπώξυνα ἀπώξυγκα ἀπώξυμμαι ἀπωξύνθην: to bring to a point, make taper

    ὁμαλός –ή –όν: even, level

    θοόω θοώσω ἐθόωσα: to make sharp

    παρίστημι παρήσω παρέστησα (or παρέστην) παρέστηκα παρέσταμαι παρεστάθην: to place beside; to present; to procure; to stand, be imminent, occur

    ἄκρον –ου τό: summit, peak, point

    ἄφαρ: straightway, forthwith, at once, quickly, presently

    πυρακτέω πυρακτήσω ἐπυράκτησα: to turn in the fire, to harden in the fire, char

    κήλεος –ον: burning

    κατατίθημι καταθήσω κατέθηκα κατατέθηκα κατατέθην: put down; (mid.) lay aside, store up

    κατακρύπτω κατακρύψω κατέκρυψα/κατέκρυβον κατακέκρυμμαι κατεκρύφθην/κατεκρύβην/κατεκρύφην: to cover over, hide away, conceal

    κόπρος –ου ἡ: dung, ordure, manure

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    σπέος gen. σπείους, dat. σπῆι, pl. dat. σπέσσι and σπήεσσι, τό: a cave, cavern, grotto

    χέω χέω ἔχεα κέχυκα κέχυμαι ἐχύθην: to pour

    ἤλιθα: (adv.) (adv.) very much; enough 330

    ἀτάρ: but, yet

    κλῆρος –ου ὁ: lot, casting of lots, allotment

    πάλλω –––– ἔπηλα ––– πέπαλμαι ἐπάλην: to shake; (mid.) to cast lots

    ἄνωγα (pf. as pres.), ἠνώγεα (plupf. as impf.): to command, invite, exhort

    μοχλός –οῦ ὁ: a bar

    ἀείρω ἀρῶ ἤειρα ––– ἤερμαι ἠέρθην: to lift, heave, raise up

    τρίβω τρίψω ἔτριψα τέτριφα τέτριμμαι ἐτρίφθην (or ἐτρίβην): to grind, thresh, rub, scratch

    γλυκύς γλυκεῖα γλυκύ: sweet, pleasant

    ὕπνος –ου ὁ: sleep

    ἱκάνω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: come to, arrive at, reach

    λαγχάνω λήξομαι ἔλαχον εἴληχα ––– –––: to obtain by lot, have as portion; to fall by lot to 335

    ἀτάρ: but, yet

    ἑσπέριος [–α] –ον: evening, (arriving) towards evening

    καλλίτριχος –ον: producing luxuriant hair

    μῆλον –ου τό: sheep or goat

    νομεύω νομεύσω ἐνόμευσα: to put to graze, drive afield

    εὐρύς –εῖα –ύ: broad

    σπέος gen. σπείους, dat. σπῆι, pl. dat. σπέσσι and σπήεσσι, τό: a cave, cavern, grotto

    πίων –ονος ὁ/ἡ: fat, plump; rich, opulent

    βαθύς βαθεῖα βαθύ: deep, high; dense

    ἔκτοθεν: from without, outside

    αὐλή –ῆς ἡ: courtyard; enclosure for livestock; court, residence

    ὀίω, aor. ὀίσατο, pass. aor. ὠίσθην: to think, believe, suppose

    ἀτάρ: but, yet

    ἐπιτίθημι ἐπιθήσω ἐπέθηκα ἐπιτέθηκα ––– ἐπετέθην: lay/put upon, set up, apply oneself

    θυρεός –οῦ ὁ: a stone put against a door

    ὑψόσε: aloft, on high, up high 340

    ἀείρω ἀρῶ ἤειρα ––– ἤερμαι ἠέρθην: to lift, heave, raise up

    ἕζομαι – – – – –: sit down

    ἀμέλγω ἀμέλξω ἤμελξα: to milk

    ὄϊς ὄϊος ὁ/ἡ: sheep

    μηκάς –άδος: bleating

    αἴξ αἰγός ὁ/ἡ: goat

    μοῖρα –ας ἡ: part, portion, lot, fate

    ἔμβρυον –ου τό: a young one, new-born lamb; embryo

    σπεύδω σπεύσω ἔσπευσα ἔσπευκα ἔσπευσμαι ἔσπευθην: to hurry; to strive, do one's utmost

    πονέω πονέσω/πονήσω ἐπόνεσα/ἐπόνησα πεπόνηκα πεπόνημαι ἐπονήθην: to work; to labor over, prepare

    αὖτε: again

    μάρπτω μάρψω ἔμαρψα ––– ––– –––: to catch, lay hold of, seize

    ὁπλίζω ὁπλίσομαι ὥπλισα ὥπλικα ὥπλισμαι ὡπλίσθην: to equip, make ready; to arm

    δόρπον –ου τό: the evening meal

    Κύκλωψ –πος ὁ: Cyclops

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

    ἄγχι: near 345

    παρίστημι παρήσω παρέστησα (or παρέστην) παρέστηκα παρέσταμαι παρεστάθην: to place beside; to present; to procure; to stand, be imminent, occur

    κισσύβιον –ου τό: a rustic drinking-cup

    μέλας μέλαινα μέλαν: black, dark, obscure

    οἶνος –ου ὁ: wine

    τῆ: here! there! (interjection)

    οἶνος –ου ὁ: wine

    ἔφαγον (aor. with no pres. in use): to eat, devour

    ἀνδρόμεος –α –ον: of man

    κρέας κρέως and κρέατος, gen. pl. κρειῶν, τό: meat, piece of meat

    ὄφρα: while; until; so that; ὄφρα … τόφρα, while … for so long

    οἷος –α –ον: such as, of what sort, like, (exclam.) what a!, how! ; οἷός τε (+infin.) fit or able to; οἷόν τε (+infin.) it is possible to

    ποτός –η –ον: a drink, esp. wine

    κεύθω/κευθάνω κεύσω ἔκευσα κέκευθα ––– –––: to cover quite up, to cover, hide

    λοιβή –ῆς ἡ: a drink-offering

    ἐλεέω ἐλεήσω ἠλέησα – ἠλέημαι ἠλεήθην: have pity on, show mercy to

    οἴκαδε: homeward

    μαίνομαι ἔμηνα μέμηνα ἐμάνην: rage, be mad

    ἀνεκτός –όν: bearable, sufferable, tolerable 350

    σχέτλιος –α –ον: strong, unwearying; stubborn, cruel, merciless

    ἱκνέομαι ἵξομαι ἱκόμην ––– ἷγμαι –––: to come

    μοῖρα –ας ἡ: part, portion, lot, fate

    ῥέζω ῥέξω ἔρρεξα – – ἐρρέχθην: to do, accomplish; to offer (sacrifice)

    ἐκπίνω ἐκπίομαι ἐκέπιον ἐκπέπωκα ἐκπέπομαι ἐκεπόθην: to drink

    ἥδομαι ἡσθήσομαι ––– ––– ––– ἥσθην: rejoice

    αἰνός –ή –όν: dread, grim

    ποτός –η –ον: a drink, esp. wine

    αὖθις: again, in turn

    πρόφρων –ον: kindly-spirited, well-intentioned; ready for action, purposefully, intentionally

    τεός –ή –όν: = σός, 'your' 355

    ξείνιος –α –ον: belonging to a friend and guest, hospitable; protector of guests (epithet of Zeus)

    ζείδωρος –ον: wheat-producing, fertile

    ἄρουρα –ας ἡ: tilled or arable land, ground, fatherland

    οἶνος –ου ὁ: wine

    ἐριστάφυλος –ον: having large, beautiful clusters of grapes

    σφεῖς: they

    Ζεύς Διός ὁ: Zeus

    ὄμβρος –ου ὁ: storm of rain, thunder-storm

    ἀέξω ἀεξήσω ἠέξησα ἠέξηκα ἠέξημαι ἀεξήθην: to increase, enlarge, foster, strengthen

    ἀμβροσίη –ης ἡ: ambrosia

    νέκταρ –αρος τό: nectar

    ἀπορρώξ –ῶγος: piece, portion

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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/ix-318-359