ὣς φάθ᾽, ὁ δ᾽ αὐτίκα παῦσεν ἑὸν ῥόον, ἔσχε δὲ κῦμα,

πρόσθε δέ οἱ ποίησε γαλήνην, τὸν δ᾽ ἐσάωσεν

ἐς ποταμοῦ προχοάς. ὁ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἄμφω γούνατ᾽ ἔκαμψε

χεῖράς τε στιβαράς. ἁλὶ γὰρ δέδμητο φίλον κῆρ.

ᾤδεε δὲ χρόα πάντα, θάλασσα δὲ κήκιε πολλὴ455

ἂν στόμα τε ῥῖνάς θ᾽· ὁ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἄπνευστος καὶ ἄναυδος

κεῖτ᾽ ὀλιγηπελέων, κάματος δέ μιν αἰνὸς ἵκανεν.

ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δή ῥ᾽ ἄμπνυτο καὶ ἐς φρένα θυμὸς ἀγέρθη,

καὶ τότε δὴ κρήδεμνον ἀπὸ ἕο λῦσε θεοῖο.

καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐς ποταμὸν ἁλιμυρήεντα μεθῆκεν,460

ἂψ δ᾽ ἔφερεν μέγα κῦμα κατὰ ῥόον, αἶψα δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ Ἰνὼ

δέξατο χερσὶ φίλῃσιν· ὁ δ᾽ ἐκ ποταμοῖο λιασθεὶς

σχοίνῳ ὑπεκλίνθη, κύσε δὲ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.

ὀχθήσας δ᾽ ἄρα εἶπε πρὸς ὃν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν·

"ὤ μοι ἐγώ, τί πάθω; τί νύ μοι μήκιστα γένηται;465

εἰ μέν κ᾽ ἐν ποταμῷ δυσκηδέα νύκτα φυλάσσω,

μή μ᾽ ἄμυδις στίβη τε κακὴ καὶ θῆλυς ἐέρση

ἐξ ὀλιγηπελίης δαμάσῃ κεκαφηότα θυμόν·

αὔρη δ᾽ ἐκ ποταμοῦ ψυχρὴ πνέει ἠῶθι πρό.

εἰ δέ κεν ἐς κλιτὺν ἀναβὰς καὶ δάσκιον ὕλην470

θάμνοις ἐν πυκινοῖσι καταδράθω, εἴ με μεθείη

ῥῖγος καὶ κάματος, γλυκερὸς δέ μοι ὕπνος ἐπέλθῃ,

δείδω, μὴ θήρεσσιν ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα γένωμαι."

ὣς ἄρα οἱ φρονέοντι δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι·

βῆ ῥ᾽ ἴμεν εἰς ὕλην· τὴν δὲ σχεδὸν ὕδατος εὗρεν475

ἐν περιφαινομένῳ· δοιοὺς δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ὑπήλυθε θάμνους,

ἐξ ὁμόθεν πεφυῶτας· ὁ μὲν φυλίης, ὁ δ᾽ ἐλαίης.

τοὺς μὲν ἄρ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἀνέμων διάη μένος ὑγρὸν ἀέντων,

οὔτε ποτ᾽ ἠέλιος φαέθων ἀκτῖσιν ἔβαλλεν,

οὔτ᾽ ὄμβρος περάασκε διαμπερές· ὣς ἄρα πυκνοὶ480

ἀλλήλοισιν ἔφυν ἐπαμοιβαδίς· οὓς ὑπ᾽ Ὀδυσσεὺς

δύσετ᾽. ἄφαρ δ᾽ εὐνὴν ἐπαμήσατο χερσὶ φίλῃσιν

εὐρεῖαν: φύλλων γὰρ ἔην χύσις ἤλιθα πολλή,

ὅσσον τ᾽ ἠὲ δύω ἠὲ τρεῖς ἄνδρας ἔρυσθαι

ὥρῃ χειμερίῃ, εἰ καὶ μάλα περ χαλεπαίνοι.485

τὴν μὲν ἰδὼν γήθησε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

ἐν δ᾽ ἄρα μέσσῃ λέκτο, χύσιν δ᾽ ἐπεχεύατο φύλλων.

ὡς δ᾽ ὅτε τις δαλὸν σποδιῇ ἐνέκρυψε μελαίνῃ

ἀγροῦ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχατιῆς, ᾧ μὴ πάρα γείτονες ἄλλοι,

σπέρμα πυρὸς σώζων, ἵνα μή ποθεν ἄλλοθεν αὔοι,490

ὣς Ὀδυσεὺς φύλλοισι καλύψατο· τῷ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ Ἀθήνη

ὕπνον ἐπ᾽ ὄμμασι χεῦ᾽, ἵνα μιν παύσειε τάχιστα

δυσπονέος καμάτοιο φίλα βλέφαρ᾽ ἀμφικαλύψας.

    Battered and exhausted by his ordeal, Odysseus finds a place to sleep.

    451  : i.e., the god Odysseus has been addressing.

    451  ἔσχε: "held back," "restrained."

    453  ἄμφω: “both,” dual.

    454  ἁλὶ: dative of means.

    454  δέδμητο: 3rd sing. plupf. pass. indic. > δαμάζω.

    455  ᾤδεε: “became swollen,” 3rd sing. impf. act. indic. > οἰδέω. The subject is Odysseus.

    455  χρόα πάντα: “all over his skin,” accusative of respect > χς, ὁ.

    455  κήκιε: unaugmented impf.

    456  ἂν: = ἄνὰ.

    457  κεῖτ(ο): unaugmented impf.

    458  ἄμπνυτο: 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > ἀναπνέω.

    458  θυμὸς ἀγέρθη: “consciousness was restored” (lit., “strength, or spirit, was gathered”)

    458  ἀγέρθη: 3rd sing. aor. pass. indic. > ἀγείρω (see Autenrieth ἀγείρω).

    459  ἀπὸ ἕο λῦσε: “unfastened from himself.”

    459  θεοῖο: modifying κρήδεμνον, referring to the veil given to Odysseus by Ino. Odysseus finally follows the instructions Ino gave him in line 349.

    461  δέξατο: unaugmented impf. > δέχομαι. The object of the verb is the κρήδεμνον.

    463  ὑπεκλίνθη: 3rd sing. aor. pass. indic. > ὑποκλίνομαι.

    464  introducing the last of Odysseus’s soliloquies in this book.

    465  a near repetition of 5.299.

    466  εἰ μέν κ᾽ … φυλάσσω: “if I keep watch,” protasis of a future more vivid conditional (εἰ κε = ἐάν).

    466  δυσκηδέα νύκτα: accusative of extent of time.

    467  μή … / … δαμάσῃ: “(I am afraid that) … will overcome …,” “may … not overcome,” μή + aor. subj. indicating fear or danger (Smyth 1802).

    468  ἐξ ὀλιγηπελίης … κεκαφηότα: “worn out from weakness,” modifying με.

    468  θυμόν: accusative of respect.

    469  ἠῶθι πρό: “before dawn.” ἠῶθι is an Epic genitive form which can be followed by the preposition (LSJ πρό B).

    470  εἰ δέ κεν … / … καταδράθω: protasis of a future more vivid conditional (εἰ κε = ἐάν).

    471  καταδράθω: 1st sing. aor. act. subj. > καταδαρθάνω.

    471  εἴ με μεθείη: “on the chance that … might release me,” εἰ + opt. (Smyth 2354).

    471  μεθείη: 3rd sing. opt., with both ῥῖγος and κάματος as its subject.

    472  γλυκερὸς δέ μοι ὕπνος ἐπέλθῃ: understand εἰ κε at the beginning of this clause, and take this as a second protasis of the future more vivid conditional introduced in line 470.

    473  δείδω, μὴ … γένωμαι: clause of fearing, supplying the apodosis of the conditional introduced in line 470.

    473  ἕλωρ καὶ κύρμα: both words mean “prey,” a pleonasm.

    474  δοάσσατο κέρδιον εἶναι: “it seemed to be more profitable” (LSJ δοάσσατο).

    475  βῆ … ἴμεν: “he set out.”

    475  ἴμεν: pres. act. infin. > εἶμι.

    476  ἐν περιφαινομένῳ: “in a conspicuous place” (Autenrieth περιφαίνομαι).

    477  ἐξ ὁμόθεν πεφυῶτας: “growing from the same spot.” 

    477  πεφυῶτας: masc. acc. pl. pf. act. ptc. > φύω, modifying θάμνους.

    478  διάη: unaugmented 3rd sing. impf. act. indic. > διάημι.

    478  ἀέντων: masc. gen. pl. pres. act. ptc. > ἄημι, modifying ἀνέμων.

    479  ἀκτῖσιν: dative of means.

    480  περάασκε: 3rd sing. iterative impf. act. indic. > περάω.

    481  ἐπαμοιβαδίς: “entwined with each other” (Autenrieth), “with interwoven boughs” (LSJ).

    481  ὑπ᾽ …/ δύσετ(ο): tmesis, unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > ὑποδύω.

    482  ἐπαμήσατο: unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > ἐπαμάομαι.

    483  ἔην: = ἤν.

    484  ὅσσον τ᾽ … ἔρυσθαι: “as much as to cover …,” “sufficient to cover.”

    484  ἔρυσθαι: infin. > ἐρύομαι. For this use of the infinitive, see Smyth 2003.

    485  εἰ καὶ μάλα περ χαλεπαίνοι: “even if it (the winter) should be especially hard,” “no matter how hard the winter,” protasis of a future less vivid conditional.

    486  τὴν: probably has as its antecedent εὐνὴν in lin 482, the bed of leaves Odysseus has made.

    487  λέκτο: unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > λέχομαι.

    487  ἐπεχεύατο: “heaped up for himself” > ἐπιχέω.

    488  ὡς δ᾽ ὅτε … : introducing a simile.

    488  ἐνέκρυψε: the aorist is usual in similes.

    489  ᾧ μὴ πάρα γείτονες ἄλλοι: “(a man) who has no other neighbors,” for whom no other neighbors are present.” πάρα = πάρεισι.

    490  ἵνα μή ποθεν ἄλλοθεν αὔοι: “so he won’t have to kindle it from somewhere else,” negative purpose clause, with optative in secondary sequence after ἐνέκρυψε in line 488.

    491  τῷ: “his,” dative of possession with ὄμμασι in line 492.

    492  χεῦ(ε): unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. act. indic. > χέω.

    492  ἵνα μιν παύσειε …/ δυσπονέος καμάτοιο: “so that it (i.e., sleep) might give him rest from troublesome weariness,” purpose clause, with optative in secondary sequence after χεῦ᾽ (ἔχευε). For the use of παύω with accusative and genitive, see LSJ παύω I.2).

    ἑός ἑή ἑόν: his, her, own

    ῥόος –ου ὁ: a stream, flow, current

    κῦμα –ατος τό: wave

    πρόσθεν: before, in front of

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

    γαλήνη –ης ἡ: stillness of the sea, calm

    προχοή –ῆς ἡ: mouth (of a river)

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἄμφω ἀμφοῖν: both (dual)

    γόνυ γόνατος (or γουνός) τό: knee

    κάμπτω κάμψω ἔκαμψα ––– κέκαμμαι ἐκάμφθην: to bend, curve

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

    ἅλς ἁλός ὁ: salt (m.); sea (f.)

    δαμάζω δαμάσω ἐδάμασα δεδάμακα δεδάμασμαι/δέδμημα ἐδαμάσθην/ἐδμήθην: to overpower, tame, conquer, subdue

    κῆρ κῆρος τό: heart, mind

    οἰδέω οἰδήσω ᾤδησα ᾤδηκα: to swell, become swollen455

    χρώς χρωτός, dat. χρωί ὁ: the surface of the body, the skin

    κηκίω – – – – –: to gush

    ῥίς ῥινός ἡ: the nose

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἄπνευστος –ον: breathless

    ἄναυδος –ον: speechless, silent

    ὀλιγηπελέων –ουσα –ον: having little power, in feeble case, powerless

    κάματος –ου ὁ: fatigue, exhaustion; effort

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    αἰνός –ή –όν: dread, grim

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

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἀναπνέω ἀναπνευσοῦμαι/ἀναπνεύσομαι ἀνέπνευσα ἀναπέπνευκα ––– –––: to breathe again, take breath

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    ἀγείρω ἀγερῶ ἤγειρα ἀγήγερμαι ἠγέρθην: gather, collect

    κρήδεμνον –ου τό: a veil

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

    ἁλιμυρήεις –εσσα –εν: flowing into the sea460

    μεθίημι μέθιημι μεθήσω μεθῆκα μεθεῖκα μεθεῖμαι μεθείθην: to let go, let loose, release

    ἄψ: back

    κῦμα –ατος τό: wave

    ῥόος –ου ὁ: a stream, flow, current

    αἶψα: rapidly, speedily, suddenly

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    Ἰνώ –οῦς ἡ: Ino, daughter of Cadmus, worshipped as a sea-goddess by the name of Leucothea

    λιάζομαι λιάσομαι ἐλιάσθην: to bend, incline

    σχοῖνος –ου ὁ or ἡ: a rush

    ὑποκλίνομαι ὑποκλινῶ ὑπέκλινα ὑποκέκλικα ὑποκέκλιμαι ὑπεκλίθην/ὑπεκλίνην: to recline

    κυνέω κυνήσομαι ἐκύνησα: to kiss

    ζείδωρος –ον: wheat-producing, fertile

    ἄρουρα –ας ἡ: plowed or arable land; πατρίς ἄρουρα fatherland, homeland

    ὀχθέω ὀχθήσω ὤχθησα: to be sorely angered, to be vexed in spirit

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἑός ἑή ἑόν: his, her, own

    μεγαλήτωρ –ορος: great - hearted, proud

    μήκιστος –η –ον: tallest, greatest, largest465

    δυσκηδής –ές: full of misery

    ἄμυδις: together, at the same time

    στίβη –ης ἡ: rime, hoar-frost

    θῆλυς θήλεια θῆλυ: female, feminine; soft

    ἕρση –ης ἡ: a young animal

    ὀλιγηπελία –ας ἡ: weakness, faintness

    δαμάζω δαμάσω ἐδάμασα δεδάμακα δεδάμασμαι/δέδμημα ἐδαμάσθην/ἐδμήθην: to overpower, tame, conquer, subdue

    κεκαφηώς –υῖα –ός: breathing forth

    αὔρα –ας ἡ: air in motion, a breeze

    ψυχρός –ά –όν: cold, chill; heartless

    πνέω πμεύσομαι/πνευσοῦμαι ἔπνευσα πέπνευκα ––– ἐπνεύσθην: breathe, be prudent

    ἠώς ἠοῦς ἡ: dawn; Dawn

    κλιτύς –ύος ἡ: a slope, hill-side470

    ἀναβαίνω ἀναβήσομαι ἀνέβην ἀναβέβηκα ––– –––: to board, go up

    δάσκιος –ον: thick-shaded, bushy

    ὕλη –ης ἡ: woods, forest; firewood

    θάμνος –ου ὁ/ἡ: a bush, shrub

    πυκινός –ή –όν: closely-constructed, well fitted

    καταδαρθάνω καταδαρθανῶ κατέδαρθον καταδεδάρθηκα – κατεδάρθην: to fall asleep

    μεθίημι μέθιημι μεθήσω μεθῆκα μεθεῖκα μεθεῖμαι μεθείθην: to let go, let loose, release

    ῥῖγος: frost, cold

    κάματος –ου ὁ: fatigue, exhaustion; effort

    γλυκύς γλυκεῖα γλυκύ: sweet, pleasant

    ὕπνος –ου ὁ: sleep, sleepiness

    ἐπέρχομαι ἔπειμι ἐπῆλθον ἐπελήλυθα ––– –––: to approach, arrive; to encounter, come up against, attack

    δείδω δείσομαι ἔδεισα δέδοικα (or δίδια) ––– –––: to fear

    θήρ θηρός ὁ: wild animal

    ἕλωρ τό: booty, spoil, prey

    κύρμα –ατος τό: booty, spoil, prey

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

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

    δοάσσατο (defective aor. subj): it seemed

    κερδίων –ον: more profitable, better

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus475

    ὕλη –ης ἡ: woods, forest; firewood

    σχεδόν: near; almost

    περιφαίνομαι περιφανοῦμαι περιέφηνα περιπέφαγκα περιπέφασμαι περιεφάνθην: to be visible all round

    δοιοί –αί –ά: double, two, both

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ὑπέρχομαι ὑπελεύσομαι/ὕπειμι ὑπῆλθον ὑπελήλυθα ––– –––: to go under, enter

    θάμνος –ου ὁ/ἡ: a bush, shrub

    ὁμόθεν : from the same place

    φυλία –ας ἡ: the wild olive

    ἐλαία –ας ἡ: the olive-tree

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    ἄνεμος –ου ὁ: wind

    διάημι – – – – –: to blow through

    μένος –ους τό: might

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

    ἄημι – – – – –: to breathe hard, blow

    φαέθω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to shine

    ἀκτίς –ῖνος ἡ: a ray, beam

    ὄμβρος –ου ὁ: storm of rain, thunder-storm480

    περάω περάσω (or περῶ) ἐπέρασα πεπέρακα ––– –––: to cross, go across; to penetrate

    διαμπερές: continuous

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    πυκ(ι)νός –ή –όν: thick, bushy, dense; prudent, wise, smart, shrewd

    ἐπαμοιβαδίς: interchangeably

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

    δὐω δύσω έδυσα/ἔδυν δέδυκα δέδυμαι εδύθην: plunge in, go into, sink

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

    εὐνή εὐνῆς ἡ: pallet, bed, den; (pl.) stones (to anchor a ship), anchors

    ἐπαμάομαι ἐπαμήσομαι ἐπημησάμην – ἀπήμημαι ἐπημήθην: to scrape together for oneself

    εὐρύς –εῖα –ύ: broad

    φύλλον –ου τό: a leaf

    λέχομαι λέξομαι ἐλεξάμην λέλοχα - -: to lie down

    χύσις –εως ἡ: a flood, stream; a heap

    ἤλιθα: (adv.) very much; enough

    εἰρύω/ἐρύω ἐρύσω/ἐρύω εἴρυσα/ἔρυσα/ἔρυσσα εἴρυσα/ἔρυσα/ἔρυσσα –– –– εἰρύσθην: to pull, draw, drag; to guard, protect

    ὥρα –ας ἡ: time, season, climate485

    χειμέριος [–α] –ον: wintry, stormy

    χαλεπαίνω χαλεπανῶ ἐχαλέπηνα ἐχαλεπάνθην: to be severe, sore, grievous

    γηθέω γηθήσω ἐγήθησα γέγηθα ––– –––: to rejoice, be glad

    πολύτλας –αντος: having borne much, much-enduring

    δῖος –α –ον: divine, godlike, shining

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

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    χύσις –εως ἡ: a flood, stream; a heap

    ἐπιχέω ἐπιχέω ἐπέχεα ἐπικέχυκα ἐπικέχυμαι ἐπεχύθην: to pour water over; to heap up

    φύλλον –ου τό: a leaf

    δαλός –οῦ ὁ: a fire-brand, piece of blazing wood

    σποδιά –ᾶς ἡ: a heap of ashes, ashes

    ἐγκρύπτω ἐγκρύψω ἐνέκρυψα/ἐνέκρυβον ἐγκέκρυφα : to hide

    μέλας μέλαινα μέλαν: black, dark, obscure

    ἀγρός –οῦ ὁ: field, arable land

    ἐσχατιά –ᾶς ἡ: the furthest part, edge, border, verge

    γείτων –ονος ὁ/ἡ: one of the same land, neighbor

    σπέρμα –ατος τό: seed, offspring490

    ποθεν: from some place

    ἄλλοθεν: from elsewhere

    αὔω ἀΰσω ἤϋσα ἤϋκα ––– –––: to shout, cry: to burn, light a fire, get a light

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

    φύλλον –ου τό: a leaf

    καλύπτω καλύψω ἐκάλυψα κεκάλυμμαι ἐκαλύφθην: to cover, enclose

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    Ἀθήνη –ης ἡ: Athena

    ὕπνος –ου ὁ: sleep, sleepiness

    ὄμμα –ατος τό: the eye

    χέω χέω ἔχεα or ἔχευα κέχυκα κέχυμαι ἐχύθην: to pour, shed

    μιν: (accusative singular third person pronoun) him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    δυσπονής –ές: toilsome

    κάματος –ου ὁ: fatigue, exhaustion; effort

    βλέφαρον –ου τό: eyelid (mostly in plur.)

    ἀμφικαλύπτω ἀμφικαλύψω ἀμφεκάλυψα ἀμφικεκάλυφα ἀμφικεκάλυμμαι ἀμφεκαλύφθην: to cover all round, enwrap, enfold, contain, overshadow

    article nav
    Previous
    Next

    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/v-451-493