"πομπὴν δ᾽ ἐς τόδ᾽ ἐγὼ τεκμαίρομαι, ὄφρ᾽ ἐὺ εἰδῇς,

αὔριον ἔς· τῆμος δὲ σὺ μὲν δεδμημένος ὕπνῳ

λέξεαι, οἱ δ᾽ ἐλόωσι γαλήνην, ὄφρ᾽ ἂν ἵκηαι

πατρίδα σὴν καὶ δῶμα, καὶ εἴ πού τοι φίλον ἐστίν,320

εἴ περ καὶ μάλα πολλὸν ἑκαστέρω ἔστ᾽ Εὐβοίης,

τήν περ τηλοτάτω φάσ᾽ ἔμμεναι, οἵ μιν ἴδοντο

λαῶν ἡμετέρων, ὅτε τε ξανθὸν Ῥαδάμανθυν

ἦγον ἐποψόμενον Τιτυὸν Γαιήιον υἱόν.

καὶ μὲν οἱ ἔνθ᾽ ἦλθον καὶ ἄτερ καμάτοιο τέλεσσαν325

ἤματι τῷ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀπήνυσαν οἴκαδ᾽ ὀπίσσω.

εἰδήσεις δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ὅσσον ἄρισται

νῆες ἐμαὶ καὶ κοῦροι ἀναρρίπτειν ἅλα πηδῷ."

ὣς φάτο, γήθησεν δὲ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,

εὐχόμενος δ᾽ ἄρα εἶπεν, ἔπος τ᾽ ἔφατ᾽ ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζεν·330

"Ζεῦ πάτερ, αἴθ᾽ ὅσα εἶπε τελευτήσειεν ἅπαντα

Ἀλκίνοος· τοῦ μέν κεν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν

ἄσβεστον κλέος εἴη, ἐγὼ δέ κε πατρίδ᾽ ἱκοίμην."

ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·

κέκλετο δ᾽ Ἀρήτη λευκώλενος ἀμφιπόλοισιν335

δέμνι᾽ ὑπ᾽ αἰθούσῃ θέμεναι καὶ ῥήγεα καλὰ

πορφύρε᾽ ἐμβαλέειν, στορέσαι τ᾽ ἐφύπερθε τάπητας

χλαίνας τ᾽ ἐνθέμεναι οὔλας καθύπερθεν ἕσασθαι.

αἱ δ᾽ ἴσαν ἐκ μεγάροιο δάος μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχουσαι·

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ στόρεσαν πυκινὸν λέχος ἐγκονέουσαι,340

ὤτρυνον δ᾽ Ὀδυσῆα παριστάμεναι ἐπέεσσιν·

"ὄρσο κέων, ὦ ξεῖνε· πεποίηται δέ τοι εὐνή."

ὣς φάν, τῷ δ᾽ ἀσπαστὸν ἐείσατο κοιμηθῆναι.

ὣς ὁ μὲν ἔνθα καθεῦδε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺς

τρητοῖς ἐν λεχέεσσιν ὑπ᾽ αἰθούσῃ ἐριδούπῳ·345

Ἀλκίνοος δ᾽ ἄρα λέκτο μυχῷ δόμου ὑψηλοῖο,

πὰρ δὲ γυνὴ δέσποινα λέχος πόρσυνε καὶ εὐνήν.

    Alcinous finishes his speech, promising to send Odysseus home. A bed is made for Odysseus, and he goes to sleep.

    317  ἐς τόδ᾽: “at this time” (LSJ εἰς II.2).

    317  ὄφρ᾽ ἐὺ εἰδῇς: purpose clause.

    318  αὔριον ἔς: “tomorrow,” anastrophe (= ἐς αὔριον), explaining ἐς τόδ᾽.

    319  ἐλόωσι: “they will row,” 3rd pl. fut. act. indic. > ἐλαύνω. The subject is some group of unspecified Phaeaecian rowers.

    319  γαλήνην: “across the calm sea,” accusative of extent of space.

    319  ὄφρ᾽ ἂν ἵκηαι: “until you reach” or “so that you reach,” temporal clause denoting purpose (Smyth 2418) or simply a purpose clause with ὄφρ᾽ ἂν (Smyth 2201a).

    320  καὶ εἴ πού: “even if somewhere else …,” “or wherever,” i.e, Alcinous’s men will take Odysseus wherever he wants to go.

    321  Εὐβοίης: genitive of comparison.

    322  τήν: the antecedent is Εὐβοίης.

    322  οἵ: “they who …,” the antecedent is the subject of φάσ(ι).

    322  μιν: “it,” i.e., Euboea.

    323  Ῥαδάμανθυν: the mythological background is unknown.

    324  ἐποψόμενον: fut. ptc. > ἐφοράω, expressing purpose.

    324  Γαιήϊον: “son of Gaia.”

    325  ἔνθ᾽: “there,” i.e., to Euboea.

    325  τέλεσσαν: “completed their journey,” 3rd pl. aor. act. indic. > τελέω. This verb refers to the journey out, and the synonym ἀπήνυσαν refers to the return journey.

    326  ἤματι τῷ αὐτῷ: dative of time when.

    326  ἀπήνυσαν: 3rd pl. aor. act. indic. > ἀπανύω.

    327  ἄρισται: understand εἰσί. The adjective agrees with νῆες, which is feminine, but by implication applies to the masculine κοῦροι as well.

    328  ἀναρρίπτειν: “at stirring up” (lit., “to stir up”), explaining and limiting the adjective ἄρισται (the “epexegetical infin.”).

    330  ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζεν: “called by name,” tmesis > ἐξονομάζω. ἔπος τ᾽ ἔφατ᾽ ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζεν is a common line-ending formula in Homer.

    331  ὅσα εἶπε … / Ἀλκίνοος: a relative clause with the antecedent ἅπαντα.

    331  αἴθ᾽ … τελευτήσειεν: optative of wish. The subject of the 3rd singular verb is the neuter plural ἅπαντα.

    332  τοῦ: “his,” modifying κλέος.

    332  κεν … /… εἴη, … κε … ἱκοίμην: potential optatives. The entire prayer to Zeus (αἴθ᾽ … τελευτήσειεν, κεν … /… εἴη, etc.) is constructed like a future less vivid conditional, with αἴθ(ε), “may …,” instead of εἰ.

    337  στορέσαι: “to spread,” aor. act. infin. > στορέννυμι / στόρνυμι (not used in the present in Homer).

    338  ἕσασθαι: “for sitting” (lit., “to sit”), infinitive of purpose. aor. mid. infin. > ἕζομαι.

    339  μετὰ χερσὶν: “in their hands” (lit., “between their hands”). Compare line 101.

    340  στόρεσαν: “made,” > στορέννυμι / στόρνυμι, the verb used for making a bed.

    340  ἐγκονέουσαι: “quickly,” fem. nom. pl. pres. act. ptc. > ἐγκονέω. Used in Homer only as a present participle with another verb.

    341  παριστάμεναι: fem. nom. pl. pres. mid./pass. ptc. > παρίστημι.

    342  ὄρσο: 2nd sing. aor. mid. imperat. > ὄρνυμι.

    342  κέων: “to lie down,” fut. ptc. > κεῖμαι, expressing purpose.

    343  ἐείσατο: “it seemed,” 3rd sing. aor. > εἴδομαι.

    345  τρητοῖς: either perforated with holes to affix ornaments, or perforated along the edges for straps to support the bedding.

    346  λέκτο: 3rd sing. aor. mid. indic. > λέχομαι / λέγομαι.

    347  πὰρ: “beside (him).”

    347  πόρσυνε: “shared,” unaugmented 3rd sing. impf. act. indic. > πορσύνω.

    πομπή –ῆς ἡ: escort, guidance; arrangement for one's departure

    τεκμαίρομαι τεκμαροῦμαι ἐτεκμηράμην: to ordain, settle upon; to foretell

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

    αὔριον: tomorrow

    τῆμος: then, thereupon

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

    ὕπνος –ου ὁ: sleep, sleepiness

    γαλήνη –ης ἡ: stillness of the sea, calm

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

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

    δῶμα –ατος τό: house (often in plural) 320

    ἑκάς: far, afar, far off

    Εὔβοια –ας ἡ: Euboea

    τηλοτάτω: farthest away

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

    ξανθός –ή –όν: yellow

    Ῥαδάμανθυς –υος ὁ: Rhadamanthys, son of Zeus and brother of Minos, a ruler in Elysium

    ἐφοράω (or ἐπορῶ) ἐπόψομαι ἐπεῖδον ἐφεόρακα/ἐφεώρακα ἐπῶμμαι/ἐφεόραμαι/ἐφεώραμαι ἐπώφθην: to oversee, observe, survey

    Τιτυός –οῦ ὁ: Tityus, a giant, the son of Gaea, punished in Hades

    γαιήιος –α –ον: son of Earth

    ἄτερ: without 325

    κάματος –ου ὁ: fatigue, exhaustion; effort

    τελέω τελῶ or τελέσω ἐτέλεσα τετέλεκα τετέλεσμαι ἐτελέσθην: to finish, complete, carry out

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    ἀπανύω ἀπανύσω ἀπήνυσα ἀπήνυκα ἀπήνυσμαι ἀπηνύσθην: to make a voyage 

    οἴκαδε: homeward

    ὀπίσω or ὀπίσσω: backwards, behind; in the future

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    κοῦρος –ου ὁ: [ Ep. and Ion.]boy

    ἀναρρίπτω ἀναρρίψω ἀνέρριψα ἀνέρριφα ἀνέρριμμαι ἀνερρίφθην: to toss up, churn up

    ἅλς ἁλός ὁ: salt (m.); sea (f.)

    πηδόν –οῦ τό: blade of an oar

    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

    εὔχομαι εὔξομαι ηὐξάμην ηὖγμαι: to pray; to make a vow, promise; to declare, affirm; to glory in, boast of (for good reason) 330

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    Ζεύς Διός ὁ: Zeus

    εἴθε: would that!

    Ἀλκίνοος –ου ὁ: Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians in Scheria, a grandson of Poseidon

    ζείδωρος –ον: wheat-producing, fertile

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

    ἄσβεστος [–η] –ον: unquenchable, inextinguishable

    κλέος –ους τό: glory

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

    ἀγορεύω ἀγορεύσω ἠγόρευσα ἠγόρευκα ἠγόρευμαι ἠγορεύθην: to speak, say

    κέλομαι κελήσομαι ἐκελησάμην ἐκεκλόμην: command, urge on, exhort, call to 335

    Ἀρήτη –ης ἡ: wife of Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians

    λευκώλενος –ον: white-armed

    ἀμφίπολος –ου ἡ: female attendant, handmaid

    δέμνιον –ου τό: bed

    αἴθουσα –ης ἡ: the corridor

    ῥῆγος –ους τό: a rug, blanket

    πορφύρεος –η –ον: agitated; dyed purple

    ἐμβάλλω ἐμβαλῶ ἐνέβαλον ἐμβέβληκα ἐμβέβλημαι ἐνεβλήθην: to throw (into or onto); to cause to enter, embark, put

    στορέννυμι/στρωννύω/στρώννυμι/στόρνυμι στορέσω/στορῶ/στρώσω ἐστόρεσα/ἔστρωσα ἔστρωκα ἔστρωμαι ἐστορέσθην/ἐστορήθην/ἐστρώθην: to spread

    ἐφύπερθε: above, atop, above

    τάπης –ητος ὁ: a carpet, rug

    χλαῖνα –ης ἡ: cloak, mantle

    ἐντίθημι ἐνθήσω ἐνέθηκα ἐντέθεικα/ἐντέθηκα ἐντέθειμαι/ἔγκειμαι ἐνετέθην: to put in

    οὖλος –η –ον: wooly, thick

    καθύπερθε (Ion. κατ–): from above, down from above

    ἕζομαι – – – – –: to sit down

    μέγαρον –ου τό: a large room, hall, feast-hall

    δάος –ους τό: a firebrand, torch

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet, consequently 240

    στορέννυμι/στρωννύω/στρώννυμι/στόρνυμι στορέσω/στορῶ/στρώσω ἐστόρεσα/ἔστρωσα ἔστρωκα ἔστρωμαι ἐστορέσθην/ἐστορήθην/ἐστρώθην: to spread

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

    λέχος –ους τό: a couch, bed

    ἐγκονέω ἐγκονήσω ––– ––– ––– –––: to be quick and active, make haste, hasten

    ὀτρύνω ὀτρυνῶ ὤτρυνα ––– ––– –––: to urge on

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

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

    ὄρνυμι ὄρσω ὦρσα ὄρωρα ὀρώρεμαι –––: to stir up, move; (mid.) to rise, get up

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

    ἀσπαστός –ή –όν: welcome

    εἴδομαι εἴσομαι εἰσάμην: to be visible, appear; to seem; to know, understand

    κοιμάω κοιμήσω ἐκοίμησα κεκοίμηκα κεκοίμημαι ἐκοιμήθην: (act.) to put to bed, lull; (mid. and pass.) to go to bed, lay down

    καθεύδω (imperf. ἐκάθευδον or καθηῦδον) καθευδήσω — — — —: to lie down to sleep, sleep

    πολύτλας –αντος: having borne much, much-enduring

    δῖος –α –ον: divine, godlike, shining

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

    τρητός –ή –όν: perforated, with a hole in it 245

    λέχος –ους τό: a couch, bed

    αἴθουσα –ης ἡ: the corridor

    ἐρίγδουπος –ον: loud-thundering; echoing

    Ἀλκίνοος –ου ὁ: Alcinous, king of the Phaeacians in Scheria, a grandson of Poseidon

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    μυχός –οῦ ὁ: the innermost place, inmost nook

    δόμος –ου ὁ: house, home

    ὑψηλός –ή –όν: high, lofty, high-hearted

    δέσποινα –ης ἡ: the mistress, lady of the house

    λέχος –ους τό: a couch, bed

    πορσύνω πορσυνῶ ἐπόρσυνα ––– ––– –––: to offer, present

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

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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/vii-317-347