τοῖσι δ᾽ ἀπὸ νύσσης τέτατο δρόμος· οἱ δ᾽ ἅμα πάντες

καρπαλίμως ἐπέτοντο κονίοντες πεδίοιο·

τῶν δὲ θέειν ὄχ᾽ ἄριστος ἔην Κλυτόνηος ἀμύμων·

ὅσσον τ᾽ ἐν νειῷ οὖρον πέλει ἡμιόνοιιν,

τόσσον ὑπεκπροθέων λαοὺς ἵκεθ᾽, οἱ δ᾽ ἐλίποντο.125

οἱ δὲ παλαιμοσύνης ἀλεγεινῆς πειρήσαντο·

τῇ δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ Εὐρύαλος ἀπεκαίνυτο πάντας ἀρίστους.

ἅλματι δ᾽ Ἀμφίαλος πάντων προφερέστατος ἦεν·

δίσκῳ δ᾽ αὖ πάντων πολὺ φέρτατος ἦεν Ἐλατρεύς,

πὺξ δ᾽ αὖ Λαοδάμας, ἀγαθὸς πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο.130

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντες ἐτέρφθησαν φρέν᾽ ἀέθλοις,

τοῖς ἄρα Λαοδάμας μετέφη πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο·

"δεῦτε, φίλοι, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐρώμεθα εἴ τιν᾽ ἄεθλον

οἶδέ τε καὶ δεδάηκε. φυήν γε μὲν οὐ κακός ἐστι,

μηρούς τε κνήμας τε καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρας ὕπερθεν135

αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν μέγα τε σθένος· οὐδέ τι ἥβης

δεύεται, ἀλλὰ κακοῖσι συνέρρηκται πολέεσσιν·

οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γέ τί φημι κακώτερον ἄλλο θαλάσσης

ἄνδρα γε συγχεῦαι, εἰ καὶ μάλα καρτερὸς εἴη."

τὸν δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ Εὐρύαλος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·140

"Λαοδάμα, μάλα τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπες.

αὐτὸς νῦν προκάλεσσαι ἰὼν καὶ πέφραδε μῦθον."

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γ᾽ ἄκουσ᾽ ἀγαθὸς πάϊς Ἀλκινόοιο,

στῆ ῥ᾽ ἐς μέσσον ἰὼν καὶ Ὀδυσσῆα προσέειπε·

"δεῦρ᾽ ἄγε καὶ σύ, ξεῖνε πάτερ, πείρησαι ἀέθλων,145

εἴ τινά που δεδάηκας: ἔοικε δέ σ᾽ ἴδμεν ἀέθλους·

οὐ μὲν γὰρ μεῖζον κλέος ἀνέρος ὄφρα κ᾽ ἔῃσιν,

ἤ ὅ τι ποσσίν τε ῥέξῃ καὶ χερσὶν ἑῇσιν.

ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε πείρησαι, σκέδασον δ᾽ ἀπὸ κήδεα θυμοῦ.

σοὶ δ᾽ ὁδὸς οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀπέσσεται, ἀλλά τοι ἤδη150

νηῦς τε κατείρυσται καὶ ἐπαρτέες εἰσὶν ἑταῖροι."

τὸν δ᾽ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

"Λαοδάμα, τί με ταῦτα κελεύετε κερτομέοντες;

κήδεά μοι καὶ μᾶλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἤ περ ἄεθλοι,

ὃς πρὶν μὲν μάλα πολλὰ πάθον καὶ πολλὰ μόγησα,155

νῦν δὲ μεθ᾽ ὑμετέρῃ ἀγορῇ νόστοιο χατίζων

ἧμαι, λισσόμενος βασιλῆά τε πάντα τε δῆμον."

τὸν δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ Εὐρύαλος ἀπαμείβετο νείκεσέ τ᾽ ἄντην·

"οὐ γάρ σ᾽ οὐδέ, ξεῖνε, δαήμονι φωτὶ ἐίσκω

ἄθλων, οἷά τε πολλὰ μετ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι πέλονται,160

ἀλλὰ τῷ, ὅς θ᾽ ἅμα νηὶ πολυκλήιδι θαμίζων,

ἀρχὸς ναυτάων οἵ τε πρηκτῆρες ἔασιν,

φόρτου τε μνήμων καὶ ἐπίσκοπος ᾖσιν ὁδαίων

κερδέων θ᾽ ἁρπαλέων· οὐδ᾽ ἀθλητῆρι ἔοικας."

    Laodamas challenges Odysseus to join the games. When Odysseus expresses his reluctance, Euryalus mocks him.

    Seeing his guest in distress, Alkinous calls off the concert and invites everyone outside for some athletic contests. Homer signals the shift in focus with a sonorous catalog of the contestants’ names, raising the stylistic register to mark the shift from private suffering to public displays of prowess.

    read full essay

    This diversion serves the poet’s purposes in several ways. Athletic games are the ideal venue for displaying the aggression that marks Homeric warfare, but without the tragic tone. Not surprisingly, the Iliad provides the major example, in the funeral games for Patroclus that Achilles arranges in Book 23 (236–897). Since we have already learned from Nausicaa that the Phaeacians avoid war (6.201–5) and will soon hear from Alkinous that singing and warm baths are preferred to violent contests of strength (8.246–49), athletic contests provide a surrogate seedbed for conflict in this apparently mild-mannered society. The description of the various contests here gives away the poet’s real aim. So brief as to be almost shorthand, covering four contests in twelve verses, it clears the way for his preferred subject, insults, and a quarrel.

    Two sons of Alkinous decide that they should invite the stranger to compete, and Laodamas floats the idea. The sailor looks a little beat up, but that’s probably from hard living at sea, not old age:

    "δεῦτε, φίλοι, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐρώμεθα εἴ τιν᾽ ἄεθλον
    οἶδέ τε καὶ δεδάηκε. φυήν γε μὲν οὐ κακός ἐστι,
    μηρούς τε κνήμας τε καὶ ἄμφω χεῖρας ὕπερθεν
    αὐχένα τε στιβαρὸν μέγα τε σθένος·"

    “Come, friends, let’s ask the stranger if he knows
    and has mastered any kind of game. His build isn’t bad,
    thighs and calves, arms and upper body,
    a powerful neck and great strength;”

    Odyssey 8.133–36

    A mild enough beginning, but the temperature of the exchange gradually rises. Laodamas issues the invitation, with a couple of slight provocations tucked in—compete if you know how; you’ll get your ride home soon enough—and Odysseus is not pleased: I have better things to do than play games, sonny; I’ve been out there trying to get home for a long time and now I’m reduced to begging your father for help. The king’s other son now jumps in and turns up the heat further:

    τὸν δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ Εὐρύαλος ἀπαμείβετο νείκεσέ τ᾽ ἄντην·
    "οὐ γάρ σ᾽ οὐδέ, ξεῖνε, δαήμονι φωτὶ ἐίσκω
    ἄθλων, οἷά τε πολλὰ μετ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι πέλονται,
    ἀλλὰ τῷ, ὅς θ᾽ ἅμα νηὶ πολυκλήιδι θαμίζων,
    ἀρχὸς ναυτάων οἵ τε πρηκτῆρες ἔασιν,
    φόρτου τε μνήμων καὶ ἐπίσκοπος ᾖσιν ὁδαίων
    κερδέων θ᾽ ἁρπαλέων· οὐδ᾽ ἀθλητῆρι ἔοικας."

    Euryalus answered him and started a quarrel:
    “You don’t seem, stranger, to know about
    the kind of contests practiced now by many people,
    but are more like a man who makes his way in an oared ship,
    the leader of sailors who are businessmen,
    caring about cargo, looking out for merchandise
    and grasping for profits. You’re no athlete."

    Odyssey 8.158–64

    Despite the polite reception that Odysseus has received from the Phaeacians so far, the hostility of local men toward strangers that Nausicaa foresaw, and Athena has been guarding against, has finally surfaced (6.27389). Homer has been hinting in various ways that the serene surface of Phaeacian society may not be the whole story. Alkinous’ initial faux pas when greeting the stranger and Arete’s pointed questions have created a mild sense of unease about the dynamics of the royal family, which the poet now builds on. Not that this taunt is out of character for a royal prince. Though Euryalus (no relation to Penelope’s suitor of the same name) and Laodamas would hardly be rivals for their sister’s hand in marriage, the new arrival has received a lot of attention since appearing on the beach, and some testosterone-fueled displays from young men used to being the center of attention is not surprising.

    Nothing in this passage is jarring from a naturalistic point of view, then. At the same time, we can see Homer working on another level. An underlying narrative pattern found all over early Greek literature, of evil in the past, the stranger’s arrival in a new place, followed by death, makes its first full-scale appearance in the episodes on Scheria (see essay on Book 7.37–77). There will be no literal death here, but Homer has kept the suffering caused by the Trojan War and its aftermath before us from the beginning, and the anonymous stranger makes his debut in the poem on the beach. The disguised hero, meanwhile, has preserved his anonymity thus far despite several polite requests from his host and hostess to reveal who he is. He has arrived in a new place as a stranger and as at pains to preserve that status for now. Doing so gives him some leverage over the locals, as he can scout out the situation before coming clean. The poet now arranges for a minor conflict, as if to underscore the stranger’s need for caution. Events to follow will lay in more details, as Homer continues to tune our ears for the ultimate version of the paradigm in the Ithakan royal palace.

     

    Further Reading

    Beye, C. 1987. Ancient Greek Literature and Society, 2nd ed., 156. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press.

    Rose, G. 1969. “The Unfriendly Phaeacians.” Transactions of the American Philological Association 100: 387–406.

     

    121  τοῖσι ... δρόμος: "from the starting line they strained as fast as possible" (following Stanford). lit., "for them the race stretched from the starting line/turning point."

    121  τέτατο: 3rd sing. plupf. pass. indic. > τείνω.

    122  κονίοντες πεδίοιο: “raising the dust of the plain” (Cunliffe κονίω 2). The verb is used exclusively of galloping horses in the Iliad.

    123  θέειν: “at running,” epexegetical infin. > θέω.

    123  ὄχ᾽ ἄριστος: “by far the best” (LSJ ὄχα).

    124  ἐν νειῷ οὖρον … ἡμιόνοιιν: the length of a furrow plowed by a pair of mules as a measurement of distance is exactly analogous to English “furlong,” a furrow long (Merry).

    124  οὖρον: “distance,” “range” (LSJ οὖρον B).

    124  ἡμιόνοιιν: dual gen., of a pair (or yoke) of mules.

    125  λαοὺς ἵκεθ᾽: “he reached the crowd (at the finish line).”

    127  τῇ: “in this,” i.e., in the wrestling match.

    131  ἐτέρφθησαν: 3rd pl. aor. pass. indic. > τέρπω.

    133  ἐρώμεθα: hortatory subj. > ἔρομαι.

    133  εἴ τιν᾽ ἄεθλον / οἶδέ τε καὶ δεδάηκε: indirect question. οἶδέ and δεδάηκε are “hardly more than synonyms” (Stanford).

    133  δεδάηκε: 3rd sing. pf. act. indic. > δάω.

    134  φυήν: accusative of respect.

    135  μηρούς … / … σθένος: all the accusatives are, like φυήν, accusatives of respect.

    135  ὕπερθεν: “in the upper body” (LSJ ὕπερθεν I.1). In the Iliad, Odysseus is described as “broader of shoulder and chest” than Agamemnon (3.193).

    136  ἥβης: gen., with δεύεται. Perhaps “youthful vigor” rather than simply “youth,” since Odysseus is not exactly young (in line 145 he is addressed as πάτερ).

    137  κακοῖσι … πολέεσσιν: dative of means.

    137  συνέρρηκται: 3rd sing. pf. pass. indic. > συρρήγνυμι.

    138  οὐ … τί φημι: “I say there is not anything,” “I deny there is anything,” understand εἶναι as the infinitive in the accusative and infinitive construction of indirect discourse. For φημι with οὐ, see LSJ φημι III).

    139  ἄνδρα γε συγχεῦαι: “for breaking a man,” ἄνδρα is the object of the infinitive, and the epexegetical infinitive explains the adjective κακώτερον (Smyth 2001). 

    139  συγχεῦαι: aor. act. infin. > συγχέω.

    139  εἰ καὶ … : “even if …,” concessive clause (Smyth 2369 and 2370) with the optative, as in a future less vivid conditional.

    142  προκάλεσσαι: 2nd sing. aor. mid. imperat. > προκαλέω.

    142  πέφραδε: “make known,” 2nd sing. aor. act. imperat. > φράζω. For the reduplicated second aorist form, see Smyth 549D.

    143  ἄκουσ(ε): unaugmented aor.

    145  πείρησαι: 2nd sing. aor. mid. imperat. > πειράω.

    146  ἔοικε …: “it seems that …,” introducing an accusative and infinitive construction of indirect discourse.

    146  ἴδμεν: infin. > οἶδα.

    147  ἀνέρος: gen. sing. > ἀνήρ. With κλέος, not genitive of comparison with μεῖζον, which is answered by ἤ in the following line.

    147  ὄφρα κ᾽ ἔῃσιν: “as long as he exists,” general temporal clause.

    147  ἔῃσιν: 3rd sing. pres. act. subj. > εἰμί.

    148  ὅ τι …: “whatever …,” introducing a present general conditional relative clause (Smyth 2567b).

    148  ἑῇσιν: “with his …,” possessive adj.

    149  σκέδασον: 2nd sing. aor. act. imperat. > σκεδάννυμι.

    150 σοὶ δ᾽ ὁδὸς οὐκέτι δηρὸν ἀπέσσεται: Autenrieth glosses, “you shall not have to wait much longer for the journey” (Autenrieth ἄπειμι).

    150  ἀπέσσεται: 3rd sing. fut. mid. indic. > ἄπειμι.

    151  κατείρυσται: 3rd sing. pf. pass. indic. > κατερύω.

    153  κελεύετε κερτομέοντες: although Odysseus directly addresses only Laodamas, the plurals here imply that he includes Euryalos in his remarks.

    154  κήδεά μοι: understand the verb εἰσί.

    154  καὶ μᾶλλον: “even more,” adverbial καί (Smyth 2882c).

    155  ὃς … μάλα πολλὰ: echoing the first line of the epic.

    156  μεθ᾽ ὑμετέρῃ ἀγορῇ: “in the midst of your assembly” (Merry).

    158  ἄντην: “to his face.”

    159  οὐ … οὐδέ: οὐ indicates that the entire statement is negative, the second “points the force of the negative” to δαήμονι φωτὶ (Merry). The repetition of the negative makes the entire statement more emphatic (Smyth 2761a and 2762), but does not constitute a double negative creating positive.

    160  ἄθλων: gen. pl., with δαήμονι.

    160  τε: Homeric τε (Smyth 2970).

    161  τῷ: = τῷ φωτὶ ἐίσκω, picking up the construction of line 159.

    162  ἀρχὸς: line 162 is in apposition to the subject of the relative clause begun with ὅς in line 161 and continued in line 163.

    162  τε: Homeric τε (Smyth 2970).

    162  ἔασιν: 3rd pl. pres. act. indic. > εἰμί.

    163  ᾖσιν: 3rd sing. pres. act. subj. > εἰμί. Subjunctive in a present general relative conditional clause.

    νύσσα –ης ἡ: posts

    τείνω τενῶ ἔτεινα τέτακα τέταμαι ἐτάθην: to stretch

    δρόμος –ου ὁ: a course, running, race

    καρπάλιμος –ον: swift

    πέτομαι πετήσομαι ἐπτόμην πέπτηκα πέπτημαι ἐπετάσθην: to fly

    κονέω κονήσω ἐκόνησα: to raise dust: to hasten

    πεδίον –ου τό: plain

    θέω θεύσομαι ἔδραμον δεδράμηκα ––– –––: to run, speed, move forward

    ὄχα: by far, far and away, clearly

    Κλυτόνηος –ου ὁ: Clytoneus, son of Alcinous

    ἀμύμων –ον: blameless, noble, excellent

    νειός –οῦ ἡ: fallow land

    οὖρον –ου τό: a distance, boundary

    πέλω ––– ἔπλον ––– ––– –––: to be (the aor. has pres. signif.)

    ἠμίονος –ου ὁ: mule

    τόσος –η –ον: so great, so vast

    ὑπεκπροθέω ὑπεκπροθεύσομαι ὑπεκπροέθευσα: to run forth from under, outstrip 125

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

    παλαισμοσύνη –ης ἡ: wrestling, the wrestler's art

    ἀλεγεινός –ή –όν: hard

    αὖτε: in turn, moreover, still, again, on the other hand

    Εὐρύαλος –ου ὁ: Euryalus, an Argive, son of Mecisteus, or, a Phaeacian

    ἀποκαίνυμαι – – – – –: to surpass

    ἅλμα –ατος τό: a spring, leap, bound

    Ἀμφίαλος –ου ὁ: Amphialus, a Phaeacian

    προφερής –ές: carried before, placed before, excelling

    δίσκος –ου ὁ: discus, quoit , of metal or stone

    φέριστος –η –ον (comp.; superl. φέριστος, φέρτατος): bravest, best, more valiant

    ἐλατρεύς –εως ὁ: thrice-forged iron

    πύξ: with the fist 130

    Λαοδάμας –αντος ὁ: Laodamas, son of Antēnor, slain by Ajax, or, a Phaeacian, son of Alcinous

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

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet, consequently

    τέρπω τέρψω ἔτερψα ––– ––– ἐτάρφθην/ἐτέρφθην: to delight; (mid./pass.) to have one's full of

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

    Λαοδάμας –αντος ὁ: Laodamas, son of Antēnor, slain by Ajax, or, a Phaeacian, son of Alcinous

    μετάφημι μεταφήσω μετέφησα: to speak among

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

    δεῦτε: hither! come on! come here!

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task

    δάω δαήσω ἐδάην δεδάηκα: to learn

    φυή –ῆς ἡ: growth, stature

    μηρός –οῦ ὁ: the thigh 135

    κνήμη –ης ἡ: the part between the knee and ankle, the leg

    ἄμφω ἀμφοῖν: both (dual)

    ὕπερθεν: from above

    αὐχήν –ένος ὁ: the neck, throat

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

    σθένος –ους τό: strength, might

    ἥβη –ης ἡ: manhood, youthful prime, youth

    συρράσσω ξυρράξω συνέρραξα: dash together, fight with

    συγχέω συγχέω συνέχεα συγκέχυκα συγκέχυμαι συνεχύθην: to pour together, commingle, confound

    καρτερός –ά –όν: strong; fierce

    αὖτε: in turn, moreover, still, again, on the other hand 140

    Εὐρύαλος –ου ὁ: Euryalus, an Argive, son of Mecisteus, or, a Phaeacian

    ἀπαμείβομαι ἀπαμείψομαι ἀπημειψάμην ἀπημείφθην: to reply, answer

    φωνέω φωνήσω ἐφώνησα πεφώνηκα πεφώνημαι ἐφωνήθην: make a sound, speak

    Λαοδάμας –αντος ὁ: Laodamas, son of Antēnor, slain by Ajax, or, a Phaeacian, son of Alcinous

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

    προκαλέω προκαλέσω/προκαλῶ προεκάλεσα προκέκληκα προκέκλημαι προεκλήθην: to call forth

    μῦθος –ου ὁ: spoken thing, speech, plan, story

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet, consequently

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

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus

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

    προσεῖπον (aor. 2 of προσαγορεύω and προσφωνέω); Εp. προσέειπον: to speak to one, address, accost

    δεῦρο: here, to this place 145

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task

    δάω δαήσω ἐδάην δεδάηκα: to learn

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task

    κλέος –ους τό: glory

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

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

    ἑός ἑή ἑόν: his, her, own

    ἄγε: come! come on! well!

    σκεδαννύω/σκεδάννυμι/σκεδῶ σκεδῶ ἐσκέδασα ––– ἐσκέδασμαι ἐσκεδάσθην: to scatter, disperse

    κῆδος –ους τό: care, thought (for others); anxiety, worry, pain, grief

    δηρός –ά –όν: long, too long 150

    ἄπειμι ἀπέσομαι ––– ––– ––– –––: to be away, be distant, be absent

    τοι: let me tell you, surely

    κατερύω κατερύσω κατέρυσα/κατέρυσσα κατειρύσθην: to draw

    ἐπαρτής –ές: ready for work, equipped

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

    ἀπαμείβομαι ἀπαμείψομαι ἀπημειψάμην ἀπημείφθην: to reply, answer

    πρόσφημι πρόσφησω προσέφησα: to speak to, address

    πολύμητις –ιος: of many counsels

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

    λαοδάμας –αντος: man-taming

    τίη: why? wherefore?

    κερτομέω κερτομήσω ––– ––– ––– –––: to taunt

    κῆδος –ους τό: care, thought (for others); anxiety, worry, pain, grief

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task

    μογέω μογήσω ἐμόγησα: to toil, suffer 155

    ἀγορή –ῆς ἡ: market place, assembly

    νόστος –ου ὁ: return (home)

    χατίζω – – – – –: to have need of, crave

    κάθημαι καθήσομαι ––– ––– ––– ––– imp ἐκαθήμην: be seated, sit; reside

    λίσσομαι ––– ἐλλισάμην/ἐλιτόμην ––– ––– –––: to pray, beg; to beseech with prayer

    αὖτε: in turn, moreover, still, again, on the other hand

    Εὐρύαλος –ου ὁ: Euryalus, an Argive, son of Mecisteus, or, a Phaeacian

    ἀπαμείβομαι ἀπαμείψομαι ἀπημειψάμην ἀπημείφθην: to reply, answer

    νεικέω νεικέσω ἐνείκεσα: to reproach, quarrel

    ἄντην: against, over against, in front of

    δαήμων –ον: knowing, experienced in

    φώς φωτός ὁ: man

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

    ἆθλος –ου ὁ: contest, test of strength, task 160

    οἷος –α –ον: (such a kind) as; for οἷός τε see οἷος III.2

    πέλω ––– ἔπλον ––– ––– –––: to be (the aor. has pres. signif.)

    πολυκλήϊς –ῖδος: with many benches

    θαμίζω – – – – –: to come often

    ἀρχός –οῦ ὁ: a leader, chief, commander

    ναύτης –ου ὁ: sailor

    πρακτήρ –ῆρος ὁ: one that does, a doer, trader, merchant 

    φόρτος ὁ: a load, a ship's freight

    μνήμων μνήμον: mindful

    ἐπίσκοπος –ου ὁ: one who watches over, an overseer, guardian

    ὁδαῖος –α –ον: goods with which a merchant travels

    κέρδος –ους τό: gain, profit, advantage

    ἁρπαλέος –α –ον: greedy

    ἀθλητής –οῦ ὁ: a prizefighter

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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/viii-121-164