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."
notes
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 (6.273–89). 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.
vocabulary
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