"ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ᾽ αὐτίκ᾽ ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ·180

‘καὶ λίην κείνη γε μένει τετληότι θυμῷ

σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν: ὀιζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.

σὸν δ᾽ οὔ πώ τις ἔχει καλὸν γέρας, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

Τηλέμαχος τεμένεα νέμεται καὶ δαῖτας ἐίσας185

δαίνυται, ἃς ἐπέοικε δικασπόλον ἄνδρ᾽ ἀλεγύνειν·

πάντες γὰρ καλέουσι. πατὴρ δὲ σὸς αὐτόθι μίμνει

ἀγρῷ, οὐδὲ πόλινδε κατέρχεται. οὐδέ οἱ εὐναὶ

δέμνια καὶ χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα,

ἀλλ᾽ ὅ γε χεῖμα μὲν εὕδει ὅθι δμῶες ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,190

ἐν κόνι ἄγχι πυρός, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷται·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθῃσι θέρος τεθαλυῖά τ᾽ ὀπώρη,

πάντῃ οἱ κατὰ γουνὸν ἀλωῆς οἰνοπέδοιο

φύλλων κεκλιμένων χθαμαλαὶ βεβλήαται εὐναί.

ἔνθ᾽ ὅ γε κεῖτ᾽ ἀχέων, μέγα δὲ φρεσὶ πένθος ἀέξει195

σὸν νόστον ποθέων, χαλεπὸν δ᾽ ἐπὶ γῆρας ἱκάνει.

οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐγὼν ὀλόμην καὶ πότμον ἐπέσπον·

οὔτ᾽ ἐμέ γ᾽ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐύσκοπος ἰοχέαιρα

οἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχομένη κατέπεφνεν,

οὔτε τις οὖν μοι νοῦσος ἐπήλυθεν, ἥ τε μάλιστα200

τηκεδόνι στυγερῇ μελέων ἐξείλετο θυμόν·

ἀλλά με σός τε πόθος σά τε μήδεα, φαίδιμ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

σή τ᾽ ἀγανοφροσύνη μελιηδέα θυμὸν ἀπηύρα.’

ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γ᾽ ἔθελον φρεσὶ μερμηρίξας

μητρὸς ἐμῆς ψυχὴν ἑλέειν κατατεθνηυίης.205

τρὶς μὲν ἐφωρμήθην, ἑλέειν τέ με θυμὸς ἀνώγει,

τρὶς δέ μοι ἐκ χειρῶν σκιῇ εἴκελον ἢ καὶ ὀνείρῳ

ἔπτατ᾽. ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἄχος ὀξὺ γενέσκετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

‘μῆτερ ἐμή, τί νύ μ᾽ οὐ μίμνεις ἑλέειν μεμαῶτα,210

ὄφρα καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο φίλας περὶ χεῖρε βαλόντε

ἀμφοτέρω κρυεροῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο;

ἦ τί μοι εἴδωλον τόδ᾽ ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια

ὤτρυν᾽, ὄφρ᾽ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω;’

ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ᾽ αὐτίκ᾽ ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ·215

‘ὤ μοι, τέκνον ἐμόν, περὶ πάντων κάμμορε φωτῶν,

οὔ τί σε Περσεφόνεια Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀπαφίσκει,

ἀλλ᾽ αὕτη δίκη ἐστὶ βροτῶν, ὅτε τίς κε θάνῃσιν·

οὐ γὰρ ἔτι σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα ἶνες ἔχουσιν,

ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν τε πυρὸς κρατερὸν μένος αἰθομένοιο220

δαμνᾷ, ἐπεί κε πρῶτα λίπῃ λεύκ᾽ ὀστέα θυμός,

ψυχὴ δ᾽ ἠύτ᾽ ὄνειρος ἀποπταμένη πεπότηται.

ἀλλὰ φόωσδε τάχιστα λιλαίεο: ταῦτα δὲ πάντα

ἴσθ᾽, ἵνα καὶ μετόπισθε τεῇ εἴπῃσθα γυναικί.’

    Antikleia tells Odysseus about the situation in Ithaka. Odysseus tries and fails to embrace her.

    181  κείνη: = ἑκείνη, referring to Penelope.

    181  τετληότι: "enduring," "suffering," adjectival, masc. dat. sing. pf. act. ptc. >τλάω.

    182  ὀϊζυραὶ: modifying both νύκτες and ἤματα, though it agrees in gender (fem.) only with νύκτες.

    182  οἱ: “for her,” dative of interest.

    183  χεούσῃ: agrees with οἱ.

    185  νέμεται: "possesses," or "holds sway over," in the middle with active, transitive meaning (LSJ νέμω A.III).

    186  ἅς: rel. pron. The antecedent is δαῖτας.

    186  ἐπέοικε: “it is fitting that…,” followed by an accusative and infinitive construction.

    186  δικασπόλον ἄνδρ(α): "a judge," "a man who administers justice." According to Cunliffe, Autenrieth, and Brill, δικασπόλος is properly an adjective, though used substantively elsewhere, and treated by LSJ as a noun.

    187  καλέουσι: “invite (him).” Understand Telemachus as the object.

    188  ἀγρῷ: “on the farm,” dative of place where.

    188  οἱ: dative of possession. Understand the verb εἰσίν.

    188  εὐναὶ: “as places to lie down,” “as bedding,” predicate.

    190  χεῖμα: "winter-long," "through the winter," accusative of extent of time.

    190  ὅθι δμῶες ἐνὶ οἴκῳ: understand the verb “sleep” (εὕδουσιν) in this relative clause.

    191  χροΐ: dative of place where.

    191  εἷται: 3rd sing. pf. pass. > ἕννυμι. The verb means “to clothe oneself in,” with an accusative of the thing worn. In the perfect, it can be translated “wears.”

    192  ἐπὴν ἔλθῃσι: general temporal clause.

    192  ἔλθῃσι: 3rd sing. aor. subj. > ἔρχομαι. Although singular, it has as its subject both θέρος (summer) and ὀπώρη (late summer or harvest-time).

    192  τεθαλυῖά: "abundant," adjectival, nom. sing. fem. pf. ptc. > θάλλω.

    193  κατὰ γουνὸν: “along the slope.”

    194  κεκλιμένων: “strewn,” "fallen" > κλίνω. The verb in the middle more commonly means "recline," and some editors emend the line to read κεκλιμένῳ, agreeing with οἱ.

    194  βεβλήαται: “are laid out,” 3rd pl. pf. mid./pass. > βάλλω.

    195  φρεσὶ: “in his heart,” dative of place where (Monro 145). For the use of the plural, see Monro 171.

    196  ἐπὶ: “upon him.”

    197  ὀλόμην: “I perished,” 1st sing. aor. mid. > ὀλλυμι.

    197  πότμον ἐπέσπον: “I sought out my fate,” “I brought my fate upon myself” (Middle Liddell, ἐφἐπω IV).

    198  ἐΰσκοπος ἰοχέαιρα: Artemis (see line 172, which this line answers).

    199  οἷς: “with her…,” possessive adj., dative of means.

    200  νοῦσος: Ion. form of νόσος, ἡ, “illness.” This line also answers line 11.172.

    200  ἥ τε: rel. pron., with νοῦσος as its antecedent. The τε is untranslatable (Monro 332; Smyth 2970).

    201  τηκεδόνι στυγερῇ: dative of means.

    201  μελέων: genitive of separation (Smyth 1392), governed by the ἐξ in ἐξείλετο.

    201  ἐξείλετο: “takes away (from),” 3rd sing. aor. mid. > ἐξαιρέω. Gnomic aorist (Monro 78.1; Smyth 1931).

    202  σός τε πόθος … : “longing for you …”

    203  ἀπηύρα: 3rd sing. impf. > ἀπαυράω The verb governs both με (line 202) and θυμὸν, “to deprive someone (acc.) of something (acc.).”

    205  ἑλέειν: “to embrace,” aor. infin. > αἱρέω.

    206  ἐφορμήθην: “I rushed toward her,” 1st sing. aor. pass. > ἐφορμάω.

    207  εἴκελον: with dative.

    208  ἔπτατ(ο): 3rd sing. aor. mid. > πέτομαι.

    208  ὀξὺ: pred. nom.

    208  γενέσκετο: “there was," "there kept being,” unaugmented 3rd sing. aor. mid., iterative  > γίγνομαι.

    210  μεμαῶτα: “being eager,” pf. ptc. masc. acc. sing. > μάω.

    211  ὄφρα … τεταρπώμεσθα: purpose clause.

    211  εἰν Ἀΐδαο: ἐν δόμον Ἀΐδαο.

    211  φίλας χεῖρε…ἀμφοτέρω: duals.

    211  περὶ … βαλόντε: “putting (acc.) around each other,” dual, tmesis > περιβάλλω.

    212  τεταρπώμεσθα: “we might have our fill of,” aor. mid. subj. > τέρπω (with reduplicated stem), with genitive.

    213  τί ... εἴδωλον: "some phantom," the object of ὤτρυνε.

    214  ὤτρυν(ε): aorist > ὀτρύνω.

    214  ὄφρ᾽ … στεναχίζω: purpose clause.

    216  περὶ: “beyond,” “above,” with genitive.

    217  οὔ τί: “not at all.”

    218  δίκη: "custom."

    218  ὅτε … κε θάνῃσιν: general temporal clause.

    218  θάνῃσιν: 3rd sing. aor. subj.

    220  τὰ μέν: “but these things” (i.e., σάρκας, ὀστέα).

    221 ἐπεί κε … λίπῃ: general temporal clause.

    222  ἠΰτ᾽: ἠΰτε is followed by a nominatve.

    222  ἀποπταμένη: aor. ptc. > ἀποπέτομαι.

    223  λιλαίεο: imperat. > λιλαίομαι. Understand the complementary infinitive ἰέναι.

    224  ἴσθ(ι): imperat. > οἶδα.

    224  ἵνα … εἴπῃσθα: purpose clause.

    224  εἴπῃσθα: 2nd sing. aor. act. subj. > εἶπον.

    224  τεῇ: “your.”

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: to respond, answer; to exchange; (mid.) to take turns, alternate; to change, place, pass 180

    πότνια –ας ἡ: mistress, queen

    λίαν: a great deal, extremely; excessively, too much

    τλάω τλήσομαι ἔτλην τέτληκα –––– ––––: to tolerate, endure, resist; to dare; to have the courage (+ infin.); (part.) τετληώς

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

    ὀιζυρός –ά –όν: woeful, pitiable, miserable

    ἕ: him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    φθί(ν)ω φθίσω έφθίκα ––– έφθιμαι έφθίμην: to decay, wane, dwindle

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    δάκρυον –ου τό: a tear

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

    πω: up to this time, yet

    γέρας –ως τό: prize, privilege, sovereignty

    ἕκηλος –ον: at rest, at one's ease

    Τηλέμαχος –ου ὁ: Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope 185

    τέμενος –ους τό: sacred precinct

    νέμω νεμῶ ἔνειμα νενέμηκα νενέμημαι ἐνεμήθην: to distribute, assign, give out; to pasture or tend flocks; (mid.) to possess, enjoy, inhabit, feed upon, manage

    δαίς δαιτός ἡ: feast, banquet, meal

    ἔισος –η –ον: alike, equal

    δαίνυμι δαίσω ἔδαισα: (act.) to give a banquet, distribute (food); (mid.) to share a meal; to feast (on), eat (+ acc.)

    ἐπέοικε: to be like, to suit, to be fitting (+ infin.)

    δικασπόλος –ου ὁ: one who administers law, a judge

    ἀλεγύνω – – – – –: to furnish, prepare; to partake of

    αὐτόθι: on the spot, right there

    μίμνω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to remain, wait

    ἀγρός –οῦ ὁ: field, arable land

    πόλινδε: into or to the city

    κατέρχομαι κατελεύσομαι/κάτειμι κατῆλθον κατελήλυθα ––– –––: to go down, descend; to go towards the shore

    ἕ: him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

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

    δέμνιον –ου τό: bed

    χλαῖνα –ης ἡ: cloak, mantle

    ῥῆγος –ους τό: a rug, blanket

    σιγαλόεις –εσσα –εν: glossy, glittering, shining, splendid

    χεῖμα –ατος τό: winter-weather, cold, frost 190

    εὕδω εὑδήσω εὕδησα: sleep, lie down to sleep

    ὅθι: where

    δμώς –ωός ὁ: an enslaved person, especially one taken in war

    κόνις –ιος/–εως ἡ: ashes

    ἄγχι: near

    χρώς χρωτός ὁ: the surface of the body, the skin

    εἷμα –ατος τό: clothing

    ἕννυμι ἕσσω ἕσσα: clothe, put on clothing

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    ἐπήν = ἐπεὶ ἄν: when, after

    θέρος –ους τό: summer

    θάλλω θαλλήσω ἔθηλα τέθηλα ––– –––: to bloom, abound, to be luxuriant

    ὀπώρα –ας ἡ: late summer, early autumn

    πάντῃ: every way, on every side

    ἕ: him, her, it; himself, herself, itself

    γουνός –οῦ ὁ: a hill

    ἀλωή –ῆς ἡ: a threshing-floor

    οἰνόπεδος –ον: with soil fit to produce wine, wine-producing

    φύλλον –ου τό: a leaf

    κλίνω κλινῶ ἔκλινα κέκλικα κέκλιμαι ἐκλίνην/ἐκλίθην: bend

    χθαμαλός –ή –όν: near the ground, low, flat

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

    ἀχεύω (or ἀχέω), aor. 2 ἤκαχε, pf. pass. ἀκάχημαι: to be afflicted, be grieved 195

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    πένθος –ους τό: grief, sadness, sorrow

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

    νόστος –ου ὁ: return (home)

    ποθέω ποθήσω ἐπόθησα πεπὀθηκα πεπόθημαι ἐποθήθην: to desire, to miss

    γῆρας –ως τό: old age

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

    ὄλλυμι ὀλῶ ὤλεσα (or ὠλόμην) ὀλώλεκα (or ὄλωλα) ––– –––: to demolish, kill; to lose, suffer the loss of (+ acc.); (mid.) to die, perish, be killed

    πότμος –ου ὁ: that which befalls one, one's lot, destiny; death

    ἐφέπω ἐφέψω ἔπεσπον ––– ––– –––: to follow, pursue; to frequent, go often to, range over

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

    εὔσκοπος –ον: sharp-seeing, keen-sighted, watchful

    ἰοχέαιρα –ας ἡ: arrow-pourer, shooter of arrows

    ἑός ἑή ἑόν: his, her, own

    ἀγανός –ή –όν: mild, gentle, kindly

    βέλος –ους τό: arrow

    ἐποίχομαι ἐποιχήσομαι ἐπῴχημαι: to go towards, approach; to ply (the loom)

    καταφένω ––– κατέπεφνον: to kill, slay

    ἐπέρχομαι ἔπειμι ἐπῆλθον ἐπελήλυθα ––– –––: to approach, arrive; to encounter, come up against, attack 200

    τηκεδών –όνος ἡ: a melting away: a wasting away, consumption, decline

    στυγερός –ά –όν: hated, abominated, loathed; chilling

    μέλος –ους τό: a limb

    ἐξαιρέω ἐξαιρήσω ἐξεῖλον ἐξῄρηκα ἐξῄρημαι ἐξῃρέθην: to take out, choose, deliver; to set aside for (+ dat.)

    πόθος –ου ὁ: a longing, yearning, fond desire

    μῆδος –ους τό: counsels, plans, arts, schemes

    φαίδιμος –ον: shining

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

    ἀγανοφροσύνη –ης ἡ: gentleness, kindliness

    μελιηδής –ές: honey-sweet

    ἀπαυράω ἀπουρήσω ἀπαύρησα: to take away

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    φρήν φρενός ἡ: diaphragm; heart, mind, wits

    μερμηρίζω μερμηρίξω ἐμερμήριξα: to ponder, wonder, stress over, debate, have it in mind

    καταθνῄσκω καταθανοῦμαι κατέθανον κατατέθνηκα ––– –––: to die 205

    τρίς: thrice

    ἐφορμάω ἐφορμήσω ἐφώρμησα ἐφώρμηκα ἐφώρμημαι ἐφωρμήθην: to stir up, rouse against; to be eager, desire

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

    τρίς: thrice

    σκιά –ᾶς ἡ: a shadow

    εἴκελος –η –ον: like

    ὄνειρος –ου ὁ or ὄνειρον –ου τό: a dream

    πέτομαι πετήσομαι ἐπτόμην πέπτηκα πέπτημαι ἐπετάσθην: to fly

    ἄχος –ους τό: anguish, distress

    κηρόθι: in the heart, with all the heart, heartily

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

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

    πτερόεις πτερόεσσα πτερόεν: winged

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

    μίμνω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to remain, wait 210

    μάω – – – – –: be eager, press on

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

    ᾍδης –ου ὁ: Hades

    κρυερός –ά –όν: icy, chilling

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

    γόος –ου ὁ: wailing, lamentation

    εἴδωλον –ου τό: an image, a phantom

    ἀγαυός –ή –όν: illustrious, noble

    Περσεφόνη –ης ἡ: Persephone, Proserpine

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

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

    ὀδύρομαι ὀδυροῦμαι ὠδυράμην ––– ––– κατωδύρθην/ὠδύρθην: grieve

    στεναχίζω – – – – –: to sigh, groan, wail

    ἀμείβω ἀμείψω ἤμειψα ἤμειφα ἤμειμμαι ἠμείφθην: to respond, answer; to exchange; (mid.) to take turns, alternate; to change, place, pass 215

    πότνια –ας ἡ: mistress, queen

    κάμμορος –ον: ill-fated

    φώς φωτός ὁ: man

    Περσεφόνη –ης ἡ: Persephone, Proserpine

    Ζεύς Διός ὁ: Zeus

    ἀπαφίσκω ἀπαφήσω ἤπαφον: cheat, beguile

    βροτός –οῦ ὁ: mortal

    σάρξ σαρκός ἡ: flesh

    ὀστέον –ου τό: a bone

    ἴς ἰνός ἡ: strength, force; sinew, tendon

    κρατερός –ά –όν: strong, powerful, mighty 220

    μένος –ους τό: might

    αἴθω ––– ––– ––– ––– –––: to light up, kindle

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

    λευκός –ή –όν: white; light, bright

    ὀστέον –ου τό: a bone

    ἠΰτε: as, like as

    ὄνειρος –ου ὁ or ὄνειρον –ου τό: a dream

    ἀποπέτομαι ἀποπτήσομαι ἀποπεπόταμαι/ἀποπεπότημαι ἀπεπετάσθην: to fly off

    ποτάομαι ποτήσομαι πεπότημαι ἐποτήθην: to fly about

    φόωσδε: to the light, to the light of day

    λιλαίομαι – – – – –: to desire, to miss; to long for (+ gen. or infin.)

    μετόπισθε: behind, in back of; afterwards; toward the west

    τεός –ή –όν: = σός, 'your'

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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/xi-180-224