"ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ περὶ μὲν ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

ὤμοιιν βαλόμην, μέγα χάλκεον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα·

τὸν δ᾽ ἂψ ἠνώγεα αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡγήσασθαι.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γ᾽ ἀμφοτέρῃσι λαβὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων

καί μ᾽ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·265

‘μή μ᾽ ἄγε κεῖσ᾽ ἀέκοντα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

οἶδα γάρ, ὡς οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἐλεύσεαι οὔτε τιν᾽ ἄλλον

ἄξεις σῶν ἑτάρων. ἀλλὰ ξὺν τοίσδεσι θᾶσσον

φεύγωμεν: ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ.’

ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·270

‘Εὐρύλοχ᾽, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μέν᾽ αὐτοῦ τῷδ᾽ ἐνὶ χώρῳ

ἔσθων καὶ πίνων κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ·

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εἶμι, κρατερὴ δέ μοι ἔπλετ᾽ ἀνάγκη.’

ὣς εἰπὼν παρὰ νηὸς ἀνήιον ἠδὲ θαλάσσης.

ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ ἄρ᾽ ἔμελλον ἰὼν ἱερὰς ἀνὰ βήσσας275

Κίρκης ἵξεσθαι πολυφαρμάκου ἐς μέγα δῶμα,

ἔνθα μοι Ἑρμείας χρυσόρραπις ἀντεβόλησεν

ἐρχομένῳ πρὸς δῶμα, νεηνίῃ ἀνδρὶ ἐοικώς,

πρῶτον ὑπηνήτῃ, τοῦ περ χαριεστάτη ἥβη·

ἔν τ᾽ ἄρα μοι φῦ χειρί, ἔπος τ᾽ ἔφατ᾽ ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζε·280

‘πῇ δὴ αὖτ᾽, ὦ δύστηνε, δι᾽ ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος,

χώρου ἄιδρις ἐών; ἕταροι δέ τοι οἵδ᾽ ἐνὶ Κίρκης

ἔρχαται ὥς τε σύες πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχοντες.

ἦ τοὺς λυσόμενος δεῦρ᾽ ἔρχεαι; οὐδέ σέ φημι

αὐτὸν νοστήσειν, μενέεις δὲ σύ γ᾽, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι.285

ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε δή σε κακῶν ἐκλύσομαι ἠδὲ σαώσω.

τῆ, τόδε φάρμακον ἐσθλὸν ἔχων ἐς δώματα Κίρκης

ἔρχευ, ὅ κέν τοι κρατὸς ἀλάλκῃσιν κακὸν ἦμαρ.

πάντα δέ τοι ἐρέω ὀλοφώια δήνεα Κίρκης.

τεύξει τοι κυκεῶ, βαλέει δ᾽ ἐν φάρμακα σίτῳ.290

ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὣς θέλξαι σε δυνήσεται· οὐ γὰρ ἐάσει

φάρμακον ἐσθλόν, ὅ τοι δώσω, ἐρέω δὲ ἕκαστα.

ὁππότε κεν Κίρκη σ᾽ ἐλάσῃ περιμήκεϊ ῥάβδῳ,

δὴ τότε σὺ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

Κίρκῃ ἐπαῖξαι, ὥς τε κτάμεναι μενεαίνων.295

ἡ δέ σ᾽ ὑποδείσασα κελήσεται εὐνηθῆναι·

ἔνθα σὺ μηκέτ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἀπανήνασθαι θεοῦ εὐνήν,

ὄφρα κέ τοι λύσῃ θ᾽ ἑτάρους αὐτόν τε κομίσσῃ·

ἀλλὰ κέλεσθαί μιν μακάρων μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι,

μή τί τοι αὐτῷ πῆμα κακὸν βουλευσέμεν ἄλλο,300

μή σ᾽ ἀπογυμνωθέντα κακὸν καὶ ἀνήνορα θήῃ.’

    Odysseus heads towards Circe’s palace. Hermes appears to him, giving him advice and a powerful herb that will protect him from Circe’s tricks.

    Having excused Eurylochus from further contact with the witch, Odysseus sets out alone through the dark wood toward Circe’s house, driven by a “powerful necessity” (273). Suddenly Hermes crosses his path, disguised as a graceful young man. The god is curious:

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    πῇ δὴ αὖτ᾽, ὦ δύστηνε, δι᾽ ἄκριας ἔρχεαι οἶος,
    χώρου ἄιδρις ἐών; ἕταροι δέ τοι οἵδ᾽ ἐνὶ Κίρκης
    ἔρχαται ὥς τε σύες πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχοντες.
    ἦ τοὺς λυσόμενος δεῦρ᾽ ἔρχεαι; οὐδέ σέ φημι
    αὐτὸν νοστήσειν, μενέεις δὲ σύ γ᾽, ἔνθα περ ἄλλοι.

    Unhappy man, where are you going through these hills, alone,
    ignorant of the land? Your companions are trapped here
    in Circe’s place, shaped like pigs in their closed pens.
    Do you come here to free them? I do not think
    you will return home but must stay here with the others.

    Odyssey 10.281–85

    We might wonder how Odysseus knows the young man is Hermes, since nowhere in the encounter that follows do we see the god reveal himself. Nor does the hero seem surprised that this young man seems to know everything about him and his ill-fated crew. The encounter would make sense if we heard it from an omniscient third-person narrator, and we perhaps we are witnessing the imperfect join between our poem and a previous version of the story, where the poet recounts the story directly. Such minor

    Inconsistencies were leapt upon by scholars in the 19th century, as evidence that the Homeric epics as we now have them are a clumsy patchwork of earlier independent narratives. This approach has been largely obviated by the later work of Milman Parry and other scholars in the early 20th century on the oral tradition out of which the Iliad and Odyssey seem to have come down to us, a process that envisioned poems emerging over time as oral poets created their stories by improvisation, drawing on a rich repository of earlier narratives.

    Encounters with disguised deities can be fraught with danger in early Greek poetry, especially if the immortal chooses to shed the disguise and reassume divine form. The sudden revelation of divinity can be a charged moment, when we witness the infinite power of the god and its devastating effect on mortals, especially in tragic stories like the Iliad, where the fact of human mortality is a primary focus of the narrative. The Odyssey has a different emphasis, so the divide between mortal and immortal existence is not as prominent in the articulation of the poem’s meaning. Gods function there primarily as forces that help or hinder the hero as he struggles toward the restoration of order. Helpful disguised gods are a staple of Odysseus’s journey, but up until now the deity underneath has always been Athena. In Book 1, she arrives in Ithaka as Mentes the Taphian, in Book 2 as Telemachus, in Books 2 and 3 as Mentor, a friend of Odysseus, in Book 7 as a young girl at the well who guides the hero toward town. Athena does shed her disguise once, as she departs from Pylos after guiding Telemachus, but the moment prompts no fear in the onlookers, only wonder (Od. 3.371–73).

    Though Hermes does offer Odysseus crucial protection against the witch, his sudden appearance does not startle the hero, who listens to the young man’s instructions and sets briskly off again without comment. If he has any inkling that this stranger is a god, he does not show it. Hermes’s intervention in in Book 24 of the Iliad offers an illuminating parallel. Priam has set off on his own perilous journey through the dark, to ransom Hector’s body from Achilles. The old man and his herald are making their way across the plain of Troy at night, when a stranger suddenly materializes out of the dark:

    οἳ δ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὖν μέγα σῆμα παρὲξ Ἴλοιο ἔλασσαν,
    στῆσαν ἄρ᾽ ἡμιόνους τε καὶ ἵππους ὄφρα πίοιεν
    ἐν ποταμῷ: δὴ γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἤλυθε γαῖαν.
    τὸν δ᾽ ἐξ ἀγχιμόλοιο ἰδὼν ἐφράσσατο κῆρυξ
    Ἑρμείαν, ποτὶ δὲ Πρίαμον φάτο φώνησέν τε:
    "φράζεο Δαρδανίδη: φραδέος νόου ἔργα τέτυκται.
    ἄνδρ᾽ ὁρόω, τάχα δ᾽ ἄμμε διαρραίσεσθαι ὀΐω.
    ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε δὴ φεύγωμεν ἐφ᾽ ἵππων, ἤ μιν ἔπειτα
    γούνων ἁψάμενοι λιτανεύσομεν αἴ κ᾽ ἐλεήσῃ."
    ὣς φάτο, σὺν δὲ γέροντι νόος χύτο, δείδιε δ᾽ αἰνῶς,
    ὀρθαὶ δὲ τρίχες ἔσταν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι,
    στῆ δὲ ταφών: αὐτὸς δ᾽ ἐριούνιος ἐγγύθεν ἐλθὼν
    χεῖρα γέροντος ἑλὼν ἐξείρετο καὶ προσέειπε:
    "πῇ πάτερ ὧδ᾽ ἵππους τε καὶ ἡμιόνους ἰθύνεις
    νύκτα δι᾽ ἀμβροσίην, ὅτε θ᾽ εὕδουσι βροτοὶ ἄλλοι;
    οὐδὲ σύ γ᾽ ἔδεισας μένεα πνείοντας Ἀχαιούς,
    οἵ τοι δυσμενέες καὶ ἀνάρσιοι ἐγγὺς ἔασι;
    τῶν εἴ τίς σε ἴδοιτο θοὴν διὰ νύκτα μέλαιναν
    τοσσάδ᾽ ὀνείατ᾽ ἄγοντα, τίς ἂν δή τοι νόος εἴη;
    οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς νέος ἐσσί, γέρων δέ τοι οὗτος ὀπηδεῖ,
    ἄνδρ᾽ ἀπαμύνασθαι, ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπήνῃ.
    ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ οὐδέν σε ῥέξω κακά, καὶ δέ κεν ἄλλον
    σεῦ ἀπαλεξήσαιμι: φίλῳ δέ σε πατρὶ ἐΐσκω."

    The two of them drove out past the tomb of Ilos,
    and stopped their mules and horses to water them
    in the river, for dusk had by now fallen over the land.
    The herald caught sight of Hermes, who came toward them
    from close by. He spoke up and addressed Priam:
    “Take thought, son of Dardanos, for this work needs a careful mind.
    I see a man who I think will soon tear us to pieces.
    Come, let us flee on our horses, or if not, then
    grasp his knees and beg him to pity us.”
    So he spoke, and the old man was confused and dreadfully afraid;
    his hair rose straight up on his twisted body
    and he stood amazed. But the helpful god came near him,
    taking his hand, and spoke to him, asking a question:
    “My father, where are you driving your horses and mules
    through the immortal night while other mortals sleep?
    Are you not afraid of the Achaeans who breathe fury,
    who are your enemies and who are nearby?
    If one of them should see you in the swift dark night
    bringing so many treasures, what plan would you have?
    You are not young and your companion is too old to
    fight off a man when he comes to harm you.
    But I will do you no harm, and would ward off
    any man who would, for I liken you to a beloved father.”

    Iliad 24.349–71

    The difference in tone between the two passages is instructive. Here the sudden appearance of a stranger sparks fear in both elderly travelers and the disguised god responds with reassuring kindness, taking the old man’s hand, and defusing tension by casting Priam in the role of surrogate father. In the warm exchange that follows, Hermes supplies a believable mortal persona for himself: he is a comrade of Achilles, a Myrmidon, the seventh son of Polyktor, who will escort the two travelers safely to Achilles’ hut. Priam responds gratefully, sure that “some god is holding his hand over me” (374), by sending such an escort. In contrast to this expansive tableau, the meeting of Hermes and Odysseus is stripped down to the essentials, with no backstory for the young man that would explain him appearing out of nowhere and no response of any kind from Odysseus. The entire episode is transactional, the moly and instructions delivered with no bond established between Odysseus and the young man. Homer declines to develop the emotional potential in this scene because he has other reasons for inserting it here, as we will see in the next passage.

     

    Further Reading

    Clay, J. 1983. The Wrath of Athena: Gods and Men in the Odyssey, 133–185. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

     

    Edwards, M.W. 1987. Homer: Poet of the Iliad. 1987, 15–54; 71–77. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press.

    261–62  περὶ … βαλόμην / ὤμοιιν: “put on around my shoulders,” tmesis (separation of the preposition and verb in a compound verb), unaugmented aor. mid. > περιβάλλω.

    262  ὤμοιιν: dative with compound verb περιβάλλω, as if the object of the preposition περί.

    262  ἀμφὶ: “(put on) around (my shoulders).” Understand ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα βαλόμην, parallel with περὶ μὲν ξίφος … βαλόμην.

    263  αὐτὴν ὁδὸν: “over the same path,” accusative of extent of space (Smyth 1581).

    264  ἀμφοτέρῃσι: understand χερσί, “hands.”

    264  γούνων: partitive genitive with λαβὼν (Monro 151; Smyth 1345).

    266  κεῖσ(ε): ἐκεῖσε, "to that place," "there."

    267  αὐτὸς ἐλεύσεαι: “you yourself will come (back alive),” 2nd sing. fut. dep. > ἔρχομαι.

    268  ἄξεις: "will you bring back."

    268  ξὺν τοίσδεσι: “with these men here” > ὅδε.

    269  κεν ἀλύξαιμεν: "we might avoid," potential optative > ἀλύσκω.

    269  κακὸν ἦμαρ: "the evil day," "death."

    271  τοι: “truly indeed,” or more colloquially, “okay, fine” (Monro 346).

    271  μέν(ε): imperat.

    273  μοι ἔπλετ(ο): “has come upon me” (Edwards) or “there is for me,” "I have" (dative of possession).

    273  ἔπλετ(ο): impf. > πέλομαι.

    274  ἀνήϊον: 1st sing. impf. > ἀνεἶμι (see εἶμι).

    275  ἔμελλον: with ἵξεσθαι > ἱκνέομαι.

    275  ἀνὰ: “through,” with accusative.

    277  μοι: dative object with the compound verb ἀντιβολέω.

    277  Ἑρμείας: nom. sing. (like Αἰνείας).

    278  ἐρχομένῳ: agrees with μοι.

    278  ἐοικώς: “resembling,” “in the guise of,” with dative.

    279  πρῶτον: “for the first time.”

    279  ὑπηνήτῃ: adjective, agrees with νεηνίῃ ἀνδρὶ (referring to Hermes).

    279  τοῦ: “whose," rel. pron. Understand ἐστί, with χαριέστατος as a predicate adjective.

    280  ἐν … μοι φῦ χειρί: “he grabbed me” (lit., “he grew onto me with his hand”). 

    280  φῦ: = ἔφυ, unaugmented 3rd sing. impf. > φύω, “to grow.”

    280  ἔπος τ᾽ ἔφατ᾽ ἔκ τ᾽ ὀνόμαζε: according to Cunliffe, a formula “apparently meaning no more than ‘to address’” (lit., “he said a word and called out loud by name”).

    282  τοι: either a dative of possession with ἕταροι ("your comrades"), an ethical dative (“let me tell you,” Smyth 1486b), or the particle (“rest assured,” Monro 346; Smyth 2984).

    282  ἐνὶ Κίρκης: “in the house of Circe.”

    283  ἔρχαται: 3rd pl. pf. pass. > ἔργνυμι / εἴργω.

    283  τε: untranslatable (Monro 332; Smyth 2970).

    284  λυσόμενος: fut. ptc., indicating purpose.

    284  οὐδέ … φημι: “I say that … not,” introducing indirect discourse with accusative and infinitive. οὐδέ negates the future infinitive νοστήσειν.

    285  αὐτὸν: “yourself.”

    285  μενέεις: Ion. fut. > μένω.

    285  ἔνθα περ: “right where.”

    285  ἄλλοι: understand a verb such as μένουσι or εἰσί.

    286  κακῶν: genitive of separation with ἐκλύσομαι.

    286  σαώσω: fut. > σώζω.

    288  ἔρχευ: mid. imperat. sing. > ἔρχομαι.

    288  ὅ κέν … ἀλάλκῃσιν: future more vivid conditional relative clause (Smyth 2565). The antecedent of ὅ is φάρμακον. 

    288  τοι: dative of interest.

    288  κρατὸς: “from your head,” genitive of separation.

    288  ἀλάλκῃσιν: “wards off,” 3rd sing. aor. 2 subj. > ἄλαλκε. The verb is a reduplicated aor. 2 (on reduplication, see Smyth 439).

    290  τεύξει: “she will make.”

    290  κυκεῶ: acc. 3rd decl., a shortened form of κυκεῶνα. This is the κυκεών described in lines 10.234–35.

    290  βαλέει: Ion. fut.

    290  ἐν … σίτῳ: “in the food.”

    291  οὐδ᾽ ὣς: “not even like this.”

    291  οὐ … ἐάσει: “will not allow (you to be bewitched),” or "will prevent (it)," fut. > ἐάω. The subject is φάρμακον.

    292  ἕκαστα: “all that you need to know” (Cunliffe).

    293  ὁππότε κεν … ἐλάσῃ: general temporal clause (κε / ἄν + subj.). 

    293  ἐλάσῃ: aor. subj. > ἐλαύνω, “to strike” (LSJ ἐλαύνω II).

    294  ἐρυσσάμενος: “drawing,” aor. mid. ptc. > ἐρύω.

    294  παρὰ μηροῦ: “from beside your thigh.”

    295  ἐπαῖξαι: "rush at," aor. act. infin. > ἐπαΐσσω. Used as an imperative (Monro 241), with dative object (Κίρκη̣).

    295  ὥς τε: “as if”

    295  κτάμεναι: aor. act. infin. > κτείνω, complementary with μενεαίνων.

    296  ὑποδείσασα: “fearing,” “trembling before.”

    296  εὐνηθῆναι: “to lie with her,” “to have sex with her” (lit., “to be bedded”).

    297  ἔνθα … ἔπειτ(α): “then, after that”

    297  ἀπανήνασθαι: "decline," infin. > ἀπαναίνομαι. Used as an imperative (Monro 241).

    298  ὄφρα … λύσῃ … κομίσσῃ: purpose clause.

    298  κομίσσῃ: aor. subj. > κομίζω, “to take care of.”

    298  αὐτόν: “you yourself.”

    299  κέλεσθαί: infinitive used as imperative (Monro 241).

    299  μακάρων: “of the gods,” modifying ὅρκον, or “by the gods” (πρὸς μακάρων). μάκαρες, “blessed ones,” is a frequent epithet for the gods.

    299  ὀμόσσαι: complementary aor. infin. > ὄμνυμι.

    300  μή … βουλευσέμεν: “not to….” μη + infin. is used in oaths and prohibitions (Smyth 2716).

    300  τί: “any.”

    300  αὐτῷ: “for you yourself.”

    300  βουλεύσεμεν: fut. infin.

    301  μή … θήῃ: “lest she make …,” a clause of fearing (μή + subj.). 

    301  θήῃ: 3rd sing. aor. subj. > τίθημι. It takes an object (σε) and predicate accusatives (κακὸν, ἀνήνορα).

    301  ἀπογυμνωθέντα: “while you are naked,” masc. acc. ptc., modifying σε.

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    ξίφος –ους τό: sword

    ἀργυρόηλος –ον: silver-studded

    ὦμος ὤμου ὁ: shoulder

    χάλκεος –α –ον: of bronze

    τόξον –ου τό: bow

    ἄψ: back

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

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

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

    γόνυ γόνατος (or γουνός) τό: knee

    ὀλοφύρομαι ὀλοφυροῦμαι ὠλοφυράμην – – ὠλοφύρθην: to lament, wail; pity 265

    πτερόεις πτερόεσσα πτερόεν: winged

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

    ἐκεῖσε: thither, to that place

    ἀέκων –ουσα –ον: unwillingly

    διοτρεφής –ές: nourished by Zeus, Zeus-nurtured

    αὐτοῦ: at the very place, here, there

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

    ἀλύσκω ἀλύξω ἤλυξα ––– ––– –––: to flee from, shun, avoid, forsake

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet 270

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

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

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

    Εὐρύλοχος –ου ὁ: Eurylochus, a cousin and companion of Odysseus

    τοι: let me tell you, surely

    αὐτοῦ: at the very place, here, there

    χῶρος –ου ὁ: place, a piece of ground

    ἔσθω φαγήσω/ἔδομαι ἔφαγον ἐδήδοκα ἐδήδεμαι/ἐδήδεσμαι ἠδέσθην: to eat

    κοῖλος –η –ον: hollow

    μέλας μέλαινα μέλαν: black, dark, obscure

    ἀτάρ (or αὐτάρ): but, yet

    κρατερός –ά –όν: strong, powerful, mighty

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

    ἄνειμι: go up, reach; return

    ἠδέ: and

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus 275

    βῆσσα –ης ἡ: deep valley, mountain gorge

    Κίρκη –ης ἡ: Circe, the enchantress, daughter of Helius, sister of Aeētes, dwelling in the isle of Aeaea

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

    πολυφάρμακος –ον: expert in drugs and poisons, sorceress

    δῶμα –ατος τό: house (often in plural)

    Ἑρμῆς (or Ἑρμείας) –οῦ ὁ: Hermes, herm

    χρυσόρραπις –ιδος: with wand of gold

    ἀντιβολέω ἀντιβολήσω ἠντεβόλησα ––– ––– ἠντεβολήθην: to meet by chance, encounter

    δῶμα –ατος τό: house (often in plural)

    νεανίας –ου ὁ: youth, young man

    ὑπηνήτης –ου ὁ: just getting a beard, young

    χαρίεις –ίεσσα –ίεν: graceful, charming, beautiful

    ἥβη –ης ἡ: manhood, youthful prime, youth

    ἄρα: now, then, next, thus 280

    πῇ or πῆ: to where? in what way? how?

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

    δύστηνος –ον: wretched, unhappy, unfortunate, disastrous

    ἄκρις –ιος ἡ: a hill-top, mountain peak, hill-country

    οἶος –α –ον: alone

    χῶρος –ου ὁ: place, a piece of ground

    ἄϊδρις –ι: unknowing, ignorant

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

    ἔργνυμι/εἴργω εἴρξω/εἵρξω εἶρξα/εἷρξα ––– εἶργμαι/εἷργμαι εἴρχθην/εἵρχθην: to confine

    ὗς (or σῦς) ὑός (or συός) ὁ/ἡ: swine, hog; (f.) sow

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

    κευθμών –ῶνος or κευθμός –οῦ ὁ: a hiding place, cave; pen (for animals)

    δεῦρο: here, to this place

    νοστέω νοστήσω ἐνόστησα νενόστηκα: return home 285

    ἄγε: come! come on! well!

    ἐκλύω ἐκλύσω ἐξέλυσα ἐκλέλυκα ἐκλέλυμαι ἐξελύθην: to loose, release, set free, from

    ἠδέ: and

    τῆ: here! there! (interjection)

    φάρμακον –ου τό: drug

    ἐσθλός –ή –όν: good

    δῶμα –ατος τό: house (often in plural)

    κράς –ατός τό: head, top, highest point

    ἄλαλκον (aor. of ἀλέξω): to ward

    ἦμαρ –ατος τό: day

    ἐρῶ εἴρηκα ἐρρήθην: to say, tell, speak

    ὀλοφώϊος –ον: destructive, deadly, pernicious

    δήνεα –ων τά: counsels, plans, arts

    τεύχω τεύξω ἔτευξα τέτευχα τέτυγμαι ἐτύχθην: to make, build, prepare, fasten; to bring about 290

    κυκεών –ῶνος ὁ: beverage, potion

    φάρμακον –ου τό: drug

    σῖτος –ου ὁ: grain; bread

    θέλγω θέλξω ἔθελξα ἐθέλχθην: to bewitch

    φάρμακον –ου τό: drug

    ἐσθλός –ή –όν: good

    ἐρῶ εἴρηκα ἐρρήθην: to say, tell, speak

    ὁπότε: when

    περιμήκης –ες: very tall

    ῥάβδος –ου ὁ: a rod, wand, stick, switch

    ξίφος –ους τό: sword

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

    μηρός –οῦ ὁ: the thigh

    ἐπαΐσσω/ἐπᾴσσω/ἐπᾴττω ἐπᾴξω ἐπῇξα ––– ––– ἐπηίχθην: to rush at 295

    κτείνω κτενῶ ἔκτεινα ἀπέκτονα ––– –––: kill

    μενεαίνω – – – – –: to desire earnestly

    ὑποδείδω ὑποδείσομαι ὑπέδεισα ὑποδέδια/ὑποδέδοικα ––– –––: to fear

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

    εὐνάω εὐνάσω εὔνασα/ηὔνασα ––– ηὔνασμαι εὐνάσθην: to cause to lie down; (pass.) to lie down, go to bed (of sexual relations)

    μηκέτι: no more, no longer

    ἀπαναίνομαι ἀπανανοῦμαι ἀπηνηνάμην: to disown, reject

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

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

    ἑταῖρος –ου ὁ: comrade, companion

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

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

    μάκαρ μάκαρος: blessed, happy; blessed ones, gods

    ὅρκος –ου ὁ: oath

    ὄμνυμι (or ὀμνύω) ὀμοῦμαι ὤμοσα ὀμώμοκα ὀμώμο(σ)μαι ὠμόθην: to swear

    πῆμα –ατος τό: suffering, misery, calamity, woe, bane; cause of suffering 300

    ἀπογυμνόω ἀπογυμνώσω ἀπεγύμνωσα ––– ἀπογεγύμνωμαι ἀπεγυμνώθην: to strip quite bare

    ἀνήνωρ –ορος: unmanly

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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/x-261-301