Odyssey, Book 11: The Dead

1αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κατήλθομεν ἠδὲ θάλασσαν,

νῆα μὲν ἂρ πάμπρωτον ἐρύσσαμεν εἰς ἅλα δῖαν,

ἐν δʼ ἱστὸν τιθέμεσθα καὶ ἱστία νηὶ μελαίνῃ,

ἐν δὲ τὰ μῆλα λαβόντες ἐβήσαμεν, ἂν δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ

5βαίνομεν ἀχνύμενοι θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες.

ἡμῖν δʼ αὖ κατόπισθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

ἴκμενον οὖρον ἵει πλησίστιον, ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον,

Κίρκη εὐπλόκαμος, δεινὴ θεὸς αὐδήεσσα.

ἡμεῖς δʼ ὅπλα ἕκαστα πονησάμενοι κατὰ νῆα

10ἥμεθα· τὴν δʼ ἄνεμός τε κυβερνήτης τʼ ἴθυνε.

τῆς δὲ πανημερίης τέταθʼ ἱστία ποντοπορούσης·

δύσετό τʼ ἠέλιος σκιόωντό τε πᾶσαι ἀγυιαί.

ἡ δʼ ἐς πείραθʼ ἵκανε βαθυρρόου Ὠκεανοῖο.

ἔνθα δὲ Κιμμερίων ἀνδρῶν δῆμός τε πόλις τε,

15ἠέρι καὶ νεφέλῃ κεκαλυμμένοι· οὐδέ ποτʼ αὐτοὺς

ἠέλιος φαέθων καταδέρκεται ἀκτίνεσσιν,

οὔθʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν στείχῃσι πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα,

οὔθʼ ὅτʼ ἂν ἂψ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἀπʼ οὐρανόθεν προτράπηται,

ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ νὺξ ὀλοὴ τέταται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσι.

20νῆα μὲν ἔνθʼ ἐλθόντες ἐκέλσαμεν, ἐκ δὲ τὰ μῆλα

εἱλόμεθʼ· αὐτοὶ δʼ αὖτε παρὰ ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο

ᾔομεν, ὄφρʼ ἐς χῶρον ἀφικόμεθʼ, ὃν φράσε Κίρκη.

1“But when we had gone down to the ship and the sea,

first of all we hauled the ship into the bright salt water,

stepped the mast and set the sails in the black ship,

then took the sheep and drove them aboard; we ourselves

5also embarked, grieving and shedding swelling tears.

Behind our dark-prowed ship, meanwhile,

a following wind filled the sail, a trusty companion,

sent by Circe of the lovely hair, the formidable goddess with a human voice.

When we had worked each piece of gear into place throughout the ship,

10we sat, while the wind and helmsman kept her on her course.

All day long her sail stayed stretched as she crossed the sea;

then the sun went down, and every road grew shadowed.

She reached the limits of deep-flowing Ocean.

There are the land and city of the Cimmerian people,

15shrouded in mist and cloud. The radiant sun

never looks down on them with his rays,

neither when he climbs toward the starry heaven

nor when he turns again from heaven toward the earth,

but deadly night lies stretched over those wretched mortals.

20When we arrived, we beached the ship and took out the sheep;

then we ourselves went on beside Ocean’s stream

until we reached the place Circe had described.

23ἔνθʼ ἱερήια μὲν Περιμήδης Εὐρύλοχός τε

ἔσχον· ἐγὼ δʼ ἄορ ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

25βόθρον ὄρυξʼ ὅσσον τε πυγούσιον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,

ἀμφʼ αὐτῷ δὲ χοὴν χεόμην πᾶσιν νεκύεσσι,

πρῶτα μελικρήτῳ, μετέπειτα δὲ ἡδέι οἴνῳ,

τὸ τρίτον αὖθʼ ὕδατι· ἐπὶ δʼ ἄλφιτα λευκὰ πάλυνον.

πολλὰ δὲ γουνούμην νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα,

30ἐλθὼν εἰς Ἰθάκην στεῖραν βοῦν, ἥ τις ἀρίστη,

ῥέξειν ἐν μεγάροισι πυρήν τʼ ἐμπλησέμεν ἐσθλῶν,

Τειρεσίῃ δʼ ἀπάνευθεν ὄιν ἱερευσέμεν οἴῳ

παμμέλανʼ, ὃς μήλοισι μεταπρέπει ἡμετέροισι.

τοὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ εὐχωλῇσι λιτῇσί τε, ἔθνεα νεκρῶν,

35ἐλλισάμην, τὰ δὲ μῆλα λαβὼν ἀπεδειροτόμησα

ἐς βόθρον, ῥέε δʼ αἷμα κελαινεφές· αἱ δʼ ἀγέροντο

ψυχαὶ ὑπὲξ Ἐρέβευς νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων.

νύμφαι τʼ ἠίθεοί τε πολύτλητοί τε γέροντες

παρθενικαί τʼ ἀταλαὶ νεοπενθέα θυμὸν ἔχουσαι,

40πολλοὶ δʼ οὐτάμενοι χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν,

ἄνδρες ἀρηίφατοι βεβροτωμένα τεύχεʼ ἔχοντες·

οἳ πολλοὶ περὶ βόθρον ἐφοίτων ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος

θεσπεσίῃ ἰαχῇ· ἐμὲ δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει.

δὴ τότʼ ἔπειθʼ ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσα

45μῆλα, τὰ δὴ κατέκειτʼ ἐσφαγμένα νηλέι χαλκῷ,

δείραντας κατακῆαι, ἐπεύξασθαι δὲ θεοῖσιν,

ἰφθίμῳ τʼ Ἀΐδῃ καὶ ἐπαινῇ Περσεφονείῃ·

αὐτὸς δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ

ἥμην, οὐδʼ εἴων νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα

50αἵματος ἆσσον ἴμεν, πρὶν Τειρεσίαο πυθέσθαι.

23There Perimedes and Eurylochus held the victims,

while I drew the sharp sword from beside my thigh

25and dug a trench, a cubit long and a cubit wide.

Around it I poured a libation to all the dead:

first honey mixed in milk, then sweet wine,

and third, water; over it I sprinkled white barley meal.

Again and again I implored the powerless heads of the dead,

30vowing that when I reached Ithaca I would sacrifice in my halls

the best barren cow I had and heap the sacrificial fire with good things,

and for Tiresias alone I would slaughter a ram

entirely black, the finest in our flocks.

When with vows and prayers I had entreated

35the nations of the dead, I seized the sheep and cut their throats

over the trench. The dark-clouding blood streamed out, and the shades

of the dead and gone gathered up from Erebus:

young wives and young men, old men who had endured much,

and tender maidens with grief still fresh in their spirits,

40and many men wounded by bronze-tipped spears,

warriors killed in battle, wearing bloodstained armor.

In throngs they ranged around the trench from every side

with an unearthly cry, and pale fear seized me.

Then I urged my companions and ordered them

45to flay the sheep that lay slaughtered by the pitiless bronze,

burn them, and pray to the gods—

to mighty Hades and dread Persephone.

I myself drew the sharp sword from beside my thigh

and sat there, not allowing the powerless heads of the dead

50to come near the blood until I had questioned Tiresias.

51πρώτη δὲ ψυχὴ Ἐλπήνορος ἦλθεν ἑταίρου·

οὐ γάρ πω ἐτέθαπτο ὑπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης·

σῶμα γὰρ ἐν Κίρκης μεγάρῳ κατελείπομεν ἡμεῖς

ἄκλαυτον καὶ ἄθαπτον, ἐπεὶ πόνος ἄλλος ἔπειγε.

55τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δάκρυσα ἰδὼν ἐλέησά τε θυμῷ,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

Ἐλπῆνορ, πῶς ἦλθες ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠερόεντα;

ἔφθης πεζὸς ἰὼν ἢ ἐγὼ σὺν νηὶ μελαίνῃ.

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ οἰμώξας ἠμείβετο μύθῳ·

60διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

ἆσέ με δαίμονος αἶσα κακὴ καὶ ἀθέσφατος οἶνος.

Κίρκης δʼ ἐν μεγάρῳ καταλέγμενος οὐκ ἐνόησα

ἄψορρον καταβῆναι ἰὼν ἐς κλίμακα μακρήν,

ἀλλὰ καταντικρὺ τέγεος πέσον· ἐκ δέ μοι αὐχὴν

65ἀστραγάλων ἐάγη, ψυχὴ δʼ Ἄϊδόσδε κατῆλθε.

νῦν δέ σε τῶν ὄπιθεν γουνάζομαι, οὐ παρεόντων,

πρός τʼ ἀλόχου καὶ πατρός, ὅ σʼ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα,

Τηλεμάχου θʼ, ὃν μοῦνον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔλειπες·

οἶδα γὰρ ὡς ἐνθένδε κιὼν δόμου ἐξ Ἀίδαο

70νῆσον ἐς Αἰαίην σχήσεις ἐυεργέα νῆα·

ἔνθα σʼ ἔπειτα, ἄναξ, κέλομαι μνήσασθαι ἐμεῖο.

μή μʼ ἄκλαυτον ἄθαπτον ἰὼν ὄπιθεν καταλείπειν

νοσφισθείς, μή τοί τι θεῶν μήνιμα γένωμαι,

ἀλλά με κακκῆαι σὺν τεύχεσιν, ἅσσα μοι ἔστιν,

75σῆμά τέ μοι χεῦαι πολιῆς ἐπὶ θινὶ θαλάσσης,

ἀνδρὸς δυστήνοιο καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.

ταῦτά τέ μοι τελέσαι πῆξαί τʼ ἐπὶ τύμβῳ ἐρετμόν,

τῷ καὶ ζωὸς ἔρεσσον ἐὼν μετʼ ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισιν.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

80ταῦτά τοι, ὦ δύστηνε, τελευτήσω τε καὶ ἔρξω.

νῶι μὲν ὣς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένω στυγεροῖσιν

ἥμεθʼ, ἐγὼ μὲν ἄνευθεν ἐφʼ αἵματι φάσγανον ἴσχων,

εἴδωλον δʼ ἑτέρωθεν ἑταίρου πόλλʼ ἀγόρευεν·

51The first shade to come was my companion Elpenor.

He had not yet been buried beneath the broad-wayed earth,

for we had left his body in Circe’s hall,

unwept and unburied, since another task drove us on.

55When I saw him, I wept and pitied him in my heart,

and I spoke to him in winged words:

‘Elpenor, how did you come beneath the murky dark?

You made it here on foot before I did in my black ship.’

So I spoke, and with a groan he answered me:

60‘Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

an evil allotment from a divine power and measureless wine deluded me.

I lay down in Circe’s hall and did not think

to turn back and go down by the long ladder.

Instead I fell straight from the roof; my neck

65broke at the vertebrae, and my shade went down to Hades.

Now I implore you by those you left behind, though they are not here—

by your wife and your father, who reared you as a little child,

and by Telemachus, whom you left alone inside your halls.

For I know that when you leave the house of Hades

70you will bring your well-built ship to the island Aeaea.

There, my lord, I beg you to remember me.

Do not depart and leave me behind unwept and unburied,

turning away from me, or I may bring some divine wrath upon you.

Burn me instead with all the armor that is mine,

75and heap a mound for me on the shore of the gray sea,

the grave of a wretched man, so men yet to be may learn of me.

Do this for me, and plant upon my tomb the oar

with which I rowed in life among my companions.’

So he spoke, and I answered him:

80‘Unhappy man, I will fulfill and carry out all this for you.’

So we two sat there exchanging words of sorrow,

I on one side holding my sword over the blood,

while on the other the image of my companion spoke at length.

84ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ ψυχὴ μητρὸς κατατεθνηυίης,

85Αὐτολύκου θυγάτηρ μεγαλήτορος Ἀντίκλεια,

τὴν ζωὴν κατέλειπον ἰὼν εἰς Ἴλιον ἱρήν.

τὴν μὲν ἐγὼ δάκρυσα ἰδὼν ἐλέησά τε θυμῷ·

ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὣς εἴων προτέρην, πυκινόν περ ἀχεύων,

αἵματος ἆσσον ἴμεν, πρὶν Τειρεσίαο πυθέσθαι.

90ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ ψυχὴ Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο

χρύσεον σκῆπτρον ἔχων, ἐμὲ δʼ ἔγνω καὶ προσέειπεν·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

τίπτʼ αὖτʼ, ὦ δύστηνε, λιπὼν φάος ἠελίοιο

ἤλυθες, ὄφρα ἴδῃ νέκυας καὶ ἀτερπέα χῶρον;

95ἀλλʼ ἀποχάζεο βόθρου, ἄπισχε δὲ φάσγανον ὀξύ,

αἵματος ὄφρα πίω καί τοι νημερτέα εἴπω.

ὣς φάτʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἀναχασσάμενος ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον

κουλεῷ ἐγκατέπηξʼ. ὁ δʼ ἐπεὶ πίεν αἷμα κελαινόν,

καὶ τότε δή μʼ ἐπέεσσι προσηύδα μάντις ἀμύμων·

84Then the shade of my dead mother came,

85Anticleia, daughter of great-hearted Autolycus,

whom I had left alive when I went to holy Ilios.

When I saw her, I wept and pitied her in my heart,

yet even in my deep grief I would not allow her

to come near the blood before I had questioned Tiresias.

90Then the shade of Theban Tiresias came,

holding a golden staff. He knew me and said:

‘Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

why, unhappy man, have you left the sunlight once again

and come here to see the dead and this joyless place?

95Draw back from the trench and hold aside your sharp sword,

so that I may drink the blood and tell you the truth.’

So he spoke. I drew back and thrust my silver-studded sword

into its sheath. When he had drunk the dark blood,

the faultless prophet then addressed me:

100νόστον δίζηαι μελιηδέα, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ·

τὸν δέ τοι ἀργαλέον θήσει θεός· οὐ γὰρ ὀίω

λήσειν ἐννοσίγαιον, ὅ τοι κότον ἔνθετο θυμῷ

χωόμενος ὅτι οἱ υἱὸν φίλον ἐξαλάωσας.

ἀλλʼ ἔτι μέν κε καὶ ὣς κακά περ πάσχοντες ἵκοισθε,

105αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃς σὸν θυμὸν ἐρυκακέειν καὶ ἑταίρων,

ὁππότε κε πρῶτον πελάσῃς ἐυεργέα νῆα

Θρινακίῃ νήσῳ, προφυγὼν ἰοειδέα πόντον,

βοσκομένας δʼ εὕρητε βόας καὶ ἴφια μῆλα

Ἠελίου, ὃς πάντʼ ἐφορᾷ καὶ πάντʼ ἐπακούει.

110τὰς εἰ μέν κʼ ἀσινέας ἐάᾳς νόστου τε μέδηαι,

καί κεν ἔτʼ εἰς Ἰθάκην κακά περ πάσχοντες ἵκοισθε·

εἰ δέ κε σίνηαι, τότε τοι τεκμαίρομʼ ὄλεθρον,

νηί τε καὶ ἑτάροις. αὐτὸς δʼ εἴ πέρ κεν ἀλύξῃς,

ὀψὲ κακῶς νεῖαι, ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους,

115νηὸς ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίης· δήεις δʼ ἐν πήματα οἴκῳ,

ἄνδρας ὑπερφιάλους, οἵ τοι βίοτον κατέδουσι

μνώμενοι ἀντιθέην ἄλοχον καὶ ἕδνα διδόντες.

ἀλλʼ ἦ τοι κείνων γε βίας ἀποτίσεαι ἐλθών·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν μνηστῆρας ἐνὶ μεγάροισι τεοῖσι

120κτείνῃς ἠὲ δόλῳ ἢ ἀμφαδὸν ὀξέι χαλκῷ,

ἔρχεσθαι δὴ ἔπειτα λαβὼν ἐυῆρες ἐρετμόν,

εἰς ὅ κε τοὺς ἀφίκηαι οἳ οὐκ ἴσασι θάλασσαν

ἀνέρες, οὐδέ θʼ ἅλεσσι μεμιγμένον εἶδαρ ἔδουσιν·

οὐδʼ ἄρα τοί γʼ ἴσασι νέας φοινικοπαρῄους

125οὐδʼ ἐυήρεʼ ἐρετμά, τά τε πτερὰ νηυσὶ πέλονται.

σῆμα δέ τοι ἐρέω μάλʼ ἀριφραδές, οὐδέ σε λήσει·

ὁππότε κεν δή τοι συμβλήμενος ἄλλος ὁδίτης

φήῃ ἀθηρηλοιγὸν ἔχειν ἀνὰ φαιδίμῳ ὤμῳ,

καὶ τότε δὴ γαίῃ πήξας ἐυῆρες ἐρετμόν,

130ῥέξας ἱερὰ καλὰ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι,

ἀρνειὸν ταῦρόν τε συῶν τʼ ἐπιβήτορα κάπρον,

οἴκαδʼ ἀποστείχειν ἔρδειν θʼ ἱερᾶς ἑκατόμβας

ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,

πᾶσι μάλʼ ἑξείης. θάνατος δέ τοι ἐξ ἁλὸς αὐτῷ

135ἀβληχρὸς μάλα τοῖος ἐλεύσεται, ὅς κέ σε πέφνῃ

γήραι ὕπο λιπαρῷ ἀρημένον· ἀμφὶ δὲ λαοὶ

ὄλβιοι ἔσσονται. τὰ δέ τοι νημερτέα εἴρω.

100‘You are seeking a honey-sweet return, illustrious Odysseus,

but a god will make it hard for you. I do not think

you will escape the Earthshaker’s notice, for he has planted anger in his heart

against you because you blinded his dear son.

Yet even so, though you suffer, you may still reach home,

105if you are willing to hold back yourself and your companions

when first you bring your well-built ship near

the island Thrinacia, after escaping the violet sea.

There you will find the cattle and sturdy flocks

of Helios, who sees everything and hears everything.

110If you leave them unharmed and keep your mind on your return,

then, though you suffer, you may still reach Ithaca.

But if you harm them, I foretell destruction

for your ship and companions. Even if you yourself escape,

you will return late and in misery, after losing all your companions,

115aboard another man’s ship. In your house you will find troubles:

overbearing men who devour your livelihood

as they court your godlike wife and offer her bride-gifts.

But when you return, you will surely make them repay their violence.

Then, after you have killed the suitors in your halls,

120whether by cunning or openly with the sharp bronze,

you must set out again, taking a well-shaped oar,

until you come to people who know nothing of the sea,

who do not eat food mixed with salt,

and who know nothing of crimson-cheeked ships

125or well-shaped oars, the wings that ships carry.

I will give you a sign so clear it cannot escape you:

when another traveler meets you on the road

and says you carry a grain-winnowing fan on your shining shoulder,

then plant your well-shaped oar in the earth

130and make fair sacrifice to lord Poseidon—

a ram, a bull, and a boar that mounts the sows.

Then return home and offer sacred hecatombs

to all the deathless gods who hold the broad heaven,

each in proper order. Your own death will come from the sea,

135so gentle that it will end your life

when you are worn down by a rich old age; and around you

your people will prosper. This is the truth I tell you.’

138ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

Τειρεσίη, τὰ μὲν ἄρ που ἐπέκλωσαν θεοὶ αὐτοί.

140ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·

μητρὸς τήνδʼ ὁρόω ψυχὴν κατατεθνηυίης·

ἡ δʼ ἀκέουσʼ ἧσται σχεδὸν αἵματος, οὐδʼ ἑὸν υἱὸν

ἔτλη ἐσάντα ἰδεῖν οὐδὲ προτιμυθήσασθαι.

εἰπέ, ἄναξ, πῶς κέν με ἀναγνοίη τὸν ἐόντα;

145ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·

ῥηΐδιόν τοι ἔπος ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θήσω.

ὅν τινα μέν κεν ἐᾷς νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων

αἵματος ἆσσον ἴμεν, ὁ δέ τοι νημερτὲς ἐνίψει·

ᾧ δέ κʼ ἐπιφθονέῃς, ὁ δέ τοι πάλιν εἶσιν ὀπίσσω.

150ὣς φαμένη ψυχὴ μὲν ἔβη δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω

Τειρεσίαο ἄνακτος, ἐπεὶ κατὰ θέσφατʼ ἔλεξεν·

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτοῦ μένον ἔμπεδον, ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ μήτηρ

ἤλυθε καὶ πίεν αἷμα κελαινεφές· αὐτίκα δʼ ἔγνω,

καί μʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

155τέκνον ἐμόν, πῶς ἦλθες ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠερόεντα

ζωὸς ἐών; χαλεπὸν δὲ τάδε ζωοῖσιν ὁρᾶσθαι.

μέσσῳ γὰρ μεγάλοι ποταμοὶ καὶ δεινὰ ῥέεθρα,

Ὠκεανὸς μὲν πρῶτα, τὸν οὔ πως ἔστι περῆσαι

πεζὸν ἐόντʼ, ἢν μή τις ἔχῃ ἐυεργέα νῆα.

160ἦ νῦν δὴ Τροίηθεν ἀλώμενος ἐνθάδʼ ἱκάνεις

νηί τε καὶ ἑτάροισι πολὺν χρόνον; οὐδέ πω ἦλθες

εἰς Ἰθάκην, οὐδʼ εἶδες ἐνὶ μεγάροισι γυναῖκα;

138So he spoke, and I answered him:

‘Tiresias, the gods themselves must have spun these things.

140But come, tell me this and give me a precise account.

I see here the shade of my dead mother.

She sits silently beside the blood and has not dared

to look directly at her son or speak to him.

Tell me, my lord: how may she recognize me for who I am?’

145So I spoke, and at once he answered me:

‘I will tell you an easy rule and set it in your mind.

Whichever of the dead and gone you allow

to come near the blood will tell you the truth;

but anyone you deny it will turn and go back.’

150So he spoke, and the shade of lord Tiresias went

inside the house of Hades after telling his prophecies.

But I remained firmly where I was until my mother

came and drank the dark-clouding blood. At once she knew me,

and with a wail she spoke to me in winged words:

155‘My child, how did you come beneath the murky dark

while still alive? These are hard sights for the living.

Great rivers and terrible currents lie between,

first of all Ocean, which no one can cross

on foot, unless he has a well-built ship.

160Have you come here now from Troy after wandering

a long time with your ship and companions? Have you not yet come

to Ithaca or seen your wife within your halls?’

163ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

μῆτερ ἐμή, χρειώ με κατήγαγεν εἰς Ἀίδαο

165ψυχῇ χρησόμενον Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο·

οὐ γάρ πω σχεδὸν ἦλθον Ἀχαιΐδος, οὐδέ πω ἁμῆς

γῆς ἐπέβην, ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ἔχων ἀλάλημαι ὀιζύν,

ἐξ οὗ τὰ πρώτισθʼ ἑπόμην Ἀγαμέμνονι δίῳ

Ἴλιον εἰς ἐύπωλον, ἵνα Τρώεσσι μαχοίμην.

170ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον·

τίς νύ σε κὴρ ἐδάμασσε τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο;

ἦ δολιχὴ νοῦσος, ἦ Ἄρτεμις ἰοχέαιρα

οἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχομένη κατέπεφνεν;

εἰπὲ δέ μοι πατρός τε καὶ υἱέος, ὃν κατέλειπον,

175ἢ ἔτι πὰρ κείνοισιν ἐμὸν γέρας, ἦέ τις ἤδη

ἀνδρῶν ἄλλος ἔχει, ἐμὲ δʼ οὐκέτι φασὶ νέεσθαι.

εἰπὲ δέ μοι μνηστῆς ἀλόχου βουλήν τε νόον τε,

ἠὲ μένει παρὰ παιδὶ καὶ ἔμπεδα πάντα φυλάσσει

ἦ ἤδη μιν ἔγημεν Ἀχαιῶν ὅς τις ἄριστος.

163So she spoke, and I answered her:

‘My mother, necessity brought me down to the house of Hades

165to consult the shade of Theban Tiresias.

I have not yet come near Achaean land or set foot

on our own soil, but I have wandered on in misery

ever since the day I first followed godlike Agamemnon

to Ilios, famed for horses, to fight the Trojans.

170But come, tell me this and give me a precise account:

what doom of grievous death subdued you?

Was it a lingering illness, or did Artemis, showering arrows,

come upon you and kill you with her gentle shafts?

Tell me about my father and the son I left behind.

175Is my royal portion still in their hands, or does some other man

hold it now because people say I will never return?

Tell me the purpose and intent of my wedded wife.

Does she remain beside her son and guard everything securely,

or has the finest Achaean already married her?’

180ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ·

καὶ λίην κείνη γε μένει τετληότι θυμῷ

σοῖσιν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν· ὀιζυραὶ δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

φθίνουσιν νύκτες τε καὶ ἤματα δάκρυ χεούσῃ.

σὸν δʼ οὔ πώ τις ἔχει καλὸν γέρας, ἀλλὰ ἕκηλος

185Τηλέμαχος τεμένεα νέμεται καὶ δαῖτας ἐίσας

δαίνυται, ἃς ἐπέοικε δικασπόλον ἄνδρʼ ἀλεγύνειν·

πάντες γὰρ καλέουσι. πατὴρ δὲ σὸς αὐτόθι μίμνει

ἀγρῷ, οὐδὲ πόλινδε κατέρχεται. οὐδέ οἱ εὐναὶ

δέμνια καὶ χλαῖναι καὶ ῥήγεα σιγαλόεντα,

190ἀλλʼ ὅ γε χεῖμα μὲν εὕδει ὅθι δμῶες ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

ἐν κόνι ἄγχι πυρός, κακὰ δὲ χροῒ εἵματα εἷται·

αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν ἔλθῃσι θέρος τεθαλυῖά τʼ ὀπώρη,

πάντῃ οἱ κατὰ γουνὸν ἀλωῆς οἰνοπέδοιο

φύλλων κεκλιμένων χθαμαλαὶ βεβλήαται εὐναί.

195ἔνθʼ ὅ γε κεῖτʼ ἀχέων, μέγα δὲ φρεσὶ πένθος ἀέξει

σὸν νόστον ποθέων, χαλεπὸν δʼ ἐπὶ γῆρας ἱκάνει.

οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐγὼν ὀλόμην καὶ πότμον ἐπέσπον·

οὔτʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἐν μεγάροισιν ἐύσκοπος ἰοχέαιρα

οἷς ἀγανοῖς βελέεσσιν ἐποιχομένη κατέπεφνεν,

200οὔτε τις οὖν μοι νοῦσος ἐπήλυθεν, ἥ τε μάλιστα

τηκεδόνι στυγερῇ μελέων ἐξείλετο θυμόν·

ἀλλά με σός τε πόθος σά τε μήδεα, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

σή τʼ ἀγανοφροσύνη μελιηδέα θυμὸν ἀπηύρα.

180So I spoke, and my honored mother answered at once:

‘She remains there in your halls with an enduring spirit—

yes, entirely so. For her the miserable nights

and days waste away as she sheds tears.

No one yet holds your fine royal portion; instead, undisturbed,

185Telemachus manages the estates and attends the proper feasts

that befit a man who dispenses judgment,

for everyone invites him. Your father stays there

on the farm and never comes to town. He has no

bedstead, blankets, or shining coverlets.

190In winter he sleeps where the enslaved workers sleep inside the house,

in the ash beside the fire, with wretched clothes against his skin.

But when summer comes and the rich late season,

low beds of fallen leaves are spread for him everywhere

along the slope of his wine-growing vineyard.

195There he lies in grief, and great sorrow grows in his heart

as he longs for your return; harsh old age bears down upon him.

That is how I too perished and met my fate.

The keen-eyed archer did not visit me in my halls

and kill me with her gentle shafts,

200nor did any illness come upon me, the kind that most of all

strips the life from the limbs in hateful wasting.

It was longing for you, illustrious Odysseus—for your counsels

and your gentle care—that took my honey-sweet life away.’

204ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γʼ ἔθελον φρεσὶ μερμηρίξας

205μητρὸς ἐμῆς ψυχὴν ἑλέειν κατατεθνηυίης.

τρὶς μὲν ἐφωρμήθην, ἑλέειν τέ με θυμὸς ἀνώγει,

τρὶς δέ μοι ἐκ χειρῶν σκιῇ εἴκελον ἢ καὶ ὀνείρῳ

ἔπτατʼ. ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄχος ὀξὺ γενέσκετο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

210μῆτερ ἐμή, τί νύ μʼ οὐ μίμνεις ἑλέειν μεμαῶτα,

ὄφρα καὶ εἰν Ἀίδαο φίλας περὶ χεῖρε βαλόντε

ἀμφοτέρω κρυεροῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο;

ἦ τί μοι εἴδωλον τόδʼ ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια

ὤτρυνʼ, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω;

215ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ·

ὤ μοι, τέκνον ἐμόν, περὶ πάντων κάμμορε φωτῶν,

οὔ τί σε Περσεφόνεια Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀπαφίσκει,

ἀλλʼ αὕτη δίκη ἐστὶ βροτῶν, ὅτε τίς κε θάνῃσιν·

οὐ γὰρ ἔτι σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα ἶνες ἔχουσιν,

220ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν τε πυρὸς κρατερὸν μένος αἰθομένοιο

δαμνᾷ, ἐπεί κε πρῶτα λίπῃ λεύκʼ ὀστέα θυμός,

ψυχὴ δʼ ἠύτʼ ὄνειρος ἀποπταμένη πεπότηται.

ἀλλὰ φόωσδε τάχιστα λιλαίεο· ταῦτα δὲ πάντα

ἴσθʼ, ἵνα καὶ μετόπισθε τεῇ εἴπῃσθα γυναικί.

204So she spoke. I pondered in my mind and wished

205to clasp the shade of my dead mother.

Three times I sprang toward her, and my heart urged me to hold her;

three times she fluttered through my hands like a shadow

or a dream, and the sharp pain grew deeper in my heart.

I spoke to her in winged words:

210‘My mother, why will you not stay for me, eager as I am to hold you,

so that even in Hades we may throw our loving arms around each other

and find some comfort in our icy lament?

Or is this only an image that august Persephone

has sent to make me grieve and groan still more?’

215So I spoke, and my honored mother answered at once:

‘Oh my child, most ill-fated of all men,

Persephone, daughter of Zeus, is not deceiving you.

This is the condition of mortals whenever one dies:

the sinews no longer hold flesh and bones together,

220but the fierce force of blazing fire consumes them

once life has first left the white bones,

and the shade flies away and flutters like a dream.

Hurry now toward the light. Remember all these things,

so that afterward you may tell them to your wife.’

225νῶι μὲν ὣς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβόμεθʼ, αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες

ἤλυθον, ὤτρυνεν γὰρ ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια,

ὅσσαι ἀριστήων ἄλοχοι ἔσαν ἠδὲ θύγατρες.

αἱ δʼ ἀμφʼ αἷμα κελαινὸν ἀολλέες ἠγερέθοντο,

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ βούλευον ὅπως ἐρέοιμι ἑκάστην.

230ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή·

σπασσάμενος τανύηκες ἄορ παχέος παρὰ μηροῦ

οὐκ εἴων πίνειν ἅμα πάσας αἷμα κελαινόν.

αἱ δὲ προμνηστῖναι ἐπήισαν, ἠδὲ ἑκάστη

ὃν γόνον ἐξαγόρευεν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐρέεινον ἁπάσας.

225So we two exchanged our words, while the women

came forward, for august Persephone had urged them on—

all who had been wives or daughters of noble men.

They gathered in a throng around the dark blood,

while I considered how I might question each one.

230This seemed the best plan to my mind:

I drew the long-edged sword from beside my sturdy thigh

and would not let them all drink the dark blood at once.

One after another they came forward, and each woman

declared her lineage; I questioned every one.

235ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι πρώτην Τυρὼ ἴδον εὐπατέρειαν,

ἣ φάτο Σαλμωνῆος ἀμύμονος ἔκγονος εἶναι,

φῆ δὲ Κρηθῆος γυνὴ ἔμμεναι Αἰολίδαο·

ἣ ποταμοῦ ἠράσσατʼ Ἐνιπῆος θείοιο,

ὃς πολὺ κάλλιστος ποταμῶν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἵησι,

240καί ῥʼ ἐπʼ Ἐνιπῆος πωλέσκετο καλὰ ῥέεθρα.

τῷ δʼ ἄρα εἰσάμενος γαιήοχος ἐννοσίγαιος

ἐν προχοῇς ποταμοῦ παρελέξατο δινήεντος·

πορφύρεον δʼ ἄρα κῦμα περιστάθη, οὔρεϊ ἶσον,

κυρτωθέν, κρύψεν δὲ θεὸν θνητήν τε γυναῖκα.

245λῦσε δὲ παρθενίην ζώνην, κατὰ δʼ ὕπνον ἔχευεν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥʼ ἐτέλεσσε θεὸς φιλοτήσια ἔργα,

ἔν τʼ ἄρα οἱ φῦ χειρί, ἔπος τʼ ἔφατʼ ἔκ τʼ ὀνόμαζε·

χαῖρε, γύναι, φιλότητι· περιπλομένου δʼ ἐνιαυτοῦ

τέξεις ἀγλαὰ τέκνα, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἀποφώλιοι εὐναὶ

250ἀθανάτων· σὺ δὲ τοὺς κομέειν ἀτιταλλέμεναί τε.

νῦν δʼ ἔρχευ πρὸς δῶμα, καὶ ἴσχεο μηδʼ ὀνομήνῃς·

αὐτὰρ ἐγώ τοί εἰμι Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὑπὸ πόντον ἐδύσετο κυμαίνοντα.

ἡ δʼ ὑποκυσαμένη Πελίην τέκε καὶ Νηλῆα,

255τὼ κρατερὼ θεράποντε Διὸς μεγάλοιο γενέσθην

ἀμφοτέρω· Πελίης μὲν ἐν εὐρυχόρῳ Ἰαωλκῷ

ναῖε πολύρρηνος, ὁ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν Πύλῳ ἠμαθόεντι.

τοὺς δʼ ἑτέρους Κρηθῆι τέκεν βασίλεια γυναικῶν,

Αἴσονά τʼ ἠδὲ Φέρητʼ Ἀμυθάονά θʼ ἱππιοχάρμην.

235The first I saw there was Tyro, born of a noble father.

She said she was the daughter of faultless Salmoneus

and the wife of Cretheus, son of Aeolus.

She fell in love with the divine river Enipeus,

the most beautiful of all rivers that run over the earth,

240and often walked beside Enipeus’ lovely streams.

But the Earth-holder and Earthshaker took his likeness

and lay beside her at the mouth of the eddying river.

A dark wave, arched and high as a mountain, rose around them

and concealed both the god and the mortal woman.

245He loosened her virgin girdle and poured sleep over her.

When the god had completed the acts of love,

he clasped her hand and spoke, declaring his name:

‘Woman, take joy in our union. When the year comes round,

you will bear splendid children, since the beds of immortals

250are not fruitless. Tend them well and raise them.

Now go home, hold your peace, and name me to no one.

I am Poseidon, the Shaker of the Earth.’

With that he plunged beneath the surging sea.

She conceived and bore Pelias and Neleus,

255and both became strong servants of great Zeus:

Pelias lived in broad Iolcus,

rich in sheep, and Neleus in sandy Pylos.

To Cretheus the queenly woman bore her other sons:

Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon, fighter from the chariot.

260τὴν δὲ μετʼ Ἀντιόπην ἴδον, Ἀσωποῖο θύγατρα,

ἣ δὴ καὶ Διὸς εὔχετʼ ἐν ἀγκοίνῃσιν ἰαῦσαι,

καί ῥʼ ἔτεκεν δύο παῖδʼ, Ἀμφίονά τε Ζῆθόν τε,

οἳ πρῶτοι Θήβης ἕδος ἔκτισαν ἑπταπύλοιο,

πύργωσάν τʼ, ἐπεὶ οὐ μὲν ἀπύργωτόν γʼ ἐδύναντο

265ναιέμεν εὐρύχορον Θήβην, κρατερώ περ ἐόντε.

τὴν δὲ μετʼ Ἀλκμήνην ἴδον, Ἀμφιτρύωνος ἄκοιτιν,

ἥ ῥʼ Ἡρακλῆα θρασυμέμνονα θυμολέοντα

γείνατʼ ἐν ἀγκοίνῃσι Διὸς μεγάλοιο μιγεῖσα·

καὶ Μεγάρην, Κρείοντος ὑπερθύμοιο θύγατρα,

270τὴν ἔχεν Ἀμφιτρύωνος υἱὸς μένος αἰὲν ἀτειρής.

260After her I saw Antiope, daughter of Asopus,

who boasted that she had rested even in the arms of Zeus.

She bore two sons, Amphion and Zethus,

who first founded the seat of seven-gated Thebes

and built its walls, since powerful though they were, they could not

265live in broad Thebes while it stood unwalled.

After her I saw Alcmene, Amphitryon’s wife,

who bore Heracles, bold in battle, with a lion’s heart,

after mingling in the arms of great Zeus;

and Megara, daughter of high-spirited Creon,

270whom Amphitryon’s son, whose strength never yielded, took as wife.

271μητέρα τʼ Οἰδιπόδαο ἴδον, καλὴν Ἐπικάστην,

ἣ μέγα ἔργον ἔρεξεν ἀιδρείῃσι νόοιο

γημαμένη ᾧ υἷι· ὁ δʼ ὃν πατέρʼ ἐξεναρίξας

γῆμεν· ἄφαρ δʼ ἀνάπυστα θεοὶ θέσαν ἀνθρώποισιν.

275ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐν Θήβῃ πολυηράτῳ ἄλγεα πάσχων

Καδμείων ἤνασσε θεῶν ὀλοὰς διὰ βουλάς·

ἡ δʼ ἔβη εἰς Ἀίδαο πυλάρταο κρατεροῖο,

ἁψαμένη βρόχον αἰπὺν ἀφʼ ὑψηλοῖο μελάθρου,

ᾧ ἄχεϊ σχομένη· τῷ δʼ ἄλγεα κάλλιπʼ ὀπίσσω

280πολλὰ μάλʼ, ὅσσα τε μητρὸς Ἐρινύες ἐκτελέουσιν.

271I saw the mother of Oedipus too, beautiful Epicaste,

who in the ignorance of her mind committed a monstrous act

by marrying her own son; he had slain his father,

then took her as his wife. The gods soon exposed it to humankind.

275He ruled the Cadmeans in beloved Thebes, enduring pain

through the gods’ destructive designs;

but she went down to the house of Hades, the mighty gatekeeper,

fastening a deadly noose from the high roof-beam,

overcome by grief. To him she left behind every pain

280the avenging spirits of a mother bring to pass.

281καὶ Χλῶριν εἶδον περικαλλέα, τήν ποτε Νηλεὺς

γῆμεν ἑὸν διὰ κάλλος, ἐπεὶ πόρε μυρία ἕδνα,

ὁπλοτάτην κούρην Ἀμφίονος Ἰασίδαο,

ὅς ποτʼ ἐν Ὀρχομενῷ Μινυείῳ ἶφι ἄνασσεν·

285ἡ δὲ Πύλου βασίλευε, τέκεν δέ οἱ ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,

Νέστορά τε Χρόνιον τε Περικλύμενόν τʼ ἀγέρωχον.

τοῖσι δʼ ἐπʼ ἰφθίμην Πηρὼ τέκε, θαῦμα βροτοῖσι,

τὴν πάντες μνώοντο περικτίται· οὐδʼ ἄρα Νηλεὺς

τῷ ἐδίδου ὃς μὴ ἕλικας βόας εὐρυμετώπους

290ἐκ Φυλάκης ἐλάσειε βίης Ἰφικληείης

ἀργαλέας· τὰς δʼ οἶος ὑπέσχετο μάντις ἀμύμων

ἐξελάαν· χαλεπὴ δὲ θεοῦ κατὰ μοῖρα πέδησε,

δεσμοί τʼ ἀργαλέοι καὶ βουκόλοι ἀγροιῶται.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ μῆνές τε καὶ ἡμέραι ἐξετελεῦντο

295ἂψ περιτελλομένου ἔτεος καὶ ἐπήλυθον ὧραι,

καὶ τότε δή μιν ἔλυσε βίη Ἰφικληείη,

θέσφατα πάντʼ εἰπόντα· Διὸς δʼ ἐτελείετο βουλή.

281I saw exceedingly beautiful Chloris, whom Neleus once

married for her beauty after giving countless bride-gifts.

She was the youngest daughter of Amphion son of Iasus,

who once ruled mighty Minyan Orchomenus.

285She was queen in Pylos and bore him splendid children:

Nestor, Chromius, and proud Periclymenus.

After them she bore powerful Pero, a wonder to mortals,

whom all the neighboring men courted. But Neleus would give her

only to the man who drove the curved-horned, broad-browed cattle

290of mighty Iphiclus out of Phylace—

a difficult task. Only one man, a faultless prophet, undertook

to drive them out, but a hard divine fate bound him:

cruel bonds and cowherds of the fields held him.

But when the months and days had run their course,

295the year turned round again, and the seasons came,

then mighty Iphiclus released him

after he told all the prophecies; the will of Zeus was fulfilled.

298καὶ Λήδην εἶδον, τὴν Τυνδαρέου παράκοιτιν,

ἥ ῥʼ ὑπὸ Τυνδαρέῳ κρατερόφρονε γείνατο παῖδε,

300Κάστορά θʼ ἱππόδαμον καὶ πὺξ ἀγαθὸν Πολυδεύκεα,

τοὺς ἄμφω ζωοὺς κατέχει φυσίζοος αἶα·

οἳ καὶ νέρθεν γῆς τιμὴν πρὸς Ζηνὸς ἔχοντες

ἄλλοτε μὲν ζώουσʼ ἑτερήμεροι, ἄλλοτε δʼ αὖτε

τεθνᾶσιν· τιμὴν δὲ λελόγχασιν ἶσα θεοῖσι.

305τὴν δὲ μετʼ Ἰφιμέδειαν, Ἀλωῆος παράκοιτιν

εἴσιδον, ἣ δὴ φάσκε Ποσειδάωνι μιγῆναι,

καί ῥʼ ἔτεκεν δύο παῖδε, μινυνθαδίω δʼ ἐγενέσθην,

Ὦτόν τʼ ἀντίθεον τηλεκλειτόν τʼ Ἐφιάλτην,

οὓς δὴ μηκίστους θρέψε ζείδωρος ἄρουρα

310καὶ πολὺ καλλίστους μετά γε κλυτὸν Ὠρίωνα·

ἐννέωροι γὰρ τοί γε καὶ ἐννεαπήχεες ἦσαν

εὖρος, ἀτὰρ μῆκός γε γενέσθην ἐννεόργυιοι.

οἵ ῥα καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀπειλήτην ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ

φυλόπιδα στήσειν πολυάικος πολέμοιο.

315Ὄσσαν ἐπʼ Οὐλύμπῳ μέμασαν θέμεν, αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ Ὄσσῃ

Πήλιον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἵνʼ οὐρανὸς ἀμβατὸς εἴη.

καί νύ κεν ἐξετέλεσσαν, εἰ ἥβης μέτρον ἵκοντο·

ἀλλʼ ὄλεσεν Διὸς υἱός, ὃν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ,

ἀμφοτέρω, πρίν σφωιν ὑπὸ κροτάφοισιν ἰούλους

320ἀνθῆσαι πυκάσαι τε γένυς ἐυανθέι λάχνῃ.

298I saw Leda too, Tyndareus’ wife,

who bore Tyndareus two strong-hearted sons:

300Castor, breaker of horses, and Polydeuces, good with his fists.

The life-giving earth holds both of them alive;

even beneath the earth they receive honor from Zeus,

living on alternate days and then, in turn,

lying dead; the honor allotted them is equal to the gods’.

305After her I saw Iphimedeia, Aloeus’ wife,

who said that she had lain with Poseidon.

She bore two sons, though their lives were brief:

godlike Otus and far-famed Ephialtes.

The life-giving earth raised them as the tallest men

310and by far the handsomest after renowned Orion.

At nine years old they were nine cubits across

and had grown nine fathoms tall.

They even threatened to raise against the immortals on Olympus

the clash of all-assailing war.

315They longed to set Ossa on Olympus, and on Ossa

leaf-trembling Pelion, so that heaven could be climbed.

They would have accomplished it if they had reached manhood,

but the son of Zeus whom lovely-haired Leto bore killed

them both, before the down beneath their temples bloomed

320and covered their chins with a full-grown beard.

321Φαίδρην τε Πρόκριν τε ἴδον καλήν τʼ Ἀριάδνην,

κούρην Μίνωος ὀλοόφρονος, ἥν ποτε Θησεὺς

ἐκ Κρήτης ἐς γουνὸν Ἀθηνάων ἱεράων

ἦγε μέν, οὐδʼ ἀπόνητο· πάρος δέ μιν Ἄρτεμις ἔκτα

325Δίῃ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ Διονύσου μαρτυρίῃσιν.

Μαῖράν τε Κλυμένην τε ἴδον στυγερήν τʼ Ἐριφύλην,

ἣ χρυσὸν φίλου ἀνδρὸς ἐδέξατο τιμήεντα.

πάσας δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ὀνομήνω,

ὅσσας ἡρώων ἀλόχους ἴδον ἠδὲ θύγατρας·

330πρὶν γάρ κεν καὶ νὺξ φθῖτʼ ἄμβροτος. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥρη

εὕδειν, ἢ ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν ἐλθόντʼ ἐς ἑταίρους

ἢ αὐτοῦ· πομπὴ δὲ θεοῖς ὑμῖν τε μελήσει.

321I saw Phaedra and Procris and beautiful Ariadne,

daughter of deadly-minded Minos, whom Theseus once

led from Crete toward the hill of sacred Athens

but never had joy of her: Artemis had killed her first

325on sea-girt Dia at Dionysus’ testimony.

I saw Maera and Clymene and hateful Eriphyle,

who accepted precious gold as the price of her own husband.

But I could not tell or name them all—

all the wives and daughters of heroes I saw.

330The immortal night would wane before I finished. It is already time

for me to sleep, either after going to the swift ship and my companions

or here. My escort will be the concern of the gods and you.”

333ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ,

κηληθμῷ δʼ ἔσχοντο κατὰ μέγαρα σκιόεντα.

335τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀρήτη λευκώλενος ἤρχετο μύθων.

Φαίηκες, πῶς ὔμμιν ἀνὴρ ὅδε φαίνεται εἶναι

εἶδός τε μέγεθός τε ἰδὲ φρένας ἔνδον ἐίσας;

ξεῖνος δʼ αὖτʼ ἐμός ἐστιν, ἕκαστος δʼ ἔμμορε τιμῆς·

τῷ μὴ ἐπειγόμενοι ἀποπέμπετε, μηδὲ τὰ δῶρα

340οὕτω χρηίζοντι κολούετε· πολλὰ γὰρ ὑμῖν

κτήματʼ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι θεῶν ἰότητι κέονται.

τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε γέρων ἥρως Ἐχένηος,

ὃς δὴ Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν προγενέστερος ἦεν·

ὦ φίλοι, οὐ μὰν ἧμιν ἀπὸ σκοποῦ οὐδʼ ἀπὸ δόξης

345μυθεῖται βασίλεια περίφρων· ἀλλὰ πίθεσθε.

Ἀλκινόου δʼ ἐκ τοῦδʼ ἔχεται ἔργον τε ἔπος τε.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·

τοῦτο μὲν οὕτω δὴ ἔσται ἔπος, αἴ κεν ἐγώ γε

ζωὸς Φαιήκεσσι φιληρέτμοισιν ἀνάσσω·

350ξεῖνος δὲ τλήτω μάλα περ νόστοιο χατίζων

ἔμπης οὖν ἐπιμεῖναι ἐς αὔριον, εἰς ὅ κε πᾶσαν

δωτίνην τελέσω· πομπὴ δʼ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσει

πᾶσι, μάλιστα δʼ ἐμοί· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἔστʼ ἐνὶ δήμῳ.

333So he spoke, and they all stayed hushed in silence,

held under the spell of his words throughout the shadowed hall.

335White-armed Arete began to speak among them:

“Phaeacians, what sort of man does this seem to you

in appearance and stature, and in the balanced judgment within him?

He is my guest, yet each of you shares in the honor.

Do not hurry to send him away, and do not stint the gifts

340when he is in such need, for by the gods’ favor many

possessions lie stored for you within your halls.”

Then the old hero Echeneus spoke among them,

the eldest man of all the Phaeacians:

“Friends, the prudent queen’s words do not stray

345from our aim or our judgment. Obey her.

But both the deed and the word now rest with Alcinous.”

Alcinous answered him and said:

“Her word will stand, so long as I live

and rule the oar-loving Phaeacians.

350But although our guest longs deeply for his return, let him endure

and stay until tomorrow, so that I may complete

the whole gift. The escort will concern all the men,

but me most of all, since authority in the land is mine.”

354τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

355Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

εἴ με καὶ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἀνώγοιτʼ αὐτόθι μίμνειν,

πομπὴν δʼ ὀτρύνοιτε καὶ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα διδοῖτε,

καὶ κε τὸ βουλοίμην, καί κεν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη,

πλειοτέρῃ σὺν χειρὶ φίλην ἐς πατρίδʼ ἱκέσθαι·

360καί κʼ αἰδοιότερος καὶ φίλτερος ἀνδράσιν εἴην

πᾶσιν, ὅσοι μʼ Ἰθάκηνδε ἰδοίατο νοστήσαντα.

τὸν δʼ αὖτʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·

ὦ Ὀδυσεῦ, τὸ μὲν οὔ τί σʼ ἐίσκομεν εἰσορόωντες,

ἠπεροπῆά τʼ ἔμεν καὶ ἐπίκλοπον, οἷά τε πολλοὺς

365βόσκει γαῖα μέλαινα πολυσπερέας ἀνθρώπους,

ψεύδεά τʼ ἀρτύνοντας ὅθεν κέ τις οὐδὲ ἴδοιτο·

σοὶ δʼ ἔπι μὲν μορφὴ ἐπέων, ἔνι δὲ φρένες ἐσθλαί.

μῦθον δʼ ὡς ὅτʼ ἀοιδὸς ἐπισταμένως κατέλεξας,

πάντων τʼ Ἀργείων σέο τʼ αὐτοῦ κήδεα λυγρά.

370ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

εἴ τινας ἀντιθέων ἑτάρων ἴδες, οἵ τοι ἅμʼ αὐτῷ

Ἴλιον εἰς ἅμʼ ἕποντο καὶ αὐτοῦ πότμον ἐπέσπον.

νὺξ δʼ ἥδε μάλα μακρή, ἀθέσφατος· οὐδέ πω ὥρη

εὕδειν ἐν μεγάρῳ, σὺ δέ μοι λέγε θέσκελα ἔργα.

375καί κεν ἐς ἠῶ δῖαν ἀνασχοίμην, ὅτε μοι σὺ

τλαίης ἐν μεγάρῳ τὰ σὰ κήδεα μυθήσασθαι.

354Resourceful Odysseus answered him:

355“Lord Alcinous, renowned above all your people,

if you asked me to remain here even for a year,

while preparing my escort and giving glorious gifts,

I would choose it. It would be far better for me

to reach my own native land with a fuller hand,

360and I would be more respected and dearer to all the men

who saw me return to Ithaca.”

Alcinous answered him and said:

“Odysseus, when we look at you, we do not imagine

you are a deceiver or a stealthy trickster, like the many

365far-scattered people the black earth feeds,

who fashion lies from sources no one could even see.

Your words have grace, and there is sound judgment within you.

Like a singer with understanding, you have told the story

of the grievous sorrows of all the Argives and of yourself.

370But come, tell me this and give me a precise account:

did you see any of your godlike companions who went

with you to Ilios and met their fate there?

This night is very long, immeasurably so, and it is not yet time

to sleep in the hall. Go on telling me wondrous deeds.

375I could hold out even until bright dawn, if you

could bear to tell your sorrows in my halls.”

377τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

ὥρη μὲν πολέων μύθων, ὥρη δὲ καὶ ὕπνου·

380εἰ δʼ ἔτʼ ἀκουέμεναί γε λιλαίεαι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γε

τούτων σοι φθονέοιμι καὶ οἰκτρότερʼ ἄλλʼ ἀγορεύειν,

κήδεʼ ἐμῶν ἑτάρων, οἳ δὴ μετόπισθεν ὄλοντο,

οἳ Τρώων μὲν ὑπεξέφυγον στονόεσσαν ἀυτήν,

ἐν νόστῳ δʼ ἀπόλοντο κακῆς ἰότητι γυναικός.

385αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ψυχὰς μὲν ἀπεσκέδασʼ ἄλλυδις ἄλλῃ

ἁγνὴ Περσεφόνεια γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων,

ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ ψυχὴ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο

ἀχνυμένη· περὶ δʼ ἄλλαι ἀγηγέραθʼ, ὅσσοι ἅμʼ αὐτῷ

οἴκῳ ἐν Αἰγίσθοιο θάνον καὶ πότμον ἐπέσπον.

390ἔγνω δʼ αἶψʼ ἔμʼ ἐκεῖνος, ἐπεὶ πίεν αἷμα κελαινόν·

κλαῖε δʼ ὅ γε λιγέως, θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυον εἴβων,

πιτνὰς εἰς ἐμὲ χεῖρας, ὀρέξασθαι μενεαίνων·

ἀλλʼ οὐ γάρ οἱ ἔτʼ ἦν ἲς ἔμπεδος οὐδέ τι κῖκυς,

οἵη περ πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσι.

377Resourceful Odysseus answered him:

“Lord Alcinous, renowned above all your people,

there is a time for many tales, and a time for sleep.

380But if you still desire to listen, I would not begrudge you

a tale of other things still more pitiful—

the sorrows of my companions who perished afterward.

They escaped the Trojans’ groan-filled battle cry,

but died on their return through an evil woman’s will.

385When holy Persephone had scattered the shades

of the women in every direction,

the shade of Agamemnon son of Atreus came toward me,

grieving; around him gathered all the others who

died and met their fate with him in Aegisthus’ house.

390He knew me as soon as he drank the dark blood.

He wept with piercing cries, shedding swelling tears,

and stretched his hands toward me, longing to reach me,

but he no longer had the steady force or strength

that had once been in his supple limbs.

395τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δάκρυσα ἰδὼν ἐλέησά τε θυμῷ,

καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων·

Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε, ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον,

τίς νύ σε κὴρ ἐδάμασσε τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο;

ἦε σέ γʼ ἐν νήεσσι Ποσειδάων ἐδάμασσεν

400ὄρσας ἀργαλέων ἀνέμων ἀμέγαρτον ἀυτμήν;

ἦέ σʼ ἀνάρσιοι ἄνδρες ἐδηλήσαντʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου

βοῦς περιταμνόμενον ἠδʼ οἰῶν πώεα καλά,

ἠὲ περὶ πτόλιος μαχεούμενον ἠδὲ γυναικῶν;

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε·

405διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

οὔτʼ ἐμέ γʼ ἐν νήεσσι Ποσειδάων ἐδάμασσεν

ὄρσας ἀργαλέων ἀνέμων ἀμέγαρτον ἀυτμήν,

οὔτε μʼ ἀνάρσιοι ἄνδρες ἐδηλήσαντʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου,

ἀλλά μοι Αἴγισθος τεύξας θάνατόν τε μόρον τε

410ἔκτα σὺν οὐλομένῃ ἀλόχῳ, οἶκόνδε καλέσσας,

δειπνίσσας, ὥς τίς τε κατέκτανε βοῦν ἐπὶ φάτνῃ.

ὣς θάνον οἰκτίστῳ θανάτῳ· περὶ δʼ ἄλλοι ἑταῖροι

νωλεμέως κτείνοντο σύες ὣς ἀργιόδοντες,

οἵ ῥά τʼ ἐν ἀφνειοῦ ἀνδρὸς μέγα δυναμένοιο

415ἢ γάμῳ ἢ ἐράνῳ ἢ εἰλαπίνῃ τεθαλυίῃ.

ἤδη μὲν πολέων φόνῳ ἀνδρῶν ἀντεβόλησας,

μουνὰξ κτεινομένων καὶ ἐνὶ κρατερῇ ὑσμίνῃ·

ἀλλά κε κεῖνα μάλιστα ἰδὼν ὀλοφύραο θυμῷ,

ὡς ἀμφὶ κρητῆρα τραπέζας τε πληθούσας

420κείμεθʼ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ, δάπεδον δʼ ἅπαν αἵματι θῦεν.

395When I saw him, I wept and pitied him in my heart,

and I spoke to him in winged words:

‘Most glorious son of Atreus, Agamemnon, lord of men,

what doom of grievous death subdued you?

Did Poseidon overcome you among your ships

400by rousing the irresistible blast of punishing winds?

Or did hostile men destroy you on land

as you cut off their cattle and fine flocks of sheep,

or fought for their city and their women?’

So I spoke, and he answered me at once:

405‘Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

Poseidon did not overcome me among my ships

by rousing the irresistible blast of punishing winds,

nor did hostile men destroy me on land.

Aegisthus devised my death and doom,

410and with my accursed wife killed me after calling me home

and giving me dinner, as a man kills an ox at its manger.

That was my most pitiful death. Around me my other companions

were killed without pause like white-tusked pigs

at the home of a rich and mighty man

415for a wedding, a communal feast, or a lavish banquet.

You have already met the slaughter of many men,

killed singly or in the crush of powerful battle,

but you would have grieved most of all to see us there,

lying around the mixing bowl and the tables piled with food

420inside the hall, while the whole floor steamed with blood.

421οἰκτροτάτην δʼ ἤκουσα ὄπα Πριάμοιο θυγατρός,

Κασσάνδρης, τὴν κτεῖνε Κλυταιμνήστρη δολόμητις

ἀμφʼ ἐμοί, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ ποτὶ γαίῃ χεῖρας ἀείρων

βάλλον ἀποθνήσκων περὶ φασγάνῳ· ἡ δὲ κυνῶπις

425νοσφίσατʼ, οὐδέ μοι ἔτλη ἰόντι περ εἰς Ἀίδαο

χερσὶ κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑλέειν σύν τε στόμʼ ἐρεῖσαι.

ὣς οὐκ αἰνότερον καὶ κύντερον ἄλλο γυναικός,

ἥ τις δὴ τοιαῦτα μετὰ φρεσὶν ἔργα βάληται·

οἷον δὴ καὶ κείνη ἐμήσατο ἔργον ἀεικές,

430κουριδίῳ τεύξασα πόσει φόνον. ἦ τοι ἔφην γε

ἀσπάσιος παίδεσσιν ἰδὲ δμώεσσιν ἐμοῖσιν

οἴκαδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι· ἡ δʼ ἔξοχα λυγρὰ ἰδυῖα

οἷ τε κατʼ αἶσχος ἔχευε καὶ ἐσσομένῃσιν ὀπίσσω

θηλυτέρῃσι γυναιξί, καὶ ἥ κʼ ἐυεργὸς ἔῃσιν.

421The most pitiful voice I heard was Cassandra’s,

Priam’s daughter, whom deceitful Clytemnestra killed

beside me. As I died over the sword, I lifted my hands

and beat them against the ground, but the dog-faced woman

425turned away and would not, even as I went to Hades,

close my eyes with her hands or press my mouth shut.

Nothing else is more terrible or more shameless than a woman

who sets her mind on deeds like these,

such as the infamous act that woman devised,

430plotting murder for the husband she had married.

I thought I would return home to the delight

of my children and enslaved people, but her surpassing knowledge of evil

poured disgrace upon herself and upon every woman

who comes after her, even one whose deeds are good.’

435ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ γόνον Ἀτρέος εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς

ἐκπάγλως ἤχθηρε γυναικείας διὰ βουλὰς

ἐξ ἀρχῆς· Ἑλένης μὲν ἀπωλόμεθʼ εἵνεκα πολλοί,

σοὶ δὲ Κλυταιμνήστρη δόλον ἤρτυε τηλόθʼ ἐόντι.

440ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε·

τῷ νῦν μή ποτε καὶ σὺ γυναικί περ ἤπιος εἶναι·

μή οἱ μῦθον ἅπαντα πιφαυσκέμεν, ὅν κʼ ἐὺ εἰδῇς,

ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν φάσθαι, τὸ δὲ καὶ κεκρυμμένον εἶναι.

ἀλλʼ οὐ σοί γʼ, Ὀδυσεῦ, φόνος ἔσσεται ἔκ γε γυναικός·

445λίην γὰρ πινυτή τε καὶ εὖ φρεσὶ μήδεα οἶδε

κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρων Πηνελόπεια.

ἦ μέν μιν νύμφην γε νέην κατελείπομεν ἡμεῖς

ἐρχόμενοι πόλεμόνδε· πάϊς δέ οἱ ἦν ἐπὶ μαζῷ

νήπιος, ὅς που νῦν γε μετʼ ἀνδρῶν ἵζει ἀριθμῷ,

450ὄλβιος· ἦ γὰρ τόν γε πατὴρ φίλος ὄψεται ἐλθών,

καὶ κεῖνος πατέρα προσπτύξεται, ἣ θέμις ἐστίν.

ἡ δʼ ἐμὴ οὐδέ περ υἷος ἐνιπλησθῆναι ἄκοιτις

ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἔασε· πάρος δέ με πέφνε καὶ αὐτόν.

ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·

455κρύβδην, μηδʼ ἀναφανδά, φίλην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν

νῆα κατισχέμεναι· ἐπεὶ οὐκέτι πιστὰ γυναιξίν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον,

εἴ που ἔτι ζώοντος ἀκούετε παιδὸς ἐμοῖο,

ἤ που ἐν Ὀρχομενῷ ἢ ἐν Πύλῳ ἠμαθόεντι,

460ἤ που πὰρ Μενελάῳ ἐνὶ Σπάρτῃ εὐρείῃ·

οὐ γάρ πω τέθνηκεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ δῖος Ὀρέστης.

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

Ἀτρεΐδη, τί με ταῦτα διείρεαι; οὐδέ τι οἶδα,

ζώει ὅ γʼ ἦ τέθνηκε· κακὸν δʼ ἀνεμώλια βάζειν.

435So he spoke, and I answered him:

‘How terrible! Far-seeing Zeus has shown a violent hatred

for the line of Atreus through women’s designs

from the beginning. Many of us perished because of Helen,

and while you were far away Clytemnestra prepared a trap for you.’

440So I spoke, and he answered me at once:

‘Then never be too gentle even with your own wife.

Do not disclose to her the whole account you know,

but tell her part and keep part concealed.

Yet your death, Odysseus, will not come at a woman’s hands,

445for she is very wise and knows good counsels in her heart—

the daughter of Icarius, discerning Penelope.

She was a young bride when we left her

and went to war, with her infant son at her breast.

Now, I suppose, he sits counted among the men,

450a fortunate son. His own father will see him when he returns,

and he will embrace his father, as is right.

But my wife did not allow me to fill my eyes

with the sight of my son; she killed me first.

I will tell you something else—set it in your mind:

455bring your ship secretly to your native land,

not openly, since women can no longer be trusted.

But come, tell me this and give me a precise account:

have you heard whether my son is still alive,

perhaps in Orchomenus or sandy Pylos,

460or perhaps with Menelaus in broad Sparta?

For godlike Orestes has not yet died on earth.’

So he spoke, and I answered him:

‘Son of Atreus, why ask me this? I do not know

whether he is alive or dead, and it is wrong to speak empty words.’

465νῶι μὲν ὣς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβομένω στυγεροῖσιν

ἕσταμεν ἀχνύμενοι θαλερὸν κατὰ δάκρυ χέοντες·

ἦλθε δʼ ἐπὶ ψυχὴ Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος

καὶ Πατροκλῆος καὶ ἀμύμονος Ἀντιλόχοιο

Αἴαντός θʼ, ὃς ἄριστος ἔην εἶδός τε δέμας τε

470τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.

ἔγνω δὲ ψυχή με ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

σχέτλιε, τίπτʼ ἔτι μεῖζον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μήσεαι ἔργον;

475πῶς ἔτλης Ἄϊδόσδε κατελθέμεν, ἔνθα τε νεκροὶ

ἀφραδέες ναίουσι, βροτῶν εἴδωλα καμόντων;

ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

ὦ Ἀχιλεῦ Πηλῆος υἱέ, μέγα φέρτατʼ Ἀχαιῶν,

ἦλθον Τειρεσίαο κατὰ χρέος, εἴ τινα βουλὴν

480εἴποι, ὅπως Ἰθάκην ἐς παιπαλόεσσαν ἱκοίμην·

οὐ γάρ πω σχεδὸν ἦλθον Ἀχαιΐδος, οὐδέ πω ἁμῆς

γῆς ἐπέβην, ἀλλʼ αἰὲν ἔχω κακά. σεῖο δʼ, Ἀχιλλεῦ,

οὔ τις ἀνὴρ προπάροιθε μακάρτατος οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ὀπίσσω.

πρὶν μὲν γάρ σε ζωὸν ἐτίομεν ἶσα θεοῖσιν

485Ἀργεῖοι, νῦν αὖτε μέγα κρατέεις νεκύεσσιν

ἐνθάδʼ ἐών· τῷ μή τι θανὼν ἀκαχίζευ, Ἀχιλλεῦ.

465So we stood there exchanging words of sorrow,

grieving and shedding swelling tears.

Then came the shade of Achilles son of Peleus,

and those of Patroclus and faultless Antilochus,

and Ajax, who in appearance and stature had been the finest

470of all the Danaans after the faultless son of Peleus.

The shade of the swift-footed descendant of Aeacus knew me,

and with a wail he spoke to me in winged words:

‘Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

reckless man, what deed still greater will you devise in your mind?

475How did you dare come down to Hades, where the dead

live without perception, images of toil-worn mortals?’

So he spoke, and I answered him:

‘Achilles son of Peleus, greatest by far of the Achaeans,

I came out of need for Tiresias, hoping he might advise me

480how I could reach rugged Ithaca.

I have not yet come near Achaean land or set foot

on our own soil, but always endure hardship. But you, Achilles—

no man before you was more fortunate, nor will any be after.

When you were alive, we Argives honored you like the gods,

485and now that you are here you rule with power among the dead.

So do not grieve at all that you are dead, Achilles.’

487ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπε·

μὴ δή μοι θάνατόν γε παραύδα, φαίδιμʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ.

βουλοίμην κʼ ἐπάρουρος ἐὼν θητευέμεν ἄλλῳ,

490ἀνδρὶ παρʼ ἀκλήρῳ, ᾧ μὴ βίοτος πολὺς εἴη,

ἢ πᾶσιν νεκύεσσι καταφθιμένοισιν ἀνάσσειν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι τοῦ παιδὸς ἀγαυοῦ μῦθον ἐνίσπες,

ἢ ἕπετʼ ἐς πόλεμον πρόμος ἔμμεναι, ἦε καὶ οὐκί.

εἰπὲ δέ μοι Πηλῆος ἀμύμονος, εἴ τι πέπυσσαι,

495ἢ ἔτʼ ἔχει τιμὴν πολέσιν μετὰ Μυρμιδόνεσσιν,

ἦ μιν ἀτιμάζουσιν ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα τε Φθίην τε,

οὕνεκά μιν κατὰ γῆρας ἔχει χεῖράς τε πόδας τε.

οὐ γὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπαρωγὸς ὑπʼ αὐγὰς ἠελίοιο,

τοῖος ἐών, οἷός ποτʼ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ εὐρείῃ

500πέφνον λαὸν ἄριστον, ἀμύνων Ἀργείοισιν·

εἰ τοιόσδʼ ἔλθοιμι μίνυνθά περ ἐς πατέρος δῶ·

τῷ κέ τεῳ στύξαιμι μένος καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους,

οἳ κεῖνον βιόωνται ἐέργουσίν τʼ ἀπὸ τιμῆς.

487So I spoke, and he answered me at once:

‘Do not try to reconcile me to death, illustrious Odysseus.

I would rather work the fields as a hired laborer for another,

490some landless man with barely enough to live on,

than rule over all the wasted dead.

But come, tell me the story of my splendid son—

did he follow the army to be a champion, or did he not?

Tell me too of faultless Peleus, if you have heard anything:

495does he still hold honor among the many Myrmidons,

or do they dishonor him throughout Hellas and Phthia

because old age has taken hold of his hands and feet?

For I am not there to help beneath the sunlight,

still the man I once was in broad Troy

500when I killed their finest warriors defending the Argives.

If I could come to my father’s house as that man, even briefly,

I would make my strength and irresistible hands hateful

to anyone who oppressed him and shut him out from honor.’

504ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

505ἦ τοι μὲν Πηλῆος ἀμύμονος οὔ τι πέπυσμαι,

αὐτάρ τοι παιδός γε Νεοπτολέμοιο φίλοιο

πᾶσαν ἀληθείην μυθήσομαι, ὥς με κελεύεις·

αὐτὸς γάρ μιν ἐγὼ κοίλης ἐπὶ νηὸς ἐίσης

ἤγαγον ἐκ Σκύρου μετʼ ἐυκνήμιδας Ἀχαιούς.

510ἦ τοι ὅτʼ ἀμφὶ πόλιν Τροίην φραζοίμεθα βουλάς,

αἰεὶ πρῶτος ἔβαζε καὶ οὐχ ἡμάρτανε μύθων·

Νέστωρ ἀντίθεος καὶ ἐγὼ νικάσκομεν οἴω.

αὐτὰρ ὅτʼ ἐν πεδίῳ Τρώων μαρναίμεθα χαλκῷ,

οὔ ποτʼ ἐνὶ πληθυῖ μένεν ἀνδρῶν οὐδʼ ἐν ὁμίλῳ,

515ἀλλὰ πολὺ προθέεσκε τὸ ὃν μένος οὐδενὶ εἴκων,

πολλοὺς δʼ ἄνδρας ἔπεφνεν ἐν αἰνῇ δηιοτῆτι.

πάντας δʼ οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδʼ ὀνομήνω,

ὅσσον λαὸν ἔπεφνεν ἀμύνων Ἀργείοισιν,

ἀλλʼ οἷον τὸν Τηλεφίδην κατενήρατο χαλκῷ,

520ἥρωʼ Εὐρύπυλον, πολλοὶ δʼ ἀμφʼ αὐτὸν ἑταῖροι

Κήτειοι κτείνοντο γυναίων εἵνεκα δώρων.

κεῖνον δὴ κάλλιστον ἴδον μετὰ Μέμνονα δῖον.

504So he spoke, and I answered him:

505‘I have heard no news at all of faultless Peleus,

but about your own dear son Neoptolemus

I will tell you the whole truth, as you ask.

I myself brought him in my balanced hollow ship

from Scyros to join the Achaeans in fine greaves.

510Whenever we discussed plans around the city of Troy,

he was always first to speak and never missed the mark;

only godlike Nestor and I would surpass him.

Whenever we fought the Trojans with bronze on the plain,

he never stayed among the mass of men or in the crowd,

515but ran far out in front, yielding to no one in his force,

and killed many men in the terrible fighting.

I could not tell or name them all—

all the people he killed defending the Argives—

but I can tell how he struck down the son of Telephus with bronze,

520the hero Eurypylus; around him many companions

were killed because of a woman’s gifts.

He was the handsomest man I saw after godlike Memnon.

523αὐτὰρ ὅτʼ εἰς ἵππον κατεβαίνομεν, ὃν κάμʼ Ἐπειός,

Ἀργείων οἱ ἄριστοι, ἐμοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ πάντα τέταλτο,

525ἠμὲν ἀνακλῖναι πυκινὸν λόχον ἠδʼ ἐπιθεῖναι,

ἔνθʼ ἄλλοι Δαναῶν ἡγήτορες ἠδὲ μέδοντες

δάκρυά τʼ ὠμόργνυντο τρέμον θʼ ὑπὸ γυῖα ἑκάστου·

κεῖνον δʼ οὔ ποτε πάμπαν ἐγὼν ἴδον ὀφθαλμοῖσιν

οὔτʼ ὠχρήσαντα χρόα κάλλιμον οὔτε παρειῶν

530δάκρυ ὀμορξάμενον· ὁ δέ γε μάλα πόλλʼ ἱκέτευεν

ἱππόθεν ἐξέμεναι, ξίφεος δʼ ἐπεμαίετο κώπην

καὶ δόρυ χαλκοβαρές, κακὰ δὲ Τρώεσσι μενοίνα.

ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν,

μοῖραν καὶ γέρας ἐσθλὸν ἔχων ἐπὶ νηὸς ἔβαινεν

535ἀσκηθής, οὔτʼ ἂρ βεβλημένος ὀξέι χαλκῷ

οὔτʼ αὐτοσχεδίην οὐτασμένος, οἷά τε πολλὰ

γίγνεται ἐν πολέμῳ· ἐπιμὶξ δέ τε μαίνεται Ἄρης.

ὣς ἐφάμην, ψυχὴ δὲ ποδώκεος Αἰακίδαο

φοίτα μακρὰ βιβᾶσα κατʼ ἀσφοδελὸν λειμῶνα,

540γηθοσύνη ὅ οἱ υἱὸν ἔφην ἀριδείκετον εἶναι.

523Then we climbed inside the horse Epeius had built,

we who were the best of the Argives. All command was entrusted to me:

525both to open and to close the compact ambush.

There the other Danaan leaders and commanders

kept wiping away tears, and every man’s limbs trembled beneath him.

But with my own eyes I never once saw him

lose the color from his fine skin or wipe

530a tear from his cheeks. Again and again he begged

to leave the horse, grasping the hilt of his sword

and his bronze-heavy spear, intent on harm for the Trojans.

But when we had sacked Priam’s steep city,

he took his fair share and prize and boarded his ship

535unharmed, neither struck by the sharp bronze

nor wounded in close combat, as often happens

in war, for Ares rages without distinction.’

So I spoke, and the shade of the swift-footed descendant of Aeacus

strode away with long steps across the asphodel meadow,

540rejoicing because I had said his son was distinguished.

541αἱ δʼ ἄλλαι ψυχαὶ νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων

ἕστασαν ἀχνύμεναι, εἴροντο δὲ κήδεʼ ἑκάστη.

οἴη δʼ Αἴαντος ψυχὴ Τελαμωνιάδαο

νόσφιν ἀφεστήκει, κεχολωμένη εἵνεκα νίκης,

545τήν μιν ἐγὼ νίκησα δικαζόμενος παρὰ νηυσὶ

τεύχεσιν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλῆος· ἔθηκε δὲ πότνια μήτηρ.

παῖδες δὲ Τρώων δίκασαν καὶ Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη.

ὡς δὴ μὴ ὄφελον νικᾶν τοιῷδʼ ἐπʼ ἀέθλῳ·

τοίην γὰρ κεφαλὴν ἕνεκʼ αὐτῶν γαῖα κατέσχεν,

550Αἴανθʼ, ὃς πέρι μὲν εἶδος, πέρι δʼ ἔργα τέτυκτο

τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐωνα.

τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἐπέεσσι προσηύδων μειλιχίοισιν·

Αἶαν, παῖ Τελαμῶνος ἀμύμονος, οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλες

οὐδὲ θανὼν λήσεσθαι ἐμοὶ χόλου εἵνεκα τευχέων

555οὐλομένων; τὰ δὲ πῆμα θεοὶ θέσαν Ἀργείοισι,

τοῖος γάρ σφιν πύργος ἀπώλεο· σεῖο δʼ Ἀχαιοὶ

ἶσον Ἀχιλλῆος κεφαλῇ Πηληϊάδαο

ἀχνύμεθα φθιμένοιο διαμπερές· οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

αἴτιος, ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς Δαναῶν στρατὸν αἰχμητάων

560ἐκπάγλως ἤχθηρε, τεῒν δʼ ἐπὶ μοῖραν ἔθηκεν.

ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρο, ἄναξ, ἵνʼ ἔπος καὶ μῦθον ἀκούσῃς

ἡμέτερον· δάμασον δὲ μένος καὶ ἀγήνορα θυμόν.

ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ οὐδὲν ἀμείβετο, βῆ δὲ μετʼ ἄλλας

ψυχὰς εἰς Ἔρεβος νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων.

565ἔνθα χʼ ὅμως προσέφη κεχολωμένος, ἤ κεν ἐγὼ τόν·

ἀλλά μοι ἤθελε θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι

τῶν ἄλλων ψυχὰς ἰδέειν κατατεθνηώτων.

541The other shades of the dead and gone

stood grieving, and each asked about the sorrows left behind.

Only the shade of Ajax son of Telamon

stood apart, still angry over the victory

545I won in the judgment by the ships over Achilles’ armor—

a prize his honored mother had offered.

The sons of the Trojans and Pallas Athena gave the verdict.

How I wish I had never won such a contest!

For because of that armor the earth covered such a man,

550Ajax, who surpassed all the other Danaans in appearance

and in deeds, after the faultless son of Peleus.

I addressed him with conciliatory words:

‘Ajax, son of faultless Telamon, were you not going

even in death to forget your anger with me over that

555ruinous armor? The gods made it a grief for the Argives,

for in you they lost such a tower. The Achaeans

mourn your death without cease as deeply as Achilles’,

the son of Peleus. No one else is responsible—

Zeus hated the army of Danaan spearmen bitterly

560and laid that fate upon you.

Come here, my lord, and hear my word and speech.

Subdue your force and your proud spirit.’

So I spoke, but he answered nothing and went among the other

shades of the dead and gone into Erebus.

565There, despite his anger, he might still have spoken to me, or I to him,

but the spirit within my breast desired

to see the shades of the other dead.

568ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι Μίνωα ἴδον, Διὸς ἀγλαὸν υἱόν,

χρύσεον σκῆπτρον ἔχοντα, θεμιστεύοντα νέκυσσιν,

570ἥμενον, οἱ δέ μιν ἀμφὶ δίκας εἴροντο ἄνακτα,

ἥμενοι ἑσταότες τε κατʼ εὐρυπυλὲς Ἄϊδος δῶ.

τὸν δὲ μετʼ Ὠρίωνα πελώριον εἰσενόησα

θῆρας ὁμοῦ εἰλεῦντα κατʼ ἀσφοδελὸν λειμῶνα,

τοὺς αὐτὸς κατέπεφνεν ἐν οἰοπόλοισιν ὄρεσσι

575χερσὶν ἔχων ῥόπαλον παγχάλκεον, αἰὲν ἀαγές.

568Then I saw Minos, the splendid son of Zeus,

holding a golden scepter and giving judgments to the dead.

570seated, while those around him asked their king for judgments,

some sitting and some standing throughout the wide-gated house of Hades.

After him I noticed gigantic Orion

driving wild beasts together across the asphodel meadow,

the same beasts he himself had killed in the lonely mountains,

575holding an all-bronze club in his hands, forever unbroken.

576καὶ Τιτυὸν εἶδον, Γαίης ἐρικυδέος υἱόν,

κείμενον ἐν δαπέδῳ· ὁ δʼ ἐπʼ ἐννέα κεῖτο πέλεθρα,

γῦπε δέ μιν ἑκάτερθε παρημένω ἧπαρ ἔκειρον,

δέρτρον ἔσω δύνοντες, ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἀπαμύνετο χερσί·

580Λητὼ γὰρ ἕλκησε, Διὸς κυδρὴν παράκοιτιν,

Πυθώδʼ ἐρχομένην διὰ καλλιχόρου Πανοπῆος.

καὶ μὴν Τάνταλον εἰσεῖδον κρατέρʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντα

ἑστεῶτʼ ἐν λίμνῃ· ἡ δὲ προσέπλαζε γενείῳ·

στεῦτο δὲ διψάων, πιέειν δʼ οὐκ εἶχεν ἑλέσθαι·

585ὁσσάκι γὰρ κύψειʼ ὁ γέρων πιέειν μενεαίνων,

τοσσάχʼ ὕδωρ ἀπολέσκετʼ ἀναβροχέν, ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ

γαῖα μέλαινα φάνεσκε, καταζήνασκε δὲ δαίμων.

δένδρεα δʼ ὑψιπέτηλα κατὰ κρῆθεν χέε καρπόν,

ὄγχναι καὶ ῥοιαὶ καὶ μηλέαι ἀγλαόκαρποι

590συκέαι τε γλυκεραὶ καὶ ἐλαῖαι τηλεθόωσαι·

τῶν ὁπότʼ ἰθύσειʼ ὁ γέρων ἐπὶ χερσὶ μάσασθαι,

τὰς δʼ ἄνεμος ῥίπτασκε ποτὶ νέφεα σκιόεντα.

576I saw Tityus too, son of glorious Earth,

lying on the ground; he stretched across nine acres.

Two vultures sat one on either side and tore at his liver,

plunging inside the membrane, while his hands could not drive them off,

580for he had assaulted Leto, the honored wife of Zeus,

as she went toward Pytho through lovely-dancing Panopeus.

And I saw Tantalus enduring powerful torments,

standing in a pool whose water reached his chin.

He stood there parched with thirst but could not take a drink.

585Every time the old man bent down, desperate to drink,

the water was swallowed up and vanished; around his feet

the black earth appeared, dried by a divine power.

High-crowned trees poured fruit down over his head—

pear trees, pomegranates, apple trees heavy with shining fruit,

590sweet fig trees, and flourishing olives.

But whenever the old man reached with his hands to touch them,

a wind would toss them up toward the shadowy clouds.

593καὶ μὴν Σίσυφον εἰσεῖδον κρατέρʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντα

λᾶαν βαστάζοντα πελώριον ἀμφοτέρῃσιν.

595ἦ τοι ὁ μὲν σκηριπτόμενος χερσίν τε ποσίν τε

λᾶαν ἄνω ὤθεσκε ποτὶ λόφον· ἀλλʼ ὅτε μέλλοι

ἄκρον ὑπερβαλέειν, τότʼ ἀποστρέψασκε κραταιίς·

αὖτις ἔπειτα πέδονδε κυλίνδετο λᾶας ἀναιδής.

αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἂψ ὤσασκε τιταινόμενος, κατὰ δʼ ἱδρὼς

600ἔρρεεν ἐκ μελέων, κονίη δʼ ἐκ κρατὸς ὀρώρει.

593And I saw Sisyphus enduring powerful torments,

heaving a gigantic stone with both hands.

595Bracing himself with hands and feet,

he kept pushing the stone uphill, but when he was about

to send it over the crest, an overpowering force would turn it back,

and the shameless stone would roll down to the plain again.

Then he would strain and shove it back, while sweat

600streamed from his limbs and dust rose above his head.

601τὸν δὲ μετʼ εἰσενόησα βίην Ἡρακληείην,

εἴδωλον· αὐτὸς δὲ μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι

τέρπεται ἐν θαλίῃς καὶ ἔχει καλλίσφυρον Ἥβην,

παῖδα Διὸς μεγάλοιο καὶ Ἥρης χρυσοπεδίλου.

605ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κλαγγὴ νεκύων ἦν οἰωνῶν ὥς,

πάντοσʼ ἀτυζομένων· ὁ δʼ ἐρεμνῇ νυκτὶ ἐοικώς,

γυμνὸν τόξον ἔχων καὶ ἐπὶ νευρῆφιν ὀιστόν,

δεινὸν παπταίνων, αἰεὶ βαλέοντι ἐοικώς.

σμερδαλέος δέ οἱ ἀμφὶ περὶ στήθεσσιν ἀορτὴρ

610χρύσεος ἦν τελαμών, ἵνα θέσκελα ἔργα τέτυκτο,

ἄρκτοι τʼ ἀγρότεροί τε σύες χαροποί τε λέοντες,

ὑσμῖναί τε μάχαι τε φόνοι τʼ ἀνδροκτασίαι τε.

μὴ τεχνησάμενος μηδʼ ἄλλο τι τεχνήσαιτο,

ὃς κεῖνον τελαμῶνα ἑῇ ἐγκάτθετο τέχνῃ.

615ἔγνω δʼ αὖτʼ ἔμʼ ἐκεῖνος, ἐπεὶ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

καί μʼ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ,

ἆ δείλʼ, ἦ τινὰ καὶ σὺ κακὸν μόρον ἡγηλάζεις,

ὅν περ ἐγὼν ὀχέεσκον ὑπʼ αὐγὰς ἠελίοιο.

620Ζηνὸς μὲν πάϊς ἦα Κρονίονος, αὐτὰρ ὀιζὺν

εἶχον ἀπειρεσίην· μάλα γὰρ πολὺ χείρονι φωτὶ

δεδμήμην, ὁ δέ μοι χαλεποὺς ἐπετέλλετʼ ἀέθλους.

καί ποτέ μʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἔπεμψε κύνʼ ἄξοντʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλον

φράζετο τοῦδέ γέ μοι κρατερώτερον εἶναι ἄεθλον·

625τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἀνένεικα καὶ ἤγαγον ἐξ Ἀίδαο·

Ἑρμείας δέ μʼ ἔπεμψεν ἰδὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

ὣς εἰπὼν ὁ μὲν αὖτις ἔβη δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω,

601After him I noticed Heracles in his might—

his image, for he himself rejoices at feasts

among the deathless gods and has Hebe of the lovely ankles,

daughter of great Zeus and Hera of the golden sandals.

605Around him rose the clamor of the dead like birds,

scattering in terror in every direction. He, like dark night,

held his bow bare, with an arrow on the string,

glaring terribly, forever like a man about to shoot.

A fearsome baldric ran across his chest,

610a golden strap on which marvelous deeds had been fashioned:

bears, wild boars, glaring lions,

battles and combats, murders and slaughters of men.

May the craftsman who conceived it never have done so,

nor ever fashion another such baldric with his art.

615He knew me as soon as his eyes saw me,

and with a wail he spoke to me in winged words:

‘Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

poor man, are you too driving on beneath some evil fate,

the kind I carried beneath the sunlight?

620I was the son of Zeus son of Cronus, yet endured

boundless misery. I was subjected to a man far worse than I,

and he assigned me difficult labors.

Once he sent me here to bring away the hound; he could imagine

no labor more difficult for me than that.

625I carried the creature up and led it out of Hades,

and Hermes and bright-eyed Athena guided me.’

With that he went back inside the house of Hades.

628αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτοῦ μένον ἔμπεδον, εἴ τις ἔτʼ ἔλθοι

ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων, οἳ δὴ τὸ πρόσθεν ὄλοντο.

630καί νύ κʼ ἔτι προτέρους ἴδον ἀνέρας, οὓς ἔθελόν περ,

Θησέα Πειρίθοόν τε, θεῶν ἐρικυδέα τέκνα·

ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἐπὶ ἔθνεʼ ἀγείρετο μυρία νεκρῶν

ἠχῇ θεσπεσίῃ· ἐμὲ δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει,

μή μοι Γοργείην κεφαλὴν δεινοῖο πελώρου

635ἐξ Ἀίδεω πέμψειεν ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια.

αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἐπὶ νῆα κιὼν ἐκέλευον ἑταίρους

αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι.

οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον.

τὴν δὲ κατʼ Ὠκεανὸν ποταμὸν φέρε κῦμα ῥόοιο,

640πρῶτα μὲν εἰρεσίῃ, μετέπειτα δὲ κάλλιμος οὖρος.

628But I stayed firmly where I was, in case there should still come

some hero among the men who died long ago.

630And I might have seen the men of earlier times whom I desired to see—

Theseus and Pirithous, glorious children of the gods—

but first the countless nations of the dead gathered

with an unearthly roar, and pale fear seized me

that the Gorgon’s head, that terrifying monster,

635might be sent against me from Hades by august Persephone.

At once I went to the ship and ordered my companions

to embark as well and cast off the stern cables.

They embarked at once and took their seats at the thole-pins.

The current’s wave carried her down the river Ocean—

640first with our rowing, and afterward with a following wind.”