Odyssey Book 12 Lines 127 to 221

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1 Odyssey Book 12 Lines 127 to 221 Translated and Annotated by David Gravolet Lesson XXIX Θρινακίην δ ἐς νῆσον ἀφίξεαι: ἔνθα δὲ πολλαὶ βόσκοντ Ἠελίοιο βόες καὶ ἴφια µῆλα, ἑπτὰ βοῶν ἀγέλαι, τόσα δ οἰῶν πώεα καλά, πεντήκοντα δ ἕκαστα. γόνος δ οὐ γίγνεται αὐτῶν, 130 οὐδέ ποτε φθινύθουσι. θεαὶ δ ἐπιποιµένες εἰσίν, νύµφαι ἐυπλόκαµοι, Φαέθουσά τε Λαµπετίη τε, ἃς τέκεν Ἠελίῳ Ὑπερίονι δῖα Νέαιρα. τὰς µὲν ἄρα θρέψασα τεκοῦσά τε πότνια µήτηρ Θρινακίην ἐς νῆσον ἀπῴκισε τηλόθι ναίειν, 135 µῆλα φυλασσέµεναι πατρώια καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς. τὰς εἰ µέν κ ἀσινέας ἐάᾳς νόστου τε µέδηαι, ἦ τ ἂν ἔτ εἰς Ἰθάκην κακά περ πάσχοντες ἵκοισθε: εἰ δέ κε σίνηαι, τότε τοι τεκµαίροµ ὄλεθρον, (νηί τε καὶ ἑτάροις: αὐτὸς δ εἴ πέρ κεν ἀλύξῃς, 140 ὀψὲ κακῶς νεῖαι, ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους.") ὣς ἔφατ, αὐτίκα δὲ χρυσόθρονος ἤλυθεν Ἠώς. ἡ µὲν ἔπειτ ἀνὰ νῆσον ἀπέστιχε δῖα θεάων: αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆα κιὼν ὤτρυνον ἑταίρους αὐτούς τ ἀµβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυµνήσια λῦσαι: 145 οἱ δ αἶψ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον. (ἑξῆς δ ἑζόµενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετµοῖς.) ἡµῖν δ αὖ κατόπισθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο ἴκµενον οὖρον ἵει πλησίστιον, ἐσθλὸν ἑταῖρον, Κίρκη ἐυπλόκαµος, δεινὴ θεὸς αὐδήεσσα. 150 αὐτίκα δ ὅπλα ἕκαστα πονησάµενοι κατὰ νῆα ἥµεθα: τὴν δ ἄνεµός τε κυβερνήτης τ ἴθυνε. And you will come to the island Thrinacia, And there many cattle of Helios and fat sheep were nourished (βόσκοντ (ο) 3rd pl. indic. impf. pass.), And there are seven herds of cattle and as many beautiful flocks of sheep Fifty each, and there is not offspring born (γίγνεται 3rd sg. dep. indic.) among them, and they do not ever waste away (φθινύθουσι 3rd pl. pres. indic. act.), Goddesses are their herdsmen, the fair-tressed nymphs, both Phaethusa and Lampetia, Whom glorious Neara begat (τέκεν 3rd sg. aor. indic. act.) for Helios of Hyperion, And having nourished them and begat them (θρέψασα and τεκοῦσά both aor. part. fem. nom. sg. act.), The queen mother sent them far away from home (ἀπῴκισε temporally augmented 3rd sg. Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 1

2 aor. indic. act.) to the island of Thrinacia, To dwell (ναίειν pres. act. inf. expressing purpose) and to guard (φυλασσέµεναι pres. mid. inf. expressing purpose) the paternal flocks and bent-horned oxen. If (Pres. General Condition) you leave (ἐάᾳς pres. 2nd sg. subj. act.) them unharmed and remember (µέδηαι pres. 2nd sg. subj.dep.) your homecoming, Yet to Ithaca, though suffering (πάσχοντες pres. part. act. masc. nom. pl.) bad things, you could come (ἵκοισθε aor. opt. 2d pl. dep.), If (Pres. General Condition) you harm (σίνηαι 2nd sg. pres. subj. dep.) them, then I foretell (τεκµαίροµ "αι" elided, pres. 1st sg. dep.) destruction for you (τοι = σοι, 2nd pers. dat. sg.). (For both your ship and your comrades, but you yourself may escape (ἀλύξῃς aor. 2nd sg. subj. act.), You may return later (νεῖαι = νεηαι, pres. 2nd indic. dep subj.), badly, having lost (ὀλέσας ἄπο tmesis, aor. part. masc. nom. sg. act.) all your comrades.) Thus she spoke, and at once golden-throned dawn came (ἤλυθεν temporally augmented aor. 3rd sg. indic. act.). She then went away (ἀπέστιχε syllabically augmented aor. 3rd sg. indic. act.) over to the ship, brilliant among the gods (θεάων partitive gen.). But I exhorted (ὤτρυνον temporally augmented impf. 1st sg. indic.) my comrades, going (κιὼν pres. part. masc. nom. sg. act.) to the ship, To themselves go upon (ἀµβαίνειν pres. act. inf.) it and loose (λῦσαι aor. act. inf.) the stern cables. They quickly entered and sat down at the oar-locks (εἴσβαινον καθῖζον both impf. 3rd pl. indic. act.), (And they beat the sea white (πολιὴν proleptic adj.) with their oars (ἐρετµοῖς dat. of means), sitting in rows) And behind our ship with a dark blue prow, Fair-tressed Circe, the awesome goddess, using mortal speech sent, A favorable wind, one excellent companion, swelling the sails. And at once having attended to (πονησάµενοι aor. part. masc. nom. pl. act.) all the rigging, we sat down throughout the ship, And the steersman and wind steered it (ἴθυνε 3rd sg. impf. act. indic.). Lesson XXX δὴ τότ ἐγὼν ἑτάροισι µετηύδων ἀχνύµενος κῆρ: "ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γὰρ χρὴ ἕνα ἴδµεναι οὐδὲ δύ οἴους θέσφαθ ἅ µοι Κίρκη µυθήσατο, δῖα θεάων: 155 ἀλλ ἐρέω µὲν ἐγών, ἵνα εἰδότες ἤ κε θάνωµεν ἤ κεν ἀλευάµενοι θάνατον καὶ κῆρα φύγοιµεν. Σειρήνων µὲν πρῶτον ἀνώγει θεσπεσιάων φθόγγον ἀλεύασθαι καὶ λειµῶν ἀνθεµόεντα. οἶον ἔµ ἠνώγει ὄπ ἀκουέµεν: ἀλλά µε δεσµῷ 160 δήσατ ἐν ἀργαλέῳ, ὄφρ ἔµπεδον αὐτόθι µίµνω, ὀρθὸν ἐν ἱστοπέδῃ, ἐκ δ αὐτοῦ πείρατ ἀνήφθω. εἰ δέ κε λίσσωµαι ὑµέας λῦσαί τε κελεύω, Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 2

3 ὑµεῖς δὲ πλεόνεσσι τότ ἐν δεσµοῖσι πιέζειν." 165 ἦ τοι ἐγὼ τὰ ἕκαστα λέγων ἑτάροισι πίφαυσκον: τόφρα δὲ καρπαλίµως ἐξίκετο νηῦς ἐυεργὴς νῆσον Σειρήνοιιν: ἔπειγε γὰρ οὖρος ἀπήµων. αὐτίκ ἔπειτ ἄνεµος µὲν ἐπαύσατο ἠδὲ γαλήνη ἔπλετο νηνεµίη, κοίµησε δὲ κύµατα δαίµων. ἀνστάντες δ ἕταροι νεὸς ἱστία µηρύσαντο 170 καὶ τὰ µὲν ἐν νηὶ γλαφυρῇ θέσαν, οἱ δ ἐπ ἐρετµὰ ἑζόµενοι λεύκαινον ὕδωρ ξεστῇς ἐλάτῃσιν. Then indeed I spoke to (µετηύδων = µεταυδαον, temporally augmented 1st sg. imperf. indic.) my comrades, grieving in my heart (κῆρ acc. of specification): "O friends, for it is not right for one man nor two alone, To know (ἴδµεναι inf. from οἰδα) the divine decrees (θέσφαθ elided from θεσφατα), which Circe related (µυθήσατο aor. dep. 3rd sg. indic.) to me, brilliant among the gods. But I will tell (ἐρέω fut. 1st sg. indic. act.) so that, knowing (εἰδότες masc. nom. pl. act. perf. part. from οἰδα) them, we may either die (θάνωµεν 1st pl. aor. act. subj.), or, having avoided (ἀλευάµενοι aor. part. masc. nom. pl.) death and fate, might escape (φύγοιµεν aor. 1st pl. opt. act.). First she commands (ἀνώγει pres. 3rd sg. indic. act.) to avoid (ἀλεύασθαι aor. mid. inf.) the voice of the wondrous Sirens and their flowery meadow. She commanded me alone to listen (ἀκουέµεν pres. inf., objective) to the voice, Let me be bound (δήσατ Don't worry about the form) in grievous bonds, so that I may remain (µίµνω pres. 1st sg. subj. act.) firm in the same place, Straight on the mast-step, and from it let ropes be fastened (ἀνήφθω 3rd person imperative). If I command you and entreat (λίσσωµαι and κελεύω 1st sg. pres. subj. act.) you to loose (λῦσαί aor. act. inf.) me, then oppress (πιέζειν pres. inf. as imperative) me in more bonds." Thus I, saying (λέγων pres. masc. nom. sg. act. part.) each thing, made it known (πίφαυσκον 1st impf. indic. act.) to my comrades. Meanwhile the well-built ship quickly arrived (ἐξίκετο aor. 3rd sg. dep.) at the island of the Sirens (Σειρήνοιιν gen. dual), For a safe wind drove it, then at once the wind ceased, And there was (ἔπλετο syllabically augmented aor. 3rd sg. indic. dep.) a windless calm, and a God put (κοίµησε aor. 3rd sg. indic. act.) the waves to sleep. And having stood up (ἀνστάντες aor. part. masc. nom. pl. act.) my companions furled (µηρύσαντο aor. 3rd pl. mid. indic.) the ship's sail, And placed it (τὰ is pl. in Greek b/c the word for "sail" is expressed as a poetic plural) on the hollow ship. And sitting at the oar-locks, they made the water white with the polished oars (ξεστῇς ἐλάτῃσιν dat. of means). Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 3

4 Lesson XXXI αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ κηροῖο µέγαν τροχὸν ὀξέι χαλκῷ τυτθὰ διατµήξας χερσὶ στιβαρῇσι πίεζον: αἶψα δ ἰαίνετο κηρός, ἐπεὶ κέλετο µεγάλη ἲς 175 Ἠελίου τ αὐγὴ Ὑπεριονίδαο ἄνακτος: ἑξείης δ ἑτάροισιν ἐπ οὔατα πᾶσιν ἄλειψα. οἱ δ ἐν νηί µ ἔδησαν ὁµοῦ χεῖράς τε πόδας τε ὀρθὸν ἐν ἱστοπέδῃ, ἐκ δ αὐτοῦ πείρατ ἀνῆπτον: αὐτοὶ δ ἑζόµενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετµοῖς. 180 ἀλλ ὅτε τόσσον ἀπῆµεν ὅσον τε γέγωνε βοήσας, ῥίµφα διώκοντες, τὰς δ οὐ λάθεν ὠκύαλος νηῦς ἐγγύθεν ὀρνυµένη, λιγυρὴν δ ἔντυνον ἀοιδήν: "δεῦρ ἄγ ἰών, πολύαιν Ὀδυσεῦ, µέγα κῦδος Ἀχαιῶν, νῆα κατάστησον, ἵνα νωιτέρην ὄπ ἀκούσῃς. 185 οὐ γάρ πώ τις τῇδε παρήλασε νηὶ µελαίνῃ, πρίν γ ἡµέων µελίγηρυν ἀπὸ στοµάτων ὄπ ἀκοῦσαι, ἀλλ ὅ γε τερψάµενος νεῖται καὶ πλείονα εἰδώς. ἴδµεν γάρ τοι πάνθ ὅσ ἐνὶ Τροίῃ εὐρείῃ Ἀργεῖοι Τρῶές τε θεῶν ἰότητι µόγησαν, 190 ἴδµεν δ, ὅσσα γένηται ἐπὶ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ." ὣς φάσαν ἱεῖσαι ὄπα κάλλιµον: αὐτὰρ ἐµὸν κῆρ ἤθελ ἀκουέµεναι, λῦσαί τ ἐκέλευον ἑταίρους ὀφρύσι νευστάζων: οἱ δὲ προπεσόντες ἔρεσσον. But I, having cut up with sharp bronze (ὀξέι χαλκῷ dat. of means) a big wheel of wax, Into little bits, kept squeezing them with my strong hands. And quickly the wax softened (ἰαίνετο 3rd sg. imperf. mid. indic.), since the great strength, Of Helios and the light of King Hyperion ordered (κέλετο 3rd sg. imperf. mid. indic.) it. And in order I sealed (ἄλειψα 1st sg. aor. indic. act.) the ears for all my companions (ἑτάροισιν πᾶσιν dat. of advantage). And together they bound (ἔδησαν syllabically augmented aor. 3rd pl. indic. act.) me on the ship in both my hands and feet (χεῖράς τε πόδας τε acc. of specification), Straight on the mast-stay, and from it they fastened (ἀνῆπτον imperf. act. indic. 3rd pl.) ropes. And they themselves, sitting, beat the sea white (πολιὴν proleptic adj.) with their oars: But when we were (ἀπῆµεν imperf. 1st pl. indic.) as far away as a man, having shouted, has made himself known, Swiftly driving (διώκοντες pres. part. masc. nom. pl.), the ship, swift on the sea, did not elude (λάθεν 3rd sg. aor. indic. act.) them. Rushing near, they prepared (ἔντυνον impf. 3rd pl. indic. act.) their clear-toned song. "Hither lead, coming (ἰών pres. masc. sg. nom. part. of εἶµι), glorious Odysseus, great honor of the Achaeans, Stop (κατάστησον sg. aor. act. imperative) the ship so that you may hear (ἀκούσῃς 2nd sg. subj. pres. act.) our voice, Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 4

5 For no one yet drove past (παρήλασε temporally augmented aor. 3rd sg. indic. act.) here with a black ship, Before hearing (ἀκοῦσαι aor. act. inf.) the sweet voice from our mouths. But he, having taken pleasure (τερψάµενος aor. part. masc. nom. sg. mid.) and knowing more (πλείονα comparative adj.) things, returns, For we surely know (ἴδµεν from οἰδα) all things (πάνθ elided from παντα), which in broad Troy, The Greeks and Trojans suffered (µόγησαν aor. 3rd pl. indic. act.) by will of the gods. And we know as many things as are (γένηται aor. subj, 3rd sg. dep.) on the fruitful earth." Thus they spoke, having sent their fair voice, But my heart wished (ἤθελ temporally augmented imperf. 3rd sg. indic. act.) to listen, and I, having motioned With my eyebrows ordered (ἐκέλευον 1st impf. sg. indic. act.) my comrades to loose me, But they rowed, having bent forward (προπεσόντες aor. part. masc. nom. pl.). Lesson XXXII αὐτίκα δ ἀνστάντες Περιµήδης Εὐρύλοχός τε πλείοσί µ ἐν δεσµοῖσι δέον µᾶλλόν τε πίεζον. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τάς γε παρήλασαν, οὐδ ἔτ ἔπειτα φθογγῆς Σειρήνων ἠκούοµεν οὐδέ τ ἀοιδῆς, αἶψ ἀπὸ κηρὸν ἕλοντο ἐµοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι, ὅν σφιν ἐπ ὠσὶν ἄλειψ, ἐµέ τ ἐκ δεσµῶν ἀνέλυσαν. 200 ἀλλ ὅτε δὴ τὴν νῆσον ἐλείποµεν, αὐτίκ ἔπειτα καπνὸν καὶ µέγα κῦµα ἴδον καὶ δοῦπον ἄκουσα. τῶν δ ἄρα δεισάντων ἐκ χειρῶν ἔπτατ ἐρετµά, βόµβησαν δ ἄρα πάντα κατὰ ῥόον: ἔσχετο δ αὐτοῦ νηῦς, ἐπεὶ οὐκέτ ἐρετµὰ προήκεα χερσὶν ἔπειγον. 205 αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ διὰ νηὸς ἰὼν ὤτρυνον ἑταίρους µειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρασταδὸν ἄνδρα ἕκαστον: "ὦ φίλοι, οὐ γάρ πώ τι κακῶν ἀδαήµονές εἰµεν: οὐ µὲν δὴ τόδε µεῖζον ἕπι κακόν, ἢ ὅτε Κύκλωψ εἴλει ἐνὶ σπῆι γλαφυρῷ κρατερῆφι βίηφιν: 210 ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔνθεν ἐµῇ ἀρετῇ, βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε, ἐκφύγοµεν, καί που τῶνδε µνήσεσθαι ὀίω. νῦν δ ἄγεθ, ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πειθώµεθα πάντες. ὑµεῖς µὲν κώπῃσιν ἁλὸς ῥηγµῖνα βαθεῖαν τύπτετε κληίδεσσιν ἐφήµενοι, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς 215 δώῃ τόνδε γ ὄλεθρον ὑπεκφυγέειν καὶ ἀλύξαι: σοὶ δέ, κυβερνῆθ, ὧδ ἐπιτέλλοµαι: ἀλλ ἐνὶ θυµῷ βάλλευ, ἐπεὶ νηὸς γλαφυρῆς οἰήια νωµᾷς. τούτου µὲν καπνοῦ καὶ κύµατος ἐκτὸς ἔεργε νῆα, σὺ δὲ σκοπέλου ἐπιµαίεο, µή σε λάθῃσι 220 κεῖσ ἐξορµήσασα καὶ ἐς κακὸν ἄµµε βάλῃσθα." Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 5

6 And at once having stood up, Perimedes and Eurylochus, In more binds rather oppressed me awesomely, But when they rowed past these (παρήλασαν temporally augmented 3rd pl. aor. indic. act.), and no longer then, Did we hear (ἠκούοµεν temporally augmented impf. 1st pl. indic. act.) the voice of the Sirens and nor their song. Quickly my loyal companions seized (ἀπὸ...ἕλοντο tmesis, aor. 3rd pl. mid. indic.) the wax away, Which I sealed (ἄλειψ aor. 1st pl. act. indic.) their ears (with), and loosed me from the binds. But when we passed the island, then at once, I saw smoke and a great wave and heard (ἴδον and ἄκουσα both aor. 1st sg. act. indic.) a din. The companions having become scared (τῶν δ ἄρα δεισάντων genitive absolute), they beat the oars out of their hands, And all (the oars) splashed (βόµβησαν aor. 3rd pl. act. indic.) down into the water, and there the ship stopped, Since no longer did the companions drive on (ἔπειγον impf. 3rd pl. indic. act.) the sharpened oars with their hands, But I, going (ἰὼν pres. part. of εἶµι) through the ship, exhorted (ὤτρυνον temporally augmented imperf. 1st sg. indic. act.) my comrades, With pleasing words, standing by each man: "O friends, for we (εἰµεν 1st pl. pres. indic.) are not somehow (τι adverbial) ignorant of bad things: No greater evil thing exists (ἕπι = ἐπεστι) than, When the Cyclops confined (εἴλει contracted from εἱλεε, impf. 3rd sg. act. indic.) us in the hollow cave his strong force, But by my courage and mind and plan (ἀρετῇ, βουλῇ, νόῳ all dat. of means), We also (καὶ adverbial) escaped (ἐκφύγοµεν aor. 1st pl. act. indic.) from there, And I suppose that perhaps we will remember (µνήσεσθαι fut. mid. inf.) these things, And now come (ἄγεθ = αγετε, 2nd pl. pres. act. imperative), as I say, let us all obey (πειθώµεθα 1st pl. mid. pres. subj., hortatory subj.). Beat (τύπτετε 2nd pl. pres. act. imperative) the deep surf of the sea with oars, Sitting (ἐφήµενοι pres. act. part. masc. nom. pl.) at the oarlocks, if (αἴ = εἰ) Zeus may grant us somehow, To flee from and escape (ὑπεκφυγέειν, ἀλύξαι both aor. act. inf.) this destruction, And to you, steersman, thus I give orders (ἐπιτέλλοµαι pres. 1st sg. mid. indic.): But throw (βάλλευ 2nd sg. pres. mid. imperative) in your hearts, since you control (νωµᾷς contracted from νωµαεις, 2nd sg. pres. act. indic.) the rudder of the hollow ship, Keep(ἔεργε pres. act. imp. 2nd sg.) the ship away from this smoke and the wave, And seek out (ἐπιµαίεο 2nd sg. pres. mid. imperative) the crag, lest the ship, May elude (λάθῃσι aor. subj. act. 3rd sg.) you, having rushed forth (ἐξορµήσασα aor. act. part. fem. nom. sg.), And you may throw (βάλῃσθα = βαλῃς, aor. 2nd sg. subj. act.) us into evil. Available at dgdissemination.wordpress.com 6