| Homer, Odyssey (English) (XML Header) [genre: poetry; hexameter] [word count] [lemma count] [Hom. Od.]. | ||
| <<Hom. Od. 13.200 | Hom. Od. 13.329 (Greek English(2)) | >>Hom. Od. 13.429 |
13.287Such was his story, but Athena
smiled and caressed him with her hand. Then she took the form of a
woman, fair, stately, and wise, "He must be indeed a shifty and
deceitful person," said she, "who could surpass you in all manner of
craft [kerdos ] even though you had a god for your
antagonist. Daring that you are, full of guile, unwearying in deceit
[apatê ], can you not drop your tricks and your
instinctive falsehood, even now that you are in your own country
again? We will say no more, however, about this, for we both of us
know craftiness [kerdos ] upon occasion - you are the
best counselor and orator among all humankind, while I for diplomacy
and crafty ways [kerdea ] have fame
[kleos ] among the gods. Did you not know Zeus’
daughter Athena - me, who have been ever with you, who kept watch
over you in all your ordeals [ponoi ], and who made the
Phaeacians take so great a liking to you? And now, again, I am come
here to talk things over with you, and help you to hide the treasure
I made the Phaeacians give you; I want to tell you about the troubles
that await you in your own house; you have got to face them, but tell
no one, neither man nor woman, that you have come home again. Bear
everything, and put up with every man's violent insolence
[biê ], without a word."
Troy , but from the day on which we went on board ship after
having sacked the city of Priam, and heaven dispersed us - from that
day, Athena, I saw no more of you, and cannot ever remember your
coming to my ship to help me in a difficulty; I had to wander on sick
and sorry till the gods delivered me from evil and I reached the
dêmos of the Phaeacians, where you encouraged me and
took me into the town. And now, I beseech you in your father's
name, tell me the truth, for I do not believe I am really back in
Ithaca . I am in some other country and you are mocking me and
deceiving me in all you have been saying. Tell me then truly, have I
really got back to my own country?"
Laertes , think how you can lay hands on these disreputable
people who have been lording it in your house these three years,
courting your wife and making wedding presents to her, while she does
nothing but mourning your nostos , giving hope and sending
encouraging messages to every one of them, but meaning [in her
noos ] the very opposite of all she says."
Troy 's fair diadem from her brow. Help me now as you did then,
and I will fight three hundred men, if you, goddess, will be with
me."
13.311And Odysseus answered, "A man, goddess, may know a great deal, but you are so constantly changing your appearance that when he meets you it is a hard matter for him to know whether it is you or not. This much, however, I know exceedingly well; you were very kind to me as long as we Achaeans were fighting before
13.329"You are always taking something of that sort into your head," replied Athena, "and that is why I cannot desert you in your afflictions; you are so plausible, shrewd and shifty. Any one but yourself on returning from so long a voyage would at once have gone home to see his wife and children, but you do not seem to care about asking after them or hearing any news about them till you have made trial of your wife, who remains at home vainly grieving for you, and having no peace night or day for the tears she sheds on your behalf. As for my not coming near you, I was never uneasy about you, for I was certain you would get back safely though you would lose all your men, and I did not wish to quarrel with my uncle Poseidon, who never forgave you for having blinded his son. I will now, however, point out to you the lie of the land, and you will then perhaps believe me. This is the haven of the Old One of the Sea, Phorkys, and here is the olive tree that grows at the head of it; [near it is the cave sacred to the Naiads;] here too is the overarching cavern in which you have offered many an acceptable hecatomb to the nymphs, and this is the wooded mountain Neritum."
13.352As she spoke the goddess dispersed the mist and the land appeared. Then Odysseus rejoiced at finding himself again in his own land, and kissed the bounteous soil; he lifted up his hands and prayed to the nymphs, saying, "Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, I made sure that I was never again to see you, now therefore I greet you with all loving salutations, and I will bring you offerings as in the old days, if Zeus’ redoubtable daughter will grant me life, and bring my son to manhood."
13.362"Take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that," rejoined Athena, "let us rather set about stowing your things at once in the cave, where they will be quite safe. Let us see how we can best manage it all."
13.366Therewith she went down into the cave to look for the safest hiding places, while Odysseus brought up all the treasure of gold, bronze, and good clothing which the Phaeacians had given him. They stowed everything carefully away, and Athena set a stone against the door of the cave. Then the two sat down by the root of the great olive, and consulted how to compass the destruction of the wicked suitors.
13.375"Odysseus," said Athena, "noble son of
13.382And Odysseus answered, "In good truth, goddess, it seems I should have come to much the same bad end in my own house as Agamemnon did, if you had not given me such timely information. Advise me how I shall best avenge myself. Stand by my side and put your courage into my heart as on the day when we loosed
| Homer, Odyssey (English) (XML Header) [genre: poetry; hexameter] [word count] [lemma count] [Hom. Od.]. | ||
| <<Hom. Od. 13.200 | Hom. Od. 13.329 (Greek English(2)) | >>Hom. Od. 13.429 |
