Poetry Reading, Fall 1998
The Odyssey by Homer, IV. 12-33
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σοὶ δ' ἐμὰ κήδεα θυμὸς ἐπετράπετο στονόεντα
εἴρεσθ', ὄφρ' ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω: τί πρῶτόν τοι ἔπειτα, τί δ' ὑστάτιον καταλέξω; κήδε' ἐπεί μοι πολλὰ δόσαν θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες. νῦν δ' ὄνομα πρῶτον μυθήσομαι, ὄφρα καὶ ὑμεῖς εἴδετ', ἐγὼ δ' ἂν ἔπειτα φυγὼν ὕπο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ ὑμῖν ξεῖνος ἔω καὶ ἀπόπροθι δώματα ναίων. εἴμ' Ὀδυσεὺς Λαερτιάδης, ὃς πᾶσι δόλοισιν ἀνθρώποισι μέλω, καί μευ κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει. ναιετάω δ' Ἰθάκην ἐυδείελον: ἐν δ' ὄρος αὐτῇ Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἀριπρεπές: ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆσοι πολλαὶ ναιετάουσι μάλα σχεδὸν ἀλλήλῃσι, Δουλίχιόν τε Σάμη τε καὶ ὑλήεσσα Ζάκυνθος. αὐτὴ δὲ χθαμαλὴ πανυπερτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται πρὸς ζόφον, αἱ δέ τ' ἄνευθε πρὸς ἠῶ τ' ἠέλιόν τε, τρηχεῖ', ἀλλ' ἀγαθὴ κουροτρόφος: οὔ τοι ἐγώ γε ἧς γαίης δύναμαι γλυκερώτερον ἄλλο ἰδέσθαι. ἦ μέν μ' αὐτόθ' ἔρυκε Καλυψώ, δῖα θεάων, ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι: ὣς δ' αὔτως Κίρκη κατερήτυεν ἐν μεγάροισιν Αἰαίη δολόεσσα, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι: ἀλλ' ἐμὸν οὔ ποτε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον. soi d' ema kêdea thumos epetrapeto stonoenta eiresth', ophr' eti mallon oduromenos stenachizô: ti prôton toi epeita, ti d' hustation katalexô; kêde' epei moi polla dosan theoi Ouraniônes. nun d' onoma prôton muthêsomai, ophra kai humeis eidet', egô d' an epeita phugôn hupo nêlees êmar humin xeinos eô kai apoprothi dômata naiôn. eim' Oduseus Laertiadês, hos pasi doloisin anthrôpoisi melô, kai meu kleos ouranon hikei. naietaô d' Ithakên eudeielon: en d' oros autêi Nêriton einosiphullon, ariprepes: amphi de nêsoi pollai naietaousi mala schedon allêlêisi, Doulichion te Samê te kai hulêessa Zakunthos. autê de chthamalê panupertatê ein hali keitai pros zophon, hai de t' aneuthe pros êô t' êelion te, trêchei', all' agathê kourotrophos: ou toi egô ge hês gaiês dunamai glukerôteron allo idesthai. ê men m' autoth' eruke Kalupsô, dia theaôn, en spessi glaphuroisi, lilaiomenê posin einai: hôs d' autôs Kirkê katerêtuen en megaroisin Aiaiê doloessa, lilaiomenê posin einai: all' emon ou pote thumon eni stêthessin epeithon. |
But thy heart is turned to ask of my grievous woes, that I may weep and groan the more. What, then, shall I tell thee first, what last? For woes full many have the heavenly gods given me. First now will I tell my name, that ye, too, may know it, and that I hereafter, when I have escaped from the pitiless day of doom, may be your host, though I dwell in a home that is afar. I am Odysseus, son of Laertes, who am known among men for all manner of wiles, and my fame reaches unto heaven. But I dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, wherein is a mountain, Neriton, covered with waving forests, conspicuous from afar; and round it lie many isles hard by one another, Dulichium, and Same, and wooded Zachynthus. Ithaca itself lies close in to the mainland the furthest toward the gloom, but the others lie apart toward the Dawn and the sun--a rugged isle, but a good nurse of young men; and for myself no other thing can I see sweeter than one's own land. Of a truth Calypso, the beautiful goddess, sought to keep me by her in her hollow caves, yearning that I should be her husband; and in like manner Circe would fain have held me back in her halls, the guileful lady of Aenea, yearning that I should be her husband; but they could never persuade the heart within my breast. |
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