τὸν δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·

Then Odysseus of the many designs answered him:


Ἀλκίνοε κρεῖον, πάντων ἀριδείκετε λαῶν,

"Lord Alcinous, most renowned among all peoples,


ἦ τοι μὲν τόδε καλὸν ἀκουέμεν ἐστὶν ἀοιδοῦ

truly it is a fine thing to hear a singer


τοιοῦδʼ οἷος ὅδʼ ἐστί, θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιος αὐδήν.

such as this man is, with a voice like the gods'.


οὐ γὰρ ἐγώ γέ τί φημι τέλος χαριέστερον εἶναι

For I say there is no accomplishment more graceful


ἢ ὅτʼ ἐυφροσύνη μὲν ἔχῃ κάτα δῆμον ἅπαντα,


δαιτυμόνες δʼ ἀνὰ δώματʼ ἀκουάζωνται ἀοιδοῦ

and feasters up and down the hall sit listening to a singer,


ἥμενοι ἑξείης, παρὰ δὲ πλήθωσι τράπεζαι

seated in order, and beside them the tables are loaded


σίτου καὶ κρειῶν, μέθυ δʼ ἐκ κρητῆρος ἀφύσσων

with bread and meats, and the cupbearer draws wine


οἰνοχόος φορέῃσι καὶ ἐγχείῃ δεπάεσσι·

from the bowl and carries it round and fills the cups:


τοῦτό τί μοι κάλλιστον ἐνὶ φρεσὶν εἴδεται εἶναι.

this seems to my mind the fairest thing there is.


σοὶ δʼ ἐμὰ κήδεα θυμὸς ἐπετράπετο στονόεντα

But your heart has turned to asking after my grievous


εἴρεσθʼ, ὄφρʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω·

cares — so that I may mourn and groan the more.


τί πρῶτόν τοι ἔπειτα, τί δʼ ὑστάτιον καταλέξω;

What first, then, what last shall I tell through?


κήδεʼ ἐπεί μοι πολλὰ δόσαν θεοὶ Οὐρανίωνες.

For the gods of heaven have given me sorrows past counting.


νῦν δʼ ὄνομα πρῶτον μυθήσομαι, ὄφρα καὶ ὑμεῖς

Now first I will tell my name, so that you too


εἴδετʼ, ἐγὼ δʼ ἂν ἔπειτα φυγὼν ὕπο νηλεὲς ἦμαρ

may know it — and I hereafter, if I escape the pitiless day,


ὑμῖν ξεῖνος ἔω καὶ ἀπόπροθι δώματα ναίων.

may be your guest-friend, though my home is far away.


εἴμʼ Ὀδυσεὺς Λαερτιάδης, ὃς πᾶσι δόλοισιν

I am Odysseus, son of Laertes — known to all mankind


ἀνθρώποισι μέλω, καί μευ κλέος οὐρανὸν ἵκει.

for my cunning designs; and my fame has reached heaven.


ναιετάω δʼ Ἰθάκην ἐυδείελον· ἐν δʼ ὄρος αὐτῇ

My home is Ithaca, clear-skied under its mountain,


Νήριτον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἀριπρεπές· ἀμφὶ δὲ νῆσοι

Neriton, tall in its shivering leaves; and around it islands


πολλαὶ ναιετάουσι μάλα σχεδὸν ἀλλήλῃσι,

lie in a cluster, close to one another —


Δουλίχιόν τε Σάμη τε καὶ ὑλήεσσα Ζάκυνθος.

Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus.


αὐτὴ δὲ χθαμαλὴ πανυπερτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται

Ithaca itself lies low, farthest out in the sea


πρὸς ζόφον, αἱ δέ τʼ ἄνευθε πρὸς ἠῶ τʼ ἠέλιόν τε,

toward the dark of sunset — the rest face dawn and the sun —


τρηχεῖʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀγαθὴ κουροτρόφος· οὔ τοι ἐγώ γε

rough ground, but a good nurse of men. I cannot


ἧς γαίης δύναμαι γλυκερώτερον ἄλλο ἰδέσθαι.

see any sweeter sight, for my part, than a man's own country.


ἦ μέν μʼ αὐτόθʼ ἔρυκε Καλυψώ, δῖα θεάων,

The queenly goddess Calypso would have kept me there beside her


ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι·

in her hollow caves, hungry to make me her husband,


ὣς δʼ αὔτως Κίρκη κατερήτυεν ἐν μεγάροισιν

and so, in the same way, Circe detained me in her halls,


Αἰαίη δολόεσσα, λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι·

the guileful lady of Aeaea, hungry to make me her husband:


ἀλλʼ ἐμὸν οὔ ποτε θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔπειθον.

but they never once persuaded the heart in my breast.


ὣς οὐδὲν γλύκιον ἧς πατρίδος οὐδὲ τοκήων

So true it is that nothing is sweeter than a man's own country


γίγνεται, εἴ περ καί τις ἀπόπροθι πίονα οἶκον

and his own parents, even if he lives in a rich house


γαίῃ ἐν ἀλλοδαπῇ ναίει ἀπάνευθε τοκήων.

far away in a strange land, cut off from his parents.


εἰ δʼ ἄγε τοι καὶ νόστον ἐμὸν πολυκηδέʼ ἐνίσπω,

But come — let me tell you also my journey home, and all its cares,


ὅν μοι Ζεὺς ἐφέηκεν ἀπὸ Τροίηθεν ἰόντι.

which Zeus laid on me on the way from Troy.


Ἰλιόθεν με φέρων ἄνεμος Κικόνεσσι πέλασσεν,

From Ilium the wind bore me to the Cicones —


Ἰσμάρῳ. ἔνθα δʼ ἐγὼ πόλιν ἔπραθον, ὤλεσα δʼ αὐτούς·

to Ismarus. There I sacked the city and destroyed the men;


ἐκ πόλιος δʼ ἀλόχους καὶ κτήματα πολλὰ λαβόντες

and out of the city we took their wives and much substance


δασσάμεθʼ, ὡς μή τίς μοι ἀτεμβόμενος κίοι ἴσης.

and divided all, so that no man might go cheated of his share by me.


ἔνθʼ ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼ διερῷ ποδὶ φευγέμεν ἡμέας

Then, you may be sure, I ordered a quick-footed retreat —


ἠνώγεα, τοὶ δὲ μέγα νήπιοι οὐκ ἐπίθοντο.

and they, the great fools, would not obey.


ἔνθα δὲ πολλὸν μὲν μέθυ πίνετο, πολλὰ δὲ μῆλα

There and then much wine was being drunk, and many sheep


ἔσφαζον παρὰ θῖνα καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς·

they slaughtered along the shore, and shambling crook-horned cattle;


τόφρα δʼ ἄρʼ οἰχόμενοι Κίκονες Κικόνεσσι γεγώνευν,

and meanwhile Cicones went crying to Cicones,


οἵ σφιν γείτονες ἦσαν, ἅμα πλέονες καὶ ἀρείους,

their neighbors inland — more of them, and better men,


ἤπειρον ναίοντες, ἐπιστάμενοι μὲν ἀφʼ ἵππων


ἀνδράσι μάρνασθαι καὶ ὅθι χρὴ πεζὸν ἐόντα.


ἦλθον ἔπειθʼ ὅσα φύλλα καὶ ἄνθεα γίγνεται ὥρῃ,

They came, then, thick as leaves and flowers come in their season,


ἠέριοι· τότε δή ῥα κακὴ Διὸς αἶσα παρέστη

in the morning mist. Then an evil doom of Zeus stood by us,


ἡμῖν αἰνομόροισιν, ἵνʼ ἄλγεα πολλὰ πάθοιμεν.

luckless men, to load us with pains in plenty.


στησάμενοι δʼ ἐμάχοντο μάχην παρὰ νηυσὶ θοῇσι,

They set their battle-line and fought by the fast ships,


βάλλον δʼ ἀλλήλους χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν.

and each side pelted each with bronze-tipped spears.


ὄφρα μὲν ἠὼς ἦν καὶ ἀέξετο ἱερὸν ἦμαρ,

As long as it was morning, and the sacred day still growing,


τόφρα δʼ ἀλεξόμενοι μένομεν πλέονάς περ ἐόντας.

so long we stood them off and held our ground, though they were more;


ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος μετενίσσετο βουλυτόνδε,

but when the sun turned over toward unyoking-time,


καὶ τότε δὴ Κίκονες κλῖναν δαμάσαντες Ἀχαιούς.

then the Cicones broke the Achaeans, and mastered them.


ἓξ δʼ ἀφʼ ἑκάστης νηὸς ἐυκνήμιδες ἑταῖροι

Six from each ship, six strong-greaved companions


ὤλονθʼ· οἱ δʼ ἄλλοι φύγομεν θάνατόν τε μόρον τε.

were killed; the rest of us fled from death and doom.


ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ,

From there we sailed on further, grieved at heart,


ἄσμενοι ἐκ θανάτοιο, φίλους ὀλέσαντες ἑταίρους.

glad to be out of death, having lost our dear companions.


οὐδʼ ἄρα μοι προτέρω νῆες κίον ἀμφιέλισσαι,

But my curved ships would not go forward


πρίν τινα τῶν δειλῶν ἑτάρων τρὶς ἕκαστον ἀῦσαι,

before we had called three times on each of those poor companions


οἳ θάνον ἐν πεδίῳ Κικόνων ὕπο δῃωθέντες.

who died on the plain, cut down by the Cicones.


νηυσὶ δʼ ἐπῶρσʼ ἄνεμον Βορέην νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς

And Zeus who gathers the clouds roused the North Wind against the ships


λαίλαπι θεσπεσίῃ, σὺν δὲ νεφέεσσι κάλυψε

in a howling squall, and covered land and sea alike


γαῖαν ὁμοῦ καὶ πόντον· ὀρώρει δʼ οὐρανόθεν νύξ.

with cloud; and night rose up out of heaven.


αἱ μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἐφέροντʼ ἐπικάρσιαι, ἱστία δέ σφιν

The ships were swept along slantwise, their sails


τριχθά τε καὶ τετραχθὰ διέσχισεν ἲς ἀνέμοιο.

ripped into three and four rags by the strength of the wind.


καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐς νῆας κάθεμεν, δείσαντες ὄλεθρον,

We lowered them into the hulls, in terror of death,


αὐτὰς δʼ ἐσσυμένως προερέσσαμεν ἤπειρόνδε.

and rowed the ships hard in toward the shore.


ἔνθα δύω νύκτας δύο τʼ ἤματα συνεχὲς αἰεὶ

There for two nights and two days without a break


κείμεθʼ, ὁμοῦ καμάτῳ τε καὶ ἄλγεσι θυμὸν ἔδοντες.

we lay, eating our hearts with weariness and pain together.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τρίτον ἦμαρ ἐυπλόκαμος τέλεσʼ Ἠώς,

But when Dawn of the lovely braids brought the third day round,


ἱστοὺς στησάμενοι ἀνά θʼ ἱστία λεύκʼ ἐρύσαντες

we set up the masts and hauled the white sails open


ἥμεθα, τὰς δʼ ἄνεμός τε κυβερνῆταί τʼ ἴθυνον.

and sat, and the wind and the steersmen held them on course.


καί νύ κεν ἀσκηθὴς ἱκόμην ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν·

And now I would have come unharmed to my own country,


ἀλλά με κῦμα ῥόος τε περιγνάμπτοντα Μάλειαν

but the wave and the current, as I rounded Malea,


καὶ Βορέης ἀπέωσε, παρέπλαγξεν δὲ Κυθήρων.

and the North Wind beat me off course and drove me wide of Cythera.


ἔνθεν δʼ ἐννῆμαρ φερόμην ὀλοοῖς ἀνέμοισιν

From there for nine days I was carried by ruinous winds


πόντον ἐπʼ ἰχθυόεντα· ἀτὰρ δεκάτῃ ἐπέβημεν

across the fish-filled sea; and on the tenth we stepped ashore


γαίης Λωτοφάγων, οἵ τʼ ἄνθινον εἶδαρ ἔδουσιν.

in the land of the Lotus-eaters, who eat a flower for food.


ἔνθα δʼ ἐπʼ ἠπείρου βῆμεν καὶ ἀφυσσάμεθʼ ὕδωρ,

There we set foot on the mainland and drew water,


αἶψα δὲ δεῖπνον ἕλοντο θοῇς παρὰ νηυσὶν ἑταῖροι.

and the companions quickly took their meal beside the fast ships.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σίτοιό τʼ ἐπασσάμεθʼ ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,


δὴ τοτʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάρους προΐειν πεύθεσθαι ἰόντας,


οἵ τινες ἀνέρες εἶεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ σῖτον ἔδοντες

what men they were who ate bread upon this earth:


ἄνδρε δύω κρίνας, τρίτατον κήρυχʼ ἅμʼ ὀπάσσας.

two men I chose, and sent a third with them as herald.


οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ οἰχόμενοι μίγεν ἀνδράσι Λωτοφάγοισιν·

They went their way at once, and fell in with the Lotus-eater men;


οὐδʼ ἄρα Λωτοφάγοι μήδονθʼ ἑτάροισιν ὄλεθρον

and the Lotus-eaters had no thought of killing


ἡμετέροις, ἀλλά σφι δόσαν λωτοῖο πάσασθαι.

our companions — but they gave them lotus to taste.


τῶν δʼ ὅς τις λωτοῖο φάγοι μελιηδέα καρπόν,

And whoever of them ate the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus


οὐκέτʼ ἀπαγγεῖλαι πάλιν ἤθελεν οὐδὲ νέεσθαι,

no longer wished to bring back word or to return:


ἀλλʼ αὐτοῦ βούλοντο μετʼ ἀνδράσι Λωτοφάγοισι

there they wanted to stay, among the Lotus-eater men,


λωτὸν ἐρεπτόμενοι μενέμεν νόστου τε λαθέσθαι.

browsing the lotus, and to forget their homecoming.


τοὺς μὲν ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆας ἄγον κλαίοντας ἀνάγκῃ,

These men I forced back weeping to the ships,


νηυσὶ δʼ ἐνὶ γλαφυρῇσιν ὑπὸ ζυγὰ δῆσα ἐρύσσας.

dragged them under the benches of the hollow ships and bound them,


αὐτὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους

and I ordered the rest of my trusted companions


σπερχομένους νηῶν ἐπιβαινέμεν ὠκειάων,


μή πώς τις λωτοῖο φαγὼν νόστοιο λάθηται.

for fear some other might eat of the lotus and forget his homecoming.


οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they came aboard at once and took their places at the oarlocks,


ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they struck the gray salt water with their oars.


ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ·

From there we sailed on further, grieved at heart.


Κυκλώπων δʼ ἐς γαῖαν ὑπερφιάλων ἀθεμίστων

And we came to the land of the Cyclopes — the overweening,


ἱκόμεθʼ, οἵ ῥα θεοῖσι πεποιθότες ἀθανάτοισιν

the lawless — who, trusting in the deathless gods,


οὔτε φυτεύουσιν χερσὶν φυτὸν οὔτʼ ἀρόωσιν,

plant no crop with their hands, and plow nothing:


ἀλλὰ τά γʼ ἄσπαρτα καὶ ἀνήροτα πάντα φύονται,

everything springs up for them unsown, unplowed,


πυροὶ καὶ κριθαὶ ἠδʼ ἄμπελοι, αἵ τε φέρουσιν


οἶνον ἐριστάφυλον, καί σφιν Διὸς ὄμβρος ἀέξει.

wine in their heavy clusters, and Zeus' rain swells it for them.


τοῖσιν δʼ οὔτʼ ἀγοραὶ βουληφόροι οὔτε θέμιστες,

They have no counsel-bearing assemblies, no established laws,


ἀλλʼ οἵ γʼ ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ναίουσι κάρηνα

but live on the crests of the high mountains


ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι, θεμιστεύει δὲ ἕκαστος

in hollow caves, and each man lays down the law


παίδων ἠδʼ ἀλόχων, οὐδʼ ἀλλήλων ἀλέγουσιν.

to his own wives and children — and they care nothing for one another.


νῆσος ἔπειτα λάχεια παρὲκ λιμένος τετάνυσται,

Now a scrubby island stretches outside the harbor there,


γαίης Κυκλώπων οὔτε σχεδὸν οὔτʼ ἀποτηλοῦ,

neither close in to the Cyclopes' land nor far out,


ὑλήεσσʼ· ἐν δʼ αἶγες ἀπειρέσιαι γεγάασιν

wooded; and on it goats past counting breed,


ἄγριαι· οὐ μὲν γὰρ πάτος ἀνθρώπων ἀπερύκει,

wild goats: no tread of men scares them away,


οὐδέ μιν εἰσοιχνεῦσι κυνηγέται, οἵ τε καθʼ ὕλην

no hunters push through to it, men who suffer


ἄλγεα πάσχουσιν κορυφὰς ὀρέων ἐφέποντες.

hard days in the timber, working the mountain crests;


οὔτʼ ἄρα ποίμνῃσιν καταΐσχεται οὔτʼ ἀρότοισιν,

it is held by no flocks and no plowed fields,


ἀλλʼ ἥ γʼ ἄσπαρτος καὶ ἀνήροτος ἤματα πάντα


ἀνδρῶν χηρεύει, βόσκει δέ τε μηκάδας αἶγας.

the island is widowed of men, and feeds its bleating goats.


οὐ γὰρ Κυκλώπεσσι νέες πάρα μιλτοπάρῃοι,

For the Cyclopes have no red-cheeked ships,


οὐδʼ ἄνδρες νηῶν ἔνι τέκτονες, οἵ κε κάμοιεν

and no shipwrights among them who might labor out


νῆας ἐυσσέλμους, αἵ κεν τελέοιεν ἕκαστα

well-benched vessels to accomplish every need,


ἄστεʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπων ἱκνεύμεναι, οἷά τε πολλὰ

crossing to the cities of the world, the way men


ἄνδρες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλους νηυσὶν περόωσι θάλασσαν·

so often traverse the sea in ships to one another:


οἵ κέ σφιν καὶ νῆσον ἐυκτιμένην ἐκάμοντο.

such craftsmen would have made the island a fair settlement too.


οὐ μὲν γάρ τι κακή γε, φέροι δέ κεν ὥρια πάντα·

For it is not a bad island at all: it would bear every crop in season.


ἐν μὲν γὰρ λειμῶνες ἁλὸς πολιοῖο παρʼ ὄχθας

There are meadows in it along the shores of the gray salt water,


ὑδρηλοὶ μαλακοί· μάλα κʼ ἄφθιτοι ἄμπελοι εἶεν.

soft, well-watered; vines there would never die;


ἐν δʼ ἄροσις λείη· μάλα κεν βαθὺ λήιον αἰεὶ

there is level plowland, and a deep standing harvest always


εἰς ὥρας ἀμῷεν, ἐπεὶ μάλα πῖαρ ὑπʼ οὖδας.

ready for the scythe in season, for the soil beneath is rich.


ἐν δὲ λιμὴν ἐύορμος, ἵνʼ οὐ χρεὼ πείσματός ἐστιν,

And there is a harbor with safe anchorage, where there is no need of mooring-line —


οὔτʼ εὐνὰς βαλέειν οὔτε πρυμνήσιʼ ἀνάψαι,

no anchor-stones to throw, no stern-cables to make fast:


ἀλλʼ ἐπικέλσαντας μεῖναι χρόνον εἰς ὅ κε ναυτέων

you beach her, and wait until the sailors'


θυμὸς ἐποτρύνῃ καὶ ἐπιπνεύσωσιν ἀῆται.

hearts prompt them, and the breezes blow.


αὐτὰρ ἐπὶ κρατὸς λιμένος ῥέει ἀγλαὸν ὕδωρ,

And at the harbor's head runs shining water,


κρήνη ὑπὸ σπείους· περὶ δʼ αἴγειροι πεφύασιν.

a spring under a cave, with black poplars growing round it.


ἔνθα κατεπλέομεν, καί τις θεὸς ἡγεμόνευεν

There we sailed in — and some god was guiding us —


νύκτα διʼ ὀρφναίην, οὐδὲ προυφαίνετʼ ἰδέσθαι·

through the dead of night, with nothing to be seen ahead:


ἀὴρ γὰρ περὶ νηυσὶ βαθεῖʼ ἦν, οὐδὲ σελήνη

a fog lay thick around the ships, and the moon


οὐρανόθεν προύφαινε, κατείχετο δὲ νεφέεσσιν.

showed nothing from heaven, shut in by clouds.


ἔνθʼ οὔ τις τὴν νῆσον ἐσέδρακεν ὀφθαλμοῖσιν,

No one's eyes made out that island then,


οὔτʼ οὖν κύματα μακρὰ κυλινδόμενα προτὶ χέρσον

nor did we see the long combers rolling in against the shore


εἰσίδομεν, πρὶν νῆας ἐυσσέλμους ἐπικέλσαι.

before the well-benched ships ran up the beach.


κελσάσῃσι δὲ νηυσὶ καθείλομεν ἱστία πάντα,

And with the ships beached, we took down all the sails


ἐκ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βῆμεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης·

and stepped out ourselves onto the surf-line of the sea,


ἔνθα δʼ ἀποβρίξαντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.

and there we dropped asleep, and waited for shining Dawn.


ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

When Dawn appeared, the early-born, with fingers of rose,


νῆσον θαυμάζοντες ἐδινεόμεσθα κατʼ αὐτήν.

we walked that island marveling, all through it.


ὦρσαν δὲ νύμφαι, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο,

And the nymphs, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, started


αἶγας ὀρεσκῴους, ἵνα δειπνήσειαν ἑταῖροι.

the mountain goats, so my companions might have their meal.


αὐτίκα καμπύλα τόξα καὶ αἰγανέας δολιχαύλους

At once we fetched our curved bows and long-socketed goat-spears


εἱλόμεθʼ ἐκ νηῶν, διὰ δὲ τρίχα κοσμηθέντες

out of the ships, and forming in three bands


βάλλομεν· αἶψα δʼ ἔδωκε θεὸς μενοεικέα θήρην.

we shot; and quickly the god gave us game to our hearts' content.


νῆες μέν μοι ἕποντο δυώδεκα, ἐς δὲ ἑκάστην

Twelve ships followed with me, and to each


ἐννέα λάγχανον αἶγες· ἐμοὶ δὲ δέκʼ ἔξελον οἴῳ.

nine goats fell by lot; for me alone they picked out ten.


ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

So then all day long till the setting of the sun


ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τʼ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·

we sat feasting on meat past counting and sweet wine.


οὐ γάρ πω νηῶν ἐξέφθιτο οἶνος ἐρυθρός,

For the red wine was not yet spent from out our ships:


ἀλλʼ ἐνέην· πολλὸν γὰρ ἐν ἀμφιφορεῦσιν ἕκαστοι

there was still some left, for each crew had drawn off much


ἠφύσαμεν Κικόνων. ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἑλόντες.

in two-handled jars when we took the Cicones' holy citadel.


Κυκλώπων δʼ ἐς γαῖαν ἐλεύσσομεν ἐγγὺς ἐόντων,

And we looked across at the land of the Cyclopes, who were near:


καπνόν τʼ αὐτῶν τε φθογγὴν ὀίων τε καὶ αἰγῶν.

smoke, and voices — theirs, and their sheep's and goats'.


ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε,

And when the sun went down and the dusk came on,


δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

then we lay down to sleep on the surf-line of the sea.


When Dawn appeared, the early-born, with fingers of rose,


καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν θέμενος μετὰ πᾶσιν ἔειπον·

then I called an assembly, and spoke among them all:


ἄλλοι μὲν νῦν μίμνετʼ, ἐμοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι·

'The rest of you stay here now, my trusted companions,


αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν νηί τʼ ἐμῇ καὶ ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισιν

while I with my own ship and my own crew


ἐλθὼν τῶνδʼ ἀνδρῶν πειρήσομαι, οἵ τινές εἰσιν,

go and make trial of those men over there — what they are:


ἤ ῥʼ οἵ γʼ ὑβρισταί τε καὶ ἄγριοι οὐδὲ δίκαιοι,

whether violent, savage, without justice,


ἦε φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής.

or kind to strangers, with hearts that fear the gods.'


ὣς εἰπὼν ἀνὰ νηὸς ἔβην, ἐκέλευσα δʼ ἑταίρους

So speaking I went aboard, and ordered my companions


αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι.

to board in their turn and loose the stern-cables.


οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they came aboard at once and took their places at the oarlocks,


ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they struck the gray salt water with their oars.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὸν χῶρον ἀφικόμεθʼ ἐγγὺς ἐόντα,

But when we reached the place — it was not far —


ἔνθα δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιῇ σπέος εἴδομεν ἄγχι θαλάσσης,

there on the land's edge, close by the sea, we saw a cave,


ὑψηλόν, δάφνῃσι κατηρεφές. ἔνθα δὲ πολλὰ


μῆλʼ, ὄιές τε καὶ αἶγες, ἰαύεσκον· περὶ δʼ αὐλὴ

flocks — sheep and goats — were penned at night; around it a yard


ὑψηλὴ δέδμητο κατωρυχέεσσι λίθοισι

ran high-built, of stones set deep in the earth,


μακρῇσίν τε πίτυσσιν ἰδὲ δρυσὶν ὑψικόμοισιν.

and tall pines, and oaks with lofty crowns.


ἔνθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἐνίαυε πελώριος, ὅς ῥα τὰ μῆλα

And there a man slept, a monster of a man, who shepherded


οἶος ποιμαίνεσκεν ἀπόπροθεν· οὐδὲ μετʼ ἄλλους

his flocks alone and far apart; he kept no company


πωλεῖτʼ, ἀλλʼ ἀπάνευθεν ἐὼν ἀθεμίστια ᾔδη.

with others, but held aloof, and his heart knew no law.


καὶ γὰρ θαῦμʼ ἐτέτυκτο πελώριον, οὐδὲ ἐῴκει

For he was built a monstrous wonder — nothing like


ἀνδρί γε σιτοφάγῳ, ἀλλὰ ῥίῳ ὑλήεντι

a man who eats bread, but like a wooded crag


ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων, ὅ τε φαίνεται οἶον ἀπʼ ἄλλων.

of the high mountains, standing clear of all the rest.


δὴ τότε τοὺς ἄλλους κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους

Then I ordered the rest of my trusted companions


αὐτοῦ πὰρ νηί τε μένειν καὶ νῆα ἔρυσθαι,

to stay there by the ship and guard the ship,


αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ κρίνας ἑτάρων δυοκαίδεκʼ ἀρίστους

while I picked the twelve best of my companions


βῆν· ἀτὰρ αἴγεον ἀσκὸν ἔχον μέλανος οἴνοιο

and went. And I took a goatskin of dark wine,


ἡδέος, ὅν μοι ἔδωκε Μάρων, Εὐάνθεος υἱός,

sweet wine, that Maron gave me, Euanthes' son,


ἱρεὺς Ἀπόλλωνος, ὃς Ἴσμαρον ἀμφιβεβήκει,

the priest of Apollo, the god who watches over Ismarus —


οὕνεκά μιν σὺν παιδὶ περισχόμεθʼ ἠδὲ γυναικὶ

because we had protected him, with his child and his wife,


ἁζόμενοι· ᾤκει γὰρ ἐν ἄλσεϊ δενδρήεντι

out of reverence: for he lived in the wooded grove


Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος. ὁ δέ μοι πόρεν ἀγλαὰ δῶρα·

of Phoebus Apollo. And he gave me shining gifts:


χρυσοῦ μέν μοι ἔδωκʼ ἐυεργέος ἑπτὰ τάλαντα,

he gave me seven talents of well-wrought gold,


δῶκε δέ μοι κρητῆρα πανάργυρον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

and he gave me a mixing-bowl all of silver, and then


οἶνον ἐν ἀμφιφορεῦσι δυώδεκα πᾶσιν ἀφύσσας

wine, drawn off in two-handled jars, twelve in all,


ἡδὺν ἀκηράσιον, θεῖον ποτόν· οὐδέ τις αὐτὸν

sweet and unmixed, a drink for gods. Not one


ἠείδη δμώων οὐδʼ ἀμφιπόλων ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,

of the slaves or handmaids in his house knew of it —


ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς ἄλοχός τε φίλη ταμίη τε μίʼ οἴη.

only himself and his dear wife, and one housekeeper only.


τὸν δʼ ὅτε πίνοιεν μελιηδέα οἶνον ἐρυθρόν,

Whenever they drank that honey-sweet red wine,


ἓν δέπας ἐμπλήσας ὕδατος ἀνὰ εἴκοσι μέτρα

he would fill one cup and pour it into twenty measures


χεῦʼ, ὀδμὴ δʼ ἡδεῖα ἀπὸ κρητῆρος ὀδώδει

of water, and a sweet smell would rise from the bowl,


θεσπεσίη· τότʼ ἂν οὔ τοι ἀποσχέσθαι φίλον ἦεν.


τοῦ φέρον ἐμπλήσας ἀσκὸν μέγαν, ἐν δὲ καὶ ᾖα

Of this I filled a great skin and brought it, and provisions too


κωρύκῳ· αὐτίκα γάρ μοι ὀίσατο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ

in a sack: for my proud heart had a foreboding, even then,


ἄνδρʼ ἐπελεύσεσθαι μεγάλην ἐπιειμένον ἀλκήν,

that a man would come against me clothed in great strength,


ἄγριον, οὔτε δίκας ἐὺ εἰδότα οὔτε θέμιστας.

a savage, knowing nothing of judgments or of laws.


καρπαλίμως δʼ εἰς ἄντρον ἀφικόμεθʼ, οὐδέ μιν ἔνδον

Quickly we came to the cave, and did not find him


εὕρομεν, ἀλλʼ ἐνόμευε νομὸν κάτα πίονα μῆλα.

within: he was herding his fat flocks in the pasture.


ἐλθόντες δʼ εἰς ἄντρον ἐθηεύμεσθα ἕκαστα.

We went into the cave and stared in wonder at everything:


ταρσοὶ μὲν τυρῶν βρῖθον, στείνοντο δὲ σηκοὶ

crates sagging with cheeses; pens crowded


ἀρνῶν ἠδʼ ἐρίφων· διακεκριμέναι δὲ ἕκασται

with lambs and kids — each sort folded separately,


ἔρχατο, χωρὶς μὲν πρόγονοι, χωρὶς δὲ μέτασσαι,

the firstlings apart, apart the middle-born,


χωρὶς δʼ αὖθʼ ἕρσαι. ναῖον δʼ ὀρῷ ἄγγεα πάντα,

apart again the newborn; and every vessel swimming with whey,


γαυλοί τε σκαφίδες τε, τετυγμένα, τοῖς ἐνάμελγεν.

the pails and bowls, all made by hand, that he milked into.


ἔνθʼ ἐμὲ μὲν πρώτισθʼ ἕταροι λίσσοντʼ ἐπέεσσιν

There first my companions begged me, pleading:


τυρῶν αἰνυμένους ἰέναι πάλιν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

take some cheeses and go back; then quickly,


καρπαλίμως ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν ἐρίφους τε καὶ ἄρνας

driving the kids and lambs out of their pens


σηκῶν ἐξελάσαντας ἐπιπλεῖν ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ·

down to the fast ship, sail away over the salt water.


ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐ πιθόμην, ἦ τʼ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον ἦεν,

But I would not listen — it would have been far better —


ὄφρʼ αὐτόν τε ἴδοιμι, καὶ εἴ μοι ξείνια δοίη.

not until I saw him, and whether he would give me guest-gifts.


οὐδʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλʼ ἑτάροισι φανεὶς ἐρατεινὸς ἔσεσθαι.

And his appearing was to be no joy to my companions.


ἔνθα δὲ πῦρ κήαντες ἐθύσαμεν ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ

We lit a fire there and made an offering, and helped ourselves


τυρῶν αἰνύμενοι φάγομεν, μένομέν τέ μιν ἔνδον

to cheeses, and ate, and sat inside waiting for him,


ἥμενοι, ἧος ἐπῆλθε νέμων. φέρε δʼ ὄβριμον ἄχθος

until he came back herding. He carried a huge weight


ὕλης ἀζαλέης, ἵνα οἱ ποτιδόρπιον εἴη,

of dry wood, to serve him at supper-time,


ἔντοσθεν δʼ ἄντροιο βαλὼν ὀρυμαγδὸν ἔθηκεν·

and flung it down inside the cave with a crash;


ἡμεῖς δὲ δείσαντες ἀπεσσύμεθʼ ἐς μυχὸν ἄντρου.

and we in terror shrank away into the cave's far corner.


αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ εἰς εὐρὺ σπέος ἤλασε πίονα μῆλα

He drove his fat flocks into the wide cavern —


πάντα μάλʼ ὅσσʼ ἤμελγε, τὰ δʼ ἄρσενα λεῖπε θύρηφιν,

all those he milked; the males he left outside,


ἀρνειούς τε τράγους τε, βαθείης ἔκτοθεν αὐλῆς.

the rams and he-goats, out in the deep yard.


αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ ἐπέθηκε θυρεὸν μέγαν ὑψόσʼ ἀείρας,

Then he lifted high and set in place a huge door-stone,


ὄβριμον· οὐκ ἂν τόν γε δύω καὶ εἴκοσʼ ἄμαξαι

a massive thing: twenty-two carts, good ones,


ἐσθλαὶ τετράκυκλοι ἀπʼ οὔδεος ὀχλίσσειαν·

four-wheeled, could not have levered it off the ground —


τόσσην ἠλίβατον πέτρην ἐπέθηκε θύρῃσιν.

such a towering cliff of rock he set in the doorway.


ἑζόμενος δʼ ἤμελγεν ὄις καὶ μηκάδας αἶγας,

Then, sitting, he milked the ewes and bleating goats,


πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, καὶ ὑπʼ ἔμβρυον ἧκεν ἑκάστῃ.

all in due order, and set the young under each.


αὐτίκα δʼ ἥμισυ μὲν θρέψας λευκοῖο γάλακτος

And straightway he curdled half the white milk


πλεκτοῖς ἐν ταλάροισιν ἀμησάμενος κατέθηκεν,

and gathered it and stored it in the plaited baskets,


ἥμισυ δʼ αὖτʼ ἔστησεν ἐν ἄγγεσιν, ὄφρα οἱ εἴη

and half he stood in vessels, so it might be there


πίνειν αἰνυμένῳ καί οἱ ποτιδόρπιον εἴη.

for him to take and drink, and serve him at supper-time.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σπεῦσε πονησάμενος τὰ ἃ ἔργα,

And when at last he had hurried through his work,


καὶ τότε πῦρ ἀνέκαιε καὶ εἴσιδεν, εἴρετο δʼ ἡμέας·

then he lit the fire — and saw us, and asked:


ὦ ξεῖνοι, τίνες ἐστέ; πόθεν πλεῖθʼ ὑγρὰ κέλευθα;

'Strangers, who are you? From where do you sail the watery ways?


ἦ τι κατὰ πρῆξιν ἦ μαψιδίως ἀλάλησθε,

Is it on some business — or do you rove at random,


οἷά τε ληιστῆρες, ὑπεὶρ ἅλα, τοί τʼ ἀλόωνται


ψυχὰς παρθέμενοι κακὸν ἀλλοδαποῖσι φέροντες;

staking their own lives, bearing evil to strangers?'


ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡμῖν δʼ αὖτε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ,

So he spoke, and our own hearts broke within us


δεισάντων φθόγγον τε βαρὺν αὐτόν τε πέλωρον.

in terror of the deep voice and the monster himself.


ἀλλὰ καὶ ὥς μιν ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·


ἡμεῖς τοι Τροίηθεν ἀποπλαγχθέντες Ἀχαιοὶ

'We are Achaeans, blown off course from Troy


παντοίοις ἀνέμοισιν ὑπὲρ μέγα λαῖτμα θαλάσσης,

by every wind there is, across the great gulf of the sea,


οἴκαδε ἱέμενοι, ἄλλην ὁδὸν ἄλλα κέλευθα

making for home — but by other routes, other roads


ἤλθομεν· οὕτω που Ζεὺς ἤθελε μητίσασθαι.

we came: so Zeus, I suppose, chose to devise it.


λαοὶ δʼ Ἀτρεΐδεω Ἀγαμέμνονος εὐχόμεθʼ εἶναι,

We declare ourselves the people of Agamemnon, Atreus' son,


τοῦ δὴ νῦν γε μέγιστον ὑπουράνιον κλέος ἐστί·

whose fame is now the greatest thing under heaven,


τόσσην γὰρ διέπερσε πόλιν καὶ ἀπώλεσε λαοὺς

so vast the city he sacked, so many the peoples


πολλούς. ἡμεῖς δʼ αὖτε κιχανόμενοι τὰ σὰ γοῦνα

he destroyed. But we, for our part, have come to your knees


ἱκόμεθʼ, εἴ τι πόροις ξεινήιον ἠὲ καὶ ἄλλως

in hope you may offer guest-friendship — or give besides


δοίης δωτίνην, ἥ τε ξείνων θέμις ἐστίν.

some gift, as is the right and custom done for strangers.


ἀλλʼ αἰδεῖο, φέριστε, θεούς· ἱκέται δέ τοί εἰμεν,

Respect the gods, mighty one. We are your suppliants,


Ζεὺς δʼ ἐπιτιμήτωρ ἱκετάων τε ξείνων τε,

and Zeus is the avenger of suppliants and of strangers —


ξείνιος, ὃς ξείνοισιν ἅμʼ αἰδοίοισιν ὀπηδεῖ.

Zeus of Strangers, who walks beside honored guests.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο νηλέι θυμῷ·

So I spoke, and he answered me at once, with pitiless heart:


νήπιός εἰς, ὦ ξεῖνʼ, ἢ τηλόθεν εἰλήλουθας,

'You are a fool, stranger — or you have come from far away —


ὅς με θεοὺς κέλεαι ἢ δειδίμεν ἢ ἀλέασθαι·

you who tell me to fear the gods or shun their anger.


οὐ γὰρ Κύκλωπες Διὸς αἰγιόχου ἀλέγουσιν

The Cyclopes pay no heed to Zeus who bears the aegis,


οὐδὲ θεῶν μακάρων, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰμεν·

nor to the blessed gods: for we are the better men by far.


οὐδʼ ἂν ἐγὼ Διὸς ἔχθος ἀλευάμενος πεφιδοίμην

I would not spare you or your companions to dodge


οὔτε σεῦ οὔθʼ ἑτάρων, εἰ μὴ θυμός με κελεύοι.

the hatred of Zeus — not unless my own heart bade me.


ἀλλά μοι εἴφʼ ὅπῃ ἔσχες ἰὼν ἐυεργέα νῆα,

But tell me: where did you moor your well-made ship when you came?


ἤ που ἐπʼ ἐσχατιῆς, ἦ καὶ σχεδόν, ὄφρα δαείω.

At the far end of the shore, or near? I want to know.'


ὣς φάτο πειράζων, ἐμὲ δʼ οὐ λάθεν εἰδότα πολλά,

So he spoke, testing; but I knew too much, and he did not catch me;


ἀλλά μιν ἄψορρον προσέφην δολίοις ἐπέεσσι·

I answered him back with words of guile:


νέα μέν μοι κατέαξε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων

'My ship — Poseidon the earth-shaker smashed her to pieces,


πρὸς πέτρῃσι βαλὼν ὑμῆς ἐπὶ πείρασι γαίης,

driving her on the rocks at the border of your country:


ἄκρῃ προσπελάσας· ἄνεμος δʼ ἐκ πόντου ἔνεικεν·

he brought her against a headland, and the wind carried her in from the sea.


αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ σὺν τοῖσδε ὑπέκφυγον αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον.

But I, with these men here, escaped sheer destruction.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ οὐδὲν ἀμείβετο νηλέι θυμῷ,

So I spoke; and out of his pitiless heart he answered nothing,


ἀλλʼ ὅ γʼ ἀναΐξας ἑτάροις ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἴαλλε,

but sprang up and reached his hands out at my companions,


σὺν δὲ δύω μάρψας ὥς τε σκύλακας ποτὶ γαίῃ

snatched up two together, and dashed them like puppies


κόπτʼ· ἐκ δʼ ἐγκέφαλος χαμάδις ῥέε, δεῦε δὲ γαῖαν.

against the ground: their brains ran out on the earth, and wetted it.


τοὺς δὲ διὰ μελεϊστὶ ταμὼν ὡπλίσσατο δόρπον·

He tore them limb from limb and made ready his supper,


ἤσθιε δʼ ὥς τε λέων ὀρεσίτροφος, οὐδʼ ἀπέλειπεν,

and he ate like a mountain-bred lion, and left nothing —


ἔγκατά τε σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα μυελόεντα.

the entrails, the flesh, the bones with their marrow.


ἡμεῖς δὲ κλαίοντες ἀνεσχέθομεν Διὶ χεῖρας,

And we, weeping, lifted up our hands to Zeus


σχέτλια ἔργʼ ὁρόωντες, ἀμηχανίη δʼ ἔχε θυμόν.

at the horror we watched, helplessness holding our hearts.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Κύκλωψ μεγάλην ἐμπλήσατο νηδὺν

And when the Cyclops had filled his great belly,


ἀνδρόμεα κρέʼ ἔδων καὶ ἐπʼ ἄκρητον γάλα πίνων,

feeding on man-flesh and washing it down with unmixed milk,


κεῖτʼ ἔντοσθʼ ἄντροιο τανυσσάμενος διὰ μήλων.

he lay stretched out in the cave among his sheep.


τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ βούλευσα κατὰ μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν


ἆσσον ἰών, ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ,

to steal close, draw the sharp sword from beside my thigh,


οὐτάμεναι πρὸς στῆθος, ὅθι φρένες ἧπαρ ἔχουσι,

and stab him in the chest, where the midriff holds the liver,


χείρʼ ἐπιμασσάμενος· ἕτερος δέ με θυμὸς ἔρυκεν.

feeling for the place with my hand. But a second thought held me:


αὐτοῦ γάρ κε καὶ ἄμμες ἀπωλόμεθʼ αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον·

there we too would have perished in sheer destruction,


οὐ γάρ κεν δυνάμεσθα θυράων ὑψηλάων

for we could never have pushed back with our hands


χερσὶν ἀπώσασθαι λίθον ὄβριμον, ὃν προσέθηκεν.

the massive stone he had set in the high doorway.


ὣς τότε μὲν στενάχοντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.

So then, groaning, we waited for shining Dawn.


ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

When Dawn appeared, the early-born, with fingers of rose,


καὶ τότε πῦρ ἀνέκαιε καὶ ἤμελγε κλυτὰ μῆλα,

then he lit the fire, and milked his famous flocks,


πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, καὶ ὑπʼ ἔμβρυον ἧκεν ἑκάστῃ.

all in due order, and set the young under each.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σπεῦσε πονησάμενος τὰ ἃ ἔργα,

And when at last he had hurried through his work,


σὺν δʼ ὅ γε δὴ αὖτε δύω μάρψας ὡπλίσσατο δεῖπνον.

he snatched up two men together again, and made his meal ready.


δειπνήσας δʼ ἄντρου ἐξήλασε πίονα μῆλα,

And having fed, he drove his fat flocks out of the cave,


ῥηιδίως ἀφελὼν θυρεὸν μέγαν· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

lifting off the great door-stone with ease — and then


ἂψ ἐπέθηχʼ, ὡς εἴ τε φαρέτρῃ πῶμʼ ἐπιθείη.

set it back, the way a man sets the lid on a quiver.


πολλῇ δὲ ῥοίζῳ πρὸς ὄρος τρέπε πίονα μῆλα

With a great whistling the Cyclops turned his fat flocks


Κύκλωψ· αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ λιπόμην κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων,

toward the mountain; and I was left brooding evil deep in my heart:


εἴ πως τισαίμην, δοίη δέ μοι εὖχος Ἀθήνη.

if somehow I might pay him back, and Athena grant me the glory.


ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή.

And this, as I turned it over, seemed to me the best plan.


Κύκλωπος γὰρ ἔκειτο μέγα ῥόπαλον παρὰ σηκῷ,

There lay beside a pen a great club of the Cyclops',


χλωρὸν ἐλαΐνεον· τὸ μὲν ἔκταμεν, ὄφρα φοροίη

green olive-wood: he had cut it to carry


αὐανθέν. τὸ μὲν ἄμμες ἐίσκομεν εἰσορόωντες

once it seasoned. Looking it over we judged it


ὅσσον θʼ ἱστὸν νηὸς ἐεικοσόροιο μελαίνης,

big as the mast of a black twenty-oared ship,


φορτίδος εὐρείης, ἥ τʼ ἐκπεράᾳ μέγα λαῖτμα·

a broad-beamed freighter, that crosses the great gulf:


τόσσον ἔην μῆκος, τόσσον πάχος εἰσοράασθαι.

that was its length, that its thickness to the eye.


τοῦ μὲν ὅσον τʼ ὄργυιαν ἐγὼν ἀπέκοψα παραστὰς

Standing to it, I cut off about a fathom's measure


καὶ παρέθηχʼ ἑτάροισιν, ἀποξῦναι δʼ ἐκέλευσα·

and handed it to my companions, and told them to dress it down;


οἱ δʼ ὁμαλὸν ποίησαν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐθόωσα παραστὰς

and they made it smooth, while standing by I brought it to a point


ἄκρον, ἄφαρ δὲ λαβὼν ἐπυράκτεον ἐν πυρὶ κηλέῳ.

at the tip, and then took it and hardened it in the blazing fire.


καὶ τὸ μὲν εὖ κατέθηκα κατακρύψας ὑπὸ κόπρῳ,

And I laid it carefully by, hiding it under the dung


ἥ ῥα κατὰ σπείους κέχυτο μεγάλʼ ἤλιθα πολλή·

that was strewn in a great deep litter through the cave.


αὐτὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους κλήρῳ πεπαλάσθαι ἄνωγον,

And I told the others to shake lots among them


ὅς τις τολμήσειεν ἐμοὶ σὺν μοχλὸν ἀείρας

for who would dare, together with me, to lift the stake


τρῖψαι ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ, ὅτε τὸν γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἱκάνοι.

and grind it in his eye, when sweet sleep came on him.


οἱ δʼ ἔλαχον τοὺς ἄν κε καὶ ἤθελον αὐτὸς ἑλέσθαι,

The lot fell on the very men I would have chosen —


τέσσαρες, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ πέμπτος μετὰ τοῖσιν ἐλέγμην.

four of them, and I counted myself in with them, the fifth.


ἑσπέριος δʼ ἦλθεν καλλίτριχα μῆλα νομεύων.

At evening he came back, herding his fair-fleeced flocks,


αὐτίκα δʼ εἰς εὐρὺ σπέος ἤλασε πίονα μῆλα

and drove those fat flocks straight into the wide cavern,


πάντα μάλʼ, οὐδέ τι λεῖπε βαθείης ἔκτοθεν αὐλῆς,

all of them: he left not one outside in the deep yard,


ἤ τι ὀισάμενος, ἢ καὶ θεὸς ὣς ἐκέλευσεν.

whether some foreboding moved him, or a god so ordered it.


αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ ἐπέθηκε θυρεὸν μέγαν ὑψόσʼ ἀείρας,

Then he lifted high and set in place the great door-stone,


ἑζόμενος δʼ ἤμελγεν ὄις καὶ μηκάδας αἶγας,

and sitting, he milked the ewes and bleating goats,


πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, καὶ ὑπʼ ἔμβρυον ἧκεν ἑκάστῃ.

all in due order, and set the young under each.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ σπεῦσε πονησάμενος τὰ ἃ ἔργα,

And when at last he had hurried through his work,


σὺν δʼ ὅ γε δὴ αὖτε δύω μάρψας ὡπλίσσατο δόρπον.

he snatched up two men together again, and made his supper ready.


καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων ἄγχι παραστάς,

And then I came up close and spoke to the Cyclops,


κισσύβιον μετὰ χερσὶν ἔχων μέλανος οἴνοιο·

holding in my hands an ivy-wood bowl of the dark wine:


Κύκλωψ, τῆ, πίε οἶνον, ἐπεὶ φάγες ἀνδρόμεα κρέα,

'Cyclops — here, drink wine, now you have fed on man-flesh:


ὄφρʼ εἰδῇς οἷόν τι ποτὸν τόδε νηῦς ἐκεκεύθει

so you may know what kind of drink our ship


ἡμετέρη. σοὶ δʼ αὖ λοιβὴν φέρον, εἴ μʼ ἐλεήσας

carried stored. I was bringing it as an offering for you, in hope


οἴκαδε πέμψειας· σὺ δὲ μαίνεαι οὐκέτʼ ἀνεκτῶς.

you might pity me and send me home. But your madness is past all bearing.


σχέτλιε, πῶς κέν τίς σε καὶ ὕστερον ἄλλος ἵκοιτο

Merciless one — how will any other man of all the many


ἀνθρώπων πολέων, ἐπεὶ οὐ κατὰ μοῖραν ἔρεξας;

ever come near you again? What you have done is past all measure.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δʼ ἔδεκτο καὶ ἔκπιεν· ἥσατο δʼ αἰνῶς

So I spoke; and he took it, and drank it down; and it pleased him — terribly —


ἡδὺ ποτὸν πίνων καὶ μʼ ᾔτεε δεύτερον αὖτις·

the sweet drink; and he demanded a second helping:


δός μοι ἔτι πρόφρων, καί μοι τεὸν οὔνομα εἰπὲ

'Give me more — be generous. And tell me your name,


αὐτίκα νῦν, ἵνα τοι δῶ ξείνιον, ᾧ κε σὺ χαίρῃς·

here, now, so I can give you a guest-gift that will make you glad.


καὶ γὰρ Κυκλώπεσσι φέρει ζείδωρος ἄρουρα

The grain-giving plowland bears wine for the Cyclopes too —


οἶνον ἐριστάφυλον, καί σφιν Διὸς ὄμβρος ἀέξει·

fine clusters, and Zeus' rain swells them for us;


ἀλλὰ τόδʼ ἀμβροσίης καὶ νέκταρός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ.

but this — this is a rivulet of ambrosia and nectar!'


ὣς φάτʼ, ἀτάρ οἱ αὖτις ἐγὼ πόρον αἴθοπα οἶνον.

So he spoke, and I handed him the fire-bright wine again.


τρὶς μὲν ἔδωκα φέρων, τρὶς δʼ ἔκπιεν ἀφραδίῃσιν.

Three times I brought and gave it; three times, in his folly, he drained it.


αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Κύκλωπα περὶ φρένας ἤλυθεν οἶνος,

And when the wine had come circling round the Cyclops' wits,


καὶ τότε δή μιν ἔπεσσι προσηύδων μειλιχίοισι·


Κύκλωψ, εἰρωτᾷς μʼ ὄνομα κλυτόν, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ τοι

'Cyclops, you ask my glorious name? Then I


ἐξερέω· σὺ δέ μοι δὸς ξείνιον, ὥς περ ὑπέστης.

will tell it — and you give me the guest-gift, as you promised.


Οὖτις ἐμοί γʼ ὄνομα· Οὖτιν δέ με κικλήσκουσι

Nobody is my name. Nobody is what they call me —


μήτηρ ἠδὲ πατὴρ ἠδʼ ἄλλοι πάντες ἑταῖροι.

my mother and my father and all my companions.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀμείβετο νηλέι θυμῷ·

So I spoke, and he answered me at once, with pitiless heart:


Οὖτιν ἐγὼ πύματον ἔδομαι μετὰ οἷς ἑτάροισιν,

'Nobody I will eat last of all his company,


τοὺς δʼ ἄλλους πρόσθεν· τὸ δέ τοι ξεινήιον ἔσται.

and the others before him. That shall be your guest-gift.'


ἦ καὶ ἀνακλινθεὶς πέσεν ὕπτιος, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

He spoke — and reeling back he fell flat, and lay there


κεῖτʼ ἀποδοχμώσας παχὺν αὐχένα, κὰδ δέ μιν ὕπνος

with his thick neck lolled over sideways; and sleep


ᾕρει πανδαμάτωρ· φάρυγος δʼ ἐξέσσυτο οἶνος

the all-subduer took him. And from his gullet gushed wine


ψωμοί τʼ ἀνδρόμεοι· ὁ δʼ ἐρεύγετο οἰνοβαρείων.

and gobbets of human flesh, as he belched in his drunkenness.


καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼ τὸν μοχλὸν ὑπὸ σποδοῦ ἤλασα πολλῆς,

And then I drove the stake under the deep ash-heap


ἧος θερμαίνοιτο· ἔπεσσι δὲ πάντας ἑταίρους

to heat; and with my words I put courage in all


θάρσυνον, μή τίς μοι ὑποδείσας ἀναδύη.

my companions, so no man might flinch and hang back.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τάχʼ ὁ μοχλὸς ἐλάινος ἐν πυρὶ μέλλεν

But when that olive stake in the fire, green though it was,


ἅψεσθαι, χλωρός περ ἐών, διεφαίνετο δʼ αἰνῶς,

was on the point of catching, and glowed clean through, terrible —


καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἆσσον φέρον ἐκ πυρός, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

then I brought it close out of the fire, and my companions


ἵσταντʼ· αὐτὰρ θάρσος ἐνέπνευσεν μέγα δαίμων.

stood round me; and a great power breathed courage into us.


οἱ μὲν μοχλὸν ἑλόντες ἐλάινον, ὀξὺν ἐπʼ ἄκρῳ,

They took up the olive stake, sharpened at its point,


ὀφθαλμῷ ἐνέρεισαν· ἐγὼ δʼ ἐφύπερθεν ἐρεισθεὶς

and rammed it in his eye; and I, throwing my weight on from above,


δίνεον, ὡς ὅτε τις τρυπῷ δόρυ νήιον ἀνὴρ

spun it — the way a man bores a ship-timber


τρυπάνῳ, οἱ δέ τʼ ἔνερθεν ὑποσσείουσιν ἱμάντι

with a drill, and his mates below keep it running


ἁψάμενοι ἑκάτερθε, τὸ δὲ τρέχει ἐμμενὲς αἰεί.

with a strap they hold at either end, and it spins on without stopping:


ὣς τοῦ ἐν ὀφθαλμῷ πυριήκεα μοχλὸν ἑλόντες

so we took the fire-pointed stake and spun it


δινέομεν, τὸν δʼ αἷμα περίρρεε θερμὸν ἐόντα.

in his eye, and the blood came boiling up round its heat,


πάντα δέ οἱ βλέφαρʼ ἀμφὶ καὶ ὀφρύας εὗσεν ἀυτμὴ

and the blast singed all his lids and brows away


γλήνης καιομένης, σφαραγεῦντο δέ οἱ πυρὶ ῥίζαι.

as the eyeball burned, and the roots of it crackled in the fire.


ὡς δʼ ὅτʼ ἀνὴρ χαλκεὺς πέλεκυν μέγαν ἠὲ σκέπαρνον

As when a smith dips a great axe-head or an adze


εἰν ὕδατι ψυχρῷ βάπτῃ μεγάλα ἰάχοντα

in cold water, and it hisses loud and high,


φαρμάσσων· τὸ γὰρ αὖτε σιδήρου γε κράτος ἐστίν

tempering it — for that is what gives iron its strength —


ὣς τοῦ σίζʼ ὀφθαλμὸς ἐλαϊνέῳ περὶ μοχλῷ.

so his eye hissed round the olive stake.


σμερδαλέον δὲ μέγʼ ᾤμωξεν, περὶ δʼ ἴαχε πέτρη,

And he let out a huge and hideous howl, and the rock rang round it,


ἡμεῖς δὲ δείσαντες ἀπεσσύμεθʼ· αὐτὰρ ὁ μοχλὸν

and we shrank back in terror. He wrenched the stake


ἐξέρυσʼ ὀφθαλμοῖο πεφυρμένον αἵματι πολλῷ.

out of his eye, all fouled with streaming blood,


τὸν μὲν ἔπειτʼ ἔρριψεν ἀπὸ ἕο χερσὶν ἀλύων,

and flung it from him, flailing his arms in agony,


αὐτὰρ ὁ Κύκλωπας μεγάλʼ ἤπυεν, οἵ ῥά μιν ἀμφὶς

and set up a great bellowing to the Cyclopes who lived


ᾤκεον ἐν σπήεσσι διʼ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας.

around him in caves along the windy heights.


οἱ δὲ βοῆς ἀίοντες ἐφοίτων ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος,

And they heard his cry and came thronging from every side,


ἱστάμενοι δʼ εἴροντο περὶ σπέος ὅττι ἑ κήδοι·

and standing round the cave they asked him what was wrong:


τίπτε τόσον, Πολύφημʼ, ἀρημένος ὧδʼ ἐβόησας

'What in the world, Polyphemus? What hurt, that you cry out so


νύκτα διʼ ἀμβροσίην καὶ ἀύπνους ἄμμε τίθησθα;

through the ambrosial night and make us sleepless?


ἦ μή τίς σευ μῆλα βροτῶν ἀέκοντος ἐλαύνει;

Surely no mortal is driving off your flocks against your will?


ἦ μή τίς σʼ αὐτὸν κτείνει δόλῳ ἠὲ βίηφιν;

Surely no one is killing you — by cunning or by force?'


τοὺς δʼ αὖτʼ ἐξ ἄντρου προσέφη κρατερὸς Πολύφημος·

And out of the cave strong Polyphemus answered them:


ὦ φίλοι, Οὖτίς με κτείνει δόλῳ οὐδὲ βίηφιν.

'Friends — Nobody is killing me, by cunning and not by force!'


οἱ δʼ ἀπαμειβόμενοι ἔπεα πτερόεντʼ ἀγόρευον·

And they answered with winged words, and gave it back:


εἰ μὲν δὴ μή τίς σε βιάζεται οἶον ἐόντα,

'If nobody is forcing you, then — alone as you are —


νοῦσον γʼ οὔ πως ἔστι Διὸς μεγάλου ἀλέασθαι,

it must be sickness from great Zeus, and there is no escaping that.


ἀλλὰ σύ γʼ εὔχεο πατρὶ Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι.


ὣς ἄρʼ ἔφαν ἀπιόντες, ἐμὸν δʼ ἐγέλασσε φίλον κῆρ,

So they spoke as they went; and my own heart laughed,


ὡς ὄνομʼ ἐξαπάτησεν ἐμὸν καὶ μῆτις ἀμύμων.

how my name had utterly deceived him — the name, and the flawless cunning.


Κύκλωψ δὲ στενάχων τε καὶ ὠδίνων ὀδύνῃσι

But the Cyclops, groaning and heaving in his agonies,


χερσὶ ψηλαφόων ἀπὸ μὲν λίθον εἷλε θυράων,

groped with his hands and lifted the stone from the doorway,


αὐτὸς δʼ εἰνὶ θύρῃσι καθέζετο χεῖρε πετάσσας,

and sat himself down in the door with both arms spread,


εἴ τινά που μετʼ ὄεσσι λάβοι στείχοντα θύραζε·

in hope of catching anyone who tried to slip out with the sheep:


οὕτω γάρ πού μʼ ἤλπετʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ νήπιον εἶναι.

such a fool, I suppose, he hoped to find in me.


αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ βούλευον, ὅπως ὄχʼ ἄριστα γένοιτο,

But I was planning how it might all come out best —


εἴ τινʼ ἑταίροισιν θανάτου λύσιν ἠδʼ ἐμοὶ αὐτῷ

if I could find some release from death for my companions


εὑροίμην· πάντας δὲ δόλους καὶ μῆτιν ὕφαινον

and for myself; and I wove every guile and design,


ὥς τε περὶ ψυχῆς· μέγα γὰρ κακὸν ἐγγύθεν ἦεν.

as a man does for his very life: for the great evil was close.


ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή.

And this, as I turned it over, seemed to me the best plan.


ἄρσενες ὄιες ἦσαν ἐυτρεφέες, δασύμαλλοι,

There were rams there, well-fed, thick in the fleece,


καλοί τε μεγάλοι τε, ἰοδνεφὲς εἶρος ἔχοντες·

fine big animals, their wool dark as violets.


τοὺς ἀκέων συνέεργον ἐυστρεφέεσσι λύγοισιν,

These, working quietly, I lashed together with plaited withies —


τῇς ἔπι Κύκλωψ εὗδε πέλωρ, ἀθεμίστια εἰδώς,

the ones that monster slept on, the outlaw — in threes:


σύντρεις αἰνύμενος· ὁ μὲν ἐν μέσῳ ἄνδρα φέρεσκε,

the middle one of each three carried a man,


τὼ δʼ ἑτέρω ἑκάτερθεν ἴτην σώοντες ἑταίρους.

and the other two walked either side, protecting my companions.


τρεῖς δὲ ἕκαστον φῶτʼ ὄιες φέρον· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε—

So three sheep to each man. But for myself —


ἀρνειὸς γὰρ ἔην μήλων ὄχʼ ἄριστος ἁπάντων,

there was one ram, far the finest of all the flock;


τοῦ κατὰ νῶτα λαβών, λασίην ὑπὸ γαστέρʼ ἐλυσθεὶς

I caught him along the back and curled under his shaggy belly


κείμην· αὐτὰρ χερσὶν ἀώτου θεσπεσίοιο

and lay there; and in that wondrous fleece, with my hands


νωλεμέως στρεφθεὶς ἐχόμην τετληότι θυμῷ.

twisted fast, I hung on, with an enduring heart.


ὣς τότε μὲν στενάχοντες ἐμείναμεν Ἠῶ δῖαν.

So then, groaning, we waited for shining Dawn.


ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

When Dawn appeared, the early-born, with fingers of rose,


καὶ τότʼ ἔπειτα νομόνδʼ ἐξέσσυτο ἄρσενα μῆλα,

then the male flocks poured out toward pasture,


θήλειαι δὲ μέμηκον ἀνήμελκτοι περὶ σηκούς·

and the unmilked females bleated about the pens


οὔθατα γὰρ σφαραγεῦντο. ἄναξ δʼ ὀδύνῃσι κακῇσι

with their udders bursting. And their lord, worn down


τειρόμενος πάντων ὀίων ἐπεμαίετο νῶτα

by evil agonies, ran his hands along the backs of all his sheep


ὀρθῶν ἑσταότων· τὸ δὲ νήπιος οὐκ ἐνόησεν,

as they stood up straight — and never sensed it, the fool:


ὥς οἱ ὑπʼ εἰροπόκων ὀίων στέρνοισι δέδεντο.

my men bound under the breasts of his own fleecy sheep.


ὕστατος ἀρνειὸς μήλων ἔστειχε θύραζε

Last of the flock the great ram walked toward the doorway,


λάχνῳ στεινόμενος καὶ ἐμοὶ πυκινὰ φρονέοντι.

heavy with his wool — and with me, and my crowding thoughts.


τὸν δʼ ἐπιμασσάμενος προσέφη κρατερὸς Πολύφημος·

And strong Polyphemus, running his hands over him, said:


κριὲ πέπον, τί μοι ὧδε διὰ σπέος ἔσσυο μήλων

'Old sweetheart — my ram — why last of all the flock


ὕστατος; οὔ τι πάρος γε λελειμμένος ἔρχεαι οἰῶν,

through the cave this time? Before, you were never one to lag behind:


ἀλλὰ πολὺ πρῶτος νέμεαι τέρενʼ ἄνθεα ποίης

first, always first, striding out to graze the soft flowering grass,


μακρὰ βιβάς, πρῶτος δὲ ῥοὰς ποταμῶν ἀφικάνεις,


πρῶτος δὲ σταθμόνδε λιλαίεαι ἀπονέεσθαι

first in your longing to turn home to the fold


ἑσπέριος· νῦν αὖτε πανύστατος. ἦ σύ γʼ ἄνακτος

at evening. And now — last of all. Grieving, are you,


ὀφθαλμὸν ποθέεις, τὸν ἀνὴρ κακὸς ἐξαλάωσε

for your master's eye, that a coward of a man put out,


σὺν λυγροῖς ἑτάροισι δαμασσάμενος φρένας οἴνῳ,

with his miserable companions, when he had crushed my wits with wine —


Οὖτις, ὃν οὔ πώ φημι πεφυγμένον εἶναι ὄλεθρον.

Nobody — who is not yet, I promise, clear of destruction.


εἰ δὴ ὁμοφρονέοις ποτιφωνήεις τε γένοιο

If only you could think with me, if only you had a voice


εἰπεῖν ὅππῃ κεῖνος ἐμὸν μένος ἠλασκάζει·

to say where that man is dodging from my fury:


τῷ κέ οἱ ἐγκέφαλός γε διὰ σπέος ἄλλυδις ἄλλῃ

then his brains would be dashed against the floor and spattered


θεινομένου ῥαίοιτο πρὸς οὔδεϊ, κὰδ δέ κʼ ἐμὸν κῆρ

this way and that through the cave, and my heart would find


λωφήσειε κακῶν, τά μοι οὐτιδανὸς πόρεν Οὖτις.

some ease from the evils this worthless Nobody has brought me.'


ὣς εἰπὼν τὸν κριὸν ἀπὸ ἕο πέμπε θύραζε.

So speaking he sent the ram away from him, out the door.


ἐλθόντες δʼ ἠβαιὸν ἀπὸ σπείους τε καὶ αὐλῆς

And when we had gone a little way from the cave and the yard,


πρῶτος ὑπʼ ἀρνειοῦ λυόμην, ὑπέλυσα δʼ ἑταίρους.

first I loosed myself from under the ram, and then set my companions free.


καρπαλίμως δὲ τὰ μῆλα ταναύποδα, πίονα δημῷ,

Swiftly then we drove those long-shanked sheep, deep in fat,


πολλὰ περιτροπέοντες ἐλαύνομεν, ὄφρʼ ἐπὶ νῆα

turning again and again to look behind, until we came


ἱκόμεθʼ. ἀσπάσιοι δὲ φίλοις ἑτάροισι φάνημεν,

to the ship. And a welcome sight we were to our dear companions —


οἳ φύγομεν θάνατον, τοὺς δὲ στενάχοντο γοῶντες.

we who had escaped death — but the others they wept and wailed for.


ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ οὐκ εἴων, ἀνὰ δʼ ὀφρύσι νεῦον ἑκάστῳ,

I would not have it: I frowned each man's tears back


κλαίειν, ἀλλʼ ἐκέλευσα θοῶς καλλίτριχα μῆλα

and ordered them quickly to fling the fine-fleeced sheep


πόλλʼ ἐν νηὶ βαλόντας ἐπιπλεῖν ἁλμυρὸν ὕδωρ.

aboard in numbers, and sail out over the salt water.


οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they came aboard at once and took their places at the oarlocks,


ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they struck the gray salt water with their oars.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε τόσσον ἀπῆν, ὅσσον τε γέγωνε βοήσας,

But when I was as far offshore as a man's shout carries,


καὶ τότʼ ἐγὼ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων κερτομίοισι·

then I called to the Cyclops with jeering words:


Κύκλωψ, οὐκ ἄρʼ ἔμελλες ἀνάλκιδος ἀνδρὸς ἑταίρους

'Cyclops! Not so weak a man's companions, after all,


ἔδμεναι ἐν σπῆι γλαφυρῷ κρατερῆφι βίηφι.

were those you meant to eat by main force in your hollow cave.


καὶ λίην σέ γʼ ἔμελλε κιχήσεσθαι κακὰ ἔργα,

And your own evil deeds were bound to find you out —


σχέτλιʼ, ἐπεὶ ξείνους οὐχ ἅζεο σῷ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ

merciless one — you who did not shrink from eating guests


ἐσθέμεναι· τῷ σε Ζεὺς τίσατο καὶ θεοὶ ἄλλοι.

in your own house. For that Zeus has paid you, and the other gods.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα χολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,

So I spoke, and the anger in his heart grew fiercer,


ἧκε δʼ ἀπορρήξας κορυφὴν ὄρεος μεγάλοιο,

and he tore off the peak of a great mountain and hurled it,


κὰδ δʼ ἔβαλε προπάροιθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

and brought it down just ahead of the dark-blue prow —


τυτθόν, ἐδεύησεν δʼ οἰήιον ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι,

barely — it missed the tip of the steering-oar;


ἐκλύσθη δὲ θάλασσα κατερχομένης ὑπὸ πέτρης·

and the sea heaved up under the falling rock,


τὴν δʼ αἶψʼ ἤπειρόνδε παλιρρόθιον φέρε κῦμα,

and the backwash carried the ship straight in toward the land,


πλημυρὶς ἐκ πόντοιο, θέμωσε δὲ χέρσον ἱκέσθαι.

a flood-surge out of the deep, and drove her toward the shore.


αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ χείρεσσι λαβὼν περιμήκεα κοντὸν


ὦσα παρέξ, ἑτάροισι δʼ ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσα

and shoved her off and out, and roused my companions,


ἐμβαλέειν κώπῃς, ἵνʼ ὑπὲκ κακότητα φύγοιμεν,

ordering them to fall to their oars and get us clear of the evil,


κρατὶ κατανεύων· οἱ δὲ προπεσόντες ἔρεσσον.

nodding hard with my head; and they bent to it and rowed.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ δὶς τόσσον ἅλα πρήσσοντες ἀπῆμεν,

But when we were twice as far out over the sea,


καὶ τότε δὴ Κύκλωπα προσηύδων· ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

then I made to call to the Cyclops again; and around me my companions


μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἐρήτυον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος·

tried to hold me back with honeyed words, this one and that one:


σχέτλιε, τίπτʼ ἐθέλεις ἐρεθιζέμεν ἄγριον ἄνδρα;

'Merciless man — why must you provoke a savage


ὃς καὶ νῦν πόντονδε βαλὼν βέλος ἤγαγε νῆα

who even now, with that shot into the sea, has driven the ship


αὖτις ἐς ἤπειρον, καὶ δὴ φάμεν αὐτόθʼ ὀλέσθαι.

straight back ashore — and we thought we died there!


εἰ δὲ φθεγξαμένου τευ ἢ αὐδήσαντος ἄκουσε,

If he had heard a voice, heard any one of us speaking,


σύν κεν ἄραξʼ ἡμέων κεφαλὰς καὶ νήια δοῦρα

he would have smashed our heads and the ship's timbers together


μαρμάρῳ ὀκριόεντι βαλών· τόσσον γὰρ ἵησιν.

with one jagged boulder: he throws that far.'


ὣς φάσαν, ἀλλʼ οὐ πεῖθον ἐμὸν μεγαλήτορα θυμόν,

So they spoke, but they could not persuade my great heart,


ἀλλά μιν ἄψορρον προσέφην κεκοτηότι θυμῷ·

and I called back to him with fury in my breast:


Κύκλωψ, αἴ κέν τίς σε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων

'Cyclops — if any mortal man ever asks you


ὀφθαλμοῦ εἴρηται ἀεικελίην ἀλαωτύν,

who put the shameful blinding on your eye,


φάσθαι Ὀδυσσῆα πτολιπόρθιον ἐξαλαῶσαι,

tell him: Odysseus, sacker of cities, blinded me —


υἱὸν Λαέρτεω, Ἰθάκῃ ἔνι οἰκίʼ ἔχοντα.

the son of Laertes, who has his home in Ithaca.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δέ μʼ οἰμώξας ἠμείβετο μύθῳ·

So I spoke, and he groaned aloud, and answered:


ὢ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δή με παλαίφατα θέσφαθʼ ἱκάνει.

'Ah, then it comes home to me — the old prophecy!


ἔσκε τις ἐνθάδε μάντις ἀνὴρ ἠύς τε μέγας τε,

There was a seer here once, a great man and a good one,


Τήλεμος Εὐρυμίδης, ὃς μαντοσύνῃ ἐκέκαστο

Telemus, Eurymus' son, who excelled in prophecy


καὶ μαντευόμενος κατεγήρα Κυκλώπεσσιν·

and grew old prophesying among the Cyclopes.


ὅς μοι ἔφη τάδε πάντα τελευτήσεσθαι ὀπίσσω,

He told me all this would come to pass in time:


χειρῶν ἐξ Ὀδυσῆος ἁμαρτήσεσθαι ὀπωπῆς.

that I would lose my sight at the hands of an Odysseus.


ἀλλʼ αἰεί τινα φῶτα μέγαν καὶ καλὸν ἐδέγμην

But I always watched for some big man, a handsome one,


ἐνθάδʼ ἐλεύσεσθαι, μεγάλην ἐπιειμένον ἀλκήν·

to come here, clothed in great strength;


νῦν δέ μʼ ἐὼν ὀλίγος τε καὶ οὐτιδανὸς καὶ ἄκικυς

and now a little man, a worthless thing, a weakling,


ὀφθαλμοῦ ἀλάωσεν, ἐπεί μʼ ἐδαμάσσατο οἴνῳ.

has put out my eye — after he crushed me with wine.


ἀλλʼ ἄγε δεῦρʼ, Ὀδυσεῦ, ἵνα τοι πὰρ ξείνια θείω

But come here, Odysseus — let me set out a guest-gift for you,


πομπήν τʼ ὀτρύνω δόμεναι κλυτὸν ἐννοσίγαιον·

and press the famous earth-shaker to give you passage home.


τοῦ γὰρ ἐγὼ πάϊς εἰμί, πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς εὔχεται εἶναι.

For I am his son, and he declares himself my father.


αὐτὸς δʼ, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλῃσʼ, ἰήσεται, οὐδέ τις ἄλλος

He himself, if he wills it, will heal me — and no one else,


οὔτε θεῶν μακάρων οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων.

none of the blessed gods, and no mortal man.'


ὣς ἔφατʼ, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον·

So he spoke; and I answered him and said:


αἲ γὰρ δὴ ψυχῆς τε καὶ αἰῶνός σε δυναίμην

'Would to god I could strip you of breath and life


εὖνιν ποιήσας πέμψαι δόμον Ἄϊδος εἴσω,


ὡς οὐκ ὀφθαλμόν γʼ ἰήσεται οὐδʼ ἐνοσίχθων.

as surely as not even the earth-shaker will ever heal that eye.'


ὣς ἐφάμην, ὁ δʼ ἔπειτα Ποσειδάωνι ἄνακτι

So I spoke; and he then prayed to the lord Poseidon,


εὔχετο χεῖρʼ ὀρέγων εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα·

stretching out his hands to the starry heaven:


κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον γαιήοχε κυανοχαῖτα,

'Hear me, Poseidon who hold the earth, dark-haired one:


εἰ ἐτεόν γε σός εἰμι, πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς εὔχεαι εἶναι,

if I am truly yours, and you declare yourself my father,


δὸς μὴ Ὀδυσσῆα πτολιπόρθιον οἴκαδʼ ἱκέσθαι

grant that Odysseus, sacker of cities, never come home —


υἱὸν Λαέρτεω, Ἰθάκῃ ἔνι οἰκίʼ ἔχοντα.

the son of Laertes, who has his home in Ithaca.


ἀλλʼ εἴ οἱ μοῖρʼ ἐστὶ φίλους τʼ ἰδέειν καὶ ἱκέσθαι

But if it is his portion to see his own people, to reach


οἶκον ἐυκτίμενον καὶ ἑὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,

his well-built house and his own fatherland,


ὀψὲ κακῶς ἔλθοι, ὀλέσας ἄπο πάντας ἑταίρους,

late may he come, and in evil case, all companions lost,


νηὸς ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίης, εὕροι δʼ ἐν πήματα οἴκῳ.

on another man's ship — and find trouble in his house.'


ὣς ἔφατʼ εὐχόμενος, τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυε κυανοχαίτης.

So he spoke in prayer, and the dark-haired god heard him.


αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἐξαῦτις πολὺ μείζονα λᾶαν ἀείρας

Then once again he lifted a stone — far bigger —


ἧκʼ ἐπιδινήσας, ἐπέρεισε δὲ ἶνʼ ἀπέλεθρον,

whirled it, and let it fly, putting his measureless strength behind it,


κὰδʼ δʼ ἔβαλεν μετόπισθε νεὸς κυανοπρῴροιο

and brought it down just astern of the dark-blue ship —


τυτθόν, ἐδεύησεν δʼ οἰήιον ἄκρον ἱκέσθαι.

barely — it missed the tip of the steering-oar;


ἐκλύσθη δὲ θάλασσα κατερχομένης ὑπὸ πέτρης·

and the sea heaved up under the falling rock,


τὴν δὲ πρόσω φέρε κῦμα, θέμωσε δὲ χέρσον ἱκέσθαι.

and the wave carried her forward, and drove her toward the far shore.


ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ τὴν νῆσον ἀφικόμεθʼ, ἔνθα περ ἄλλαι

But when we came back to the island where the other


νῆες ἐύσσελμοι μένον ἁθρόαι, ἀμφὶ δʼ ἑταῖροι

well-benched ships waited all together, with the companions


ἥατʼ ὀδυρόμενοι, ἡμέας ποτιδέγμενοι αἰεί,

sitting round them weeping, watching for us without end,


νῆα μὲν ἔνθʼ ἐλθόντες ἐκέλσαμεν ἐν ψαμάθοισιν,


ἐκ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βῆμεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

and stepped out ourselves onto the surf-line of the sea.


μῆλα δὲ Κύκλωπος γλαφυρῆς ἐκ νηὸς ἑλόντες

And taking the Cyclops' flocks out of the hollow ship


δασσάμεθʼ, ὡς μή τίς μοι ἀτεμβόμενος κίοι ἴσης.

we divided all, so that no man might go cheated of his share by me.


ἀρνειὸν δʼ ἐμοὶ οἴῳ ἐυκνήμιδες ἑταῖροι

But the great ram — my strong-greaved companions gave him


μήλων δαιομένων δόσαν ἔξοχα· τὸν δʼ ἐπὶ θινὶ

to me alone, when the flocks were shared, a gift apart; and on the shore


Ζηνὶ κελαινεφέι Κρονίδῃ, ὃς πᾶσιν ἀνάσσει,

I offered him to Zeus of the black cloud, the son of Cronos,


ῥέξας μηρίʼ ἔκαιον· ὁ δʼ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο ἱρῶν,

lord of all, and burned the thigh-cuts. But he took no heed of my offering:


ἀλλʼ ὅ γε μερμήριξεν ὅπως ἀπολοίατο πᾶσαι

he was pondering, even then, how all my well-benched ships


νῆες ἐύσσελμοι καὶ ἐμοὶ ἐρίηρες ἑταῖροι.

might be destroyed, and all my trusted companions.


ὣς τότε μὲν πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα

So then all day long till the setting of the sun


ἥμεθα δαινύμενοι κρέα τʼ ἄσπετα καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ·

we sat feasting on meat past counting and sweet wine;


ἦμος δʼ ἠέλιος κατέδυ καὶ ἐπὶ κνέφας ἦλθε,

and when the sun went down and the dusk came on,


δὴ τότε κοιμήθημεν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.

then we lay down to sleep on the surf-line of the sea.


ἦμος δʼ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἠώς,

When Dawn appeared, the early-born, with fingers of rose,


δὴ τότʼ ἐγὼν ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρύνας ἐκέλευσα

then I roused my companions and ordered them


αὐτούς τʼ ἀμβαίνειν ἀνά τε πρυμνήσια λῦσαι·

to board in their turn and loose the stern-cables.


οἱ δʼ αἶψʼ εἴσβαινον καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,

And they came aboard at once and took their places at the oarlocks,


ἑξῆς δʼ ἑζόμενοι πολιὴν ἅλα τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.

and sitting in order they struck the gray salt water with their oars.


ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω πλέομεν ἀκαχήμενοι ἦτορ,

From there we sailed on further, grieved at heart,


ἄσμενοι ἐκ θανάτοιο, φίλους ὀλέσαντες ἑταίρους.

glad to be out of death, having lost our dear companions.