Homer : Returning to Ithaca ( Odyssey - Rhapsody 13 )

Did you not know Jove's daughter Minerva--me, who have been ever with you, who kept watch over you in all your troubles, 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 insolence, without a word." And Ulysses 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 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, Minerva, 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 city 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?"

οὐδὲ σύ γ΄ ἔγνως Παλλάδ΄ Ἀθηναίην͵ κούρην Διός͵ ἥ τέ τοι αἰεὶ ἐν πάντεσσι πόνοισι παρίσταμαι ἠδὲ φυλάσσω͵ καὶ δέ σε Φαιήκεσσι φίλον πάντεσσιν ἔθηκα. νῦν αὖ δεῦρ΄ ἱκόμην͵ ἵνα τοι σὺν μῆτιν ὑφήνω χρήματά τε κρύψω͵ ὅσα τοι Φαίηκες ἀγαυοὶ ὤπασαν οἴκαδ΄ ἰόντι ἐμῇ βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε͵ εἴπω θ΄ ὅσσα τοι αἶσα δόμοισ΄ ἔνι ποιητοῖσι κήδε΄ ἀνασχέσθαι· σὺ δὲ τετλάμεναι καὶ ἀνάγκῃ͵ μηδέ τῳ ἐκφάσθαι μήτ΄ ἀνδρῶν μήτε γυναικῶν͵ πάντων͵ οὕνεκ΄ ἄρ΄ ἦλθες ἀλώμενος͵ ἀλλὰ σιωπῇ πάσχειν ἄλγεα πολλά͵ βίας ὑποδέγμενος ἀνδρῶν. τὴν δ΄ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς· ἀργαλέον σε͵ θεά͵ γνῶναι βροτῷ ἀντιάσαντι καὶ μάλ΄ ἐπισταμένῳ· σὲ γὰρ αὐτὴν παντὶ ἐΐσκεις. τοῦτο δ΄ ἐγὼν εὖ οἶδ΄͵ ὅτι μοι πάρος ἠπίη ἦσθα͵ εἷος ἐνὶ Τροίῃ πολεμίζομεν υἷες Ἀχαιῶν· αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ Πριάμοιο πόλιν διεπέρσαμεν αἰπήν͵ βῆμεν δ΄ ἐν νήεσσι͵ θεὸς δ΄ ἐκέδασσεν Ἀχαιούς͵ οὔ σ΄ ἔτ΄ ἔπειτα ἴδον͵ κούρη Διός͵ οὐδ΄ ἐνόησα νηὸς ἐμῆς ἐπιβᾶσαν͵ ὅπως τί μοι ἄλγος ἀλάλκοις. ἀλλ΄ αἰεὶ φρεσὶν ᾗσιν ἔχων δεδαϊγμένον ἦτορ ἠλώμην͵ εἷός με θεοὶ κακότητος ἔλυσαν· πρίν γ΄ ὅτε Φαιήκων ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ θάρσυνάς τ΄ ἐπέεσσι καὶ ἐς πόλιν ἤγαγες αὐτή. νῦν δέ σε πρὸς πατρὸς γουνάζομαι· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐω ἥκειν εἰς Ἰθάκην εὐδείελον͵ ἀλλά τιν΄ ἄλλην γαῖαν ἀναστρέφομαι· σὲ δὲ κερτομέουσαν ὀΐω ταῦτ΄ ἀγορευέμεναι͵ ἵν΄ ἐμὰς φρένας ἠπεροπεύῃς· εἰπέ μοι εἰ ἐτεόν γε φίλην ἐς πατρίδ΄ ἱκάνω.

Homer Bilingual Anthology : RETURNING TO ITHACA - 13

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