Odyssey 1.1-31 Chapman
/
An alignment of Chapman's translation of the Odyssey.
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
ἄνδρα μοι ἔννεπε , μοῦσα , πολύτροπον , ὃς μάλα πολλὰ
πλάγχθη , ἐπεὶ Τροίης ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἔπερσεν :
πολλῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον ἔγνω ,
πολλὰ δ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν ,
ἀρνύμενος ἥν τε ψυχὴν καὶ νόστον ἑταίρων .
ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὣς ἑτάρους ἐρρύσατο , ἱέμενός περ :
αὐτῶν γὰρ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο ,
νήπιοι , οἳ κατὰ βοῦς Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο
ἤσθιον : αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀφείλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ .
τῶν ἁμόθεν γε , θεά , θύγατερ Διός , εἰπὲ καὶ ἡμῖν .
ἔνθ᾽ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες , ὅσοι φύγον αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον ,
οἴκοι ἔσαν , πόλεμόν τε πεφευγότες ἠδὲ θάλασσαν :
τὸν δ᾽ οἶον νόστου κεχρημένον ἠδὲ γυναικὸς
νύμφη πότνι᾽ ἔρυκε Καλυψὼ δῖα θεάων
ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι , λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι .
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ ἔτος ἦλθε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν ,
τῷ οἱ ἐπεκλώσαντο θεοὶ οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι
εἰς Ἰθάκην , οὐδ᾽ ἔνθα πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων
καὶ μετὰ οἷσι φίλοισι . θεοὶ δ᾽ ἐλέαιρον ἅπαντες
νόσφι Ποσειδάωνος : ὁ δ᾽ ἀσπερχὲς μενέαινεν
ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι .
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν Αἰθίοπας μετεκίαθε τηλόθ᾽ ἐόντας ,
Αἰθίοπας τοὶ διχθὰ δεδαίαται , ἔσχατοι ἀνδρῶν ,
οἱ μὲν δυσομένου Ὑπερίονος οἱ δ᾽ ἀνιόντος ,
ἀντιόων ταύρων τε καὶ ἀρνειῶν ἑκατόμβης .
ἔνθ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐτέρπετο δαιτὶ παρήμενος : οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι
Ζηνὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν Ὀλυμπίου ἁθρόοι ἦσαν .
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε :
μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Αἰγίσθοιο ,
τόν ῥ᾽ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκταν᾽ Ὀρέστης :
τοῦ ὅ γ᾽ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπε᾽ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα :
‘ὢ πόποι , οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται :
ἐξ ἡμέων γάρ φασι κάκ᾽ ἔμμεναι , οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἄλγε᾽ ἔχουσιν ,
ὡς καὶ νῦν Αἴγισθος ὑπὲρ μόρον Ἀτρεΐδαο
γῆμ᾽ ἄλοχον μνηστήν , τὸν δ᾽ ἔκτανε νοστήσαντα ,
εἰδὼς αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον , ἐπεὶ πρό οἱ εἴπομεν ἡμεῖς ,
Ἑρμείαν πέμψαντες , ἐύσκοπον ἀργεϊφόντην ,
μήτ᾽ αὐτὸν κτείνειν μήτε μνάασθαι ἄκοιτιν :
ἐκ γὰρ Ὀρέσταο τίσις ἔσσεται Ἀτρεΐδαο ,
ὁππότ᾽ ἂν ἡβήσῃ τε καὶ ἧς ἱμείρεται αἴης .
ὣς ἔφαθ᾽ Ἑρμείας , ἀλλ᾽ οὐ φρένας Αἰγίσθοιο
πεῖθ᾽ ἀγαθὰ φρονέων : νῦν δ᾽ ἁθρόα πάντ᾽ ἀπέτισεν .
πλάγχθη , ἐπεὶ Τροίης ἱερὸν πτολίεθρον ἔπερσεν :
πολλῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον ἔγνω ,
πολλὰ δ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν ,
ἀρνύμενος ἥν τε ψυχὴν καὶ νόστον ἑταίρων .
ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὣς ἑτάρους ἐρρύσατο , ἱέμενός περ :
αὐτῶν γὰρ σφετέρῃσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὄλοντο ,
νήπιοι , οἳ κατὰ βοῦς Ὑπερίονος Ἠελίοιο
ἤσθιον : αὐτὰρ ὁ τοῖσιν ἀφείλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ .
τῶν ἁμόθεν γε , θεά , θύγατερ Διός , εἰπὲ καὶ ἡμῖν .
ἔνθ᾽ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες , ὅσοι φύγον αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον ,
οἴκοι ἔσαν , πόλεμόν τε πεφευγότες ἠδὲ θάλασσαν :
τὸν δ᾽ οἶον νόστου κεχρημένον ἠδὲ γυναικὸς
νύμφη πότνι᾽ ἔρυκε Καλυψὼ δῖα θεάων
ἐν σπέσσι γλαφυροῖσι , λιλαιομένη πόσιν εἶναι .
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ ἔτος ἦλθε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν ,
τῷ οἱ ἐπεκλώσαντο θεοὶ οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι
εἰς Ἰθάκην , οὐδ᾽ ἔνθα πεφυγμένος ἦεν ἀέθλων
καὶ μετὰ οἷσι φίλοισι . θεοὶ δ᾽ ἐλέαιρον ἅπαντες
νόσφι Ποσειδάωνος : ὁ δ᾽ ἀσπερχὲς μενέαινεν
ἀντιθέῳ Ὀδυσῆι πάρος ἣν γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι .
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν Αἰθίοπας μετεκίαθε τηλόθ᾽ ἐόντας ,
Αἰθίοπας τοὶ διχθὰ δεδαίαται , ἔσχατοι ἀνδρῶν ,
οἱ μὲν δυσομένου Ὑπερίονος οἱ δ᾽ ἀνιόντος ,
ἀντιόων ταύρων τε καὶ ἀρνειῶν ἑκατόμβης .
ἔνθ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐτέρπετο δαιτὶ παρήμενος : οἱ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι
Ζηνὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν Ὀλυμπίου ἁθρόοι ἦσαν .
τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε :
μνήσατο γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀμύμονος Αἰγίσθοιο ,
τόν ῥ᾽ Ἀγαμεμνονίδης τηλεκλυτὸς ἔκταν᾽ Ὀρέστης :
τοῦ ὅ γ᾽ ἐπιμνησθεὶς ἔπε᾽ ἀθανάτοισι μετηύδα :
‘ὢ πόποι , οἷον δή νυ θεοὺς βροτοὶ αἰτιόωνται :
ἐξ ἡμέων γάρ φασι κάκ᾽ ἔμμεναι , οἱ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπὲρ μόρον ἄλγε᾽ ἔχουσιν ,
ὡς καὶ νῦν Αἴγισθος ὑπὲρ μόρον Ἀτρεΐδαο
γῆμ᾽ ἄλοχον μνηστήν , τὸν δ᾽ ἔκτανε νοστήσαντα ,
εἰδὼς αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον , ἐπεὶ πρό οἱ εἴπομεν ἡμεῖς ,
Ἑρμείαν πέμψαντες , ἐύσκοπον ἀργεϊφόντην ,
μήτ᾽ αὐτὸν κτείνειν μήτε μνάασθαι ἄκοιτιν :
ἐκ γὰρ Ὀρέσταο τίσις ἔσσεται Ἀτρεΐδαο ,
ὁππότ᾽ ἂν ἡβήσῃ τε καὶ ἧς ἱμείρεται αἴης .
ὣς ἔφαθ᾽ Ἑρμείας , ἀλλ᾽ οὐ φρένας Αἰγίσθοιο
πεῖθ᾽ ἀγαθὰ φρονέων : νῦν δ᾽ ἁθρόα πάντ᾽ ἀπέτισεν .
The
man
,
O
Muse
,
inform
,
that
many
a
way
wound with his wisdom to his wished stay ;
That wandered wondrous far , when he the town
Of sacred Troy had sack ' d and shivered down ;
The cities of a world of nations ,
With all their manners , minds , and fashions ,
He saw and knew ; at sea felt many woes ,
Much care sustained , to save from overthrows
Himself and friends in their retreat for home ;
But so their fates he could not overcome ,
Though much he thirsted it . O men unwise ,
They perish ' d by their own impieties ,
That in their hunger ' s rapine would not shun
The oxen of the lofty-going Sun ,
Who therefore from their eyes the day bereft
Of safe return . These acts , in some part left ,
Tell us , as others , deified Seed of Jove .
Now all the rest that austere death outstrove
At Troy ' s long siege at home safe anchor ' d are ,
Free from the malice both of sea and war ;
Only Ulysses is denied access
To wife and home . The grace of Goddesses ,
The reverend nymph Calypso , did detain
Him in her caves , past all the race of men
Enflam ' d to make him her lov ' d lord and spouse .
And when the Gods had destin ' d that his house ,
Which Ithaca on her rough bosom bears ,
( The point of time wrought out by ambient years )
Should be his haven , Contention still extends
Her envy to him , even amongst his friends .
All Gods took pity on him ; only he ,
That girds earth in the cincture of the sea ,
Divine Ulysses ever did envy ,
And made the fix ' d port of his birth to fly .
But he himself solemnized a retreat
To th ' Æthiops , far dissunder ' d in their seat ,
( In two parts parted , at the sun ' s descent ,
And underneath his golden orient ,
The first and last of men ) t ' enjoy their feast
Of bulls and lambs , in hecatombs address ' d ;
At which he sat , given over to delight .
The other Gods in heaven ' s supremest height
Were all in council met ; to whom began
The mighty Father both of God and man
Discourse , inducing matter that inclined
To wise Ulysses , calling to his mind
Faultful Ægisthus , who to death was done
By young Orestes , Agamemnon ' s son .
His memory to the Immortals then
Mov ' d Jove thus deeply : " O how falsely men
Accuse us Gods as authors of their ill ,
When by the bane their own bad lives instil
They suffer all the miseries of their states ,
Past our inflictions , and beyond their fates .
As now Ægisthus , past his fate , did wed
The wife of Agamemnon , and ( in dread
To suffer death himself ) to shun his ill ,
Incurred it by the loose bent of his will ,
In slaughtering Atrides in retreat .
Which we foretold him would so hardly set
To his murderous purpose , sending Mercury
That slaughter ' d Argus , our considerate spy ,
To give him this charge : ' Do not wed his wife ,
Nor murder him ; for thou shalt buy his life
With ransom of thine own , imposed on thee
By his Orestes , when in him shall be
Atrides ' self renew ' d , and but the prime
Of youth ' s spring put abroad , in thirst to climb
His haughty father ' s throne by his high acts . '
These words of Hermes wrought not into facts
Ægisthus ' powers ; good counsel he despised ,
And to that good his ill is sacrificed . "
wound with his wisdom to his wished stay ;
That wandered wondrous far , when he the town
Of sacred Troy had sack ' d and shivered down ;
The cities of a world of nations ,
With all their manners , minds , and fashions ,
He saw and knew ; at sea felt many woes ,
Much care sustained , to save from overthrows
Himself and friends in their retreat for home ;
But so their fates he could not overcome ,
Though much he thirsted it . O men unwise ,
They perish ' d by their own impieties ,
That in their hunger ' s rapine would not shun
The oxen of the lofty-going Sun ,
Who therefore from their eyes the day bereft
Of safe return . These acts , in some part left ,
Tell us , as others , deified Seed of Jove .
Now all the rest that austere death outstrove
At Troy ' s long siege at home safe anchor ' d are ,
Free from the malice both of sea and war ;
Only Ulysses is denied access
To wife and home . The grace of Goddesses ,
The reverend nymph Calypso , did detain
Him in her caves , past all the race of men
Enflam ' d to make him her lov ' d lord and spouse .
And when the Gods had destin ' d that his house ,
Which Ithaca on her rough bosom bears ,
( The point of time wrought out by ambient years )
Should be his haven , Contention still extends
Her envy to him , even amongst his friends .
All Gods took pity on him ; only he ,
That girds earth in the cincture of the sea ,
Divine Ulysses ever did envy ,
And made the fix ' d port of his birth to fly .
But he himself solemnized a retreat
To th ' Æthiops , far dissunder ' d in their seat ,
( In two parts parted , at the sun ' s descent ,
And underneath his golden orient ,
The first and last of men ) t ' enjoy their feast
Of bulls and lambs , in hecatombs address ' d ;
At which he sat , given over to delight .
The other Gods in heaven ' s supremest height
Were all in council met ; to whom began
The mighty Father both of God and man
Discourse , inducing matter that inclined
To wise Ulysses , calling to his mind
Faultful Ægisthus , who to death was done
By young Orestes , Agamemnon ' s son .
His memory to the Immortals then
Mov ' d Jove thus deeply : " O how falsely men
Accuse us Gods as authors of their ill ,
When by the bane their own bad lives instil
They suffer all the miseries of their states ,
Past our inflictions , and beyond their fates .
As now Ægisthus , past his fate , did wed
The wife of Agamemnon , and ( in dread
To suffer death himself ) to shun his ill ,
Incurred it by the loose bent of his will ,
In slaughtering Atrides in retreat .
Which we foretold him would so hardly set
To his murderous purpose , sending Mercury
That slaughter ' d Argus , our considerate spy ,
To give him this charge : ' Do not wed his wife ,
Nor murder him ; for thou shalt buy his life
With ransom of thine own , imposed on thee
By his Orestes , when in him shall be
Atrides ' self renew ' d , and but the prime
Of youth ' s spring put abroad , in thirst to climb
His haughty father ' s throne by his high acts . '
These words of Hermes wrought not into facts
Ægisthus ' powers ; good counsel he despised ,
And to that good his ill is sacrificed . "