Cover
Odyssey X
lines 144–399
Homer
AS Greek set text 2017-18,
A Level Group 1 text 2018-19
Translation and commentary by C. C. Wright
1
But when the Dawn with her lovely locks had brought the third day, then it was that taking my spear and sharp sword, I swiftly went up from the ship to a vantage point, in case, perhaps, I might see the activities of men and hear any noise. Going on to a craggy outcrop, I stood up and through the thick woodland and the forest there appeared to me some smoke from the broad countryside – it was at Circe’s palace.
All of this book is part of the great flash back as it is being told by Odysseus to the Phaeacians; by the time he is giving this account, Odysseus has lost all his men and also his ship.
150 – Here Odysseus knows that the smoke is from Circe’s house; in 197 when he speaks to his men he does not know so much. At this earlier point he is including detail which he finds out later in the story.
I wondered in my heart and mind, whether to go and find out, since I saw the gleaming smoke. And what seemed best to me as I thought it out was this: to go first to the swift ship and the sea shore, to give my men dinner and to send out a party to find out.
But as I went along, when I came near to the curved ship, just then one of the gods took pity on me as I was alone, and he sent a large high-antlered stag right into my path; it was coming down from the pasture in the woodland to drink, for the power of the sun had really got to it. I shot him right in the middle of the back between the shoulders as he was getting out; but the bronze spear pierced right through and he fell down in the dust bleating, and his life was gone.
157 – καὶ τότε ‘just then’.
160 – πιόμενος – future participle, for purpose.
2
Stepping on him, I drew the bronze point out of the wound; I leant it back again on the earth, I let it be. But I pulled brushwood and withies and plaiting a rope well twisted from both ends as long as a fathom, I tied together the feet of this terrific beast, and I went off carrying it to the black ship, leaning on my spear, since it was not possible to carry it on my shoulder with the other hand; for it was a really big beast.
167 – ‘from both ends’ – probably refers to the method of plaiting the rope, but could mean that he tied it at both ends.
171 – ἑτέρῃ – he is holding the spear in the other hand.
And I threw it down before the ship, and I addressed my companions with honey-sweet words, standing close by each one: ‘My friends, we will not yet go down to the halls of Hades, troubled though we are, before our appointed day comes. But, come on, so long as there is food and drink in the swift ship, let us think of feasting, and let us not be worn out by hunger!’
174 – Odysseus‘ men are shocked by their recent problems with the Laestrygones.
So did I speak, And they swiftly obeyed my words; and unveiling themselves they marvelled at the stag on the shore of the unharvested sea, for it was a really big beast! But when they had been delighted in seeing this with their eyes, having washed their hands, they prepared a glorious feast. And we sat like this the whole day till sunset, feasting on an unaccountable amount of meat and sweet wine. But when the sun set and darkness came, then indeed did we sleep on the beach of the sea.
179 – They had their heads veiled in mourning for their companions who had been killed.
180 – repeats 171 (after the caesura). Is this just an oral poet filling the line, or does it enhance the real size of the stag as it is now seen through their eyes as well as Odysseus’?
183-5 & 187 – Nightfall and morning are expressed like this many times in the Odyssey. This moment of repeated composition both gives a break from the tension that builds throughout this (and many other) episodes; perhaps it also mirrors that nature continues, whatever Odysseus and his crew are up to.
3
But when the early rising rosy-fingered dawn appeared then did I call a meeting and spoke amongst them all: ‘Listen to my words, even though you suffer hardships, my men. We do not know, my friends, where is west and where is east; nor where the sun which brings light to mortals goes below the earth not where it will rise; but let us consider rather fast, if we still have any plan – but I feel we do not!
191-2 ζόφος, ἠὼς = west, east. An overstatement to convey their reaction to a stressful situation.
For going up to a rocky vantage point, I saw the island, which the unbounded sea encircles; but it lies low; and I saw with my eyes smoke through the thick undergrowth and woodland.’ So did I speak, and their own hearts were downcast when they remembered the doings of Antiphates the Laestrygonian and the might of the great-hearted Cyclops, the cannibal. And they wept loudly, pouring down copious tears, but there was no benefit to them in crying.
198 – smoke had been their first sign of the Cyclops – and that turned out badly.
200 – “Great-hearted” seems a rather inappropriate tag for the cannibal Cyclops.
But I numbered off all my well-greaved companions into two, and I appointed a leader for each party. I was the leader of one group, and godlike Eurylochus of the other. Straightaway we shook lots in a bronze helmet, and the lot of great-hearted Eurylochus came out, and he went off to set out and with him twenty two companions who were in distress, and they left us in tears behind them.
4
They found Circe’s well-built dwelling in the glens in a place with a good all-round view. And round it there were wolves and lions reared on the mountain, and she bewitched them when she gave them sinister drugs. But they did not rush at the men, but they actually stood their ground, fawning with their long tails. And as whenever dogs fawn around their master as he comes from the feast, for he always has something to sooth their spirit, so did the wolves with their powerful claws and the lions fawn around them; and they were afraid when they saw the terrible creatures.
211 – περισκέπτῳ – probably ‘with a view all round’ (σκέπτομαι) though possibly ‘sheltered’ (σκέπω).
213 – Magic is a stronger element in the Circe story than the rest of the Odyssey.
They stood in the doorway of the goddess with the beautiful hair, and they heard Circe as she sang with her beautiful voice going to and fro at her great everlasting weaving, such as are the fine and delicate and lovely works of the goddesses. Polites, a leading man, who was dearest and most respected of the companions to me, started saying to them: ‘My friends, someone working at a great loom is singing beautifully and the whole space is echoing around; it is either a goddess or a woman; but let us call her at once!’
221-4 – Circe has much in common with Calypso (V, 61-2). Both live alone on a wooded island, both weave & sing, both have strange powers. Circe is more of a challenge, but does in the end give Odysseus vital information for his next trip – to the Underworld.
225 – κήδιστος … κεδνότατος: nice balance of two superlatives enhancing each other.
So did he speak, and they shouted out to call her. And she coming straightaway opened the shining doors and called, and in their stupidity they all followed in with her. But Eurylochus stayed back, thinking there was a trick. And bringing them in, she set them on couches and chairs and she stirred up cheese and barley and fresh honey for them but she mixed in sinister drugs, so that they would forget their homeland.
228-232 = 255-258, excepting that 229 is not necessary in the latter passage, and Εὐρύλοχος δ’ ὑπέμεινεν alters to αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπέμεινα to change the person.
231 – κατὰ . . . ἐέργνυ: take these together; a standard tmesis.
235 – Pramnean wine is also served in Iliad XI; but we have no knowledge of where Pramnos was.
236 – cf. the men with the Lotus-Eaters (IX, 94-7).
But when she had given this to them and they had consumed this, at that moment she struck them with her stick and shut them in the pigsties. They had the heads and voice and hair and body of pigs, but their mind inside was as as before. So off they went in sorrow, but Circe threw in some nuts, acorns and cornel berries, such as pigs which grovel on the ground always eat.
238 – Circe uses her wand or stick to herd swine; she uses potions to work the magic.
239 – The men look like pigs & eat pig food rather than becoming pigs.
242 – πάρ … ἔβαλεν ‘threw in besides’ Another tmesis, or consider πάρ as an adverb.
5
But Eurylochus came back again to the swift black ship to tell the news and the grim fate of his companions. But he was not able to say a word, though he was keen to do so, being struck in the heart with great grief; his eyes were welling up with tears and his mind was intent on wailing. But when we all asked him lots of questions and were confused, then it was he told us the downfall of the other comrades:
‘We went, noble Odysseus, as you ordered through the woods; we found in the glens those fine apartments built with polished stones in a place with a good all-round view. And there someone working at a great loom was singing in a piercing tone, either a goddess or a woman; and they shouted out and called her. And she came straight away and opened the shining doors and called them in; and in their stupidity they all followed in together. But I hung back, thinking it was a trick. They have been destroyed all together, and not one of them reappeared – I sat there for a long time and watched.’
254 (roughly) = 226/7; nice development of a formula.
259 – Eurylochus says they have vanished, but at 431 he clearly realises that they have been transformed. A slight disjoint in the story, unless it is to show Eurylochus emotionally stressed and not able to think straight. He is the only one who ever challenges Odysseus’s authority (268-9).
So did he speak and I buckled my great bronze silver-studded sword on my shoulders and my arrows; and I told him to lead me back along the same route. But he, grabbing me with both hands around my knees, and appealing piteously spoke winged words to me: ‘Do not take me there against my will, godlike one, but leave me here! For I know that you will not come back yourself and will not bring back anyone else. But let us flee quickly with these men, for we would still escape the day of disaster!’
So did he speak, but in reply I addressed him: ‘Eurylochus, yes, you stay in this place, eating and drinking by the hollow black ship! But I shall go; I have a serious duty!’
273 – ἀνάγκη: Odysseus is clearly driven.
6
So speaking I went up from the ship and the sea. But when as I went along through the enchanted glades, when I was about to get to the great house of Circe with her many drugs, there Hermes with his golden wand met me as I was going to the house; he looked like a young man, growing a beard for the first time, and his youth is particularly pleasing, and he took my hand and spoke and addressed me:
275-80 – A long sentence with many paratactic clauses which moves the story along.
277 – We are not told how Odysseus knows it is Hermes; he may infer it later from Circe (330-20). This, along with other stories told by Odysseus, may have originally been a third person account, rather than Odysseus’ account to the Phaeacians.
‘Where indeed are you going on your own through the wilds you poor man, who does not know the country? These companions of yours are going round like swine at Circe’s house, and have crowded sties. I tell you that you will not come back again yourself, but you will stay there just where the others are. But come now, I shall release you from your problems and will save you. Here! Go to Circe’s house, keeping this good drug, which will avert the evil day from your person. And I shall tell you Circe’s deadly schemes.
283 – ἔρχαται: plural; N.B. –αται for –νται.
285 – μενέεις: future; this would be contracted in Attic Greek.
She will make you a potion, but she will cast drugs in your food; but not even so will she be able to bewitch you; for this fine drug, which I shall give to you will not let it happen, and I shall tell you all the details. Whenever Circe strikes you with her very long stick, right then you must draw your sharp sword from beside your thigh and rush at Circe as if intending to kill her. She will be terrified of you and will invite you to go to bed with her.
290 – κυκεῶ is the accusative of κυκεῶν, shortened from κυκεῶνα.
Then you must not refuse the goddess’ bed so that she may both free your companions and set you on your way; but tell her to swear a great oath of the blessed gods not to plot any other awful problem for you nor to get the better of you and make you feeble when you are unarmed.’
297 – ἀπανήνασθαι, and κέλεσθαι in 299: these infinitives translate as if imperatives (perhaps imagine ‘I tell you to . . .’)
300-1 μή first in two consecutive lines has to be emphatic; the first is with an infinitive of what she will swear; the second is a subjunctive ‘so she does not’ but could also translate as part of the oath that she will swear.
Speaking thus, the Slayer of Argus provided a drug having pulled it from the ground and he showed me its nature. It was black at the root and its flower was like milk; the gods call it ‘moly’. It is difficult for mortal men to dig up, but the gods can do everything.
302 – Argeiophontes = Hermes.
304 – ἔσκον is epic imperfect of εἰμί.
305 – moly – only the gods’ name for this is given and we have no idea what it is. ‘moly’ probably means a root of some kind. Odysseus seems to do nothing with it, but its mere presence protects him.
7
Hermes then went off through the wooded island to high Olympus, but I went to Circe’s house; as I went along my heart was heaving. I stood in the doorway of the goddess with the beautiful hair; standing there I called and the goddess heard my voice. She came out straight away and opened the shining doors and called me in; but I followed troubled in heart.
And leading me in, she set me on a fine worked silver-studded chair and beneath my feet there was a stool. She made me a potion in a golden cup, so that I would drink it, and she put in a drug, devising trouble in her mind. But when she gave it and I drank it and she did not bewitch me, striking me with her stick she spoke and addressed me: ‘Go now to the sty and lie down with your other companions!’
So she spoke, but drawing my sharp sword from beside my thigh, I rushed at Circe as if intending to kill her. She shrieked loudly and ducked down and grabbed my knees, and imploring me she spoke winged words: ‘Who are you and where on earth are you from? Where are your home town and your parents? I am amazed that when you drink these drugs you are not at all bewitched. For no! No other man has resisted these drugs who has drunk them and they have once passed his teeth! You have a mind in your breast that is proof against enchantment.
326 – θαῦμά μ’ ἔχει ὡς οὔ τι πιὼν τάδε φάρμακ’ ἐθέλθχης. This alliterative line (τ,θ; π,φ; κ,χ), following the short questions of 325 express Circe’s confusion. If Circe really knows that this is Odysseus (l.330-2) these are rhetorical questions.
327 – The repetition of οὐδὲ is very emphatic.
For sure, you are Odysseus the schemer who Hermes with his golden wand always said would come here returning from Troy with his swift ship! But come on now, put your sword in its scabbard and let the pair of us go to our bed, so joining in passion in bed we shall trust one another.’
333 – θέο = aor middle imperative of τίθημι, usually written θοῦ.
334 – ἡμετέπης: is Circe really meaning just ‘my’ or is this the start of drawing him in to a longer relationship; he does stay for a year (l. 467-8).
335 – εὐνῇ καὶ φιλότητι – Standard expression, but a rather nice hendiadys.
8
So she spoke, but I replied and addressed her: ‘Circe, how can you order me to be kind to you, who have turned my companions into pigs in your house, and are holding me myself here, and you cunningly tell me to go to your bedroom and to get into your bed, so that you can get me unarmed and make me feeble?
337 – Odysseus’ two sentences in 337-344 are longer than usual to deliver a relatively complex idea.
I would not want to mount your bed, unless you were prepared, goddess, to swear a great oath not to plot any more evil trouble for myself!’ So did I speak, and she swore at once as I had told her to. But when she had sworn and completed her oath, only then it was that I mounted Circe’s lovely bed.
346 – If Odysseus seems more interested in Circe’s bed, it is what Hermes told him to do.
347-374– This scene is a splendid description of hospitality in Circe’s house ; in this respect she behaves as she should, despite her tendency to turn men into swine. Dramatically it works well to delay the return of the men to their human form, and there is no issue that Odysseus has not been keen for this to happen – rather the opposite; he will not eat till this is done.
Meanwhile four maidservants were busy in the house, who were her workers around the home. They are born from the springs and the groves and the sacred rivers which run to the sea. One of them was casting fine linen on the chairs and purple covers on top;
the second was setting out silver tables before the chairs, and was putting on them golden dishes; the third was mixing sweet wine that relieves care in a silver mixing bowl and was arranging golden goblets, and the fourth was bringing water and lighting a good fire under a great tripod and the water was getting hot.
But when the water was boiling in the bronze cauldron, she set me in a bath and washed me from the great cauldron, mixing it to please me, from my head and shoulders, so that she would relieve the soul-destroying pain from my limbs.
361 – λό’: a version of λούω in the imperfect.
9
But when she had washed me and anointed me with oil, she put around me a fine cloak and tunic, and taking me in she sat me on a silver-studded chair which was fine and elaborate. A maid carried washing water in a fine golden jug and poured it over a silver basin to wash in; and she put out a polished table.
A dignified steward brought food and put it by me, setting out many choice things, treating me from her stores, and she told me to eat. But it did not please my spirit; I rather sat thinking of other things and my mind was having grim thoughts.
But when Circe saw that I was sitting and not stretching out my hands to the food, and that I was feeling great grief, she stood by me and spoke winged words: ‘Why ever are you sitting here, Odysseus, like a dumb man eating your heart out, and not touching the food and drink? Is it that you somehow think it is some other trick? You should not be afraid; for I have already sworn a powerful oath to you.’
10
So she spoke, but I addressed her in reply: ‘Circe, what man who is of good mind would manage to taste food and drink, before getting his companions freed and seeing them with his own eyes? But if you are indeed being thoughtful in asking me to drink and eat, free them, so that I can see my trusty companions with my eyes.’
So I spoke, and Circe went off through the hall, holding her stick in her hand and she opened the door of the pigsty and she drove them out like fat hogs. While they stood in front of her, she went among them and smeared another ointment on each one.
The bristles fell off their limbs, the bristles which the deadly drug which the lady Circe had given them had first produced, and they became men again, younger than they were before and much more handsome and larger to behold. They recognised me I embraced each one. An affectionate wailing arose from us all and it re-echoed tremendously around the house; and even the goddess herself pitied us.
399 – σμερδαλέον κανάχιζε: this onomatopoeia marks an emotional climax.
A/V
In Our Time: The Odyssey
BBC Radio discussion about the content, history and impact of the Odyssey.
Odyssey 10
Listen to the whole of Book 10 of the Odyssey, translated into English by Robert Fagles, read by Ian McKellen.
Oxford University: Homer and Oral Performance
Chris Pelling (Regius Professor of Greek, Oxford University) talks about Homer and Oral performance.
Bibliography
Homer’s “Odyssey”: A Companion to the English Translation of Richmond Lattimore by Peter Jones (BCP 1991)
The Odyssey by Homer (Author), Dominic Rieu (Editor), Peter Jones (Introduction), E. V. Rieu (Translator) (Penguin 2003)
Homer’s Odyssey (W.W. Merry and J. Riddell) (Oxford 1886)
