From Homer’s Odyssey
Odysseus reaches the country of the Lotophagoi, the Lotus-eaters
Provided by Werner Wallner
Photo
by Werner Wallner
Greek (English below)
ἀλλά με κῦμα ῥόος τε περιγνάμπτοντα Μάλειαν
καὶ βορέης ἀπέωσε, παρέπλαγξεν δὲ Κυθήρων.
ἔνθεν δ' ἐννῆμαρ
φερόμην ὀλοοῖσ' ἀνέμοισι
πόντον
ἐπ' ἰχθυόεντα· ἀτὰρ δεκάτῃ ἐπέβημεν
γαίης
Λωτοφάγων, οἵ τ' ἄνθινον εἶδαρ ἔδουσιν.
ἔνθα δ' ἐπ' ἠπείρου βῆμεν καὶ ἀφυσσάμεθ' ὕδωρ,
αἶψα δὲ δεῖπνον ἕλοντο θοῇς παρὰ νηυσὶν ἑταῖροι.
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σίτοιό
τ' ἐπασσάμεθ'
ἠδὲ ποτῆτος,
δὴ τότ' ἐγὼν ἑτάρους
προΐην
πεύθεσθαι ἰόντας,
οἵ τινες ἀνέρες εἶεν ἐπὶ χθονὶ σῖτον
ἔδοντες,
ἄνδρε δύω
κρίνας, τρίτατον
κήρυχ' ἅμ' ὀπάσσας.
οἱ δ' αἶψ' οἰχόμενοι
μίγεν ἀνδράσι
Λωτοφάγοισιν·
οὐδ' ἄρα Λωτοφάγοι
μήδονθ' ἑτάροισιν ὄλεθρον
ἡμετέροισ',
ἀλλά σφι
δόσαν λωτοῖο
πάσασθαι.
τῶν δ' ὅς τις λωτοῖο φάγοι
μελιηδέα
καρπόν,
οὐκέτ' ἀπαγγεῖλαι πάλιν
ἤθελεν οὐδὲ νέεσθαι,
ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ βούλοντο μετ' ἀνδράσι
Λωτοφάγοισι
λωτὸν ἐρεπτόμενοι
μενέμεν νόστου
τε λαθέσθαι.
τοὺς μὲν ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νῆας ἄγον
κλαίοντας ἀνάγκῃ,
νηυσὶ δ' ἐνὶ γλαφυρῇσιν ὑπὸ
ζυγὰ δῆσα ἐρύσσας·
αὐτὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους
κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρους
σπερχομένους νηῶν ἐπιβαινέμεν
ὠκειάων,
μή
πώς τις λωτοῖο φαγὼν
νόστοιο
λάθηται.
οἱ δ' αἶψ' εἴσβαινον
καὶ ἐπὶ κληῖσι καθῖζον,
ἑξῆς δ' ἑζόμενοι
πολιὴν ἅλα
τύπτον ἐρετμοῖς.
And now all unscathed
should I have reached my native land, but the wave and the current and the North Wind beat me back as I was rounding Malea, and drove me from my course past Cythera. “Thence for nine days' space I was borne by
direful winds over the teeming deep; but on the tenth we set foot on the land
of the Lotus-eaters, who eat a flowery food. There we went on shore
and drew water, and straightway my comrades took their meal by the swift ships.
But when we had tasted food and drink, I sent forth some of my comrades to go and learn who the men were, who here ate bread upon the earth;
two men I chose, sending with them a third as a herald. So they went
straightway and mingled with the Lotus-eaters, and the Lotus-eaters did not plan death for my comrades, but gave
them of the lotus to taste. And whosoever of them ate of the honey-sweet fruit
of the lotus, had no longer any wish to bring back word or to return, but there
they were fain to abide among the Lotus-eaters, feeding on the lotus, and forgetful of their
homeward way. These men, therefore, I brought back perforce to the ships,
weeping, and dragged them beneath the benches and bound them fast in the hollow
ships; and I bade the rest of my trusty comrades to embark with speed on the
swift ships, lest perchance anyone should eat of the lotus and forget his
homeward way. So they went on board straightway and sat down upon the benches,
and sitting well in order smote the grey sea with their oars.
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