Homer's Odyssey γ 3.210-38
Syllables in bold are dynamically prominent according to the new theory of the ancient Greek pitch accent. Digammas occasionally obtrude. Translation © A. P. David 2022:
Samuel Butler’s translation with certain names Hellenised:
“My friend,” said Nestor, “now that you remind me, I remember to have
heard that your mother has many suitors, who are ill disposed towards
you and are making havoc of your estate. Do you submit to this tamely,
or are public feeling and the voice of heaven against you? Who knows
but what Odysseus may come back after all, and pay these scoundrels
in full, either single-handed or with a force of Achaeans behind him?
If Athena were to take as great a liking to you as she did to Odysseus
when we were fighting before Troy (for I never yet saw the gods so
openly fond of any one as Athena then was of your father), if she
would take as good care of you as she did of him, these wooers would
soon some of them forget their wooing.”
Telemachus answered, “I can expect nothing of the kind; it would be
far too much to hope for. I dare not let myself think of it. Even
though the gods themselves willed it no such good fortune could befall
me.”
On this Athena said, “Telemachus, what are you talking about? Heaven
has a long arm if it is minded to save a man; and if it were me, I
should not care how much I suffered before getting home, provided
I could be safe when I was once there. I would rather this, than get
home quickly, and then be killed in my own house as Agamemnon was
by the treachery of Aegisthus and his wife. Still, death is certain,
and when a man's hour is come, not even the gods can save him, no
matter how fond they are of him.”
Greek text hyperlinked to lexica via Perseus (perseus.tufts.edu):
τὸν δ᾽ ἠμείβετ᾽ ἔπειτα Γερήνιος ἱππότα Νέστωρ:
‘ὦ φίλ᾽, ἐπεὶ δὴ ταῦτά μ᾽ ἀνέμνησας καὶ ἔειπες,
φασὶ μνηστῆρας σῆς μητέρος εἵνεκα πολλοὺς
ἐν μεγάροις ἀέκητι σέθεν κακὰ μηχανάασθαι:
εἰπέ μοι, ἠὲ ἑκὼν ὑποδάμνασαι, ἦ σέ γε λαοὶ
ἐχθαίρουσ᾽ ἀνὰ δῆμον, ἐπισπόμενοι θεοῦ ὀμφῇ.
τίς δ᾽ οἶδ᾽ εἴ κέ ποτέ σφι βίας ἀποτίσεται ἐλθών,
ἢ ὅ γε μοῦνος ἐὼν ἢ καὶ σύμπαντες Ἀχαιοί;
εἰ γάρ σ᾽ ὣς ἐθέλοι φιλέειν γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,
ὡς τότ᾽ Ὀδυσσῆος περικήδετο κυδαλίμοιο
δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχομεν ἄλγε᾽ Ἀχαιοί—
οὐ γάρ πω ἴδον ὧδε θεοὺς ἀναφανδὰ φιλεῦντας,
ὡς κείνῳ ἀναφανδὰ παρίστατο Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη—
εἴ σ᾽ οὕτως ἐθέλοι φιλέειν κήδοιτό τε θυμῷ,
τῶ κέν τις κείνων γε καὶ ἐκλελάθοιτο γάμοιο.’
τὸν δ᾽ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα:
‘ὦ γέρον, οὔ πω τοῦτο ἔπος τελέεσθαι ὀίω:
λίην γὰρ μέγα εἶπες: ἄγη μ᾽ ἔχει. οὐκ ἂν ἐμοί γε
ἐλπομένω τὰ γένοιτ᾽, οὐδ᾽ εἰ θεοὶ ὣς ἐθέλοιεν.’
τὸν δ᾽ αὖτε προσέειπε θεά, γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη:
‘Τηλέμαχε, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων.
ῥεῖα θεός γ᾽ ἐθέλων καὶ τηλόθεν ἄνδρα σαώσαι.
βουλοίμην δ᾽ ἂν ἐγώ γε καὶ ἄλγεα πολλὰ μογήσας
οἴκαδέ τ᾽ ἐλθέμεναι καὶ νόστιμον ἦμαρ ἰδέσθαι,
ἢ ἐλθὼν ἀπολέσθαι ἐφέστιος, ὡς Ἀγαμέμνων
ὤλεθ᾽ ὑπ᾽ Αἰγίσθοιο δόλῳ καὶ ἧς ἀλόχοιο.
ἀλλ᾽ ἦ τοι θάνατον μὲν ὁμοίιον οὐδὲ θεοί περ