A Reading Course in Homeric Greek
- N O T E S
11 δαμείς is aor. pass. ptc. nom. m. sg. of δαμάζω, “I subdue.”
12 εἰδώς : ptc. from οἶδα
13 τοῦ refers to Alcinous (gen. of possession). γλαυκῶπις is sometimes translated “owl-eyed”
as if from γλαύξ (“owl”). In later times, Athena would be associated with the owl.
14 μητιόωσα = μητιάουσα, which contracts to μητιῶσα. The ο in μητιόωσα has been inserted
to re-lengthen the word for the sake of the meter.
15 ἴμεν : pres. inf. of εἶμι. βαίνω combined with the infinitive of εἶμι means “I start to go” or “I
set out to go.” For the forms of εἶμι, see New Grammar below, §8.
16 ἀθανάτῃσι φυὴν καὶ εἶδος ὁμοίη : both φυὴν and εἶδος are acc. of respect (§644 in Book 1).
Translate “...similar to the immortal goddesses in figure and face....”
19 σταθμοῖϊν ἑκάτερθε “on either side of (the) two door posts.” σταθμοῖϊν is gen. dual.
ἐπέκειντο = ἐπεκείατο 3 pl. plpf. of ἐπίκειμαι.
20 ἐπέσσυτο is a non-thematic 2nd aor. of ἐπι-σ(σ)εύομαι.
21 μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν : The verb is made up of both the preposition (πρὸς) and ἔειπεν, and
governs both accusatives (μιν and μῦθον). ἔειπεν: The two initial epsilons were originally
separated by a digamma: ἔϝειπον.
23 κεχάριστο is 3 sg. plpf. of χαρίζομαι. The pf. of this verb has a pres. sense, and the plpf. an
impf. sense: “....and she was pleasing to her heart.”δέμνια, -ων [n. pl.] bed
Δύμᾱς, -αντος [m.] Dumas [a Phaeacian]
ἑκάτερθε(ν) [+ gen.] on either side of
ἐπί-κειμαι I am closed
ἐπι-σ(σ)εύομαι I speed toward
μῆδος, -εος [n.] only pl. μήδεα plans, counsels
μητιάω I devise
ναυσικλειτός, -οῦ [adj.] famed for shipsὁμηλικίη, -ης [f.] person of like age, contemporary
πνοιή, -ῆς [f.] breath, breeze, blast
πολυδαίδαλος, -ον elaborately adorned
κοιμάω, κοιμήσω, κοίμησα I put to sleep
φυή, -ῆς [f.] physique
χαρίζομαι I am pleasing to [+ dat.]
Χάριτες, Χαρίτων [f.] the Charites, or Graces
[goddesses associated with Aphrodite]12 θεῶν ἄπο μήδεα εἰδώς : Like Odysseus, who has θεοῖς ἐναλίγκια μήδε(α) (13. 89),
the Phaeacian king Alcinous is notable for his intelligence. The second element in
his name, νόος, may be connected to νοέω and therefore to the central Odyssean
value, intelligence. (Many of the Phaeacian names have appropriate etymologies,
on which see the note at line 7 in §3 above.) As we saw in the Cyclops episode, the
Οdyssey likes to pit intelligence against physical might (§511 in Book I). Moreover,
it associates intelligence with moral virtues such as justice (δίκη) and proper
hospitality (ξεινίη). Therefore, we may expect that Alcinous will treat Odysseus well.