Lunee43

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ δίχα πάντας ἐυκνήμιδας ἑταίρους ἠρίθμεον, ἀρχὸν δὲ μετ᾽ ἀμφοτέροισιν ὄπασσα: τῶν μὲν ἐγὼν ἦρχον, τῶν δ᾽ Εὐρύλοχος θεοειδής. κλήρους δ᾽ ἐν κυνέῃ χαλκήρεϊ πάλλομεν ὦκα: ἐκ δ᾽ ἔθορε κλῆρος μεγαλήτορος Εὐρυλόχοιο. βῆ δ᾽ ἰέναι, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω καὶ εἴκοσ᾽ ἑταῖροι κλαίοντες: κατὰ δ᾽ ἄμμε λίπον γοόωντας ὄπισθεν. […] Εὐρύλοχος δ᾽ αἶψ᾽ ἦλθε θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα μέλαιναν ἀγγελίην ἑτάρων ἐρέων καὶ ἀδευκέα πότμον. οὐδέ τι ἐκφάσθαι δύνατο ἔπος ἱέμενός περ, κῆρ ἄχεϊ μεγάλῳ βεβολημένος: ἐν δέ οἱ ὄσσε δακρυόφιν πίμπλαντο, γόον δ᾽ ὠίετο θυμός. ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δή μιν πάντες ἀγασσάμεθ᾽ ἐξερέοντες, καὶ τότε τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων κατέλεξεν ὄλεθρον: ‘ἤιομεν, ὡς ἐκέλευες, ἀνὰ δρυμά, φαίδιμ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῦ: εὕρομεν ἐν βήσσῃσι τετυγμένα δώματα καλὰ ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσι, περισκέπτῳ ἐνὶ χώρῳ. ἔνθα δέ τις μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐποιχομένη λίγ᾽ ἄειδεν, ἢ θεὸς ἠὲ γυνή: τοὶ δὲ φθέγγοντο καλεῦντες. ἡ δ᾽ αἶψ᾽ ἐξελθοῦσα θύρας ὤιξε φαεινὰς καὶ κάλει: οἱ δ᾽ ἅμα πάντες ἀιδρείῃσιν ἕποντο: αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπέμεινα, ὀισάμενος δόλον εἶναι. οἱ δ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἀιστώθησαν ἀολλέες, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶν ἐξεφάνη: δηρὸν δὲ καθήμενος ἐσκοπίαζον. ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ περὶ μὲν ξίφος ἀργυρόηλον ὤμοιιν βαλόμην, μέγα χάλκεον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τόξα: τὸν δ᾽ ἂψ ἠνώγεα αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἡγήσασθαι. αὐτὰρ ὅ γ᾽ ἀμφοτέρῃσι λαβὼν ἐλλίσσετο γούνων καί μ᾽ ὀλοφυρόμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα: ‘μή μ᾽ ἄγε κεῖσ᾽ ἀέκοντα, διοτρεφές, ἀλλὰ λίπ᾽ αὐτοῦ. οἶδα γάρ, ὡς οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἐλεύσεαι οὔτε τιν᾽ ἄλλον ἄξεις σῶν ἑτάρων. ἀλλὰ ξὺν τοίσδεσι θᾶσσον φεύγωμεν: ἔτι γάρ κεν ἀλύξαιμεν κακὸν ἦμαρ.’ ὣς ἔφατ᾽, αὐτὰρ ἐγώ μιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπον: Εὐρύλοχ᾽, ἦ τοι μὲν σὺ μέν᾽ αὐτοῦ τῷδ᾽ ἐνὶ χώρῳ ἔσθων καὶ πίνων κοίλῃ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ: αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν εἶμι, κρατερὴ δέ μοι ἔπλετ᾽ ἀνάγκη.’ But I counted off separately all the well-armored companions, And made a division, with a leader placed in charge of both: I led one group, and Eurylochus, godlike, led the other. Quickly we tossed the lots in a bronze helmet: And the lot of the great-hearted Eurylochus fell. He started to go, and with him twenty-two companions, Weeping as they went: we remained behind, wailing in sorrow. […] Eurylochus came swiftly back to the dark ship, Bringing news of our comrades' fate, and their ill end. He could not speak, his heart weighed down with grief; Tears filled his eyes, and his spirit groaned in sorrow. But when at last we all gathered around him, He told of the doom that befell the others: "We went, just as you ordered, through the forest, glorious Odysseus, We found a fine house in the glade, built with smooth stones, Where someone was singing a song, a large loom beside her, Either a goddess or a woman. She called to us, And she quickly came out, opening the shining doors, And called us inside. All of us followed in ignorance, But I stayed behind, suspecting a trap. The rest of them entered, and none of them returned. I sat alone, watching for a long time." Thus he spoke. But I, I took my silver-hilted sword and heavy bronze shield, and put on my bow. Then I ordered him to show us the way. He took my hands and kissed my knees, Weeping, and spoke these winged words to me: "Do not take me unwillingly, son of Zeus, but leave me here. I know you won't come back, nor will any of your men, But with these others we'll escape the evil fate that's upon us." Thus he spoke, and I replied, "Eurylochus, you stay here, feasting and drinking in the hollow by the black ship; I will go on, for great necessity presses on me."