Seba.Health

The Odyssey 4.778–792

The Odyssey 4.778–792
The ship first of all they drew down to the deep water, and set the mast and sail in the black ship, and fitted the oars in the leathern thole-straps, all in due order, and spread the white sail. And proud squires brought them their weapons. Well out in the roadstead they moored the ship, and themselves disembarked. There then they took supper, and waited till evening should come. But she, the wise Penelope, lay there in her upper chamber, touching no food, tasting neither meat nor drink, pondering whether her peerless son would escape death, or be slain by the insolent wooers. And even as a lion is seized with fear and broods amid a throng of men, when they draw their crafty ring about him, so was she pondering when sweet1 sleep came upon her. And she sank back and slept, and all her joints relaxed.
ὣς εἰπὼν ἐκρίνατʼ ἐείκοσι φῶτας ἀρίστους, βὰν δʼ ἰέναι ἐπὶ νῆα θοὴν καὶ θῖνα θαλάσσης. νῆα μὲν οὖν πάμπρωτον ἁλὸς βένθοσδε ἔρυσσαν, ἐν δʼ ἱστόν τʼ ἐτίθεντο καὶ ἱστία νηὶ μελαίνῃ, ἠρτύναντο δʼ ἐρετμὰ τροποῖς ἐν δερματίνοισιν, πάντα κατὰ μοῖραν, ἀνά θʼ ἱστία λευκὰ πέτασσαν· τεύχεα δέ σφʼ ἤνεικαν ὑπέρθυμοι θεράποντες. ὑψοῦ δʼ ἐν νοτίῳ τήν γʼ ὥρμισαν, ἐκ δʼ ἔβαν αὐτοί· ἔνθα δὲ δόρπον ἕλοντο, μένον δʼ ἐπὶ ἕσπερον ἐλθεῖν. δʼ ὑπερωίῳ αὖθι περίφρων Πηνελόπεια κεῖτʼ ἄρʼ ἄσιτος, ἄπαστος ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος, ὁρμαίνουσʼ οἱ θάνατον φύγοι υἱὸς ἀμύμων, γʼ ὑπὸ μνηστῆρσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι δαμείη. ὅσσα δὲ μερμήριξε λέων ἀνδρῶν ἐν ὁμίλῳ δείσας, ὁππότε μιν δόλιον περὶ κύκλον ἄγωσι,
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