OD.10.491 εἰς Ἀΐδαο δόμους καὶ ἐπαινῆς Περσεφονείης,
OD.10.491 to the house of Hades and dread Persephone,
OD.10.492
ψυχῇ χρησομένους Θηβαίου Τειρεσίαο,
OD.10.492 to consult the soul of Teiresias the Theban,
OD.10.493
μάντιος ἀλαοῦ, τοῦ τε φρένες ἔμπεδοί εἰσι:
OD.10.493 the blind seer whose mind is intact.
OD.10.494
τῷ καὶ τεθνηῶτι νόον πόρε Περσεφόνεια,
OD.10.494 To him, even after dying, Persephone gave mind,
OD.10.495
οἴῳ πεπνῦσθαι, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσιν.
OD.10.495 that he alone has wits, while others flit about as shadows.'
OD.10.496
ὣς ἔφατ', αὐτὰρ ἔμοιγε κατεκλάσθη φίλον ἦτορ:
OD.10.496 "So said she. Then my dear heart was broken,
OD.10.497
κλαῖον δ' ἐν λεχέεσσι καθήμενος, οὐδέ νύ μοι κῆρ
OD.10.497 and I sat weeping on the bed, and, truly, my heart
OD.10.498
ἤθελ' ἔτι ζώειν καὶ ὁρᾶν φάος ἠελίοιο.
OD.10.498 no longer wished to live and see sun's light.
OD.10.499
αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ κλαίων τε κυλινδόμενος τε κορέσθην,
OD.10.499 Then after I'd had enough of weeping and writhing,
OD.10.500
καί μιν φωνήσας ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδων:
OD.10.500 right then I said to her in answer:
OD.10.501
ὢ Κίρκη, τίς γὰρ ταύτην ὁδὸν ἡγεμονεύσει;
OD.10.501 ¿¿¿Circe, who'll guide us on this journey?
OD.10.502
εἰς Ἄϊδος δ' οὔ πώ τις ἀφίκετο νηὶ μελαίνῃ.
OD.10.502 No one's ever reached the house of Hades in a black ship!'
OD.10.503
ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ' αὐτίκ' ἀμείβετο δῖα θεάων:
OD.10.503 "So said I, and the goddess divine immediately answered:
OD.10.504
διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχαν' Ὀδυσσεῦ,
OD.10.504 ¿¿¿Zeus-nurtured Laertiades, resourceful Odysseus,
OD.10.505
μή τί τοι ἡγεμόνος γε ποθὴ παρὰ νηὶ μελέσθω,
OD.10.505 don't let the absence of a guide bother you beside your ship,
OD.10.506
ἱστὸν δὲ στήσας, ἀνά θ' ἱστία λευκὰ πετάσσας
OD.10.506 but set up the mast, spread the white sails,
OD.10.507
ἧσθαι: τὴν δέ κέ τοι πνοιὴ Βορέαο φέρῃσιν.
OD.10.507 and sit. North Wind's breath will bear her for you.
OD.10.508
ἀλλ' ὁπότ' ἂν δὴ νηὶ δι' Ὠκεανοῖο περήσῃς,
OD.10.508 But when you drive through Ocean with your ship,
OD.10.509
ἔνθ' ἀκτή τε λάχεια καὶ ἄλσεα Περσεφονείης,
OD.10.509 there will be a rough headland and groves of Persephone,
OD.10.510
μακραί τ' αἴγειροι καὶ ἰτέαι ὠλεσίκαρποι,
OD.10.510 tall poplars and willows losing their fruit.
OD.10.511
νῆα μὲν αὐτοῦ κέλσαι ἐπ' Ὠκεανῷ βαθυδίνῃ,
OD.10.511 Land your ship at that spot, by deep-eddying Ocean,
OD.10.512
αὐτὸς δ' εἰς Ἀΐδεω ἰέναι δόμον εὐρώεντα.
OD.10.512 but go yourself to the dank house of Hades.
OD.10.513
ἔνθα μὲν εἰς Ἀχέροντα Πυριφλεγέθων τε ῥέουσι
OD.10.513 There Pyriplegethus and Cocytus, which is a branch
OD.10.514
Κώκυτός θ', ὃς δὴ Στυγὸς ὕδατός ἐστιν ἀπορρώξ,
OD.10.514 of the water of the Styx, flow into Acheron,
OD.10.515
πέτρη τε ξύνεσίς τε δύω ποταμῶν ἐριδούπων:
OD.10.515 and there is a rock and the junction of two roaring rivers.
OD.10.516
ἔνθα δ' ἔπειθ', ἥρως, χριμφθεὶς πέλας, ὥς σε κελεύω,
OD.10.516 Then draw near there, hero, as I bid you,
OD.10.517
βόθρον ὀρύξαι, ὅσον τε πυγούσιον ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,
OD.10.517 and dig a pit a cubit's length this way and that,
OD.10.518
ἀμφ' αὐτῷ δὲ χοὴν χεῖσθαι πᾶσιν νεκύεσσι,
OD.10.518 and pour a libation to all the dead about it,
OD.10.519
πρῶτα μελικρήτῳ, μετέπειτα δὲ ἡδέϊ οἴνῳ,
OD.10.519 first with milk and honey, thereafter with sweet wine,
OD.10.520
τὸ τρίτον αὖθ' ὕδατι: ἐπὶ δ' ἄλφιτα λευκὰ παλύνειν.
OD.10.520 a third time with water, then sprinkle white barley groats upon it.