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.
OD.10.521
πολλὰ δὲ γουνοῦσθαι νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα,
OD.10.521 Entreat repeatedly the helpless heads of the dead,
OD.10.522
ἐλθὼν εἰς Ἰθάκην στεῖραν βοῦν, ἥ τις ἀρίστη,
OD.10.522 that when you get to Ithaca you'll offer a cow that's not yet calved,
OD.10.523
ῥέξειν ἐν μεγάροισι πυρήν τ' ἐμπλησέμεν ἐσθλῶν,
OD.10.523 your best one, in your palace, and will fill the pyre with good things,
OD.10.524
Τειρεσίῃ δ' ἀπάνευθεν ὄϊν ἱερευσέμεν οἴῳ
OD.10.524 and that you'll sacrifice separately, to Teiresias alone,
OD.10.525
παμμέλαν', ὃς μήλοισι μεταπρέπει ὑμετέροισιν.
OD.10.525 a solid-black ram, that stands out among your sheep.
OD.10.526
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν εὐχῇσι λίσῃ κλυτὰ ἔθνεα νεκρῶν,
OD.10.526 Then after you've entreated the famous tribes of corpses
OD.10.527
ἔνθ' ὄϊν ἀρνειὸν ῥέζειν θῆλύν τε μέλαιναν
OD.10.527 with your prayers, offer sheep there, a ram and a black female,
OD.10.528
εἰς Ἔρεβος στρέψας, αὐτὸς δ' ἀπονόσφι τραπέσθαι
OD.10.528 turning them toward Erebus, but turn yourself away
OD.10.529
ἱέμενος ποταμοῖο ῥοάων: ἔνθα δὲ πολλαὶ
OD.10.529 and face the river's streams. There, many souls
OD.10.530
ψυχαὶ ἐλεύσονται νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων.
OD.10.530 of the dead who've died will come.
OD.10.531
δὴ τότ' ἔπειθ' ἑτάροισιν ἐποτρῦναι καὶ ἀνῶξαι
OD.10.531 Then at that moment urge and order your comrades
OD.10.532
μῆλα, τὰ δὴ κατάκειτ' ἐσφαγμένα νηλέϊ χαλκῷ,
OD.10.532 to skin and burn the sheep that lie there slaughtered
OD.10.533
δείραντας κατακῆαι, ἐπεύξασθαι δὲ θεοῖσιν,
OD.10.533 by ruthless bronze, and to pray to the gods,
OD.10.534
ἰφθίμῳ τ' Ἀΐδῃ καὶ ἐπαινῇ Περσεφονείῃ:
OD.10.534 to mighty Hades and dread Persephone.
OD.10.535
αὐτὸς δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ
OD.10.535 You yourself, draw your sharp sword from beside your thigh