OD.11.210 μῆτερ ἐμή, τί νύ μ' οὐ μίμνεις ἑλέειν μεμαῶτα,
OD.11.210 ¿¿¿My mother, why don't you stay still for me, eager to hold you,
OD.11.211
ὄφρα καὶ εἰν Ἀΐδαο φίλας περὶ χεῖρε βαλόντε
OD.11.211 so even in the house of Hades we can throw our dear arms
OD.11.212
ἀμφοτέρω κρυεροῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο;
OD.11.212 about each other and have our fill of chilling lamentation?
OD.11.213
ἦ τί μοι εἴδωλον τόδ' ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια
OD.11.213 Or, is this some phantom that illustrious Persephone spurs on
OD.11.214
ὤτρυν', ὄφρ' ἔτι μᾶλλον ὀδυρόμενος στεναχίζω;
OD.11.214 to me, so that I'd groan yet more in lamentation?'
OD.11.215
ὣς ἐφάμην, ἡ δ' αὐτίκ' ἀμείβετο πότνια μήτηρ:
OD.11.215 "So said I, and my lady mother immediately answered:
OD.11.216
ὤ μοι, τέκνον ἐμόν, περὶ πάντων κάμμορε φωτῶν,
OD.11.216 ¿¿¿Oh my, my child, ill-fated beyond all men,
OD.11.217
οὔ τί σε Περσεφόνεια Διὸς θυγάτηρ ἀπαφίσκει,
OD.11.217 Zeus's daughter Persephone is in no way tricking you,
OD.11.218
ἀλλ' αὕτη δίκη ἐστὶ βροτῶν, ὅτε τίς κε θάνῃσιν:
OD.11.218 but this is the way of mortals when one dies.
OD.11.219
οὐ γὰρ ἔτι σάρκας τε καὶ ὀστέα ἶνες ἔχουσιν,
OD.11.219 For sinews no longer hold flesh and bones together,
OD.11.220
ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν τε πυρὸς κρατερὸν μένος αἰθομένοιο
OD.11.220 but the mighty fury of blazing fire consumes them,
OD.11.221
δαμνᾷ, ἐπεί κε πρῶτα λίπῃ λεύκ' ὀστέα θυμός,
OD.11.221 as soon as life leaves the white bones,
OD.11.222
ψυχὴ δ' ἠΰτ' ὄνειρος ἀποπταμένη πεπότηται.
OD.11.222 and the soul, like a dream, flies about and flies away.
OD.11.223
ἀλλὰ φόωσδε τάχιστα λιλαίεο: ταῦτα δὲ πάντα
OD.11.223 So speed toward the light most quickly, and keep all these things
OD.11.224
ἴσθ', ἵνα καὶ μετόπισθε τεῇ εἴπῃσθα γυναικί.
OD.11.224 in mind, so you may even after tell your wife.'
OD.11.225
νῶϊ μὲν ὣς ἐπέεσσιν ἀμειβόμεθ', αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες
OD.11.225 "So the two of us exchanged words, then the women came,
OD.11.226
ἤλυθον, ὤτρυνεν γὰρ ἀγαυὴ Περσεφόνεια,
OD.11.226 for illustrious Persephone spurred them on,
OD.11.227
ὅσσαι ἀριστήων ἄλοχοι ἔσαν ἠδὲ θύγατρες.
OD.11.227 all wives and daughters of aristocrats.
OD.11.228
αἱ δ' ἀμφ' αἷμα κελαινὸν ἀολλέες ἠγερέθοντο,
OD.11.228 They gathered all together around the dark blood,
OD.11.229
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ βούλευον ὅπως ἐρέοιμι ἑκάστην.
OD.11.229 while I considered how I'd question each.
OD.11.230
ἥδε δέ μοι κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή:
OD.11.230 And in my heart this plan seemed best,
OD.11.231
σπασσάμενος τανύηκες ἄορ παχέος παρὰ μηροῦ
OD.11.231 to draw my sharp-edged sword from beside my thick thigh
OD.11.232
οὐκ εἴων πίνειν ἅμα πάσας αἷμα κελαινόν.
OD.11.232 and not let them all drink the dark blood at one time.
OD.11.233
αἱ δὲ προμνηστῖναι ἐπήϊσαν, ἠδὲ ἑκάστη
OD.11.233 They came near one after another, and each
OD.11.234
ὃν γόνον ἐξαγόρευεν: ἐγὼ δ' ἐρέεινον ἁπάσας.
OD.11.234 declared her birth. I questioned each and every one.
OD.11.235
ἔνθ' ἤτοι πρώτην Τυρὼ ἴδον εὐπατέρειαν,
OD.11.235 "I then saw Tyro first, daughter of a noble father,
OD.11.236
ἣ φάτο Σαλμωνῆος ἀμύμονος ἔκγονος εἶναι,
OD.11.236 who claimed she was the offspring of noble Salmoneus,
OD.11.237
φῆ δὲ Κρηθῆος γυνὴ ἔμμεναι Αἰολίδαο:
OD.11.237 and claimed to be the wife of Cretheus Aeolides.
OD.11.238
ἣ ποταμοῦ ἠράσσατ' Ἐνιπῆος θείοιο,
OD.11.238 She'd fallen in love with a river, divine Enipeus,
OD.11.239
ὃς πολὺ κάλλιστος ποταμῶν ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἵησι,
OD.11.239 who is by far the handsomest of rivers on the earth,