Thursday, February 29, 2024
Degrees of Affection
Homer, Odyssey 8.581-586 (tr. Peter Green):
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Did some kinsman of yours, perhaps, lose his life before Ilion?A.F. Garvie ad loc.:
Some fine warrior, wife's father or son-in-law, those
who are closest to you after your own flesh and blood? Or was it
a comrade maybe, one especially dear to you,
this fine warrior? For in no way less than a brother
is he who's a comrade and whose mind embraces wisdom.
ἦ τίς τοι καὶ πηὸς ἀπέφθιτο Ἰλιόθι πρὸ
ἐσθλὸς ἐών, γαμβρὸς ἢ πενθερός, οἵ τε μάλιστα
κήδιστοι τελέθουσι μεθ᾽ αἷμά τε καὶ γένος αὐτῶν;
ἦ τίς που καὶ ἑταῖρος ἀνὴρ κεχαρισμένα εἰδώς,
ἐσθλός; ἐπεὶ οὐ μέν τι κασιγνήτοιο χερείων 585
γίγνεται, ὅς κεν ἑταῖρος ἐὼν πεπνυμένα εἰδῇ.
