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Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Unepic Diction

From Emily Wilson's translation of Homer's Odyssey:
  • 2.203-204 payback / will never come (οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ἶσα / ἔσσεται)
  • 3.311 rambunctious Menelaus (βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαος)
  • 4.55-56 a humble / slave girl brought bread and many canapés (σῖτον δ᾽ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα, / εἴδατα πόλλ᾽ ἐπιθεῖσα)
  • 7.48 Mr. Foreigner (ξεῖνε πάτερ)
  • 10.53 bite my lip, be stoical (καλυψάμενος)
  • 10.279 the cutest age (χαριεστάτη ἥβη)
  • 11.39 teenagers (νύμφαι τ᾽ ἠίθεοί τε)
  • 16.375 he is wise to us (αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἐπιστήμων βουλῇ τε νόῳ τε)
  • 17.24-25 the morning frost / may do me in (μή με δαμάσσῃ / στίβη ὑπηοίη)
  • 17.406 little show-off (ὑψαγόρη)
  • 18.29 this greedy pig yaks on (ὁ μολοβρὸς ἐπιτροχάδην ἀγορεύει)
  • 18.79 you big show-off (βουγάϊε)
  • 18.94 in case / the suitors cottoned on (ἵνα μή μιν ἐπιφρασσαίατ᾽ Ἀχαιοί)
  • 18.389 you nasty hobo (ἆ δείλ᾽)
  • 22 5 playtime is over (οὗτος μὲν δὴ ἄεθλος ἀάατος ἐκτετέλεσται)
  • 22.165 that little sneak (κεῖνος δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἀΐδηλος ἀνήρ)
  • 22.334-335 of mighty Zeus, the god of home owners (Διὸς μεγάλου ... / ἑρκείου)
  • 24.119 a whole damned month (μηνὶ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ οὔλῳ)