‘Who are you among men? Where is your city, your parents? I am amazed that you drank these drugs and were not enchanted. No other man has ever endured these drugs once he drinks them and they pass the barrier of his teeth. But surely you are Odysseus, the versatile one, whom the golden-wanded Hermes always declared would come here, returning from Troy on his swift black ship. But come now, sheath your sword. Let us both then mount my bed, that mingling in love, we may trust each other.’
“‘Who are you among men? Where are you from? Where are your city and your parents? I’m shocked you drank this drug and were not at all charmed! No other man has ever withstood this drug, once he’s taken it and it has passed the barrier of his teeth. The resolve you carry in your chest is not vulnerable to charm. You must be Odysseus, always shifting, drifting. Hermes Argeïphontes, with his golden wand, told me that you would come here, heading home from Troy on your swift black ship. But come now, put that sword of yours back inside its sheath and let us both climb into bed, so we can come to trust each other, lolling about and making love.’
“Who are you among men? Where do you come from? Where are your city and parents? I’m astounded that you drank these drugs and aren’t under their spell. No other man who’s drunk them has ever been able to resist these drugs from the first moment they passed the barrier of his teeth; you must have a mind in you that’s witchcraft-proof. You’re Odysseus! You’re the resourceful one the god who appears in a flash was always telling me about; the god with the golden wand told me such a man would show up here on the way back from Troy with his sleek-hulled black ship. Come on, put your sword back in its sheath, and let’s both of us go up to our bed; we’ll make love, and in each other’s arms we’ll get over all this distrust we both have.’
“What man are you, and where are you from? What city is yours? And who are your parents? I wonder that you drank my potion, and were not bewitched. No other man when once he drank, and swallowed it, has ever withstood the spell. Surely your mind is not one to be swayed. You must be Odysseus, that man of many resources whom the Slayer of Argus, with the Golden Wand, told me would come from Troy here, travelling homewards, in his swift dark ship. Come, sheathe your sword, and let us two go to my bed, so we may learn to trust one another by twining in love.”
“‘What—what are you going to do?’ she asked. ‘And who are you? Where do you come from that you could escape my witchery? Who are your parents? Ah, but I have never known anyone able to drink that potion from this cup and resist the drug. Your heart must be strong indeed to escape that! You must be the mighty Odysseus, the man of masquerades, the man sly Hermes of the golden wand told me would land on my island in his black ship on his return from Troy. Now I remember,’ she said slyly. Her hands moved upon my waist. ‘And I also remember that I have heard about your powers in lovemaking.’ Here her voice turned sultry and low. ‘Put that sword up, Odysseus, and ready your other. Come with me to bed so that I may enjoy such a man as yourself and where we can prove that we believe in the love of each other.’
“Who are you and where are you from? Where is your town and your parents? I am amazed that you have drunk my drugs and were not bewitched. No other man has ever resisted these drugs, once he has drunk them and let them pass the barrier of his teeth: but you must have a will in your breast that is proof against magic. You must surely be that Odysseus of much resource, the man of whom I have often heard from the god of the golden wand, the slayer of Argos – he always told me that Odysseus would come here with his fast black ship on his way home from Troy. So now sheathe your sword, and let the two of us go to our bed, to lie there in love’s union and trust each other.”
“Who are you among men, and from where? Where is your city, and your parents? Amazement holds me that you have drunk this charm and were in no way bewitched. For no other man has ever withstood this charm, when once he has drunk it, and it has passed the barrier of his teeth. No, but the mind in your breast is not one to be beguiled. Surely you are Odysseus, the man of many devices, who Argeiphontes of the golden wand always said to me would come here on his way home from Troy with his swift, black ship. No, come, put up your sword in its sheath, and let us two then go up into my bed, that mingling in the bed of love we may come to trust one another.’
‘Who are you, and who are you descended from? Where is your city, and your parents? I am amazed that you have not been charmed on drinking these drugs. No other man has withstood these drugs who has drunk them once they have passed the fence of his teeth; but you have some sort of mind that cannot be laid under a spell in your breast. Are you the versatile Odysseus, whom the slayer of Argos with the golden staff was always saying would come, returning from Troy with his fast black ship? Come now, but your sword in its sheath, and let the pair of us after this climb into our bed, so that we may join in loving union with trust in each other.’
‘“Who are you and where do you come from?” she asked, and her words had wings. “Where is your native town? Who are your parents? I am amazed to see you take my drug and suffer no magic change. For never before have I known a man who could resist that drug once he had taken it and swallowed it down. You must have a heart in your breast that is proof against all enchantment. I am sure you are Odysseus, that resourceful man; the man whom the Giant-killer with the golden wand always told me to expect here on his way back from Troy in his swift black ship. But now put up your sword and come with me to my bed, so that in making love we may learn to trust one another.”
“Who are you, and from where? Where are your city and your parents? it bewilders me that you drank this drug and were not bewitched. Never has any other man resisted this drug, once he has drunk it and let it pass his lips. But you have an inner will that is proof against sorcery. You must surely be that man of wide-ranging spirit, Odysseus himself; the Radiant One of the golden wand has told me of you; he always said that Odysseus would come to me on his way from Troy in his dark and rapid vessel. But enough of this; sheathe your sword; then let us go to bed together, and embracing there, let us learn to trust in one another.”
“‘Who are you? From what people are you? Where is your city and where are your parents? I am amazed that you, having drunk these drugs, are not at all affected by them. For never yet has any other man who has drunk these drugs withstood their power when once they had passed his lips. You have within your breast a mind that cannot be bewitched. You are surely ready-witted Odysseus whom the slayer of Argus, he of the golden wand, was continually saying would come here on his way from Troy with his swift black ships. But come! Put your sword in its sheath and let us mount our bed that, having mingled in love’s embrace, we may come to trust each other.’
‘“Who on earth are you?” she asked. “What parents begot, what city bred such a man? I am amazed to see you take my poison and suffer no magic change. For never before have I known a man who could resist that drug once he had taken it and swallowed it down. You must have a heart in your breast that is proof against all enchantment. I am sure you are Odysseus, the man whom nothing defeats, the man whom the Giantslayer with the golden wand always told me to expect here on his way back from Troy in his good black ship. But I beg you now to put up your sword and come with me to my bed, so that in love and sleep we may learn to trust one another.”
“‘Who are you, where do you come from in the wide world? Where is your city, who are your parents? I am amazed that you have swallowed my drugs and you are not bewitched. Indeed, there never was another man who could stand these drugs once he had let them pass his teeth! But you must have a mind that cannot be bewitched. Surely you are Odysseus, the man who is never at a loss! Argeiphontês Goldenrod used to say that you would come on your way from Troy in a ship. Come now, put up your sword in the sheath, let us lie down on my bed and trust each other in love!’
‘What kind of a man are you; from what city or family? It is a miracle how you have drunk my potion and not been bewitched. Never before, never, has any man resisted this drug, once it passed his lips and crossed the barrier of his jaws. How firmly seated must be your indomitable mind! Surely you are Odysseus the resourceful, who will come here (as Argusbane of the gold rod often tells me) on his way from Troy in his ship. I pray you sheath that sword and let us two go lie together, that we may mingle our bodies and learn to trust one another by proofs of love and intercourse.”
“‘Who are you? Of what people? Where are your city and kindred? I am much amazed that you were not affected by drinking this drug! No other who tasted it ever withstood it, when once it had passed the barrier of his teeth; but in you there is a mind that cannot be beguiled. You, surely, are ingenious Odysseus, who, the god of the golden wand, Sudden Appearer, always said, would come here with his black ship on his way from Troy. Come then, sheathe your sword and live here with me, that we may learn to love and to trust each other.’
“‘What manner of man are you? Where is your city, and where your parents? Amazed am I that, having drunk this drug, you are not bound by my spell. For no other man has hitherto withstood it, who has drunk it and let it once pass his lips. Surely you are wary Odysseus, for the Argus-slayer with the golden wand has oft-times told me he should come on his return from Troy in his swift black ship. But come, put your sword in its sheath, and let us trust one another in loving friendship.’
“‘Who art thou among men, and from whence? Where is thy city, and where thy parents? Amazement holds me that thou hast drunk this charm and wast in no wise bewitched. For no man else soever hath withstood this charm, when once he has drunk it, and it has passed the barrier of his teeth. Nay, but the mind in thy breast is one not to be beguiled. Surely thou art Odysseus, the man of ready device, who Argeiphontes of the golden wand ever said to me would come hither on his way home from Troy with his swift, black ship. Nay, come, put up thy sword in its sheath, and let us two then go up into my bed, that couched together in love we may put trust in each other.’
‘Who and whence are you? from what place and people have you come? How can it be that my drugs have no power to charm you? Never yet was any man able to stand so much as a taste of the herb I gave you; you must be spell-proof; surely you can be none other than the bold hero Ulysses, who Mercury always said would come here some day with his ship while on his way home from Troy; so be it then; sheathe your sword and let us go to bed, that we may make friends and learn to trust each other.’
“ ‘Who are you? Of what people? Where is your town and kindred? I marvel much that drinking of these drugs you were not charmed. None, no man else, ever withstood these drugs who tasted them, so soon as they had passed the barrier of his teeth; but in your breast there is a mind which cannot be beguiled. Surely you are adventurous Odysseus, who the god of the golden wand, the killer of Argus, always declared would come upon his way from Troy,—he and his swift black ship. Nay, then, put up your blade within its sheath, and let us now turn to my bower, that there we two may know our love and learn to trust each other.’
“‘Who art thou of the sons of men, and whence? Where is thy city? Where are they that begat thee? I marvel to see how thou hast drunk of this charm, and wast nowise subdued. Nay, for there lives no man else that is proof against this charm, whoso hath drunk thereof, and once it hath passed his lips. But thou hast, methinks, a mind within thee that may not be enchanted. Verily thou art Odysseus, ready at need, whom he of the golden wand, the slayer of Argos, full often told me was to come hither, on his way from Troy with his swift black ship. Nay come, put thy sword into the sheath, and thereafter let us go up into my bed, that meeting in love and sleep we may trust each the other.’
‘“Who are you? from what place amongst men? Where are your city and parents? Amazement possesses me, that, drinking these drugs, you have not been charmed. For not yet has any other man been able to endure these drugs, whoever shall have drunk them, and they shall have first passed his lips [lit. the barrier of his teeth]; but there is within your breast a mind which cannot be charmed. Are you the wily Ulysses, whom the golden-wanded Argicide always told me would come, as he was returning from Troy in a swift black ship? But come now, place your sword in the sheath, and then we will ascend my bed, that being mixed in the bed and in love, we may trust in one another.”
“Τις who, ποθεν whence ανδρων from among men εις art thou? ποθι where is τοι πολις thy city ηδε and τοκηες thy parents? Θαυμα astonishment εχει με possesses me, ως that πιων drinking ταδε φαρμακα these drugs ουτι εθελχθης thou hast not been charmed Ουδε γαρ ουδε for neither τις αλλος ανηρ has any other man ανετλη borne up against ταδε φαρμακα these drugs, ος who πιν κεν has drunk, και and πρωτον αμειψεται they first passed ερκος the hedge οδοντων of the teeth: σοι δε εστι but thou hast εν στηθεσσιν in thy breast τις ακηλητος νους a mind that cannot be charmed. Η surely συγε εσσι thou art Οδυσσευς πολυτροπος wily Ulysses, ον τε whom Αργειφοντης the slayer of Argus χρυσορραπις with the golden caduceus αιει φασκεν used ever to tell μοι me ελευσεσθαι would come, ανιοντα returning εκ Τροιης from Troy θοη συν νηι μελαινη with his swift dark ship. Αλλ’ αγε δη but come, θεο μεν place αορ the sword κολεω in the scabbard, νωι δε and let us επειτα then επιβειομεν γο up ευνης ημετερῃς on our bed, οφρα that μιγεντε united ευνη in bed και and φιλοτητι in love, πεποιθομεν we may trust αλληλοισιν each other.”
“‘Who art thou? from whence amongst men? where are thy city and parents? Astonishment possesses me, that thou wast not soothed, drinking these drugs. For not yet has any other man sustained these drugs, whoever shall have drunk them, and they shall have first passed his lips: [but thou hast some mind in thy breast which cannot be charmed.] Art thou Ulysses with many turns, whom the golden-wanded Argicide always told me would come, as he was returning from Troy in a swift black ship? But come now, place thy sword in the sheath, and then we will ascend my bed, that being mixed in the bed and in love, we may trust in one another.’
“‘Who are you? from whence amongst men? where are your city and parents? Astonishment possesses me, that you were not changed drinking these drugs. For not yet has any other man sustained these drugs, whoever shall have drunk them, and they shall have first passed his lips: but you have some mind in your breast which cannot be charmed. Are you the wily Ulysses, whom the golden-wanded Argicide always told me would come, as he was returning from Troy in a swift black ship? But come now, place your sword in the sheath, and then we will ascend my bed, that being mixed in the bed and in love, we may trust in one another.’