Thus she spoke, testing her husband. But Odysseus, grieved, addressed his faithful wife: “Woman, this word you have spoken is truly painful. Who has moved my bed elsewhere? It would be difficult, even for a skilled man, unless a god himself, coming easily, wished to set it in another place. No living man, even young and in his strength, could easily move it, for a great sign was crafted into that bed. I myself labored on it, and none else.
She spoke like this to test her husband, and Odysseus lost his temper, and raised his voice at his cautious-minded wife.
“Woman, what you’re saying is utterly heartbreaking. Who put my bed somewhere else? It would be hard, even for someone who knows what he’s doing, unless a god has come and on his own, easily set it down in another place. But here among men, there’s no one alive, no matter how young, who could pry it out of place without difficulty, because there’s a great feature that is built into the bed’s construction, and I built it and no one else.
Those were the words she spoke to test her husband. But Odysseus burst out in anger at his shrewd and faithful wife: “Woman, this is a gut-wrenching thing for you to say! Who moved my bed to a different place? That would be a hard thing to do, even for someone with expert skill, unless a god himself came in and easily moved it any other place he wanted. But among mortals, there’s no man alive, not even in the prime of life, who could make it budge, because there’s a great secret in the construction of that bed. I and no one else did the work.
These were words to test her husband. But Odysseus, angered, rounded on his loyal wife: ‘Lady, those are truly bitter words you speak. Who has moved my bed? That would be hard, even with the greatest skill, unless perhaps some god arrived who could easily choose to set it down somewhere else. But no mortal man alive however young and strong could easily shift it from its place, since a great secret went into its making, and it was my work and mine alone.
Odysseus’s eyes flashed at this and he stood up, looking down at her, anger spilling from him as greatly as the anger that ravaged the great hall earlier. “What’s this? By the gods, woman, you’ve goaded me strongly, now! Who has moved my bed? What man dared? No one had the art for that—unless a god whispered secretly into his ear. No mortal could move that bed with a rock and lever unless he knew the secret that we kept between us and built into that bed.
So she spoke, and she was testing her husband. But Odysseus flared into anger and said to his loyal wife: ‘What you say now, wife, is a pain right to my heart. Who has moved my bed? That would be hard even for the most skilled of men – unless a god were to come in person and place that bed elsewhere in the ease of his will. But no living man, not even the strongest, could easily shift that bed – because something very special went into its making: and it was I who made it, no one else.
So she spoke, testing her husband. But Odysseus, breaking out in anger, spoke to his true-hearted wife, and said: “Woman, truly this is a bitter word that you have spoken. Who has set my bed elsewhere? Hard would it be even for someone of great skill, unless a god should come and easily of his own choice set it in another place. But of men there is no mortal that lives, however young and strong, who could easily pry it from its place, for a great token is worked into the making of the bed, and it was I that built it and no one else.
So she spoke, putting her husband to the test. Odysseus in dismay addressed the wife whose thoughts were loyal: ‘My wife, what you have just said is painful to my heart. Who has put my bed somewhere else? It would be hard even for a really skilled man, unless a god came along himself and put it in a different place, easily, if he wanted to; but of men no living human being, not even one full of vigour, could easily lever it up, because its construction is a tour de force on the elaborate bed, which I worked on and no one else.
This was her way of putting her husband to the test. But Odysseus flared up at once and rounded on his loyal wife. ‘Lady,’ he cried, ‘your words are a knife in my heart! Who has moved my bed? That would be hard even for a skilled workman, though for a god who took it into his head to come and move it somewhere else it would be quite easy. No man alive, not even one in his prime, would find it easy to shift. A great secret went into the making of that complicated bed; and it was my work and mine alone.
So she spoke, putting her husband to the test. Then Odysseus in sudden anger said to his faithful wife: ‘Your words have wounded me to the quick. Who can have put my bed elsewhere? That would task the most cunning workman, unless a god whose will can make all things easy should come in person and set it down in some other place. No mortal on earth – no, not if he were in his prime – would find it easy to shift that bed, because a strange secret lies in its fashioning. I was the maker, no one else.
Thus she spoke, testing out her husband. And Odysseus, vexed to impatience, said to his devoted wife: “Woman, heartrending indeed are these words that you have spoken. Who has moved my bed elsewhere? A difficult task that would be, even for a highly skilled person, unless some god who wished it should come in person and easily put it in some other place. But no living mortal, not even in full youthful prime, could easily have removed it, since a great distinguishing feature was built into the curiously wrought bed, a bed which I and no one else laboriously built.
This was her way of putting her husband to the test. But Odysseus flared up at once and rounded on his loyal wife. ‘Penelope,’ he cried, ‘you exasperate me! Who, if you please, has moved my bed elsewhere? Short of a miracle, it would be hard even for a skilled workman to shift it somewhere else, and the strongest young fellow alive would have a job to budge it. For a great secret went into the making of that complicated bed; and it was my work and mine alone.
This was a little trap for her husband. He burst into a rage:
“Wife, that has cut me to the heart! Who has moved my bed? That would be a difficult job for the best workman, unless God himself should come down and move it. It would be easy for God, but no man could easily prize it up, not the strongest man living! There is a great secret in that bed. I made it myself, and no one else touched it.
This she said to draw her husband out; and indeed Odysseus was ruffled into protesting to his wife, “Woman, this order pains my heart. Who has changed my bed? It would task the cunningest man — forbye no God happened to shift it in whim — for not the stoutest wight alive could heave it up directly. That bed’s design held a marvellous feature of my own contriving.
This she said to put her husband to the test. But Odysseus in anger said to his faithful wife:
“Woman, these are heart-breaking words of yours! Who has been moving my bedstead? Why, that would be a hard thing to do, even for one who had great skill, unless a very god should come and at his will easily put it in another place! No living man, even in his prime, could change its position; for a great token has been wrought into the curiously-fashioned bed. I built it myself, and none other.
So she spake to make trial of her husband. But Odysseus said bitterly to his thoughtful wife: “Good lady, your words break my heart. Who has put my bed in another place? It would be a hard task even for a man of great skill, unless a god coming this way set it without more ado in a fresh place, according to his pleasure. But among mortal men there is no one, however stalwart, who could easily lift it away, for in this cunningly fashioned bedstead a sure token hath been established. This was the work of mine own hands unaided.
So she spoke, and made trial of her husband. But Odysseus, in a burst of anger, spoke to his true-hearted wife, and said: “Woman, truly this is a bitter word that thou hast spoken. Who has set my bed elsewhere? Hard would it be for one, though never so skilled, unless a god himself should come and easily by his will set it in another place. But of men there is no mortal that lives, be he never so young and strong, who could easily pry it from its place, for a great token is wrought in the fashioned bed, and it was I that built it and none other.
She said this to try him, but Ulysses was very angry and said, “Wife, I am much displeased at what you have just been saying. Who has been taking my bed from the place in which I left it? He must have found it a hard task, no matter how skilled a workman he was, unless some god came and helped him to shift it. There is no man living, however strong and in his prime, who could move it from its place, for it is a marvellous curiosity which I made with my very own hands.
She said this in the hope to prove her husband; but Odysseus spoke in anger to his faithful wife: “Woman, these are bitter words which you have said! Who set my bed elsewhere? A hard task that would be for one, however skilled,—unless a god should come and by his will set it with ease upon some other spot; but among men no living being, even in his prime, could lightly shift it; for a great token is carved into its curious frame. I built it; no one else.
So she spake and made trial of her lord, but Odysseus in sore displeasure spake to his true wife, saying: “Verily a bitter word is this, lady, that thou hast spoken. Who has set my bed otherwhere? Hard it would be for one, how skilled so ever, unless a god were to come that might easily set it in another place, if so he would. But of men there is none living, howsoever strong in his youth, that could lightly upheave it, for a great token is wrought in the fashioning of the bed, and it was I that made it and none other.
Thus she spoke, making trial of her husband; but Ulysses, grieving, addressed his wife, who knew what was prudent:
O lady! you have indeed uttered this speech very grievous to the mind. Who has placed for me my bed elsewhere? It would be difficult even for one who is very skilful, except the deity himself coming, who would easily, if he wished it, put it in another place. But of men, no mortal alive, even if he were in full vigour, could easily unfasten it; since a great sign is made in the well-wrought bed; and I, and no other person, laboriously formed it.
‘Ως αρα thus εφη she said, πειρωμενη making trial ποσιος of her husband: αυταρ but Οδυσσευς Ulysses οχθησας sighing προσεφωνεεν addressed αλοχον his wife, ειδυιαν knowing κεδνα prudent things. “Ω γυναι oh lady, η μαλα verily indeed εειπες thou hast spoken τουτο επος this word θυμαλγες grievous to my heart: τις δε but who θηκεν has placed μοι for me λεχος my bed αλλοσε elsewhere? ειη δε κε but it would be χαλεπον difficult και even μαλα επισταμενω to one who well knew, οτε μη when not [unless when] εος the god αυτος himself επελθων coming θειη should place it ῥηϊδως easily αλλη ενι χωρῃ in another place: ανδρων δε but of men ου τις βροτος no mortal ζωος alive, ουδε nor μαλ’ ἥβων full grown youth μετοχλισσειε κε could unfasten it ῥεια easily: επει since μεγα σημα a great token τετυκται has been made εν λεχει ασκητῳ in the well wrought bed: εγω δε and I, ουδε τις αλλος and no other, καμον toiled in making το to it.
Thus indeed she spoke, trying her husband; but Ulysses grieving addressed his wife, who knew prudent things:
“O lady; very grievous indeed is this word thou hast uttered. Who has placed my bed elsewhere? difficult would it be even for one who is very skilful, except the deity himself, coming, were with ease, if he wished it, to put it in another place. No living mortal among men alive, even if he were in the vigour of youth, would easily move it away; since a great sign is wrought in the well-worked bed; which I laboured, nor any one else.
Thus she spoke, trying her husband; but Ulysses grieving addressed his wife, who knew what was prudent;
“O my wife, you have uttered this a very grievous word. Who has placed my bed elsewhere? it would be difficult even for one who is very skilful, except God himself should come, who would easily, if he wished it, put it in another place. No mortal alive, even if he were in full vigour, would easily move it away; since a great sign is made in the well-worked bed; which I laboured, nor any one else.