Odyssey Greek GCSE Set Text Translation

This translation should match up line to line with my version of the set text.

The Goddess brings a message in a dream to Nausicaa (lines 20-40)

(20) And she (Athene) hurried like a breath of wind to the bed of the girl,

She stood by her head and she spoke words to her

Disguised as the daughter of the ship-famed Dumantos

Who was her equal in age, and dear to her heart.

Disguised as her, gleaming eyed Athene addressed her

(25) “Nausicaa, why now did your mother bear such a careless daughter?

Your shining clothes lie neglected

 But marriage is approaching you, where you yourself must beautiful clothes

Put on and provide them for others, who attended you.

For from these things a good reputation rises up from men,

(30) And your father and your lady mother rejoice.

 So let’s go and do the laundry as soon as dawn appears,

 And I, as a companion will follow you at the same time, so that you can quickly

Get ready since you won’t be a maiden for much longer.

For now the noble men throughout all

(35) Phaecian districts woo you, where you also have family.

But come urge your famous father early in the morning

To get ready the mules and wagons, and to take

 Both girdles and robes and glittering fabrics

 And [it is] much better for you to go this way than on foot

(40) For the washing troughs are far from the city.”

Nausicaa and her parents (Lines 48-70)

At once fair-throned dawn came, she woke

Fair-robed Nausicaa. At once she marvelled much at the dream,

She made her way through the house in order to announce to her parents,

To her dear father and mother. She found them inside;

Her mother was sitting at the hearth with her handmaids

Spinning sea-purple wool, she met her father

At the door as he came with renowned nobles

To a council where the noble Phaeacians called him.

She, having stood very close to her father, addressed him;

“Dear Father, won’t you prepare for me a wagon

High and well-wheeled, so that I may take splendid clothes to wash, the ones lying dirty;

And it seems fitting for you being

Amongst the first. Taking council of their council to have

Clean clothes for you flesh. Five loved sons are born to you

In your halls, two who are married, three flourishing youths

Who always want to have newly-washed clothes

To go to the dance. All of these things are on my mind.”

So she spoke for she was ashamed to name openly fertile marriage

To her dear father but he knew everything and replied with words,

“I don’t begrudge you the mules, my child, nor anything else.

Go, and the slaves will prepare the wagon for you

High and well wheeled, and with fitted body-work.”

Nausicaa and her attendants wash the clothes (Lines 85-98)

And when they came to the very beautiful…