τὸν δ' ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς:
θάρσει: μηδέ τι τοι θάνατος καταθύμιος ἔστω:
ἂλλ' άγε μοι τόδε εἰπὲ. καὶ ἀτρεκέως κατάλεξον:
πῇ δ' οὕτως ἐπὶ νῆας ἀπὸ στρατοῦ ἔρχεαι οἶος
νύκτα δι' ὀρφναίην: ὅτε θ' εὕδουσι βροτοὶ ἄλλοι
ἤ τινα συλήσων νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων:
ἤ σ' Ἕκτωρ προέηκε διασκοπιᾶσθαι ἕκαστα
νῆας ἔπι γλαφυρὰς. ἤ σ' αὐτὸν θυμὸς ἀνῆκε:
Then in answer to him spake Odysseus of many wiles: "Be of good cheer, and let not death be in thy thoughts. But come, tell me this, and declare it truly. Whither dost thou fare thus alone to the ships from the host in the darkness of night, when other mortals are sleeping? Is it with intent to strip one or another of the corpses of the dead? Did Hector send thee forth to the hollow ships to spy out all, or did thine own heart bid thee?"
