Odyssey 7.181 · Book 7, lines 181–185
The libation, and the king rises to speak
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σπείσομεν, ὅς θʼ ἱκέτῃσιν ἅμʼ αἰδοίοισιν ὀπηδεῖ. ὣς φάτο, Ποντόνοος δὲ μελίφρονα οἶνον ἐκίρνα, νώμησεν δʼ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενος δεπάεσσιν. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ σπεῖσάν τʼ ἔπιόν θʼ, ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός, τοῖσιν δʼ Ἀλκίνοος ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπε·
Let us pour libation to him who attends upon reverent suppliants. So he spoke, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine, and served it to all, with first-offering, in the cups. But when they had poured libation and drunk as much as the heart desired, among them Alcinous spoke and addressed them:
Word by word
The setting
Alcinous has welcomed the unknown stranger, raised him to a seat of honour, and called for a libation to Zeus, protector of suppliants. The herald Pontonous now mixes the wine; the company pours and drinks, and the king stands to address the hall.
A note on this passage
The scene is pure ritual, done in three swift verbs: Pontonous mixes the honeyed wine, deals it round in the cups with the first drops poured to the gods, and the whole hall drinks its fill. Only when the rite is complete does Alcinous stand to speak. Homer lets the ceremony finish before a word of business is done.
The undercurrent is order. A stranger of unknown rank has just clasped the queen's knees, and the room could have turned on that; instead the king answers with the fixed machinery of hospitality — libation first, to the very god who guards suppliants, then counsel. The formula that mixes the wine is also the formula that keeps the peace.
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