J. M.—Not many of them die a natural death in Homer.
Mr. G.—Do you not recollect where Odysseus meets his mother among the shades, and she says:—
Οὔτε τις οὖν μοι νοῦσος ἐπήλυθεν ...
ἀλλά με σός τε πόθος σά τε μήδεα, φαίδιμ᾽ Ὀδυσσεῦ,
σή τ᾽ ἀγανοφροσύνη μελιηδέα θυμὸν ἀπηύρα.[279]
J. M.—Beautiful lines. Πόθος such a tender word, and it is untranslatable.
Mr. G.—Oh, desiderium.
“Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus
Tam cari capitis.”[280]
J. M.—The Scotch word “wearying” for somebody. And Sehnsucht.