The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original — Page 1

Vocabulary

Ulisse

u-LIS-se — Italian name for Odysseus, hero of the Odyssey

si

si — Reflexive or impersonal pronoun; oneself, itself

sveglia

ZVEL-ya — He/she wakes up; also an alarm clock

a

a — Preposition meaning at, to, or in

metà

me-TA — Half or middle point of something

del

del — Contraction of di + il, meaning of the

verso

VER-so — Poetic line; also toward as a preposition

Libro

LI-bro — Book or major division of a literary work

da

da — Preposition meaning from, by, or since

dove

DO-ve — Where; indicates location or origin

continua

con-TI-nua — He/she/it continues without interruption

fino

FI-no — Until, up to, as far as

alla

AL-la — Contraction of a + la, meaning to the

fine

FI-ne — End or conclusion of something

In

in — Preposition meaning in or inside

ho

o — I have; first person singular of avere

scritto

SKRIT-to — Past participle of scrivere, meaning written

l'

l' — Elided definite article before vowel sound

introduzione

in-tro-du-TSYO-ne — Introduction or opening section of a work

dei

de-i — Of the; plural contraction of di + i

versi

VER-si — Plural of verso; lines of poetry

e

e — Conjunction meaning and

con

con — Preposition meaning with

la

la — Feminine definite article meaning the

stesura

ste-SU-ra — Drafting or writing out of a document

di

di — Preposition meaning of or from

un

un — Indefinite article meaning a or an

nuovo

NWO-vo — New or newly created

concilio

con-CHI-lyo — Council or assembly for deliberation

degli

DEL-yi — Contraction of di + gli, meaning of the

dèi

DE-i — Gods; plural of dio with accent

all'

all' — Elided contraction of a + l', meaning at the

inizio

i-NI-tsyo — Beginning or start of something

per

per — Preposition meaning for, by, or in order to

prendere

PREN-de-re — To take or to grab something

il

il — Masculine definite article meaning the

posto

PO-sto — Place, position, or seat

quello

KWEL-lo — That one; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

che

ke — That, which, or who; relative conjunction

era

E-ra — Was; third person singular imperfect of essere

stato

STA-to — Past participle of essere, meaning been

spostato

spo-STA-to — Moved or shifted to another position

al

al — Contraction of a + il, meaning to the

furono

FU-ro-no — Were; third person plural past of essere

le

le — Feminine plural definite article meaning the

uniche

U-ni-ke — Unique or only; feminine plural adjective

cose

CO-ze — Things; plural of cosa

vennero

VEN-ne-ro — They came; third person plural past of venire

fatte

FAT-te — Done or made; feminine plural past participle

dare

DA-re — To give; infinitive of irregular verb dare

anche

AN-ke — Also, even, or too

solo

SO-lo — Only, alone, or just

una

U-na — Feminine indefinite article meaning a or an

parvenza

par-VEN-tsa — Appearance or semblance of something

unità

u-ni-TA — Unity or oneness of a whole

vecchio

VEK-kyo — Old; referring to age or former state

schema

SKE-ma — Scheme, plan, or structural outline

nascondere

na-SKON-de-re — To hide or conceal something from view

fatto

FAT-to — Fact, deed, or past participle of fare

Musa

MU-za — Muse; divine source of artistic inspiration

dopo

DO-po — After or afterward in time

essere

ES-se-re — To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary verb

stata

STA-ta — Been; feminine past participle of essere

invitata

in-vi-TA-ta — Invited; feminine past participle of invitare

cantare

can-TA-re — To sing; infinitive of cantare

argomento

ar-go-MEN-to — Subject matter or topic of a work

trascorre

tra-SKOR-re — He/she spends time or passes time

i

i — Masculine plural definite article meaning the

due

DU-e — Two; cardinal number

terzi

TER-tsi — Thirds; plural of terzo, one-third portions

suo

SWO — His, her, or its; possessive adjective

tempo

TEM-po — Time or weather

uno

U-no — One; cardinal number or indefinite article

molto

MOL-to — Very or much; high degree or quantity

diverso

di-VER-so — Different or diverse from something else

climax

Climax; borrowed word, peak of narrative tension

nessuno

nes-SU-no — Nobody, no one, or none

ha

a — Has; third person singular of avere

chiesto

KYE-sto — Asked; past participle of chiedere

Poiché

poi-KE — Since or because; causal conjunction

Ritorno

ri-TOR-no — Return or homecoming

occupa

OK-ku-pa — Occupies or takes up space or time

incirca

in-CHIR-ka — Approximately or about a quantity

otto

OT-to — Eight; cardinal number

Libri

LI-bri — Books; plural of libro

Pretendenti

pre-ten-DEN-ti — Suitors who competed for Penelope's hand

sedici

SE-di-chi — Sixteen; cardinal number

Ritengo

ri-TEN-go — I believe or consider; first person of ritenere

questo

KWE-sto — This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective

sia

SI-a — May be; subjunctive of essere

sostanzialmente

so-stan-tsyal-MEN-te — Substantially or essentially correct or true

corretto

kor-RET-to — Correct or accurate

Infine

in-FI-ne — Finally or in conclusion

trattare

trat-TA-re — To treat, deal with, or discuss a topic

punto

PUN-to — Point, period, or specific matter

scarsissima

skar-SIS-si-ma — Of very little, extremely scarce importance

importanza

im-por-TAN-tsa — Importance or significance

osservo

os-SER-vo — I observe or note; first person of osservare

edizione

e-di-TSYO-ne — Edition of a published text or book

fa

fa — Makes or does; also ago in time expressions

terminare

ter-mi-NA-re — To end or terminate something

virgola

VIR-go-la — Comma; punctuation mark in Italian

La

la — Feminine definite article meaning the

punteggiatura

pun-ted-ja-TU-ra — Punctuation; system of marks in writing

è

e — Is; third person singular present of essere

cosa

CO-za — Thing or matter

data

DA-ta — Given; past participle feminine of dare

assai

as-SAI — Very or quite; indicates high degree

più

pyu — More; comparative adverb

recente

re-CHEN-te — Recent or modern in time

rispetto

ri-SPET-to — Respect; also compared to when used with a

tanto

TAN-to — So much or therefore; indicating consequence

non

non — Not; negation adverb

sembra

SEM-bra — Seems or appears to be

utile

U-ti-le — Useful or helpful

attenersi

at-te-NER-si — To adhere to or follow strictly

testo

TE-sto — Text or written content

in

in — Preposition meaning in or inside

questione

kwe-STYO-ne — Question or matter under discussion

così

ko-ZI — So or thus; indicating manner or consequence

piccola

PIK-ko-la — Small or little; feminine adjective

tuttavia

tut-ta-VI-a — Nevertheless or however; concessive conjunction

semplice

SEM-pli-che — Simple or plain

spirito

SPI-ri-to — Spirit or attitude guiding behavior

conservatorismo

con-ser-va-to-RIZ-mo — Conservatism; tendency to preserve tradition

preferito

pre-fe-RI-to — Preferred or favored; past participle of preferire

farlo

FAR-lo — To do it; infinitive with pronoun attached

Perché

per-KE — Why or because; question and conjunction

Greco

GRE-ko — Greek; relating to Greece or Greek language

agli

AL-yi — Contraction of a + gli, meaning to the

inizi

i-NI-tsi — Beginnings or early periods