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All 27 Uses of

wretched

in

The Odyssey by Homer (translated by: Butcher & Lang)

He saith that thou hast with thee a man most wretched beyond his fellows, beyond those men that round the burg of Priam for nine years fought, and in the tenth year sacked the city and departed homeward.†
Book 5

Then were the knees of Odysseus loosened and his heart melted, and heavily he spake to his own great spirit: 'Oh, wretched man that I am! what is to befal me at the last?†
Book 5 *

Yet even so forgat he not his raft, for all his wretched plight, but made a spring after it in the waves, and clutched it to him, and sat in the midst thereof, avoiding the issues of death; and the great wave swept it hither and thither along the stream.†
Book 5

For without are sharp crags, and round them the wave roars surging, and sheer the smooth rock rises, and the sea is deep thereby, so that in no wise may I find firm foothold and escape my bane, for as I fain would go ashore, the great wave may haply snatch and dash me on the jagged rock—and a wretched endeavour that would be.†
Book 5

Howbeit, some god brought me to her hearth, wretched man that I am, all alone, for that Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift ship and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep.†
Book 7

For ten days and seven I sailed, traversing the deep, and on the eighteenth day the shadowy hills of your land showed in sight, and my heart was glad,—wretched that I was—for surely I was still to be the mate of much sorrow.†
Book 7

'So spake I, and at once they hearkened to my words, but Eurylochus alone would have holden all my companions, and uttering his voice he spake to them winged words: ' "Wretched men that we are! whither are we going?†
Book 10

'Anon came the soul of Theban Teiresias, with a golden sceptre in his hand, and he knew me and spake unto me: "Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, what seekest thou NOW, wretched man, wherefore hast thou left the sunlight and come hither to behold the dead and a land desolate of joy?†
Book 11

And anon he knew me when his eyes beheld me, and making lament he spake unto me winged words: ' "Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices: ah! wretched one, dost thou too lead such a life of evil doom, as I endured beneath the rays of the sun?†
Book 11

Truly every shape of death is hateful to wretched mortals, but to die of hunger and so meet doom is most pitiful of all.†
Book 12

But Zeus, the counsellor, devised mischief against me, wretched man that I was!†
Book 14

Then didst thou make answer to him, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Ah! wretched guest, verily thou hast stirred my heart with the tale of all these things, of thy sufferings and thy wanderings.†
Book 14

Dearth never enters the land, and no hateful sickness falls on wretched mortals.†
Book 15

As for me, the swineherd will lead me to the town later in the day, in the likeness of a beggar, a wretched man and an old.†
Book 16

And the swineherd led his lord to the city in the guise of a beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on a staff; and sorry was the raiment wherewith he was clothed upon.†
Book 17

Say, whither art thou leading this glutton,—thou wretched swineherd,—this plaguy beggar, a kill-joy of the feast?†
Book 17

And close behind him Odysseus entered the house in the guise of a beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on his staff, and clothed on with sorry raiment.†
Book 17

But now Antinous hath stricken me for my wretched belly's sake, a thing accursed, that works much ill for men.†
Book 17

Then sweet sleep left hold of Penelope, and she rubbed her cheeks with her hands, and said: 'Surely soft slumber wrapped me round, most wretched though I be.†
Book 18

Now she chid Odysseus with railing words: 'Wretched guest, surely thou art some brain-struck man, seeing that thou dost not choose to go and sleep at a smithy, or at some place of common resort, but here thou pratest much and boldly among many lords and hast no fear at heart.†
Book 18

Nay, get thee forth, thou wretched thing, and be thankful for thy supper, or straightway shalt thou even be smitten with a torch and so fare out of the doors.'†
Book 19

But he, as one utterly wretched and ill-fated, refused to lie on a couch and under blankets, but on an undressed hide and on the fleeces of sheep he slept in the vestibule, and we cast a mantle over him.'†
Book 20

Then the godlike Theoclymenus spake among them: 'Ah, wretched men, what woe is this ye suffer?†
Book 20

Then Antinous rebuked them, and spake and hailed them: 'Foolish boors, whose thoughts look not beyond the day, ah, wretched pair, wherefore now do ye shed tears, and stir the soul of the lady within her, when her heart already lies low in pain, for that she has lost her dear lord?†
Book 21

And Antinous rebuked him, and spake and hailed him: 'Wretched stranger, thou hast no wit, nay never so little.†
Book 21

And thus some one of the haughty youths would speak: 'Whither now art thou bearing the curved bow, thou wretched swineherd, crazed in thy wits?†
Book 21

Now the swineherd brought Odysseus clad in vile raiment, in the likeness of a beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on a staff, and behold, he was clad about in sorry raiment.†
Book 24

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Definition:

(wretched)
very bad
in various senses, including:
- unfortunate or miserable -- as in "wretched prisoners sleeping on the cold floor"
- of poor quality -- as in "wretched roads"
- morally bad -- as in "The wretched woman stole his wallet."