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diff --git a/1728-h/1728-h.htm b/1728-h/1728-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..06807dd --- /dev/null +++ b/1728-h/1728-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,15073 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Odyssey, by Homer</title> +<link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} +h3 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em;} +h4 {font-size: 110%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.footnote {font-size: 90%; + text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +div.fig { display:block; + margin:0 auto; + text-align:center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em;} + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1728 ***</div> + +<div class="fig" style="width:60%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="cover" /> +</div> + +<h1>The Odyssey</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by Homer</h2> + +<h4> +DONE INTO ENGLISH PROSE<br/> +<br/> +by<br/> +S. H. BUTCHER, M.A.<br/> +<i>Fellow and Protector of University College, Oxford</i><br/> +<i>Late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge</i><br/> +<br/> +AND<br/> +<br/> +A. LANG, M.A.<br/> +<i>Late Fellow of Merton College, Oxford</i><br/> +</h4> + +<hr /> + +<h3>Contents</h3> + +<table summary="" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto"> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref01">PREFACE.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref02">PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref03">INTRODUCTION.</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap00">The Odyssey</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">BOOK I.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">BOOK II.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">BOOK III.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">BOOK IV.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">BOOK V.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">BOOK VI.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">BOOK VII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">BOOK VIII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">BOOK IX.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">BOOK X.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">BOOK XI.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">BOOK XII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">BOOK XIII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">BOOK XIV.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">BOOK XV.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">BOOK XVI.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">BOOK XVII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">BOOK XVIII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">BOOK XIX.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">BOOK XX.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">BOOK XXI.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">BOOK XXII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap23">BOOK XXIII.</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap24">BOOK XXIV.</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="poem"> +As one that for a weary space has lain<br/> + Lulled by the song of Circe and her wine<br/> + In gardens near the pale of Proserpine,<br/> +Where that Ææan isle forgets the main,<br/> +And only the low lutes of love complain,<br/> + And only shadows of wan lovers pine,<br/> + As such an one were glad to know the brine<br/> +Salt on his lips, and the large air again,<br/> +So gladly, from the songs of modern speech<br/> + Men turn, and see the stars, and feel the free<br/> + Shrill wind beyond the close of heavy flowers,<br/> + And through the music of the languid hours<br/> +They hear like Ocean on a western beach<br/> + The surge and thunder of the Odyssey.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +A. L. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="pref01"></a>PREFACE.</h3> + +<p> +There would have been less controversy about the proper method of Homeric +translation, if critics had recognised that the question is a purely relative +one, that of Homer there can be no final translation. The taste and the +literary habits of each age demand different qualities in poetry, and therefore +a different sort of rendering of Homer. To the men of the time of Elizabeth, +Homer would have appeared bald, it seems, and lacking in ingenuity, if he had +been presented in his antique simplicity. For the Elizabethan age, Chapman +supplied what was then necessary, and the mannerisms that were then deemed of +the essence of poetry, namely, daring and luxurious conceits. Thus in +Chapman’s verse Troy must “shed her towers for tears of +overthrow,” and when the winds toss Odysseus about, their sport must be +called “the horrid tennis.” +</p> + +<p> +In the age of Anne, “dignity” and “correctness” had to +be given to Homer, and Pope gave them by aid of his dazzling rhetoric, his +antitheses, his <i>netteté</i>, his command of every conventional and favourite +artifice. Without Chapman’s conceits, Homer’s poems would hardly +have been what the Elizabethans took for poetry; without Pope’s +smoothness, and Pope’s points, the Iliad and Odyssey would have seemed +rude, and harsh in the age of Anne. These great translations must always live +as English poems. As transcripts of Homer they are like pictures drawn from a +lost point of view. <i>Chaque siècle depuis le xvi<sup>e</sup> a eu de ce côté +son belvéder différent</i>. Again, when Europe woke to a sense, an almost +exaggerated and certainly uncritical sense, of the value of her songs of the +people, of all the ballads that Herder, Scott, Lonnrot, and the rest collected, +it was commonly said that Homer was a ballad-minstrel, that the translator must +imitate the simplicity, and even adopt the formulae of the ballad. Hence came +the renderings of Maginn, the experiments of Mr. Gladstone, and others. There +was some excuse for the error of critics who asked for a Homer in ballad rhyme. +The Epic poet, the poet of gods and heroes, did indeed inherit some of the +formulae of the earlier <i>Volks-lied</i>. Homer, like the author of <i>The +Song of Roland</i>, like the singers of the <i>Kalevala</i>, uses constantly +recurring epithets, and repeats, word for word, certain emphatic passages, +messages, and so on. That custom is essential in the ballad, it is an accident +not the essence of the epic. The epic is a poem of complete and elaborate art, +but it still bears some birthmarks, some signs of the early popular chant, out +of which it sprung, as the garden-rose springs from the wild stock, When this +is recognised the demand for ballad-like simplicity and +“ballad-slang” ceases to exist, and then all Homeric translations +in the ballad manner cease to represent our conception of Homer. After the +belief in the ballad manner follows the recognition of the romantic vein in +Homer, and, as a result, came Mr. Worsley’s admirable Odyssey. This +masterly translation does all that can be done for the Odyssey in the romantic +style. The smoothness of the verse, the wonderful closeness to the original, +reproduce all of Homer, in music and in meaning, that can be rendered in +English verse. There still, however, seems an aspect Homeric poems, and a +demand in connection with Homer to be recognised, and to be satisfied. +</p> + +<p> +Sainte-Beuve says, with reference probably to M. Leconte de Lisle’s prose +version of the epics, that some people treat the epics too much as if they were +sagas. Now the Homeric epics are sagas, but then they are the sagas of the +divine heroic age of Greece, and thus are told with an art which is not the art +of the Northern poets. The epics are stories about the adventures of men living +in most respects like the men of our own race who dwelt in Iceland, Norway, +Denmark, and Sweden. The epics are, in a way, and as far as manners and +institutions are concerned, historical documents. Whoever regards them in this +way, must wish to read them exactly as they have reached us, without modern +ornament, with nothing added or omitted. He must recognise, with Mr. Matthew +Arnold, that what he now wants, namely, the simple truth about the matter of +the poem, can only be given in prose, “for in a verse translation no +original work is any longer recognisable.” It is for this reason that we +have attempted to tell once more, in simple prose, the story of Odysseus. We +have tried to transfer, not all the truth about the poem, but the historical +truth, into English. In this process Homer must lose at least half his charm, +his bright and equable speed, the musical current of that narrative, which, +like the river of Egypt, flows from an indiscoverable source, and mirrors the +temples and the palaces of unforgotten gods and kings. Without this music of +verse, only a half truth about Homer can be told, but then it is that half of +the truth which, at this moment, it seems most necessary to tell. This is the +half of the truth that the translators who use verse cannot easily tell. They +<i>must</i> be adding to Homer, talking with Pope about “tracing the mazy +lev’ret o’er the lawn,” or with Mr. Worsley about the islands +that are “stars of the blue Aegaean,” or with Dr. Hawtrey about +“the earth’s soft arms,” when Homer says nothing at all about +the “mazy lev’ret,” or the “stars of the blue +Aegaean,” or the “soft arms” of earth. It would be +impertinent indeed to blame any of these translations in their place. They give +that which the romantic reader of poetry, or the student of the age of Anne, +looks for in verse; and without tags of this sort, a translation of Homer in +verse cannot well be made to hold together. +</p> + +<p> +There can be then, it appears, no final English translation of Homer. In each +there must be, in addition to what is Greek and eternal, the element of what is +modern, personal, and fleeting. Thus we trust that there may be room for +“the pale and far-off shadow of a prose translation,” of which the +aim is limited and humble. A prose translation cannot give the movement and the +fire of a successful translation in verse; it only gathers, as it were, the +crumbs which fall from the richer table, only tells the story, without the +song. Yet to a prose translation is permitted, perhaps, that close adherence to +the archaisms of the epic, which in verse become mere oddities. The double +epithets, the recurring epithets of Homer, if rendered into verse, delay and +puzzle the reader, as the Greek does not delay or puzzle him. In prose he may +endure them, or even care to study them as the survivals of a stage of taste, +which is to be found in its prime in the sagas. These double and recurring +epithets of Homer are a softer form of the quaint Northern periphrases, which +make the sea the “swan’s bath,” gold, the +“dragon’s hoard,” men, the “ring-givers,” and so +on. We do not know whether it is necessary to defend our choice of a somewhat +antiquated prose. Homer has no ideas which cannot be expressed in words that +are “old and plain,” and to words that are old and plain, and, as a +rule, to such terms as, being used by the Translators of the Bible, are still +not unfamiliar, we have tried to restrict ourselves. It may be objected, that +the employment of language which does not come spontaneously to the lips, is an +affectation out of place in a version of the Odyssey. To this we may answer +that the Greek Epic dialect, like the English of our Bible, was a thing of slow +growth and composite nature, that it was never a spoken language, nor, except +for certain poetical purposes, a written language. Thus the Biblical English +seems as nearly analogous to the Epic Greek, as anything that our tongue has to +offer. +</p> + +<p> +The few foot-notes in this book are chiefly intended to make clear some +passages where there is a choice of reading. The notes at the end, which we +would like to have written in the form of essays, and in company with more +complete philological and archaeological studies, are chiefly meant to +elucidate the life of Homer’s men. +</p> + +<p> +We have received much help from many friends, and especially from Mr. R. W. +Raper, Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford and Mr. Gerald Balfour, Fellow of +Trinity College, Cambridge, who have aided us with many suggestions while the +book was passing through the press. +</p> + +<p> +In the interpretation of B. i. 411, ii. 191, v. 90, and 471, we have departed +from the received view, and followed Mr. Raper, who, however, has not been able +to read through the proof-sheets further than Book xii. +</p> + +<p> +We have adopted La Roche’s text (Homeri Odyssea, J. La Roche, Leipzig, +1867), except in a few cases where we mention our reading in a foot-note. +</p> + +<p> +The Arguments prefixed to the Books are taken, with very slight alterations, +from Hobbes’ Translation of the Odyssey. +</p> + +<p> +It is hoped that the Introduction added to the second edition may illustrate +the growth of those national legends on which Homer worked, and may elucidate +the plot of the Odyssey. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="pref02"></a>PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.</h3> + +<p> +We owe our thanks to the Rev. E. Warre, of Eton College, for certain +corrections on nautical points. In particular, he has convinced us that the +raft of Odysseus in B. v. is a raft strictly so called, and that it is not, +under the poet’s description, elaborated into a ship, as has been +commonly supposed. The translation of the passage (B. v. 246-261) is +accordingly altered. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="pref03"></a>INTRODUCTION.</h3> + +<h4>COMPOSITION AND PLOT OF THE ODYSSEY.</h4> + +<p> +The <i>Odyssey</i> is generally supposed to be somewhat the later in date of +the two most ancient Greek poems which are concerned with the events and +consequences of the Trojan war. As to the actual history of that war, it may be +said that nothing is known. We may conjecture that some contest between peoples +of more or less kindred stocks, who occupied the isles and the eastern and +western shores of the Aegean, left a strong impression on the popular fancy. +Round the memories of this contest would gather many older legends, myths, and +stories, not peculiarly Greek or even “Aryan,” which previously +floated unattached, or were connected with heroes whose fame was swallowed up +by that of a newer generation. It would be the work of minstrels, priests, and +poets, as the national spirit grew conscious of itself, to shape all these +materials into a definite body of tradition. This is the rule of +development—first scattered stories, then the union of these into a +<i>national</i> legend. The growth of later national legends, which we are able +to trace, historically, has generally come about in this fashion. To take the +best known example, we are able to compare the real history of Charlemagne with +the old epic poems on his life and exploits. In these poems we find that facts +are strangely exaggerated, and distorted; that purely fanciful additions are +made to the true records, that the more striking events of earlier history are +crowded into the legend of Charles, that mere fairy tales, current among +African as well as European peoples, are transmuted into false history, and +that the anonymous characters of fairy tales are converted into historical +personages. We can also watch the process by which feigned genealogies were +constructed, which connected the princely houses of France with the imaginary +heroes of the epics. The conclusion is that the poetical history of Charlemagne +has only the faintest relations to the true history. And we are justified in +supposing that, quite as little of the real history of events can be extracted +from the tale of Troy, as from the <i>Chansons de Geste</i>. +</p> + +<p> +By the time the <i>Odyssey</i> was composed, it is certain that a poet had +before him a well-arranged mass of legends and traditions from which he might +select his materials. The author of the <i>Iliad</i> has an extremely full and +curiously consistent knowledge of the local traditions of Greece, the memories +which were cherished by Thebans, Pylians, people of Mycenae, of Argos, and so +on. The <i>Iliad</i> and the <i>Odyssey</i> assume this knowledge in the +hearers of the poems, and take for granted some acquaintance with other +legends, as with the story of the Argonautic Expedition. Now that story itself +is a tissue of popular tales,—still current in many distant +lands,—but all woven by the Greek genius into the history of Iason. +</p> + +<p> +The history of the return of Odysseus as told in the <i>Odyssey</i>, is in the +same way, a tissue of old <i>märchen</i>. These must have existed for an +unknown length of time before they gravitated into the cycle of the tale of +Troy. +</p> + +<p> +The extraordinary artistic skill with which legends and myths, originally +unconnected with each other, are woven into the plot of the <i>Odyssey</i>, so +that the marvels of savage and barbaric fancy become indispensable parts of an +artistic whole, is one of the chief proofs of the unity of authorship of that +poem. We now go on to sketch the plot, which is a marvel of construction. +</p> + +<p> +Odysseus was the King of Ithaca, a small and rugged island on the western coast +of Greece. When he was but lately married to Penelope, and while his only son +Telemachus was still an infant, the Trojan war began. It is scarcely necessary +to say that the object of this war, as conceived of by the poets, was to win +back Helen, the wife of Menelaus, from Paris, the son of Priam, King of Troy. +As Menelaus was the brother of Agamemnon, the Emperor, so to speak, or +recognised chief of the petty kingdoms of Greece, the whole force of these +kingdoms was at his disposal. No prince came to the leaguer of Troy from a home +more remote than that of Odysseus. When Troy was taken, in the tenth year of +the war, his homeward voyage was the longest and most perilous. +</p> + +<p> +The action of the <i>Odyssey</i> occupies but the last six weeks of the ten +years during which Odysseus was wandering. Two nights in these six weeks are +taken up, however, by his own narrative of his adventures (to the Phaeacians, +p. xx) in the previous ten years. With this explanatory narrative we must +begin, before coming to the regular action of the poem. +</p> + +<p> +After the fall of Troy, Odysseus touched at Ismarus, the city of a Thracian +people, whom he attacked and plundered, but by whom he was at last repulsed. +The north wind then carried his ships to Malea, the extreme southern point of +Greece. Had he doubled Malea safely, he would probably have reached Ithaca in a +few days, would have found Penelope unvexed by wooers, and Telemachus a boy of +ten years old. But this was not to be. +</p> + +<p> +The “ruinous winds” drove Odysseus and his ships for ten days, and +on the tenth they touched the land of the Lotus-Eaters, whose flowery food +causes sweet forgetfulness. Lotus-land was possibly in Western Libya, but it is +more probable that ten days’ voyage from the southern point of Greece, +brought Odysseus into an unexplored region of fairy-land. Egypt, of which Homer +had some knowledge, was but five days’ sail from Crete. +</p> + +<p> +Lotus-land, therefore, being ten days’ sail from Malea, was well over the +limit of the discovered world. From this country Odysseus went on till he +reached the land of the lawless Cyclôpes, a pastoral people of giants. Later +Greece feigned that the Cyclôpes dwelt near Mount Etna, in Sicily. Homer leaves +their place of abode in the vague. Among the Cyclôpes, Odysseus had the +adventure on which his whole fortunes hinged. He destroyed the eye of the +cannibal giant, Polyphemus, a son of Poseidon, the God of the Sea. To avenge +this act, Poseidon drove Odysseus wandering for ten long years, and only +suffered him to land in Ithaca, “alone, in evil case, to find troubles in +his house.” This is a very remarkable point in the plot. The story of the +crafty adventurer and the blinding of the giant, with the punning device by +which the hero escaped, exists in the shape of a detached <i>märchen</i> or +fairy-tale among races who never heard of Homer. And when we find the story +among Oghuzians, Esthonians, Basques, and Celts, it seems natural to suppose +that these people did not break a fragment out of the <i>Odyssey</i>, but that +the author of the <i>Odyssey</i> took possession of a legend out of the great +traditional store of fiction. From the wide distribution of the tale, there is +reason to suppose that it is older than Homer, and that it was not originally +told of Odysseus, but was attached to his legend, as floating jests of unknown +authorship are attributed to eminent wits. It has been remarked with truth that +in this episode Odysseus acts out of character, that he is foolhardy as well as +cunning. Yet the author of the <i>Odyssey</i>, so far from merely dove-tailing +this story at random into his narrative, has made his whole plot turn on the +injury to the Cyclops. Had he not foolishly exposed himself and his companions, +by his visit to the Cyclops, Odysseus would never have been driven wandering +for ten weary years. The prayers of the blinded Cyclops were heard and +fulfilled by Poseidon. +</p> + +<p> +From the land of the Cyclops, Odysseus and his company sailed to the Isle of +Aeolus, the king of the winds. This place too is undefined; we only learn that, +even with the most favourable gale, it was ten days’ sail from Ithaca. In +the Isle of Aeolus Odysseus abode for a month, and then received from the king +a bag in which all the winds were bound, except that which was to waft the hero +to his home. This sort of bag was probably not unfamiliar to superstitious +Greek sailors who had dealings with witches, like the modern wise women of the +Lapps. The companions of the hero opened the bag when Ithaca was in sight, the +winds rushed out, the ships were borne back to the Aeolian Isle, and thence the +hero was roughly dismissed by Aeolus. Seven days’ sail brought him to +Lamos, a city of the cannibal Laestrygonians. Their country, too, is in +No-man’s-land, and nothing can be inferred from the fact that their +fountain was called Artacia, and that there was an Artacia in Cyzicus. In Lamos +a very important adventure befel Odysseus. The cannibals destroyed all his +fleet, save one ship, with which he made his escape to the Isle of Circé. Here +the enchantress turned part of the crew into swine, but Odysseus, by aid of the +god Hermes, redeemed them, and became the lover of Circé. This adventure, like +the story of the Cyclops, is a fairy tale of great antiquity. Dr. Gerland, in +his <i>Alt Griechische Märchen in der Odyssee</i>, has shown that the story +makes part of the collection of Somadeva, a store of Indian tales, of which +1200 A.D. is the approximate date. Circé appears as a Yackshini, and is +conquered when an adventurer seizes her flute whose magic music turns men into +beasts. The Indian Circé had the habit of eating the animals into which she +transformed men. +</p> + +<p> +We must suppose that the affairs with the Cicones, the Lotus-eaters, the +Cyclops, Aeolus, and the Laestrygonians, occupied most of the first year after +the fall of Troy. A year was then spent in the Isle of Circé, after which the +sailors were eager to make for home. Circé commanded them to go down to Hades, +to learn the homeward way from the ghost of the Theban prophet Teiresias. The +descent into hell, for some similar purpose, is common in the epics of other +races, such as the Finns, and the South-Sea Islanders. The narrative of +Odysseus’s visit to the dead (book xi) is one of the most moving passages +in the whole poem. +</p> + +<p> +From Teiresias Odysseus learned that, if he would bring his companions home, he +must avoid injuring the sacred cattle of the Sun, which pastured in the Isle of +Thrinacia. If these were harmed, he would arrive in Ithaca alone, or in the +words of the Cyclops’s prayer, “in evil plight, with loss of all +his company, on board the ship of strangers, to find sorrow in his +house.” On returning to the Isle Aeaean, Odysseus was warned by Circé of +the dangers he would encounter. He and his friends set forth, escaped the +Sirens (a sort of mermaidens), evaded the Clashing Rocks, which close on ships +(a fable known to the Aztecs), passed Scylla (the <i>pieuvre</i> of antiquity) +with loss of some of the company, and reached Thrinacia, the Isle of the Sun. +Here the company of Odysseus, constrained by hunger, devoured the sacred kine +of the Sun, for which offence they were punished by a shipwreck, when all were +lost save Odysseus. He floated ten days on a raft, and then reached the isle of +the goddess Calypso, who kept him as her lover for eight years. +</p> + +<p> +The first two years after the fall of Troy are now accounted for. They were +occupied, as we have seen, by adventures with the Cicones, the Lotus-eaters, +the Cyclops, Aeolus, the Laestrygonians, by a year’s residence with +Circé, by the descent into Hades, the encounters with the Sirens, and Scylla, +and the fatal sojourn in the isle of Thrinacia. We leave Odysseus alone, for +eight years, consuming his own heart, in the island paradise of Calypso. +</p> + +<p> +In Ithaca, the hero’s home, things seem to have passed smoothly till +about the sixth year after the fall of Troy. Then the men of the younger +generation, the island chiefs, began to woo Penelope, and to vex her son +Telemachus. Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old to help, and Penelope +only gained time by her famous device of weaving and unweaving the web. The +wooers began to put compulsion on the Queen, quartering themselves upon her, +devouring her substance, and insulting her by their relations with her +handmaids. Thus Penelope pined at home, amidst her wasting possessions. +Telemachus fretted in vain, and Odysseus was devoured by grief and +home-sickness in the isle of Calypso. When he had lain there for nigh eight +years, the action of the <i>Odyssey</i> begins, and occupies about six weeks. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 1 (Book i). </h4> + +<p> +The <i>ordained</i> time has now arrived, when by the counsels of the Gods, +Odysseus is to be brought home to free his house, to avenge himself on the +wooers, and recover his kingdom. The chief agent in his restoration is Pallas +Athene; the first book opens with her prayer to Zeus that Odysseus may be +delivered. For this purpose Hermes is to be sent to Calypso to bid her release +Odysseus, while Pallas Athene in the shape of Mentor, a friend of Odysseus, +visits Telemachus in Ithaca. She bids him call an assembly of the people, +dismiss the wooers to their homes, and his mother to her father’s house, +and go in quest of his own father, in Pylos, the city of Nestor, and Sparta, +the home of Menelaus. Telemachus recognises the Goddess, and the first day +closes. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 2 (Book ii). </h4> + +<p> +Telemachus assembles the people, but he has not the heart to carry out +Athene’s advice. He cannot send the wooers away, nor turn his mother out +of her house. He rather weakly appeals to the wooers’ consciences, and +announces his intention of going to seek his father. They answer with scorn, +but are warned of their fate, which is even at the doors, by Halitherses. His +prophecy (first made when Odysseus set out for Troy) tallies with the prophecy +of Teiresias, and the prayer of the Cyclops. The reader will observe a series +of portents, prophecies, and omens, which grow more numerous and admonishing as +their doom draws nearer to the wooers. Their hearts, however, are hardened, and +they mock at Telemachus, who, after an interview with Athene, borrows a ship +and secretly sets out for Pylos. Athene accompanies him, and his friends man +his galley. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 3 (Book iii). </h4> + +<p> +They reach Pylos, and are kindly received by the aged Nestor, who has no news +about Odysseus. After sacrifice, Athene disappears. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 4 (Book iii). </h4> + +<p> +The fourth day is occupied with sacrifice, and the talk of Nestor. In the +evening Telemachus (leaving his ship and friends at Pylos) drives his chariot +into Pherae, half way to Sparta; Peisistratus, the son of Nestor, accompanies +him. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 5 (Book iv). </h4> + +<p> +Telemachus and Peisistratus arrive at Sparta, where Menelaus and Helen receive +them kindly. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 6 (Book iv). </h4> + +<p> +Menelaus tells how he himself came home in the eighth year after the fall of +Troy. He had heard from Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, that Odysseus was +alive, and a captive on an island of the deep. Menelaus invites Telemachus to +stay with him for eleven days or twelve, which Telemachus declines to do. It +will later appear that he made an even longer stay at Sparta, though whether he +changed his mind, or whether we have here an inadvertence of the poet’s +it is hard to determine. This blemish has been used as an argument against the +unity of authorship, but writers of all ages have made graver mistakes. +</p> + +<p> +On this same day (the sixth) the wooers in Ithaca learned that Telemachus had +really set out to “cruise after his father.” They sent some of +their number to lie in ambush for him, in a certain strait which he was likely +to pass on his return to Ithaca. Penelope also heard of her son’s +departure, but was consoled by a dream. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 7 (Book v). </h4> + +<p> +The seventh day finds us again in Olympus. Athene again urges the release of +Odysseus; and Hermes is sent to bid Calypso let the hero go. Zeus prophecies +that after twenty days sailing, Odysseus will reach Scheria, and the hospitable +Phaeacians, a people akin to the Gods, who will convey him to Ithaca. Hermes +accomplishes the message to Calypso. +</p> + +<h4> DAYS 8-12-32 (Book v). </h4> + +<p> +These days are occupied by Odysseus in making and launching a raft; on the +twelfth day from the beginning of the action he leaves Calypso’s isle. He +sails for eighteen days, and on the eighteenth day of his voyage (the +twenty-ninth from the beginning of the action), he sees Scheria. Poseidon +raises a storm against him, and it is not till the thirty-second day from that +in which Athene visited Telemachus, that he lands in Scheria, the country of +the Phaeacians. Here he is again in fairy land. A rough, but perfectly +recognisable form of the Phaeacian myth, is found in an Indian collection of +<i>märchen</i> (already referred to) of the twelfth century A.D. Here the +Phaeacians are the Vidyâdhâris, and their old enemies the Cyclôpes, are the +Rakshashas, a sort of giants. The Indian Odysseus, who seeks the city of gold, +passes by the home of an Indian Aeolus, Satyavrata. His later adventures are +confused, and the Greek version retains only the more graceful fancies of the +<i>märchen</i>. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 33 (Book vi). </h4> + +<p> +Odysseus meets Nausicaa, daughter of Alcinous, the Phaeacian King, and by her +aid, and that of Athene, is favourably received at the palace, and tells how he +came from Calypso’s island. His name is still unknown to his hosts. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 34 (Books vii, viii, ix, x, xi, xii). </h4> + +<p> +The Phaeacians and Odysseus display their skill in sports. Nausicaa bids +Odysseus farewell. Odysseus recounts to Alcinous, and Arete, the Queen, those +adventures in the two years between the fall of Troy and his captivity in the +island of Calypso, which we have already described (pp. xiii-xvii). +</p> + +<h4> DAY 35 (Book xiii). </h4> + +<p> +Odysseus is conveyed to Ithaca, in the evening, on one of the magical barques +of the Phaeacians. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 36 (Books xiii, xiv, xv). </h4> + +<p> +He wakens in Ithaca, which he does not at first recognise He learns from +Athene, for the first time, that the wooers beset his house. She disguises him +as an old man, and bids him go to the hut of the swineherd Eumaeus, who is +loyal to his absent lord. Athene then goes to Lacedaemon, to bring back +Telemachus, who has now resided there for a month. Odysseus won the heart of +Eumaeus, who of course did not recognise him, and slept in the +swineherd’s hut, while Athene was waking Telemachus, in Lacedaemon, and +bidding him “be mindful of his return.” +</p> + +<h4> DAY 37 (Book xv). </h4> + +<p> +Is spent by Odysseus in the swineherd’s hut. Telemachus reaches +Pherae, half-way to Pylos. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 38 (Book xv). </h4> + +<p> +Telemachus reaches Pylos, but does not visit Nestor. To save time he goes at +once on board ship, taking with him an unfortunate outlaw, Theoclymenus, a +second-sighted man, or the family of Melampus, in which the gift of prophecy +was hereditary. The ship passed the Elian coast at night, and evaded the ambush +of the wooers. Meanwhile Odysseus was sitting up almost till dawn, listening to +the history of Eumaeus, the swineherd. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 39 (Books xv, xvi). </h4> + +<p> +Telemachus reaches the Isle of Ithaca, sends his ship to the city, but himself, +by advice of Athene, makes for the hut of Eumaeus, where he meets, but +naturally does not recognise, his disguised father. He sends Eumaeus to +Penelope with news of his arrival, and then Athene reveals Odysseus to +Telemachus. The two plot the death of the wooers. Odysseus bids Telemachus +remove, on a favourable opportunity, the arms which were disposed as trophies +on the walls of the hall at home. (There is a slight discrepancy between the +words of this advice and the manner in which it is afterwards executed.) During +this interview, the ship of Telemachus, the wooers who had been in ambush, and +Eumaeus, all reached the town of Ithaca. In the evening Eumaeus returned to his +hut, where Athene had again disguised Odysseus. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 40 (Books xvii, xviii, xix, xx). </h4> + +<p> +The story is now hastening to its close, and many events are crowded into the +fortieth day. Telemachus goes from the swineherd’s hut to the city, and +calls his guest, Theoclymenus, to the palace. The second-sighted man prophesies +of the near revenge of Odysseus. In the afternoon, Odysseus (still disguised) +and Eumaeus reach the city, the dog Argos recognises the hero, and dies. +Odysseus goes begging through his own hall, and is struck by Antinous, the +proudest of the wooers. Late in the day Eumaeus goes home, and Odysseus fights +with the braggart beggar Irus. Still later, Penelope appears among the wooers, +and receives presents from them. When the wooers have withdrawn, Odysseus and +Telemachus remove the weapons from the hall to the armoury. Afterwards Odysseus +has an interview with Penelope (who does not recognise him), but he is +recognised by his old nurse Eurycleia. Penelope mentions her purpose to wed the +man who on the following day, the feast of the Archer-god Apollo, shall draw +the bow of Odysseus, and send an arrow through the holes in twelve axe-blades, +set up in a row. Thus the poet shows that Odysseus has arrived in Ithaca not a +day too soon. Odysseus is comforted by a vision of Athene, and +</p> + +<h4> DAY 41 (Books xx, xxi, xxii, xxiii). </h4> + +<p class="noindent"> +by the ominous prayer uttered by a weary woman grinding at the mill. The +swineherd and the disloyal Melanthius arrive at the palace. The wooers defer +the plot to kill Telemachus, as the day is holy to Apollo. Odysseus is led up +from his seat near the door to a place beside Telemachus at the chief’s +table. The wooers mock Telemachus, and the second-sighted Theoclymenus sees the +ominous shroud of death covering their bodies, and the walls dripping with +blood. He leaves the doomed company. In the trial of the bow, none of the +wooers can draw it; meanwhile Odysseus has declared himself to the neatherd and +the swineherd. The former bars and fastens the outer gates of the court, the +latter bids Eurycleia bar the doors of the womens’ chambers which lead +out of the hall. Odysseus now gets the bow into his hands, strings it, sends +the arrow through the axe-blades, and then leaping on the threshold of stone, +deals his shafts among the wooers. Telemachus, the neatherd, and Eumaeus, +aiding him, he slaughters all the crew, despite the treachery of Melanthius. +The paramours of the wooers are hanged, and Odysseus, after some delay, is +recognised by Penelope. +</p> + +<h4> DAY 42 (Books xxiii, xxiv). </h4> + +<p> +This day is occupied with the recognition of Odysseus by his aged father +Laertes, and with the futile attempt of the kinsfolk of the wooers to avenge +them on Odysseus. Athene reconciles the feud, and the toils of Odysseus are +accomplished. +</p> + +<p> +The reader has now before him a chronologically arranged sketch of the action +of the <i>Odyssey</i>. It is, perhaps, apparent, even from this bare outline, +that the composition is elaborate and artistic, that the threads of the plot +are skilfully separated and combined. The germ of the whole epic is probably +the popular tale, known all over the world, of the warrior who, on his return +from a long expedition, has great difficulty in making his prudent wife +recognise him. The incident occurs as a detached story in China, and in most +European countries it is told of a crusader. “We may suppose it to be +older than the legend of Troy, and to have gravitated into the cycle of that +legend. The years of the hero’s absence are then filled up with +adventures (the Cyclops, Circé, the Phaeacians, the Sirens, the descent into +hell) which exist as scattered tales, or are woven into the more elaborate +epics of Gaels, Aztecs, Hindoos, Tartars, South-Sea Islanders, Finns, Russians, +Scandinavians, and Eskimo. The whole is surrounded with the atmosphere of the +kingly age of Greece, and the result is the Odyssey, with that unity of plot +and variety of character which must have been given by one masterly +constructive genius. The date at which the poet of the Odyssey lived may be +approximately determined by his consistent descriptions of a peculiar and +definite condition of society, which had ceased to exist in the ninth century +B.C., and of a stage of art in which Phoenician and Assyrian influences +predominated. (<i>Die Kunst bei Homer.</i> Brunn.) As to the mode of +composition, it would not be difficult to show that at least the <i>a +priori</i> Wolfian arguments against the early use of writing for literary +purposes have no longer the cogency which they were once thought to possess. +But this is matter for a separate investigation. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap00"></a>The Odyssey</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>BOOK I.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +In a Council of the Gods, Poseidon absent, Pallas procureth an order for the +restitution of Odysseus; and appearing to his son Telemachus, in human shape, +adviseth him to complain of the Wooers before the Council of the people, and +then go to Pylos and Sparta to inquire about his father. +</p> + +<p> +Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wandered far and wide, after +he had sacked the sacred citadel of Troy, and many were the men whose towns he +saw and whose mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered in his heart +upon the deep, striving to win his own life and the return of his company. Nay, +but even so he saved not his company, though he desired it sore. For through +the blindness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who devoured the oxen +of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from them their day of returning. Of these +things, goddess, daughter of Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof, +declare thou even unto us. +</p> + +<p> +Now all the rest, as many as fled from sheer destruction, were at home, and had +escaped both war and sea, but Odysseus only, craving for his wife and for his +homeward path, the lady nymph Calypso held, that fair goddess, in her hollow +caves, longing to have him for her lord. But when now the year had come in the +courses of the seasons, wherein the gods had ordained that he should return +home to Ithaca, not even there was he quit of labours, not even among his own; +but all the gods had pity on him save Poseidon, who raged continually against +godlike Odysseus, till he came to his own country. Howbeit Poseidon had now +departed for the distant Ethiopians, the Ethiopians that are sundered in twain, +the uttermost of men, abiding some where Hyperion sinks and some where he +rises. There he looked to receive his hecatomb of bulls and rams, there he made +merry sitting at the feast, but the other gods were gathered in the halls of +Olympian Zeus. Then among them the father of gods and men began to speak, for +he bethought him in his heart of noble Aegisthus, whom the son of Agamemnon, +far-famed Orestes, slew. Thinking upon him he spake out among the Immortals: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo you now, how vainly mortal men do blame the gods! For of us they say +comes evil, whereas they even of themselves, through the blindness of their own +hearts, have sorrows beyond that which is ordained. Even as of late Aegisthus, +beyond that which was ordained, took to him the wedded wife of the son of +Atreus, and killed her lord on his return, and that with sheer doom before his +eyes, since we had warned him by the embassy of Hermes the keen-sighted, the +slayer of Argos, that he should neither kill the man, nor woo his wife. For the +son of Atreus shall be avenged at the hand of Orestes, so soon as he shall come +to man’s estate and long for his own country. So spake Hermes, yet he +prevailed not on the heart of Aegisthus, for all his good will; but now hath he +paid one price for all.” +</p> + +<p> +And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him, saying: “O father, our +father Cronides, throned in the highest; that man assuredly lies in a death +that is his due; so perish likewise all who work such deeds! But my heart is +rent for wise Odysseus, that hapless one, who far from his friends this long +while suffereth affliction in a seagirt isle, where is the navel of the sea, a +woodland isle, and therein a goddess hath her habitation, the daughter of the +wizard Atlas, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself upholds the tall +pillars which keep earth and sky asunder. His daughter it is that holds the +hapless man in sorrow: and ever with soft and guileful tales she is wooing him +to forgetfulness of Ithaca. But Odysseus yearning to see if it were but the +smoke leap upwards from his own land, hath a desire to die. As for thee, thine +heart regardeth it not at all, Olympian! What! did not Odysseus by the ships of +the Argives make thee free offering of sacrifice in the wide Trojan land? +Wherefore wast thou then so wroth with him, O Zeus?” +</p> + +<p> +And Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her, and said, “My child, what word +hath escaped the door of thy lips? Yea, how should I forget divine Odysseus, +who in understanding is beyond mortals and beyond all men hath done sacrifice +to the deathless gods, who keep the wide heaven? Nay, but it is Poseidon, the +girdler of the earth, that hath been wroth continually with quenchless anger +for the Cyclops’ sake whom he blinded of his eye, even godlike Polyphemus +whose power is mightiest amongst all the Cyclôpes. His mother was the nymph +Thoösa, daughter of Phorcys, lord of the unharvested sea, and in the hollow +caves she lay with Poseidon. From that day forth Poseidon the earth-shaker doth +not indeed slay Odysseus, but driveth him wandering from his own country. But +come, let us here one and all take good counsel as touching his returning, that +he may be got home; so shall Poseidon let go his displeasure, for he will in no +wise be able to strive alone against all, in despite of all the deathless +gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him, and said: “O father, +our father Cronides, throned in the highest, if indeed this thing is now well +pleasing to the blessed gods, that wise Odysseus should return to his own home, +let us then speed Hermes the Messenger, the slayer of Argos, to the island of +Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare to the lady of the braided tresses +our unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may +come to his home. But as for me I will go to Ithaca that I may rouse his son +yet the more, planting might in his heart, to call an assembly of the +long-haired Achaeans and speak out to all the wooers who slaughter continually +the sheep of his thronging flocks, and his kine with trailing feet and +shambling gait. And I will guide him to Sparta and to sandy Pylos to seek +tidings of his dear father’s return, if peradventure he may hear thereof +and that so he may be had in good report among men.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake and bound beneath her feet her lovely golden sandals that wax not +old, and bare her alike over the wet sea and over the limitless land, swift as +the breath of the wind. And she seized her doughty spear, shod with sharp +bronze, weighty and huge and strong, wherewith she quells the ranks of heroes +with whomsoever she is wroth, the daughter of the mighty sire. Then from the +heights of Olympus she came glancing down, and she stood in the land of Ithaca, +at the entry of the gate of Odysseus, on the threshold of the courtyard, +holding in her hand the spear of bronze, in the semblance of a stranger, Mentes +the captain of the Taphians. And there she found the lordly wooers: now they +were taking their pleasure at draughts in front of the doors, sitting on hides +of oxen, which themselves had slain. And of the henchmen and the ready squires, +some were mixing for them wine and water in bowls, and some again were washing +the tables with porous sponges and were setting them forth, and others were +carving flesh in plenty. +</p> + +<p> +And godlike Telemachus was far the first to descry her, for he was sitting with +a heavy heart among the wooers dreaming on his good father, if haply he might +come somewhence, and make a scattering of the wooers there throughout the +palace, and himself get honour and bear rule among his own possessions. +Thinking thereupon, as he sat among wooers, he saw Athene—and he went +straight to the outer porch, for he thought it blame in his heart that a +stranger should stand long at the gates: and halting nigh her he clasped her +right hand and took from her the spear of bronze, and uttered his voice and +spake unto her winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Hail, stranger, with us thou shalt be kindly entreated, and thereafter, +when thou hast tasted meat, thou shalt tell us that whereof thou hast +need.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he led the way, and Pallas Athene followed. And when they were now +within the lofty house, he set her spear that he bore against a tall pillar, +within the polished spear-stand, where stood many spears besides, even those of +Odysseus of the hardy heart; and he led the goddess and seated her on a goodly +carven chair, and spread a linen cloth thereunder, and beneath was a footstool +for the feet. For himself he placed an inlaid seat hard by, apart from the +company of the wooers, lest the stranger should be disquieted by the noise and +should have a loathing for the meal, being come among overweening men, and also +that he might ask him about his father that was gone from his home. +</p> + +<p> +Then a handmaid bare water for the washing of hands in a goodly golden ewer, +and poured it forth over a silver basin to wash withal, and drew to their side +a polished table. And a grave dame bare wheaten bread and set it by them, and +laid on the board many dainties, giving freely of such things as she had by +her. And a carver lifted and placed by them platters of divers kinds of flesh, +and nigh them he set golden bowls, and a henchman walked to and fro pouring out +to them the wine. +</p> + +<p> +Then in came the lordly wooers; and they sat them down in rows on chairs, and +on high seats, and henchmen poured water on their hands, and maidservants piled +wheaten bread by them in baskets, and pages crowned the bowls with drink; and +they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer spread before them. Now +when the wooers had put from them the desire of meat and drink, they minded +them of other things, even of the song and dance: for these are the crown of +the feast. And a henchman placed a beauteous lyre in the hands of Phemius, who +was minstrel to the wooers despite his will. Yea and as he touched the lyre he +lifted up his voice in sweet songs.<a href="#linknote-1" name="linknoteref-1">[1]</a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-1"></a><a href="#linknoteref-1">[1]</a> Or, +according to the ordinary interpretation of +ἀνεβάλλετο: So he touched +the chords in prelude to his sweet singing. +</p> + +<p> +But Telemachus spake unto grey-eyed Athene, holding his head close to her that +those others might not hear: “Dear stranger, wilt thou of a truth be +wroth at the word that I shall say? Yonder men verily care for such things as +these, the lyre and song, lightly, as they that devour the livelihood of +another without atonement, of that man whose white bones, it may be, lie +wasting in the rain upon the mainland, or the billow rolls them in the brine. +Were but these men to see him returned to Ithaca, they all would pray rather +for greater speed of foot than for gain of gold and raiment. But now he hath +perished, even so, an evil doom, and for us is no comfort, no, not though any +of earthly men should say that he will come again. Gone is the day of his +returning! But come declare me this, and tell me all plainly: Who art thou of +the sons of men, and whence? Where is thy city, where are they that begat thee? +Say, on what manner of ship didst thou come, and how did sailors bring thee to +Ithaca, and who did they avow themselves to be, for in nowise do I deem that +thou camest hither by land. And herein tell me true, that I may know for a +surety whether thou art a newcomer, or whether thou art a guest of the house, +seeing that many were the strangers that came to our home, for that <i>he</i> +too had voyaged much among men.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Yea now, I +will plainly tell thee all. I avow me to be Mentes, son of wise +Anchialus, and I bear rule among the Taphians, lovers of the oar. And +now am I come to shore, as thou seest, with ship and crew, sailing over +the wine-dark sea, unto men of strange speech, even to Temesa,<a +href="#linknote-2" name="linknoteref-2">[2]</a> in +quest of copper, and my cargo is shining iron. And there my ship is +lying toward the upland, away from the city, in the harbour of +Rheithron beneath wooded Neïon: and we declare ourselves to be friends +one of the other, and of houses friendly, from of old. Nay, if thou +wouldest be assured, go ask the old man, the hero Laertes, who they say +no more comes to the city, but far away toward the upland suffers +affliction, with an ancient woman for his handmaid, who sets by him +meat and drink, whensoever weariness takes hold of his limbs, as he +creeps along the knoll of his vineyard plot. And now am I come; for +verily they said that <i>he</i>, thy father, was among his people; but +lo, the gods withhold him from his way. For goodly Odysseus hath not +yet perished on the earth; but still, methinks, he lives and is kept on +the wide deep in a seagirt isle, and hard men constrain him, wild folk +that hold him, it may be, sore against his will. But now of a truth +will I utter my word of prophecy, as the Immortals bring it into my +heart and as I deem it will be accomplished, though no soothsayer am I, +nor skilled in the signs of birds. Henceforth indeed for no long while +shall he be far from his own dear country, not though bonds of iron +bind him; he will advise him of a way to return, for he is a man of +many devices. But come, declare me this, and tell me all plainly, +whether indeed, so tall as thou art, thou art sprung from the loins of +Odysseus. Thy head surely and they beauteous eyes are wondrous like to +his, since full many a time have we held converse together ere he +embarked for Troy, whither the others, aye the bravest of the Argives, +went in hollow ships. From that day forth neither have I seen Odysseus, +nor he me.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-2"></a><a href="#linknoteref-2">[2]</a> +Tamasia, in the mountainous centre of Cyprus. +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: “Yea, sir, now will I +plainly tell thee all. My mother verily saith that I am his; for myself I know +not, for never man yet knew of himself his own descent. O that I had been the +son of some blessed man, whom old age overtook among his own possessions! But +now of him that is the most hapless of mortal men, his son they say that I am, +since thou dost question me hereof.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake unto him, and said: “Surely no +nameless lineage have the gods ordained for thee in days to come, since +Penelope bore thee so goodly a man. But come, declare me this, and tell it all +plainly. What feast, nay, what rout is this? What hast thou to do therewith? Is +it a clan drinking, or a wedding feast, for here we have no banquet where each +man brings his share? In such wise, flown with insolence, do they seem to me to +revel wantonly through the house: and well might any man be wroth to see so +many deeds of shame, whatso wise man came among them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: “Sir, forasmuch as thou +questionest me of these things and inquirest thereof, our house was once like +to have been rich and honourable, while yet that man was among his people. But +now the gods willed it otherwise, in evil purpose, who have made him pass +utterly out of sight as no man ever before. Truly I would not even for his +death make so great sorrow, had he fallen among his fellows in the land of the +Trojans, or in the arms of his friends when he had wound up the clew of war. +Then would the whole Achaean host have builded him a barrow, and even for his +son would he have won great glory in the after days. But now the spirits of the +storm have swept him away inglorious. He is gone, lost to sight and hearsay, +but for me hath he left anguish and lamentation; nor henceforth is it for him +alone that I mourn and weep, since the gods have wrought for me other sore +distress. For all the noblest that are princes in the isles, in Dulichium and +Same and wooded Zacynthus, and as many as lord it in rocky Ithaca, all these +woo my mother and waste my house. But as for her she neither refuseth the hated +bridal, nor hath the heart to make an end: so they devour and minish my house, +and ere long will they make havoc likewise of myself.” +</p> + +<p> +Then in heavy displeasure spake unto him Pallas Athene: “God help thee! +thou art surely sore in need of Odysseus that is afar, to stretch forth his +hands upon the shameless wooers. If he could but come now and stand at the +entering in of the gate, with helmet and shield and lances twain, as mighty a +man as when first I marked him in our house drinking and making merry what time +he came up out of Ephyra from Ilus son of Mermerus! For even thither had +Odysseus gone on his swift ship to seek a deadly drug, that he might have +wherewithal to smear his bronze-shod arrows: but Ilus would in nowise give it +to him, for he had in awe the everliving gods. But my father gave it him, for +he bare him wondrous love. O that Odysseus might in such strength consort with +the wooers: so should they all have swift fate and bitter wedlock! Howbeit +these things surely lie on the knees of the gods, whether he shall return or +not, and take vengeance in his halls. But I charge thee to take counsel how +thou mayest thrust forth the wooers from the hall. Come now, mark and take heed +unto my words. On the morrow call the Achaean lords to the assembly, and +declare thy saying to all, and take the gods to witness. As for the wooers bid +them scatter them each one to his own, and for thy mother, if her heart is +moved to marriage, let her go back to the hall of that mighty man her father, +and her kinsfolk will furnish a wedding feast, and array the gifts of wooing +exceeding many, all that should go back with a daughter dearly beloved. And to +thyself I will give a word of wise counsel, if perchance thou wilt hearken. Fit +out a ship, the best thou hast, with twenty oarsmen, and go to inquire +concerning thy father that is long afar, if perchance any man shall tell thee +aught, or if thou mayest hear the voice from Zeus, which chiefly brings tidings +to men. Get thee first to Pylos and inquire of goodly Nestor, and from thence +to Sparta to Menelaus of the fair hair, for he came home the last of the +mail-coated Achaeans. If thou shalt hear news of the life and the returning of +thy father, then verily thou mayest endure the wasting for yet a year. But if +thou shalt hear that he is dead and gone, return then to thine own dear country +and pile his mound, and over it pay burial rites, full many as is due, and give +thy mother to a husband. But when thou hast done this and made an end, +thereafter take counsel in thy mind and heart, how thou mayest slay the wooers +in thy halls, whether by guile or openly; for thou shouldest not carry childish +thoughts, being no longer of years thereto. Or hast thou not heard what renown +the goodly Orestes gat him among all men in that he slew the slayer of his +father, guileful Aegisthus, who killed his famous sire? And thou, too, my +friend, for I see that thou art very comely and tall, be valiant, that even men +unborn may praise thee. But I will now go down to the swift ship and to my men, +who methinks chafe much at tarrying for me; and do thou thyself take heed and +give ear unto my words.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Sir, verily thou speakest +these things out of a friendly heart, as a father to his son, and never will I +forget them. But now I pray thee abide here, though eager to be gone, to the +end that after thou hast bathed and had all thy heart’s desire, thou +mayest wend to the ship joyful in spirit, with a costly gift and very goodly, +to be an heirloom of my giving, such as dear friends give to friends.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Hold me now no longer, +that am eager for the way. But whatsoever gift thine heart shall bid thee give +me, when I am on my way back let it be mine to carry home: bear from thy stores +a gift right goodly, and it shall bring thee the worth thereof in +return.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake she and departed, the grey-eyed Athene, and like an eagle of the sea +she flew away, but in his spirit she planted might and courage, and put him in +mind of his father yet more than heretofore. And he marked the thing and was +amazed, for he deemed that it was a god; and anon he went among the wooers, a +godlike man. +</p> + +<p> +Now the renowned minstrel was singing to the wooers, and they sat listening in +silence; and his song was of the pitiful return of the Achaeans, that Pallas +Athene laid on them as they came forth from Troy. And from her upper chamber +the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, caught the glorious strain, and she +went down the high stairs from her chamber, not alone, for two of her handmaids +bare her company. Now when the fair lady had come unto the wooers, she stood by +the pillar of the well-builded roof holding up her glistening tire before her +face; and a faithful maiden stood on either side her. Then she fell a weeping, +and spake unto the divine minstrel: +</p> + +<p> +“Phemius, since thou knowest many other charms for mortals, deeds of men +and gods, which bards rehearse, some one of these do thou sing as thou sittest +by them, and let them drink their wine in silence; but cease from this pitiful +strain, that ever wastes my heart within my breast, since to me above all women +hath come a sorrow comfortless. So dear a head do I long for in constant +memory, namely, that man whose fame is noised abroad from Hellas to mid +Argos.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: “O my mother, why then dost +thou grudge the sweet minstrel to gladden us as his spirit moves him? It is not +minstrels who are in fault, but Zeus, methinks, is in fault, who gives to men, +that live by bread, to each one as he will. As for him it is no blame if he +sings the ill-faring of the Danaans; for men always prize that song the most, +which rings newest in their ears. But let thy heart and mind endure to listen, +for not Odysseus only lost in Troy the day of his returning, but many another +likewise perished. Howbeit go to thy chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, +the loom and distaff, and bid thy handmaids ply their tasks. But speech shall +be for men, for all, but for me in chief; for mine is the lordship in the +house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then in amaze she went back to her chamber, for she laid up the wise saying of +her son in her heart. She ascended to her upper chamber with the women her +handmaids, and then was bewailing Odysseus, her dear lord, till grey-eyed +Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids. +</p> + +<p> +Now the wooers clamoured throughout the shadowy halls, and each one uttered a +prayer to be her bedfellow. And wise Telemachus first spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Wooers of my mother, men despiteful out of measure, let us feast now and +make merry and let there be no brawling; for, lo, it is a good thing to list to +a minstrel such as him, like to the gods in voice. But in the morning let us +all go to the assembly and sit us down, that I may declare my saying outright, +to wit that ye leave these halls: and busy yourselves with other feasts, eating +your own substance, going in turn from house to house. But if ye deem this a +likelier and a better thing, that one man’s goods should perish without +atonement, then waste ye as ye will; and I will call upon the everlasting gods, +if haply Zeus may grant that acts of recompense be made: so should ye hereafter +perish within the halls without atonement.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and all that heard him bit their lips and marvelled at Telemachus, +in that he spake boldly. +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: “Telemachus, in very truth +the gods themselves instruct thee to be proud of speech and boldly to harangue. +Never may Cronion make thee king in seagirt Ithaca, which thing is of +inheritance thy right!” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Antinous, wilt thou indeed +be wroth at the word that I shall say? Yea, at the hand of Zeus would I be fain +to take even this thing upon me. Sayest thou that this is the worst hap that +can befal a man? Nay, verily, it is no ill thing to be a king: the house of +such an one quickly waxeth rich and himself is held in greater honour. +Howsoever there are many other kings of the Achaeans in seagirt Ithaca, kings +young and old; someone of them shall surely have this kingship since goodly +Odysseus is dead. But as for me, I will be lord of our own house and thralls, +that goodly Odysseus gat me with his spear.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him, saying: “Telemachus, on the +knees of the gods it surely lies, what man is to be king over the Achaeans in +seagirt Ithaca. But mayest thou keep thine own possessions and be lord in thine +own house! Never may that man come, who shall wrest from thee thy substance +violently in thine own despite while Ithaca yet stands. But I would ask thee, +friend, concerning the stranger—whence he is, and of what land he avows him to +be? Where are his kin and his native fields? Doth he bear some tidings of thy +father on his road, or cometh he thus to speed some matter of his own? In such +wise did he start up, and lo, he was gone, nor tarried he that we should know +him;—and yet he seemed no mean man to look upon.”<a href="#linknote-3" +name="linknoteref-3">[3]</a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-3"></a><a href="#linknoteref-3">[3]</a> The +γὰρ explains the expression of surprise at the sudden departure +of the stranger. +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Eurymachus, surely the day +of my father’s returning hath gone by. Therefore no more do I put faith +in tidings, whencesoever they may come, neither have I regard unto any +divination, whereof my mother may inquire at the lips of a diviner, when she +hath bidden him to the hall. But as for that man, he is a friend of my house +from Taphos, and he avows him to be Mentes, son of wise Anchialus, and he hath +lordship among the Taphians, lovers of the oar.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Telemachus, but in his heart he knew the deathless goddess. Now the +wooers turned them to the dance and the delightsome song, and made merry, and +waited till evening should come on. And as they made merry, dusk evening came +upon them. Then they went each one to his own house to lie down to rest. +</p> + +<p> +But Telemachus, where his chamber was builded high up in the fair court, in a +place with wide prospect, thither betook him to his bed, pondering many +thoughts in his mind; and with him went trusty Eurycleia, and bare for him +torches burning. She was the daughter of Ops, son of Peisenor, and Laertes +bought her on a time with his wealth, while as yet she was in her first youth, +and gave for her the worth of twenty oxen. And he honoured her even as he +honoured his dear wife in the halls, but he never lay with her, for he shunned +the wrath of his lady. She went with Telemachus and bare for him the burning +torches: and of all the women of the household she loved him most, and she had +nursed him when a little one. Then he opened the doors of the well-builded +chamber and sat him on the bed and took off his soft doublet, and put it in the +wise old woman’s hands. So she folded the doublet and smoothed it, and +hung it on a pin by the jointed bedstead, and went forth on her way from the +room, and pulled to the door with the silver handle, and drew home the bar with +the thong. There, all night through, wrapped in a fleece of wool, he meditated +in his heart upon the journey that Athene had showed him. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>BOOK II.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Telemachus complains in vain, and borrowing a ship, goes secretly to Pylos by +night. And how he was there received. +</p> + +<p> +Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, the dear son of +Odysseus gat him up from his bed, and put on his raiment and cast his sharp +sword about his shoulder, and beneath his smooth feet he bound his goodly +sandals, and stept forth from his chamber in presence like a god. And +straightway he bade the clear-voiced heralds to call the long-haired Achaeans +to the assembly. And the heralds called the gathering, and the Achaeans were +assembled quickly. Now when they were gathered and come together, he went on +his way to the assembly holding in his hand a spear of bronze,—not alone +he went, for two swift hounds bare him company. Then Athene shed on him a +wondrous grace, and all the people marvelled at him as he came. And he sat him +in his father’s seat and the elders gave place to him. +</p> + +<p> +Then the lord Aegyptus spake among them first; bowed was he with age, and +skilled in things past number. Now for this reason he spake that his dear son, +the warrior Antiphus, had gone in the hollow ships to Ilios of the goodly +steeds; but the savage Cyclops slew him in his hollow cave, and made of him +then his latest meal. Three other sons Aegyptus had, and one consorted with the +wooers, namely Eurynomus, but two continued in their father’s fields; yet +even so forgat he not that son, still mourning and sorrowing. So weeping for +his sake he made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken now to me, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I shall say. Never +hath our assembly or session been since the day that goodly Odysseus departed +in the hollow ships. And now who was minded thus to assemble us? On what man +hath such sore need come, of the young men or of the elder born? Hath he heard +some tidings of the host now returning, which he might plainly declare to us, +for that he first learned thereof, or doth he show forth and tell some other +matter of the common weal? Methinks he is a true man—good luck be with +him! Zeus vouchsafe him some good thing in his turn, even all his heart’s +desire!” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the dear son of Odysseus was glad at the omen of the word; nor +sat he now much longer, but he burned to speak, and he stood in mid assembly; +and the herald Peisenor, skilled in sage counsels, placed the staff in his +hands. Then he spake, accosting the old man first: +</p> + +<p> +“Old man, he is not far off, and soon shalt thou know it for thyself, he +who called the folk together, even I: for sorrow hath come to me in chief. +Neither have I heard any tidings of the host now returning, which I may plainly +declare to you, for that I first learned thereof; neither do I show forth or +tell any other matter of the common weal, but mine own need, for that evil hath +befallen my house, a double woe. First, I have lost my noble sire, who sometime +was king among you here, and was gentle as a father; and now is there an evil +yet greater far, which surely shall soon make grievous havoc of my whole house +and ruin all my livelihood. My mother did certain wooers beset sore against her +will, even the sons of those men that here are the noblest. They are too craven +to go to the house of her father Icarius, that he may himself set the +bride-price for his daughter, and bestow her on whom he will, even on him who +finds favour in his sight. But they resorting to our house day by day sacrifice +oxen and sheep and fat goats, and keep revel, and drink the dark wine +recklessly, and lo, our great wealth is wasted, for there is no man now alive +such as Odysseus was, to keep ruin from the house. As for me I am nowise strong +like him to ward mine own; verily to the end of my days<a href="#linknote-4" +name="linknoteref-4">[4]</a> shall I be a weakling and all +unskilled in prowess. Truly I would defend me if but strength were mine; for +deeds past sufferance have now been wrought, and now my house is wasted utterly +beyond pretence of right. Resent it in your own hearts, and have regard to your +neighbours who dwell around, and tremble ye at the anger of the gods, lest +haply they turn upon you in wrath at your evil deeds.<a href="#linknote-5" +name="linknoteref-5">[5]</a> I pray you by Olympian Zeus +and by Themis, who looseth and gathereth the meetings of men, let be, my +friends, and leave me alone to waste in bitter grief;—unless it so be +that my father, the good Odysseus, out of evil heart wrought harm to the +goodly-greaved Achaeans, in quittance whereof ye now work me harm out of evil +hearts, and spur on these men. Better for me that ye yourselves should eat up +my treasures and my flocks. Were <i>ye</i> so to devour them, ere long would +some recompense be made, for we would urge our plea throughout the town, +begging back our substance, until all should be restored. But now without +remedy are the pains that ye lay up in my heart.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-4"></a><a href="#linknoteref-4">[4]</a> Cf. +B. xxi. 131. For the use of the 1st pers. pl. like our <i>royal</i> plural, cf. +B. xvi. 44, Il. vii. 190. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-5"></a><a href="#linknoteref-5">[5]</a> Or, +lest they bring your evil deeds in wrath on your own heads. +</p> + +<p> +So spake he in wrath, and dashed the staff to the ground, and brake forth in +tears; and pity fell on all the people. Then all the others held their peace, +and none had the heart to answer Telemachus with hard words, but Antinous alone +made answer, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, proud of speech and unrestrained in fury, what is this thou +hast said to put us to shame, and wouldest fasten on us reproach? Behold the +fault is not in the Achaean wooers, but in thine own mother, for she is the +craftiest of women. For it is now the third year, and the fourth is fast going +by, since she began to deceive the minds of the Achaeans in their breasts. She +gives hope to all, and makes promises to every man, and sends them messages, +but her mind is set on other things. And she hath devised in her heart this +wile besides; she set up in her halls a mighty web, fine of woof and very wide, +whereat she would weave, and anon she spake among us: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that the goodly Odysseus is +dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed on this marriage of +mine, till I finish the robe. I would not that the threads perish to no avail, +even this shroud for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom +shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their length. So shall none of +the Achaean women in the land count it blame in me, as well might be, were he +to lie without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great possessions.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So then in the day +time she would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when +she had let place the torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid +the thing by craft and beguiled the minds of the Achaeans; but when the fourth +year arrived and the seasons came round, then at the last one of her women who +knew all declared it, and we found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she +finished it perforce and sore against her will. But as for thee, the wooers +make thee answer thus, that thou mayest know it in thine own heart, thou and +all the Achaeans! Send away thy mother, and bid her be married to whomsoever +her father commands, and whoso is well pleasing unto her. But if she will +continue for long to vex the sons of the Achaeans, pondering in her heart those +things that Athene hath given her beyond women, knowledge of all fair +handiwork, yea, and cunning wit, and wiles—so be it! Such wiles as hers +we have never yet heard that any even of the women of old did know, of those +that aforetime were fair-tressed Achaean ladies, Tyro, and Alcmene, and Mycene +with the bright crown. Not one of these in the imaginations of their hearts was +like unto Penelope, yet herein at least her imagining was not good. For in +despite of her the wooers will devour thy living and thy substance, so long as +she is steadfast in such purpose as the gods now put within her breast: great +renown for herself she winneth, but for thee regret for thy much livelihood. +But we will neither go to our own lands, nor otherwhere, till she marry that +man whom she will of the Achaeans.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Antinous, I may in no wise +thrust forth from the house, against her will, the woman that bare me, that +reared me: while as for my father he is abroad on the earth, whether he be +alive or dead. Moreover it is hard for me to make heavy restitution to Icarius, +as needs I must, if of mine own will I send my mother away. For I shall have +evil at his hand, at the hand of her father, and some god will give me more +besides, for my mother will call down the dire Avengers as she departs from the +house, and I shall have blame of men; surely then I will never speak this word. +Nay, if your own heart, even yours, is indignant, quit ye my halls, and busy +yourselves with other feasts, eating your own substance, and going in turn from +house to house. But if ye deem this a likelier and a better thing, that one +man’s goods should perish without atonement, then waste ye as ye will: +and I will call upon the everlasting gods, if haply Zeus may grant that acts of +recompense be made: so should ye hereafter perish in the halls without +atonement.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Telemachus, and in answer to his prayer did Zeus, of the far borne +voice, send forth two eagles in flight, from on high, from the mountain-crest. +Awhile they flew as fleet as the blasts of the wind, side by side, with +straining of their pinions. But when they had now reached the mid assembly, the +place of many voices, there they wheeled about and flapped their strong wings, +and looked down upon the heads of all, and destruction was in their gaze. Then +tore they with their talons each the other’s cheeks and neck on every +side, and so sped to the right across the dwellings and the city of the people. +And the men marvelled at the birds when they had sight of them, and pondered in +their hearts the things that should come to pass. Yea and the old man, the lord +Halitherses son of Mastor spake among them, for he excelled his peers in +knowledge of birds, and in uttering words of fate. With good will he made +harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I shall say: and +mainly to the wooers do I show forth and tell these things, seeing that a +mighty woe is rolling upon them. For Odysseus shall not long be away from his +friends, nay, even now, it may be, he is near, and sowing the seeds of death +and fate for these men, every one; and he will be a bane to many another +likewise of us who dwell in clear-seen Ithaca. But long ere that falls out let +us advise us how we may make an end of their mischief; yea, let them of their +own selves make an end, for this is the better way for them, as will soon be +seen. For I prophesy not as one unproved, but with sure knowledge; verily, I +say, that for him all things now are come to pass, even as I told him, what +time the Argives embarked for Ilios, and with them went the wise Odysseus. I +said that after sore affliction, with the loss of all his company, unknown to +all, in the twentieth year he should come home. And behold, all these things +now have an end.” +</p> + +<p> +And Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him, saying: “Go now, old man, +get thee home and prophesy to thine own children, lest haply they suffer harm +hereafter: but herein am I a far better prophet than thou. Howbeit there be +many birds that fly to and fro under the sun’s rays, but all are not +birds of fate. Now as for Odysseus, he hath perished far away, as would that +thou too with him hadst been cut off: so wouldst thou not have babbled thus +much prophecy, nor wouldst thou hound on Telemachus that is already angered, +expecting a gift for thy house, if perchance he may vouchsafe thee aught. But +now will I speak out, and my word shall surely be accomplished. If thou that +knowest much lore from of old, shalt beguile with words a younger man, and +rouse him to indignation, first it shall be a great grief to him:—and yet +he can count on no aid from these who hear him;—while upon thee, old man, +we will lay a fine, that thou mayest pay it and chafe at heart, and sore pain +shall be thine. And I myself will give a word of counsel to Telemachus in +presence of you all. Let him command his mother to return to her father’s +house; and her kinsfolk will furnish a wedding feast, and array the gifts of +wooing, exceeding many, all that should go back with a daughter dearly beloved. +For ere that, I trow, we sons of the Achaeans will not cease from our rough +wooing, since, come what may, we fear not any man, no, not Telemachus, full of +words though he be, nor soothsaying do we heed, whereof thou, old man, pratest +idly, and art hated yet the more. His substance too shall be woefully devoured, +nor shall recompense ever be made, so long as she shall put off the Achaeans in +the matter of her marriage; while we in expectation, from day to day, vie one +with another for the prize of her perfection, nor go we after other women whom +it were meet that we should each one wed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him saying: “Eurymachus, and ye others, +that are lordly wooers, I entreat you no more concerning this nor speak +thereof, for the gods have knowledge of it now and all the Achaeans. But come, +give me a swift ship and twenty men, who shall accomplish for me my voyage to +and fro. For I will go to Sparta and to sandy Pylos to inquire concerning the +return of my father that is long afar, if perchance any man shall tell me +aught, or if I may hear the voice from Zeus, that chiefly brings tidings to +men. If I shall hear news of the life and the returning of my father, then +verily I may endure the wasting for yet a year; but if I shall hear that he is +dead and gone, let me then return to my own dear country, and pile his mound, +and over it pay burial rites full many as is due, and I will give my mother to +a husband.” +</p> + +<p> +So with that word he sat him down; then in the midst uprose Mentor, the +companion of noble Odysseus. He it was to whom Odysseus, as he departed in the +fleet, had given the charge over all his house, that it should obey the old +man, and that he should keep all things safe. With good will he now made +harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I shall say. +Henceforth let not any sceptred king be kind and gentle with all his heart, nor +minded to do righteously, but let him alway be a hard man and work +unrighteousness: for behold, there is none that remembereth divine Odysseus of +the people whose lord he was, and was gentle as a father. Howsoever, it is not +that I grudge the lordly wooers their deeds of violence in the evil devices of +their heart. For at the hazard of their own heads they violently devour the +household of Odysseus, and say of him that he will come no more again. But I am +indeed wroth with the rest of the people, to see how ye all sit thus +speechless, and do not cry shame upon the wooers, and put them down, ye that +are so many and they so few.” +</p> + +<p> +And Leocritus, son of Euenor, answered him, saying: “Mentor infatuate, +with thy wandering wits, what word hast thou spoken, that callest upon them to +put us down? Nay, it is a hard thing to fight about a feast, and that with men +who are even more in number than you. Though Odysseus of Ithaca himself should +come and were eager of heart to drive forth from the hall the lordly wooers +that feast throughout his house, yet should his wife have no joy of his coming, +though she yearns for him;—but even there should he meet foul doom, if he +fought with those that outnumbered him; so thou hast not spoken aright. But as +for the people, come now, scatter yourselves each one to his own lands, but +Mentor and Halitherses will speed this man’s voyage, for they are friends +of his house from of old. Yet after all, methinks, that long time he will abide +and seek tidings in Ithaca, and never accomplish this voyage.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and in haste they broke up the assembly. So they were scattered +each one to his own dwelling, while the wooers departed to the house of divine +Odysseus. +</p> + +<p> +Then Telemachus, going far apart to the shore of the sea, laved his hands in +the grey sea water, and prayed unto Athene, saying: “Hear me, thou who +yesterday didst come in thy godhead to our house, and badest me go in a ship +across the misty seas, to seek tidings of the return of my father that is long +gone: but all this my purpose do the Achaeans delay, and mainly the wooers in +the naughtiness of their pride.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he in prayer, and Athene drew nigh him in the likeness of Mentor, in +fashion and in voice, and she spake and hailed him in winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, even hereafter thou shalt not be craven or witless, if +indeed thou hast a drop of thy father’s blood and a portion of his +spirit; such an one was he to fulfil both word and work. Nor, if this be so, +shall thy voyage be vain or unfulfilled. But if thou art not the very seed of +him and of Penelope, then have I no hope that thou wilt accomplish thy desire. +For few children, truly, are like their father; lo, the more part are worse, +yet a few are better than the sire. But since thou shalt not even hereafter be +craven or witless, nor hath the wisdom of Odysseus failed thee quite, so is +there good hope of thine accomplishing this work. Wherefore now take no heed of +the counsel or the purpose of the senseless wooers, for they are in no way wise +or just: neither know they aught of death and of black fate, which already is +close upon them, that they are all to perish in one day. But the voyage on +which thy heart is set shall not long be lacking to thee—so faithful a +friend of thy father am I, who will furnish thee a swift ship and myself be thy +companion. But go thou to the house, and consort with the wooers, and make +ready corn, and bestow all in vessels, the wine in jars and barley-flour, the +marrow of men, in well-sewn skins; and I will lightly gather in the township a +crew that offer themselves willingly. There are many ships, new and old, in +seagirt Ithaca; of these I will choose out the best for thee, and we will +quickly rig her and launch her on the broad deep.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Athene, daughter of Zeus, and Telemachus made no long tarrying, when +he had heard the voice of the goddess. He went on his way towards the house, +heavy at heart, and there he found the noble wooers in the halls, flaying goats +and singeing swine in the court. And Antinous laughed out and went straight to +Telemachus, and clasped his hand and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, proud of speech and unrestrained in fury, let no evil word +any more be in thy heart, nor evil work, but let me see thee eat and drink as +of old. And the Achaeans will make thee ready all things without fail, a ship +and chosen oarsmen, that thou mayest come the quicker to fair Pylos, to seek +tidings of thy noble father.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying, “Antinous, in no wise in your +proud company can I sup in peace, and make merry with a quiet mind. Is it a +little thing, ye wooers, that in time past ye wasted many good things of my +getting, while as yet I was a child? But now that I am a man grown, and learn +the story from the lips of others, and my spirit waxeth within me, I will seek +to let loose upon you evil fates, as I may, going either to Pylos for help, or +abiding here in this township. Yea, I will go, nor vain shall the voyage be +whereof I speak; a passenger on another’s ship go I, for I am not to have +a ship nor oarsmen of mine own; so in your wisdom ye have thought it for the +better.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and snatched his hand from out the hand of Antinous, lightly, and all +the while the wooers were busy feasting through the house; and they mocked him +and sharply taunted him, and thus would some proud youth speak: +</p> + +<p> +“In very truth Telemachus planneth our destruction. He will bring a +rescue either from sandy Pylos, or even it may be from Sparta, so terribly is +he set on slaying us. Or else he will go to Ephyra, a fruitful land, to fetch a +poisonous drug that he may cast it into the bowl and make an end of all of +us.” +</p> + +<p> +And again another proud youth would say: “Who knows but that he himself +if he goes hence on the hollow ship, may perish wandering far from his friends, +even as Odysseus? So should we have yet more ado, for then must we divide among +us all his substance, and moreover give the house to his mother to possess it, +and to him whosoever should wed her.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake they; but he stepped down into the vaulted treasure-chamber of his +father, a spacious room, where gold and bronze lay piled, and raiment in +coffers, and fragrant olive oil in plenty. And there stood casks of sweet wine +and old, full of the unmixed drink divine, all orderly ranged by the wall, +ready if ever Odysseus should come home, albeit after travail and much pain. +And the close-fitted doors, the folding doors, were shut, and night and day +there abode within a dame in charge, who guarded all in the fulness of her +wisdom, Eurycleia, daughter of Ops son of Peisenor. Telemachus now called her +into the chamber and spake unto her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Mother, come draw off for me sweet wine in jars, the choicest next to +that thou keepest mindful ever of that ill-fated one, Odysseus, of the seed of +Zeus, if perchance he may come I know not whence, having avoided death and the +fates. So fill twelve jars, and close each with his lid, and pour me +barley-meal into well-sewn skins, and let there be twenty measures of the grain +of bruised barley-meal. Let none know this but thyself! As for these things let +them all be got together; for in the evening I will take them with me, at the +time that my mother hath gone to her upper chamber and turned her thoughts to +sleep. Lo, to Sparta I go and to sandy Pylos to seek tidings of my dear +father’s return, if haply I may hear thereof.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the good nurse Eurycleia wailed aloud, and making lament spake +to him winged words: “Ah, wherefore, dear child, hath such a thought +arisen in thine heart? How shouldst thou fare over wide lands, thou that art an +only child and well-beloved? As for him he hath perished, Odysseus of the seed +of Zeus, far from his own country in the land of strangers. And yonder men, so +soon as thou art gone, will devise mischief against thee thereafter, that thou +mayest perish by guile, and they will share among them all this wealth of +thine. Nay, abide here, settled on thine own lands: thou hast no need upon the +deep unharvested to suffer evil and go wandering.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Take heart, nurse, for lo, +this my purpose came not but of a god. But swear to tell no word thereof to my +dear mother, till at least it shall be the eleventh or twelfth day from hence, +or till she miss me of herself, and hear of my departure, that so she may not +mar her fair face with her tears.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the old woman sware a great oath by the gods not to reveal +it. But when she had sworn and done that oath, straightway she drew off the +wine for him in jars, and poured barley-meal into well-sewn skins, and +Telemachus departed to the house and consorted with the wooers. +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to other thoughts. In the likeness +of Telemachus she went all through the city, and stood by each one of the men +and spake her saying, and bade them gather at even by the swift ship. +Furthermore, she craved a swift ship of Noëmon, famous son of Phronius, and +right gladly he promised it. +</p> + +<p> +Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened. Then at length she let drag +the swift ship to the sea and stored within it all such tackling as decked +ships carry. And she moored it at the far end of the harbour and the good +company was gathered together, and the goddess cheered on all. +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to other thoughts. She went on her +way to the house of divine Odysseus; and there she shed sweet sleep upon the +wooers and made them distraught in their drinking, and cast the cups from their +hands. And they arose up to go to rest throughout the city, nor sat they yet a +long while, for slumber was falling on their eyelids. Now grey-eyed Athene +spake unto Telemachus, and called him from out the fair-lying halls, taking the +likeness of Mentor, both in fashion and in voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, thy goodly-greaved companions are sitting already at their +oars, it is thy despatch they are awaiting. Nay then, let us go, that we delay +them not long from the way.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Pallas Athene led the way quickly, and he followed hard in the steps +of the goddess. Now when they had come down to the ship and to the sea, they +found the long-haired youths of the company on the shore; and the mighty prince +Telemachus spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Come hither, friends, let us carry the corn on board, for all is now +together in the room, and my mother knows nought thereof, nor any of the +maidens of the house: one woman only heard my saying.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake and led the way, and they went with him. So they brought all and +stowed it in the decked ship, according to the word of the dear son of +Odysseus. Then Telemachus climbed the ship, and Athene went before him, and +behold, she sat her down in the stern, and near her sat Telemachus. And the men +loosed the hawsers and climbed on board themselves and sat down upon the +benches. And grey-eyed Athene sent them a favourable gale, a fresh West Wind, +singing over the wine-dark sea. +</p> + +<p> +And Telemachus called unto his company and bade them lay hands on the tackling, +and they hearkened to his call. So they raised the mast of pine tree and set it +in the hole of the cross plank, and made it fast with forestays, and hauled up +the white sails with twisted ropes of oxhide. And the wind filled the belly of +the sail, and the dark wave seethed loudly round the stem of the running ship, +and she fleeted over the wave, accomplishing her path. Then they made all fast +in the swift black ship, and set mixing bowls brimmed with wine, and poured +drink offering to the deathless gods that are from everlasting, and in chief to +the grey-eyed daughter of Zeus. So all night long and through the dawn the ship +cleft her way. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>BOOK III.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Nestor entertains Telemachus at Pylos and tells him how the Greeks departed +from Troy; and sends him for further information to Sparta. +</p> + +<p> +Now the sun arose and left the lovely mere, speeding to the brazen heaven, to +give light to the immortals and to mortal men on the earth, the graingiver, and +they reached Pylos, the stablished castle of Neleus. There the people were +doing sacrifice on the sea shore, slaying black bulls without spot to the +dark-haired god, the shaker of the earth. Nine companies there were, and five +hundred men sat in each, and in every company they held nine bulls ready to +hand. Just as they had tasted the inner parts, and were burning the slices of +the thighs on the altar to the god, the others were bearing straight to land, +and brailed up the sails of the gallant ship, and moored her, and themselves +came forth. And Telemachus too stept forth from the ship, and Athene led the +way. And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake first to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, thou needst not now be abashed, no, not one whit. For to +this very end didst thou sail over the deep, that thou mightest hear tidings of +thy father, even where the earth closed over him, and what manner of death he +met. But come now, go straight to Nestor, tamer of horses: let us learn what +counsel he hath in the secret of his heart. And beseech him thyself that he may +give unerring answer; and he will not lie to thee, for he is very wise.” +</p> + +<p> +The wise Telemachus answered, saying: “Mentor, and how shall I go, how +shall I greet him, I, who am untried in words of wisdom? Moreover a young man +may well be abashed to question an elder.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Telemachus, thou +shalt bethink thee of somewhat in thine own breast, and somewhat the god will +give thee to say. For thou, methinks, of all men wert not born and bred without +the will of the gods.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Pallas Athene and led the way quickly; and he followed hard in the +steps of the goddess. And they came to the gathering and the session of the men +of Pylos. There was Nestor seated with his sons, and round him his company +making ready the feast, and roasting some of the flesh and spitting other. Now +when they saw the strangers, they went all together, and clasped their hands in +welcome, and would have them sit down. First Peisistratus, son of Nestor, drew +nigh, and took the hands of each, and made them to sit down at the feast on +soft fleeces upon the sea sand, beside his brother Thrasymedes and his father. +And he gave them messes of the inner meat, and poured wine into a golden cup, +and pledging her, he spake unto Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of the +aegis: +</p> + +<p> +“Pray now, my guest, to the lord Poseidon, even as it is his feast +whereon ye have chanced in coming hither. And when thou hast made drink +offering and prayed, as is due, give thy friend also the cup of honeyed wine to +make offering thereof, inasmuch as he too, methinks, prayeth to the deathless +gods, for all men stand in need of the gods. Howbeit he is younger and mine own +equal in years, therefore to thee first will I give the golden chalice.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he placed in her hand the cup of sweet wine. And Athene rejoiced in +the wisdom and judgment of the man, in that he had given to her first the +chalice of gold. And straightway she prayed, and that instantly, to the lord +Poseidon: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth, and grudge not the fulfilment +of this labour in answer to our prayer. To Nestor first and to his sons +vouchsafe renown, and thereafter grant to all the people of Pylos a gracious +recompense for this splendid hecatomb. Grant moreover that Telemachus and I may +return, when we have accomplished that for which we came hither with our swift +black ship.” +</p> + +<p> +Now as she prayed on this wise, herself the while was fulfilling the prayer. +And she gave Telemachus the fair two-handled cup; and in like manner prayed the +dear son of Odysseus. Then, when the others had roasted the outer parts and +drawn them off the spits, they divided the messes and shared the glorious +feast. But when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, Nestor of +Gerenia, lord of chariots, first spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Now is the better time to enquire and ask of the strangers who they are, +now that they have had their delight of food. Strangers, who are ye? Whence +sail ye over the wet ways? On some trading enterprise, or at adventure do ye +rove, even as sea-robbers, over the brine, for they wander at hazard of their +own lives bringing bale to alien men?” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him and spake with courage, for Athene herself +had put boldness in his heart, that he might ask about his father who was afar, +and that he might be had in good report among men: +</p> + +<p> +“Nestor, son of Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, thou askest whence +we are, and I will surely tell thee all. We have come forth out of Ithaca that +is below Neïon; and this our quest whereof I speak is a matter of mine own, and +not of the common weal. I follow after the far-spread rumour of my father, if +haply I may hear thereof, even of the goodly steadfast Odysseus, who upon a +time, men say, fought by thy side and sacked the city of the Trojans. For of +all the others, as many as warred with the Trojans, we hear tidings, and where +each one fell by a pitiful death; but even the death of this man Cronion hath +left untold. For none can surely declare the place where he hath perished, +whether he was smitten by foemen on the mainland, or lost upon the deep among +the waves of Amphitrite. So now am I come hither to thy knees, if perchance +thou art willing to tell me of his pitiful death, as one that saw it with thine +own eyes, or heard the story from some other wanderer,—for his mother +bare him to exceeding sorrow. And speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but +tell me plainly what sight thou didst get of him. Ah! I pray thee, if ever at +all my father, noble Odysseus, made promise to thee of word or work, and +fulfilled the same in the land of the Trojans, where ye Achaeans suffered +affliction; these things, I pray thee, now remember and tell me truth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, answered him: “My friend, since +thou hast brought sorrow back to mind, behold, this is the story of the woe +which we endured in that land, we sons of the Achaeans, unrestrained in fury, +and of all that we bore in wanderings after spoil, sailing with our ships over +the misty deep, wheresoever Achilles led; and of all our war round the mighty +burg of king Priam. Yea and there the best of us were slain. There lies valiant +Aias, and there Achilles, and there Patroclus, the peer of the gods in counsel, +and there my own dear son, strong and noble, Antilochus, that excelled in speed +of foot and in the fight. And many other ills we suffered beside these; who of +mortal men could tell the tale? Nay none, though thou wert to abide here for +five years, ay and for six, and ask of all the ills which the goodly Achaeans +then endured. Ere all was told thou wouldst be weary and turn to thine own +country. For nine whole years we were busy about them, devising their ruin with +all manner of craft; and scarce did Cronion bring it to pass. There never a man +durst match with him in wisdom, for goodly Odysseus very far outdid the rest in +all manner of craft, Odysseus thy father, if indeed thou art his +son,—amazement comes upon me as I look at thee; for verily thy speech is +like unto his; none would say that a younger man would speak so like an elder. +Now look you, all the while that myself and goodly Odysseus were there, we +never spake diversely either in the assembly or in the council, but always were +of one mind, and advised the Argives with understanding and sound counsel, how +all might be for the very best. But after we had sacked the steep city of +Priam, and had departed in our ships, and a god had scattered the Achaeans, +even then did Zeus devise in his heart a pitiful returning for the Argives, for +in no wise were they all discreet or just. Wherefore many of them met with an +ill faring by reason of the deadly wrath of the grey-eyed goddess, the daughter +of the mighty sire, who set debate between the two sons of Atreus. And they +twain called to the gathering of the host all the Achaeans, recklessly and out +of order, against the going down of the sun; and lo, the sons of the Achaeans +came heavy with wine. And the Atreidae spake out and told the reason wherefore +they had assembled the host. Then verily Menelaus charged all the Achaeans to +bethink them of returning over the broad back of the sea, but in no sort did he +please Agamemnon, whose desire was to keep back the host and to offer holy +hecatombs, that so he might appease that dread wrath of Athene. Fool! for he +knew not this, that she was never to be won; for the mind of the everlasting +gods is not lightly turned to repentance. So these twain stood bandying hard +words; but the goodly-greaved Achaeans sprang up with a wondrous din, and +twofold counsels found favour among them. So that one night we rested, thinking +hard things against each other, for Zeus was fashioning for us a ruinous doom. +But in the morning, we of the one part drew our ships to the fair salt sea, and +put aboard our wealth, and the low-girdled Trojan women. Now one half the +people abode steadfastly there with Agamemnon, son of Atreus, shepherd of the +host; and half of us embarked and drave to sea and swiftly the ships sailed, +for a god made smooth the sea with the depths thereof. And when we came to +Tenedos, we did sacrifice to the gods, being eager for the homeward way; but +Zeus did not yet purpose our returning, nay, hard was he, that roused once more +an evil strife among us. Then some turned back their curved ships, and went +their way, even the company of Odysseus, the wise and manifold in counsel, once +again showing a favour to Agamemnon, son of Atreus. But I fled on with the +squadron that followed me, for I knew how now the god imagined mischief. And +the warlike son of Tydeus fled and roused his men thereto. And late in our +track came Menelaus of the fair hair, who found us in Lesbos, considering about +the long voyage, whether we should go sea-ward of craggy Chios, by the isle of +Psyria, keeping the isle upon our left, or inside Chios past windy Mimas. So we +asked the god to show us a sign, and a sign he declared to us, and bade us +cleave a path across the middle sea to Euboea, that we might flee the swiftest +way from sorrow. And a shrill wind arose and blew, and the ships ran most +fleetly over the teeming ways, and in the night they touched at Geraestus. So +there we sacrificed many thighs of bulls to Poseidon, for joy that we had +measured out so great a stretch of sea. It was the fourth day when the company +of Diomede son of Tydeus, tamer of horses, moored their gallant ships at Argos; +but I held on for Pylos, and the breeze was never quenched from the hour that +the god sent it forth to blow. Even so I came, dear child, without tidings, nor +know I aught of those others, which of the Achaeans were saved and which were +lost. But all that I hear tell of as I sit in our halls, thou shalt learn as it +is meet, and I will hide nothing from thee. Safely, they say, came the +Myrmidons the wild spearsmen, whom the famous son of high-souled Achilles led; +and safely Philoctetes, the glorious son of Poias. And Idomeneus brought all +his company to Crete, all that escaped the war, and from him the sea gat none. +And of the son of Atreus even yourselves have heard, far apart though ye dwell, +how he came, and how Aegisthus devised his evil end; but verily he himself paid +a terrible reckoning. So good a thing it is that a son of the dead should still +be left, even as that son also took vengeance on the slayer of his father, +guileful Aegisthus, who slew his famous sire. And thou too, my friend, for I +see thee very comely and tall, be valiant, that even men unborn may praise +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Nestor, son of Neleus, great +glory of the Achaeans, verily and indeed he avenged himself, and the Achaeans +shall noise his fame abroad, that even those may hear who are yet for to be. Oh +that the gods would clothe me with such strength as his, that I might take +vengeance on the wooers for their cruel transgression, who wantonly devise +against me infatuate deeds! But the gods have woven for me the web of no such +weal, for me or for my sire. But now I must in any wise endure it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, made answer: “Dear friend, +seeing thou dost call these things to my remembrance and speak thereof, they +tell me that many wooers for thy mother’s hand plan mischief within the +halls in thy despite. Say, dost thou willingly submit thee to oppression, or do +the people through the land hate thee, obedient to the voice of a god? Who +knows but that Odysseus may some day come and requite their violence, either +himself alone or all the host of the Achaeans with him? Ah, if but grey-eyed +Athene were inclined to love thee, as once she cared exceedingly for the +renowned Odysseus in the land of the Trojans, where we Achaeans were sore +afflicted, for never yet have I seen the gods show forth such manifest love, as +then did Pallas Athene standing manifest by him,—if she would be pleased +so to love thee and to care for thee, then might certain of them clean forget +their marriage.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Old man, in no wise methinks +shall this word be accomplished. This is a hard saying of thine, awe comes over +me. Not for my hopes shall this thing come to pass, not even if the gods so +willed it.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Telemachus, what +word hath escaped the door of thy lips? Lightly might a god, if so he would, +bring a man safe home even from afar. Rather myself would I have travail and +much pain ere I came home and saw the day of my returning, than come back and +straightway perish on my own hearth-stone, even as Agamemnon perished by guile +at the hands of his own wife and of Aegisthus. But lo you, death, which is +common to all, the very gods cannot avert even from the man they love, when the +ruinous doom shall bring him low of death that lays men at their length.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Mentor, no longer let us tell +of these things, sorrowful though we be. There is none assurance any more of +his returning, but already have the deathless gods devised for him death and +black fate. But now I would question Nestor, and ask him of another matter, as +one who above all men knows judgments and wisdom: for thrice, men say, he hath +been king through the generations of men; yea, like an immortal he seems to me +to look upon. Nestor, son of Neleus, now tell me true: how died the son of +Atreus, Agamemnon of the wide domain? Where was Menelaus? What death did crafty +Aegisthus plan for him, in that he killed a man more valiant far than he? Or +was Menelaus not in Argos of Achaia but wandering elsewhere among men, and that +other took heart and slew Agamemnon?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, answered him: “Yea now, my +child, I will tell thee the whole truth. Verily thou guessest aright even of +thyself how things would have fallen out, if Menelaus of the fair hair, the son +of Atreus, when he came back from Troy, had found Aegisthus yet alive in the +halls. Then even in his death would they not have heaped the piled earth over +him, but dogs and fowls of the air would have devoured him as he lay on the +plain far from the town.<a href="#linknote-6" name="linknoteref-6">[6]</a> Nor would any of the Achaean women have bewailed +him; so dread was the deed he contrived. Now we sat in leaguer there, achieving +many adventures; but he the while in peace in the heart of Argos, the +pastureland of horses, spake ofttimes, tempting her, to the wife of Agamemnon. +Verily at the first she would none of the foul deed, the fair Clytemnestra, for +she had a good understanding. Moreover there was with her a minstrel, whom the +son of Atreus straitly charged as he went to Troy to have a care of his wife. +But when at last the doom of the gods bound her to her ruin, then did Aegisthus +carry the minstrel to a lonely isle, and left him there to be the prey and +spoil of birds; while as for her, he led her to his house, a willing lover with +a willing lady. And he burnt many thigh slices upon the holy altars of the +gods, and hung up many offerings, woven-work and gold, seeing that he had +accomplished a great deed, beyond all hope. Now we, I say, were sailing +together on our way from Troy, the son of Atreus and I, as loving friends. But +when we had reached holy Sunium, the headland of Athens, there Phoebus Apollo +slew the pilot of Menelaus with the visitation of his gentle shafts, as he held +between his hands the rudder of the running ship, even Phrontis, son of Onetor, +who excelled the tribes of men in piloting a ship, whenso the storm-winds were +hurrying by. Thus was Menelaus holden there, though eager for the way, till he +might bury his friend and pay the last rites over him. But when he in his turn, +faring over the wine-dark sea in hollow ships, reached in swift course the +steep mount of Malea, then it was that Zeus of the far-borne voice devised a +hateful path, and shed upon them the breath of the shrill winds, and great +swelling waves arose like unto mountains. There sundered he the fleet in twain, +and part thereof he brought nigh to Crete, where the Cydonians dwelt about the +streams of Iardanus. Now there is a certain cliff, smooth and sheer towards the +sea, on the border of Gortyn, in the misty deep, where the South-West Wind +drives a great wave against the left headland, towards Phaestus, and a little +rock keeps back the mighty water. Thither came one part of the fleet, and the +men scarce escaped destruction, but the ships were broken by the waves against +the rock; while those other five dark-prowed ships the wind and the water bare +and brought nigh to Egypt. Thus Menelaus, gathering much livelihood and gold, +was wandering there with his ships among men of strange speech, and even then +Aegisthus planned that pitiful work at home. And for seven years he ruled over +Mycenae, rich in gold, after he slew the son of Atreus, and the people were +subdued unto him. But in the eighth year came upon him goodly Orestes back from +Athens to be his bane, and slew the slayer of his father, guileful Aegisthus, +who killed his famous sire. Now when he had slain him, he made a funeral feast +to the Argives over his hateful mother, and over the craven Aegisthus. And on +the selfsame day there came to him Menelaus of the loud war-cry, bringing much +treasure, even all the freight of his ships. So thou, my friend, wander not +long far away from home, leaving thy substance behind thee and men in thy house +so wanton, lest they divide and utterly devour all thy wealth, and thou shalt +have gone on a vain journey. Rather I bid and command thee to go to Menelaus, +for he hath lately come from a strange country, from the land of men whence +none would hope in his heart to return, whom once the storms have driven +wandering into so wide a sea. Thence not even the birds can make their way in +the space of one year, so great a sea it is and terrible. But go now with thy +ship and with thy company, or if thou hast a mind to fare by land, I have a +chariot and horses at thy service, yea and my sons to do thy will, who will be +thy guides to goodly Lacedaemon, where is Menelaus of the fair hair. Do thou +thyself entreat him, that he may give thee unerring answer. He will not lie to +thee, for he is very wise.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-6"></a><a href="#linknoteref-6">[6]</a> +Reading ἄστεος. v. 1. +Ἄργεος, which must be wrong. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the sun went down and darkness came on. Then the goddess, +grey-eyed Athene, spake among them, saying: “Yea, old man, thou hast told +all this thy tale aright. But come, cut up the tongues of the victims and mix +the wine, that we may pour forth before Poseidon and the other deathless gods, +and so may bethink us of sleep, for it is the hour for sleep. For already has +the light gone beneath the west, and it is not seemly to sit long at a banquet +of the gods, but to be going home.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake the daughter of Zeus, and they hearkened to her voice. And the +henchmen poured water over their hands, and pages crowned the mixing bowls with +drink, and served out the wine to all, after they had first poured for libation +into each cup in turn; and they cast the tongues upon the fire, and stood up +and poured the drink-offering thereon. But when they had poured forth and had +drunken to their heart’s content, Athene and godlike Telemachus were both +set on returning to the hollow ship; but Nestor would have stayed them, and +accosted them, saying: “Zeus forfend it, and all the other deathless +gods, that ye should depart from my house to the swift ship, as from the +dwelling of one that is utterly without raiment or a needy man, who hath not +rugs or blankets many in his house whereon to sleep softly, he or his guests. +Nay not so, I have rugs and fair blankets by me. Never, methinks, shall the +dear son of this man, even of Odysseus, lay him down upon the ship’s +deck, while as yet I am alive, and my children after me are left in my hall to +entertain strangers, whoso may chance to come to my house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Yea, herein hast +thou spoken aright, dear father: and Telemachus may well obey thee, for before +all things this is meet. Behold, he shall now depart with thee, that he may +sleep in thy halls; as for me I will go to the black ship, that I may cheer my +company and tell them all. For I avow me to be the one elder among them; those +others are but younger men, who follow for love of him, all of them of like age +with the high-souled Telemachus. There will I lay me down by the black hollow +ship this night; but in the morning I will go to the Cauconians high of heart, +where somewhat of mine is owing to me, no small debt nor of yesterday. But do +thou send this man upon his way with thy chariot and thy son, since he hath +come to thy house, and give him horses the lightest of foot and chief in +strength.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed in the semblance of a sea-eagle; and +amazement fell on all that saw it, and the old man he marvelled when his eyes +beheld it. And he took the hand of Telemachus and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“My friend, methinks that thou wilt in no sort be a coward and a +weakling, if indeed in thy youth the gods thus follow with thee to be thy +guides. For truly this is none other of those who keep the mansions of Olympus, +save only the daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, the maiden Trito-born, +she that honoured thy good father too among the Argives. Nay be gracious, +queen, and vouchsafe a goodly fame to me, even to me and to my sons and to my +wife revered. And I in turn will sacrifice to thee a yearling heifer, broad of +brow, unbroken, which man never yet hath led beneath the yoke. Such an one will +I offer to thee, and gild her horns with gold.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him. Then Nestor of +Gerenia, lord of chariots, led them, even his sons and the husbands of his +daughters, to his own fair house. But when they had reached this prince’s +famous halls, they sat down all orderly on seats and high chairs; and when they +were come, the old man mixed well for them a bowl of sweet wine, which now in +the eleventh year from the vintaging the housewife opened, and unloosed the +string that fastened the lid. The old man let mix a bowl thereof, and prayed +instantly to Athene as he poured forth before her, even to the daughter of +Zeus, lord of the aegis. +</p> + +<p> +But after they had poured forth and had drunken to their heart’s content, +these went each one to his own house to lie down to rest. But Nestor of +Gerenia, lord of chariots, would needs have Telemachus, son of divine Odysseus, +to sleep there on a jointed bedstead beneath the echoing gallery, and by him +Peisistratus of the good ashen spear, leader of men, who alone of his sons was +yet unwed in his halls. As for him he slept within the inmost chamber of the +lofty house, and the lady his wife arrayed for him bedstead and bedding. +</p> + +<p> +So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, Nestor of Gerenia, lord +of chariots, gat him up from his bed, and he went forth and sat him down upon +the smooth stones, which were before his lofty doors, all polished, white and +glistening, whereon Neleus sat of old, in counsel the peer of the gods. +Howbeit, stricken by fate, he had ere now gone down to the house of Hades, and +to-day Nestor of Gerenia in his turn sat thereon, warder of the Achaeans, with +his staff in his hands. And about him his sons were gathered and come together, +issuing from their chambers, Echephron and Stratius, and Perseus and Aretus and +the godlike Thrasymedes. And sixth and last came the hero Peisistratus. And +they led godlike Telemachus and set him by their side, and Nestor of Gerenia, +lord of chariots, spake first among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Quickly, my dear children, accomplish my desire, that first of all the +gods I may propitiate Athene, who came to me in visible presence to the rich +feast of the god. Nay then, let one go to the plain for a heifer, that she may +come as soon as may be, and that the neat-herd may drive her: and let another +go to the black ship of high-souled Telemachus to bring all his company, and +let him leave two men only. And let one again bid Laerces the goldsmith to come +hither that he may gild the horns of the heifer. And ye others, abide ye here +together and speak to the handmaids within that they make ready a banquet +through our famous halls, and fetch seats and logs to set about the altar, and +bring clear water.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake and lo, they all hastened to the work. The heifer she came from +the field, and from the swift gallant ship came the company of great-hearted +Telemachus; the smith came holding in his hands his tools, the instruments of +his craft, anvil and hammer and well-made pincers, wherewith he wrought the +gold; Athene too came to receive her sacrifice. And the old knight Nestor gave +gold, and the other fashioned it skilfully, and gilded therewith the horns of +the heifer, that the goddess might be glad at the sight of her fair offering. +And Stratius and goodly Echephron led the heifer by the horns. And Aretus came +forth from the chamber bearing water for the washing of hands in a basin of +flowered work, and in the other hand he held the barley-meal in a basket; and +Thrasymedes, steadfast in the battle, stood by holding in his hand a sharp axe, +ready to smite the heifer. And Perseus held the dish for the blood, and the old +man Nestor, driver of chariots, performed the first rite of the washing of +hands and the sprinkling of the meal, and he prayed instantly to Athene as he +began the rite, casting into the fire the lock from the head of the victim. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had prayed and tossed the sprinkled grain, straightway the son of +Nestor, gallant Thrasymedes, stood by and struck the blow; and the axe severed +the tendons of the neck and loosened the might of the heifer; and the women +raised their cry, the daughters and the sons’ wives and the wife revered +of Nestor, Eurydice, eldest of the daughters of Clymenus. And now they lifted +the victim’s head from the wide-wayed earth, and held it so, while +Peisistratus, leader of men, cut the throat. And after the black blood had +gushed forth and the life had left the bones, quickly they broke up the body, +and anon cut slices from the thighs all duly, and wrapt the same in the fat, +folding them double, and laid raw flesh thereon. So that old man burnt them on +the cleft wood, and poured over them the red wine, and by his side the young +men held in their hands the five-pronged forks. Now after that the thighs were +quite consumed and they had tasted the inner parts, they cut the rest up small +and spitted and roasted it, holding the sharp spits in their hands. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile she bathed Telemachus, even fair Polycaste, the youngest daughter of +Nestor, son of Neleus. And after she had bathed him and anointed him with olive +oil, and cast about him a goodly mantle and a doublet, he came forth from the +bath in fashion like the deathless gods. So he went and sat him down by Nestor, +shepherd of the people. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had roasted the outer flesh, and drawn it off the spits, they sat +down and fell to feasting, and honourable men waited on them, pouring wine into +the golden cups. But when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, +Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, first spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo now, my sons, yoke for Telemachus horses with flowing mane and lead +them beneath the car, that he may get forward on his way.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and they gave good heed and hearkened; and quickly they yoked +the swift horses beneath the chariot. And the dame that kept the stores placed +therein corn and wine and dainties, such as princes eat, the fosterlings of +Zeus. So Telemachus stept up into the goodly car, and with him Peisistratus son +of Nestor, leader of men, likewise climbed the car and grasped the reins in his +hands, and he touched the horses with the whip to start them, and nothing loth +the pair flew towards the plain, and left the steep citadel of Pylos. So all +day long they swayed the yoke they bore upon their necks. +</p> + +<p> +Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened. And they came to Pherae, to +the house of Diocles, son of Orsilochus, the child begotten of Alpheus. There +they rested for the night, and by them he set the entertainment of strangers. +</p> + +<p> +Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, they yoked the horses +and mounted the inlaid car. And forth they drave from the gateway and the +echoing gallery, and Peisistratus touched the horses with the whip to start +them, and the pair flew onward nothing loth. So they came to the wheat-bearing +plain, and thenceforth they pressed toward the end: in such wise did the swift +horses speed forward. Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>BOOK IV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Telemachus’ entertainment at Sparta, where Menelaus tells him what befell +many of the Greeks on their return; that Odysseus was with Calypso in the isle +Ogygia, as he was told by Proteus. +</p> + +<p> +And they came to Lacedaemon lying low among the caverned hills, and drave to +the dwelling of renowned Menelaus. Him they found giving a feast in his house +to many friends of his kin, a feast for the wedding of his noble son and +daughter. His daughter he was sending to the son of Achilles, cleaver of the +ranks of men, for in Troy he first had promised and covenanted to give her, and +now the gods were bringing about their marriage. So now he was speeding her on +her way with chariot and horses, to the famous city of the Myrmidons, among +whom her lord bare rule. And for his son he was bringing to his home the +daughter of Alector out of Sparta, for his well-beloved son, strong +Megapenthes,<a href="#linknote-7" name="linknoteref-7">[7]</a> born of a slave woman, for the gods no more showed +promise of seed to Helen, from the day that she bare a lovely child, Hermione, +as fair as golden Aphrodite. So they were feasting through the great vaulted +hall, the neighbours and the kinsmen of renowned Menelaus, making merry; and +among them a divine minstrel was singing to the lyre, and as he began the song +two tumblers in the company whirled through the midst of them. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-7"></a><a href="#linknoteref-7">[7]</a> A +son of sorrow: Tristram. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile those twain, the hero Telemachus and the splendid son of Nestor, made +halt at the entry of the gate, they and their horses. And the lord Eteoneus +came forth and saw them, the ready squire of renowned Menelaus; and he went +through the palace to bear the tidings to the shepherd of the people, and +standing near spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, here are two strangers, whosoever they be, +two men like to the lineage of great Zeus. Say, shall we loose their swift +horses from under the yoke, or send them onward to some other host who shall +receive them kindly?” +</p> + +<p> +Then in sore displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair hair: +“Eteoneus son of Boethous, truly thou wert not a fool aforetime, but now +for this once, like a child thou talkest folly. Surely ourselves ate much +hospitable cheer of other men, ere we twain came hither, even if in time to +come Zeus haply give us rest from affliction. Nay go, unyoke the horses of the +strangers, and as for the men, lead them forward to the house to feast with +us.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Eteoneus hasted from the hall, and called the other ready +squires to follow with him. So they loosed the sweating horses from beneath the +yoke, and fastened them at the stalls of the horses, and threw beside them +spelt, and therewith mixed white barley, and tilted the chariot against the +shining faces of the gateway, and led the men into the hall divine. And they +beheld and marvelled as they gazed throughout the palace of the king, the +fosterling of Zeus; for there was a gleam as it were of sun or moon through the +lofty palace of renowned Menelaus. But after they had gazed their fill, they +went to the polished baths and bathed them. Now when the maidens had bathed +them and anointed them with olive oil, and cast about them thick cloaks and +doublets, they sat on chairs by Menelaus, son of Atreus. And a handmaid bare +water for the hands in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver +basin to wash withal; and to their side she drew a polished table, and a grave +dame bare food and set it by them, and laid upon the board many dainties, +giving freely of such things as she had by her, and a carver lifted and placed +by them platters of divers kinds of flesh, and nigh them he set golden bowls. +So Menelaus of the fair hair greeted the twain and spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Taste ye food and be glad, and thereafter when ye have supped, we will +ask what men ye are; for the blood of your parents is not lost in you, but ye +are of the line of men that are sceptred kings, the fosterlings of Zeus; for no +churls could beget sons like you.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and took and set before them the fat ox-chine roasted, which they +had given him as his own mess by way of honour. And they stretched forth their +hands upon the good cheer set before them. Now when they had put from them the +desire of meat and drink Telemachus spake to the son of Nestor, holding his +head close to him, that those others might not hear: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Nestor, delight of my heart, mark the flashing of bronze through +the echoing halls, and the flashing of gold and of amber and of silver and of +ivory. Such like, methinks, is the court of Olympian Zeus within, for the world +of things that are here; wonder comes over me as I look thereon.” +</p> + +<p> +And as he spake Menelaus of the fair hair was ware of him, and uttering his +voice spake to them winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Children dear, of a truth no one of mortal men may contend with Zeus, +for his mansions and his treasures are everlasting: but of men there may be who +will vie with me in treasure, or there may be none. Yea, for after many a woe +and wanderings manifold, I brought my wealth home in ships, and in the eighth +year came hither. I roamed over Cyprus and Phoenicia and Egypt, and reached the +Aethiopians and Sidonians and Erembi and Libya, where lambs are horned from the +birth. For there the ewes yean thrice within the full circle of a year; there +neither lord nor shepherd lacketh aught of cheese or flesh or of sweet milk, +but ever the flocks yield store of milk continual. While I was yet roaming in +those lands, gathering much livelihood, meantime another slew my brother +privily, at unawares, by the guile of his accursed wife. Thus, look you, I have +no joy of my lordship among these my possessions: and ye are like to have heard +hereof from your fathers, whosoever they be, for I have suffered much and let a +house go to ruin that was stablished fair, and had in it much choice substance. +I would that I had but a third part of those my riches, and dwelt in my halls, +and that those men were yet safe, who perished of old in the wide land of Troy, +far from Argos, the pastureland of horses. Howbeit, though I bewail them all +and sorrow oftentimes as I sit in our halls,—awhile indeed I satisfy my +soul with lamentation, and then again I cease; for soon hath man enough of +chill lamentation—yet for them all I make no such dole, despite my grief, +as for one only, who causes me to loathe both sleep and meat, when I think upon +him. For no one of the Achaeans toiled so greatly as Odysseus toiled and +adventured himself: but to him it was to be but labour and trouble, and to me +grief ever comfortless for his sake, so long he is afar, nor know we aught, +whether he be alive or dead. Yea methinks they lament him, even that old +Laertes and the constant Penelope and Telemachus, whom he left a child new-born +in his house.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and in the heart of Telemachus he stirred a yearning to lament his +father; and at his father’s name he let a tear fall from his eyelids to +the ground, and held up his purple mantle with both his hands before his eyes. +And Menelaus marked him and mused in his mind and his heart whether he should +leave him to speak of his father, or first question him and prove him in every +word. +</p> + +<p> +While yet he pondered these things in his mind and in his heart, Helen came +forth from her fragrant vaulted chamber, like Artemis of the golden arrows; and +with her came Adraste and set for her the well-wrought chair, and Alcippe bare +a rug of soft wool, and Phylo bare a silver basket which Alcandre gave her, the +wife of Polybus, who dwelt in Thebes of Egypt, where is the chiefest store of +wealth in the houses. He gave two silver baths to Menelaus, and tripods twain, +ad ten talents of gold. And besides all this, his wife bestowed on Helen lovely +gifts; a golden distaff did she give, and a silver basket with wheels beneath, +and the rims thereof were finished with gold. This it was that the handmaid +Phylo bare and set beside her, filled with dressed yarn, and across it was laid +a distaff charged with wool of violet blue. So Helen sat her down in the chair, +and beneath was a footstool for the feet. And anon she spake to her lord and +questioned him of each thing: +</p> + +<p> +“Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, know we now who these men avow themselves +to be that have come under our roof? Shall I dissemble or shall I speak the +truth? Nay, I am minded to tell it. None, I say, have I ever yet seen so like +another, man or woman—wonder comes over me as I look on him—as this +man is like the son of great-hearted Odysseus, Telemachus, whom he left a new +born child in his house, when for the sake of me, shameless woman that I was, +ye Achaeans came up under Troy with bold war in your hearts.” +</p> + +<p> +And Menelaus of the fair hair answered her, saying: “Now I too, lady, +mark the likeness even as thou tracest it. For such as these were his feet, +such his hands, and the glances of his eyes, and his head, and his hair withal. +Yea, and even now I was speaking of Odysseus, as I remembered him, of all his +woeful travail for my sake; when, lo, he let fall a bitter tear beneath his +brows, and held his purple cloak up before his eyes.” +</p> + +<p> +And Peisistratus, son of Nestor, answered him, saying: “Menelaus, son of +Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, assuredly this is the son of +that very man, even as thou sayest. But he is of a sober wit, and thinketh it +shame in his heart as on this his first coming to make show of presumptuous +words in the presence of thee, in whose voice we twain delight as in the voice +of a god. Now Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, sent me forth to be his +guide on the way: for he desired to see thee that thou mightest put into his +heart some word or work. For a son hath many griefs in his halls when his +father is away, if perchance he hath none to stand by him. Even so it is now +with Telemachus; his father is away, nor hath he others in the township to +defend him from distress.” +</p> + +<p> +And Menelaus of the fair hair answered him, and said: “Lo now, in good +truth there has come unto my house the son of a friend indeed, who for my sake +endured many adventures. And I thought to welcome him on his coming more nobly +than all the other Argives, if but Olympian Zeus, of the far-borne voice, had +vouchsafed us a return over the sea in our swift ships,—that such a thing +should be. And in Argos I would have given him a city to dwell in, and +stablished for him a house, and brought him forth from Ithaca with his +substance and his son and all his people, making one city desolate of those +that lie around, and are in mine own domain. Then ofttimes would we have held +converse here, and nought would have parted us, the welcoming and the +welcomed,<a href="#linknote-8" name="linknoteref-8">[8]</a> +ere the black cloud of death overshadowed us. Howsoever, the god himself, +methinks, must have been jealous hereof, who from that hapless man alone cut +off his returning.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-8"></a><a href="#linknoteref-8">[8]</a> Mr. +Evelyn Abbott of Balliol College has suggested to us that +φιλέοντε and +τερπομένω are here correlatives, +and denote respectively the parts of host and of guest. This is sufficiently +borne out by the usage of the words elsewhere. +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and in the hearts of all he stirred the desire of lamentation. She +wept, even Argive Helen the daughter of Zeus, and Telemachus wept, and Menelaus +the son of Atreus; nay, nor did the son of Nestor keep tearless eyes. For he +bethought him in his heart of noble Antilochus, whom the glorious son of the +bright Dawn had slain. Thinking upon him he spake winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Atreus, the ancient Nestor in his own halls was ever wont to say +that thou wert wise beyond man’s wisdom, whensoever we made mention of +thee and asked one another concerning thee. And now, if it be possible, be +persuaded by me, who for one have no pleasure in weeping at supper +time—the new-born day will right soon be upon us.<a href="#linknote-9" +name="linknoteref-9">[9]</a> Not indeed that I deem it blame +at all to weep for any mortal who hath died and met his fate. Lo, this is now +the only due we pay to miserable men, to cut the hair and let the tear fall +from the cheek. For I too have a brother dead, nowise the meanest of the +Argives, and thou art like to have known him, for as for me I never encountered +him, never beheld him. But men say that Antilochus outdid all, being excellent +in speed of foot and in the fight.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-9"></a><a href="#linknoteref-9">[9]</a> Cf. B. xv. 50. +</p> + +<p> +And Menelaus of the fair hair answered him, and said: “My friend, lo, thou hast +said all that a wise man might say or do, yea, and an elder than thou;—for from +such a sire too thou art sprung, wherefore thou dost even speak wisely. Right +easily known is that man’s seed, for whom Cronion weaves the skein of luck at +bridal and at birth: even as now hath he granted prosperity to Nestor for ever +for all his days, that he himself should grow into a smooth old age in his +halls, and his sons moreover should be wise and the best of spearsmen. But we +will cease now the weeping which was erewhile made, and let us once more +bethink us of our supper, and let them pour water over our hands. And again in +the morning there will be tales for Telemachus and me to tell one to the other, +even to the end.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Asphalion poured water over their hands, the ready squire of +renowned Menelaus. And they put forth their hands upon the good cheer spread +before them. +</p> + +<p> +Then Helen, daughter of Zeus, turned to new thoughts. Presently she cast a drug +into the wine whereof they drank, a drug to lull all pain and anger, and bring +forgetfulness of every sorrow. Whoso should drink a draught thereof, when it is +mingled in the bowl, on that day he would let no tear fall down his cheeks, not +though his mother and his father died, not though men slew his brother or dear +son with the sword before his face, and his own eyes beheld it. Medicines of +such virtue and so helpful had the daughter of Zeus, which Polydamna, the wife +of Thon, had given her, a woman of Egypt, where earth the grain-giver yields +herbs in greatest plenty, many that are healing in the cup, and many baneful. +There each man is a leech skilled beyond all human kind; yea, for they are of +the race of Paeeon. Now after she had cast in the drug and bidden pour forth of +the wine, she made answer once again, and spake unto her lord: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Atreus, Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, and lo, ye sons of noble +men, forasmuch as now to one and now to another Zeus gives good and evil, for +to him all things are possible,—now, verily, sit ye down and feast in the +halls, and take ye joy in the telling of tales, and I will tell you one that +fits the time. Now all of them I could not tell or number, so many as were the +adventures of Odysseus of the hardy heart; but, ah, what a deed was this he +wrought and dared in his hardiness in the land of the Trojans, where ye +Achaeans suffered affliction. He subdued his body with unseemly stripes, and a +sorry covering he cast about his shoulders, and in the fashion of a servant he +went down into the wide-wayed city of the foemen, and he hid himself in the +guise of another, a beggar, though in no wise such an one was he at the ships +of the Achaeans. In this semblance he passed into the city of the Trojans, and +they wist not who he was, and I alone knew him in that guise, and I kept +questioning him, but in his subtlety he avoided me. But when at last I was +about washing him and anointing him with olive oil, and had put on him raiment, +and sworn a great oath not to reveal Odysseus amid the Trojans, ere he reached +the swift ships and the huts, even then he told me all the purpose of the +Achaeans. And after slaying many of the Trojans with the long sword, he +returned to the Argives and brought back word again of all. Then the other +Trojan women wept aloud, but my soul was glad, for already my heart was turned +to go back again even to my home: and now at the last I groaned for the +blindness that Aphrodite gave me, when she led me thither away from mine own +country, forsaking my child and my bridal chamber and my lord, that lacked not +aught whether for wisdom or yet for beauty.” +</p> + +<p> +And Menelaus of the fair hair answered her, saying: “Verily all this +tale, lady, thou hast duly told. Ere now have I learned the counsel and the +thought of many heroes, and travelled over many a land, but never yet have mine +eyes beheld any such man of heart as was Odysseus; such another deed as he +wrought and dared in his hardiness even in the shapen horse, wherein sat all we +chiefs of the Argives, bearing to the Trojans death and doom. Anon thou camest +thither, and sure some god must have bidden thee, who wished to bring glory to +the Trojans. Yea and godlike Deiphobus went with thee on thy way. Thrice thou +didst go round about the hollow ambush and handle it, calling aloud on the +chiefs of the Argives by name, and making thy voice like the voices of the +wives of all the Argives. Now I and the son of Tydeus and goodly Odysseus sat +in the midst and heard thy call; and verily we twain had a desire to start up +and come forth or presently to answer from within; but Odysseus stayed and held +us there, despite our eagerness. Then all the other sons of the Achaeans held +their peace, but Anticlus alone was still minded to answer thee. Howbeit +Odysseus firmly closed his mouth with strong hands, and so saved all the +Achaeans, and held him until such time as Pallas Athene led thee back.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Menelaus, son of Atreus, +fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, all the more grievous it is! for in no +way did this courage ward from him pitiful destruction, not though his heart +within him had been very iron. But come, bid us to bed, that forthwith we may +take our joy of rest beneath the spell of sleep.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Argive Helen bade her handmaids set out bedsteads beneath the +gallery, and fling on them fair purple blankets and spread coverlets above, and +thereon lay thick mantles to be a clothing over all. So they went from the hall +with torch in hand, and spread the beds, and the henchman led forth the guests. +Thus they slept there in the vestibule of the house, the hero Telemachus and +the splendid son of Nestor. But the son of Atreus slept, as his custom was, in +the inmost chamber of the lofty house, and by him lay long-robed Helen, that +fair lady. +</p> + +<p> +Soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, Menelaus of the loud +war-shout gat him up from his bed and put on his raiment, and cast his sharp +sword about his shoulder, and beneath his smooth feet bound his goodly sandals, +and stept forth from his chamber, in presence like a god, and sat by +Telemachus, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“To what end hath thy need brought thee hither, hero Telemachus, unto +fair Lacedaemon, over the broad back of the sea? Is it a matter of the common +weal or of thine own? Herein tell me the plain truth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Menelaus, son of Atreus, +fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, I have come if perchance thou mayest +tell me some tidings of my father. My dwelling is being devoured and my fat +lands are ruined, and of unfriendly men my house is full,—who slaughter +continually my thronging flocks, and my kine with trailing feet and shambling +gait,—none other than the wooers of my mother, despiteful out of measure. +So now am I come hither to thy knees, if haply thou art willing to tell me of +his pitiful death, as one that saw it perchance with thine own eyes, or heard +the story from some other wanderer; for his mother bare him to exceeding +sorrow. And speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly how +thou didst get sight of him. Ah, I pray thee, if ever at all my father, good +Odysseus, made promise to thee of word or work and fulfilled the same in the +land of the Trojans, where ye Achaeans suffered affliction, these things, I +pray thee, now remember and tell me truth.” +</p> + +<p> +Then in heavy displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair hair: “Out +upon them, for truly in the bed of a brave-hearted man were they minded to lie, +very cravens as they are! Even as when a hind hath couched her newborn fawns +unweaned in a strong lion’s lair, and searcheth out the mountain knees +and grassy hollows, seeking pasture, and afterward the lion cometh back to his +bed, and sendeth forth unsightly death upon that pair, even so shall Odysseus +send forth unsightly death upon the wooers. Would to our father Zeus and Athene +and Apollo, would that in such might as when of old in stablished Lesbos he +rose up and wrestled a match with Philomeleides and threw him mightily, and all +the Achaeans rejoiced; would that in such strength Odysseus might consort with +the wooers: then should they all have swift fate, and bitter wedlock! But for +that whereof thou askest and entreatest me, be sure I will not swerve from the +truth in aught that I say, nor deceive thee; but of all that the ancient one of +the sea, whose speech is sooth, declared to me, not a word will I hide or keep +from thee. +</p> + +<p> +“In the river Aegyptus,<a href="#linknote-10" name="linknoteref-10">[10]</a> though eager I was to press onward home, the gods +they stayed me, for that I had not offered them the acceptable sacrifice of +hecatombs, and the gods ever desired that men should be mindful of their +commandments. Now there is an island in the wash of the waves over against +Aegyptus, and men call it Pharos, within one day’s voyage of a hollow +ship, when shrill winds blow fair in her wake. And therein is a good haven, +whence men launch the gallant ships into the deep when they have drawn a store +of deep black water. There the gods held me twenty days, nor did the sea-winds +ever show their breath, they that serve to waft ships over the broad back of +the sea. And now would all our corn have been spent, and likewise the strength +of the men, except some goddess had taken pity on me and saved me, Eidothee, +daughter of mighty Proteus, the ancient one of the sea. For most of all I moved +her heart, when she met me wandering alone apart from my company, who were ever +roaming round the isle, fishing with bent hooks, for hunger was gnawing at +their belly. So she stood by, and spake and uttered her voice saying: +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-10"></a><a href="#linknoteref-10">[10]</a> +The only name for the Nile in Homer. Cf. Wilkinson, Ancient Egyptians (1878), +vol. i., p. 7. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Art thou so very foolish, stranger, and feeble-witted, or art +thou wilfully remiss, and hast pleasure in suffering? So long time art thou +holden in the isle and canst find no issue therefrom, while the heart of thy +company faileth within them?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so she spake, and I answered her saying: ‘I will speak forth, +what goddess soever thou art, and tell thee that in no wise am I holden here by +mine own will, but it needs must be that I have sinned against the deathless +gods, who keep the wide heaven. Howbeit, do thou tell me—for the gods +know all things—which of the immortals it is that binds me here and hath +hindered me from my way, and declare as touching my returning how I may go over +the teeming deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and straightway the fair goddess made answer: ‘Yea +now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. Hither resorteth that ancient one of +the sea, whose speech is sooth, the deathless Egyptian Proteus, who knows the +depths of every sea, and is the thrall of Poseidon, and who, they say, is my +father that begat me. If thou couldst but lay an ambush and catch him, he will +surely declare to thee the way and the measure of thy path, and will tell thee +of thy returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep. Yea, and he will +show thee, O fosterling of Zeus, if thou wilt, what good thing and what evil +hath been wrought in thy halls, whilst thou has been faring this long and +grievous way.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So she spake, but I answered and said unto her: ‘Devise now +thyself the ambush to take this ancient one divine, lest by any chance he see +me first, or know of my coming, and avoid me. For a god is hard for mortal man +to quell.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and straightway the fair goddess made answer: ‘Yea +now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. So often as the sun in his course +stands high in mid heaven, then forth from the brine comes the ancient one of +the sea, whose speech is sooth, before the breath of the West Wind he comes, +and the sea’s dark ripple covers him. And when he is got forth, he lies +down to sleep in the hollow of the caves. And around him the seals, the brood +of the fair daughter of the brine, sleep all in a flock, stolen forth from the +grey sea water, and bitter is the scent they breathe of the deeps of the salt +sea. There will I lead thee at the breaking of the day, and couch you all +orderly; so do thou choose diligently three of thy company, the best thou hast +in thy decked ships. And I will tell thee all the magic arts of that old man. +First, he will number the seals and go over them; but when he has told their +tale and beheld them, he will lay him down in the midst, as a shepherd mid the +sheep of his flock. So soon as ever ye shall see him couched, even then mind +you of your might and strength, and hold him there, despite his eagerness and +striving to be free. And he will make assay, and take all manner of shapes of +things that creep upon the earth, of water likewise, and of fierce fire +burning. But do ye grasp him steadfastly and press him yet the more, and at +length when he questions thee in his proper shape, as he was when first ye saw +him laid to rest, then, hero, hold thy strong hands, and let the ancient one go +free, and ask him which of the gods is hard upon thee, and as touching thy +returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith she dived beneath the heaving sea, but I betook me to the +ships where they stood in the sand, and my heart was darkly troubled as I went. +But after I had come down to the ship and to the sea, and we had made ready our +supper and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us to rest upon the +sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy fingered, in that hour I +walked by the shore of the wide-wayed sea, praying instantly to the gods; and I +took with me three of my company, in whom I trusted most for every enterprise. +</p> + +<p> +“Meanwhile, so it was that she had plunged into the broad bosom of the +sea, and had brought from the deep the skins of four sea-calves, and all were +newly flayed, for she was minded to lay a snare for her father. She scooped +lairs on the sea-sand, and sat awaiting us, and we drew very nigh her, and she +made us all lie down in order, and cast a skin over each. There would our +ambush have been most terrible, for the deadly stench of the sea bred seals +distressed us sore: nay, who would lay him down by a beast of the sea? But +herself she wrought deliverance, and devised a great comfort. She took ambrosia +of a very sweet savour, and set it beneath each man’s nostril, and did +away with the stench of the beast. So all the morning we waited with steadfast +heart, and the seals came forth in troops from the brine, and then they couched +them all orderly by the sea-beach. And at high day the ancient one came forth +from out of the brine, and found his fatted seals, yea and he went along their +line and told their tale; and first among the sea-beasts he reckoned us, and +guessed not that there was guile, and afterward he too laid him down. Then we +rushed upon him with a cry, and cast our hands about him, nor did that ancient +one forget his cunning. Now behold, at the first he turned into a bearded lion, +and thereafter into a snake, and a pard, and a huge boar; then he took the +shape of running water, and of a tall and flowering tree. We the while held him +close with steadfast heart. But when now that ancient one of the magic arts was +aweary, then at last he questioned me and spake unto me, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Which of the gods was it, son of Atreus, that aided thee with his +counsel, that thou mightest waylay and take me perforce? What wouldest thou +thereby?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, but I answered him saying; ‘Old man, thou +knowest all, wherefore dost thou question me thereof with crooked words? For +lo, I am holden long time in this isle, neither can I find any issue therefrom, +and my heart faileth within me. Howbeit do thou tell me—for the gods know +all things—which of the immortals it is that bindeth me here, and hath +hindered me from my way; and declare as touching my returning, how I may go +over the teeming deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, and he straightway answered me, saying: ‘Nay, +surely thou shouldest have done goodly sacrifice to Zeus and the other gods ere +thine embarking, that with most speed thou mightst reach thy country, sailing +over the wine-dark deep. For it is not thy fate to see thy friends, and come to +thy stablished house and thine own country, till thou hast passed yet again +within the waters of Aegyptus, the heaven-fed stream, and offered holy +hecatombs to the deathless gods who keep the wide heaven. So shall the gods +grant thee the path which thou desirest.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, but my spirit within me was broken, for that he bade me +again to go to Aegyptus over the misty deep, a long and grievous way. +</p> + +<p> +“Yet even so I answered him saying: ‘Old man, all this will I do, +according to thy word. But come, declare me this, and tell it all plainly. Did +all those Achaeans return safe with their ships, all whom Nestor and I left as +we went from Troy, or perished any by a shameful death aboard his own ship, or +in the arms of his friends, after he had wound up the clew of war?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and anon he answered me, saying: ‘Son of Atreus, why +dost thou straitly question me hereof? Nay, it is not for thy good to know or +learn my thought; for I tell thee thou shalt not long be tearless, when thou +hast heard it all aright. For many of these were taken, and many were left; but +two only of the leaders of the mail-coated Achaeans perished in returning; as +for the battle, thou thyself wast there. And one methinks is yet alive, and is +holden on the wide deep. Aias in truth was smitten in the midst of his ships of +the long oars. Poseidon at first brought him nigh to Gyrae, to the mighty +rocks, and delivered him from the sea. And so he would have fled his doom, +albeit hated by Athene, had he not let a proud word fall in the fatal darkening +of his heart. He said that in the gods’ despite he had escaped the great +gulf of the sea; and Poseidon heard his loud boasting, and presently caught up +his trident into his strong hands, and smote the rock Gyraean and cleft it in +twain. And the one part abode in his place, but the other fell into the sea, +the broken piece whereon Aias sat at the first, when his heart was darkened. +And the rock bore him down into the vast and heaving deep; so there he perished +when he had drunk of the salt sea water. But thy brother verily escaped the +fates and avoided them in his hollow ships, for queen Hera saved him. But now +when he was like soon to reach the steep mount of Malea, lo, the storm wind +snatched him away and bore him over the teeming deep, making great moan, to the +border of the country whereof old Thyestes dwelt, but now Aegisthus abode +there, the son of Thyestes. But when thence too there showed a good prospect of +safe returning, and the gods changed the wind to a fair gale, and they had +reached home, then verily did Agamemnon set foot with joy upon his +country’s soil, and as he touched his own land he kissed it, and many +were the hot tears he let fall, for he saw his land and was glad. And it was so +that the watchman spied him from his tower, the watchman whom crafty Aegisthus +had led and posted there, promising him for a reward two talents of gold. Now +he kept watch for the space of a year, lest Agamemnon should pass by him when +he looked not, and mind him of his wild prowess. So he went to the house to +bear the tidings to the shepherd of the people. And straightway Aegisthus +contrived a cunning treason. He chose out twenty of the best men in the +township, and set an ambush, and on the further side of the hall he commanded +to prepare a feast. Then with chariot and horses he went to bid to the feast +Agamemnon, shepherd of the people; but caitiff thoughts were in his heart. He +brought him up to his house, all unwitting of his doom, and when he had feasted +him slew him, as one slayeth an ox at the stall. And none of the company of +Atreides that were of his following were left, nor any of the men of Aegisthus, +but they were all killed in the halls.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, and my spirit within me was broken, and I wept as I sat +upon the sand, nor was I minded any more to live and see the light of the sun. +But when I had taken my fill of weeping and grovelling on the ground, then +spake the ancient one of the sea, whose speech is sooth: +</p> + +<p> +“‘No more, son of Atreus, hold this long weeping without cease, for +we shall find no help therein. Rather with all haste make essay that so thou +mayest come to thine own country. For either thou shalt find Aegisthus yet +alive, or it may be Orestes was beforehand with thee and slew him; so mayest +thou chance upon his funeral feast.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake, and my heart and lordly soul again were comforted for all +my sorrow, and I uttered my voice and I spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Their fate I now know; but tell me of the third; who is it that +is yet living and holden on the wide deep, or perchance is dead? and fain would +I hear despite my sorrow.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and straightway he answered, and said: ‘It is the son +of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca; and I saw him in an island shedding +big tears in the halls of the nymph Calypso, who holds him there perforce; so +he may not come to his own country, for he has by him no ships with oars, and +no companions to send him on his way over the broad back of the sea. But thou, +Menelaus, son of Zeus, art not ordained to die and meet thy fate in Argos, the +pasture-land of horses, but the deathless gods will convey thee to the Elysian +plain and the world’s end, where is Rhadamanthus of the fair hair, where +life is easiest for men. No snow is there, nor yet great storm, nor any rain; +but always ocean sendeth forth the breeze of the shrill West to blow cool on +men; yea, for thou hast Helen to wife, and thereby they deem thee to be son of +Zeus.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, and plunged into the heaving sea; but I betook me to the +ships with my godlike company, and my heart was darkly troubled as I went. Now +after I had come down to the ship and to the sea, and had made ready our +supper, and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us to rest upon the +sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, first of all +we drew down our ships to the fair salt sea and placed the masts and the sails +in the gallant ships, and the crew too climbed on board, and sat upon the +benches and smote the grey sea water with their oars. Then back I went to the +waters of Aegyptus, the heaven-fed stream, and there I moored the ships and +offered the acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs. So when I had appeased the anger +of the everlasting gods, I piled a barrow to Agamemnon, that his fame might +never be quenched. So having fulfilled all, I set out for home, and the +deathless gods gave me a fair wind, and brought me swiftly to mine own dear +country. But lo, now tarry in my halls till it shall be the eleventh day hence +or the twelfth. Then will I send thee with all honour on thy way, and give thee +splendid gifts, three horses and a polished car; and moreover I will give thee +a goodly chalice, that thou mayest pour forth before the deathless gods, and be +mindful of me all the days of thy life.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Son of Atreus, nay, hold me +not long time here. Yea even for a year would I be content to sit by thee, and +no desire for home or parents would come upon me; for I take wondrous pleasure +in thy tales and talk. But already my company wearieth in fair Pylos, and yet +thou art keeping me long time here. And whatsoever gift thou wouldest give me, +let it be a thing to treasure; but horses I will take none to Ithaca, but leave +them here to grace thine own house, for thou art lord of a wide plain wherein +is lotus great plenty, and therein is spear-reed and wheat and rye, and white +and spreading barley. In Ithaca there are no wide courses, nor meadow land at +all. It is a pasture-land of goats, and more pleasant in my sight than one that +pastureth horses; for of the isles that lie and lean upon the sea, none are fit +for the driving of horses, or rich in meadow land, and least of all is +Ithaca.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Menelaus, of the loud war cry, smiled, and caressed him with +his hand, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art of gentle blood, dear child, so gentle the words thou speakest. +Therefore I will make exchange of the presents, as I may. Of the gifts, such as +are treasures stored in my house, I will give thee the goodliest and greatest +of price. I will give thee a mixing bowl beautifully wrought; it is all of +silver, and the lips thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; +and the hero Phaedimus, the king of the Sidonians, gave it me, when his house +sheltered me on my coming thither, and to thee now would I give it.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so they spake one to another, while the guests came to the palace of the +divine king. They drave their sheep, and brought wine that maketh glad the +heart of man: and their wives with fair tire sent them wheaten bread. Thus were +these men preparing the feast in the halls. +</p> + +<p> +But the wooers meantime were before the palace of Odysseus, taking their +pleasure in casting of weights and spears, on a levelled place, as heretofore, +in their insolence. And Antinous and god-like Eurymachus were seated there, the +chief men of the wooers, who were far the most excellent of all. And Noëmon, +son of Phromius, drew nigh to them and spake unto Antinous and questioned him, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Antinous, know we at all, or know we not, when Telemachus will return +from sandy Pylos? He hath departed with a ship of mine, and I have need +thereof, to cross over into spacious Elis, where I have twelve brood mares with +hardy mules unbroken at the teat; I would drive off one of these and break him +in.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they were amazed, for they deemed not that Telemachus had gone +to Neleian Pylos, but that he was at home somewhere in the fields, whether +among the flocks, or with the swineherd. +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake to him in turn: “Tell me the plain +truth; when did he go, and what noble youths went with him? Were they chosen +men of Ithaca or hirelings and thralls of his own? He was in case to bring even +that about. And tell me this in good sooth, that I may know for a surety: did +he take thy black ship from thee perforce against thy will? or didst thou give +it him of free will at his entreaty? +</p> + +<p> +Then Noëmon, son of Phromius, answered him saying: “I gave it him myself +of free will. What can any man do, when such an one, so bestead with care, begs +a favour? it were hard to deny the gift. The youths who next to us are noblest +in the land, even these have gone with him; and I marked their leader on board +ship, Mentor, or a god who in all things resembled Mentor. But one matter I +marvel at: I saw the goodly Mentor here yesterday toward dawn, though already +he had embarked for Pylos.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and withal departed to his father’s house. And the proud spirits +of these twain were angered, and they made the wooers sit down together and +cease from their games. And among them spake Antinous, son of Eupeithes, in +displeasure; and his black heart was wholly filled with rage, and his eyes were +like flaming fire: +</p> + +<p> +“Out on him, a proud deed hath Telemachus accomplished with a high hand, +even this journey, and we thought that he would never bring it to pass! This +lad hath clean gone without more ado, in spite of us all; his ship he hath let +haul to the sea, and chosen the noblest in the township. He will begin to be +our bane even more than heretofore; but may Zeus destroy his might, not ours, +ere he reach the measure of manhood! But come, give me a swift ship and twenty +men, that I may lie in watch and wait even for him on his way home, in the +strait between Ithaca and rugged Samos, that so he may have a woeful end of his +cruising in quest of his father.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade him to the work. And +thereupon they arose and went to the house of Odysseus. +</p> + +<p> +Now it was no long time before Penelope heard of the counsel that the wooers +had devised in the deep of their heart. For the henchman Medon told her +thereof, who stood without the court and heard their purposes, while they were +weaving their plot within. So he went on his way through the halls to bring the +news to Penelope; and as he stept down over the threshold, Penelope spake unto +him: +</p> + +<p> +“Henchman, wherefore have the noble wooers sent thee forth? Was it to +tell the handmaids of divine Odysseus to cease from their work, and prepare a +banquet for them? Nay, after thus much wooing, never again may they come +together, but here this day sup for their last and latest time; all ye who +assemble so often, and waste much livelihood, the wealth of wise Telemachus! +Long ago when ye were children, ye marked not your fathers’ telling, what +manner of man was Odysseus among them, one that wrought no iniquity toward any +man, nor spake aught unrighteous in the township, as is the wont of divine +kings. One man a king is like to hate, another he might chance to love. But +never did he do aught at all presumptuously to any man. Nay, it is plain what +spirit ye are of, and your unseemly deeds are manifest to all, nor is there any +gratitude left for kindness done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Medon, wise of heart, answered her: “Would, oh queen, that this were +the crowning evil! But the wooers devise another far greater and more grievous, +which I pray the son of Cronos may never fulfil! They are set on slaying +Telemachus with the edge of the sword on his homeward way; for he is gone to +fair Pylos and goodly Lacedaemon, to seek tidings of his father.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but her knees were loosened where she stood, and her heart melted +within her, and long time was she speechless, and lo, her eyes were filled with +tears and the voice of her utterance was stayed. And at the last she answered +him and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Henchman, wherefore I pray thee is my son departed? There is no need +that he should go abroad on swift ships, that serve men for horses on the sea, +and that cross the great wet waste. Is it that even his own name may no more be +left upon earth?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Medon, wise of heart, answered her: “I know not whether some god set +him on or whether his own spirit stirred him to go to Pylos to seek tidings of +his father’s return, or to hear what end he met.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and departed through the house of Odysseus, and on her fell a cloud +of consuming grief; so that she might no more endure to seat her on a chair, +whereof there were many in the house, but there she crouched on the threshold +of her well-builded chamber, wailing piteously, and her handmaids round her +made low moan, as many as were in the house with her, young and old. And +Penelope spake among them pouring forth her lamentation: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, my friends, for the Olympian sire hath given me pain +exceedingly beyond all women who were born and bred in my day. For erewhile I +lost my noble lord of the lion heart, adorned with all perfection among the +Danaans, my good lord, whose fame is noised abroad from Hellas to mid Argos. +And now again the storm-winds have snatched away my well-beloved son without +tidings from our halls, nor heard I of his departure. Oh, women, hard of heart, +that even ye did not each one let the thought come into your minds, to rouse me +from my couch when he went to the black hollow ship, though ye knew full well +thereof! For had I heard that he was purposing this journey, verily he should +have stayed here still, though eager to be gone, or have left me dead in the +halls. Howbeit let some one make haste to call the ancient Dolius, my thrall, +whom my father gave me ere yet I had come hither, who keepeth my garden of +trees. So shall he go straightway and sit by Laertes, and tell him all, if +perchance Laertes may weave some counsel in his heart, and go forth and make +his plaint to the people, who are purposed to destroy his seed, and the seed of +god-like Odysseus.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: “Dear lady, aye, slay me if +thou wilt with the pitiless sword or let me yet live on in the house,—yet +will I not hide my saying from thee. I knew all this, and gave him whatsoever +he commanded, bread and sweet wine. And he took a great oath of me not to tell +thee till at least the twelfth day should come, or thou thyself shouldst miss +him and hear of his departure, that thou mightest not mar thy fair flesh with +thy tears. But now, wash thee in water, and take to thee clean raiment and +ascend to thy upper chamber with the women thy handmaids, and pray to Athene, +daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis. For so may she save him even from death. +And heap not troubles on an old man’s trouble; for the seed of the son of +Arceisius, is not, methinks, utterly hated by the blessed gods, but someone +will haply yet remain to possess these lofty halls, and the fat fields far +away.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, and lulled her queen’s lamentation, and made her eyes to +cease from weeping. So she washed her in water, and took to her clean raiment, +and ascended to the upper chamber with the women her handmaids, and placed the +meal for sprinkling in a basket, and prayed unto Athene: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, child of Zeus, lord of the aegis, unwearied maiden! If ever +wise Odysseus in his halls burnt for thee fat slices of the thighs of heifer or +of sheep, these things, I pray thee, now remember, and save my dear son, and +ward from him the wooers in the naughtiness of their pride.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she raised a cry, and the goddess heard her prayer. But the wooers +clamoured through the shadowy halls, and thus would some proud youth say: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily this queen of many wooers prepareth our marriage, nor knoweth at +all how that for her son death hath been ordained.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus would certain of them speak, but they knew not how these things were +ordained. And Antinous made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Good sirs, my friends, shun all disdainful words alike, lest someone +hear and tell it even in the house. But come let us arise, and in silence +accomplish that whereof we spake, for the counsel pleased us every one.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he chose twenty men that were the best, and they departed to the +swift ship and the sea-banks. So first of all they drew the ship down to the +deep water, and placed the mast and sails in the black ship, and fixed the oars +in leathern loops all orderly, and spread forth the white sails. And squires, +haughty of heart, bare for them their arms. And they moored her high out in the +shore water, and themselves disembarked. There they supped and waited for +evening to come on. +</p> + +<p> +But the wise Penelope lay there in her upper chamber, fasting and tasting +neither meat nor drink, musing whether her noble son should escape death, or +even fall before the proud wooers. And as a lion broods all in fear among the +press of men, when they draw the crafty ring around him, so deeply was she +musing when deep sleep came over her. And she sank back in sleep and all her +joints were loosened. +</p> + +<p> +Now the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to other thoughts. She made a +phantom, and fashioned it after the likeness of a woman, Iphthime, daughter of +great-hearted Icarius, whom Eumelus wedded, whose dwelling was in Pherae. And +she sent it to the house of divine Odysseus to bid Penelope, amid her sorrow +and lamenting, to cease from her weeping and tearful lamentation. So the +phantom passed into the chamber by the thong of the bolt, and stood above her +head and spake unto her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Sleepest thou, Penelope, stricken at heart? Nay, even the gods who live +at ease suffer thee not to wail or be afflicted, seeing that thy son is yet to +return; for no sinner is he in the eyes of the gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope made her answer as she slumbered very softly at the gates of +dreams: +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore, sister, hast thou come hither, that before wert not wont to +come, for thou hast thine habitation very far away? Biddest thou me indeed to +cease from the sorrows and pains, so many that disquiet my heart and soul? +Erewhile I lost my noble lord of the lion heart, adorned with all perfection +among the Danaans, my true lord, whose fame is noised abroad from Hellas to mid +Argos. And now, again, my well-beloved son is departed on his hollow ship, poor +child, not skilled in toils or in the gatherings of men. For him I sorrow yet +more than for my lord, and I tremble and fear for him lest aught befal him, +whether, it may be, amid that folk where he is gone, or in the deep. For many +foemen devise evil against him, and go about to kill him, or ever he come to +his own country.” +</p> + +<p> +And the dim phantom answered her, and said: “Take courage, and be not so +sorely afraid. For lo, such a friend goes to guide him, as all men pray to +stand by them, for that she hath the power, even Pallas Athene. And she pitieth +thee in thy sorrow, and now hath sent me forth to speak these words to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Penelope answered her, saying: “If thou art indeed a god, and +hast heard the word of a god, come, I pray thee, and tell me tidings concerning +that ill-fated man, whether perchance he is yet alive and sees the light of the +sun, or hath already died, and is a dweller in the house of Hades.” +</p> + +<p> +And the dim phantom answered her and said: “Concerning him I will not +tell thee all the tale, whether he be alive or dead; it is ill to speak words +light as wind.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the phantom slipped away by the bolt of the door and passed into the +breath of the wind. And the daughter of Icarius started up from sleep; and her +heart was cheered, so clear was the vision that sped toward her in the dead of +the night. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the wooers had taken ship and were sailing over the wet ways, +pondering in their hearts sheer death for Telemachus. Now there is a rocky isle +in the mid sea, midway between Ithaca and rugged Samos, Asteris, a little isle; +and there is a harbour therein with a double entrance, where ships may ride. +There the Achaeans abode lying in wait for Telemachus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>BOOK V.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +The Gods in council command Calypso by Hermes to send away Odysseus on a raft +of trees; and Poseidon, returning from Ethiopia and seeing him on the coast of +Phaeacia, scattered his raft; and how by the help of Ino he was thrown ashore, +and slept on a heap of dry leaves till the next day. +</p> + +<p> +Now the Dawn arose from her couch, from the side of the lordly Tithonus, to +bear light to the immortals and to mortal men. And lo, the gods were gathering +to session, and among them Zeus, that thunders on high, whose might is above +all. And Athene told them the tale of the many woes of Odysseus, recalling them +to mind; for near her heart was he that then abode in the dwelling of the +nymph: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed gods that live for ever, +henceforth let not any sceptred king be kind and gentle with all his heart, nor +minded to do righteously, but let him alway be a hard man and work +unrighteousness, for behold, there is none that remembereth divine Odysseus of +the people whose lord he was, and was gentle as a father. Howbeit, as for him +he lieth in an island suffering strong pains, in the halls of the nymph +Calypso, who holdeth him perforce; so he may not reach his own country, for he +hath no ships by him with oars, and no companions to send him on his way over +the broad back of the sea. And now, again, they are set on slaying his beloved +son on his homeward way, for he is gone to fair Pylos and to goodly Lacedaemon, +to seek tidings of his father.” +</p> + +<p> +And Zeus, gatherer of the clouds, answered and spake unto her: “My child, +what word hath escaped the door of thy lips? Nay, didst thou not thyself plan +this device, that Odysseus may assuredly take vengeance on those men at his +coming? As for Telemachus, do thou guide him by thine art, as well as thou +mayest, that so he may come to his own country all unharmed, and the wooers may +return in their ship with their labour all in vain.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he spake to Hermes, his dear son: “Hermes, forasmuch as even in +all else thou art our herald, tell unto the nymph of the braided tresses my +unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, how he is to come to +his home, with no furtherance of gods or of mortal men. Nay, he shall sail on a +well-bound raft, in sore distress, and on the twentieth day arrive at fertile +Scheria, even at the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of kin to the gods. +And they shall give him all worship heartily as to a god, and send him on his +way in a ship to his own dear country, with gifts of bronze and gold, and +raiment in plenty, much store, such as never would Odysseus have won for +himself out of Troy, yea, though he had returned unhurt with the share of the +spoil that fell to him. On such wise is he fated to see his friends, and come +to his high-roofed home and his own country.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, nor heedless was the messenger, the slayer of Argos. Straightway +he bound beneath his feet his lovely golden sandals, that wax not old, that +bare him alike over the wet sea and over the limitless land, swift as the +breath of the wind. And he took the wand wherewith he lulls the eyes of whomso +he will, while others again he even wakes from out of sleep. With this rod in +his hand flew the strong slayer of Argos. Above Pieria he passed and leapt from +the upper air into the deep. Then he sped along the wave like the cormorant, +that chaseth the fishes through the perilous gulfs of the unharvested sea, and +wetteth his thick plumage in the brine. Such like did Hermes ride upon the +press of the waves. But when he had now reached that far-off isle, he went +forth from the sea of violet blue to get him up into the land, till he came to +a great cave, wherein dwelt the nymph of the braided tresses: and he found her +within. And on the hearth there was a great fire burning, and from afar through +the isle was smelt the fragrance of cleft cedar blazing, and of sandal wood. +And the nymph within was singing with a sweet voice as she fared to and fro +before the loom, and wove with a shuttle of gold. And round about the cave +there was a wood blossoming, alder and poplar and sweet-smelling cypress. And +therein roosted birds long of wing, owls and falcons and chattering sea-crows, +which have their business in the waters. And lo, there about the hollow cave +trailed a gadding garden vine, all rich with clusters. And fountains four set +orderly were running with clear water, hard by one another, turned each to his +own course. And all around soft meadows bloomed of violets and parsley, yea, +even a deathless god who came thither might wonder at the sight and be glad at +heart. There the messenger, the slayer of Argos, stood and wondered. Now when +he had gazed at all with wonder, anon he went into the wide cave; nor did +Calypso, that fair goddess, fail to know him, when she saw him face to face; +for the gods use not to be strange one to another, the immortals, not though +one have his habitation far away. But he found not Odysseus, the greathearted, +within the cave, who sat weeping on the shore even as aforetime, straining his +soul with tears and groans and griefs, and as he wept he looked wistfully over +the unharvested deep. And Calypso, that fair goddess, questioned Hermes, when +she had made him sit on a bright shining seat: +</p> + +<p> +“Wherefore, I pray thee, Hermes, of the golden wand, hast thou come +hither, worshipful and welcome, whereas as of old thou wert not wont to visit +me? Tell me all thy thought; my heart is set on fulfilling it, if fulfil it I +may, and if it hath been fulfilled in the counsel of fate. But now follow me +further, that I may set before thee the entertainment of strangers.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the goddess spread a table with ambrosia and set it by him, and mixed +the ruddy nectar. So the messenger, the slayer of Argos, did eat and drink. Now +after he had supped and comforted his soul with food, at the last he answered, +and spake to her on this wise: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou makest question of me on my coming, a goddess of a god, and I will +tell thee this my saying truly, at thy command. ’Twas Zeus that bade me +come hither, by no will of mine; nay, who of his free will would speed over +such a wondrous space of brine, whereby is no city of mortals that do sacrifice +to the gods, and offer choice hecatombs? But surely it is in no wise possible +for another god to go beyond or to make void the purpose of Zeus, lord of the +aegis. 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. Yet on the way +they sinned against Athene, and she raised upon them an evil blast and long +waves of the sea. Then all the rest of his good company was lost, but it came +to pass that the wind bare and the wave brought him hither. And now Zeus +biddeth thee send him hence with what speed thou mayest, for it is not ordained +that he die away from his friends, but rather it is his fate to look on them +even yet, and to come to his high-roofed home and his own country.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Calypso, that fair goddess, shuddered and uttered her voice, +and spake unto him winged words: “Hard are ye gods and jealous exceeding, +who ever grudge goddesses openly to mate with men, if any make a mortal her +dear bed-fellow. Even so when rosy-fingered Dawn took Orion for her lover, ye +gods that live at ease were jealous thereof, till chaste Artemis, of the golden +throne, slew him in Ortygia with the visitation of her gentle shafts. So too +when fair-tressed Demeter yielded to her love, and lay with Iasion in the +thrice-ploughed fallow-field, Zeus was not long without tidings thereof, and +cast at him with his white bolt and slew him. So again ye gods now grudge that +a mortal man should dwell with me. Him I saved as he went all alone bestriding +the keel of a bark, for that Zeus had crushed<a href="#linknote-11" +name="linknoteref-11">[11]</a> and cleft his swift ship +with a white bolt in the midst of the wine-dark deep. There all the rest of his +good company was lost, but it came to pass that the wind bare and the wave +brought him hither. And him have I loved and cherished, and I said that I would +make him to know not death and age for ever. Yet forasmuch as it is no wise +possible for another god to go beyond, or make void the purpose of Zeus, lord +of the aegis, let him away over the unharvested seas, if the summons and the +bidding be of Zeus. But I will give him no despatch, not I, for I have no ships +by me with oars, nor company to bear him on his way over the broad back of the +sea. Yet will I be forward to put this in his mind, and will hide nought, that +all unharmed he may come to his own country.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-11"></a><a href="#linknoteref-11">[11]</a> +It seems very doubtful whether ἔλσας can bear this +meaning. The reading ἐλάσας, +“smote,” preserved by the Schol. is highly probable. +</p> + +<p> +Then the messenger, the slayer of Argos, answered her: “Yea, speed him +now upon his path and have regard unto the wrath of Zeus, lest haply he be +angered and bear hard on thee hereafter.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the great slayer of Argos departed, but the lady nymph went on her +way to the great-hearted Odysseus, when she had heard the message of Zeus. And +there she found him sitting on the shore, and his eyes were never dry of tears, +and his sweet life was ebbing away as he mourned for his return; for the nymph +no more found favour in his sight. Howsoever by night he would sleep by her, as +needs he must, in the hollow caves, unwilling lover by a willing lady. And in +the day-time he would sit on the rocks and on the beach, straining his soul +with tears, and groans, and griefs, and through his tears he would look +wistfully over the unharvested deep. So standing near him that fair goddess +spake to him: +</p> + +<p> +“Hapless man, sorrow no more I pray thee in this isle, nor let thy good +life waste away, for even now will I send thee hence with all my heart. Nay, +arise and cut long beams, and fashion a wide raft with the axe, and lay +deckings high thereupon, that it may bear thee over the misty deep. And I will +place therein bread and water, and red wine to thy heart’s desire, to +keep hunger far away. And I will put raiment upon thee, and send a fair gale in +thy wake, that so thou mayest come all unharmed to thine own country, if indeed +it be the good pleasure of the gods who hold wide heaven, who are stronger than +I am both to will and to do.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus shuddered, and uttering his +voice spake to her winged words: “Herein, goddess, thou hast plainly some +other thought, and in no wise my furtherance, for that thou biddest me to cross +in a raft the great gulf of the sea so dread and difficult, which not even the +swift gallant ships pass over rejoicing in the breeze of Zeus. Nor would I go +aboard a raft to displeasure thee, unless thou wilt deign, O goddess, to swear +a great oath not to plan any hidden guile to mine own hurt.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Calypso, the fair goddess, smiled and caressed him with her +hand, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Knavish thou art, and no weakling<a href="#linknote-12" +name="linknoteref-12">[12]</a> in wit, thou that hast +conceived and spoken such a word. Let earth be now witness hereto, and the wide +heaven above, and that falling water of the Styx, the greatest oath and the +most terrible to the blessed gods, that I will not plan any hidden guile to +thine own hurt. Nay, but my thoughts are such, and such will be my counsel, as +I would devise for myself, if ever so sore a need came over me. For I too have +a righteous mind, and my heart within me is not of iron, but pitiful even as +thine.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-12"></a><a href="#linknoteref-12">[12]</a> +ἀποφώλιος, from root +φυ, “ill-grown,” i. e. a weakling, in the literal sense +as B. xi. 249, xiv. 212, or metaphorical, as here and viii. 177. +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the fair goddess led the way quickly, and he followed hard in the +steps of the goddess. And they reached the hollow cave, the goddess and the +man; so he sat him down upon the chair whence Hermes had arisen, and the nymph +placed by him all manner of food to eat and drink, such as is meat for men. As +for her she sat over against divine Odysseus, and the handmaids placed by her +ambrosia and nectar. So they put forth their hands upon the good cheer set +before them. But after they had taken their fill of meat and drink, Calypso, +the fair goddess, spake first and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, so it is +indeed thy wish to get thee home to thine own dear country even in this hour? +Good fortune go with thee even so! Yet didst thou know in thine heart what a +measure of suffering thou art ordained to fulfil, or ever thou reach thine own +country, here, even here, thou wouldst abide with me and keep this house, and +wouldst never taste of death, though thou longest to see thy wife, for whom +thou hast ever a desire day by day. Not in sooth that I avow me to be less +noble than she in form or fashion, for it is in no wise meet that mortal women +should match them with immortals, in shape and comeliness.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered, and spake unto her: “Be not wroth +with me hereat, goddess and queen. Myself I know it well, how wise Penelope is +meaner to look upon than thou, in comeliness and stature. But she is mortal and +thou knowest not age nor death. Yet even so, I wish and long day by day to fare +homeward and see the day of my returning. Yea, and if some god shall wreck me +in the wine-dark deep, even so I will endure, with a heart within me patient of +affliction. For already have I suffered full much, and much have I toiled in +perils of waves and war; let this be added to the tale of those.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the sun sank and darkness came on. Then they twain went into +the chamber of the hollow rock, and had their delight of love, abiding each by +other. +</p> + +<p> +So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, anon Odysseus put on him +a mantle and doublet, and the nymph clad her in a great shining robe, light of +woof and gracious, and about her waist she cast a fair golden girdle, and a +veil withal upon her head. Then she considered of the sending of Odysseus, the +great-hearted. She gave him a great axe, fitted to his grasp, an axe of bronze +double-edged, and with a goodly handle of olive wood fastened well. Next she +gave him a polished adze, and she led the way to the border of the isle where +tall trees grew, alder and poplar, and pine that reacheth unto heaven, seasoned +long since and sere, that might lightly float for him. Now after she had shown +him where the tall trees grew, Calypso, the fair goddess, departed homeward. +And he set to cutting timber, and his work went busily. Twenty trees in all he +felled, and then trimmed them with the axe of bronze, and deftly smoothed them, +and over them made straight the line. Meanwhile Calypso, the fair goddess, +brought him augers, so he bored each piece and jointed them together, and then +made all fast with trenails and dowels. Wide as is the floor of a broad ship of +burden, which some man well skilled in carpentry may trace him out, of such +beam did Odysseus fashion his broad raft. And thereat he wrought, and set up +the deckings, fitting them to the close-set uprights, and finished them off +with long gunwales, and there he set a mast, and a yard-arm fitted thereto, and +moreover he made him a rudder to guide the craft. And he fenced it with wattled +osier withies from stem to stern, to be a bulwark against the wave, and piled +up wood to back them. Meanwhile Calypso, the fair goddess, brought him web of +cloth to make him sails; and these too he fashioned very skilfully. And he made +fast therein braces and halyards and sheets, and at last he pushed the raft +with levers down to the fair salt sea. +</p> + +<p> +It was the fourth day when he had accomplished all. And, lo, on the fifth, the +fair Calypso sent him on his way from the island, when she had bathed him and +clad him in fragrant attire. Moreover, the goddess placed on board the ship two +skins, one of dark wine, and another, a great one, of water, and corn too in a +wallet, and she set therein a store of dainties to his heart’s desire, +and sent forth a warm and gentle wind to blow. And goodly Odysseus rejoiced as +he set his sails to the breeze. So he sate and cunningly guided the craft with +the helm, nor did sleep fall upon his eyelids, as he viewed the Pleiads and +Bootes, that setteth late, and the Bear, which they likewise call the Wain, +which turneth ever in one place, and keepeth watch upon Orion, and alone hath +no part in the baths of Ocean. This star, Calypso, the fair goddess, bade him +to keep ever on the left as he traversed the deep. Ten days and seven he sailed +traversing the deep, and on the eighteenth day appeared the shadowy hills of +the land of the Phaeacians, at the point where it lay nearest to him; and it +showed like a shield in the misty deep. +</p> + +<p> +Now the lord, the shaker of the earth, on his way from the Ethiopians espied +him afar off from the mountains of the Solymi: even thence he saw Odysseus as +he sailed over the deep; and he was mightily angered in spirit, and shaking his +head he communed with his own heart. “Lo now, it must be that the gods at +the last have changed their purpose concerning Odysseus, while I was away among +the Ethiopians. And now he is nigh to the Phaeacian land, where it is ordained +that he escape the great issues of the woe which hath come upon him. But, +methinks, that even yet I will drive him far enough in the path of +suffering.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he gathered the clouds and troubled the waters of the deep, grasping +his trident in his hands; and he roused all storms of all manner of winds, and +shrouded in clouds the land and sea: and down sped night from heaven. The East +Wind and the South Wind clashed, and the stormy West, and the North, that is +born in the bright air, rolling onward a great wave. Then were the knees of +Odysseus loosened and his heart melted, and heavily he spake to his own great +spirit: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, wretched man that I am! what is to befal me at the last? I fear that +indeed the goddess spake all things truly, who said that I should fill up the +measure of sorrow on the deep, or ever I came to mine own country; and lo, all +these things have an end. In such wise doth Zeus crown the wide heaven with +clouds, and hath troubled the deep, and the blasts rush on of all the winds; +yea, now is utter doom assured me. Thrice blessed those Danaans, yea, four +times blessed, who perished on a time in wide Troy-land, doing a pleasure to +the sons of Atreus! Would to God that I too had died, and met my fate on that +day when the press of Trojans cast their bronze-shod spears upon me, fighting +for the body of the son of Peleus! So should I have gotten my dues of burial, +and the Achaeans would have spread my fame; but now it is my fate to be +overtaken by a pitiful death.” +</p> + +<p> +Even as he spake, the great wave smote down upon him, driving on in terrible +wise, that the raft reeled again. And far therefrom he fell, and lost the helm +from his hand; and the fierce blast of the jostling winds came and brake his +mast in the midst, and sail and yard-arm fell afar into the deep. Long time the +water kept him under, nor could he speedily rise from beneath the rush of the +mighty wave: for the garments hung heavy which fair Calypso gave him. But late +and at length he came up, and spat forth from his mouth the bitter salt water, +which ran down in streams from his head. 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. And as the +North Wind in the harvest tide sweeps the thistle-down along the plain, and +close the tufts cling each to other, even so the winds bare the raft hither and +thither along the main. Now the South would toss it to the North to carry, and +now again the East would yield it to the West to chase. +</p> + +<p> +But the daughter of Cadmus marked him, Ino of the fair ankles, Leucothea, who +in time past was a maiden of mortal speech, but now in the depths of the salt +sea she had gotten her share of worship from the gods. She took pity on +Odysseus in his wandering and travail, and she rose, like a sea-gull on the +wing, from the depth of the mere, and sat upon the well-bound raft and spake +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hapless one, wherefore was Poseidon, shaker of the earth, so wondrous +wroth with thee, seeing that he soweth for thee the seeds of many evils? Yet +shall he not make a full end of thee, for all his desire. But do even as I tell +thee, and methinks thou art not witless. Cast off these garments, and leave the +raft to drift before the winds, but do thou swim with thine hands and strive to +win a footing on the coast<a href="#linknote-13" name="linknoteref-13">[13]</a> of the Phaeacians, where it is decreed that thou +escape. Here, take this veil imperishable and wind it about thy breast; so is +there no fear that thou suffer aught or perish. But when thou hast laid hold of +the mainland with thy hands, loose it from off thee and cast it into the +wine-dark deep far from the land, and thyself turn away.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-13"></a><a href="#linknoteref-13">[13]</a> +Lit. Strive after an arrival on the land, etc. +νόστος originally meant <i>going, +journeying</i>, and had no idea of <i>return</i>. The earlier use survives +here, and in Soph. Philoct. 43, Eur. Iph. Aul. 1261. Similarly, perhaps, +νοστεῖν in Odyssey iv. 619, xv. 119, and +νέεσθαι frequently. +</p> + +<p> +With that the goddess gave the veil, and for her part dived back into the +heaving deep, like a sea-gull: and the dark wave closed over her. But the +steadfast goodly Odysseus pondered, and heavily he spake to his own brave +spirit: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, woe is me! Can it be that some one of the immortals is weaving a new +snare for me, that she bids me quit my raft? Nay verily, I will not yet obey, +for I had sight of the shore yet a long way off, where she told me that I might +escape. I am resolved what I will do;—and methinks on this wise it is +best. So long as the timbers abide in the dowels, so long will I endure +steadfast in affliction, but so soon as the wave hath shattered my raft +asunder, I will swim, for meanwhile no better counsel may be.” +</p> + +<p> +While yet he pondered these things in his heart and soul, Poseidon, shaker of +the earth, stirred against him a great wave, terrible and grievous, and vaulted +from the crest, and therewith smote him. And as when a great tempestuous wind +tosseth a heap of parched husks, and scatters them this way and that, even so +did the wave scatter the long beams of the raft. But Odysseus bestrode a single +beam, as one rideth on a courser, and stript him of the garments which fair +Calypso gave him. And presently he wound the veil beneath his breast, and fell +prone into the sea, outstretching his hands as one eager to swim. And the lord, +the shaker of the earth, saw him and shook his head, and communed with his own +soul. “Even so, after all thy sufferings, go wandering over the deep, +till thou shalt come among a people, the fosterlings of Zeus. Yet for all that +I deem not that thou shalt think thyself too lightly afflicted.” +Therewith he lashed his steeds of the flowing manes, and came to Aegae, where +is his lordly home. +</p> + +<p> +But Athene, daughter of Zeus, turned to new thoughts. Behold, she bound up the +courses of the other winds, and charged them all to cease and be still; but she +roused the swift North and brake the waves before him, that so Odysseus, of the +seed of Zeus, might mingle with the Phaeacians, lovers of the oar, avoiding +death and the fates. +</p> + +<p> +So for two nights and two days he was wandering in the swell of the sea, and +much his heart boded of death. But when at last the fair-tressed Dawn brought +the full light of the third day, thereafter the breeze fell, and lo, there was +a breathless calm, and with a quick glance ahead, (he being upborne on a great +wave,) he saw the land very near. And even as when most welcome to his children +is the sight of a father’s life, who lies in sickness and strong pains +long wasting away, some angry god assailing him; and to their delight the gods +have loosed him from his trouble; so welcome to Odysseus showed land and wood; +and he swam onward being eager to set foot on the strand. But when he was +within earshot of the shore, and heard now the thunder of the sea against the +reefs—for the great wave crashed against the dry land belching in +terrible wise, and all was covered with foam of the sea,—for there were +no harbours for ships nor shelters, but jutting headlands and reefs and cliffs; +then at last the knees of Odysseus were loosened and his heart melted, and in +heaviness he spake to his own brave spirit: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah me! now that beyond all hope Zeus hath given me sight of land, and +withal I have cloven my way through this gulf of the sea, here there is no +place to land on from out of the grey water. 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. But if I +swim yet further along the coast to find, if I may, spits that take the waves +aslant and havens of the sea, I fear lest the storm-winds catch me again and +bear me over the teeming deep, making heavy moan; or else some god may even +send forth against me a monster from out of the shore water; and many such +pastureth the renowned Amphitrite. For I know how wroth against me hath been +the great Shaker of the Earth.” +</p> + +<p> +Whilst yet he pondered these things in his heart and mind, a great wave bore +him to the rugged shore. There would he have been stript of his skin and all +his bones been broken, but that the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, put a thought +into his heart. He rushed in, and with both his hands clutched the rock, +whereto he clung till the great wave went by. So he escaped that peril, but +again with backward wash it leapt on him and smote him and cast him forth into +the deep. And as when the cuttlefish is dragged forth from his chamber, the +many pebbles clinging to his suckers, even so was the skin stript from his +strong hand against the rocks, and the great wave closed over him. There of a +truth would luckless Odysseus have perished beyond that which was ordained, had +not grey-eyed Athene given him sure counsel. He rose from the line of the +breakers that belch upon the shore, and swam outside, ever looking landwards, +to find, if he might, spits that take the waves aslant, and havens of the sea. +But when he came in his swimming over against the mouth of a fair-flowing +river, whereby the place seemed best in his eyes, smooth of rocks, and withal +there was a covert from the wind, Odysseus felt the river running, and prayed +to him in his heart: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, O king, whosoever thou art; unto thee am I come, as to one to +whom prayer is made, while I flee the rebukes of Poseidon from the deep. Yea, +reverend even to the deathless gods is that man who comes as a wanderer, even +as I now have come to thy stream and to thy knees after much travail. Nay pity +me, O king; for I avow myself thy suppliant.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the god straightway stayed his stream and withheld his waves, +and made the water smooth before him, and brought him safely to the mouths of +the river. And his knees bowed and his stout hands fell, for his heart was +broken by the brine. And his flesh was all swollen and a great stream of sea +water gushed up through his mouth and nostrils. So he lay without breath or +speech, swooning, such terrible weariness came upon him. But when now his +breath returned and his spirit came to him again, he loosed from off him the +veil of the goddess, and let it fall into the salt flowing river. And the great +wave bare it back down the stream, and lightly Ino caught it in her hands. Then +Odysseus turned from the river, and fell back in the reeds, and kissed earth, +the grain-giver, and heavily he spake unto his own brave spirit: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, woe is me! What is to betide me? What shall happen unto me at the +last? If I watch the river bed all through the careful night, I fear that the +bitter frost and fresh dew may overcome me, as I breathe forth my life for +faintness, for the river breeze blows cold betimes in the morning. But if I +climb the hill-side up to the shady wood, and there take rest in the thickets, +though perchance the cold and weariness leave hold of me, and sweet sleep may +come over me, I fear lest of wild beasts I become the spoil and prey.” +</p> + +<p> +So as he thought thereon this seemed to him the better way. He went up to the +wood, and found it nigh the water in a place of wide prospect. So he crept +beneath twin bushes that grew from one stem, both olive trees, one of them wild +olive. Through these the force of the wet winds blew never, neither did the +bright sun light on it with his rays, nor could the rain pierce through, so +close were they twined either to other; and thereunder crept Odysseus and anon +he heaped together with his hands a broad couch; for of fallen leaves there was +great plenty, enough to cover two or three men in winter time, however hard the +weather. And the steadfast goodly Odysseus beheld it and rejoiced, and he laid +him in the midst thereof and flung over him the fallen leaves. And as when a +man hath hidden away a brand in the black embers at an upland farm, one that +hath no neighbours nigh, and so saveth the seed of fire, that he may not have +to seek a light otherwhere, even so did Odysseus cover him with the leaves. And +Athene shed sleep upon his eyes, that so it might soon release him from his +weary travail, overshadowing his eyelids. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>BOOK VI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Nausicaa, going to a river near that place to wash the clothes of her father, +mother, and brethren, while the clothes were drying played with her maids at +ball; and Odysseus coming forth is fed and clothed, and led on his way to the +house of her father, King Alcinous. +</p> + +<p> +So there he lay asleep, the steadfast goodly Odysseus, fordone with toil and +drowsiness. Meanwhile Athene went to the land and the city of the Phaeacians, +who of old, upon a time, dwelt in spacious Hypereia; near the Cyclôpes they +dwelt, men exceeding proud, who harried them continually, being mightier than +they. Thence the godlike Nausithous made them depart, and he carried them away, +and planted them in Scheria, far off from men that live by bread. And he drew a +wall around the town, and builded houses and made temples for the gods and +meted out the fields. Howbeit ere this had he been stricken by fate, and had +gone down to the house of Hades, and now Alcinous was reigning, with wisdom +granted by the gods. To his house went the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, devising +a return for the great-hearted Odysseus. She betook her to the rich-wrought +bower, wherein was sleeping a maiden like to the gods in form and comeliness, +Nausicaa, the daughter of Alcinous, high of heart. Beside her on either hand of +the pillars of the door were two handmaids, dowered with beauty from the +Graces, and the shining doors were shut. +</p> + +<p> +But the goddess, fleet as the breath of the wind, swept towards the couch of +the maiden, and stood above her head, and spake to her in the semblance of the +daughter of a famous seafarer, Dymas, a girl of like age with Nausicaa, who had +found grace in her sight. In her shape the grey-eyed Athene spake to the +princess, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Nausicaa, how hath thy mother so heedless a maiden to her daughter? Lo, +thou hast shining raiment that lies by thee uncared for, and thy marriage day +is near at hand, when thou thyself must needs go beautifully clad, and have +garments to give to them who shall lead thee to the house of the bridegroom! +And, behold, these are the things whence a good report goes abroad among men, +wherein a father and lady mother take delight. But come, let us arise and go +a-washing with the breaking of the day, and I will follow with thee to be thy +mate in the toil, that without delay thou mayst get thee ready, since truly +thou art not long to be a maiden. Lo, already they are wooing thee, the noblest +youths of all the Phaeacians, among that people whence thou thyself dost draw +thy lineage. So come, beseech thy noble father betimes in the morning to +furnish thee with mules and a wain to carry the men’s raiment, and the +robes, and the shining coverlets. Yea and for thyself it is seemlier far to go +thus than on foot, for the places where we must wash are a great way off the +town.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake the grey-eyed Athene, and departed to Olympus, where, as they say, is +the seat of the gods that standeth fast for ever. Not by winds is it shaken, +nor ever wet with rain, nor doth the snow come nigh thereto, but most clear air +is spread about it cloudless, and the white light floats over it. Therein the +blessed gods are glad for all their days, and thither Athene went when she had +shown forth all to the maiden. +</p> + +<p> +Anon came the throned Dawn, and awakened Nausicaa of the fair robes, who +straightway marvelled on the dream, and went through the halls to tell her +parents, her father dear and her mother. And she found them within, her mother +sitting by the hearth with the women her handmaids, spinning yarn of sea-purple +stain, but her father she met as he was going forth to the renowned kings in +their council, whither the noble Phaeacians called him. Standing close by her +dear father she spake, saying: “Father, dear, couldst thou not lend me a +high waggon with strong wheels, that I may take the goodly raiment to the river +to wash, so much as I have lying soiled? Yea and it is seemly that thou +thyself, when thou art with the princes in council, shouldest have fresh +raiment to wear. Also, there are five dear sons of thine in the halls, two +married, but three are lusty bachelors, and these are always eager for +new-washen garments wherein to go to the dances; for all these things have I +taken thought.” +</p> + +<p> +This she said, because she was ashamed to speak of glad marriage to her father; +but he saw all and answered, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Neither the mules nor aught else do I grudge thee, my child. Go thy +ways, and the thralls shall get thee ready a high waggon with good wheels, and +fitted with an upper frame.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he called to his men, and they gave ear, and without the palace they +made ready the smooth-running mule-wain, and led the mules beneath the yoke, +and harnessed them under the car, while the maiden brought forth from her bower +the shining raiment. This she stored in the polished car, and her mother filled +a basket with all manner of food to the heart’s desire, dainties too she +set therein, and she poured wine into a goat-skin bottle, while Nausicaa +climbed into the wain. And her mother gave her soft olive oil also in a golden +cruse, that she and her maidens might anoint themselves after the bath. Then +Nausicaa took the whip and the shining reins, and touched the mules to start +them; then there was a clatter of hoofs, and on they strained without flagging, +with their load of the raiment and the maiden. Not alone did she go, for her +attendants followed with her. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they were come to the beautiful stream of the river, where truly were +the unfailing cisterns, and bright water welled up free from beneath, and +flowed past, enough to wash the foulest garments clean, there the girls +unharnessed the mules from under the chariot, and turning them loose they drove +them along the banks of the eddying river to graze on the honey-sweet clover. +Then they took the garments from the wain, in their hands, and bore them to the +black water, and briskly trod them down in the trenches, in busy rivalry. Now +when they had washed and cleansed all the stains, they spread all out in order +along the shore of the deep, even where the sea, in beating on the coast, +washed the pebbles clean. Then having bathed and anointed them well with olive +oil, they took their mid-day meal on the river’s banks, waiting till the +clothes should dry in the brightness of the sun. Anon, when they were satisfied +with food, the maidens and the princess, they fell to playing at ball, casting +away their tires, and among them Nausicaa of the white arms began the song. And +even as Artemis, the archer, moveth down the mountain, either along the ridges +of lofty Taygetus or Erymanthus, taking her pastime in the chase of boars and +swift deer, and with her the wild wood-nymphs disport them, the daughters of +Zeus, lord of the aegis, and Leto is glad at heart, while high over all she +rears her head and brows, and easily may she be known,—but all are fair; +even so the girl unwed outshone her maiden company. +</p> + +<p> +But when now she was about going homewards, after yoking the mules and folding +up the goodly raiment, then grey-eyed Athene turned to other thoughts, that so +Odysseus might awake, and see the lovely maiden, who should be his guide to the +city of the Phaeacian men. So then the princess threw the ball at one of her +company; she missed the girl, and cast the ball into the deep eddying current, +whereat they all raised a piercing cry. Then the goodly Odysseus awoke and sat +up, pondering in his heart and spirit: +</p> + +<p> +“Woe is me! to what men’s land am I come now? say, are they +froward, and wild, and unjust, or are they hospitable, and of God-fearing mind? +How shrill a cry of maidens rings round me, of the nymphs that hold the steep +hill-tops, and the river-springs, and the grassy water meadows! It must be, +methinks, that I am near men of human speech. Go to, I myself will make trial +and see.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the goodly Odysseus crept out from under the coppice, having broken +with his strong hand a leafy bough from the thick wood, to hold athwart his +body, that it might hide his nakedness withal. And forth he sallied like a lion +mountain-bred, trusting in his strength, who fares out blown and rained upon, +with flaming eyes; amid the kine he goes or amid the sheep or in the track of +the wild deer; yea, his belly bids him go even to the good homestead to make +assay upon the flocks. Even so Odysseus was fain to draw nigh to the +fair-tressed maidens, all naked as he was, such need had come upon him. But he +was terrible in their eyes, being marred with the salt sea foam, and they fled +cowering here and there about the jutting spits of shore. And the daughter of +Alcinous alone stood firm, for Athene gave her courage of heart, and took all +trembling from her limbs. So she halted and stood over against him, and +Odysseus considered whether he should clasp the knees of the lovely maiden, and +so make his prayer, or should stand as he was, apart, and beseech her with +smooth words, if haply she might show him the town, and give him raiment. And +as he thought within himself, it seemed better to stand apart, and beseech her +with smooth words, lest the maiden should be angered with him if he touched her +knees: so straightway he spake a sweet and cunning word: +</p> + +<p> +“I supplicate thee, O queen, whether thou art a goddess or a mortal! If +indeed thou art a goddess of them that keep the wide heaven; to Artemis, then, +the daughter of great Zeus, I mainly liken thee, for beauty and stature and +shapeliness. But if thou art one of the daughters of men who dwell on earth, +thrice blessed are thy father and thy lady mother, and thrice blessed thy +brethren. Surely their souls ever glow with gladness for thy sake, each time +they see thee entering the dance, so fair a flower of maidens. But he is of +heart the most blessed beyond all other who shall prevail with gifts of wooing, +and lead thee to his home. Never have mine eyes beheld such an one among +mortals, neither man nor woman; great awe comes upon me as I look on thee. Yet +in Delos once I saw as goodly a thing: a young sapling of a palm tree springing +by the altar of Apollo. For thither too I went, and much people with me, on +that path where my sore troubles were to be. Yea, and when I looked thereupon, +long time I marvelled in spirit,—for never grew there yet so goodly a +shoot from ground,—even in such wise as I wonder at thee, lady, and am +astonied and do greatly fear to touch thy knees, though grievous sorrow is upon +me. Yesterday, on the twentieth day, I escaped from the wine-dark deep, but all +that time continually the wave bare me, and the vehement winds drave, from the +isle Ogygia. And now some god has cast me on this shore, that here too, +methinks, some evil may betide me; for I trow not that trouble will cease; the +gods ere that time will yet bring many a thing to pass. But, queen, have pity +on me, for after many trials and sore to thee first of all am I come, and of +the other folk, who hold this city and land, I know no man. Nay show me the +town, give me an old garment to cast about me, if thou hadst, when thou camest +here, any wrap for the linen. And may the gods grant thee all thy heart’s +desire: a husband and a home, and a mind at one with his may they give—a +good gift, for there is nothing mightier and nobler than when man and wife are +of one heart and mind in a house, a grief to their foes, and to their friends +great joy, but their own hearts know it best.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Nausicaa of the white arms answered him, and said: “Stranger, +forasmuch as thou seemest no evil man nor foolish—and it is Olympian Zeus +himself that giveth weal to men, to the good and to the evil, to each one as he +will, and this thy lot doubtless is of him, and so thou must in anywise endure +it:—and now, since thou hast come to our city and our land, thou shalt +not lack raiment, nor aught else that is the due of a hapless suppliant, when +he has met them who can befriend him. And I will show thee the town, and name +the name of the people. The Phaeacians hold this city and land, and I am the +daughter of Alcinous, great of heart, on whom all the might and force of the +Phaeacians depend.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and called to her maidens of the fair tresses: “Halt, my +maidens, whither flee ye at the sight of a man? Ye surely do not take him for +an enemy? That mortal breathes not, and never will be born, who shall come with +war to the land of the Phaeacians, for they are very dear to the gods. Far +apart we live in the wash of the waves, the outermost of men, and no other +mortals are conversant with us. Nay, but this man is some helpless one come +hither in his wanderings, whom now we must kindly entreat, for all strangers +and beggars are from Zeus, and a little gift is dear. So, my maidens, give the +stranger meat and drink, and bathe him in the river, where withal is a shelter +from the winds.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, but they had halted and called each to the other, and they +brought Odysseus to the sheltered place, and made him sit down, as Nausicaa +bade them, the daughter of Alcinous, high of heart. Beside him they laid a +mantle, and a doublet for raiment, and gave him soft olive oil in the golden +cruse, and bade him wash in the streams of the river. Then goodly Odysseus +spake among the maidens, saying: “I pray you stand thus apart, while I +myself wash the brine from my shoulders, and anoint me with olive oil, for +truly oil is long a stranger to my skin. But in your sight I will not bathe, +for I am ashamed to make me naked in the company of fair-tressed +maidens.” +</p> + +<p> +Then they went apart and told all to their lady. But with the river water the +goodly Odysseus washed from his skin the salt scurf that covered his back and +broad shoulders, and from his head he wiped the crusted brine of the barren +sea. But when he had washed his whole body, and anointed him with olive oil, +and had clad himself in the raiment that the unwedded maiden gave him, then +Athene, the daughter of Zeus, made him greater and more mighty to behold, and +from his head caused deep curling locks to flow, like the hyacinth flower. And +as when some skilful man overlays gold upon silver—one that Hephaestus +and Pallas Athene have taught all manner of craft, and full of grace is his +handiwork—even so did Athene shed grace about his head and shoulders. +</p> + +<p> +Then to the shore of the sea went Odysseus apart, and sat down, glowing in +beauty and grace, and the princess marvelled at him, and spake among her +fair-tressed maidens, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, my white-armed maidens, and I will say somewhat. Not without the +will of all the gods who hold Olympus hath this man come among the godlike +Phaeacians. Erewhile he seemed to me uncomely, but now he is like the gods that +keep the wide heaven. Would that such an one might be called my husband, +dwelling here, and that it might please him here to abide! But come, my +maidens, give the stranger meat and drink.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and they gave ready ear and hearkened, and set beside Odysseus +meat and drink, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus did eat and drink eagerly, +for it was long since he had tasted food. +</p> + +<p> +Now Nausicaa of the white arms had another thought. She folded the raiment and +stored it in the goodly wain, and yoked the mules strong of hoof, and herself +climbed into the car. Then she called on Odysseus, and spake and hailed him: +“Up now, stranger, and rouse thee to go to the city, that I may convey +thee to the house of my wise father, where, I promise thee, thou shalt get +knowledge of all the noblest of the Phaeacians. But do thou even as I tell +thee, and thou seemest a discreet man enough. So long as we are passing along +the fields and farms of men, do thou fare quickly with the maidens behind the +mules and the chariot, and I will lead the way. But when we set foot within the +city,—whereby goes a high wall with towers, and there is a fair haven on +either side of the town, and narrow is the entrance, and curved ships are drawn +up on either hand of the mole, for all the folk have stations for their +vessels, each man one for himself. And there is the place of assembly about the +goodly temple of Poseidon, furnished with heavy stones, deep bedded in the +earth. There men look to the gear of the black ships, hawsers and sails, and +there they fine down the oars. For the Phaeacians care not for bow nor quiver, +but for masts, and oars of ships, and gallant barques, wherein rejoicing they +cross the grey sea. Their ungracious speech it is that I would avoid, lest some +man afterward rebuke me, and there are but too many insolent folk among the +people. And some one of the baser sort might meet me and say: ‘Who is +this that goes with Nausicaa, this tall and goodly stranger? Where found she +him? Her husband he will be, her very own. Either she has taken in some +shipwrecked wanderer of strange men,—for no men dwell near us; or some +god has come in answer to her instant prayer; from heaven has he descended, and +will have her to wife for evermore. Better so, if herself she has ranged abroad +and found a lord from a strange land, for verily she holds in no regard the +Phaeacians here in this country, the many men and noble who are her +wooers.’ So will they speak, and this would turn to my reproach. Yea, and +I myself would think it blame of another maiden who did such things in despite +of her friends, her father and mother being still alive, and was conversant +with men before the day of open wedlock. But, stranger, heed well what I say, +that as soon as may be thou mayest gain at my father’s hands an escort +and a safe return. Thou shalt find a fair grove of Athene, a poplar grove near +the road, and a spring wells forth therein, and a meadow lies all around. There +is my father’s demesne, and his fruitful close, within the sound of a +man’s shout from the city. Sit thee down there and wait until such time +as we may have come into the city, and reached the house of my father. But when +thou deemest that we are got to the palace, then go up to the city of the +Phaeacians, and ask for the house of my father Alcinous, high of heart. It is +easily known, and a young child could be thy guide, for nowise like it are +builded the houses of the Phaeacians, so goodly is the palace of the hero +Alcinous. But when thou art within the shadow of the halls and the court, pass +quickly through the great chamber, till thou comest to my mother, who sits at +the hearth in the light of the fire, weaving yarn of sea-purple stain, a wonder +to behold. Her chair is leaned against a pillar, and her maidens sit behind +her. And there my father’s throne leans close to hers, wherein he sits +and drinks his wine, like an immortal. Pass thou by him, and cast thy hands +about my mother’s knees, that thou mayest see quickly and with joy the +day of thy returning, even if thou art from a very far country. If but her +heart be kindly disposed toward thee, then is there hope that thou shalt see +thy friends, and come to thy well-builded house, and to thine own +country.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and smote the mules with the shining whip, and quickly they left +behind them the streams of the river. And well they trotted and well they +paced, and she took heed to drive in such wise that the maidens and Odysseus +might follow on foot, and cunningly she plied the lash. Then the sun set, and +they came to the famous grove, the sacred place of Athene; so there the goodly +Odysseus sat him down. Then straightway he prayed to the daughter of mighty +Zeus: “Listen to me, child of Zeus, lord of the aegis, unwearied maiden; +hear me even now, since before thou heardest not when I was smitten on the sea, +when the renowned Earth-shaker smote me. Grant me to come to the Phaeacians as +one dear, and worthy of pity.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him; but she did not yet appear +to him face to face, for she had regard unto her father’s brother, who +furiously raged against the godlike Odysseus, till he should come to his own +country. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>BOOK VII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus being received at the house of the king Alcinous, the queen after +supper, taking notice of his garments, gives him occasion to relate his passage +thither on the raft. Alcinous promises him a convoy for the morrow. +</p> + +<p> +So he prayed there, the steadfast goodly Odysseus, while the two strong mules +bare the princess to the town. And when she had now come to the famous palace +of her father, she halted at the gateway, and round her gathered her brothers, +men like to the immortals, and they loosed the mules from under the car, and +carried the raiment within. But the maiden betook her to her chamber; and an +aged dame from Aperaea kindled the fire for her, Eurymedusa, the handmaid of +the chamber, whom the curved ships upon a time had brought from Aperaea; and +men chose her as a prize for Alcinous, seeing that he bare rule over all the +Phaeacians, and the people hearkened to him as to a god. She waited on the +white-armed Nausicaa in the palace halls; she was wont to kindle the fire and +prepare the supper in the inner chamber. +</p> + +<p> +At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city, and Athene shed a deep +mist about Odysseus for the favour that she bare him, lest any of the +Phaeacians, high of heart, should meet him and mock him in sharp speech, and +ask him who he was. But when he was now about to enter the pleasant city, then +the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, met him, in the fashion of a young maiden +carrying a pitcher, and she stood over against him, and goodly Odysseus +inquired of her: +</p> + +<p> +“My child, couldst thou not lead me to the palace of the lord Alcinous, +who bears sway among this people? Lo, I am come here, a stranger travel-worn +from afar, from a distant land; wherefore of the folk who possess this city and +country I know not any man.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him saying: “Yea now, father +and stranger, I will show thee the house that thou bidst me declare, for it +lies near the palace of my noble father; behold, be silent as thou goest, and I +will lead the way. And look on no man, nor question any. For these men do not +gladly suffer strangers, nor lovingly entreat whoso cometh from a strange land. +They trust to the speed of their swift ships, wherewith they cross the great +gulf, for the Earth-shaker hath vouchsafed them this power. Their ships are +swift as the flight of a bird, or as a thought.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Pallas Athene led the way swiftly, and he followed hard in the +footsteps of the goddess. And it came to pass that the Phaeacians, mariners +renowned, marked him not as he went down the city through their midst, for the +fair tressed Athene suffered it not, that awful goddess, who shed a wondrous +mist about him, for the favour that she bare him in her heart. And Odysseus +marvelled at the havens and the gallant ships, yea and the places of assembly +of the heroes, and the long high walls crowned with palisades, a marvel to +behold. But when they had now come to the famous palace of the king, the +goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake first and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo, here, father and stranger, is the house that thou wouldst have me +show thee: and thou shalt find kings at the feast, the fosterlings of Zeus; +enter then, and fear not in thine heart, for the dauntless man is the best in +every adventure, even though he come from a strange land. Thou shalt find the +queen first in the halls; Arete is the name whereby men call her, and she came +even of those that begat the king Alcinous. First Nausithous was son of +Poseidon, the Earth-shaker, and of Periboea, the comeliest of women, youngest +daughter of great-hearted Eurymedon, who once was king among the haughty +Giants. Howbeit, he destroyed his infatuate people, and was himself destroyed; +but Poseidon lay with Periboea and begat a son, proud Nausithous, who sometime +was prince among the Phaeacians; and Nausithous begat Rhexenor and Alcinous. +While Rhexenor had as yet no son, Apollo of the silver bow smote him, a groom +new wed, leaving in his halls one only child Arete; and Alcinous took her to +wife, and honoured her as no other woman in the world is honoured, of all that +now-a-days keep house under the hand of their lords. Thus she hath, and hath +ever had, all worship heartily from her dear children and from her lord +Alcinous and from all the folk, who look on her as on a goddess, and greet her +with reverend speech, when she goes about the town. Yea, for she too hath no +lack of understanding. To whomso she shows favour, even if they be men, she +ends their feuds.<a href="#linknote-14" name="linknoteref-14">[14]</a> If but her heart be kindly disposed to thee, then +is there good hope that thou mayest see thy friends, and come to thy +high-roofed home and thine own country.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-14"></a><a href="#linknoteref-14">[14]</a> +v. l. ᾗσιν. And for the women she favours, she ends the +feuds of their lords also. +</p> + +<p> +Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed over the unharvested seas, and left +pleasant Scheria, and came to Marathon and wide-wayed Athens, and entered the +good house of Erechtheus. Meanwhile Odysseus went to the famous palace of +Alcinous, and his heart was full of many thoughts as he stood there or ever he +had reached the threshold of bronze. For there was a gleam as it were of sun or +moon through the high-roofed hall of great-hearted Alcinous. Brazen were the +walls which ran this way and that from the threshold to the inmost chamber, and +round them was a frieze of blue, and golden were the doors that closed in the +good house. Silver were the door-posts that were set on the brazen threshold, +and silver the lintel thereupon, and the hook of the door was of gold. And on +either side stood golden hounds and silver, which Hephaestus wrought by his +cunning, to guard the palace of great-hearted Alcinous, being free from death +and age all their days. And within were seats arrayed against the wall this way +and that, from the threshold even to the inmost chamber, and thereon were +spread light coverings finely woven, the handiwork of women. There the +Phaeacian chieftains were wont to sit eating and drinking, for they had +continual store. Yea, and there were youths fashioned in gold, standing on +firm-set bases, with flaming torches in their hands, giving light through the +night to the feasters in the palace. And he had fifty handmaids in the house, +and some grind the yellow grain on the millstone, and others weave webs and +turn the yarn as they sit, restless as the leaves of the tall poplar tree: and +the soft olive oil drops off that linen, so closely is it woven. For as the +Phaeacian men are skilled beyond all others in driving a swift ship upon the +deep, even so are the women the most cunning at the loom, for Athene hath given +them notable wisdom in all fair handiwork and cunning wit. And without the +courtyard hard by the door is a great garden, off our ploughgates, and a hedge +runs round on either side. And there grow tall trees blossoming, pear-trees and +pomegranates, and apple-trees with bright fruit, and sweet figs, and olives in +their bloom. The fruit of these trees never perisheth neither faileth, winter +nor summer, enduring through all the year. Evermore the West Wind blowing +brings some fruits to birth and ripens others. Pear upon pear waxes old, and +apple on apple, yea and cluster ripens upon cluster of the grape, and fig upon +fig. There too hath he a fruitful vineyard planted, whereof the one part is +being dried by the heat, a sunny plot on level ground, while other grapes men +are gathering, and yet others they are treading in the wine-press. In the +foremost row are unripe grapes that cast the blossom, and others there be that +are growing black to vintaging. There too, skirting the furthest line, are all +manner of garden beds, planted trimly, that are perpetually fresh, and therein +are two fountains of water, whereof one scatters his streams all about the +garden, and the other runs over against it beneath the threshold of the +courtyard, and issues by the lofty house, and thence did the townsfolk draw +water. These were the splendid gifts of the gods in the palace of Alcinous. +</p> + +<p> +There the steadfast goodly Odysseus stood and gazed. But when he had gazed at +all and wondered, he passed quickly over the threshold within the house. And he +found the captains and the counsellors of the Phaeacians pouring forth wine to +the keen-sighted god, the slayer of Argos; for to him they poured the last cup +when they were minded to take rest. Now the steadfast goodly Odysseus went +through the hall, clad in a thick mist, which Athene shed around him, till he +came to Arete and the king Alcinous. And Odysseus cast his hands about the +knees of Arete, and then it was that the wondrous mist melted from off him, and +a silence fell on them that were within the house at the sight of him, and they +marvelled as they beheld him. Then Odysseus began his prayer: +</p> + +<p> +“Arete, daughter of god-like Rhexenor, after many toils am I come to thy +husband and to thy knees and to these guests, and may the gods vouchsafe them a +happy life, and may each one leave to his children after him his substance in +his halls and whatever dues of honour the people have rendered unto him. But +speed, I pray you, my parting, that I may come the more quickly to mine own +country, for already too long do I suffer affliction far from my +friends.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he sat him down by the hearth in the ashes at the fire, and behold, a +dead silence fell on all. And at the last the ancient lord Echeneus spake among +them, an elder of the Phaeacians, excellent in speech and skilled in much +wisdom of old time. With good will he made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Alcinous, this truly is not the more seemly way, nor is it fitting that +the stranger should sit upon the ground in the ashes by the hearth, while these +men refrain them, waiting thy word. Nay come, bid the stranger arise, and set +him on a chair inlaid with silver, and command the henchmen to mix the wine, +that we may pour forth likewise before Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, who +attendeth upon reverend suppliants. And let the housewife give supper to the +stranger out of such stores as be within.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when the mighty king Alcinous heard this saying, he took Odysseus, the wise +and crafty, by the hand, and raised him from the hearth, and set him on a +shining chair, whence he bade his son give place, valiant Laodamas, who sat +next him and was his dearest. And a handmaid bare water for the hands in a +goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin to wash withal, and +drew to his side a polished table. And a grave dame bare wheaten bread and set +it by him and laid upon the board many dainties, giving freely of such things +as she had by her. So the steadfast goodly Odysseus did eat and drink: and then +the mighty Alcinous spake unto the henchman: +</p> + +<p> +“Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve out the wine to all in the hall, that +we may pour forth likewise before Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, who +attendeth upon reverend suppliants.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine, and served it out to +all, when he had poured for libation into each cup in turn. But when they had +poured forth and had drunken to their heart’s content, Alcinous made +harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, ye captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians, that I may speak +as my spirit bids me. Now that the feast is over, go ye home and lie down to +rest; and in the morning we will call yet more elders together, and entertain +the stranger in the halls and do fair sacrifice to the gods, and thereafter we +will likewise bethink us of the convoy, that so without pain or grief yonder +stranger may by our convoy reach his own country speedily and with joy, even +though he be from very far away. So shall he suffer no hurt or harm in mid +passage, ere he set foot on his own land; but thereafter he shall endure such +things as Fate and the stern spinning women drew off the spindles for him at +his birth when his mother bare him. But if he is some deathless god come down +from heaven, then do the gods herein imagine some new device against us. For +always heretofore the gods appear manifest amongst us, whensoever we offer +glorious hecatombs, and they feast by our side, sitting at the same board; yea, +and even if a wayfarer going all alone has met with them, they use no disguise, +since we are near of kin to them, even as are the Cyclôpes and the wild tribes +of the Giants.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: “Alcinous, that +thought be far from thee! for I bear no likeness either in form or fashion to +the deathless gods, who keep wide heaven, but to men that die. Whomsoever ye +know of human kind the heaviest laden with sorrow, to them might I liken myself +in my griefs. Yea, and I might tell of yet other woes, even the long tale of +toil that by the gods’ will I endured. But as for me, suffer me to sup, +afflicted as I am; for nought is there more shameless than a ravening belly, +which biddeth a man perforce be mindful of him, though one be worn and +sorrowful in spirit, even as I have sorrow of heart; yet evermore he biddeth me +eat and drink and maketh me utterly to forget all my sufferings, and commandeth +me to take my fill. But do ye bestir you at the breaking of the day, that so ye +may set me, hapless as I am, upon my country’s soil, albeit after much +suffering. Ah, and may life leave me when I have had sight of mine own +possessions, my thralls, and my dwelling that is great and high!” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade send the stranger on his +way, for that he had spoken aright. Now when they had poured forth and had +drunken to their hearts’ content, they went each one to his house to lay +them to rest. But goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, and by him sat +Arete and godlike Alcinous; and the maids cleared away the furniture of the +feast; and white-armed Arete first spake among them. For she knew the mantle +and the doublet, when she saw the goodly raiment that she herself had wrought +with the women her handmaids. So she uttered her voice and spake to him winged +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Sir, I am bold to ask thee first of this. Who art thou of the sons of +men, and whence? Who gave thee this raiment? Didst thou not say indeed that +thou camest hither wandering over the deep?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her, and said: “’Tis hard, +O queen, to tell my griefs from end to end, for that the gods of heaven have +given me griefs in plenty. But this will I declare to thee, whereof thou dost +question and inquire. There is an isle, Ogygia, that lies far off in the sea; +there dwells the daughter of Atlas, crafty Calypso, of the braided tresses, an +awful goddess, nor is any either of gods or mortals conversant with her. +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. There all the rest of my good company was lost, but I +clung with fast embrace about the keel of the curved ship, and so was I borne +for nine whole days. And on the tenth dark night the gods brought me nigh the +isle Ogygia, where Calypso of the braided tresses dwells, an awful goddess. She +took me in, and with all care she cherished me and gave me sustenance, and said +that she would make me to know not death nor age for all my days; but never did +she win my heart within me. There I abode for seven years continually, and +watered with my tears the imperishable raiment that Calypso gave me. But when +the eighth year came round in his course, then at last she urged and bade me to +be gone, by reason of a message from Zeus, or it may be that her own mind was +turned. So she sent me forth on a well-bound raft, and gave me plenteous store, +bread and sweet wine, and she clad me in imperishable raiment, and sent forth a +warm and gentle wind to blow. 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. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up +the same, who roused against me the winds and stopped my way, and made a +wondrous sea to swell, nor did the wave suffer me to be borne upon my raft, as +I made ceaseless moan. Thus the storm winds shattered the raft, but as for me I +cleft my way through the gulf yonder, till the wind bare and the water brought +me nigh your coast. Then as I strove to land upon the shore, the wave had +overwhelmed me, dashing me against the great rocks and a desolate place, but at +length I gave way and swam back, till I came to the river, where the place +seemed best in mine eyes, smooth of rocks, and withal there was a shelter from +the wind. And as I came out I sank down, gathering to me my spirit, and +immortal night came on. Then I gat me forth and away from the heaven-fed river, +and laid me to sleep in the bushes and strewed leaves about me, and the god +shed over me infinite sleep. There among the leaves I slept, stricken at heart, +all the night long, even till the morning and mid-day. And the sun sank when +sweet sleep let me free. And I was aware of the company of thy daughter +disporting them upon the sand, and there was she in the midst of them like unto +the goddesses. To her I made my supplication, and she showed no lack of a good +understanding, behaving so as thou couldst not hope for in chancing upon one so +young; for the younger folk lack wisdom always. She gave me bread enough and +red wine, and let wash me in the river and bestowed on me these garments. +Herein, albeit in sore distress, have I told thee all the truth.” +</p> + +<p> +And Alcinous answered again, and spake saying: “Sir, surely this was no +right thought of my daughter, in that she brought thee not to our house with +the women her handmaids, though thou didst first entreat her grace.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered, and said unto him: “My lord, +chide not, I pray thee, for this the blameless maiden. For indeed she bade me +follow with her company, but I would not for fear and very shame, lest +perchance thine heart might be clouded at the sight; for a jealous race upon +the earth are we, the tribes of men.” +</p> + +<p> +And Alcinous answered yet again, and spake saying: “Sir, my heart within +me is not of such temper as to have been wroth without a cause: due measure in +all things is best. Would to father Zeus, and Athene, and Apollo, would that so +goodly a man as thou art, and like-minded with me, thou wouldst wed my +daughter, and be called my son, here abiding: so would I give thee house and +wealth, if thou wouldst stay of thine own will: but against thy will shall none +of the Phaeacians keep thee: never be this well-pleasing in the eyes of father +Zeus! And now I ordain an escort for thee on a certain day, that thou mayst +surely know, and that day the morrow. Then shalt thou lay thee down overcome by +sleep, and they the while shall smite the calm waters, till thou come to thy +country and thy house, and whatsoever place is dear to thee, even though it be +much farther than Euboea, which certain of our men say is the farthest of +lands, they who saw it, when they carried Rhadamanthus, of the fair hair, to +visit Tityos, son of Gaia. Even thither they went, and accomplished the journey +on the self-same day and won home again, and were not weary. And now shalt thou +know for thyself how far my ships are the best, and how my young men excel at +tossing the salt water with the oar-blade.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus rejoiced; and then he uttered a +word in prayer, and called aloud to Zeus: “Father Zeus, oh that Alcinous +may fulfil all that he hath said, so may his fame never be quenched upon the +earth, the grain-giver, and I should come to mine own land!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. And white-armed Arete bade her handmaids set +out bedsteads beneath the gallery, and cast fair purple blankets over them, and +spread coverlets above, and thereon lay thick mantles to be a clothing over +all. So they went from the hall with torch in hand. But when they had busied +them and spread the good bedstead, they stood by Odysseus and called unto him, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Up now, stranger, and get thee to sleep, thy bed is made.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake they, and it seemed to him that rest was wondrous good. So he slept +there, the steadfast goodly Odysseus, on the jointed bedstead, beneath the +echoing gallery. But Alcinous laid him down in the innermost chamber of the +high house, and by him the lady his wife arrayed bedstead and bedding. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>BOOK VIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +The next day’s entertainment of Odysseus, where he sees them contend in +wrestling and other exercises, and upon provocation took up a greater stone +than that which they were throwing, and overthrew them all. Alcinous and the +lords give him presents. And how the king asked his name, his country, and his +adventures. +</p> + +<p> +Now when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then the mighty king +Alcinous gat him up from his bed; and Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, likewise +uprose, the waster of cities. And the mighty king Alcinous led the way to the +assembly place of the Phaeacians, which they had established hard by the ships. +So when they had come thither, and sat them down on the polished stones close +by each other, Pallas Athene went on her way through the town, in the semblance +of the herald of wise Alcinous, devising a return for the great-hearted +Odysseus. Then standing by each man she spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hither now get ye to the assembly, ye captains and counsellors of the +Phaeacians, that ye may learn concerning the stranger, who hath lately come to +the palace of wise Alcinous, in his wanderings over the deep, and his form is +like the deathless gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she aroused the spirit and desire of each one, and speedily the +meeting-places and seats were filled with men that came to the gathering: yea, +and many an one marvelled at the sight of the wise son of Laertes, for wondrous +was the grace Athene poured upon his head and shoulders, and she made him +greater and more mighty to behold, that he might win love and worship and +honour among all the Phaeacians, and that he might accomplish many feats, +wherein the Phaeacians made trial of Odysseus. Now when they were gathered and +come together, Alcinous made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Harken, ye captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians, and I will say +that which my spirit within me bids me utter. This stranger, I know not who he +is, hath come to my house in his wandering, whether from the men of the dawning +or the westward, and he presses for a convoy, and prays that it be assured to +him. So let us, as in time past, speed on the convoy. For never, nay never, +doth any man who cometh to my house, abide here long in sorrow for want of help +upon his way. Nay, come let us draw down a black ship to the fair salt sea, for +her first voyage, and let them choose fifty and two noble youths throughout the +township, who have been proved heretofore the best. And when ye have made fast +the oars upon the benches, step all a shore, and thereafter come to our house, +and quickly fall to feasting; and I will make good provision for all. To the +noble youths I give this commandment; but ye others, sceptred kings, come to my +fair dwelling, that we may entertain the stranger in the halls, and let no man +make excuse. Moreover, bid hither the divine minstrel, Demodocus, for the god +hath given minstrelsy to him as to none other, to make men glad in what way +soever his spirit stirs him to sing.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and led the way, and the sceptred kings accompanied him, while the +henchmen went for the divine minstrel. And chosen youths, fifty and two, +departed at his command, to the shore of the unharvested sea. But after they +had gone down to the ship and to the sea, first of all they drew the ship down +to the deep water, and placed the mast and sails in the black ship, and fixed +the oars in leathern loops, all orderly, and spread forth the white sails. And +they moored her high out in the shore water, and thereafter went on their way +to the great palace of the wise Alcinous. Now the galleries and the courts and +the rooms were thronged with men that came to the gathering, for there were +many, young and old. Then Alcinous sacrificed twelve sheep among them, and +eight boars with flashing tusks, and two oxen with trailing feet. These they +flayed and made ready, and dressed a goodly feast. +</p> + +<p> +Then the henchman drew near, leading with him the beloved minstrel, whom the +muse loved dearly, and she gave him both good and evil; of his sight she reft +him, but granted him sweet song. Then Pontonous, the henchman, set for him a +high chair inlaid with silver, in the midst of the guests, leaning it against +the tall pillar, and he hung the loud lyre on a pin, close above his head, and +showed him how to lay his hands on it. And close by him he placed a basket, and +a fair table, and a goblet of wine by his side, to drink when his spirit bade +him. So they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer spread before +them. But after they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, the Muse +stirred the minstrel to sing the songs of famous men, even that lay whereof the +fame had then reached the wide heaven, namely, the quarrel between Odysseus and +Achilles, son of Peleus; how once on a time they contended in fierce words at a +rich festival of the gods, but Agamemnon, king of men, was inly glad when the +noblest of the Achaeans fell at variance. For so Phoebus Apollo in his +soothsaying had told him that it must be, in goodly Pytho, what time he crossed +the threshold of stone, to seek to the oracle. For in those days the first wave +of woe was rolling on Trojans and Danaans through the counsel of great Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +This song it was that the famous minstrel sang; but Odysseus caught his great +purple cloak with his stalwart hands, and drew it down over his head, and hid +his comely face, for he was ashamed to shed tears beneath his brows in presence +of the Phaeacians. Yea, and oft as the divine minstrel paused in his song, +Odysseus would wipe away the tears, and draw the cloak from off his head, and +take the two-handled goblet and pour forth before the gods. But whensoever he +began again, and the chiefs of the Phaeacians stirred him to sing, in delight +at the lay, again would Odysseus cover up his head and make moan. Now none of +all the company marked him weeping, but Alcinous alone noted it and was ware +thereof as he sat by him and heard him groaning heavily. And presently he spake +among the Phaeacians, masters of the oar: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken, ye captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians, now have our +souls been satisfied with the good feast, and with the lyre, which is the mate +of the rich banquet. Let us go forth anon, and make trial of divers games, that +the stranger may tell his friends, when home he returneth, how greatly we excel +all men in boxing, and wrestling, and leaping, and speed of foot.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and led the way, and they went with him. And the henchman hung the +loud lyre on the pin, and took the hand of Demodocus, and let him forth from +the hall, and guided him by the same way, whereby those others, the chiefs of +the Phaeacians, had gone to gaze upon the games. So they went on their way to +the place of assembly, and with them a great company innumerable; and many a +noble youth stood up to play. There rose Acroneus, and Ocyalus, and Elatreus, +and Nauteus, and Prymneus, and Anchialus, and Eretmeus, and Ponteus, and +Proreus, Thoon, and Anabesineus, and Amphialus, son of Polyneus, son of Tekton, +and likewise Euryalus, the peer of murderous Ares, the son of Naubolus, who in +face and form was goodliest of all the Phaeacians next to noble Laodamas. And +there stood up the three sons of noble Alcinous, Laodamas, and Halius, and +god-like Clytoneus. And behold, these all first tried the issue in the foot +race. From the very start they strained at utmost speed: and all together they +flew forward swiftly, raising the dust along the plain. And noble Clytoneus was +far the swiftest of them all in running, and by the length of the furrow that +mules cleave in a fallow field,<a href="#linknote-15" name="linknoteref-15">[15]</a> so far did he shoot to the front, and came to the +crowd by the lists, while those others were left behind. Then they made trial +of strong wrestling, and here in turn Euryalus excelled all the best. And in +leaping Amphialus was far the foremost, and Elatreus in weight-throwing, and in +boxing Laodamas, the good son of Alcinous. Now when they had all taken their +pleasure in the games, Laodamas, son of Alcinous, spake among them: +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-15"></a><a href="#linknoteref-15">[15]</a> +The distance here indicated seems to be that which the mule goes in ploughing, +without pausing to take breath. +</p> + +<p> +“Come, my friends, let us ask the stranger whether he is skilled or +practised in any sport. Ill fashioned, at least, he is not in his thighs and +sinewy legs and hands withal, and his stalwart neck and mighty strength: yea +and he lacks not youth, but is crushed by many troubles. For I tell thee there +is nought else worse than the sea to confound a man, how hardy soever he may +be.” +</p> + +<p> +And Euryalus in turn made answer, and said: “Laodamas, verily thou hast +spoken this word in season. Go now thyself and challenge him, and declare thy +saying.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when the good son of Alcinous heard this, he went and stood in the midst, +and spake unto Odysseus: “Come, do thou too, father and stranger, try thy +skill in the sports, if haply thou art practised in any; and thou art like to +have knowledge of games, for there is no greater glory for a man while yet he +lives, than that which he achieves by hand and foot. Come, then, make essay, +and cast away care from thy soul: thy journey shall not now be long delayed; +lo, thy ship is even now drawn down to the sea, and the men of thy company are +ready.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying; “Laodamas, wherefore +do ye mock me, requiring this thing of me? Sorrow is far nearer my heart than +sports, for much have I endured and laboured sorely in time past, and now I sit +in this your gathering, craving my return, and making my prayer to the king and +all the people.” +</p> + +<p> +And Euryalus answered, and rebuked him to his face: “No truly, stranger, +nor do I think thee at all like one that is skilled in games, whereof there are +many among men, rather art thou such an one as comes and goes in a benched +ship, a master of sailors that are merchantmen, one with a memory for his +freight, or that hath the charge of a cargo homeward bound, and of greedily +gotten gains; thou seemest not a man of thy hands.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him and said: +“Stranger, thou hast not spoken well; thou art like a man presumptuous. +So true it is that the gods do not give every gracious gift to all, neither +shapeliness, nor wisdom, nor skilled speech. For one man is feebler than +another in presence, yet the god crowns his words with beauty, and men behold +him and rejoice, and his speech runs surely on his way with a sweet modesty, +and he shines forth among the gathering of his people, and as he passes through +the town men gaze on him as a god. Another again is like the deathless gods for +beauty, but his words have no crown of grace about them; even as thou art in +comeliness pre-eminent, nor could a god himself fashion thee for the better, +but in wit thou art a weakling. Yea, thou hast stirred my spirit in my breast +by speaking thus amiss. I am not all unversed in sports, as thy words go, but +methinks I was among the foremost while as yet I trusted in my youth and my +hands, but now am I holden in misery and pains: for I have endured much in +passing through the wars of men and the grievous waves of the sea. Yet even so, +for all my affliction, I will essay the games, for thy word hath bitten to the +quick, and thou hast roused me with thy saying.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and clad even as he was in his mantle leaped to his feet, and caught +up a weight larger than the rest, a huge weight heavier far than those +wherewith the Phaeacians contended in casting. With one whirl he sent it from +his stout hand, and the stone flew hurtling: and the Phaeacians, of the long +oars, those mariners renowned, crouched to earth beneath the rushing of the +stone. Beyond all the marks it flew, so lightly it sped from his hand, and +Athene in the fashion of a man marked the place, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Yea, even a blind man, stranger, might discern that token if he groped +for it, for it is in no wise lost among the throng of the others, but is far +the first; for this bout then take heart: not one of the Phaeacians shall +attain thereunto or overpass it.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake she; and the steadfast goodly Odysseus rejoiced and was glad, for that +he saw a true friend in the lists. Then with a lighter heart he spake amid the +Phaeacians: +</p> + +<p> +“Now reach ye this throw, young men, if ye may; and soon, methinks, will +I cast another after it, as far or yet further. And whomsoever of the rest his +heart and spirit stir thereto, hither let him come and try the issue with me, +in boxing or in wrestling or even in the foot race, I care not which, for ye +have greatly angered me: let any of all the Phaeacians come save Laodamas +alone, for he is mine host: who would strive with one that entreated him +kindly? Witless and worthless is the man, whoso challengeth his host that +receiveth him in a strange land, he doth but maim his own estate. But for the +rest, I refuse none and hold none lightly, but I fain would know and prove them +face to face. For I am no weakling in all sports, even in the feats of men. I +know well how to handle the polished bow, and ever the first would I be to +shoot and smite my man in the press of foes, even though many of my company +stood by, and were aiming at the enemy. Alone Philoctetes in the Trojan land +surpassed me with the bow in our Achaean archery. But I avow myself far more +excellent than all besides, of the mortals that are now upon the earth and live +by bread. Yet with the men of old time I would not match me, neither with +Heracles nor with Eurytus of Oechalia, who contended even with the deathless +gods for the prize of archery. Wherefore the great Eurytus perished all too +soon, nor did old age come on him in his halls, for Apollo slew him in his +wrath, seeing that he challenged him to shoot a match. And with the spear I can +throw further than any other man can shoot an arrow. Only I doubt that in the +foot race some of the Phaeacians may outstrip me, for I have been shamefully +broken in many waters, seeing that there was no continual sustenance on board; +wherefore my knees are loosened.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he and all kept silence; and Alcinous alone answered him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, forasmuch as these thy words are not ill-taken in our +gathering, but thou wouldest fain show forth the valour which keeps thee +company, being angry that yonder man stood by thee in the lists, and taunted +thee, in such sort as no mortal would speak lightly of thine excellence, who +had knowledge of sound words; nay now, mark my speech; so shalt thou have +somewhat to tell another hero, when with thy wife and children thou suppest in +thy halls, and recallest our prowess, what deeds Zeus bestoweth even upon us +from our fathers’ days even until now. For we are no perfect boxers, nor +wrestlers, but speedy runners, and the best of seamen; and dear to us ever is +the banquet, and the harp, and the dance, and changes of raiment, and the warm +bath, and love, and sleep. Lo, now arise, ye dancers of the Phaeacians, the +best in the land, and make sport, that so the stranger may tell his friends, +when he returneth home, how far we surpass all men besides in seamanship, and +speed of foot, and in the dance and song. And let one go quickly, and fetch for +Demodocus the loud lyre which is lying somewhere in our halls.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Alcinous the godlike, and the henchman rose to bear the hollow lyre +from the king’s palace. Then stood up nine chosen men in all, the judges +of the people, who were wont to order all things in the lists aright. So they +levelled the place for the dance, and made a fair ring and a wide. And the +henchman drew near bearing the loud lyre to Demodocus, who gat him into the +midst, and round him stood boys in their first bloom, skilled in the dance, and +they smote the good floor with their feet. And Odysseus gazed at the twinklings +of the feet, and marvelled in spirit. +</p> + +<p> +Now as the minstrel touched the lyre, he lifted up his voice in sweet song, and +he sang of the love of Ares and Aphrodite, of the fair crown, how at the first +they lay together in the house of Hephaestus privily; and Ares gave her many +gifts, and dishonoured the marriage bed of the lord Hephaestus. And anon there +came to him one to report the thing, even Helios, that had seen them at their +pastime. Now when Hephaestus heard the bitter tidings, he went his way to the +forge, devising evil in the deep of his heart, and set the great anvil on the +stithy, and wrought fetters that none might snap or loosen, that the lovers +might there unmoveably remain. Now when he had forged the crafty net in his +anger against Ares, he went on his way to the chamber where his marriage bed +was set out, and strewed his snares all about the posts of the bed, and many +too were hung aloft from the main beam, subtle as spiders’ webs, so that +none might see them, even of the blessed gods: so cunningly were they forged. +Now after he had done winding the snare about the bed, he made as though he +would go to Lemnos, that stablished castle, and this was far the dearest of all +lands in his sight. But Ares of the golden rein kept no blind watch, what time +he saw Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, depart afar. So he went on his way to +the house of renowned Hephaestus, eager for the love of crowned Cytherea. Now +she was but newly come from her sire, the mighty Cronion, and as it chanced had +sat her down; and Ares entered the house, and clasped her hand, and spake, and +hailed her: +</p> + +<p> +“Come, my beloved, let us to bed, and take our pleasure of love, for +Hephaestus is no longer among his own people; methinks he is already gone to +Lemnos, to the Sintians, men of savage speech.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and a glad thing it seemed to her to lie with him. So they twain +went to the couch, and laid them to sleep, and around them clung the cunning +bonds of skilled Hephaestus, so that they could not move nor raise a limb. Then +at the last they knew it, when there was no way to flee. Now the famous god of +the strong arms drew near to them, having turned him back ere he reached the +land of Lemnos. For Helios had kept watch, and told him all. So heavy at heart +he went his way to his house, and stood at the entering in of the gate, and +wild rage gat hold of him, and he cried terribly, and shouted to all the gods: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, and ye other blessed gods, that live for ever, come hither, +that ye may see a mirthful thing and a cruel, for that Aphrodite, daughter of +Zeus, ever dishonours me by reason of my lameness, and sets her heart on Ares +the destroyer, because he is fair and straight of limb, but as for me, feeble +was I born. Howbeit, there is none to blame but my father and +mother,—would they had never begotten me! But now shall ye see where +these have gone up into my bed, and sleep together in love; and I am troubled +at the sight. Yet, methinks, they will not care to lie thus even for a little +while longer, despite their great love. Soon will they have no desire to sleep +together, but the snare and the bond shall hold them, till her sire give back +to me the gifts of wooing, one and all, those that I bestowed upon him for the +hand of his shameless girl; for that his daughter is fair, but without +discretion.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he; and lo, the gods gathered together to the house of the brazen +floor. Poseidon came, the girdler of the earth, and Hermes came, the bringer of +luck, and prince Apollo came, the archer. But the lady goddesses abode each +within her house for shame. So the gods, the givers of good things, stood in +the porch: and laughter unquenchable arose among the blessed gods, as they +beheld the sleight of cunning Hephaestus. And thus would one speak, looking to +his neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“Ill deed, ill speed! The slow catcheth the swift! Lo, how Hephaestus, +slow as he is, hath overtaken Ares, albeit he is the swiftest of the gods that +hold Olympus, by his craft hath he taken him despite his lameness; wherefore +surely Ares oweth the fine of the adulterer.” Thus they spake one to the +other. But the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, spake to Hermes: +</p> + +<p> +“Hermes, son of Zeus, messenger and giver of good things, wouldst thou be +fain, aye, pressed by strong bonds though it might be, to lie on the couch by +golden Aphrodite?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the messenger, the slayer of Argos, answered him: “I would that this +might be, Apollo, my prince of archery! So might thrice as many bonds +innumerable encompass me about, and all ye gods be looking on and all the +goddesses, yet would I lie by golden Aphrodite.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and laughter rose among the deathless gods. Howbeit, Poseidon +laughed not, but was instant with Hephaestus, the renowned artificer, to loose +the bonds of Ares: and he uttered his voice, and spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Loose him, I pray thee, and I promise even as thou biddest me, that he +shall himself pay all fair forfeit in the presence of the deathless +gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the famous god of the strong arms answered him: “Require not this of +me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth. Evil are evil folk’s pledges to hold. +How could I keep thee bound among the deathless gods, if Ares were to depart, +avoiding the debt and the bond?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Poseidon answered him, shaker of the earth: “Hephaestus, even if +Ares avoid the debt and flee away, I myself will pay thee all.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the famous god of the strong arms answered him: “It may not be that +I should say thee nay, neither is it meet.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the mighty Hephaestus loosed the bonds, and the twain, when they were +freed from that strong bond, sprang up straightway, and departed, he to Thrace, +but laughter-loving Aphrodite went to Paphos of Cyprus, where is her precinct +and fragrant altar. There the Graces bathed and anointed her with oil +imperishable, such as is laid upon the everlasting gods. And they clad her in +lovely raiment, a wonder to see. +</p> + +<p> +This was the song the famous minstrel sang; and Odysseus listened and was glad +at heart, and likewise did the Phaeacians, of the long oars, those mariners +renowned. +</p> + +<p> +Then Alcinous bade Halius and Laodamas dance alone, for none ever contended +with them. So when they had taken in their hands the goodly ball of purple hue, +that cunning Polybus had wrought for them, the one would bend backwards, and +throw it towards the shadowy clouds; and the other would leap upward from the +earth, and catch it lightly in his turn, before his feet touched the ground. +Now after they had made trial of throwing the ball straight up, the twain set +to dance upon the bounteous earth, tossing the ball from hand to hand, and the +other youths stood by the lists and beat time, and a great din uprose. +</p> + +<p> +Then it was that goodly Odysseus spake unto Alcinous: “My lord Alcinous, +most notable among all the people, thou didst boast thy dancers to be the best +in the world, and lo, thy words are fulfilled; I wonder as I look on +them.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the mighty king Alcinous rejoiced and spake at once among the +Phaeacians, masters of the oar: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken ye, captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians, this stranger +seems to me a wise man enough. Come then, let us give him a stranger’s +gift, as is meet. Behold, there are twelve glorious princes who rule among this +people and bear sway, and I myself am the thirteenth. Now each man among you +bring a fresh robe and a doublet, and a talent of fine gold, and let us +speedily carry all these gifts together, that the stranger may take them in his +hands, and go to supper with a glad heart. As for Euryalus, let him yield +amends to the man himself, with soft speech and with a gift, for his was no +gentle saying.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and would have it so. And each one +sent forth his henchman to fetch his gift, and Euryalus answered the king and +spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“My lord Alcinous, most notable among all the people, I will make +atonement to thy guest according to thy word. I will give him a hanger all of +bronze, with a silver hilt thereto, and a sheath of fresh-sawn ivory covers it +about, and it shall be to him a thing of price.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he puts into his hands the hanger dight with silver, and uttering his +voice spake to him winged words: “Hail, stranger and father; and if aught +grievous hath been spoken, may the storm-winds soon snatch and bear it away. +But may the gods grant thee to see thy wife and to come to thine own country, +for all too long has thou endured affliction away from thy friends.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Thou too, my friend, +all hail; and may the gods vouchsafe thee happiness, and mayst thou never miss +this sword which thou hast given me, thou that with soft speech hast yielded me +amends.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and hung about his shoulders the silver-studded sword. And the sun +sank, and the noble gifts were brought him. Then the proud henchmen bare them +to the palace of Alcinous, and the sons of noble Alcinous took the fair gifts, +and set them by their reverend mother. And the mighty king Alcinous led the +way, and they came in and sat them down on the high seats. And the mighty +Alcinous spake unto Arete: +</p> + +<p> +“Bring me hither, my lady, a choice coffer, the best thou hast, and +thyself place therein a fresh robe and a doublet, and heat for our guest a +cauldron on the fire, and warm water, that after the bath the stranger may see +all the gifts duly arrayed which the noble Phaeacians bare hither, and that he +may have joy in the feast, and in hearing the song of the minstrelsy. Also I +will give him a beautiful golden chalice of mine own, that he may be mindful of +me all the days of his life when he poureth the drink-offering to Zeus and to +the other gods.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Arete bade her handmaids to set a great cauldron on the fire +with what speed they might. And they set the cauldron for the filling of the +bath on the blazing fire, and poured water therein, and took faggots and +kindled them beneath. So the fire began to circle round the belly of the +cauldron, and the water waxed hot. Meanwhile Arete brought forth for her guest +the beautiful coffer from the treasure chamber, and bestowed fair gifts +therein, raiment and gold, which the Phaeacians gave him. And with her own +hands she placed therein a robe and goodly doublet, and uttering her voice +spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Do thou now look to the lid, and quickly tie the knot, lest any man +spoil thy goods by the way, when presently thou fallest on sweet sleep +travelling in thy black ship.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when the steadfast goodly Odysseus heard this saying, forthwith he fixed on +the lid, and quickly tied the curious knot, which the lady Circe on a time had +taught him. Then straightway the housewife bade him go to the bath and bathe +him; and he saw the warm water and was glad, for he was not wont to be so cared +for, from the day that he left the house of fair-tressed Calypso, but all that +while he had comfort continually as a god. +</p> + +<p> +Now after the maids had bathed him and anointed him with olive oil, and had +cast a fair mantle and a doublet upon him, he stept forth from the bath, and +went to be with the chiefs at their wine. And Nausicaa, dowered with beauty by +the gods, stood by the pillar of the well-builded roof, and marvelled at +Odysseus, beholding him before her eyes, and she uttered her voice and spake to +him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, stranger, and even in thine own country bethink thee of me +upon a time, for that to me first thou owest the ransom of life.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Nausicaa, daughter of +great-hearted Alcinous, yea, may Zeus, the thunderer, the lord of Here, grant +me to reach my home and see the day of my returning; so would I, even there, do +thee worship as to a god, all my days for evermore, for thou, lady, hast given +me my life.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and sat him in the high seat by king Alcinous. And now they were +serving out the portions and mixing the wine. Then the henchmen drew nigh +leading the sweet minstrel, Demodocus, that was had in honour of the people. So +he set him in the midst of the feasters, and made him lean against a tall +column. Then to the henchman spake Odysseus of many counsels, for he had cut +off a portion of the chine of a white-toothed boar, whereon yet more was left, +with rich fat on either side: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo, henchman, take this mess, and hand it to Demodocus, that he may eat, +and I will bid him hail, despite my sorrow. For minstrels from all men on earth +get their meed of honour and worship; inasmuch as the Muse teacheth them the +paths of song, and loveth the tribe of minstrels.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the henchman bare the mess, and set it upon the knees of the +lord Demodocus, and he took it, and was glad at heart. Then they stretched +forth their hands upon the good cheer set before them. Now after they had put +from them the desire of meat and drink, then Odysseus of many counsels spake to +Demodocus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Demodocus, I praise thee far above all mortal men, whether it be the +Muse, the daughter of Zeus, that taught thee, or even Apollo, for right duly +dost thou chant the faring of the Achaeans, even all that they wrought and +suffered, and all their travail, as if, methinks, thou hadst been present, or +heard the tale from another. Come now, change thy strain, and sing of the +fashioning of the horse of wood, which Epeius made by the aid of Athene, even +the guileful thing, that goodly Odysseus led up into the citadel, when he had +laden it with the men who wasted Ilios. If thou wilt indeed rehearse me this +aright, so will I be thy witness among all men, how the god of his grace hath +given thee the gift of wondrous song.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the minstrel, being stirred by the god, began and showed forth +his minstrelsy. He took up the tale where it tells how the Argives of the one +part set fire to their huts, and went aboard their decked ships and sailed +away, while those others, the fellowship of renowned Odysseus, were now seated +in the assembly-place of the Trojans, all hidden in the horse, for the Trojans +themselves had dragged him to the citadel. So the horse stood there, while +seated all around him the people spake many things confusedly and three ways +their counsel looked; either to cleave the hollow timber with the pitiless +spear, or to drag it to the brow of the hill, and hurl it from the rocks, or to +leave it as a mighty offering to appease the gods. And on this wise it was to +be at the last. For the doom was on them to perish when their city should have +closed upon the great horse of wood, wherein sat all the bravest of the +Argives, bearing to the Trojans death and destiny. And he sang how the sons of +the Achaeans poured forth from the horse, and left the hollow lair, and sacked +the burg. And he sang how and where each man wasted the town, and of Odysseus, +how he went like Ares to the house of Deiphobus with godlike Menelaus. It was +there, he said, that Odysseus adventured the most grievous battle, and in the +end prevailed, by grace of great-hearted Athene. +</p> + +<p> +This was the song that the famous minstrel sang. But the heart of Odysseus +melted, and the tear wet his cheeks beneath the eyelids. And as a woman throws +herself wailing about her dear lord, who hath fallen before his city and the +host, warding from his town and his children the pitiless day; and she beholds +him dying and drawing difficult breath, and embracing his body wails aloud, +while the foemen behind smite her with spears on back and shoulders and lead +her up into bondage, to bear labour and trouble, and with the most pitiful +grief her cheeks are wasted; even so pitifully fell the tears beneath the brows +of Odysseus. Now none of all the company marked him weeping; but Alcinous alone +noted it, and was ware thereof, as he sat nigh him and heard him groaning +heavily. And presently he spake among the Phaeacians, masters of the oar: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken, ye captains and counsellors of the Phaeacians, and now let +Demodocus hold his hand from the loud lyre, for this song of his is nowise +pleasing alike to all. From the time that we began to sup, and that the divine +minstrel was moved to sing, ever since hath yonder stranger never ceased from +woeful lamentation: sore grief, methinks, hath encompassed his heart. Nay, but +let the minstrel cease, that we may all alike make merry, hosts and guest, +since it is far meeter so. For all these things are ready for the sake of the +honourable stranger, even the convoy and the loving gifts which we give him out +of our love. In a brother’s place stand the stranger and the suppliant, +to him whose wits have even a little range, wherefore do thou too hide not now +with crafty purpose aught whereof I ask thee; it were more meet for thee to +tell it out. Say, what is the name whereby they called thee at home, even thy +father and thy mother, and others thy townsmen and the dwellers round about? +For there is none of all mankind nameless, neither the mean man nor yet the +noble, from the first hour of his birth, but parents bestow a name on every man +so soon as he is born. Tell me too of thy land, thy township, and thy city, +that our ships may conceive of their course to bring thee thither. For the +Phaeacians have no pilots nor any rudders after the manner of other ships, but +their barques themselves understand the thoughts and intents of men; they know +the cities and fat fields of every people, and most swiftly they traverse the +gulf of the salt sea, shrouded in mist and cloud, and never do they go in fear +of wreck or ruin. Howbeit I heard upon a time this word thus spoken by my +father Nausithous, who was wont to say that Poseidon was jealous of us for that +we give safe escort to all men. He said that the god would some day smite a +well-wrought ship of the Phaeacians as she came home from a convoy over the +misty deep, and would overshadow our city with a great mountain. Thus that +ancient one would speak, and thus the god may bring it about, or leave it +undone, according to the good pleasure of his will. But come now, declare me +this and plainly tell it all; whither wast thou borne wandering, and to what +shores of men thou camest; tell me of the people and of their fair-lying +cities, of those whoso are hard and wild and unjust, and of those likewise who +are hospitable and of a god-fearing mind. Declare, too, wherefore thou dost +weep and mourn in spirit at the tale of the faring of the Argive Danaans and +the lay of Ilios. All this the gods have fashioned, and have woven the skein of +death for men, that there might be a song in the ears even of the folk of +aftertime. Hadst thou even a kinsman by marriage that fell before Ilios, a true +man, a daughter’s husband or wife’s father, such as are nearest us +after those of our own stock and blood? Or else, may be, some loving friend, a +good man and true; for a friend with an understanding heart is no whit worse +than a brother.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>BOOK IX.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus relates, first, what befell him amongst the Cicones at Ismarus; +secondly, amongst the Lotophagi; thirdly, how he was used by the Cyclops +Polyphemus. +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “King Alcinous, most notable +of all the people, verily it is a good thing to list to a minstrel such as this +one, like to the gods in voice. Nay, as for me, I say that there is no more +gracious or perfect delight than when a whole people makes merry, and the men +sit orderly at feast in the halls and listen to the singer, and the tables by +them are laden with bread and flesh, and a wine-bearer drawing the wine serves +it round and pours it into the cups. This seems to me well-nigh the fairest +thing in the world. But now thy heart was inclined to ask of my grievous +troubles, that I may mourn for more exceeding sorrow. What then shall I tell of +first, what last, for the gods of heaven have given me woes in plenty? Now, +first, will I tell my name, that ye too may know it, and that I, when I have +escaped the pitiless day, may yet be your host, though my home is in a far +country. I am O<small>DYSSEUS, SON OF</small> L<small>AERTES</small>, who am in +men’s minds for all manner of wiles, and my fame reaches unto heaven. And I +dwell in clear-seen Ithaca, wherein is a mountain Neriton, with trembling +forest leaves, standing manifest to view, and many islands lie around, very +near one to the other, Dulichium and Same, and wooded Zacynthus. Now Ithaca +lies low, furthest up the sea-line toward the darkness, but those others face +the dawning and the sun: a rugged isle, but a good nurse of noble youths; and +for myself I can see nought beside sweeter than a man’s own country. Verily +Calypso, the fair goddess, would fain have kept me with her in her hollow +caves, longing to have me for her lord; and likewise too, guileful Circe of +Aia, would have stayed me in her halls, longing to have me for her lord. But +never did they prevail upon my heart within my breast. So surely is there +nought sweeter than a man’s own country and his parents, even though he dwell +far off in a rich home, in a strange land, away from them that begat him. But +come, let me tell thee too of the troubles of my journeying, which Zeus laid on +me as I came from Troy. +</p> + +<p> +“The wind that bare me from Ilios brought me nigh to the Cicones, even to +Ismarus, whereupon I sacked their city and slew the people. And from out the +city we took their wives and much substance, and divided them amongst us, that +none through me might go lacking his proper share. Howbeit, thereafter I +commanded that we should flee with a swift foot, but my men in their great +folly hearkened not. There was much wine still a drinking, and still they slew +many flocks of sheep by the seashore and kine with trailing feet and shambling +gait. Meanwhile the Cicones went and raised a cry to other Cicones their +neighbours, dwelling inland, who were more in number than they and braver +withal: skilled they were to fight with men from chariots, and when need was on +foot. So they gathered in the early morning as thick as leaves and flowers that +spring in their season—yea and in that hour an evil doom of Zeus stood by +us, ill-fated men, that so we might be sore afflicted. They set their battle in +array by the swift ships, and the hosts cast at one another with their +bronze-shod spears. So long as it was morn and the sacred day waxed stronger, +so long we abode their assault and beat them off, albeit they outnumbered us. +But when the sun was wending to the time of the loosing of cattle, then at last +the Cicones drave in the Achaeans and overcame them, and six of my +goodly-greaved company perished from each ship: but the remnant of us escaped +death and destiny. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence we sailed onward stricken at heart, yet glad as men saved from +death, albeit we had lost our dear companions. Nor did my curved ships move +onward ere we had called thrice on each of those our hapless fellows, who died +at the hands of the Cicones on the plain. Now Zeus, gatherer of the clouds, +aroused the North Wind against our ships with a terrible tempest, and covered +land and sea alike with clouds, and down sped night from heaven. Thus the ships +were driven headlong, and their sails were torn to shreds by the might of the +wind. So we lowered the sails into the hold, in fear of death, but rowed the +ships landward apace. There for two nights and two days we lay continually, +consuming our hearts with weariness and sorrow. But when the fair-tressed Dawn +had at last brought the full light of the third day, we set up the masts and +hoisted the white sails and sat us down, while the wind and the helmsman guided +the ships. And now I should have come to mine own country all unhurt, but the +wave and the stream of the sea and the North Wind swept me from my course as I +was doubling Malea, and drave me wandering past Cythera. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence for nine whole days was I borne by ruinous winds over the teeming +deep; but on the tenth day we set foot on the land of the lotus-eaters, who eat +a flowery food. So we stepped ashore and drew water, and straightway my company +took their midday meal by the swift ships. Now when we had tasted meat and +drink I sent forth certain of my company to go and make search what manner of +men they were who here live upon the earth by bread, and I chose out two of my +fellows, and sent a third with them as herald. Then straightway they went and +mixed with the men of the lotus-eaters, and so it was that the lotus-eaters +devised not death for our fellows, but gave them of the lotus to taste. Now +whosoever of them did eat the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus, had no more wish +to bring tidings nor to come back, but there he chose to abide with the +lotus-eating men, ever feeding on the lotus, and forgetful of his homeward way. +Therefore I led them back to the ships weeping, and sore against their will, +and dragged them beneath the benches, and bound them in the hollow barques. But +I commanded the rest of my well-loved company to make speed and go on board the +swift ships, lest haply any should eat of the lotus and be forgetful of +returning. Right soon they embarked, and sat upon the benches, and sitting +orderly they smote the grey sea water with their oars. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence we sailed onward stricken at heart. And we came to the land of +the Cyclôpes, a froward and a lawless folk, who trusting to the deathless gods +plant not aught with their hands, neither plough: but, behold, all these things +spring for them in plenty, unsown and untilled, wheat, and barley, and vines, +which bear great clusters of the juice of the grape, and the rain of Zeus gives +them increase. These have neither gatherings for council nor oracles of law, +but they dwell in hollow caves on the crests of the high hills, and each one +utters the law to his children and his wives, and they reck not one of another. +</p> + +<p> +“Now there is a waste isle stretching without the harbour of the land of +the Cyclôpes, neither nigh at hand nor yet afar off, a woodland isle, wherein +are wild goats unnumbered, for no path of men scares them, nor do hunters +resort thither who suffer hardships in the wood, as they range the mountain +crests. Moreover it is possessed neither by flocks nor by ploughed lands, but +the soil lies unsown evermore and untilled, desolate of men, and feeds the +bleating goats. For the Cyclôpes have by them no ships with vermilion cheek, +not yet are there shipwrights in the island, who might fashion decked barques, +which should accomplish all their desire, voyaging to the towns of men (as +ofttimes men cross the sea to one another in ships), who might likewise have +made of their isle a goodly settlement. Yea, it is in no wise a sorry land, but +would bear all things in their season; for therein are soft water meadows by +the shores of the grey salt sea, and there the vines know no decay, and the +land is level to plough; thence might they reap a crop exceeding deep in due +season, for verily there is fatness beneath the soil. Also there is a fair +haven, where is no need of moorings, either to cast anchor or to fasten +hawsers, but men may run the ship on the beach, and tarry until such time as +the sailors are minded to be gone, and favourable breezes blow. Now at the head +of the harbour is a well of bright water issuing from a cave, and round it are +poplars growing. Thither we sailed, and some god guided us through the night, +for it was dark and there was no light to see, a mist lying deep about the +ships, nor did the moon show her light from heaven, but was shut in with +clouds. No man then beheld that island, neither saw we the long waves rolling +to the beach, till we had run our decked ships ashore. And when our ships were +beached, we took down all their sails, and ourselves too stept forth upon the +strand of the sea, and there we fell into sound sleep and waited for the bright +Dawn. +</p> + +<p> +“So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, in wonder at the +island we roamed over the length thereof: and the Nymphs, the daughters of +Zeus, lord of the aegis, started the wild goats of the hills, that my company +might have wherewith to sup. Anon we took to us our curved bows from out the +ships and long spears, and arrayed in three bands we began shooting at the +goats; and the god soon gave us game in plenty. Now twelve ships bare me +company, and to each ship fell nine goats for a portion, but for me alone they +set ten apart. +</p> + +<p> +“Thus we sat there the livelong day until the going down of the sun, +feasting on abundant flesh and on sweet wine. For the red wine was not yet +spent from out the ships, but somewhat was yet therein, for we had each one +drawn off large store thereof in jars, when we took the sacred citadel of the +Cicones. And we looked across to the land of the Cyclôpes, who dwell nigh, and +to the smoke, and to the voice of the men, and of the sheep and of the goats. +And when the sun had sunk and darkness had come on, then we laid us to rest +upon the sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then +I called a gathering of my men, and spake among them all: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Abide here all the rest of you, my dear companions; but I will go +with mine own ship and my ship’s company, and make proof of these men, +what manner of folk they are, whether froward, and wild, and unjust, or +hospitable and of god-fearing mind.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and I climbed the ship’s side, and bade my company +themselves to mount, and to loose the hawsers. So they soon embarked and sat +upon the benches, and sitting orderly smote the grey sea water with their oars. +Now when we had come to the land that lies hard by, we saw a cave on the border +near to the sea, lofty and roofed over with laurels, and there many flocks of +sheep and goats were used to rest. And about it a high outer court was built +with stones, deep bedded, and with tall pines and oaks with their high crown of +leaves. And a man was wont to sleep therein, of monstrous size, who shepherded +his flocks alone and afar, and was not conversant with others, but dwelt apart +in lawlessness of mind. Yea, for he was a monstrous thing and fashioned +marvellously, nor was he like to any man that lives by bread, but like a wooded +peak of the towering hills, which stands out apart and alone from others. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I commanded the rest of my well-loved company to tarry there by the +ship, and to guard the ship, but I chose out twelve men, the best of my +company, and sallied forth. Now I had with me a goat-skin of the dark wine and +sweet which Maron, son of Euanthes, had given me, the priest of Apollo, the god +that watched over Ismarus. And he gave it, for that we had protected him with +his wife and child reverently; for he dwelt in a thick grove of Phoebus Apollo. +And he made me splendid gifts; he gave me seven talents of gold well wrought, +and he gave me a mixing bowl of pure silver, and furthermore wine which he drew +off in twelve jars in all, sweet wine unmingled, a draught divine; nor did any +of his servants or of his handmaids in the house know thereof, but himself and +his dear wife and one housedame only. And as often as they drank that red wine +honey sweet, he would fill one cup and pour it into twenty measures of water, +and a marvellous sweet smell went up from the mixing bowl: then truly it was no +pleasure to refrain. +</p> + +<p> +“With this wine I filled a great skin, and bare it with me, and corn too +I put in a wallet, for my lordly spirit straightway had a boding that a man +would come to me, a strange man, clothed in mighty strength, one that knew not +judgment and justice.<a href="#linknote-16" name="linknoteref-16">[16]</a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-16"></a><a href="#linknoteref-16">[16]</a> +Literally, knowing neither dooms, nor ordinances of law. +</p> + +<p> +“Soon we came to the cave, but we found him not within; he was +shepherding his fat flocks in the pastures. So we went into the cave, and gazed +on all that was therein. The baskets were well laden with cheeses, and the +folds were thronged with lambs and kids; each kind was penned by itself, the +firstlings apart, and the summer lambs apart, apart too the younglings of the +flock. Now all the vessels swam with whey, the milk-pails and the bowls, the +well-wrought vessels whereinto he milked. My company then spake and besought me +first of all to take of the cheeses and to return, and afterwards to make haste +and drive off the kids and lambs to the swift ships from out the pens, and to +sail over the salt sea water. Howbeit I hearkened not (and far better would it +have been), but waited to see the giant himself, and whether he would give me +gifts as a stranger’s due. Yet was not his coming to be with joy to my +company. +</p> + +<p> +“Then we kindled a fire, and made burnt-offering, and ourselves likewise +took of the cheeses, and did eat, and sat waiting for him within till he came +back, shepherding his flocks. And he bore a grievous weight of dry wood, +against supper time. This log he cast down with a din inside the cave, and in +fear we fled to the secret place of the rock. As for him, he drave his fat +flocks into the wide cavern, even all that he was wont to milk; but the males +both of the sheep and of the goats he left without in the deep yard. Thereafter +he lifted a huge doorstone and weighty, and set it in the mouth of the cave, +such an one as two and twenty good four-wheeled wains could not raise from the +ground, so mighty a sheer rock did he set against the doorway. Then he sat down +and milked the ewes and bleating goats, all orderly, and beneath each ewe he +placed her young. And anon he curdled one half of the white milk, and massed it +together, and stored it in wicker-baskets, and the other half he let stand in +pails, that he might have it to take and drink against supper time. Now when he +had done all his work busily, then he kindled the fire anew, and espied us, and +made question: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Strangers, who are ye? Whence sail ye over the wet ways? On some +trading enterprise or at adventure do ye rove, even as sea-robbers over the +brine, for at hazard of their own lives they wander, bringing bale to alien +men.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, but as for us our heart within us was broken for terror of +the deep voice and his own monstrous shape; yet despite all I answered and +spake unto him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lo, we are Achaeans, driven wandering from Troy, by all manner of +winds over the great gulf of the sea; seeking our homes we fare, but another +path have we come, by other ways: even such, methinks, was the will and the +counsel of Zeus. And we avow us to be the men of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, +whose fame is even now the mightiest under heaven, so great a city did he sack, +and destroyed many people; but as for us we have lighted here, and come to +these thy knees, if perchance thou wilt give us a stranger’s gift, or +make any present, as is the due of strangers. Nay, lord, have regard to the +gods, for we are thy suppliants; and Zeus is the avenger of suppliants and +sojourners, Zeus, the god of the stranger, who fareth in the company of +reverend strangers.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and anon he answered out of his pitiless heart: ‘Thou +art witless, my stranger, or thou hast come from afar, who biddest me either to +fear or shun the gods. For the Cyclôpes pay no heed to Zeus, lord of the aegis, +nor to the blessed gods, for verily we are better men than they. Nor would I, +to shun the enmity of Zeus, spare either thee or thy company, unless my spirit +bade me. But tell me where thou didst stay thy well-wrought ship on thy coming? +Was it perchance at the far end of the island, or hard by, that I may +know?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake tempting me, but he cheated me not, who knew full much, and +I answered him again with words of guile: +</p> + +<p> +“‘As for my ship, Poseidon, the shaker of the earth, brake it to +pieces, for he cast it upon the rocks at the border of your country, and +brought it nigh the headland, and a wind bare it thither from the sea. But I +with these my men escaped from utter doom.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and out of his pitiless heart he answered me not a word, but +sprang up, and laid his hands upon my fellows, and clutching two together +dashed them, as they had been whelps, to the earth, and the brain flowed forth +upon the ground, and the earth was wet. Then cut he them up piecemeal, and made +ready his supper. So he ate even as a mountain-bred lion, and ceased not, +devouring entrails and flesh and bones with their marrow. And we wept and +raised our hands to Zeus, beholding the cruel deeds; and we were at our +wits’ end. And after the Cyclops had filled his huge maw with human flesh +and the milk he drank thereafter, he lay within the cave, stretched out among +his sheep. +</p> + +<p> +“So I took counsel in my great heart, whether I should draw near, and +pluck my sharp sword from my thigh, and stab him in the breast, where the +midriff holds the liver, feeling for the place with my hand. But my second +thought withheld me, for so should we too have perished even there with utter +doom. For we should not have prevailed to roll away with our hands from the +lofty door the heavy stone which he set there. So for that time we made moan, +awaiting the bright Dawn. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, again he kindled the +fire and milked his goodly flocks all orderly, and beneath each ewe set her +lamb. Anon when he had done all his work busily, again he seized yet other two +men and made ready his mid-day meal. And after the meal, lightly he moved away +the great door-stone, and drave his fat flocks forth from the cave, and +afterwards he set it in his place again, as one might set the lid on a quiver. +Then with a loud whoop, the Cyclops turned his fat flocks towards the hills; +but I was left devising evil in the deep of my heart, if in any wise I might +avenge me, and Athene grant me renown. +</p> + +<p> +“And this was the counsel that showed best in my sight. There lay by a +sheep-fold a great club of the Cyclops, a club of olive wood, yet green, which +he had cut to carry with him when it should be seasoned. Now when we saw it we +likened it in size to the mast of a black ship of twenty oars, a wide merchant +vessel that traverses the great sea gulf, so huge it was to view in bulk and +length. I stood thereby and cut off from it a portion as it were a +fathom’s length, and set it by my fellows, and bade them fine it down, +and they made it even, while I stood by and sharpened it to a point, and +straightway I took it and hardened it in the bright fire. Then I laid it well +away, and hid it beneath the dung, which was scattered in great heaps in the +depths of the cave. And I bade my company cast lots among them, which of them +should risk the adventure with me, and lift the bar and turn it about in his +eye, when sweet sleep came upon him. And the lot fell upon those four whom I +myself would have been fain to choose, and I appointed myself to be the fifth +among them. In the evening he came shepherding his flocks of goodly fleece, and +presently he drave his fat flocks into the cave each and all, nor left he any +without in the deep court-yard, whether through some foreboding, or perchance +that the god so bade him do. Thereafter he lifted the huge door-stone and set +it in the mouth of the cave, and sitting down he milked the ewes and bleating +goats, all orderly, and beneath each ewe he placed her young. Now when he had +done all his work busily, again he seized yet other two and made ready his +supper. Then I stood by the Cyclops and spake to him, holding in my hands an +ivy bowl of the dark wine: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Cyclops, take and drink wine after thy feast of man’s meat, +that thou mayest know what manner of drink this was that our ship held. And lo, +I was bringing it thee as a drink offering, if haply thou mayest take pity and +send me on my way home, but thy mad rage is past all sufferance. O hard of +heart, how may another of the many men there be come ever to thee again, seeing +that thy deeds have been lawless?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and he took the cup and drank it off, and found great +delight in drinking the sweet draught, and asked me for it yet a second time: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Give it me again of thy grace, and tell me thy name straightway, +that I may give thee a stranger’s gift, wherein thou mayest be glad. Yea +for the earth, the grain-giver, bears for the Cyclôpes the mighty clusters of +the juice of the grape, and the rain of Zeus gives them increase, but this is a +rill of very nectar and ambrosia.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake, and again I handed him the dark wine. Thrice I bare and +gave it him, and thrice in his folly he drank it to the lees. Now when the wine +had got about the wits of the Cyclops, then did I speak to him with soft words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Cyclops, thou askest me my renowned name, and I will declare it +unto thee, and do thou grant me a stranger’s gift, as thou didst promise. +Noman is my name, and Noman they call me, my father and my mother and all my +fellows.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and straightway he answered me out of his pitiless heart: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Noman will I eat last in the number of his fellows, and the +others before him: that shall be thy gift.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith he sank backwards and fell with face upturned, and there he +lay with his great neck bent round, and sleep, that conquers all men, overcame +him. And the wine and the fragments of men’s flesh issued forth from his +mouth, and he vomited, being heavy with wine. Then I thrust in that stake under +the deep ashes, until it should grow hot, and I spake to my companions +comfortable words, lest any should hang back from me in fear. But when that bar +of olive wood was just about to catch fire in the flame, green though it was, +and began to glow terribly, even then I came nigh, and drew it from the coals, +and my fellows gathered about me, and some god breathed great courage into us. +For their part they seized the bar of olive wood, that was sharpened at the +point, and thrust it into his eye, while I from my place aloft turned it about, +as when a man bores a ship’s beam with a drill while his fellows below +spin it with a strap, which they hold at either end, and the auger runs round +continually. Even so did we seize the fiery-pointed brand and whirled it round +in his eye, and the blood flowed about the heated bar. And the breath of the +flame singed his eyelids and brows all about, as the ball of the eye burnt +away, and the roots thereof crackled in the flame. And as when a smith dips an +axe or adze in chill water with a great hissing, when he would temper +it—for hereby anon comes the strength of iron—even so did his eye +hiss round the stake of olive. And he raised a great and terrible cry, that the +rock rang around, and we fled away in fear, while he plucked forth from his eye +the brand bedabbled in much blood. Then maddened with pain he cast it from him +with his hands, and called with a loud voice on the Cyclôpes, who dwelt about +him in the caves along the windy heights. And they heard the cry and flocked +together from every side, and gathering round the cave asked him what ailed +him: +</p> + +<p> +“‘What hath so distressed thee, Polyphemus, that thou criest thus +aloud through the immortal night, and makest us sleepless? Surely no mortal +driveth off thy flocks against thy will: surely none slayeth thyself by force +or craft?’ +</p> + +<p> +“And the strong Polyphemus spake to them again from out the cave: +‘My friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, nor at all by force.’ +</p> + +<p> +“And they answered and spake winged words: ‘If then no man is +violently handling thee in thy solitude, it can in no wise be that thou +shouldest escape the sickness sent by mighty Zeus. Nay, pray thou to thy +father, the lord Poseidon.’ +</p> + +<p> +“On this wise they spake and departed; and my heart within me laughed to +see how my name and cunning counsel had beguiled them. But the Cyclops, +groaning and travailing in pain, groped with his hands, and lifted away the +stone from the door of the cave, and himself sat in the entry, with arms +outstretched to catch, if he might, any one that was going forth with his +sheep, so witless, methinks, did he hope to find me. But I advised me how all +might be for the very best, if perchance I might find a way of escape from +death for my companions and myself, and I wove all manner of craft and counsel, +as a man will for his life, seeing that great mischief was nigh. And this was +the counsel that showed best in my sight. The rams of the flock were well +nurtured and thick of fleece, great and goodly, with wool dark as the violet. +Quietly I lashed them together with twisted withies, whereon the Cyclops slept, +that lawless monster. Three together I took: now the middle one of the three +would bear each a man, but the other twain went on either side, saving my +fellows. Thus every three sheep bare their man. But as for me I laid hold of +the back of a young ram who was far the best and the goodliest of all the +flock, and curled beneath his shaggy belly there I lay, and so clung face +upward, grasping the wondrous fleece with a steadfast heart. So for that time +making moan we awaited the bright Dawn. +</p> + +<p> +“So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then did the rams +of the flock hasten forth to pasture, but the ewes bleated unmilked about the +pens, for their udders were swollen to bursting. Then their lord, sore stricken +with pain, felt along the backs of all the sheep as they stood up before him, +and guessed not in his folly how that my men were bound beneath the breasts of +his thick-fleeced flocks. Last of all the sheep came forth the ram, cumbered +with his wool, and the weight of me and my cunning. And the strong Polyphemus +laid his hands on him and spake to him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Dear ram, wherefore, I pray thee, art thou the last of all the +flocks to go forth from the cave, who of old wast not wont to lag behind the +sheep, but wert ever the foremost to pluck the tender blossom of the pasture, +faring with long strides, and wert still the first to come to the streams of +the rivers, and first did long to return to the homestead in the evening? But +now art thou the very last. Surely thou art sorrowing for the eye of thy lord, +which an evil man blinded, with his accursed fellows, when he had subdued my +wits with wine, even Noman, whom I say hath not yet escaped destruction. Ah, if +thou couldst feel as I, and be endued with speech, to tell me where he shifts +about to shun my wrath; then should he be smitten, and his brains be dashed +against the floor here and there about the cave, and my heart be lightened of +the sorrows which Noman, nothing worth, hath brought me!’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith he sent the ram forth from him, and when we had gone but a +little way from the cave and from the yard, first I loosed myself from under +the ram and then I set my fellows free. And swiftly we drave on those +stiff-shanked sheep, so rich in fat, and often turned to look about, till we +came to the ship. And a glad sight to our fellows were we that had fled from +death, but the others they would have bemoaned with tears; howbeit I suffered +it not, but with frowning brows forbade each man to weep. Rather I bade them to +cast on board the many sheep with goodly fleece, and to sail over the salt sea +water. So they embarked forthwith, and sate upon the benches, and sitting +orderly smote the grey sea water with their oars. But when I had not gone so +far, but that a man’s shout might be heard, then I spoke unto the Cyclops +taunting him: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Cyclops, so thou wert not to eat the company of a weakling by +main might in thy hollow cave! Thine evil deeds were very sure to find thee +out, thou cruel man, who hadst no shame to eat thy guests within thy gates, +wherefore Zeus hath requited thee, and the other gods.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and he was mightily angered at heart, and he brake off the +peak of a great hill and threw it at us, and it fell in front of the +dark-prowed ship.<a href="#linknote-17" name="linknoteref-17">[17]</a> And the sea heaved beneath the fall of the rock, +and the backward flow of the wave bare the ship quickly to the dry land, with +the wash from the deep sea, and drave it to the shore. Then I caught up a long +pole in my hands, and thrust the ship from off the land, and roused my company, +and with a motion of the head bade them dash in with their oars, that so we +might escape our evil plight. So they bent to their oars and rowed on. But when +we had now made twice the distance over the brine, I would fain have spoken to +the Cyclops, but my company stayed me on every side with soft words, saying: +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-17"></a><a href="#linknoteref-17">[17]</a> +We have omitted line 483, as required by the sense. It is introduced here from +line 540. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Foolhardy that thou art, why wouldst thou rouse a wild man to +wrath, who even now hath cast so mighty a throw towards the deep and brought +our ship back to land, yea and we thought that we had perished<a +href="#linknote-18" name="linknoteref-18">[18]</a> even +there? If he had heard any of us utter sound or speech he would have crushed +our heads and our ship timbers with a cast of a rugged stone, so mightily he +hurls.’ +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-18"></a><a href="#linknoteref-18">[18]</a> +Neither in this passage nor in B ii. 171 nor in B xx. 121 do we think that the +aorist infinitive after a verb of <i>saying</i> can bear a future sense. The +aorist infinitive after ἐλπωρή (ii. 280, vii. +76) is hardly an argument in its favour; the infinitive there is in fact a noun +in the genitive case. +</p> + +<p> +“So spake they, but they prevailed not on my lordly spirit, and I +answered him again from out an angry heart: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Cyclops, if any one of mortal men shall ask thee of the unsightly +blinding of thine eye, say that it was Odysseus that blinded it, the waster of +cities, son of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and with a moan he answered me, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lo now, in very truth the ancient oracles have come upon me. +There lived here a soothsayer, a noble man and a mighty, Telemus, son of +Eurymus, who surpassed all men in soothsaying, and waxed old as a seer among +the Cyclôpes. He told me that all these things should come to pass in the +aftertime, even that I should lose my eyesight at the hand of Odysseus. But I +ever looked for some tall and goodly man to come hither, clad in great might, +but behold now one that is a dwarf, a man of no worth and a weakling, hath +blinded me of my eye after subduing me with wine. Nay come hither, Odysseus, +that I may set by thee a stranger’s cheer, and speed thy parting hence, +that so the Earth-shaker may vouchsafe it thee, for his son am I, and he avows +him for my father. And he himself will heal me, if it be his will; and none +other of the blessed gods or of mortal men.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, but I answered him, and said: ‘Would god that I +were as sure to rob thee of soul and life, and send thee within the house of +Hades, as I am that not even the Earth-shaker will heal thine eye!’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and then he prayed to the lord Poseidon stretching forth his +hands to the starry heaven: ‘Hear me, Poseidon, girdler of the earth, god +of the dark hair, if indeed I be thine, and thou avowest thee my +sire,—grant that he may never come to his home, even Odysseus, waster of +cities, the son of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca; yet if he is ordained +to see his friends and come unto his well-builded house, and his own country, +late may he come in evil case, with the loss of all his company, in the ship of +strangers, and find sorrows in his house.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake in prayer, and the god of the dark locks heard him. And once +again he lifted a stone, far greater than the first, and with one swing he +hurled it, and he put forth a measureless strength, and cast it but a little +space behind the dark-prowed ship, and all but struck the end of the rudder. +And the sea heaved beneath the fall of the rock, but the wave bare on the ship +and drave it to the further shore. +</p> + +<p> +“But when he had now reached that island, where all our other decked +ships abode together, and our company were gathered sorrowing, expecting us +evermore, on our coming thither we ran our ship ashore upon the sand, and +ourselves too stept forth upon the sea beach. Next we took forth the sheep of +the Cyclops from out the hollow ship, and divided them, that none through me +might go lacking his proper share. But the ram for me alone my goodly-greaved +company chose out, in the dividing of the sheep, and on the shore I offered him +up to Zeus, even to the son of Cronos, who dwells in the dark clouds, and is +lord of all, and I burnt the slices of the thighs. But he heeded not the +sacrifice, but was devising how my decked ships and my dear company might +perish utterly. Thus for that time we sat the livelong day, until the going +down of the sun, feasting on abundant flesh and sweet wine. And when the sun +had sunk and darkness had come on, then we laid us to rest upon the sea beach. +So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, I called to my company, +and commanded them that they should themselves climb the ship and loose the +hawsers. So they soon embarked and sat upon the benches, and sitting orderly +smote the grey sea water with their oars. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence we sailed onward stricken at heart, yet glad as men saved from +death, albeit we had lost our dear companions. +</p> + +<div class="fig" style="width:60%;"> +<img src="images/odyssey_image.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="image" /><br/><br/> +</div> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>BOOK X.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus, his entertainment by Aeolus, of whom he received a fair wind for the +present, and all the rest of the winds tied up in a bag; which his men untying, +flew out, and carried him back to Aeolus, who refused to receive him. His +adventure at Laestrygonia with Antiphates, where of twelve ships he lost +eleven, men and all. How he went thence to the Isle of Aea, where half of his +men were turned by Circe into swine, and how he went himself, and by the help +of Hermes recovered them and stayed with Circe a year. +</p> + +<p> +“Then we came to the isle Aeolian, where dwelt Aeolus, son of Hippotas, +dear too the deathless gods, in a floating island, and all about it is a wall +of bronze unbroken, and the cliff runs up sheer from the sea. His twelve +children to abide there in his halls, six daughters and six lusty sons; and, +behold, he gave his daughters to his sons to wife. And they feast evermore by +their dear father and their kind mother, and dainties innumerable lie ready to +their hands. And the house is full of the savour of feasting, and the noise +thereof rings round, yea in the courtyard, by day, and in the night they sleep +each one by his chaste wife in coverlets and on jointed bedsteads. So then we +came to their city and their goodly dwelling, and the king entreated me kindly +for a whole month, and sought out each thing, Ilios and the ships of the +Argives, and the return of the Achaeans. So I told him all the tale in order +duly. But when I in turn took the word and asked of my journey, and bade him +send me on my way, he too denied me not, but furnished an escort. He gave me a +wallet, made of the hide of an ox of nine seasons old, which he let flay, and +therein he bound the ways of all the noisy winds; for him the son of Cronos +made keeper of the winds, either to lull or to rouse what blasts he will. And +he made it fast in the hold of the ship with a shining silver thong, that not +the faintest breath might escape. Then he sent forth the blast of the West Wind +to blow for me, to bear our ships and ourselves upon our way; but this he was +never to bring to pass, for we were undone through our own heedlessness. +</p> + +<p> +“For nine whole days we sailed by night and day continually, and now on +the tenth day my native land came in sight, and already we were so near that we +beheld the folk tending the beacon fires. Then over me there came sweet slumber +in my weariness, for all the time I was holding the sheet, nor gave it to any +of my company, that so we might come quicker to our own country. Meanwhile my +company held converse together, and said that I was bringing home for myself +gold and silver, gifts from Aeolus the high-hearted son of Hippotas. And thus +would they speak looking each man to his neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lo now, how beloved he is and highly esteemed among all men, to +the city and land of whomsoever he may come. Many are the goodly treasures he +taketh with him out of the spoil from Troy, while we who have fulfilled like +journeying with him return homeward bringing with us but empty hands. And now +Aeolus hath given unto him these things freely in his love. Nay come, let us +quickly see what they are, even what wealth of gold and silver is in the +wallet.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So they spake, and the evil counsel of my company prevailed. They loosed +the wallet, and all the winds brake forth. And the violent blast seized my men, +and bare them towards the high seas weeping, away from their own country; but +as for me, I awoke and communed with my great heart, whether I should cast +myself from the ship and perish in the deep, or endure in silence and abide yet +among the living. Howbeit I hardened my heart to endure, and muffling my head I +lay still in the ship. But the vessels were driven by the evil storm-wind back +to the isle Aeolian, and my company made moan. +</p> + +<p> +“There we stepped ashore and drew water, and my company presently took +their midday meal by the swift ships. Now when we had tasted bread and wine, I +took with me a herald and one of my company, and went to the famous dwelling of +Aeolus: and I found him feasting with his wife and children. So we went in and +sat by the pillars of the door on the threshold, and they all marvelled and +asked us: +</p> + +<p> +“‘How hast thou come hither, Odysseus? What evil god assailed thee? +Surely we sent thee on thy way with all diligence, that thou mightest get thee +to thine own country and thy home, and whithersoever thou wouldest.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so they said, but I spake among them heavy at heart: ‘My evil +company hath been my bane, and sleep thereto remorseless. Come, my friends, do +ye heal the harm, for yours is the power.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, beseeching them in soft words, but they held their peace. +And the father answered, saying: ‘Get thee forth from the island +straightway, thou that art the most reprobate of living men. Far be it from me +to help or to further that man whom the blessed gods abhor! Get thee forth, for +lo, thy coming marks thee hated by the deathless gods.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith he sent me forth from the house making heavy moan. Thence we +sailed onwards stricken at heart. And the spirit of the men was spent beneath +the grievous rowing by reason of our vain endeavour, for there was no more any +sign of a wafting wind. So for the space of six days we sailed by night and day +continually, and on the seventh we came to the steep stronghold of Lamos, +Telepylos of the Laestrygons, where herdsman hails herdsman as he drives in his +flock, and the other who drives forth answers the call. There might a sleepless +man have earned a double wage, the one as neat-herd, the other shepherding +white flocks: so near are the outgoings of the night and of the day. Thither +when he had come to the fair haven, whereabout on both sides goes one steep +cliff unbroken and jutting headlands over against each other stretch forth at +the mouth of the harbour, and strait is the entrance; thereinto all the others +steered their curved ships. Now the vessels were bound within the hollow +harbour each hard by other, for no wave ever swelled within it, great or small, +but there was a bright calm all around. But I alone moored my dark ship without +the harbour, at the uttermost point thereof, and made fast the hawser to a +rock. And I went up a craggy hill, a place of out-look, and stood thereon: +thence there was no sign of the labour of men or oxen, only we saw the smoke +curling upward from the land. Then I sent forth certain of my company to go and +search out what manner of men they were who here live upon the earth by bread, +choosing out two of my company and sending a third with them as herald. Now +when they had gone ashore, they went along a level road whereby wains were wont +to draw down wood from the high hills to the town. And without the town they +fell in with a damsel drawing water, the noble daughter of Laestrygonian +Antiphates. She had come down to the clear-flowing spring Artacia, for thence +it was custom to draw water to the town. So they stood by her and spake unto +her, and asked who was king of that land, and who they were he ruled over. Then +at once she showed them the high-roofed hall of her father. Now when they had +entered the renowned house, they found his wife therein: she was huge of bulk +as a mountain peak and was loathly in their sight. Straightway she called the +renowned Antiphates, her lord, from the assembly-place, and he contrived a +pitiful destruction for my men. Forthwith he clutched up one of my company and +made ready his midday meal, but the other twain sprang up and came in flight to +the ships. Then he raised the war cry through the town, and the valiant +Laestrygons at the sound thereof, flocked together from every side, a host past +number, not like men but like the Giants. They cast at us from the cliffs with +great rocks, each of them a man’s burden, and anon there arose from the +fleet an evil din of men dying and ships shattered withal. And like folk +spearing fishes they bare home their hideous meal. While as yet they were +slaying my friends within the deep harbour, I drew my sharp sword from my +thigh, and with it cut the hawsers of my dark-prowed ship. Quickly then I +called to my company, and bade them dash in with the oars, that we might clean +escape this evil plight. And all with one accord they tossed the sea water with +the oar-blade, in dread of death, and to my delight my barque flew forth to the +high seas away from the beetling rocks, but those other ships were lost there, +one and all. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence we sailed onward stricken at heart, yet glad as men saved from +death, albeit we had lost our dear companions. And we came to the isle Aeaean, +where dwelt Circe of the braided tresses, an awful goddess of mortal speech, +own sister to the wizard Aeetes. Both were begotten of Helios, who gives light +to all men, and their mother was Perse, daughter of Oceanus. There on the shore +we put in with our ship into the sheltering haven silently, and some god was +our guide. Then we stept ashore, and for two days and two nights lay there, +consuming our own hearts for weariness and pain. But when now the fair-tressed +Dawn had brought the full light of the third day, then did I seize my spear and +my sharp sword, and quickly departing from the ship I went up unto a place of +wide prospect, if haply I might see any sign of the labour of men and hear the +sound of their speech. So I went up a craggy hill, a place of out-look, and I +saw the smoke rising from the broad-wayed earth in the halls of Circe, through +the thick coppice and the woodland. Then I mused in my mind and heart whether I +should go and make discovery, for that I had seen the smoke and flame. And as I +thought thereon this seemed to me the better counsel, to go first to the swift +ship and to the sea-banks, and give my company their midday meal, and then send +them to make search. But as I came and drew nigh to the curved ship, some god +even then took pity on me in my loneliness, and sent a tall antlered stag +across my very path. He was coming down from his pasture in the woodland to the +river to drink, for verily the might of the sun was sore upon him. And as he +came up from out of the stream, I smote him on the spine in the middle of the +back, and the brazen shaft went clean through him, and with a moan he fell in +the dust, and his life passed from him. Then I set my foot on him and drew +forth the brazen shaft from the wound, and laid it hard by upon the ground and +let it lie. Next I broke withies and willow twigs, and wove me a rope a fathom +in length, well twisted from end to end, and bound together the feet of the +huge beast, and went to the black ship bearing him across my neck, and leaning +on a spear, for it was in no wise possible to carry him on my shoulder with the +one hand, for he was a mighty quarry. And I threw him down before the ship and +roused my company with soft words, standing by each man in turn: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Friends, for all our sorrows we shall not yet a while go down to +the house of Hades, ere the coming of the day of destiny; go to then, while as +yet there is meat and drink in the swift ship, let us take thought thereof, +that we be not famished for hunger.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, and they speedily hearkened to my words. They unmuffled +their heads, and there on the shore of the unharvested sea gazed at the stag, +for he was a mighty quarry. But after they had delighted their eyes with the +sight of him, they washed their hands and got ready the glorious feast. So for +that time we sat the livelong day till the going down of the sun, feasting on +abundant flesh and sweet wine. But when the sun sank and darkness had come on, +then we laid us to rest upon the sea beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, +the rosy-fingered, I called a gathering of my men and spake in the ears of them +all: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hear my works, my fellows, despite your evil case. My friends, +lo, now we know not where is the place of darkness or of dawning, nor where the +Sun, that gives light to men, goes beneath the earth, nor where he rises; +therefore let us advise us speedily if any counsel yet may be: as for me, I +deem there is none. For I went up a craggy hill, a place of out-look, and saw +the island crowned about with the circle of the endless sea, the isle itself +lying low; and in the midst thereof mine eyes beheld the smoke through the +thick coppice and the woodland.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, but their spirit within them was broken, as they +remembered the deeds of Antiphates the Laestrygonian, and all the evil violence +of the haughty Cyclops, the man-eater. So they wept aloud shedding big tears. +Howbeit no avail came of their weeping. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I numbered my goodly-greaved company in two bands, and appointed a +leader for each, and I myself took the command of the one part, and godlike +Eurylochus of the other. And anon we shook the lots in a brazen-fitted helmet, +and out leapt the lot of proud Eurylochus. So he went on his way, and with him +two and twenty of my fellowship all weeping; and we were left behind making +lament. In the forest glades they found the halls of Circe builded, of polished +stone, in a place with wide prospect. And all around the palace mountain-bred +wolves and lions were roaming, whom she herself had bewitched with evil drugs +that she gave them. Yet the beasts did not set on my men, but lo, they ramped +about them and fawned on them, wagging their long tails. And as when dogs fawn +about their lord when he comes from the feast, for he always brings them the +fragments that soothe their mood, even so the strong-clawed wolves and the +lions fawned around them; but they were affrighted when they saw the strange +and terrible creatures. So they stood at the outer gate of the fair-tressed +goddess, and within they heard Circe singing in a sweet voice, as she fared to +and fro before the great web imperishable, such as is the handiwork of +goddesses, fine of woof and full of grace and splendour. Then Polites, a leader +of men, the dearest to me and the trustiest of all my company, first spake to +them: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Friends, forasmuch as there is one within that fares to and fro +before a mighty web singing a sweet song, so that all the floor of the hall +makes echo, a goddess she is or a woman; come quickly and cry aloud to +her.’ +</p> + +<p> +“He spake the word and they cried aloud and called to her. And +straightway she came forth and opened the shining doors and bade them in, and +all went with her in their heedlessness. But Eurylochus tarried behind, for he +guessed that there was some treason. So she led them in and set them upon +chairs and high seats, and made them a mess of cheese and barley-meal and +yellow honey with Pramnian wine, and mixed harmful drugs with the food to make +them utterly forget their own country. Now when she had given them the cup and +they had drunk it off, presently she smote them with a wand, and in the styes +of the swine she penned them. So they had the head and voice, the bristles and +the shape of swine, but their mind abode even as of old. Thus were they penned +there weeping, and Circe flung them acorns and mast and fruit of the cornel +tree to eat, whereon wallowing swine do always batten. +</p> + +<p> +“Now Eurylochus came back to the swift black ship to bring tidings of his +fellows, and of their unseemly doom. Not a word could he utter, for all his +desire, so deeply smitten was he to the heart with grief, and his eyes were +filled with tears and his soul was fain of lamentation. But when we all had +pressed him with our questions in amazement, even then he told the fate of the +remnant of our company. +</p> + +<p> +“‘We went, as thou didst command, through the coppice, noble +Odysseus: we found within the forest glades the fair halls, builded of polished +stone, in a place with wide prospect. And there was one that fared before a +mighty web and sang a clear song, a goddess she was or a woman, and they cried +aloud and called to her. And straightway she came forth, and opened the shining +doors and bade them in, and they all went with her in their heedlessness. But I +tarried behind, for I guessed that there was some treason. Then they vanished +away one and all, nor did any of them appear again, though I sat long time +watching.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, whereon I cast about my shoulder my silver-studded sword, a +great blade of bronze, and slung my bow about me and bade him lead me again by +the way that he came. But he caught me with both hands, and by my knees he +besought me, and bewailing him spake to me winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lead me not thither against my will, oh fosterling of Zeus, but +leave me here! For well I know thou shalt thyself return no more, nor bring any +one of all thy fellowship; nay, let us flee the swifter with those that be +here, for even yet may we escape the evil day.’ +</p> + +<p> +“On this wise he spake, but I answered him, saying: ‘Eurylochus, +abide for thy part here in this place, eating and drinking by the black hollow +ship: but I will go forth, for a strong constraint is laid on me.’ +</p> + +<p> +“With that I went up from the ship and the sea-shore. But lo, when in my +faring through the sacred glades I was now drawing near to the great hall of +the enchantress Circe, then did Hermes, of the golden wand, meet me as I +approached the house, in the likeness of a young man with the first down on his +lip, the time when youth is most gracious. So he clasped my hand and spake and +hailed me: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Ah, hapless man, whither away again, all alone through the wolds, +thou that knowest not this country? And thy company yonder in the hall of Circe +are penned in the guise of swine, in their deep lairs abiding. Is it in hope to +free them that thou art come hither? Nay, methinks, thou thyself shalt never +return but remain there with the others. Come then, I will redeem thee from thy +distress, and bring deliverance. Lo, take this herb of virtue, and go to the +dwelling of Circe, that it may keep from thy head the evil day. And I will tell +thee all the magic sleight of Circe. She will mix thee a potion and cast drugs +into the mess; but not even so shall she be able to enchant thee; so helpful is +this charmed herb that I shall give thee, and I will tell thee all. When it +shall be that Circe smites thee with her long wand, even then draw thou thy +sharp sword from thy thigh, and spring on her, as one eager to slay her. And +she will shrink away and be instant with thee to lie with her. Thenceforth +disdain not thou the bed of the goddess, that she may deliver thy company and +kindly entertain thee. But command her to swear a mighty oath by the blessed +gods, that she will plan nought else of mischief to thine own hurt, lest she +make thee a dastard and unmanned, when she hath thee naked.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith the slayer of Argos gave me the plant that he had plucked from +the ground, and he showed me the growth thereof. It was black at the root, but +the flower was like to milk. Moly the gods call it, but it is hard for mortal +men to dig; howbeit with the gods all things are possible. +</p> + +<p> +“Then Hermes departed toward high Olympus, up through the woodland isle, +but as for me I held on my way to the house of Circe, and my heart was darkly +troubled as I went. So I halted in the portals of the fair-tressed goddess; +there I stood and called aloud and the goddess heard my voice, who presently +came forth and opened the shining doors and bade me in, and I went with her +heavy at heart. So she led me in and set me on a chair with studs of silver, a +goodly carven chair, and beneath was a footstool for the feet. And she made me +a potion in a golden cup, that I might drink, and she also put a charm therein, +in the evil counsel of her heart. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when she had given it and I had drunk it off and was not bewitched, +she smote me with her wand and spake and hailed me: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Go thy way now to the stye, couch thee there with the rest of thy +company.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, but I drew my sharp sword from my thigh and sprang upon +Circe, as one eager to slay her. But with a great cry she slipped under, and +clasped my knees, and bewailing herself spake to me winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Who art thou of the sons of men, and whence? Where is thy city? +Where are they that begat thee? I marvel to see how thou hast drunk of this +charm, and wast nowise subdued. Nay, for there lives no man else that is proof +against this charm, whoso hath drunk thereof, and once it hath passed his lips. +But thou hast, methinks, a mind within thee that may not be enchanted. Verily +thou art Odysseus, ready at need, whom he of the golden wand, the slayer of +Argos, full often told me was to come hither, on his way from Troy with his +swift black ship. Nay come, put thy sword into the sheath, and thereafter let +us go up into my bed, that meeting in love and sleep we may trust each the +other.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, but I answered her, saying: ‘Nay, Circe, how canst +thou bid me be gentle to thee, who hast turned my company into swine within thy +halls, and holding me here with a guileful heart requirest me to pass within +thy chamber and go up into thy bed, that so thou mayest make me a dastard and +unmanned when thou hast me naked? Nay, never will I consent to go up into thy +bed, except thou wilt deign, goddess, to swear a mighty oath, that thou wilt +plan nought else of mischief to mine own hurt.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and she straightway swore the oath not to harm me, as I bade +her. But when she had sworn and had done that oath, then at last I went up into +the beautiful bed of Circe. +</p> + +<p> +“Now all this while her handmaids busied them in the halls, four maidens +that are her serving women in the house. They are born of the wells and of the +woods and of the holy rivers, that flow forward into the salt sea. Of these one +cast upon the chairs goodly coverlets of purple above, and spread a linen cloth +thereunder. And lo, another drew up silver tables to the chairs, and thereon +set for them golden baskets. And a third mixed sweet honey-hearted wine in a +silver bowl, and set out cups of gold. And a fourth bare water, and kindled a +great fire beneath the mighty cauldron. So the water waxed warm; but when it +boiled in the bright brazen vessel, she set me in a bath and bathed me with +water from out a great cauldron, pouring it over head and shoulders, when she +had mixed it to a pleasant warmth, till from my limbs she took away the +consuming weariness. Now after she had bathed me and anointed me well with +olive oil, and cast about me a fair mantle and a doublet, she led me into the +halls and set me on a chair with studs of silver, a goodly carven chair, and +beneath was a footstool for the feet. And a handmaid bare water for the hands +in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin to wash +withal; and to my side she drew a polished table, and a grave dame bare wheaten +bread and set it by me, and laid on the board many dainties, giving freely of +such things as she had by her. And she bade me eat, but my soul found no +pleasure therein. I sat with other thoughts, and my heart had a boding of ill. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when Circe saw that I sat thus, and that I put not forth my hands to +the meat, and that I was mightily afflicted, she drew near to me and spake to +me winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Wherefore thus, Odysseus, dost thou sit there like a speechless +man, consuming thine own soul, and dost not touch meat nor drink? Dost thou +indeed deem there is some further guile? Nay, thou hast no cause to fear, for +already I have sworn thee a strong oath not to harm thee.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, but I answered her, saying: ‘Oh, Circe, what +righteous man would have the heart to taste meat and drink ere he had redeemed +his company, and beheld them face to face? But if in good faith thou biddest me +eat and drink, then let them go free, that mine eyes may behold my dear +companions.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and Circe passed out through the hall with the wand in her +hand, and opened the doors of the stye, and drave them forth in the shape of +swine of nine seasons old. There they stood before her, and she went through +their midst, and anointed each one of them with another charm. And lo, from +their limbs the bristles dropped away, wherewith the venom had erewhile clothed +them, that lady Circe gave them. And they became men again, younger than before +they were, and goodlier far, and taller to behold. And they all knew me again +and each one took my hands, and wistful was the lament that sank into their +souls, and the roof around rang wondrously. And even the goddess herself was +moved with compassion. +</p> + +<p> +“Then standing nigh me the fair goddess spake unto me: ‘Son of +Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, depart now to thy swift +ship and the sea-banks. And first of all, draw ye up the ship ashore, and +bestow the goods in the caves and all the gear. And thyself return again, and +bring with thee thy dear companions.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and my lordly spirit consented thereto. So I went on my +way to the swift ship and the sea-banks, and there I found my dear company on +the swift ship lamenting piteously, shedding big tears. And as when calves of +the homestead gather round the droves of kine that have returned to the yard, +when they have had their fill of pasture, and all with one accord frisk before +them, and the folds may no more contain them, but with a ceaseless lowing they +skip about their dams, so flocked they all about me weeping, when their eyes +beheld me. Yea, and to their spirit it was as though they had got to their dear +country, and the very city of rugged Ithaca, where they were born and reared. +</p> + +<p> +“Then making lament they spake to me winged words: ‘O fosterling of +Zeus, we were none otherwise glad at thy returning, than if we had come to +Ithaca, our own country. Nay come, of our other companions tell us the tale of +their ruin.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake they, but I answered them with soft words: ‘Behold, let +us first of all draw up the ship ashore, and bestow our goods in the caves and +all our gear. And do ye bestir you, one and all, to go with me, that ye may see +your fellows in the sacred dwelling of Circe, eating and drinking, for they +have continual store.’ +</p> + +<p> +“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: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Wretched men that we are! whither are we going? Why are your +hearts so set on sorrow that ye should go down to the hall of Circe, who will +surely change us all to swine, or wolves, or lions, to guard her great house +perforce, according to the deeds that the Cyclops wrought, when certain of our +company went to his inmost fold, and with them went Odysseus, ever hardy, for +through the blindness of his heart did they too perish?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, but I mused in my heart whether to draw my long hanger from +my stout thigh, and therewith smite off his head and bring it to the dust, +albeit he was very near of kin to me; but the men of my company stayed me on +every side with soothing words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Prince of the seed of Zeus, as for this man, we will suffer him, +if thou wilt have it so, to abide here by the ship and guard the ship; but as +for us, be our guide to the sacred house of Circe.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So they spake and went up from the ship and the sea. Nay, nor yet was +Eurylochus left by the hollow ship, but he went with us, for he feared my +terrible rebuke. +</p> + +<p> +“Meanwhile Circe bathed the rest of my company in her halls with all +care, and anointed them well with olive oil; and cast thick mantles and +doublets about them. And we found them all feasting nobly in the halls. And +when they saw and knew each other face to face, they wept and mourned, and the +house rang around. Then she stood near me, that fair goddess, and spake saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, no +more now wake this plenteous weeping: myself I know of all the pains ye endured +upon the teeming deep, and the great despite done you by unkindly men upon the +land. Nay come, eat ye meat and drink wine, till your spirit shall return to +you again, as it was when first ye left your own country of rugged Ithaca; but +now are ye wasted and wanting heart, mindful evermore of your sore wandering, +nor has your heart ever been merry, for very grievous hath been your +trial.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and our lordly spirit consented thereto. So there we sat +day by day for the full circle of a year, feasting on abundant flesh and sweet +wine. But when now a year had gone, and the seasons returned as the months +waned, and the long days came in their course, then did my dear company call me +forth, and say: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Good sir, now is it high time to mind thee of thy native land, if +it is ordained that thou shalt be saved, and come to thy lofty house and thine +own country.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake they and my lordly spirit consented thereto. So for that time +we sat the livelong day till the going down of the sun, feasting on abundant +flesh and sweet wine. But when the sun sank and darkness came on, they laid +them to rest throughout the shadowy halls. +</p> + +<p> +“But when I had gone up into the fair bed of Circe, I besought her by her +knees, and the goddess heard my speech, and uttering my voice I spake to her +winged words: ‘Circe, fulfil for me the promise which thou madest me to +send me on my homeward way. Now is my spirit eager to be gone, and the spirit +of my company, that wear away my heart as they mourn around me, when haply thou +art gone from us.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and the fair goddess answered me anon: ‘Son of +Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, tarry ye now no longer +in my house against your will; but first must ye perform another journey, and +reach the dwelling of Hades and of dread Persephone to seek to the spirit of +Theban Teiresias, the blind soothsayer, whose wits abide steadfast. To him +Persephone hath given judgment, even in death, that he alone should have +understanding; but the other souls sweep shadow-like around.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Thus spake she, but as for me, my heart was broken, and I wept as I sat +upon the bed, and my soul had no more care to live and to see the sunlight. But +when I had my fill of weeping and grovelling, then at the last I answered and +spake unto her saying: ‘And who, Circe, will guide us on this way? for no +man ever yet sailed to hell in a black ship.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and the fair goddess answered me anon: ‘Son of +Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, nay, trouble not +thyself for want of a guide, by thy ship abiding, but set up the mast and +spread abroad the white sails and sit thee down; and the breeze of the North +Wind will bear thy vessel on her way. But when thou hast now sailed in thy ship +across the stream Oceanus, where is a waste shore and the groves of Persephone, +even tall poplar trees and willows that shed their fruit before the season, +there beach thy ship by deep eddying Oceanus, but go thyself to the dank house +of Hades. Thereby into Acheron flows Pyriphlegethon, and Cocytus, a branch of +the water of the Styx, and there is a rock, and the meeting of the two roaring +waters. So, hero, draw nigh thereto, as I command thee, and dig a trench as it +were a cubit in length and breadth, and about it pour a drink-offering to all +the dead, first with mead and thereafter with sweet wine, and for the third +time with water, and sprinkle white meal thereon; and entreat with many prayers +the strengthless heads of the dead, and promise that on thy return to Ithaca +thou wilt offer in thy halls a barren heifer, the best thou hast, and will fill +the pyre with treasure, and wilt sacrifice apart, to Teiresias alone, a black +ram without spot, the fairest of your flock. But when thou hast with prayers +made supplication to the lordly races of the dead, then offer up a ram and a +black ewe, bending their heads towards Erebus and thyself turn thy back, with +thy face set for the shore of the river. Then will many spirits come to thee of +the dead that be departed. Thereafter thou shalt call to thy company and +command them to flay the sheep which even now lie slain by the pitiless sword, +and to consume them with fire, and to make prayer to the gods, to mighty Hades +and to dread Persephone. And thyself draw the sharp sword from thy thigh and +sit there, suffering not the strengthless heads of the dead to draw nigh to the +blood, ere thou hast word of Teiresias. Then the seer will come to thee +quickly, leader of the people; he will surely declare to thee the way and the +measure of thy path, and as touching thy returning, how thou mayst go over the +teeming deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and anon came the golden throned Dawn. Then she put on me +a mantle and a doublet for raiment, and the nymph clad herself in a great +shining robe, light of woof and gracious, and about her waist she cast a fair +golden girdle, and put a veil upon her head. But I passed through the halls and +roused my men with smooth words, standing by each one in turn: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Sleep ye now no more nor breathe sweet slumber; but let us go on +our way, for surely she hath shown me all, the lady Circe.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and their lordly soul consented thereto. Yet even thence I +led not my company safe away. There was one, Elpenor, the youngest of us all, +not very valiant in war neither steadfast in mind. He was lying apart from the +rest of my men on the housetop of Circe’s sacred dwelling, very fain of +the cool air, as one heavy with wine. Now when he heard the noise of the voices +and of the feet of my fellows as they moved to and fro, he leaped up of a +sudden and minded him not to descend again by the way of the tall ladder, but +fell right down from the roof, and his neck was broken from the bones of the +spine, and his spirit went down to the house of Hades. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I spake among my men as they went on their way, saying: ‘Ye +deem now, I see, that ye are going to your own dear country; but Circe hath +showed us another way, even to the dwelling of Hades and of dread Persephone, +to seek to the spirit of Theban Teiresias.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, but their heart within them was broken, and they sat +them down even where they were, and made lament and tore their hair. Howbeit no +help came of their weeping. +</p> + +<p> +“But as we were now wending sorrowful to the swift ship and the +sea-banks, shedding big tears, Circe meanwhile had gone her ways and made fast +a ram and a black ewe by the dark ship, lightly passing us by: who may behold a +god against his will, whether going to or fro?” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>BOOK XI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus, his descent into hell, and discourses with the ghosts of the deceased +heroes. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when we had gone down to the ship and to the sea, first of all we +drew the ship unto the fair salt water and placed the mast and sails in the +black ship, and took those sheep and put them therein, and ourselves too +climbed on board, sorrowing, and shedding big tears. And in the wake of our +dark-prowed ship she sent a favouring wind that filled the sails, a kindly +escort,—even Circe of the braided tresses, a dread goddess of human +speech. And we set in order all the gear throughout the ship and sat us down; +and the wind and the helmsman guided our barque. And all day long her sails +were stretched in her seafaring; and the sun sank and all the ways were +darkened. +</p> + +<p> +“She came to the limits of the world, to the deep-flowing Oceanus. There +is the land and the city of the Cimmerians, shrouded in mist and cloud, and +never does the shining sun look down on them with his rays, neither when he +climbs up the starry heavens, nor when again he turns earthward from the +firmament, but deadly night is outspread over miserable mortals. Thither we +came and ran the ship ashore and took out the sheep; but for our part we held +on our way along the stream of Oceanus, till we came to the place which Circe +had declared to us. +</p> + +<p> +“There Perimedes and Eurylochus held the victims, but I drew my sharp +sword from my thigh, and dug a pit, as it were a cubit in length and breadth, +and about it poured a drink-offering to all the dead, first with mead and +thereafter with sweet wine, and for the third time with water. And I sprinkled +white meal thereon, and entreated with many prayers the strengthless heads of +the dead, and promised that on my return to Ithaca I would offer in my halls a +barren heifer, the best I had, and fill the pyre with treasure, and apart unto +Teiresias alone sacrifice a black ram without spot, the fairest of my flock. +But when I had besought the tribes of the dead with vows and prayers, I took +the sheep and cut their throats over the trench, and the dark blood flowed +forth, and lo, the spirits of the dead that be departed gathered them from out +of Erebus. Brides and youths unwed, and old men of many and evil days, and +tender maidens with grief yet fresh at heart; and many there were, wounded with +bronze-shod spears, men slain in fight with their bloody mail about them. And +these many ghosts flocked together from every side about the trench with a +wondrous cry, and pale fear gat hold on me. Then did I speak to my company and +command them to flay the sheep that lay slain by the pitiless sword, and to +consume them with fire, and to make prayer to the gods, to mighty Hades and to +dread Persephone, and myself I drew the sharp sword from my thigh and sat +there, suffering not the strengthless heads of the dead to draw nigh to the +blood, ere I had word of Teiresias. +</p> + +<p> +“And first came the soul of Elpenor, my companion, that had not yet been +buried beneath the wide-wayed earth; for we left the corpse behind us in the +hall of Circe, unwept and unburied, seeing that another task was instant on us. +At the sight of him I wept and had compassion on him, and uttering my voice +spake to him winged words: ‘Elpenor, how hast thou come beneath the +darkness and the shadow? Thou hast come fleeter on foot than I in my black +ship.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and with a moan he answered me, saying: ‘Son of +Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, an evil doom of some +god was my bane and wine out of measure. When I laid me down on the house-top +of Circe I minded me not to descend again by the way of the tall ladder, but +fell right down from the roof, and my neck was broken off from the bones of the +spine, and my spirit went down to the house of Hades. And now I pray thee in +the name of those whom we left, who are no more with us, thy wife, and thy sire +who cherished thee when as yet thou wert a little one, and Telemachus, whom +thou didst leave in thy halls alone; forasmuch as I know that on thy way hence +from out the dwelling of Hades, thou wilt stay thy well-wrought ship at the +isle Aeaean, even then, my lord, I charge thee to think on me. Leave me not +unwept and unburied as thou goest hence, nor turn thy back upon me, lest haply +I bring on thee the anger of the gods. Nay, burn me there with mine armour, all +that is mine, and pile me a barrow on the shore of the grey sea, the grave of a +luckless man, that even men unborn may hear my story. Fulfil me this and plant +upon the barrow mine oar, wherewith I rowed in the days of my life, while yet I +was among my fellows.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, and I answered him saying: ‘All this, luckless +man, will I perform for thee and do.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so we twain were sitting holding sad discourse, I on the one side, +stretching forth my sword over the blood, while on the other side the ghost of +my friend told all his tale. +</p> + +<p> +“Anon came up the soul of my mother dead, Anticleia, the daughter of +Autolycus the great-hearted, whom I left alive when I departed for sacred +Ilios. At the sight of her I wept, and was moved with compassion, yet even so, +for all my sore grief, I suffered her not to draw nigh to the blood, ere I had +word of Teiresias. +</p> + +<p> +“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? Nay, hold off from the ditch and draw back thy sharp sword, +that I may drink of the blood and tell thee sooth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he and I put up my silver-studded sword into the sheath, and +when he had drunk the dark blood, even then did the noble seer speak unto me, +saying: Thou art asking of thy sweet returning, great Odysseus, but that will +the god make hard for thee; for methinks thou shalt not pass unheeded by the +Shaker of the Earth, who hath laid up wrath in his heart against thee, for rage +at the blinding of his dear son. Yet even so, through many troubles, ye may +come home, if thou wilt restrain thy spirit and the spirit of thy men so soon +as thou shalt bring thy well-wrought ship nigh to the isle Thrinacia, fleeing +the sea of violet blue, when ye find the herds of Helios grazing and his brave +flocks, of Helios who overseeth all and overheareth all things. If thou doest +these no hurt, being heedful of thy return, so may ye yet reach Ithaca, albeit +in evil case. But if thou hurtest them, I foreshow ruin for thy ship and for +thy men, and even though thou shalt thyself escape, late shalt thou return in +evil plight, with the loss of all thy company, on board the ship of strangers, +and thou shalt find sorrows in thy house, even proud men that devour thy +living, while they woo thy godlike wife and offer the gifts of wooing. Yet I +tell thee, on thy coming thou shalt avenge their violence. But when thou hast +slain the wooers in thy halls, whether by guile, or openly with the edge of the +sword, thereafter go thy way, taking with thee a shapen oar, till thou shalt +come to such men as know not the sea, neither eat meat savoured with salt; yea, +nor have they knowledge of ships of purple cheek, nor shapen oars which serve +for wings to ships. And I will give thee a most manifest token, which cannot +escape thee. In the day when another wayfarer shall meet thee and say that thou +hast a winnowing fan on thy stout shoulder, even then make fast thy shapen oar +in the earth and do goodly sacrifice to the lord Poseidon, even with a ram and +a bull and a boar, the mate of swine, and depart for home and offer holy +hecatombs to the deathless gods that keep the wide heaven, to each in order +due. And from the sea shall thine own death come, the gentlest death that may +be, which shall end thee foredone with smooth old age, and the folk shall dwell +happily around thee. This that I say is sooth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, and I answered him, saying: ‘Teiresias, all these +threads, methinks, the gods themselves have spun. But come, declare me this and +plainly tell me all. I see here the spirit of my mother dead; lo, she sits in +silence near the blood, nor deigns to look her son in the face nor speak to +him! Tell me, prince, how may she know me again that I am he?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and anon he answered me, and said: ‘I will tell thee +an easy saying, and will put it in thy heart. Whomsoever of the dead that be +departed thou shalt suffer to draw nigh to the blood, he shall tell thee sooth; +but if thou shalt grudge any, that one shall go to his own place again.’ +Therewith the spirit of the prince Teiresias went back within the house of +Hades, when he had told all his oracles. But I abode there steadfastly, till my +mother drew nigh and drank the dark blood; and at once she knew me, and +bewailing herself spake to me winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Dear child, how didst thou come beneath the darkness and the +shadow, thou that art a living man? Grievous is the sight of these things to +the living, for between us and you are great rivers and dreadful streams; +first, Oceanus, which can no wise be crossed on foot, but only if one have a +well wrought ship. Art thou but now come hither with thy ship and thy company +in thy long wanderings from Troy? and hast thou not yet reached Ithaca, nor +seen thy wife in thy halls?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so she spake, and I answered her, and said: ‘O my mother, +necessity was on me to come down to the house of Hades to seek to the spirit of +Theban Teiresias. For not yet have I drawn near to the Achaean shore, nor yet +have I set foot on mine own country, but have been wandering evermore in +affliction, from the day that first I went with goodly Agamemnon to Ilios of +the fair steeds, to do battle with the Trojans. But come, declare me this and +plainly tell it all. What doom overcame thee of death that lays men at their +length? Was it a slow disease, or did Artemis the archer slay thee with the +visitation of her gentle shafts? And tell me of my father and my son, that I +left behind me; doth my honour yet abide with them, or hath another already +taken it, while they say that I shall come home no more? And tell me of my +wedded wife, of her counsel and her purpose, doth she abide with her son and +keep all secure, or hath she already wedded the best of the Achaeans?’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, and anon my lady mother answered me: ‘Yea verily, +she abideth with steadfast spirit in thy halls; and wearily for her the nights +wane always and the days in shedding of tears. But the fair honour that is +thine no man hath yet taken; but Telemachus sits at peace on his demesne, and +feasts at equal banquets, whereof it is meet that a judge partake, for all men +bid him to their house. And thy father abides there in the field, and goes not +down to the town, nor lies he on bedding or rugs or shining blankets, but all +the winter he sleeps, where sleep the thralls in the house, in the ashes by the +fire, and is clad in sorry raiment. But when the summer comes and the rich +harvest-tide, his beds of fallen leaves are strewn lowly all about the knoll of +his vineyard plot. There he lies sorrowing and nurses his mighty grief, for +long desire of thy return, and old age withal comes heavy upon him. Yea and +even so did I too perish and meet my doom. It was not the archer goddess of the +keen sight, who slew me in my halls with the visitation of her gentle shafts, +nor did any sickness come upon me, such as chiefly with a sad wasting draws the +spirit from the limbs; nay, it was my sore longing for thee, and for thy +counsels, great Odysseus, and for thy loving-kindness, that reft me of sweet +life.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and I mused in my heart and would fain have embraced the +spirit of my mother dead. Thrice I sprang towards her, and was minded to +embrace her; thrice she flitted from my hands as a shadow or even as a dream, +and sharp grief arose ever at my heart. And uttering my voice I spake to her +winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Mother mine, wherefore dost thou not abide me who am eager to +clasp thee, that even in Hades we twain may cast our arms each about the other, +and have our fill of chill lament? Is this but a phantom that the high goddess +Persephone hath sent me, to the end that I may groan for more exceeding +sorrow?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and my lady mother answered me anon: ‘Ah me, my child, +of all men most ill-fated, Persephone, the daughter of Zeus, doth in no wise +deceive thee, but even on this wise it is with mortals when they die. For the +sinews no more bind together the flesh and the bones, but the great force of +burning fire abolishes these, so soon as the life hath left the white bones, +and the spirit like a dream flies forth and hovers near. But haste with all +thine heart toward the sunlight, and mark all this, that even hereafter thou +mayest tell it to thy wife.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Thus we twain held discourse together; and lo, the women came up, for +the high goddess Persephone sent them forth, all they that had been the wives +and daughters of mighty men. And they gathered and flocked about the black +blood, and I took counsel how I might question them each one. And this was the +counsel that showed best in my sight. I drew my long hanger from my stalwart +thigh, and suffered them not all at one time to drink of the dark blood. So +they drew nigh one by one, and each declared her lineage, and I made question +of all. +</p> + +<p> +“Then verily did I first see Tyro, sprung of a noble sire, who said that +she was the child of noble Salmoneus, and declared herself the wife of +Cretheus, son of Aeolus. She loved a river, the divine Enipeus, far the fairest +of the floods that run upon the earth, and she would resort to the fair streams +of Enipeus. And it came to pass that the girdler of the world, the +Earth-shaker, put on the shape of the god, and lay by the lady at the mouths of +the whirling stream. Then the dark wave stood around them like a hill-side +bowed, and hid the god and the mortal woman. And he undid her maiden girdle, +and shed a slumber over her. Now when the god had done the work of love, he +clasped her hand and spake and hailed her: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Woman, be glad in our love, and when the year comes round thou +shalt give birth to glorious children,—for not weak are the embraces of +the gods,—and do thou keep and cherish them. And now go home and hold thy +peace, and tell it not: but behold, I am Poseidon, shaker of the earth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith he plunged beneath the heaving deep. And she conceived and +bare Pelias and Neleus, who both grew to be mighty men, servants of Zeus. +Pelias dwelt in wide Iolcos, and was rich in flocks; and that other abode in +sandy Pylos. And the queen of women bare yet other sons to Cretheus, even Aeson +and Pheres and Amythaon, whose joy was in chariots. +</p> + +<p> +“And after her I saw Antiope, daughter of Asopus, and her boast was that +she had slept even in the arms of Zeus, and she bare two sons, Amphion and +Zethus, who founded first the place of seven-gated Thebes, and they made of it +a fenced city, for they might not dwell in spacious Thebes unfenced, for all +their valiancy. +</p> + +<p> +“Next to her I saw Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, who lay in the arms of +mighty Zeus, and bare Heracles of the lion-heart, steadfast in the fight. And I +saw Megara, daughter of Creon, haughty of heart, whom the strong and tireless +son of Amphitryon had to wife. +</p> + +<p> +“And I saw the mother of Oedipodes, fair Epicaste, who wrought a dread +deed unwittingly, being wedded to her own son, and he that had slain his own +father wedded her, and straightway the gods made these things known to men. Yet +he abode in pain in pleasant Thebes, ruling the Cadmaeans, by reason of the +deadly counsels of the gods. But she went down to the house of Hades, the +mighty warder; yea, she tied a noose from the high beam aloft, being fast +holden in sorrow; while for him she left pains behind full many, even all that +the Avengers of a mother bring to pass. +</p> + +<p> +“And I saw lovely Chloris, whom Neleus wedded on a time for her beauty, +and brought gifts of wooing past number. She was the youngest daughter of +Amphion, son of Iasus, who once ruled mightily in Minyan Orchomenus. And she +was queen of Pylos, and bare glorious children to her lord, Nestor and +Chromius, and princely Periclymenus, and stately Pero too, the wonder of all +men. All that dwelt around were her wooers; but Neleus would not give her, save +to him who should drive off from Phylace the kine of mighty Iphicles, with +shambling gait and broad of brow, hard cattle to drive. And none but the noble +seer<a href="#linknote-19" name="linknoteref-19">[19]</a> +took in hand to drive them; but a grievous fate from the gods fettered him, +even hard bonds and the herdsmen of the wild. But when at length the months and +days were being fulfilled, as the year returned upon his course, and the +seasons came round, then did mighty Iphicles set him free, when he had spoken +out all the oracles; and herein was the counsel of Zeus being accomplished. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-19"></a><a href="#linknoteref-19">[19]</a> +Melampus +</p> + +<p> +“And I saw Lede, the famous bed-fellow of Tyndareus, who bare to +Tyndareus two sons, hardy of heart, Castor tamer of steeds, and Polydeuces the +boxer. These twain yet live, but the quickening earth is over them; and even in +the nether world they have honour at the hand of Zeus. And they possess their +life in turn, living one day and dying the next, and they have gotten worship +even as the gods. +</p> + +<p> +“And after her I beheld Iphimedeia, bed-fellow of Aloeus, who said that +she had lain with Poseidon, and she bare children twain, but short of life were +they, godlike Otus and far-famed Ephialtes. Now these were the tallest men that +earth, the graingiver, ever reared, and far the goodliest after the renowned +Orion. At nine seasons old they were of breadth nine cubits, and nine fathoms +in height. They it was who threatened to raise even against the immortals in +Olympus the din of stormy war. They strove to pile Ossa on Olympus, and on Ossa +Pelion with the trembling forest leaves, that there might be a pathway to the +sky. Yea, and they would have accomplished it, had they reached the full +measure of manhood. But the son of Zeus, whom Leto of the fair locks bare, +destroyed the twain, ere the down had bloomed beneath their temples, and +darkened their chins with the blossom of youth. +</p> + +<p> +“And Phaedra and Procris I saw, and fair Ariadne, the daughter of wizard +Minos, whom Theseus on a time was bearing from Crete to the hill of sacred +Athens, yet had he no joy of her; for Artemis slew her ere that in sea-girt +Dia, by reason of the witness of Dionysus. +</p> + +<p> +“And Maera and Clymene I saw, and hateful Eriphyle, who took fine gold +for the price of her dear lord’s life. But I cannot tell or name all the +wives and daughters of the heroes that I saw; ere that, the immortal night +would wane. Nay, it is even now time to sleep, whether I go to the swift ship +to my company or abide here: and for my convoy you and the gods will +care.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and dead silence fell on all, and they were spell-bound throughout +the shadowy halls. Then Arete of the white arms first spake among them: +“Phaeacians, what think you of this man for comeliness and stature, and +within for wisdom of heart? Moreover he is my guest, though every one of you +hath his share in this honour. Wherefore haste not to send him hence, and stint +not these your gifts for one that stands in such sore need of them; for ye have +much treasure stored in your halls by the grace of the gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Then too spake among them the old man, lord Echeneus, that was an elder among +the Phaeacians: “Friends, behold, the speech of our wise queen is not +wide of the mark, nor far from our deeming, so hearken ye thereto. But on +Alcinous here both word and work depend.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Alcinous made answer, and spake unto him: “Yea, the word that she +hath spoken shall hold, if indeed I am yet to live and bear rule among the +Phaeacians, masters of the oar. Howbeit let the stranger, for all his craving +to return, nevertheless endure to abide until the morrow, till I make up the +full measure of the gift; and men shall care for his convoy, all men, but I in +chief, for mine is the lordship in the land.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: My lord Alcinous, most +notable of all the people, if ye bade me tarry here even for a year, and would +speed my convoy and give me splendid gifts, even that I would choose; and +better would it be for me to come with a fuller hand to mine own dear country, +so should I get more love and worship in the eyes of all men, whoso should see +me after I was returned to Ithaca.” +</p> + +<p> +And Alcinous answered him, saying: “Odysseus, in no wise do we deem thee, +we that look on thee, to be a knave or a cheat, even as the dark earth rears +many such broadcast, fashioning lies whence none can even see his way therein. +But beauty crowns thy words, and wisdom is within thee; and thy tale, as when a +minstrel sings, thou hast told with skill, the weary woes of all the Argives +and of thine own self. But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all. Didst +thou see any of thy godlike company who went up at the same time with thee to +Ilios and there met their doom? Behold, the night is of great length, +unspeakable, and the time for sleep in the hall is not yet; tell me therefore +of those wondrous deeds. I could abide even till the bright dawn, so long as +thou couldst endure to rehearse me these woes of thine in the hall.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: “My lord Alcinous, +most notable of all the people, there is a time for many words and there is a +time for sleep. But if thou art eager still to listen, I would not for my part +grudge to tell thee of other things more pitiful still, even the woes of my +comrades, those that perished afterward, for they had escaped with their lives +from the dread war-cry of the Trojans, but perished in returning by the will of +an evil woman. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when holy Persephone had scattered this way and that the spirits of +the women folk, thereafter came the soul of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, +sorrowing; and round him others were gathered, the ghosts of them who had died +with him in the house of Aegisthus and met their doom. And he knew me +straightway when he had drunk the dark blood, yea, and he wept aloud, and shed +big tears as he stretched forth his hands in his longing to reach me. But it +might not be, for he had now no steadfast strength nor power at all in moving, +such as was aforetime in his supple limbs. +</p> + +<p> +“At the sight of him I wept and was moved with compassion, and uttering +my voice, spake to him winged words: ‘Most renowned son of Atreus, +Agamemnon, king of men, say what doom overcame thee of death that lays men at +their length? Did Poseidon smite thee in thy ships, raising the dolorous blast +of contrary winds, or did unfriendly men do thee hurt upon the land, whilst +thou wert cutting off their oxen and fair flocks of sheep, or fighting to win a +city and the women thereof?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and straightway he answered, and said unto me: ‘Son of +Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, it was not Poseidon +that smote me in my ships, and raised the dolorous blast of contrary winds, nor +did unfriendly men do me hurt upon the land, but Aegisthus it was that wrought +me death and doom and slew me, with the aid of my accursed wife, as one slays +an ox at the stall, after he had bidden me to his house, and entertained me at +a feast. Even so I died by a death most pitiful, and round me my company +likewise were slain without ceasing, like swine with glittering tusks which are +slaughtered in the house of a rich and mighty man, whether at a wedding banquet +or a joint-feast or a rich clan-drinking. Ere now hast thou been at the slaying +of many a man, killed in single fight or in strong battle, yet thou wouldst +have sorrowed the most at this sight, how we lay in the hall round the +mixing-bowl and the laden boards, and the floor all ran with blood. And most +pitiful of all that I heard was the voice of the daughter of Priam, of +Cassandra, whom hard by me the crafty Clytemnestra slew. Then I strove to raise +my hands as I was dying upon the sword, but to earth they fell. And that +shameless one turned her back upon me, and had not the heart to draw down my +eyelids with her fingers nor to close my mouth. So surely is there nought more +terrible and shameless than a woman who imagines such evil in her heart, even +as she too planned a foul deed, fashioning death for her wedded lord. Verily I +had thought to come home most welcome to my children and my thralls; but she, +out of the depth of her evil knowledge, hath shed shame on herself and on all +womankind, which shall be for ever, even on the upright.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, but I answered him, saying: ‘Lo now, in very +sooth, hath Zeus of the far-borne voice wreaked wondrous hatred on the seed of +Atreus through the counsels of woman from of old. For Helen’s sake so +many of us perished, and now Clytemnestra hath practised treason against thee, +while yet thou wast afar off.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, and anon he answered me, saying: ‘Wherefore do +thou too, never henceforth be soft even to thy wife, neither show her all the +counsel that thou knowest, but a part declare and let part be hid. Yet shalt +not thou, Odysseus, find death at the hand of thy wife, for she is very +discreet and prudent in all her ways, the wise Penelope, daughter of Icarius. +Verily we left her a bride new wed when we went to the war, and a child was at +her breast, who now, methinks, sits in the ranks of men, happy in his lot, for +his dear father shall behold him on his coming, and he shall embrace his sire +as is meet. But us for my wife, she suffered me not so much as to have my fill +of gazing on my son; ere that she slew me, even her lord. And yet another thing +will I tell thee, and do thou ponder it in thy heart. Put thy ship to land in +secret, and not openly, on the shore of thy dear country; for there is no more +faith in woman. But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all, if haply ye +hear of my son as yet living, either, it may be, in Orchomenus or in sandy +Pylos, or perchance with Menelaus in wide Sparta, for goodly Orestes hath not +yet perished on the earth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, but I answered him, saying: ‘Son of Atreus, +wherefore dost thou ask me straitly of these things? Nay I know not at all, +whether he be alive or dead; it is ill to speak words light as wind.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Thus we twain stood sorrowing, holding sad discourse, while the big +tears fell fast: and therewithal came the soul of Achilles, son of Peleus, and +of Patroclus and of noble Antilochus and of Aias, who in face and form was +goodliest of all the Danaans, after the noble son of Peleus. And the spirit of +the son of Aeacus, fleet of foot, knew me again, and making lament spake to me +winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, +man overbold, what new deed and hardier than this wilt thou devise in thy +heart? How durst thou come down to the house of Hades, where dwell the +senseless dead, the phantoms of men outworn?’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake, but I answered him: ‘Achilles, son of Peleus, +mightiest far of the Achaeans, I am come hither to seek to Teiresias, if he may +tell me any counsel, how I may come to rugged Ithaca. For not yet have I come +nigh the Achaean land, nor set foot on mine own soil, but am still in evil +case; while as for thee, Achilles, none other than thou wast heretofore the +most blessed of men, nor shall any be hereafter. For of old, in the days of thy +life, we Argives gave thee one honour with the gods, and now thou art a great +prince here among the dead. Wherefore let not thy death be any grief to thee, +Achilles.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so I spake, and he straightway answered me, and said: ‘Nay, +speak not comfortably to me of death, oh great Odysseus. Rather would I live on +ground<a href="#linknote-20" name="linknoteref-20">[20]</a> +as the hireling of another, with a landless man who had no great livelihood, +than bear sway among all the dead that be departed. But come, tell me tidings +of that lordly son of mine—did he follow to the war to be a leader or +not? And tell me of noble Peleus, if thou hast heard aught,—is he yet +held in worship among the Myrmidons, or do they dishonour him from Hellas to +Phthia, for that old age binds him hand and foot? For I am no longer his +champion under the sun, so mighty a man as once I was, when in wide Troy I slew +the best of the host, and succoured the Argives. Ah! could I but come for an +hour to my father’s house as then I was, so would I make my might and +hands invincible, to be hateful to many an one of those who do him despite and +keep him from his honour.’ +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-20"></a><a href="#linknoteref-20">[20]</a> +ἐπάρουρος seems to mean +“upon the earth,” “above ground,” as opposed to the +dead who are below, rather than “bound to the soil,” in which sense +most commentators take it. +</p> + +<p> +“Even so he spake, but I answered him saying: ‘As for noble Peleus, +verily I have heard nought of him; but concerning thy dear son Neoptolemus, I +will tell thee all the truth, according to thy word. It was I that led him up +out of Scyros in my good hollow ship, in the wake of the goodly-greaved +Achaeans. Now oft as we took counsel around Troy town, he was ever the first to +speak, and no word missed the mark; the godlike Nestor and I alone surpassed +him. But whensoever we Achaeans did battle on the plain of Troy, he never +tarried behind in the throng or the press of men, but ran out far before us +all, yielding to none in that might of his. And many men he slew in warfare +dread; but I could not tell of all or name their names, even all the host he +slew in succouring the Argives; but, ah, how he smote with the sword that son +of Telephus, the hero Eurypylus, and many Ceteians<a href="#linknote-21" +name="linknoteref-21">[21]</a> of his company were slain +around him, by reason of a woman’s bribe. He truly was the comeliest man +that ever I saw, next to goodly Memnon. And again when we, the best of the +Argives, were about to go down into the horse which Epeus wrought, and the +charge of all was laid on me, both to open the door of our good ambush and to +shut the same, then did the other princes and counsellors of the Danaans wipe +away the tears, and the limbs of each one trembled beneath him, but never once +did I see thy son’s fair face wax pale, nor did he wipe the tears from +his cheeks: but he besought me often to let him go forth from the horse, and +kept handling his sword-hilt, and his heavy bronze-shod spear, and he was set +on mischief against the Trojans. But after we had sacked the steep city of +Priam, he embarked unscathed with his share of the spoil, and with a noble +prize; he was not smitten with the sharp spear, and got no wound in close +fight: and many such chances there be in war, for Ares rageth +confusedly.’ +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-21"></a><a href="#linknoteref-21">[21]</a> +See Lenormant, Premières Civilisations, vol. i. p. 289. +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and the spirit of the son of Aeacus, fleet of foot, passed +with great strides along the mead of asphodel, rejoicing in that I had told him +of his son’s renown. +</p> + +<p> +“But lo, other spirits of the dead that be departed stood sorrowing, and +each one asked of those that were dear to them. The soul of Aias, son of +Telamon, alone stood apart being still angry for the victory wherein I +prevailed against him, in the suit by the ships concerning the arms of +Achilles, that his lady mother had set for a prize; and the sons of the Trojans +made award and Pallas Athene. Would that I had never prevailed and won such a +prize! So goodly a head hath the earth closed over, for the sake of those arms, +even over Aias, who in beauty and in feats of war was of a mould above all the +other Danaans, next to the noble son of Peleus. To him then I spake softly, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Aias, son of noble Telamon, so art thou not even in death to +forget thy wrath against me, by reason of those arms accursed, which the gods +set to be the bane of the Argives? What a tower of strength fell in thy fall, +and we Achaeans cease not to sorrow for thee, even as for the life of Achilles, +son of Peleus! Nay, there is none other to blame, but Zeus, who hath borne +wondrous hate to the army of the Danaan spearsmen, and laid on thee thy doom. +Nay, come hither, my lord, that thou mayest hear my word and my speech; master +thy wrath and thy proud spirit.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, but he answered me not a word and passed to Erebus after the +other spirits of the dead that be departed. Even then, despite his anger, would +he have spoken to me or I to him, but my heart within me was minded to see the +spirits of those others that were departed. +</p> + +<p> +“There then I saw Minos, glorious son of Zeus, wielding a golden sceptre, +giving sentence from his throne to the dead, while they sat and stood around +the prince, asking his dooms through the wide-gated house of Hades. +</p> + +<p> +“And after him I marked the mighty Orion driving the wild beasts together +over the mead of asphodel, the very beasts that himself had slain on the lonely +hills, with a strong mace all of bronze in his hands,<a href="#linknote-22" +name="linknoteref-22">[22]</a> that is ever unbroken. +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-22"></a><a href="#linknoteref-22">[22]</a> +ἔχων in strict grammar agrees with +αὐτὸς in 574, but this is merely by attraction, for +in sense it refers not to the living man, but to his phantom. +</p> + +<p> +“And I saw Tityos, son of renowned Earth, lying on a levelled ground, and +he covered nine roods as he lay, and vultures twain beset him one on either +side, and gnawed at his liver, piercing even to the caul, but he drave them not +away with his hands. For he had dealt violently with Leto, the famous bedfellow +of Zeus, as she went up to Pytho through the fair lawns of Panopeus. +</p> + +<p> +“Moreover I beheld Tantalus in grievous torment, standing in a mere and +the water came nigh unto his chin. And he stood straining as one athirst, but +he might not attain to the water to drink of it. For often as that old man +stooped down in his eagerness to drink, so often the water was swallowed up and +it vanished away, and the black earth still showed at his feet, for some god +parched it evermore. And tall trees flowering shed their fruit overhead, pears +and pomegranates and apple trees with bright fruit, and sweet figs and olives +in their bloom, whereat when that old man reached out his hands to clutch them, +the wind would toss them to the shadowy clouds. +</p> + +<p> +“Yea and I beheld Sisyphus in strong torment, grasping a monstrous stone +with both his hands. He was pressing thereat with hands and feet, and trying to +roll the stone upward toward the brow of the hill. But oft as he was about to +hurl it over the top, the weight would drive him back, so once again to the +plain rolled the stone, the shameless thing. And he once more kept heaving and +straining, and the sweat the while was pouring down his limbs, and the dust +rose upwards from his head. +</p> + +<p> +“And after him I descried the mighty Heracles, his phantom, I say; but as +for himself he hath joy at the banquet among the deathless gods, and hath to +wife Hebe of the fair ankles, child of great Zeus, and of Here of the golden +sandals. And all about him there was a clamour of the dead, as it were fowls +flying every way in fear, and he like black Night, with bow uncased, and shaft +upon the string, fiercely glancing around, like one in the act to shoot. And +about his breast was an awful belt, a baldric of gold, whereon wondrous things +were wrought, bears and wild boars and lions with flashing eyes, and strife and +battles and slaughters and murders of men. Nay, now that he hath fashioned +this, never another may he fashion, whoso stored in his craft the device of +that belt! And anon he knew me when his eyes beheld me, and making lament he +spake unto me winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘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? I was the son of Zeus Cronion, yet had I trouble +beyond measure, for I was subdued unto a man far worse than I. And he enjoined +on me hard adventures, yea and on a time he sent me hither to bring back the +hound of hell; for he devised no harder task for me than this. I lifted the +hound and brought him forth from out of the house of Hades; and Hermes sped me +on my way and the grey-eyed Athene.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith he departed again into the house of Hades, but I abode there +still, if perchance some one of the hero folk besides might come, who died in +old time. Yea and I should have seen the men of old, whom I was fain to look +on, Theseus and Peirithous, renowned children of the gods. But ere that might +be the myriad tribes of the dead thronged up together with wondrous clamour: +and pale fear gat hold of me, lest the high goddess Persephone should send me +the head of the Gorgon, that dread monster, from out of Hades. +</p> + +<p> +“Straightway then I went to the ship, and bade my men mount the vessel, +and loose the hawsers. So speedily they went on board, and sat upon the +benches. And the wave of the flood bore the barque down the stream of Oceanus, +we rowing first, and afterwards the fair wind was our convoy. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>BOOK XII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus, his passage by the Sirens, and by Scylla and Charybdis. The sacrilege +committed by his men in the isle Thrinacia. The destruction of his ships and +men. How he swam on a plank nine days together, and came to Ogygia, where he +stayed seven years with Calypso. +</p> + +<p> +“Now after the ship had left the stream of the river Oceanus, and was +come to the wave of the wide sea, and the isle Aeaean, where is the dwelling +place of early Dawn and her dancing grounds, and the land of sunrising, upon +our coming thither we beached the ship in the sand, and ourselves too stept +ashore on the sea beach. There we fell on sound sleep and awaited the bright +Dawn. +</p> + +<p> +“So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, I sent forth my +fellows to the house of Circe to fetch the body of the dead Elpenor. And +speedily we cut billets of wood and sadly we buried him, where the furthest +headland runs out into the sea, shedding big tears. But when the dead man was +burned and the arms of the dead, we piled a barrow and dragged up thereon a +pillar, and on the topmost mound we set the shapen oar. +</p> + +<p> +“Now all that task we finished, and our coming from out of Hades was not +unknown to Circe, but she arrayed herself and speedily drew nigh, and her +handmaids with her bare flesh and bread in plenty and dark red wine. And the +fair goddess stood in the midst and spake in our ears, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Men overbold, who have gone alive into the house of Hades, to +know death twice, while all men else die once for all. Nay come, eat ye meat +and drink wine here all day long; and with the breaking of the day ye shall set +sail, and myself I will show you the path and declare each thing, that ye may +not suffer pain or hurt through any grievous ill-contrivance by sea or on the +land.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and our lordly souls consented thereto. Thus for that time +we sat the livelong day, until the going down of the sun, feasting on abundant +flesh and on sweet wine. Now when the sun sank and darkness came on, my company +laid them to rest by the hawsers of the ship. Then she took me by the hand and +led me apart from my dear company, and made me to sit down and laid herself at +my feet, and asked all my tale. And I told her all in order duly. Then at the +last the Lady Circe spake unto me, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Even so, now all these things have an end; do thou then hearken +even as I tell thee, and the god himself shall bring it back to thy mind. To +the Sirens first shalt thou come, who bewitch all men, whosoever shall come to +them. Whoso draws nigh them unwittingly and hears the sound of the +Sirens’ voice, never doth he see wife or babes stand by him on his +return, nor have they joy at his coming; but the Sirens enchant him with their +clear song, sitting in the meadow, and all about is a great heap of bones of +men, corrupt in death, and round the bones the skin is wasting. But do thou +drive thy ship past, and knead honey-sweet wax, and anoint therewith the ears +of thy company, lest any of the rest hear the song; but if thou myself art +minded to hear, let them bind thee in the swift ship hand and foot, upright in +the mast-stead, and from the mast let rope-ends be tied, that with delight thou +mayest hear the voice of the Sirens. And if thou shalt beseech thy company and +bid them to loose thee, then let them bind thee with yet more bonds. But when +thy friends have driven thy ship past these, I will not tell thee fully which +path shall thenceforth be thine, but do thou thyself consider it, and I will +speak to thee of either way. On the one side there are beetling rocks, and +against them the great wave roars of dark-eyed Amphitrite. These, ye must know, +are they the blessed gods call the Rocks Wandering. By this way even winged +things may never pass, nay, not even the cowering doves that bear ambrosia to +Father Zeus, but the sheer rock evermore takes away one even of these, and the +Father sends in another to make up the tale. Thereby no ship of men ever +escapes that comes thither, but the planks of ships and the bodies of men +confusedly are tossed by the waves of the sea and the storms of ruinous fire. +One ship only of all that fare by sea hath passed that way, even Argo, that is +in all men’s minds, on her voyage from Aeetes. And even her the wave +would lightly have cast there upon the mighty rocks, but Here sent her by for +love of Jason. +</p> + +<p> +“‘On the other part are two rocks, whereof the one reaches with +sharp peak to the wide heaven, and a dark cloud encompasses it; this never +streams away, and there is no clear air about the peak neither in summer nor in +harvest tide. No mortal man may scale it or set foot thereon, not though he had +twenty hands and feet. For the rock is smooth, and sheer, as it were polished. +And in the midst of the cliff is a dim cave turned to Erebus, towards the place +of darkness, whereby ye shall even steer your hollow ship, noble Odysseus. Not +with an arrow from a bow might a man in his strength reach from his hollow ship +into that deep cave. And therein dwelleth Scylla, yelping terribly. Her voice +indeed is no greater than the voice of a new-born whelp, but a dreadful monster +is she, nor would any look on her gladly, not if it were a god that met her. +Verily she hath twelve feet all dangling down; and six necks exceeding long, +and on each a hideous head, and therein three rows of teeth set thick and +close, full of black death. Up to her middle is she sunk far down in the hollow +cave, but forth she holds her heads from the dreadful gulf, and there she +fishes, swooping round the rock, for dolphins or sea-dogs, or whatso greater +beast she may anywhere take, whereof the deep-voiced Amphitrite feeds countless +flocks. Thereby no sailors boast that they have fled scatheless ever with their +ship, for with each head she carries off a man, whom she hath snatched from out +the dark-prowed ship. +</p> + +<p> +“‘But that other cliff, Odysseus, thou shalt note, lying lower, +hard by the first: thou couldest send an arrow across. And thereon is a great +fig-tree growing, in fullest leaf, and beneath it mighty Charybdis sucks down +black water, for thrice a day she spouts it forth, and thrice a day she sucks +it down in terrible wise. Never mayest thou be there when she sucks the water, +for none might save thee then from thy bane, not even the Earth-Shaker! But +take heed and swiftly drawing nigh to Scylla’s rock drive the ship past, +since of a truth it is far better to mourn six of thy company in the ship, than +all in the selfsame hour.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, but I answered, and said unto her: ‘Come I pray thee +herein, goddess, tell me true, if there be any means whereby I might escape +from the deadly Charybdis and avenge me on that other, when she would prey upon +my company.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and that fair goddess answered me: ‘Man overbold, lo, +now again the deeds of war are in thy mind and the travail thereof. Wilt thou +not yield thee even to the deathless gods? As for her, she is no mortal, but an +immortal plague, dread, grievous, and fierce, and not to be fought with; and +against her there is no defence; flight is the bravest way. For if thou tarry +to do on thine armour by the cliff, I fear lest once again she sally forth and +catch at thee with so many heads, and seize as many men as before. So drive +past with all thy force, and call on Cratais, mother of Scylla, which bore her +for a bane to mortals. And she will then let her from darting forth thereafter. +</p> + +<p> +“‘Then thou shalt come unto the isle Thrinacia; there are the many +kine of Helios and his brave flocks feeding, seven herds of kine and as many +goodly flocks of sheep, and fifty in each flock. They have no part in birth or +in corruption, and there are goddesses to shepherd them, nymphs with fair +tresses, Phaethusa and Lampetie whom bright Neaera bare to Helios Hyperion. Now +when the lady their mother had borne and nursed them, she carried them to the +isle Thrinacia to dwell afar, that they should guard their father’s +flocks and his kine with shambling gait. If thou doest these no hurt, being +heedful of thy return, truly ye may even yet reach Ithaca, albeit in evil case. +But if thou hurtest them, I foreshow ruin for thy ship and for thy men, and +even though thou shouldest thyself escape, late shalt thou return in evil +plight with the loss of all thy company.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and anon came the golden-throned Dawn. Then the fair +goddess took her way up the island. But I departed to my ship and roused my men +themselves to mount the vessel and loose the hawsers. And speedily they went +aboard and sat upon the benches, and sitting orderly smote the grey sea water +with their oars. And in the wake of our dark-prowed ship she sent a favouring +wind that filled the sails, a kindly escort,—even Circe of the braided +tresses, a dread goddess of human speech. And straightway we set in order the +gear throughout the ship and sat us down, and the wind and the helmsman guided +our barque. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I spake among my company with a heavy heart: ‘Friends, +forasmuch as it is not well that one or two alone should know of the oracles +that Circe, the fair goddess, spake unto me, therefore will I declare them, +that with foreknowledge we may die, or haply shunning death and destiny escape. +First she bade us avoid the sound of the voice of the wondrous Sirens, and +their field of flowers, and me only she bade listen to their voices. So bind ye +me in a hard bond, that I may abide unmoved in my place, upright in the +mast-stead, and from the mast let rope-ends be tied, and if I beseech and bid +you to set me free, then do ye straiten me with yet more bonds.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Thus I rehearsed these things one and all, and declared them to my +company. Meanwhile our good ship quickly came to the island of the Sirens +twain, for a gentle breeze sped her on her way. Then straightway the wind +ceased, and lo, there was a windless calm, and some god lulled the waves. Then +my company rose up and drew in the ship’s sails, and stowed them in the +hold of the ship, while they sat at the oars and whitened the water with their +polished pine blades. But I with my sharp sword cleft in pieces a great circle +of wax, and with my strong hands kneaded it. And soon the wax grew warm, for +that my great might constrained it, and the beam of the lord Helios, son of +Hyperion. And I anointed therewith the ears of all my men in their order, and +in the ship they bound me hand and foot upright in the mast-stead, and from the +mast they fastened rope-ends and themselves sat down, and smote the grey sea +water with their oars. But when the ship was within the sound of a man’s +shout from the land, we fleeing swiftly on our way, the Sirens espied the swift +ship speeding toward them, and they raised their clear-toned song: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hither, come hither, renowned Odysseus, great glory of the +Achaeans, here stay thy barque, that thou mayest listen to the voice of us +twain. For none hath ever driven by this way in his black ship, till he hath +heard from our lips the voice sweet as the honeycomb, and hath had joy thereof +and gone on his way the wiser. For lo, we know all things, all the travail that +in wide Troy-land the Argives and Trojans bare by the gods’ designs, yea, +and we know all that shall hereafter be upon the fruitful earth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake they uttering a sweet voice, and my heart was fain to listen, +and I bade my company unbind me, nodding at them with a frown, but they bent to +their oars and rowed on. Then straight uprose Perimedes and Eurylochus and +bound me with more cords and straitened me yet the more. Now when we had driven +past them, nor heard we any longer the sound of the Sirens or their song, +forthwith my dear company took away the wax wherewith I had anointed their ears +and loosed me from my bonds. +</p> + +<p> +“But so soon as we left that isle, thereafter presently I saw smoke and a +great wave, and heard the sea roaring. Then for very fear the oars flew from +their hands, and down the stream they all splashed, and the ship was holden +there, for my company no longer plied with their hands the tapering oars. But I +paced the ship and cheered on my men, as I stood by each one and spake smooth +words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Friends, forasmuch as in sorrow we are not all unlearned, truly +this is no greater woe that is upon us,<a href="#linknote-23" +name="linknoteref-23">[23]</a> than when the Cyclops penned +us by main might in his hollow cave; yet even thence we made escape by my +manfulness, even by my counsel and my wit, and some day I think that this +adventure too we shall remember. Come now, therefore, let us all give ear to do +according to my word. Do ye smite the deep surf of the sea with your oars, as +ye sit on the benches, if peradventure Zeus may grant us to escape from and +shun this death. And as for thee, helmsman, thus I charge thee, and ponder it +in thine heart seeing that thou wieldest the helm of the hollow ship. Keep the +ship well away from this smoke and from the wave and hug the rocks, lest the +ship, ere thou art aware, start from her course to the other side, and so thou +hurl us into ruin.’ +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-23"></a><a href="#linknoteref-23">[23]</a> +Reading ἐπὶ, not ἔπει with La Roche. +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and quickly they hearkened to my words. But of Scylla I told +them nothing more, a bane none might deal with, lest haply my company should +cease from rowing for fear, and hide them in the hold. In that same hour I +suffered myself to forget the hard behest of Circe, in that she bade me in +nowise be armed; but I did on my glorious harness and caught up two long lances +in my hands, and went on the decking of the prow, for thence methought that +Scylla of the rock would first be seen, who was to bring woe on my company. Yet +could I not spy her anywhere, and my eyes waxed weary for gazing all about +toward the darkness of the rock. +</p> + +<p> +“Next we began to sail up the narrow strait lamenting. For on the one +hand lay Scylla, and on the other mighty Charybdis in terrible wise sucked down +the salt sea water. As often as she belched it forth, like a cauldron on a +great fire she would seethe up through all her troubled deeps, and overhead the +spray fell on the tops of either cliff. But oft as she gulped down the salt sea +water, within she was all plain to see through her troubled deeps, and the rock +around roared horribly and beneath the earth was manifest swart with sand, and +pale fear gat hold on my men. Toward her, then, we looked fearing destruction; +but Scylla meanwhile caught from out my hollow ship six of my company, the +hardiest of their hands and the chief in might. And looking into the swift ship +to find my men, even then I marked their feet and hands as they were lifted on +high, and they cried aloud in their agony, and called me by my name for that +last time of all. Even as when as fisher on some headland lets down with a long +rod his baits for a snare to the little fishes below, casting into the deep the +horn of an ox of the homestead, and as he catches each flings it writhing +ashore, so writhing were they borne upward to the cliff. And there she devoured +them shrieking in her gates, they stretching forth their hands to me in the +dread death-struggle. And the most pitiful thing was this that mine eyes have +seen of all my travail in searching out the paths of the sea. +</p> + +<p> +“Now when we had escaped the Rocks and dread Charybdis and Scylla, +thereafter we soon came to the fair island of the god; where were the goodly +kine, broad of brow, and the many brave flocks of Helios Hyperion. Then while +as yet I was in my black ship upon the deep, I heard the lowing of the cattle +being stalled and the bleating of the sheep, and on my mind there fell the +saying of the blind seer, Theban Teiresias, and of Circe of Aia, who charged me +very straitly to shun the isle of Helios, the gladdener of the world. Then I +spake out among my company in sorrow of heart: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hear my words, my men, albeit in evil plight, that I may declare +unto you the oracles of Teiresias and of Circe of Aia, who very straitly +charged me to shun the isle of Helios, the gladdener of the world. For there +she said the most dreadful mischief would befal us. Nay, drive ye then the +black ship beyond and past that isle.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and their heart was broken within them. And Eurylochus +straightway answered me sadly, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hardy art thou, Odysseus, of might beyond measure, and thy limbs +are never weary; verily thou art fashioned all of iron, that sufferest not thy +fellows, foredone with toil and drowsiness, to set foot on shore, where we +might presently prepare us a good supper in this sea-girt island. But even as +we are thou biddest us fare blindly through the sudden night, and from the isle +go wandering on the misty deep. And strong winds, the bane of ships, are born +of the night. How could a man escape from utter doom, if there chanced to come +a sudden blast of the South Wind, or of the boisterous West, which mainly wreck +ships, beyond the will of the gods, the lords of all? Howbeit for this present +let us yield to the black night, and we will make ready our supper abiding by +the swift ship, and in the morning we will climb on board, and put out into the +broad deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake Eurylochus, and the rest of my company consented thereto. Then +at the last I knew that some god was indeed imagining evil, and I uttered my +voice and spake unto him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Eurylochus, verily ye put force upon me, being but one among you +all. But come, swear me now a mighty oath, one and all, to the intent that if +we light on a herd of kine or a great flock of sheep, none in the evil folly of +his heart may slay any sheep or ox; but in quiet eat ye the meat which the +deathless Circe gave.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and straightway they swore to refrain as I commanded them. +Now after they had sworn and done that oath, we stayed our well-builded ship in +the hollow harbour near to a well of sweet water, and my company went forth +from out the ship and deftly got ready supper. But when they had put from them +the desire of meat and drink, thereafter they fell a weeping as they thought +upon their dear companions whom Scylla had snatched from out the hollow ship +and so devoured. And deep sleep came upon them amid their weeping. And when it +was the third watch of the night, and the stars had crossed the zenith, Zeus +the cloud-gatherer roused against them an angry wind with wondrous tempest, and +shrouded in clouds land and sea alike, and from heaven sped down the night. Now +when early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, we beached the ship, and +dragged it up within a hollow cave, where were the fair dancing grounds of the +nymphs and the places of their session. Thereupon I ordered a gathering of my +men and spake in their midst, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Friends, forasmuch as there is yet meat and drink in the swift +ship, let us keep our hands off those kine, lest some evil thing befal us. For +these are the kine and the brave flocks of a dread god, even of Helios, who +overseeth all and overheareth all things.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and their lordly spirit hearkened thereto. Then for a whole +month the South Wind blew without ceasing, and no other wind arose, save only +the East and the South. +</p> + +<p> +“Now so long as my company still had corn and red wine, they refrained +them from the kine, for they were fain of life. But when the corn was now all +spent from out the ship, and they went wandering with barbed hooks in quest of +game, as needs they must, fishes and fowls, whatsoever might come to their +hand, for hunger gnawed at their belly, then at last I departed up the isle, +that I might pray to the gods, if perchance some one of them might show me a +way of returning. And now when I had avoided my company on my way through the +island, I laved my hands where was a shelter from the wind, and prayed to all +the gods that hold Olympus. But they shed sweet sleep upon my eyelids. And +Eurylochus the while set forth an evil counsel to my company: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hear my words, my friends, though ye be in evil case. Truly every +shape of death is hateful to wretched mortals, but to die of hunger and so meet +doom is most pitiful of all. Nay come, we will drive off the best of the kine +of Helios and will do sacrifice to the deathless gods who keep wide heaven. And +if we may yet reach Ithaca, our own country, forthwith will we rear a rich +shrine to Helios Hyperion, and therein would we set many a choice offering. But +if he be somewhat wroth for his cattle with straight horns, and is fain to +wreck our ship, and the other gods follow his desire, rather with one gulp at +the wave would I cast my life away, than be slowly straitened to death in a +desert isle.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake Eurylochus, and the rest of the company consented thereto. +Forthwith they drave off the best of the kine of Helios that were nigh at hand, +for the fair kine of shambling gait and broad of brow were feeding no great way +from the dark-prowed ship. Then they stood around the cattle and prayed to the +gods, plucking the fresh leaves from an oak of lofty boughs, for they had no +white barley on board the decked ship. Now after they had prayed and cut the +throats of the kine and flayed them, they cut out slices of the thighs and +wrapped them in the fat, making a double fold, and thereon they laid raw flesh. +Yet had they no pure wine to pour over the flaming sacrifices, but they made +libation with water and roasted the entrails over the fire. Now after the +thighs were quite consumed and they had tasted the inner parts, they cut the +rest up small and spitted it on spits. In the same hour deep sleep sped from my +eyelids and I sallied forth to the swift ship and the sea-banks. But on my way +as I drew near to the curved ship, the sweet savour of the fat came all about +me; and I groaned and spake out before the deathless gods: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed gods that live for ever, +verily to my undoing ye have lulled me with a ruthless sleep, and my company +abiding behind have imagined a monstrous deed.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then swiftly to Helios Hyperion came Lampetie of the long robes, with +the tidings that we had slain his kine. And straight he spake with angry heart +amid the Immortals: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed gods that live for ever, +take vengeance I pray you on the company of Odysseus, son of Laertes, that have +insolently slain my cattle, wherein I was wont to be glad as I went toward the +starry heaven, and when I again turned earthward from the firmament. And if +they pay me not full atonement for the cattle, I will go down to Hades and +shine among the dead.’ +</p> + +<p> +“And Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered him, saying: ‘Helios, do +thou, I say, shine on amidst the deathless gods, and amid mortal men upon the +earth, the grain-giver. But as for me, I will soon smite their swift ship with +my white bolt, and cleave it in pieces in the midst of the wine-dark +deep.’ +</p> + +<p> +“This I heard from Calypso of the fair hair; and she said that she +herself had heard it from Hermes the Messenger. +</p> + +<p> +“But when I had come down to the ship and to the sea, I went up to my +companions and rebuked them one by one; but we could find no remedy, the cattle +were dead and gone. And soon thereafter the gods showed forth signs and wonders +to my company. The skins were creeping, and the flesh bellowing upon the spits, +both the roast and raw, and there was a sound as the voice of kine. +</p> + +<p> +“Then for six days my dear company feasted on the best of the kine of +Helios which they had driven off. But when Zeus, son of Cronos, had added the +seventh day thereto, thereafter the wind ceased to blow with a rushing storm, +and at once we climbed the ship and launched into the broad deep, when we had +set up the mast and hoisted the white sails. +</p> + +<p> +“But now when we left that isle nor any other land appeared, but sky and +sea only, even then the son of Cronos stayed a dark cloud above the hollow +ship, and beneath it the deep darkened. And the ship ran on her way for no long +while, for of a sudden came the shrilling West, with the rushing of a great +tempest, and the blast of wind snapped the two forestays of the mast, and the +mast fell backward and all the gear dropped into the bilge. And behold, on the +hind part of the ship the mast struck the head of the pilot and brake all the +bones of his skull together, and like a diver he dropt down from the deck, and +his brave spirit left his bones. In that same hour Zeus thundered and cast his +bolt upon the ship, and she reeled all over being stricken by the bolt of Zeus, +and was filled with sulphur, and lo, my company fell from out the vessel. Like +sea-gulls they were borne round the black ship upon the billows, and the god +reft them of returning. +</p> + +<p> +“But I kept pacing through my ship, till the surge loosened the sides +from the keel, and the wave swept her along stript of her tackling, and brake +her mast clean off at the keel. Now the backstay fashioned of an oxhide had +been flung thereon; therewith I lashed together both keel and mast, and sitting +thereon I was borne by the ruinous winds. +</p> + +<p> +“Then verily the West Wind ceased to blow with a rushing storm, and +swiftly withal the South Wind came, bringing sorrow to my soul, that so I might +again measure back that space of sea, the way to deadly Charybdis. All the +night was I borne, but with the rising of the sun I came to the rock of Scylla, +and to dread Charybdis. Now she had sucked down her salt sea water, when I was +swung up on high to the tall fig-tree whereto I clung like a bat, and could +find no sure rest for my feet nor place to stand, for the roots spread far +below and the branches hung aloft out of reach, long and large, and +overshadowed Charybdis. Steadfast I clung till she should spew forth mast and +keel again; and late they came to my desire. At the hour when a man rises up +from the assembly and goes to supper, one who judges the many quarrels of the +young men that seek to him for law, at that same hour those timbers came forth +to view from out Charybdis. And I let myself drop down hands and feet, and +plunged heavily in the midst of the waters beyond the long timbers, and sitting +on these I rowed hard with my hands. But the father of gods and of men suffered +me no more to behold Scylla, else I should never have escaped from utter doom. +</p> + +<p> +“Thence for nine days was I borne, and on the tenth night the gods +brought me nigh to the isle of Ogygia, where dwells Calypso of the braided +tresses, an awful goddess of mortal speech, who took me in and entreated me +kindly. But why rehearse all this tale? For even yesterday I told it to thee +and to thy noble wife in thy house; and it liketh me not twice to tell a +plain-told tale.” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap13"></a>BOOK XIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus, sleeping, is set ashore at Ithaca by the Phaeacians, and waking knows +it not. Pallas, in the form of a shepherd, helps to hide his treasure. The ship +that conveyed him is turned into a rock, and Odysseus by Pallas is instructed +what to do, and transformed into an old beggarman. +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and dead silence fell on all, and they were spell-bound throughout +the shadowy halls. Thereupon Alcinous answered him, and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Odysseus, now that thou hast come to my high house with floor of bronze, +never, methinks, shalt thou be driven from thy way ere thou returnest, though +thou hast been sore afflicted. And for each man among you, that in these halls +of mine drink evermore the dark wine of the elders, and hearken to the +minstrel, this is my word and command. Garments for the stranger are already +laid up in a polished coffer, with gold curiously wrought, and all other such +gifts as the counsellors of the Phaeacians bare hither. Come now, let us each +of us give him a great tripod and a cauldron, and we in turn will gather goods +among the people and get us recompense; for it were hard that one man should +give without repayment.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Alcinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then they went each one to +his house to lay him down to rest; but so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the +rosy-fingered, they hasted to the ship and bare the bronze, the joy of men. And +the mighty king Alcinous himself went about the ship and diligently bestowed +the gifts beneath the benches, that they might not hinder any of the crew in +their rowing, when they laboured at their oars. Then they betook them to the +house of Alcinous and fell to feasting. And the mighty king Alcinous sacrificed +before them an ox to Zeus, the son of Cronos, that dwells in the dark clouds, +who is lord of all. And when they had burnt the pieces of the thighs, they +shared the glorious feast and made merry, and among them harped the divine +minstrel Demodocus, whom the people honoured. But Odysseus would ever turn his +head toward the splendour of the sun, as one fain to hasten his setting: for +verily he was most eager to return. And as when a man longs for his supper, for +whom all day long two dark oxen drag through the fallow field the jointed +plough, yea and welcome to such an one the sunlight sinketh, that so he may get +him to supper, for his knees wax faint by the way, even so welcome was the +sinking of the sunlight to Odysseus. Then straight he spake among the +Phaeacians, masters of the oar, and to Alcinous in chief he made known his +word, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“My lord Alcinous, most notable of all the people, pour ye the drink +offering, and send me safe upon my way, and as for you, fare ye well. For now +have I all that my heart desired, an escort and loving gifts. May the gods of +heaven give me good fortune with them, and may I find my noble wife in my home +with my friends unharmed, while ye, for your part, abide here and make glad +your wedded wives and children; and may the gods vouchsafe all manner of good, +and may no evil come nigh the people!” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they all consented thereto and bade send the stranger on his +way, in that he had spoken aright. Then the mighty Alcinous spake to the +henchman: “Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve out the wine to all in the +hall, that we may pray to Father Zeus, and send the stranger on his way to his +own country.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine, and served it to all +in turn. And they poured forth before the blessed gods that keep wide heaven, +even there as they sat. Then goodly Odysseus uprose, and placed in +Arete’s hand the two-handled cup, and uttering his voice spake to her +winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Fare thee well, O queen, all the days of thy life, till old age come and +death, that visit all mankind. But I go homeward, and do thou in this thy house +rejoice in thy children and thy people and Alcinous the king.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith goodly Odysseus stept over the threshold. And with him the mighty +Alcinous sent forth a henchman to guide him to the swift ship and the +sea-banks. And Arete sent in this train certain maidens of her household, one +bearing a fresh robe and a doublet, and another she joined to them to carry the +strong coffer, and yet another bare bread and red wine. Now when they had come +down to the ship and to the sea, straightway the good men of the escort took +these things and laid them by in the hollow ship, even all the meat and drink. +Then they strewed for Odysseus a rug and a sheet of linen, on the decks of the +hollow ship, in the hinder part thereof, that he might sleep sound. Then he too +climbed aboard and laid him down in silence, while they sat upon the benches, +every man in order, and unbound the hawser from the pierced stone. So soon as +they leant backwards and tossed the sea water with the oar blade, a deep sleep +fell upon his eyelids, a sound sleep, very sweet, and next akin to death. And +even as on a plain a yoke of four stallions comes springing all together +beneath the lash, leaping high and speedily accomplishing the way, so leaped +the stern of that ship, and the dark wave of the sounding sea rushed mightily +in the wake, and she ran ever surely on her way, nor could a circling hawk keep +pace with her, of winged things the swiftest. Even thus she lightly sped and +cleft the waves of the sea, bearing a man whose counsel was as the counsel of +the gods, one that erewhile had suffered much sorrow of heart, in passing +through the wars of men, and the grievous waves; but for that time he slept in +peace, forgetful of all that he had suffered. +</p> + +<p> +So when the star came up, that is brightest of all, and goes ever heralding the +light of early Dawn, even then did the seafaring ship draw nigh the island. +There is in the land of Ithaca a certain haven of Phorcys, the ancient one of +the sea, and thereby are two headlands of sheer cliff, which slope to the sea +on the haven’s side and break the mighty wave that ill winds roll +without, but within, the decked ships ride unmoored when once they have reached +the place of anchorage. Now at the harbour’s head is a long-leaved olive +tree, and hard by is a pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs, that +are called the Naiads. And therein are mixing bowls and jars of stone, and +there moreover do bees hive. And there are great looms of stone, whereon the +nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, a marvel to behold, and therein are +waters welling evermore. Two gates there are to the cave, the one set toward +the North Wind whereby men may go down, but the portals toward the South +pertain rather to the gods, whereby men may not enter: it is the way of the +immortals. +</p> + +<p> +Thither they, as having knowledge of that place, let drive their ship; and now +the vessel in full course ran ashore, half her keel’s length high; so +well was she sped by the hands of the oarsmen. Then they alighted from the +benched ship upon the land, and first they lifted Odysseus from out the hollow +ship, all as he was in the sheet of linen and the bright rug, and laid him yet +heavy with slumber on the sand. And they took forth the goods which the lordly +Phaeacians had given him on his homeward way by grace of the great-hearted +Athene. These they set in a heap by the trunk of the olive tree, a little aside +from the road, lest some wayfaring man, before Odysseus awakened, should come +and spoil them. Then themselves departed homeward again. But the shaker of the +earth forgat not the threats, wherewith at the first he had threatened god like +Odysseus, and he inquired into the counsel of Zeus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, I for one shall no longer be of worship among the deathless +gods, when mortal men hold me in no regard, even Phaeacians, who moreover are +of mine own lineage. Lo, now I said that after much affliction Odysseus should +come home, for I had no mind to rob him utterly of his return, when once thou +hadst promised it and given assent; but behold, in his sleep they have borne +him in a swift ship over the sea, and set him down in Ithaca, and given him +gifts out of measure, bronze and gold in plenty and woven raiment, much store, +such as never would Odysseus have won for himself out of Troy; yea, though he +had returned unhurt with the share of the spoil that fell to him.” +</p> + +<p> +And Zeus, the cloud gatherer, answered him saying: “Lo, now, shaker of +the earth, of widest power, what a word hast thou spoken! The gods nowise +dishonour thee; hard would it be to assail with dishonour our eldest and our +best. But if any man, giving place to his own hardihood and strength, holds +thee not in worship, thou hast always thy revenge for the same, even in the +time to come. Do thou as thou wilt, and as seems thee good.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Poseidon, shaker of the earth, answered him: “Straightway would I do +even as thou sayest, O god of the dark clouds; but thy wrath I always hold in +awe and avoid. Howbeit, now I fain would smite a fair ship of the Phaeacians, +as she comes home from a convoy on the misty deep, that thereby they may learn +to hold their hands, and cease from giving escort to men; and I would +overshadow their city with a great mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +And Zeus the gatherer of the clouds, answered him, saying: “Friend, learn +now what seems best in my sight. At an hour when the folk are all looking forth +from the city at the ship upon her way, smite her into a stone hard by the +land; a stone in the likeness of a swift ship, that all mankind may marvel, and +do thou overshadow their city with a great mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Poseidon, shaker of the earth, heard this saying, he went on his way +to Scheria, where the Phaeacians dwell. There he abode awhile; and lo, she drew +near, the seafaring ship, lightly sped upon her way. Then nigh her came the +shaker of the earth, and he smote her into a stone, and rooted her far below +with the down-stroke of his hand; and he departed thence again. +</p> + +<p> +Then one to the other they spake winged words, the Phaeacians of the long oars, +mariners renowned. And thus would they speak, looking each man to his +neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah me! who is this that fettered our swift ship on the deep as she drave +homewards? Even now she stood full in sight.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so they would speak; but they knew not how these things were ordained. And +Alcinous made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo now, in very truth the ancient oracles of my father have come home to +me. He was wont to say that Poseidon was jealous of us, for that we give safe +escort to all men. He said that the day would come when the god would smite a +fair ship of the Phaeacians, as she came home from a convoy on the misty deep, +and overshadow our city with a great mountain. Thus that ancient one would +speak; and lo, all these things now have an end. But come, let us all give ear +and do according to my word. Cease ye from the convoy of mortals, whensoever +any shall come unto our town, and let us sacrifice to Poseidon twelve choice +bulls, if perchance he may take pity, neither overshadow our city with a great +mountain.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they were dismayed and got ready the bulls. Thus were they +praying to the lord Poseidon, the princes and counsellors of the land of the +Phaeacians, as they stood about the altar. +</p> + +<p> +Even then the goodly Odysseus awoke where he slept on his native land; nor knew +he the same again, having now been long afar, for around him the goddess had +shed a mist, even Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, to the end that she might +make him undiscovered for that he was, and might expound to him all things, +that so his wife should not know him neither his townsmen and kinsfolk, ere the +wooers had paid for all their transgressions. Wherefore each thing showed +strange to the lord of the land, the long paths and the sheltering havens and +the steep rocks and the trees in their bloom. So he started up, and stood and +looked upon his native land, and then he made moan withal, and smote on both +his thighs with the down-stroke of his hands, and making lament, he spake, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, woe is me, unto what mortals’ land am I now come? Say, are +they froward, and wild, and unjust, or hospitable and of a god-fearing mind? +Whither do I bear all this treasure? Yea, where am I wandering myself? Oh that +the treasure had remained with the Phaeacians where it was, so had I come to +some other of the mighty princes, who would have entreated me kindly and sent +me on my way. But now I know not where to bestow these things, nor yet will I +leave them here behind, lest haply other men make spoil of them. Ah then, they +are not wholly wise or just, the princes and counsellors of the Phaeacians, who +carried me to a strange land. Verily they promised to bring me to clear-seen +Ithaca, but they performed it not. May Zeus requite them, the god of +suppliants, seeing that he watches over all men and punishes the transgressor! +But come, I will reckon up these goods and look to them, lest the men be gone, +and have taken aught away upon their hollow ship.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he set to number the fair tripods and the cauldrons and the gold and +the goodly woven raiment; and of all these he lacked not aught, but he bewailed +him for his own country, as he walked downcast by the shore of the sounding +sea, and made sore lament. Then Athene came nigh him in the guise of a young +man, the herdsman of a flock, a young man most delicate, such as are the sons +of kings. And she had a well-wrought mantle that fell in two folds about her +shoulders, and beneath her smooth feet she had sandals bound, and a javelin in +her hands. And Odysseus rejoiced as he saw her, and came over against her, and +uttering his voice spake to her winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, since thou art the first that I have chanced on in this land, +hail to thee, and with no ill-will mayest thou meet me! Nay, save this my +substance and save me too, for to thee as to a god I make prayer, and to thy +dear knees have I come. And herein tell me true, that I may surely know. What +land, what people is this? what men dwell therein? Surely, methinks, it is some +clear seen isle, or a shore of the rich mainland that lies and leans upon the +deep.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Thou art +witless, stranger, or thou art come from afar, if indeed thou askest of this +land; nay, it is not so very nameless but that many men know it, both all those +who dwell toward the dawning and the sun, and they that abide over against the +light toward the shadowy west. Verily it is rough and not fit for the driving +of horses, yet is it not a very sorry isle, though narrow withal. For herein is +corn past telling, and herein too wine is found, and the rain is on it +evermore, and the fresh dew. And it is good for feeding goats and feeding kine; +all manner of wood is here, and watering-places unfailing are herein. +Wherefore, stranger, the name of Ithaca hath reached even unto Troy-land, which +men say is far from this Achaean shore.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad, and had joy in his +own country, according to the word of Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of +the aegis. And he uttered his voice and spake unto her winged words; yet he did +not speak the truth, but took back the word that was on his lips, for quick and +crafty was his wit within his breast: +</p> + +<p> +“Of Ithaca have I heard tell, even in broad Crete, far over the seas; and +now have I come hither myself with these my goods. And I left as much again to +my children, when I turned outlaw for the slaying of the dear son of Idomeneus, +Orsilochus, swift of foot, who in wide Crete was the swiftest of all men that +live by bread. Now he would have despoiled me of all that booty of Troy, for +the which I had endured pain of heart, in passing through the wars of men, and +the grievous waves of the sea, for this cause that I would not do a favour to +his father, and make me his squire in the land of the Trojans, but commanded +other fellowship of mine own. So I smote him with a bronze-shod spear as he +came home from the field, lying in ambush for him by the wayside, with one of +my companions. And dark midnight held the heavens, and no man marked us, but +privily I took his life away. Now after I had slain him with the sharp spear, +straightway I went to a ship and besought the lordly Phoenicians, and gave them +spoil to their hearts’ desire. I charged them to take me on board, and +land me at Pylos or at goodly Elis where the Epeans bear rule. Howbeit of a +truth, the might of the wind drave them out of their course, sore against their +will, nor did they wilfully play me false. Thence we were driven wandering, and +came hither by night. And with much ado we rowed onward into harbour, nor took +we any thought of supper, though we stood sore in need thereof, but even as we +were we stept ashore and all lay down. Then over me there came sweet slumber in +my weariness, but they took forth my goods from the hollow ship, and set them +by me where I myself lay upon the sands. Then they went on board, and departed +for the fair-lying land of Sidon; while as for me I was left stricken at +heart.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he and the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, smiled, and caressed him with +her hand; and straightway she changed to the semblance of a woman, fair and +tall, and skilled in splendid handiwork. And uttering her voice she spake unto +him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Crafty must he be, and knavish, who would outdo thee in all manner of +guile, even if it were a god encountered thee. Hardy man, subtle of wit, of +guile insatiate, so thou wast not even in thine own country to cease from thy +sleights and knavish words, which thou lovest from the bottom of thine heart! +But come, no more let us tell of these things, being both of us practised in +deceits, for that thou art of all men far the first in counsel and in +discourse, and I in the company of all the gods win renown for my wit and wile. +Yet thou knewest not me, Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, who am always by thee +and guard thee in all adventures. Yea, and I made thee to be beloved of all the +Phaeacians. And now am I come hither to contrive a plot with thee and to hide +away the goods, that by my counsel and design the noble Phaeacians gave thee on +thy homeward way. And I would tell thee how great a measure of trouble thou art +ordained to fulfil within thy well-builded house. But do thou harden thy heart, +for so it must be, and tell none neither man nor woman of all the folk, that +thou hast indeed returned from wandering, but in silence endure much sorrow, +submitting thee to the despite of men.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Hard is it, goddess, +for a mortal man that meets thee to discern thee, howsoever wise he be; for +thou takest upon thee every shape. But this I know well, that of old thou wast +kindly to me, so long as we sons of the Achaeans made war in Troy. But so soon +as we had sacked the steep city of Priam and had gone on board our ships, and +the god had scattered the Achaeans, thereafter I have never beheld thee, +daughter of Zeus, nor seen thee coming on board my ship, to ward off sorrow +from me—but I wandered evermore with a stricken heart, till the gods +delivered me from my evil case—even till the day when, within the fat +land of the men of Phaeacia, thou didst comfort me with thy words, and thyself +didst lead me to their city. And now I beseech thee in thy father’s name +to tell me: for I deem not that I am come to clear-seen Ithaca, but I roam over +some other land, and methinks that thou speakest thus to mock me and beguile my +mind. Tell me whether in very deed I am come to mine own dear country.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Yea, such a thought as +this is ever in thy breast. Wherefore I may in no wise leave thee in thy grief, +so courteous art thou, so ready of wit and so prudent. Right gladly would any +other man on his return from wandering have hasted to behold his children and +his wife in his halls; but thou hast no will to learn or to hear aught, till +thou hast furthermore made trial of thy wife, who sits as ever in her halls, +and wearily for her the nights wane always and the days, in shedding of tears. +But of this I never doubted, but ever knew it in my heart that thou wouldest +come home with the loss of all thy company. Yet, I tell thee, I had no mind to +be at strife with Poseidon, my own father’s brother, who laid up wrath in +his heart against thee, being angered at the blinding of his dear son. But +come, and I will show thee the place of the dwelling of Ithaca, that thou mayst +be assured. Lo, here is the haven of Phorcys, the ancient one of the sea, and +here at the haven’s head is the olive tree with spreading leaves, and +hard by it is the pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs that are +called the Naiads. Yonder, behold, is the roofed cavern, where thou offeredst +many an acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs to the nymphs; and lo, this hill is +Neriton, all clothed in forest.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the goddess scattered the mist, and the land appeared. Then the +steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad rejoicing in his own land, and he kissed the +earth, the grain-giver. And anon he prayed to the nymphs, and lifted up his +hands, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Ye Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, never did I think to look on you +again, but now be ye greeted in my loving prayers: yea, and gifts as aforetime +I will give, if the daughter of Zeus, driver of the spoil, suffer me of her +grace myself to live, and bring my dear son to manhood.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Be of good +courage, and let not thy heart be careful about these things. But come, let us +straightway set thy goods in the secret place of the wondrous cave, that there +they may abide for thee safe. And let us for ourselves advise us how all may be +for the very best.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the goddess plunged into the shadowy cave, searching out the chambers +of the cavern. Meanwhile Odysseus brought up his treasure, the gold and the +unyielding bronze and fair woven raiment, which the Phaeacians gave him. And +these things he laid by with care, and Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of +the aegis, set a stone against the door of the cave. Then they twain sat down +by the trunk of the sacred olive tree, and devised death for the froward +wooers. And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake first, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, advise +thee how thou mayest stretch forth thine hands upon the shameless wooers, who +now these three years lord it through thy halls, as they woo thy godlike wife +and proffer the gifts of wooing. And she, that is ever bewailing her for thy +return, gives hope to all and makes promises to every man and sends them +messages, but her mind is set on other things.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo now, in very truth I was like to have perished in my halls by the +evil doom of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, hadst not thou, goddess, declared me +each thing aright. Come then, weave some counsel whereby I may requite them; +and thyself stand by me, and put great boldness of spirit within me, even as in +the day when we loosed the shining coronal of Troy. If but thou wouldest stand +by me with such eagerness, thou grey-eyed goddess, I would war even with three +hundred men, with thee my lady and goddess, if thou of thy grace didst succour +me the while.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Yea, verily I will be +near thee nor will I forget thee, whensoever we come to this toil: and methinks +that certain of the wooers that devour thy livelihood shall bespatter the +boundless earth with blood and brains. But come, I will make thee such-like +that no man shall know thee. Thy fair skin I will wither on thy supple limbs, +and make waste thy yellow hair from off thy head, and wrap thee in a foul +garment, such that one would shudder to see a man therein.<a +href="#linknote-24" name="linknoteref-24">[24]</a> And I +will dim thy two eyes, erewhile so fair, in such wise that thou mayest be +unseemly in the sight of all the wooers and of thy wife and son, whom thou +didst leave in thy halls. And do thou thyself first of all go unto the +swineherd, who tends thy swine, loyal and at one with thee, and loves thy son +and constant Penelope. Him shalt thou find sitting by the swine, as they are +feeding near the rock of Corax and the spring Arethusa, and there they eat +abundance of acorns and drink the black water, things whereby swine grow fat +and well-liking. There do thou abide and sit by the swine, and find out all, +till I have gone to Sparta, the land of fair women, to call Telemachus thy dear +son, Odysseus, who hath betaken himself to spacious Lacedaemon, to the house of +Menelaus to seek tidings of thee, whether haply thou are yet alive.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-24"></a><a href="#linknoteref-24">[24]</a> +Reading ἄνθρωπον, not +ἄνθρωπος. +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Nay, wherefore then +didst thou not tell him, seeing thou hast knowledge of all? Was it, perchance, +that he too may wander in sorrow over the unharvested seas, and that others may +consume his livelihood?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Nay, let him not be +heavy on thy heart. I myself was his guide, that by going thither he might win +a good report. Lo, he knows no toil, but he sits in peace in the palace of the +son of Atreus, and has boundless store about him. Truly the young men with +their black ship they lie in wait, and are eager to slay him ere he come to his +own country. But this, methinks, shall never be. Yea, sooner shall the earth +close over certain of the wooers that devour thy livelihood.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Athene touched him with her wand. His fair flesh she withered on his +supple limbs, and made waste his yellow hair from off his head, and over all +his limbs she cast the skin of an old man, and dimmed his two eyes, erewhile so +fair. And she changed his raiment to a vile wrap and a doublet, torn garments +and filthy, stained with foul smoke. And over all she clad him with the great +bald hide of a swift stag, and she gave him a staff and a mean tattered scrip, +and a cord therewith to hang it. +</p> + +<p> +And after they twain had taken this counsel together, they parted; and she now +went to goodly Lacedaemon to fetch the son of Odysseus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap14"></a>BOOK XIV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus, in the form of a beggar, goes to Eumaeus, the master of his swine, +where he is well used and tells a feigned story, and informs himself of the +behaviour of the wooers. +</p> + +<p> +But Odysseus fared forth from the haven by the rough track, up the wooded +country and through the heights, where Athene had showed him that he should +find the goodly swineherd, who cared most for his substance of all the thralls +that goodly Odysseus had gotten. +</p> + +<p> +Now he found him sitting at the vestibule of the house, where his courtyard was +builded high, in a place with wide prospect; a great court it was and a fair, +with free range round it. This the swineherd had builded by himself for the +swine of his lord who was afar, and his mistress and the old man Laertes knew +not of it. With stones from the quarry had he builded it, and coped it with a +fence of white thorn, and he had split an oak to the dark core, and without he +had driven stakes the whole length thereof on either side, set thick and close; +and within the courtyard he made twelve styes hard by one another to be beds +for the swine, and in each stye fifty grovelling swine were penned, brood +swine; but the boars slept without. Now these were far fewer in number, the +godlike wooers minishing them at their feasts, for the swineherd ever sent in +the best of all the fatted hogs. And their tale was three hundred and +three-score. And by them always slept four dogs, as fierce as wild beasts, +which the swineherd had bred, a master of men. Now he was fitting sandals to +his feet, cutting a good brown oxhide, while the rest of his fellows, three in +all, were abroad this way and that, with the droves of swine; while the fourth +he had sent to the city to take a boar to the proud wooers, as needs he must, +that they might sacrifice it and satisfy their soul with flesh. +</p> + +<p> +And of a sudden the baying dogs saw Odysseus, and they ran at him yelping, but +Odysseus in his wariness sat him down, and let the staff fall from his hand. +There by his own homestead would he have suffered foul hurt, but the swineherd +with quick feet hasted after them, and sped through the outer door, and let the +skin fall from his hand. And the hounds he chid and drave them this way and +that, with a shower of stones, and he spake unto his lord, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Old man, truly the dogs went nigh to be the death of thee all of a +sudden, so shouldest thou have brought shame on me. Yea, and the gods have +given me other pains and griefs enough. Here I sit, mourning and sorrowing for +my godlike lord, and foster the fat swine for others to eat, while he craving, +perchance, for food, wanders over some land and city of men of a strange +speech, if haply he yet lives and beholds the sunlight. But come with me, let +us to the inner steading, old man, that when thy heart is satisfied with bread +and wine, thou too mayest tell thy tale and declare whence thou art, and how +many woes thou hast endured.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the goodly swineherd led him to the steading, and took him in and set +him down, and strewed beneath him thick brushwood, and spread thereon the hide +of a shaggy wild goat, wide and soft, which served himself for a mattress. And +Odysseus rejoiced that he had given him such welcome, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“May Zeus, O stranger, and all the other deathless gods grant thee thy +dearest wish, since thou hast received me heartily!” +</p> + +<p> +Then, O swineherd Eumaeus, didst thou answer him, saying: “Guest of mine, +it were an impious thing for me to slight a stranger, even if there came a +meaner man than thou; for from Zeus are all strangers and beggars; and a little +gift from such as we, is dear; for this is the way with thralls, who are ever +in fear when young lords like ours bear rule over them. For surely the gods +have stayed the returning of my master, who would have loved me diligently, and +given me somewhat of my own, a house and a parcel of ground, and a comely<a +href="#linknote-25" name="linknoteref-25">[25]</a> wife, +such as a kind lord gives to his man, who hath laboured much for him and the +work of whose hands God hath likewise increased, even as he increaseth this +work of mine whereat I abide. Therefore would my lord have rewarded me greatly, +had he grown old at home. But he hath perished, as I would that all the stock +of Helen had perished utterly, forasmuch as she hath caused the loosening of +many a man’s knees. For he too departed to Ilios of the goodly steeds, to +get atonement for Agamemnon, that so he might war with the Trojans.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-25"></a><a href="#linknoteref-25">[25]</a> +Reading ἐύμορφόν. +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he quickly bound up his doublet with his girdle, and went his way to +the styes, where the tribes of the swine were penned. Thence he took and +brought forth two, and sacrificed them both, and singed them and cut them +small, and spitted them. And when he had roasted all, he bare and set it by +Odysseus, all hot as it was upon the spits, and he sprinkled thereupon white +barley-meal. Then in a bowl of ivywood he mixed the honey-sweet wine, and +himself sat over against him and bade him fall to: +</p> + +<p> +“Eat now, stranger, such fare as thralls have to hand, even flesh of +sucking pigs; but the fatted hogs the wooers devour, for they know not the +wrath of the gods nor any pity. Verily the blessed gods love not froward deeds, +but they reverence justice and the righteous acts of men. Yet even foes and men +unfriendly, that land on a strange coast, and Zeus grants them a prey, and they +have laden their ships and depart for home; yea, even on their hearts falls +strong fear of the wrath of the gods. But lo you, these men know +somewhat,—for they have heard an utterance of a god—, even the +tidings of our lord’s evil end, seeing that they are not minded justly to +woo, nor to go back to their own, but at ease they devour our wealth with +insolence, and now there is no sparing. For every day and every night that +comes from Zeus, they make sacrifice not of one victim only, nor of two, and +wine they draw and waste it riotously. For surely his livelihood was great past +telling, no lord in the dark mainland had so much, nor any in Ithaca itself; +nay, not twenty men together have wealth so great, and I will tell thee the sum +thereof. Twelve herds of kine upon the mainland, as many flocks of sheep, as +many droves of swine, as many ranging herds of goats, that his own shepherds +and strangers pasture. And ranging herds of goats, eleven in all, graze here by +the extremity of the island with trusty men to watch them. And day by day each +man of these ever drives one of the flock to the wooers, whichsoever seems the +best of the fatted goats. But as for me I guard and keep these swine and I +choose out for them, as well as I may, the best of the swine and send it +hence.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but Odysseus ceased not to eat flesh and drink wine right eagerly +and in silence, and the while was sowing the seeds of evil for the wooers. Now +when he had well eaten and comforted his heart with food, then the herdsman +filled him the bowl out of which he was wont himself to drink, and he gave it +him brimming with wine, and he took it and was glad at heart, and uttering his +voice spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“My friend, who was it then that bought thee with his wealth, a man so +exceedingly rich and mighty as thou declarest? Thou saidest that he perished to +get atonement for Agamemnon; tell me, if perchance I may know him, being such +an one as thou sayest. For Zeus, methinks, and the other deathless gods know +whether I may bring tidings of having seen him; for I have wandered far.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the swineherd, a master of men, answered him: “Old man, no wanderer +who may come hither and bring tidings of him can win the ear of his wife and +his dear son; but lightly do vagrants lie when they need entertainment, and +care not to tell truth. Whosoever comes straying to the land of Ithaca, goes to +my mistress and speaks words of guile. And she receives him kindly and lovingly +and inquires of all things, and the tears fall from her eyelids for weeping, as +is meet for a woman when her lord hath died afar. And quickly enough wouldst +thou too, old man, forge a tale, if any would but give thee a mantle and a +doublet for raiment. But as for him, dogs and swift fowls are like already to +have torn his skin from the bones, and his spirit hath left him. Or the fishes +have eaten him in the deep, and there lie his bones swathed in sand-drift on +the shore. Yonder then hath he perished, but for his friends nought is ordained +but care, for all, but for me in chief. For never again shall I find a lord so +gentle, how far soever I may go, not though again I attain unto the house of my +father and my mother, where at first I was born, and they nourished me +themselves and with their own hands they reared me. Nor henceforth it is not +for these that I sorrow so much, though I long to behold them with mine eyes in +mine own country, but desire comes over me for Odysseus who is afar. His name, +stranger, even though he is not here, it shameth me to speak, for he loved me +exceedingly, and cared for me at heart; nay, I call him +‘worshipful,’ albeit he is far hence.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus spake to him again: “My friend, +forasmuch as thou gainsayest utterly, and sayest that henceforth he will not +come again, and thine heart is ever slow to believe, therefore will I tell thee +not lightly but with an oath, that Odysseus shall return. And let me have the +wages of good tidings as soon as ever he in his journeying shall come hither to +his home. Then clothe me in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment. But ere +that, albeit I am sore in need I will not take aught, for hateful to me even as +the gates of hell, is that man, who under stress of poverty speaks words of +guile. Now be Zeus my witness before any god, and the hospitable board and the +hearth of noble Odysseus whereunto I am come, that all these things shall +surely be accomplished even as I tell thee. In this same year Odysseus shall +come hither; as the old moon wanes and the new is born shall he return to his +home, and shall take vengeance on all who here dishonour his wife and noble +son.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Old man, it is not I +then, that shall ever pay thee these wages of good tidings, nor henceforth +shall Odysseus ever come to his home. Nay drink in peace, and let us turn our +thoughts to other matters, and bring not these to my remembrance, for surely my +heart within me is sorrowful whenever any man puts me in mind of my true lord. +But as for thine oath, we will let it go by; yet, oh that Odysseus may come +according to my desire, and the desire of Penelope and of that old man Laertes +and godlike Telemachus! But now I make a comfortless lament for the boy +begotten of Odysseus, even for Telemachus. When the gods had reared him like a +young sapling, and I thought that he would be no worse man among men than his +dear father, glorious in form and face, some god or some man marred his good +wits within him, and he went to fair Pylos after tidings of his sire. And now +the lordly wooers lie in wait for him on his way home, that the race of godlike +Arceisius may perish nameless out of Ithaca. Howbeit, no more of him now, +whether he shall be taken or whether he shall escape, and Cronion stretch out +his hand to shield him. But come, old man, do thou tell me of thine own +troubles. And herein tell me true, that I may surely know. Who art thou of the +sons of men, and whence? Where is thy city, where are they that begat thee? Say +on what manner of ship didst thou come, and how did sailors bring thee to +Ithaca, and who did they avow them to be? For in nowise do I deem that thou +camest hither by land.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Yea now, I will tell +thee all most plainly. Might we have food and sweet wine enough to last for +long, while we abide within thy hut to feast thereon in quiet, and others +betake them to their work; then could I easily speak for a whole year, nor yet +make a full end of telling all the troubles of my spirit, all the travail I +have wrought by the will of the gods. +</p> + +<p> +“I avow that I come by lineage from wide Crete, and am the son of a +wealthy man. And many other sons he had born and bred in the halls, lawful born +of a wedded wife; but the mother that bare me was a concubine bought with a +price. Yet Castor son of Hylax, of whose blood I avow me to be, gave me no less +honour than his lawful sons. Now he at the time got worship even as a god from +the Cretans in the land, for wealth and riches and sons renowned. Howbeit the +fates of death bare him away to the house of Hades, and his gallant sons +divided among them his living and cast lots for it. But to me they gave a very +small gift and assigned me a dwelling, and I took unto me a wife, the daughter +of men that had wide lands, by reason of my valour, for that I was no weakling +nor a dastard; but now all my might has failed me, yet even so I deem that thou +mightest guess from seeing the stubble what the grain has been, for of trouble +I have plenty and to spare. But then verily did Ares and Athene give me +boldness and courage to hurl through the press of men, whensoever I chose the +best warriors for an ambush, sowing the seeds of evil for my foes; no boding of +death was ever in my lordly heart, but I would leap out the foremost and slay +with the spear whoso of my foes was less fleet of foot than I. Such an one was +I in war, but the labour of the field I never loved, nor home-keeping thrift, +that breeds brave children, but galleys with their oars were dear to me, and +wars and polished shafts and darts—baneful things whereat others use to +shudder. But that, methinks, was dear to me which the god put in my heart, for +divers men take delight in divers deeds. For ere ever the sons of the Achaeans +had set foot on the land of Troy, I had nine times been a leader of men and of +swift-faring ships against a strange people, and wealth fell ever to my hands. +Of the booty I would choose out for me all that I craved, and much thereafter I +won by lot. So my house got increase speedily, and thus I waxed dread and +honourable among the Cretans. But when Zeus, of the far-borne voice, devised at +the last that hateful path which loosened the knees of many a man in death, +then the people called on me and on renowned Idomeneus to lead the ships to +Ilios, nor was there any way whereby to refuse, for the people’s voice +bore hard upon us. There we sons of the Achaeans warred for nine whole years, +and then in the tenth year we sacked the city of Priam, and departed homeward +with our ships, and a god scattered the Achaeans. But Zeus, the counsellor, +devised mischief against me, wretched man that I was! For one month only I +abode and had joy in my children and my wedded wife, and all that I had; and +thereafter my spirit bade me fit out ships in the best manner and sail to Egypt +with my godlike company. Nine ships I fitted out and the host was gathered +quickly; and then for six days my dear company feasted, and I gave them many +victims that they might sacrifice to the gods and prepare a feast for +themselves. But on the seventh day we set sail from wide Crete, with a North +Wind fresh and fair, and lightly we ran as it were down stream, yea and no harm +came to any ship of mine, but we sat safe and hale, while the wind and the +pilots guided the barques. And on the fifth day we came to the fair-flowing +Aegyptus, and in the river Aegyptus I stayed my curved ships. Then verily I +bade my dear companions to abide there by the ships and to guard them, and I +sent forth scouts to range the points of outlook. But my men gave place to +wantonness, being the fools of their own force, and soon they fell to wasting +the fields of the Egyptians, exceeding fair, and led away their wives and +infant children and slew the men. And the cry came quickly to the city, and the +people hearing the shout came forth at the breaking of the day, and all the +plain was filled with footmen and chariots and with the glitter of bronze. And +Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, sent an evil panic upon my company, and none +durst stand and face the foe, for danger encompassed us on every side. There +they slew many of us with the edge of the sword, and others they led up with +them alive to work for them perforce. But as for me, Zeus himself put a thought +into my heart; would to God that I had rather died, and met my fate there in +Egypt, for sorrow was still mine host! Straightway I put off my well-wrought +helmet from my head, and the shield from off my shoulders, and I cast away my +spear from my hand, and I came over against the chariots of the king, and +clasped and kissed his knees, and he saved me and delivered me, and setting me +on his own chariot took me weeping to his home. Truly many an one made at me +with their ashen spears, eager to slay me, for verily they were sore angered. +But the king kept them off and had respect unto the wrath of Zeus, the god of +strangers, who chiefly hath displeasure at evil deeds. So for seven whole years +I abode with their king, and gathered much substance among the Egyptians, for +they all gave me gifts. But when the eighth year came in due season, there +arrived a Phoenician practised in deceit, a greedy knave, who had already done +much mischief among men. He wrought on me with his cunning, and took me with +him until he came to Phoenicia, where was his house and where his treasures +lay. There I abode with him for the space of a full year. But when now the +months and days were fulfilled, as the year came round and the seasons +returned, he set me aboard a seafaring ship for Libya, under colour as though I +was to convey a cargo thither with him, but his purpose was to sell me in +Libya, and get a great price. So I went with him on board, perforce, yet boding +evil. And the ship ran before a North Wind fresh and fair, through the mid sea +over above Crete, and Zeus contrived the destruction of the crew. But when we +left Crete, and no land showed in sight but sky and sea only, even then the son +of Cronos stayed a dark cloud over the hollow ship, and the deep grew dark +beneath it. And in the same moment Zeus thundered and smote his bolt into the +ship, and she reeled all over being stricken by the bolt of Zeus, and was +filled with fire and brimstone, and all the crew fell overboard. And like +sea-gulls they were borne hither and thither on the waves about the black ship, +and the god cut off their return. But in this hour of my affliction Zeus +himself put into my hands the huge mast of the dark-prowed ship, that even yet +I might escape from harm. So I clung round the mast and was borne by the +ruinous winds. For nine days was I borne, and on the tenth black night the +great rolling wave brought me nigh to the land of the Thesprotians. There the +king of the Thesprotians, the lord Pheidon, took me in freely, for his dear son +lighted on me and raised me by the hand and led me to his house, foredone with +toil and the keen air, till he came to his father’s palace. And he +clothed me in a mantle and a doublet for raiment. +</p> + +<p> +“There I heard tidings of Odysseus, for the king told me that he had +entertained him, and kindly entreated him on his way to his own country; and he +showed me all the wealth that Odysseus had gathered, bronze and gold and +well-wrought iron; yea it would suffice for his children after him even to the +tenth generation, so great were the treasures he had stored in the chambers of +the king. He had gone, he said, to Dodona to hear the counsel of Zeus, from the +high leafy oak tree of the god, how he should return to the fat land of Ithaca +after long absence, whether openly or by stealth. Moreover, he sware, in mine +own presence, as he poured the drink offering in his house, that the ship was +drawn down to the sea and his company were ready, who were to convey him to his +own dear country. But ere that, he sent me off, for it chanced that a ship of +the Thesprotians was starting for Dulichium, a land rich in grain. Thither he +bade them bring me with all diligence to the king Acastus. But an evil counsel +concerning me found favour in their sight, that even yet I might reach the +extremity of sorrow. When the seafaring ship had sailed a great way from the +land, anon they sought how they might compass for me the day of slavery. They +stript me of my garments, my mantle and a doublet, and changed my raiment to a +vile wrap and doublet, tattered garments, even those thou seest now before +thee; and in the evening they reached the fields of clear-seen Ithaca. There in +the decked ship they bound me closely with a twisted rope, and themselves went +ashore, and hasted to take supper by the sea-banks. Meanwhile the gods +themselves lightly unclasped my bands, and muffling my head with the wrap I +slid down the smooth lading-plank, and set my breast to the sea and rowed hard +with both hands as I swam, and very soon I was out of the water and beyond +their reach. Then I went up where there was a thicket, a wood in full leaf, and +lay there crouching. And they went hither and thither making great moan; but +when now it seemed to them little avail to go further on their quest, they +departed back again aboard their hollow ship. And the gods themselves hid me +easily and brought me nigh to the homestead of a wise man; for still, methinks, +I am ordained to live on.” +</p> + +<p> +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. Yet herein, methinks, thou speakest not +aright, and never shalt thou persuade me with the tale about Odysseus; why +should one in thy plight lie vainly? Well I know of mine own self, as touching +my lord’s return, that he was utterly hated by all the gods, in that they +smote him not among the Trojans nor in the arms of his friends, when he had +wound up the clew of war. So should the whole Achaean host have builded him a +barrow; yea and for his son would he have won great glory in the after days; +but now all ingloriously the spirits of the storm have snatched him away. But +as for me I dwell apart by the swine and go not to the city, unless perchance +wise Penelope summons me thither, when tidings of my master are brought I know +not whence. Now all the people sit round and straitly question the news-bearer, +both such as grieve for their lord that is long gone, and such as rejoice in +devouring his living without atonement. But I have no care to ask or to +inquire, since the day that an Aetolian cheated me with his story, one who had +slain his man and wandered over wide lands and came to my steading, and I dealt +lovingly with him. He said that he had seen my master among the Cretans at the +house of Idomeneus, mending his ships which the storms had broken. And he said +that he would come home either by the summer or the harvest-tide, bringing much +wealth with the godlike men of his company. And thou too, old man of many +sorrows, seeing that some god hath brought thee to me, seek not my grace with +lies, nor give me any such comfort; not for this will I have respect to thee or +hold thee dear, but only for the fear of Zeus, the god of strangers, and for +pity of thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Verily thy heart +within thee is slow to believe, seeing that even with an oath I have not won +thee, nor find credence with thee. But come now, let us make a covenant; and we +will each one have for witnesses the gods above, who hold Olympus. If thy lord +shall return to this house, put on me a mantle and doublet for raiment, and +send me on my way to Dulichium, whither I had a desire to go. But if thy lord +return not according to my word, set thy thralls upon me, and cast me down from +a mighty rock, that another beggar in his turn may beware of deceiving.” +</p> + +<p> +And the goodly swineherd answered him, saying: “Yea stranger, even so +should I get much honour and good luck among men both now and ever hereafter, +if after bringing thee to my hut and giving thee a stranger’s cheer, I +should turn again and slay thee and take away thy dear life. Eager indeed +thereafter should I be to make a prayer to Zeus the son of Cronos! But now it +is supper-time, and would that my fellows may speedily be at home, that we may +make ready a dainty supper within the hut.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, the swine and the swineherds drew +nigh. And the swine they shut up to sleep in their lairs, and a mighty din +arose as the swine were being stalled. Then the goodly swineherd called to his +fellows, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Bring the best of the swine, that I may sacrifice it for a guest of mine +from a far land: and we too will have good cheer therewith, for we have long +suffered and toiled by reason of the white-tusked swine, while others devour +the fruit of our labour without atonement.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewithal he cleft logs with the pitiless axe, and the others brought in a +well-fatted boar of five years old; and they set him by the hearth nor did the +swineherd forget the deathless gods, for he was of an understanding heart. But +for a beginning of sacrifice he cast bristles from the head of the white-tusked +boar upon the fire, and prayed to all the gods that wise Odysseus might return +to his own house. Then he stood erect, and smote the boar with a billet of oak +which he had left in the cleaving, and the boar yielded up his life. Then they +cut the throat and singed the carcass and quickly cut it up, and the swineherd +took a first portion from all the limbs, and laid the raw flesh on the rich +fat. And some pieces he cast into the fire after sprinkling them with bruised +barley-meal, and they cut the rest up small, and pierced it, and spitted and +roasted it carefully, and drew it all off from the spits, and put the whole +mess together on trenchers. Then the swineherd stood up to carve, for well he +knew what was fair, and he cut up the whole and divided it into seven portions. +One, when he had prayed, he set aside for the nymphs and for Hermes son of +Maia, and the rest he distributed to each. And he gave Odysseus the portion of +honour, the long back of the white-tusked boar, and the soul of his lord +rejoiced at this renown, and Odysseus of many counsels hailed him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eumaeus, oh that thou mayest so surely be dear to father Zeus, as thou +art to me, seeing that thou honourest me with a good portion, such an one as I +am!” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: +</p> + +<p> +“Eat, luckless stranger, and make merry with such fare as is here. And +one thing the god will give and another withhold, even as he will, for with him +all things are possible.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and made burnt offering of the hallowed parts to the everlasting +gods, and poured the dark wine for a drink offering, and set the cup in the +hands of Odysseus, the waster of cities, and sat down by his own mess. And +Mesaulius bare them wheaten bread, a thrall that the swineherd had gotten all +alone, while his lord was away, without the knowledge of his mistress and the +old Laertes: yea he had bought him of the Taphians with his own substance. So +they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer spread before them. Now +after they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, Mesaulius cleared +away the bread, and they, now that they had eaten enough of bread and flesh, +were moved to go to rest. +</p> + +<p> +Now it was so that night came on foul with a blind moon, and Zeus rained the +whole night through, and still the great West Wind, the rainy wind, was +blowing. Then Odysseus spake among them that he might make trial of the +swineherd, and see whether he would take off his own mantle and give it to him +or bid one of his company strip, since he cared for him so greatly: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen now, Eumaeus, and all of you his companions, with a prayer will I +utter my word; so bids me witless wine, which drives even the wisest to sing +and to laugh softly, and rouses him to dance, yea and makes him to speak out a +word which were better unspoken. Howbeit, now that I have broken into speech, I +will not hide aught. Oh that I were young, and my might were steadfast, as in +the day when we arrayed our ambush and led it beneath Troy town! And Odysseus, +and Menelaus son of Atreus, were leaders and with them I was a third in +command; for so they bade me. Now when we had come to the city and the steep +wall, we lay about the citadel in the thick brushwood, crouching under our arms +among the reeds and the marsh land, and behold, the night came on foul, with +frost, as the North Wind went down, while the snow fell from above, and crusted +like rime, bitter cold, and the ice set thick about our shields. Now the others +all had mantles and doublets, and slept in peace with their shields buckled +close about their shoulders; but I as I went forth had left my mantle behind +with my men, in my folly, thinking that even so I should not be cold: so I came +with only my shield and bright leathern apron. But when it was now the third +watch of the night and the stars had passed the zenith, in that hour I spake +unto Odysseus who was nigh me, and thrust him with my elbow, and he listened +straightway: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, +verily I shall cease from among living men, for this wintry cold is slaying me, +seeing that I have no mantle. Some god beguiled me to wear a doublet only, and +henceforth is no way of escape.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So I spake, and he apprehended a thought in his heart, such an one as he +was in counsel and in fight. So he whispered and spake to me, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Be silent now, lest some other Achaeans hear thee.’ +Therewith he raised his head upon his elbow, and spake, saying: ‘Listen, +friends, a vision from a god came to me in my sleep. Lo, we have come very far +from the ships; I would there were one to tell it to Agamemnon, son of Atreus, +shepherd of the host, if perchance he may send us hither a greater company from +the ships.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake he, and Thoas, son of Andraemon, rose up quickly and cast off +his purple mantle. And he started to run unto the ships, but I lay gladly in +his garment, and the golden-throned Dawn showed her light. Oh! that I were +young as then and my might steadfast! Then should some of the swineherds in the +homestead give me a mantle, alike for love’s sake and for pity of a good +warrior. But now they scorn me for that sorry raiment is about my body.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, O swineherd Eumaeus: “Old man, the tale that +thou hast told in his praise is very good, and so far thou hast not misspoken +aught, nor uttered a word unprofitably. Wherefore for this night thou shalt +lack neither raiment nor aught else that is the due of a hapless suppliant, +when he has met them that can befriend him. But in the morning thou shalt go +shuffling in thine own rags, for there are not many mantles here or changes of +doublet; for each man hath but one coat. But when the dear son of Odysseus +comes, he himself will give thee a mantle and doublet for raiment, and send +thee whithersoever thy heart and spirit bid.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he sprang up and set a bed for Odysseus near the fire, and thereon he +cast skins of sheep and goats. There Odysseus laid him down and Eumaeus cast a +great thick mantle over him, which he had ever by him for a change of covering, +when any terrible storm should arise. +</p> + +<p> +So there Odysseus slept, and the young men slept beside him. But the swineherd +had no mind to lie there in a bed away from the boars. So he made him ready to +go forth and Odysseus was glad, because he had a great care for his +master’s substance while he was afar. First he cast his sharp sword about +his strong shoulders, then he clad him in a very thick mantle, to keep the wind +away; and he caught up the fleece of a great and well-fed goat, and seized his +sharp javelin, to defend him against dogs and men. Then he went to lay him down +even where the white-tusked boars were sleeping, beneath the hollow of the +rock, in a place of shelter from the North Wind. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap15"></a>BOOK XV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Pallas sends home Telemachus from Lacedaemon with the presents given him by +Menelaus. Telemachus landed, goes first to Eumaeus. +</p> + +<p> +Now Pallas Athene went to the wide land of Lacedaemon, to put the noble son of +the great-hearted Odysseus in mind of his return, and to make him hasten his +coming. And she found Telemachus, and the glorious son of Nestor, couched at +the vestibule of the house of famous Menelaus. The son of Nestor truly was +overcome with soft sleep, but sweet sleep gat not hold of Telemachus, but, +through the night divine, careful thoughts for his father kept him wakeful. And +grey-eyed Athene stood nigh him and spake to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, it is no longer meet that thou shouldest wander far from thy +home, leaving thy substance behind thee, and men in thy house so wanton, lest +they divide and utterly devour all thy wealth, and thou shalt have gone on a +vain journey. But come, rouse with all haste Menelaus, of the loud war-cry, to +send thee on thy way, that thou mayest even yet find thy noble mother in her +home. For even now her father and her brethren bid her wed Eurymachus, for he +outdoes all the wooers in his presents, and hath been greatly increasing his +gifts of wooing. So shall she take no treasure from thy house despite thy will. +Thou knowest of what sort is the heart of a woman within her; all her desire is +to increase the house of the man who takes her to wife, but of her former +children and of her own dear lord she has no more memory once he is dead, and +she asks concerning him no more. Go then, and thyself place all thy substance +in the care of the handmaid who seems to thee the best, till the day when the +gods shall show thee a glorious bride. Now another word will I tell thee, and +do thou lay it up in thine heart. The noblest of the wooers lie in wait for +thee of purpose, in the strait between Ithaca and rugged Samos, eager to slay +thee before thou come to thine own country. But this, methinks, will never be; +yea, sooner shall the earth close over certain of the wooers that devour thy +livelihood. Nay, keep thy well-wrought ship far from those isles, and sail by +night as well as day, and he of the immortals who hath thee in his keeping and +protection will send thee a fair breeze in thy wake. But when thou hast touched +the nearest shore of Ithaca, send thy ship and all thy company forward to the +city, but for thy part seek first the swineherd who keeps thy swine, loyal and +at one with thee. There do thou rest the night, and bid him go to the city to +bear tidings of thy coming to the wise Penelope, how that she hath got thee +safe, and thou art come up out of Pylos.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she departed to high Olympus. But Telemachus woke the son of Nestor +out of sweet sleep, touching him with his heel, and spake to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Awake, Peisistratus, son of Nestor, bring up thy horses of solid hoof, +and yoke them beneath the car, that we may get forward on the road.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Peisistratus, son of Nestor, answered him, saying: “Telemachus, we +may in no wise drive through the dark night, how eager soever to be gone; nay, +soon it will be dawn. Tarry then, till the hero, the son of Atreus, spear-famed +Menelaus, brings gifts, and sets them on the car, and bespeaks thee kindly, and +sends thee on thy way. For of him a guest is mindful all the days of his life, +even of the host that shows him loving-kindness.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and anon came the golden-throned Dawn. And Menelaus, of the loud +war cry, drew nigh to them, new risen from his bed, by fair-haired Helen. Now +when the dear son of Odysseus marked him, he made haste and girt his shining +doublet about him, and the hero cast a great mantle over his mighty shoulders, +and went forth at the door, and Telemachus, dear son of divine Odysseus, came +up and spake to Menelaus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Menelaus, son of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the people, even +now do thou speed me hence, to mine own dear country; for even now my heart is +fain to come home again.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Menelaus, of the loud war cry, answered him: “Telemachus, as for me, +I will not hold thee a long time here, that art eager to return; nay, I think +it shame even in another host, who loves overmuch or hates overmuch. Measure is +best in all things. He does equal wrong who speeds a guest that would fain +abide, and stays one who is in haste to be gone. Men should lovingly entreat +the present guest and speed the parting. But abide till I bring fair gifts and +set them on the car and thine own eyes behold them, and I bid the women to +prepare the midday meal in the halls, out of the good store they have within. +Honour and glory it is for us, and gain withal for thee, that ye should have +eaten well ere ye go on your way, over vast and limitless lands. What and if +thou art minded to pass through Hellas and mid Argos? So shall I too go with +thee, and yoke thee horses and lead thee to the towns of men, and none shall +send us empty away, but will give us some one thing to take with us, either a +tripod of goodly bronze or a cauldron, or two mules or a golden chalice.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him saying: “Menelaus, son of Atreus, +fosterling of Zeus, leader of the people, rather would I return even now to +mine own land, for I left none behind to watch over my goods when I departed. I +would not that I myself should perish on the quest of my godlike father, nor +that any good heir-loom should be lost from my halls.” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Menelaus, of the loud war cry, heard this saying, straightway he bade +his wife and maids to prepare the midday meal in the halls, out of the good +store they had by them. Then Eteoneus, son of Boethous, came nigh him, just +risen from his bed, for he abode not far from him. Him Menelaus of the loud war +cry bade kindle the fire and roast of the flesh; and he hearkened and obeyed. +Then the prince went down into the fragrant treasure chamber, not alone, for +Helen went with him, and Megapenthes. Now, when they came to the place where +the treasures were stored, then Atrides took a two-handled cup, and bade his +son Megapenthes to bear a mixing bowl of silver. And Helen stood by the +coffers, wherein were her robes of curious needlework which she herself had +wrought. Then Helen, the fair lady, lifted one and brought it out, the widest +and most beautifully embroidered of all, and it shone like a star, and lay far +beneath the rest. +</p> + +<p> +Then they went forth through the house till they came to Telemachus; and +Menelaus, of the fair hair, spake to him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, may Zeus the thunderer, and the lord of Here, in very truth +bring about thy return according to the desire of thy heart. And of the gifts, +such as are treasures stored in my house, I will give thee the goodliest and +greatest of price. I will give thee a mixing bowl beautifully wrought; it is +all of silver and the lips thereof are finished with gold, the work of +Hephaestus; and the hero Phaedimus the king of the Sidonians, gave it to me +when his house sheltered me, on my coming thither. This cup I would give to +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the hero Atrides set the two-handled cup in his hands. And the strong +Megapenthes bare the shining silver bowl and set it before him. And Helen came +up, beautiful Helen, with the robe in her hands, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo! I too give thee this gift, dear child, a memorial of the hands of +Helen, against the day of thy desire, even of thy bridal, for thy bride to wear +it. But meanwhile let it lie by thy dear mother in her chamber. And may joy go +with thee to thy well-builded house, and thine own country.” +</p> + +<p> +With that she put it into his hands, and he took it and was glad. And the hero +Peisistratus took the gifts and laid them in the chest of the car, and gazed on +all and wondered. Then Menelaus of the fair hair led them to the house. Then +they twain sat them down on chairs and high seats, and a handmaid bare water +for the hands in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin +to wash withal, and drew to their side a polished table. And a grave dame bare +wheaten bread and set it by them, and laid on the board many dainties, giving +freely of such things as she had by her. And the son of Boethous carved by the +board and divided the messes, and the son of renowned Menelaus poured forth the +wine. So they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer set before them. +Now when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, then did +Telemachus and the glorious son of Nestor yoke the horses and climb into the +inlaid car. And they drave forth from the gateway and the echoing gallery. +After these Menelaus, of the fair hair, the son of Atreus, went forth bearing +in his right hand a golden cup of honey-hearted wine, that they might pour a +drink-offering ere they departed. And he stood before the horses and spake his +greeting: +</p> + +<p> +“Farewell, knightly youths, and salute in my name Nestor, the shepherd of +the people; for truly he was gentle to me as a father, while we sons of the +Achaeans warred in the land of Troy.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Yea verily, O fosterling of +Zeus, we will tell him all on our coming even as thou sayest. Would God that +when I return to Ithaca I may find Odysseus in his home and tell him all, so +surely as now I go on my way having met with all loving-kindness at thy hands, +and take with me treasures many and goodly!” +</p> + +<p> +And even as he spake a bird flew forth at his right hand, an eagle that bare in +his claws a great white goose, a tame fowl from the yard, and men and women +followed shouting. But the bird drew near them and flew off to the right, +across the horses, and they that saw it were glad, and their hearts were all +comforted within them. And Peisistratus, son of Nestor, first spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Consider, Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the people, whether +god hath showed forth this sign for us twain, or for thee thyself.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the warrior Menelaus pondered thereupon, how he should take +heed to answer, and interpret it aright. +</p> + +<p> +And long-robed Helen took the word and spake, saying: “Hear me, and I +will prophesy as the immortals put it into my heart, and as I deem it will be +accomplished. Even as yonder eagle came down from the hill, the place of his +birth and kin, and snatched away the goose that was fostered in the house, even +so shall Odysseus return home after much trial and long wanderings and take +vengeance; yea, or even now is he at home and sowing the seeds of evil for all +the wooers.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Now may Zeus ordain it so, +Zeus the thunderer and the lord of Here. Then would I do thee worship, as to a +god, even in my home afar.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake and smote the horses with the lash, and they sped quickly towards the +plain, in eager course through the city. So all day long they swayed the yoke +they bore upon their necks. And the sun sank, and all the ways were darkened. +And they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles, son of Orsilochus, the child +begotten of Alpheus. There they rested for the night, and by them he set the +entertainment of strangers. +</p> + +<p> +Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, they yoked the horses +and mounted the inlaid car. And forth they drave from the gateway and the +echoing gallery. And he touched the horses with the whip to start them, and the +pair flew onward nothing loth. And soon thereafter they reached the steep hold +of Pylos. Then Telemachus spake unto the son of Nestor, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Nestor, in what wise mightest thou make me a promise and fulfil +my bidding? For we claim to be friends by reason of our fathers’ +friendship from of old. Moreover we are equals in age, and this journey shall +turn to our greater love. Take me not hence past my ship, O fosterling of Zeus, +but leave me there, lest that old man keep me in his house in my despite, out +of his eager kindness, for I must go right quickly home.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the some of Nestor communed with his own heart how he might +make promise, and duly fulfil the same. So as he thought thereon, in this wise +it seemed to him best. He turned back his horses toward the swift ship and the +sea-banks, and took forth the fair gifts and set them in the hinder part of the +ship, the raiment and the gold which Menelaus gave him. And he called to +Telemachus and spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Now climb the ship with all haste, and bid all thy company do likewise, +ere I reach home and bring the old man word. For well I know in my mind and +heart that, being so wilful of heart, he will not let thee go, but he himself +will come hither to bid thee to his house, and methinks that he will not go +back without thee; for very wroth will he be despite thine excuse.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and drave the horses with the flowing manes back to the town of +the Pylians, and came quickly to the halls. And Telemachus called to his +companions and commanded them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Set ye the gear in order, my friends, in the black ship, and let us +climb aboard that we may make way upon our course.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they gave good heed and hearkened. Then straightway they +embarked and sat upon the benches. +</p> + +<p> +Thus was he busy hereat and praying and making burnt-offering to Athene, by the +stern of the ship, when there drew nigh him one from a far country, that had +slain his man and was fleeing from out of Argos. He was a soothsayer, and by +his lineage he came of Melampus, who of old time abode in Pylos, mother of +flocks, a rich man and one that had an exceeding goodly house among the +Pylians, but afterward he had come to the land of strangers, fleeing from his +country and from Neleus, the great-hearted, the proudest of living men, who +kept all his goods for a full year by force. All that time Melampus lay bound +with hard bonds in the halls of Phylacus, suffering strong pains for the sake +of the daughter of Neleus, and for the dread blindness of soul which the +goddess, the Erinnys of the dolorous stroke, had laid on him. Howsoever he +escaped his fate, and drave away the lowing kine from Phylace to Pylos, and +avenged the foul deed upon godlike Neleus, and brought the maiden home to his +own brother to wife. As for him, he went to a country of other men, to Argos, +the pastureland of horses; for there truly it was ordained that he should +dwell, bearing rule over many of the Argives. There he wedded a wife, and +builded him a lofty house, and begat Antiphates and Mantius, two mighty sons. +Now Antiphates begat Oicles the great-hearted, and Oicles Amphiaraus, the +rouser of the host, whom Zeus, lord of the aegis, and Apollo loved with all +manner of love. Yet he reached not the threshold of old age, but died in Thebes +by reason of a woman’s gifts. And the sons born to him were Alcmaeon and +Amphilochus. But Mantius begat Polypheides and Cleitus; but it came to pass +that the golden-throned Dawn snatched away Cleitus for his very beauty’s +sake, that he might dwell with the Immortals. +</p> + +<p> +And Apollo made the high-souled Polypheides a seer, far the chief of human +kind, Amphiaraus being now dead. He removed his dwelling to Hypheresia, being +angered with his father, and here he abode and prophesied to all men. +</p> + +<p> +This man’s son it was, Theoclymenus by name, that now drew nigh and stood +by Telemachus. And he found him pouring a drink-offering and praying by the +swift black ship, and uttering his voice he spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, since I find thee making burnt-offering in this place, I pray +thee, by thine offerings and by the god, and thereafter by thine own head, and +in the name of the men of thy company answer my question truly and hide it not. +Who art thou of the sons of men and whence? Where is thy city, where are they +that begat thee?” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Yea now, stranger, I will +plainly tell thee all. Of Ithaca am I by lineage, and my father is Odysseus, if +ever such an one there was, but now hath he perished by an evil fate. Wherefore +I have taken my company and a black ship, and have gone forth to hear word of +my father that has been long afar.” +</p> + +<p> +Then godlike Theoclymenus spake to him again: “Even so I too have fled +from my country, for the manslaying of one of mine own kin. And many brethren +and kinsmen of the slain are in Argos, the pastureland of horses, and rule +mightily over the Achaeans. Wherefore now am I an exile to shun death and black +fate at their hands, for it is my doom yet to wander among men. Now set me on +board ship, since I supplicate thee in my flight, lest they slay me utterly; +for methinks they follow hard after me.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Surely I will not drive thee +away from our good ship, if thou art fain to come. Follow thou with us then, +and in Ithaca thou shalt be welcome to such things as we have.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he took from him his spear of bronze, and laid it along the deck of +the curved ship, and himself too climbed the seafaring ship. Then he sat him +down in the stern and made Theoclymenus to sit beside him; and his company +loosed the hawsers. Then Telemachus called unto his company, and bade them lay +hands on the tackling, and speedily they hearkened to his call. So they raised +the mast of pine tree, and set it in the hole of the cross plank and made it +fast with forestays, and hauled up the white sails with twisted ropes of +ox-hide. And grey-eyed Athene sent them a favouring breeze, rushing violently +through the clear sky that the ship might speedily finish her course over the +salt water of the sea. So they passed by Crouni and Chalcis, a land of fair +streams. +</p> + +<p> +And the sun set and all the ways were darkened. And the vessel drew nigh to +Pheae, being sped before the breeze of Zeus, and then passed goodly Elis where +the Epeans bear rule. From thence he drave on again to the Pointed Isles, +pondering whether he should escape death or be cut off. +</p> + +<p> +Now Odysseus and the goodly swineherd were supping in the hut, and the other +men sat at meat with them. So when they had put from them the desire of meat +and drink, Odysseus spake among them, to prove the swineherd, whether he would +still entertain him diligently, and bid him abide there in the steading or send +him forward to the city: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen now, Eumaeus, and all the others of the company. In the morning I +would fain be gone to the town to go a begging, that I be not ruinous to +thyself and thy fellows. Now advise me well, and lend me a good guide by the +way to lead me thither; and through the city will I wander alone as needs I +must, if perchance one may give me a cup of water and a morsel of bread. +Moreover I would go to the house of divine Odysseus and bear tidings to the +wise Penelope, and consort with the wanton wooers, if haply they might grant me +a meal out of the boundless store that they have by them. Lightly might I do +good service among them, even all that they would. For lo! I will tell thee and +do thou mark and listen. By the favour of Hermes, the messenger, who gives +grace and glory to all men’s work, no mortal may vie with me in the +business of a serving-man, in piling well a fire, in cleaving dry faggots, and +in carving and roasting flesh and in pouring of wine, those offices wherein +meaner men serve their betters.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou speak to him in heaviness of heart, swineherd Eumaeus: +“Ah! wherefore, stranger, hath such a thought arisen in thine heart? +Surely thou art set on perishing utterly there, if thou wouldest indeed go into +the throng of the wooers, whose outrage and violence reacheth even to the iron +heaven! Not such as thou are their servants; they that minister to them are +young and gaily clad in mantles and in doublets, and their heads are anointed +with oil and they are fair of face, and the polished boards are laden with +bread and flesh and wine. Nay, abide here, for none is vexed by thy presence, +neither I nor any of my fellows that are with me. But when the dear son of +Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle and a doublet for raiment, +and will send thee whithersoever thy heart and spirit bid thee go.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: “Oh, that thou mayst so +surely be dear to father Zeus as thou art to me, in that thou didst make me to +cease from wandering and dread woe! For there is no other thing more +mischievous to men than roaming; yet for their cursed belly’s need men +endure sore distress, to whom come wandering and tribulation and pain. But +behold now, since thou stayest me here, and biddest me wait his coming, tell me +of the mother of divine Odysseus, and of the father whom at his departure he +left behind him on the threshold of old age; are they, it may be, yet alive +beneath the sunlight, or already dead and within the house of Hades?” +</p> + +<p> +Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: “Yea now, stranger, I +will plainly tell thee all. Laertes yet lives, and prays evermore to Zeus that +his life may waste from out his limbs within his halls. For he has wondrous +sorrow for his son that is far away, and for the wedded lady his wise wife, +whose death afflicted him in chief and brought him to old age before his day. +Now she died of very grief for her son renowned, by an evil death, so may no +man perish who dwells here and is a friend to me in word and deed! So long as +she was on earth, though in much sorrow, I was glad to ask and enquire +concerning her, for that she herself had reared me along with long-robed +Ctimene, her noble daughter, the youngest of her children. With her I was +reared, and she honoured me little less than her own. But when we both came to +the time of our desire, to the flower of age, thereupon they sent her to Same, +and got a great bride-price; but my lady clad me in a mantle and a doublet, +raiment very fair, and gave me sandals for my feet and sent me forth to the +field, and right dear at heart she held me. But of these things now at last am +I lacking; yet the blessed gods prosper the work of mine own hands, whereat I +abide. Of this my substance I have eaten and drunken and given to reverend +strangers. But from my lady I may hear naught pleasant, neither word nor deed, +for evil hath fallen on her house, a plague of froward men; yet thralls have a +great desire to speak before their mistress and find out all eat and drink, and +moreover to carry off somewhat with them to the field, such things as ever +comfort the heart of a thrall.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Ah, Eumaeus, how far +then didst thou wander from thine own country and thy parents while as yet thou +wast but a child! But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all. Was a +wide-wayed town of men taken and sacked, wherein dwelt thy father and thy lady +mother, or did unfriendly men find thee lonely, tending sheep or cattle, and +shipped thee thence, and sold thee into the house of thy master here, who paid +for thee a goodly price?” +</p> + +<p> +Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: Stranger, since thou askest +and questionest me hereof, give heed now in silence and make merry, and abide +here drinking wine. Lo, the nights now are of length untold. Time is there to +sleep, and time to listen and be glad; thou needest not turn to bed before the +hour; even too much sleep is vexation of spirit. But for the rest, let him +whose heart and mind bid him, go forth and slumber, and at the dawning of the +day let him break his fast, and follow our master’s swine. But let us +twain drink and feast within the steading, and each in his neighbour’s +sorrows take delight, recalling them, for even the memory of griefs is a joy to +a man who hath been sore tried and wandered far. Wherefore I will tell thee +that whereof thou askest and dost question me. +</p> + +<p> +“There is a certain isle called Syria, if haply thou hast heard tell of +it, over above Ortygia, and there are the turning-places of the sun. It is not +very great in compass, though a goodly isle, rich in herds, rich in flocks, +with plenty of corn and wine. Dearth never enters the land, and no hateful +sickness falls on wretched mortals. But when the tribes of men grow old in that +city, then comes Apollo of the silver bow, with Artemis, and slays them with +the visitation of his gentle shafts. In that isle are two cities, and the whole +land is divided between them, and my father was king over the twain, Ctesius +son of Ormenus, a man like to the Immortals. +</p> + +<p> +“Thither came the Phoenicians, mariners renowned, greedy merchant men, +with countless gauds in a black ship. Now in my father’s house was a +Phoenician woman, tall and fair and skilled in bright handiwork; this woman the +Phoenicians with their sleights beguiled. First as she was washing clothes, one +of them lay with her in love by the hollow ship, for love beguiles the minds of +womankind, even of the upright. Then he asked her who she was and whence she +came, and straightway she showed him the lofty home of my father, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘From out of Sidon I avow that I come, land rich in bronze, and I +am the daughter of Arybas, the deeply wealthy. But Taphians, who were +sea-robbers, laid hands on me and snatched me away as I came in from the +fields, and brought me hither and sold me into the house of my master, who paid +for me a goodly price.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then the man who had lain with her privily, answered: ‘Say, +wouldst thou now return home with us, that thou mayst look again on the lofty +house of thy father and mother and on their faces? For truly they yet live, and +have a name for wealth.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Then the woman answered him and spake, saying: ‘Even this may well +be, if ye sailors will pledge me an oath to bring me home in safety.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and they all swore thereto as she bade them. Now when they +had sworn and done that oath, again the woman spake among them and answered, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hold your peace now, and let none of your fellows speak to me and +greet me, if they meet me in the street, or even at the well, lest one go and +tell it to the old man at home, and he suspect somewhat and bind me in hard +bonds and devise death for all of you. But keep ye the matter in mind, and +speed the purchase of your homeward freight. And when your ship is freighted +with stores, let a message come quickly to me at the house; for I will likewise +bring gold, all that comes under my hand. Yea and there is another thing that I +would gladly give for my fare. I am nurse to the child of my lord in the halls, +a most cunning little boy, that runs out and abroad with me. Him would I bring +on board ship, and he should fetch you a great price, wheresoever ye take him +for sale among men of strange speech.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Therewith she went her way to the fair halls. But they abode among us a +whole year, and got together much wealth in their hollow ship. And when their +hollow ship was now laden to depart, they sent a messenger to tell the tidings +to the woman. There came a man versed in craft to my father’s house, with +a golden chain strung here and there with amber beads. Now the maidens in the +hall and my lady mother were handling the chain and gazing on it, and offering +him their price; but he had signed silently to the woman, and therewithal gat +him away to the hollow ship. Then she took me by the hand and led me forth from +the house. And at the vestibule of the house she found the cups and the tables +of the guests that had been feasting, who were in waiting on my father. They +had gone forth to the session and the place of parley of the people. And she +straightway hid three goblets in her bosom, and bare them away, and I followed +in my innocence. Then the sun sank and all the ways were darkened and we went +quickly and came to the good haven, where was the swift ship of the +Phoenicians. So they climbed on board and took us up with them, and sailed over +the wet ways, and Zeus sent us a favouring wind. For six days we sailed by day +and night continually; but when Zeus, son of Cronos, added the seventh day +thereto, then Artemis, the archer, smote the woman that she fell, as a +sea-swallow falls, with a plunge into the hold. And they cast her forth to be +the prey of seals and fishes, but I was left stricken at heart. And wind and +water bare them and brought them to Ithaca, where Laertes bought me with his +possessions. And thus it chanced that mine eyes beheld this land.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, answered him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eumaeus, verily thou hast stirred my heart within me with the tale of +all these things, of all the sorrow of heart thou hast endured. Yet surely Zeus +hath given thee good as well as evil, since after all these adventures thou +hast come to the house of a kindly man, who is careful to give thee meat and +drink and right well thou livest. But I have come hither still wandering +through the many towns of men.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one with the other. Then they laid them down to sleep for no +long while, but for a little space, for soon came the throned Dawn. But on the +shore the company of Telemachus were striking their sails, and took down the +mast quickly and rowed the ship on to anchorage. And they cast anchors and made +fast the hawsers, and themselves too stept forth upon the strand of the sea, +and made ready the midday meal, and mixed the dark wine. Now when they had put +from them the desire of meat and drink, wise Telemachus first spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Do ye now drive the black ship to the city, while I will go to the +fields and to the herdsmen, and at even I will return to the city, when I have +seen my lands. And in the morning I will set by you the wages of the voyage, a +good feast of flesh and of sweet wine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then godlike Theoclymenus answered him: “And whither shall I go, dear +child? To what man’s house shall I betake me, of such as are lords in +rocky Ithaca? Shall I get me straight to thy mother and to thy home?” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “In other case I would bid +thee go even to our own house; for there is no lack of cheer for strangers, but +now would it be worse for thyself, forasmuch as I shall be away nor would my +mother see thee. For she comes not often in sight of the wooers in the house, +but abides apart from them in her upper chamber, and weaves at her web. Yet +there is one whom I will tell thee of, to whom thou mayst go, Eurymachus the +glorious son of wise Polybus, whom now the men of Ithaca look upon, even as if +he were a god. For he is far the best man of them all, and is most eager to wed +my mother and to have the sovereignty of Odysseus. Howbeit, Olympian Zeus, that +dwells in the clear sky, knows hereof, whether or no he will fulfill for them +the evil day before their marriage.” +</p> + +<p> +Now even as he spake, a bird flew out on the right, a hawk, the swift messenger +of Apollo. In his talons he held a dove and plucked her, and shed the feathers +down to the earth, midway between the ship and Telemachus himself. Then +Theoclymenus called him apart from his fellows, and clasped his hand and spake +and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, surely not without the god’s will hath the bird flown +out on the right, for I knew when I saw him that he was a bird of omen. There +is no other house more kingly than yours in the land of Ithaca; nay, ye have +ever the mastery.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Ah, stranger, would that this +word may be accomplished! Soon shouldest thou be aware of kindness and many a +gift at my hands, so that whoso met with thee would call thee blessed.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he spake to Piraeus, his trusty companion: “Piraeus, son of Clytius, +thou that at other seasons hearkenest to me above all my company who went with +me to Pylos, even now, I pray, lead this stranger home with thee, and give heed +to treat him lovingly and with worship in thy house till I come.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Piraeus, spearsman renowned, answered him saying: “Telemachus, why, +even if thou shouldest tarry here long, yet will I entertain this man, and he +shall have no lack of stranger’s cheer.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he went on board, and bade his men themselves to mount and loose the +hawsers. And quickly they embarked and sat upon the benches. And Telemachus +bound his goodly sandals beneath his feet, and seized a mighty spear, shod with +sharp bronze, from the deck of the ship and his men loosed the hawsers. So they +thrust off and sailed to the city, as Telemachus bade them, the dear son of +divine Odysseus. But swiftly his feet bore him on his forward way, till he came +to the court, where were his swine out of number; and among them the good +swineherd slept, a man loyal to his lords. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap16"></a>BOOK XVI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Telemachus sends Eumaeus to the city to tell his mother of his return. And how, +in the meantime, Odysseus discovers himself to his son. +</p> + +<p> +Now these twain, Odysseus and the goodly swineherd, within the hut had kindled +a fire, and were making ready breakfast at the dawn, and had sent forth the +herdsmen with the droves of swine. And round Telemachus the hounds, that love +to bark, fawned and barked not, as he drew nigh. And goodly Odysseus took note +of the fawning of the dogs, and the noise of footsteps fell upon his ears. Then +straight he spake to Eumaeus winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Eumaeus, verily some friend or some other of thy familiars will soon be +here, for the dogs do not bark but fawn around, and I catch the sound of +footsteps.” +</p> + +<p> +While the word was yet on his lips, his own dear son stood at the entering in +of the gate. Then the swineherd sprang up in amazement, and out of his hands +fell the vessels wherewith he was busied in mingling the dark wine. And he came +over against his master and kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes and +both his hands, and he let a great tear fall. And even as a loving father +welcomes his son that has come in the tenth year from a far country, his only +son and well-beloved, for whose sake he has had great sorrow and travail, even +so did the goodly swineherd fall upon the neck of godlike Telemachus, and kiss +him all over as one escaped from death, and he wept aloud and spake to him +winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art come, Telemachus, a sweet light in the dark; methought I should +see thee never again, after thou hadst gone in thy ship to Pylos. Nay now +enter, dear child, that my heart may be glad at the sight of thee in mine +house, who hast newly come from afar. For thou dost not often visit the field +and the herdsmen, but abidest in the town; so it seems has thy good pleasure +been, to look on the ruinous throng of the wooers.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “So be it, father, as thou +sayest; and for thy sake am I come hither to see thee with mine eyes, and to +hear from thy lips whether my mother yet abides in the halls or another has +already wedded her, and the couch of Odysseus, perchance, lies in lack of +bedding and deep in foul spider-webs.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the swineherd, a master of men, answered him: “Yea verily, she +abides with patient spirit in thy halls, and wearily for her the nights wane +always and the days, in shedding of tears.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake and took from him the spear of bronze. Then Telemachus passed +within and crossed the threshold of stone. As he came near, his father Odysseus +arose from his seat to give him place; but Telemachus, on his part, stayed him +and spake saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Be seated, stranger, and we will find a seat some other where in our +steading, and there is a man here to set it for us.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Odysseus went back and sat him down again. And the swineherd +strewed for Telemachus green brushwood below, and a fleece thereupon, and there +presently the dear son of Odysseus sat him down. Next the swineherd set by them +platters of roast flesh, the fragments that were left from the meal of +yesterday. And wheaten bread he briskly heaped up in baskets, and mixed the +honey-sweet wine in a goblet of ivy wood, and himself sat down over against +divine Odysseus. So they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer set +before them. Now when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink, +Telemachus spake to the goodly swineherd, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, whence came this stranger to thee? How did sailors bring him to +Ithaca? and who did they avow them to be? For in no wise, I deem, did he come +hither by land.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Yea now, my son, I will +tell thee all the truth. Of wide Crete he avows him to be by lineage, and he +says that round many cities of mortals he has wandered at adventure; even so +has some god spun for him the thread of fate. But now, as a runaway from a ship +of the Thesprotians, has he come to my steading, and I will give him to thee +for thy man; do with him as thou wilt; he avows him for thy suppliant.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Eumaeus, verily a bitter word +is this that thou speakest. How indeed shall I receive this guest in my house? +Myself I am young, and trust not yet to my strength of hands to defend me +against the man who does violence without a cause. And my mother has divisions +of heart, whether to abide here with me and keep the house, respecting the bed +of her lord and the voice of the people, or straightway to go with whomsoever +of the Achaeans that woo her in the halls is the best man, and gives most +bridal gifts. But behold, as for this guest of thine, now that he has come to +thy house, I will clothe him in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment, and I +will give him a two-edged sword, and shoes for his feet, and send him on his +way, whithersoever his heart and his spirit bid him go. Or, if thou wilt, hold +him here in the steading and take care of him, and raiment I will send hither, +and all manner of food to eat, that he be not ruinous to thee and to thy +fellows. But thither into the company of the wooers would I not suffer him to +go, for they are exceeding full of infatuate insolence, lest they mock at him, +and that would be a sore grief to me. And hard it is for one man, how valiant +soever, to achieve aught among a multitude, for verily they are far the +stronger.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: “My friend, since it is +indeed my right to answer thee withal, of a truth my heart is rent as I hear +your words, such infatuate deeds ye say the wooers devise in the halls, in +despite of thee, a man so noble. Say, dost thou willingly submit thee to +oppression, or do the people through the township hate thee, obedient to the +voice of a god? Or hast thou cause to blame thy brethren, in whose battle a man +puts trust, even if a great feud arise? Ah, would that I had the youth, as now +I have the spirit, and were either the son of noble Odysseus or Odysseus’ +very self,<a href="#linknote-26" name="linknoteref-26">[26]</a> straightway then might a stranger sever my head +from off my neck, if I went not to the halls of Odysseus, son of Laertes, and +made myself the bane of every man among them! But if they should overcome me by +numbers, being but one man against so many, far rather would I die slain in +mine own halls, than witness for ever these unseemly deeds, strangers +shamefully entreated, and men haling the handmaidens in foul wise through the +fair house, and wine drawn wastefully and the wooers devouring food all +recklessly without avail, at a work that knows no ending.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-26"></a><a href="#linknoteref-26">[26]</a> +We omit line 101, which spoils the sense of the passage, and was rejected by +antiquity. +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Yea now, stranger I will +plainly tell thee all. There is no grudge and hatred borne my by the whole +people, neither have I cause to blame my brethren, in whose battle a man puts +trust, even if a great feud arise. For thus, as thou seest, Cronion has made us +a house of but one heir. Arceisius got him one only son Laertes, and one only +son Odysseus was begotten of his father, and Odysseus left me the only child of +his getting in these halls, and had no joy of me; wherefore now are foemen +innumerable in the house. For all the noblest that are princes in the islands, +in Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus, and as many as lord it in rocky +Ithaca, all these woo my mother and waste my house. But as for her she neither +refuseth the hated bridal, nor hath the heart to make and end; so they devour +and minish my house; and ere long will they make havoc likewise of myself. +Howbeit these things surely lie on the knees of the gods. Nay, father, but do +thou go with haste and tell the constant Penelope that she hath got me safe and +that I am come up out of Pylos. As for me, I will tarry here, and do thou +return hither when thou hast told the tidings to her alone; but of the other +Achaeans let no man learn it, for there be many that devise mischief against +me.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “I mark, I heed, all this +thou speakest to one with understanding. But come, declare me this and tell it +plainly; whether or no I shall go the same road with tidings to Laertes, that +hapless man, who till lately, despite his great sorrow for Odysseus’ +sake, yet had oversight of the tillage, and did eat and drink with the thralls +in his house, as often as his heart within him bade him. But now, from the day +that thou wentest in thy ship to Pylos, never to this hour, they say, hath he +so much as eaten and drunken, nor looked to the labours of the field, but with +groaning and lamentation he sits sorrowing, and the flesh wastes away about his +bones.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “All the more grievous it is! +yet will we let him be, though we sorrow thereat. For if men might in any wise +have all their will, we should before ought else choose the day of my +father’s returning. But do thou when thou hast told the tidings come +straight back, and go not wandering through the fields after Laertes. But speak +to my mother that with all speed she send forth the house-dame her handmaid, +secretly, for she might bear tidings to the old man.” +</p> + +<p> +With that word he roused the swineherd, who took his sandals in his hands and +bound them beneath his feet and departed for the city. Now Athene noted Eumaeus +the swineherd pass from the steading, and she drew nigh in the semblance of a +woman fair and tall, and skilled in splendid handiwork. And she stood in +presence manifest to Odysseus over against the doorway of the hut; but it was +so that Telemachus saw her not before him and marked her not; for the gods in +no wise appear visibly to all. But Odysseus was ware of her and the dogs +likewise, which barked not, but with a low whine shrank cowering to the far +side of the steading. Then she nodded at him with bent brows, and goodly +Odysseus perceived it, and came forth from the room, past the great wall of the +yard, and stood before her, and Athene spake to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, now is +the hour to reveal thy word to thy son, and hide it not, that ye twain having +framed death and doom for the wooers, may fare to the famous town. Nor will I, +even I, be long away from you, being right eager for battle.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Athene touched him with her golden wand. First she cast about his +breast a fresh linen robe and a doublet, and she increased his bulk and bloom. +Dark his colour grew again, and his cheeks filled out, and the black beard +spread thick around his chin. +</p> + +<p> +Now she, when she had so wrought, withdrew again, but Odysseus went into the +hut, and his dear son marvelled at him and looked away for very fear lest it +should be a god, and he uttered his voice and spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Even now, stranger, thou art other in my sight than that thou wert a +moment since, and other garments thou hast, and the colour of thy skin is no +longer the same. Surely thou art a god of those that keep the wide heaven. Nay +then, be gracious, that we may offer to thee well-pleasing sacrifices and +golden gifts, beautifully wrought; and spare us I pray thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying: “Behold, no god +am I; why likenest thou me to the immortals? nay, thy father am I, for whose +sake thou sufferest many pains and groanest sore, and submittest thee to the +despite of men,” +</p> + +<p> +At the word he kissed his son, and from his cheeks let a tear fall to earth: +before, he had stayed the tears continually. But Telemachus (for as yet he +believed not that it was his father) answered in turn and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art not Odysseus my father, but some god beguiles me, that I may +groan for more exceeding sorrow. For it cannot be that a mortal man should +contrive this by the aid of his own wit, unless a god were himself to visit +him, and lightly of his own will to make him young or old. For truly, but a +moment gone, thou wert old and foully clad, but now thou art like the gods who +keep the wide heaven.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Telemachus, it fits +thee not to marvel overmuch that thy father is come home, or to be amazed. Nay +for thou shalt find no other Odysseus come hither any more; but lo, I, all as I +am, after sufferings and much wandering have come in the twentieth year to mine +own country. Behold, this is the work of Athene, driver of the spoil, who makes +me such manner of man as she will,—for with her it is possible,— +now like a beggar, and now again like a young man, and one clad about in rich +raiment. Easy it is for the gods who keep the wide heaven to glorify or to +abase a mortal man.” +</p> + +<p> +With this word then he sat down again; but Telemachus, flinging himself upon +his noble father’s neck, mourned and shed tears, and in both their hearts +arose the desire of lamentation. And they wailed aloud, more ceaselessly than +birds, sea-eagles or vultures of crooked claws, whose younglings the country +folk have taken from the nest, ere yet they are fledged. Even so pitifully fell +the tears beneath their brows. And now would the sunlight have gone down upon +their sorrowing, had not Telemachus spoken to his father suddenly: +</p> + +<p> +“And in what manner of ship, father dear, did sailors at length bring +thee hither to Ithaca? and who did they avow them to be? For in no wise, I +deem, didst thou come hither by land.” +</p> + +<p> +And the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: “Yea now, my child, I +will tell thee all the truth. The Phaeacians brought me hither, mariners +renowned, who speed other men too upon their way, whosoever comes to them. +Asleep in the swift ship they bore me over the seas and set me down in Ithaca, +and gave me splendid gifts, bronze and gold in plenty and woven raiment. And +these treasures are lying by the gods’ grace in the caves. But now I am +come hither by the promptings of Athene, that we may take counsel for the +slaughter of the foemen. But come, tell me all the tale of the wooers and their +number, that I may know how many and what men they be, and that so I may +commune with my good heart and advise me, whether we twain shall be able alone +to make head against them without aid, or whether we should even seek succour +of others.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Verily, father, I have ever +heard of thy great fame, for a warrior hardy of thy hands, and sage in counsel. +But this is a hard saying of thine: awe comes over me; for it may not be that +two men should do battle with many men and stalwart. For of the wooers there +are not barely ten nor twice ten only, but many a decad more: and straight +shalt thou learn the tale of them ere we part. From Dulichium there be two and +fifty chosen lords, and six serving men go with them; and out of Same four and +twenty men; and from Zacynthus there are twenty lords of the Achaeans; and from +Ithaca itself full twelve men of the best, and with them Medon the henchman, +and the divine minstrel, and two squires skilled in carving viands. If we shall +encounter all these within the halls, see thou to it, lest bitter and baneful +for us be the vengeance thou takest on their violence at thy coming. But do +thou, if thou canst think of some champion, advise thee of any that may help us +with all his heart.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying: “Yea now, I will +tell thee, and do thou mark and listen to me, and consider whether Athene with +Father Zeus will suffice for us twain, or whether I shall cast about for some +other champion.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Valiant helpers, in sooth, +are these two thou namest, whose seat is aloft in the clouds, and they rule +among all men and among the deathless gods!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: “Yet will the twain not +long keep aloof from the strong tumult of war, when between the wooers and us +in my halls is held the trial of the might of Ares. But as now, do thou go +homeward at the breaking of the day, and consort with the proud wooers. 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. And if they shall evil entreat me in the +house, let thy heart harden itself to endure while I am shamefully handled, yea +even if they drag me by the feet through the house to the doors, or cast at me +and smite me: still do thou bear the sight. Howbeit thou shalt surely bid them +cease from their folly, exhorting them with smooth words; yet no whit will they +hearken, nay for the day of their doom is at hand. Yet another thing will I +tell thee, and do thou ponder it in thy heart. When Athene, of deep counsel, +shall put it into my heart, I will nod to thee with my head and do thou note +it, and carry away all thy weapons of war that lie in the halls, and lay them +down every one in the secret place of the lofty chamber. And when the wooers +miss them and ask thee concerning them, thou shalt beguile them with soft +words, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Out of the smoke I laid them by, since they were no longer like +those that Odysseus left behind him of old when he went to Troy, but they are +wholly marred: so mightily hath passed upon them the vapour of fire. Moreover +Cronion hath put into my heart this other and greater care, that perchance, +when ye are heated with wine, ye set a quarrel between you and wound one the +other and thereby shame the feast and the wooing; for iron of itself draws a +man thereto.’ But for us twain alone leave two swords and two spears and +two shields of oxhide to grasp, that we may rush upon the arms and seize them; +and then shall Pallas Athene and Zeus the counsellor enchant the wooers to +their ruin. Yet another thing will I tell thee, and do thou ponder it in thy +heart. If in very truth thou art my son and of our blood, then let no man hear +that Odysseus is come home; neither let Laertes know it, nor the swineherd nor +any of the household nor Penelope herself, but let me and thee alone discover +the intent of the women. Yea, and we would moreover make trial of certain of +the men among the thralls, and learn who<a href="#linknote-27" +name="linknoteref-27">[27]</a> of them chances to honour us +and to fear us heartily, and who regards us not at all and holds even thee in +no esteem, so noble a man as thou art.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-27"></a><a href="#linknoteref-27">[27]</a> +Reading ὅ πού τις. +</p> + +<p> +Then his renowned son answered him, and said: “O my father, of a truth +thou shalt learn, methinks, even hereafter what spirit I am of, for no whit +doth folly possess me. But I deem not that this device of thine will be gainful +to us twain, so I bid thee to give heed. For thou shalt be long time on thy +road to little purpose, making trial of each man, while thou visitest the farm +lands; but at ease in thy halls the wooers devour thy goods with insolence, and +now there is no sparing. Howbeit I would have thee take knowledge of the women, +who they be that dishonour thee, and who are guiltless. But of the men I would +not that we should make trial in the steadings, but that we should see to this +task afterwards, if indeed thou knowest some sign from Zeus, lord of the +aegis.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. And now the well-builded ship was being +brought to land at Ithaca, the ship that bare Telemachus from Pylos with all +his company. When they were now come within the deep harbour, the men drew up +the black ship on the shore, while squires, haughty of heart, bare away their +weapons, and straightway carried the glorious gifts to the house of Clytius. +Anon they sent forward a herald to the house of Odysseus to bear the tidings to +prudent Penelope, namely, how Telemachus was in the field, and had bidden the +ship sail to the city, lest the noble queen should be afraid, and let the round +tears fall. So these two met, the herald and the goodly swineherd, come on the +same errand to tell all to the lady. Now when they were got to the house of the +divine king, the herald spake out among all the handmaids saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily, O queen, thy son hath come out of Pylos.” +</p> + +<p> +But the swineherd went up to Penelope, and told her all that her dear son had +bidden him say. So, when he had declared all that had been enjoined him, he +went on his way to the swine and left the enclosure and the hall. +</p> + +<p> +Now the wooers were troubled and downcast in spirit, and forth they went from +the hall past the great wall of the court, and there in front of the gates they +held their session. And Eurymachus son of Polybus first spake among them +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily, friends, a proud deed hath Telemachus accomplished with a high +hand, even this journey, and we said that he should never bring it to pass. But +come, launch we a black ship, the best there is, and let us get together +oarsmen of the sea, who shall straightway bear word to our friends to return +home with speed.” +</p> + +<p> +The word was yet on his lips, when Amphinomus turned in his place and saw the +ship within the deep harbour, and the men lowering the sails and with the oars +in their hands. Then sweetly he laughed out and spake among his fellows: +</p> + +<p> +“Nay, let us now send no message any more, for lo, they are come home. +Either some god has told them all or they themselves have seen the ship of +Telemachus go by, and have not been able to catch her.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and they arose and went to the sea-banks. Swiftly the men drew +up the black ship on the shore, and squires, haughty of heart, bare away their +weapons. And the wooers all together went to the assembly-place, and suffered +none other to sit with them, either of the young men or of the elders. Then +Antinous spake among them, the son of Eupeithes: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo now, how the gods have delivered this man from his evil case! All day +long did scouts sit along the windy headlands, ever in quick succession, and at +the going down of the sun we never rested for a night upon the shore, but +sailing with our swift ship on the high seas we awaited the bright Dawn, as we +lay in wait for Telemachus, that we might take and slay the man himself; but +meanwhile some god has brought him home. But even here let us devise an evil +end for him, even for Telemachus, and let him not escape out of our hands, for +methinks that while he lives we shall never achieve this task of ours. For he +himself has understanding in counsel and wisdom, and the people no longer show +us favour in all things. Nay come, before he assembles all the Achaeans to the +gathering; for methinks that he will in nowise be slack, but will be exceeding +wroth, and will stand up and speak out among them all, and tell how we plotted +against him sheer destruction but did not overtake him. Then will they not +approve us, when they hear these evil deeds. Beware then lest they do us a +harm, and drive us forth from our country, and we come to the land of +strangers. Nay, but let us be beforehand and take him in the field far from the +city, or by the way; and let us ourselves keep his livelihood and his +possessions, making fair division among us, but the house we would give to his +mother to keep and to whomsoever marries her. But if this saying likes you not, +but ye chose rather that he should live and keep the heritage of his father, no +longer then let us gather here and eat all his store of pleasant substance, but +let each one from his own hall woo her with his bridal gifts and seek to win +her; so should she wed the man that gives the most and comes as the chosen of +fate.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they all held their peace. Then Amphinomus made harangue and +spake out among them; he was the famous son of Nisus the prince, the son of +Aretias, and he led the wooers that came from out Dulichium, a land rich in +wheat and in grass, and more than all the rest his words were pleasing to +Penelope, for he was of an understanding mind. And now of his good will he made +harangue, and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, I for one would not choose to kill Telemachus; it is a fearful +thing to slay one of the stock of kings! Nay, first let us seek to the counsel +of the gods, and if the oracles of great Zeus approve, myself I will slay him +and bid all the rest to aid. But if the gods are disposed to avert it, I bid +you to refrain.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Amphinomus, and his saying pleased them well. Then straightway they +arose and went to the house of Odysseus, and entering in sat down on the +polished seats. +</p> + +<p> +Then the wise Penelope had a new thought, namely, to show herself to the +wooers, so despiteful in their insolence; for she had heard of the death of her +son that was to be in the halls, seeing that Medon the henchman had told her of +it; who heard their counsels. So she went on her way to the hall, with the +women her handmaids. Now when that fair lady had come unto the wooers, she +stood by the pillar of the well-builded roof, holding up her glistening tire +before her face, and rebuked Antinous and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Antinous, full of all insolence, deviser of mischief! and yet they say +that in the land of Ithaca thou art chiefest among thy peers in counsel and in +speech. Nay, no such man dost thou show thyself. Fool! why indeed dost thou +contrive death and doom for Telemachus, and hast no regard unto suppliants who +have Zeus to witness? Nay but it is an impious thing to contrive evil one +against another. What! knowest thou not of the day when thy father fled to this +house in fear of the people, for verily they were exceeding wroth against him, +because he had followed with Taphian sea robbers and harried the Thesprotians, +who were at peace with us. So they wished to destroy thy father and wrest from +him his dear life, and utterly to devour all his great and abundant livelihood; +but Odysseus stayed and withheld them, for all their desire. His house thou now +consumest without atonement, and his wife thou wooest, and wouldst slay his +son, and dost greatly grieve me. But I bid thee cease, and command the others +to do likewise.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered her saying: “Daughter of +Icarius, wise Penelope, take courage, and let not thy heart be careful for +these things. The man is not, nor shall be, nor ever shall be born, that shall +stretch forth his hands against Telemachus, thy son, while I live and am on +earth and see the light. For thus will I declare to thee, and it shall surely +come to pass. Right quickly shall the black blood of such an one flow about our +spear; for Odysseus, waster of cities, of a truth did many a time set me too +upon his knees, and gave me roasted flesh into my hand, and held the red wine +to my lips. Wherefore Telemachus is far the dearest of all men to me, and I bid +him have no fear of death, not from the wooers’ hands; but from the gods +none may avoid it.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake comforting her, but was himself the while framing death for her +son. +</p> + +<p> +Now she ascended to her shining upper chamber, and then was bewailing Odysseus, +her dear lord, till grey-eyed Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids. +</p> + +<p> +And in the evening the goodly swineherd came back to Odysseus and his son, and +they made ready and served the supper, when they had sacrificed a swine of a +year old. Then Athene drew near Odysseus, son of Laertes, and smote him with +her wand, and made him into an old man again. In sorry raiment she clad him +about his body, lest the swineherd should look on him and know him, and depart +to tell the constant Penelope, and not keep the matter in his heart. +</p> + +<p> +Then Telemachus spake first to the swineherd, saying: “Thou hast come, +goodly Eumaeus. What news is there in the town? Are the lordly wooers now come +in from their ambush, or do they still watch for me as before on my homeward +way?” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “I had no mind to go down +the city asking and inquiring hereof; my heart bade me get me home again, as +quick as might be, when once I had told the tidings. And the swift messenger +from thy company joined himself unto me, the henchman, who was the first to +tell the news to thy mother. Yet this, too, I know, if thou wouldest hear; for +I beheld it with mine eyes. Already had I come in my faring above the city, +where is the hill Hermaean, when I marked a swift ship entering our haven, and +many men there were in her, and she was laden with shields and two-headed +spears, and methought they were the wooers, but I know not at all.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and the mighty prince Telemachus smiled, and glanced at his +father, while he shunned the eye of the swineherd. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had ceased from the work and got supper ready, they fell to +feasting, and their hearts lacked not ought of the equal banquet. But when they +had put from them the desire of meat and drink, they bethought them of rest, +and took the boon of sleep. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap17"></a>BOOK XVII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Telemachus relates to his mother what he had heard at Pylos and Sparta. +</p> + +<p> +So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, then Telemachus, the dear +son of divine Odysseus, bound beneath his feet his goodly sandals, and took up +his mighty spear that fitted his grasp, to make for the city; and he spake to +his swineherd, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily, father, I am bound for the city, that my mother may see me, for +methinks that she will not cease from grievous wailing and tearful lament, +until she beholds my very face. But this command I give thee: Lead this +stranger, the hapless one, to the city, that there he may beg his meat, and +whoso chooses will give him a morsel of bread and a cup of water. As for +myself, I can in no wise suffer every guest who comes to me, so afflicted am I +in spirit. But if the stranger be sore angered hereat, the more grievous will +it be for himself; howbeit I for one love to speak the truth.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “I too, my friend, +have no great liking to be left behind here. It is better that a beggar should +beg his meat in the town than in the fields, and whoso chooses will give it me. +For I am not now of an age to abide at the steading, and to obey in all things +the word of the master. Nay go, and this man that thou biddest will lead me, so +soon as I shall be warmed with the fire, and the sun waxes hot. For woefully +poor are these garments of mine, and I fear lest the hoar frost of the dawn +overcome me; moreover ye say the city is far away.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Telemachus passed out through the steading, stepping forth at +a quick pace, and was sowing the seeds of evil for the wooers. Now when he was +come to the fair-lying house, he set his spear against the tall pillar and +leaned it there, and himself went in and crossed the threshold of stone. +</p> + +<p> +And the nurse Eurycleia saw him far before the rest, as she was strewing skin +coverlets upon the carven chairs, and straightway she drew near him, weeping, +and all the other maidens of Odysseus, of the hardy heart, were gathered about +him, and kissed him lovingly on the head and shoulders. Now wise Penelope came +forth from her chamber, like Artemis or golden Aphrodite, and cast her arms +about her dear son, and fell a weeping, and kissed his face and both his +beautiful eyes, and wept aloud, and spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou art come, Telemachus, a sweet light in the dark; methought I should +see thee never again, after thou hadst gone in thy ship to Pylos, secretly and +without my will, to seek tidings of thy dear father. Come now, tell me, what +sight thou didst get of him?” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Mother mine, wake not wailing +in my soul, nor stir the heart within the breast of me, that have but now fled +from utter death. Nay, but wash thee in water, and take to thee fresh raiment, +and go aloft to thine upper chamber with the women thy handmaids, and vow to +all the gods an acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs, if haply Zeus may grant that +deeds of requital be made. But I will go to the assembly-place to bid a +stranger to our house, one that accompanied me as I came hither from Pylos. I +sent him forward with my godlike company, and commanded Piraeus to lead him +home, and to take heed to treat him lovingly and with worship till I should +come.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and wingless her speech remained. And she washed her in water, +and took to her fresh raiment, and vowed to all the gods an acceptable +sacrifice of hecatombs, if haply Zeus might grant that deeds of requital should +be made. +</p> + +<p> +Now Telemachus went out through the hall with the spear in his hand: and two +swift hounds bare him company. And Athene shed on him a wondrous grace, and all +the people marvelled at him as he came. And the lordly wooers gathered about +him with fair words on their lips, but brooding evil in the deep of their +heart. Then he avoided the great press of the wooers, but where Mentor sat, and +Antiphus, and Halitherses, who were friends of his house from of old, there he +went and sat down; and they asked him of all his adventures. Then Piraeus, the +famed spearsman, drew nigh, leading the stranger to the assembly-place by the +way of the town; and Telemachus kept not aloof from him long, but went up to +him. +</p> + +<p> +Then Piraeus first spake to him, saying: “Bestir the women straightway to +go to my house, that I may send thee the gifts that Menelaus gave thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Piraeus, we know not how +these matters will fall out. If the lordly wooers shall slay me by guile in the +halls, and divide among them the heritage of my father, then I should wish thee +to keep and enjoy the gifts thyself, rather than any of these. But if I shall +sow the seeds of death and fate for the wooers, then gladly bring me to the +house the gifts that I will gladly take.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he led the travel-worn stranger to the house. Now when they came to +the fair-lying palace, they laid aside their mantles on the chairs and high +seats, and went to the polished baths, and bathed them. So when the maidens had +bathed them and anointed them with olive oil, and cast about them thick mantles +and doublets, they came forth from the baths, and sat upon the seats. Then the +handmaid bare water for the hands in a goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth +over a silver basin to wash withal, and drew to their side a polished table. +And the grave dame bare wheaten bread, and set it by them, and laid on the +board many dainties, giving freely of such things as she had by her. And the +mother of Telemachus sat over against him by the pillar of the hall, leaning +against a chair, and spinning the slender threads from the yarn. And they +stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer set before them. Now when they +had put from them the desire of meat and drink, the wise Penelope first spake +among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, verily I will go up to my upper chamber, and lay me in my +bed, the place of my groanings, that is ever watered by my tears, since the day +that Odysseus departed with the sons of Atreus for Ilios. Yet thou hadst no +care to tell me clearly, before the lordly wooers came to this house, +concerning the returning of thy father, if haply thou hast heard +thereof.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “Yea now, mother, I will tell +thee all the truth. We went to Pylos and to Nestor, the shepherd of the people, +and he received me in his lofty house, and was diligent to entreat me lovingly, +as a father might his son that had but newly come from strange lands after many +years; even so diligently he cared for me with his renowned sons. Yet he said +that he had heard no word from any man on earth concerning Odysseus, of the +hardy heart, whether alive or dead. But he sent me forward on my way with +horses and a chariot, well compact, to Menelaus, son of Atreus, spearman +renowned. There I saw Argive Helen, for whose sake the Argives and Trojans bore +much travail by the gods’ designs. Then straightway Menelaus, of the loud +war-cry, asked me on what quest I had come to goodly Lacedaemon. And I told him +all the truth. Then he made answer, and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Out upon them, for truly in the bed of a brave-hearted man were +they minded to lie, very cravens as they are! Even as when a hind hath couched +her newborn fawns unweaned in a strong lion’s lair, and searcheth out the +mountain-knees and grassy hollows, seeking pasture; and afterward the lion +cometh back to his bed, and sendeth forth unsightly death upon that pair, even +so shall Odysseus send forth unsightly death upon the wooers. Would to our +father Zeus, and Athene, and Apollo, would that in such might as when of old in +stablished Lesbos he rose up in strife and wrestled with Philomeleides, and +threw him mightily, and all the Achaeans rejoiced; would that in such strength +Odysseus might consort with the wooers; then should they all have swift fate +and bitter wedlock! But for that whereof thou askest and entreatest me, be sure +I will not swerve from the truth in aught that I say, nor deceive thee; but of +all that the ancient one of the sea, whose speech is sooth, declared to me, not +a word will I hide or keep from thee. He said that he saw Odysseus in an +island, suffering strong pains in the halls of the nymph Calypso, who holds him +there perforce; so that he may not come to his own country, for he has by him +no ships with oars, and no companions to send him on his way over the broad +back of the sea.’ So spake Menelaus, son of Atreus, spearsman renowned. +Then having fulfilled all, I set out for home, and the deathless gods gave me a +fair wind, and brought me swiftly to mine own dear country.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and stirred her heart within her breast. And next the godlike +Theoclymenus spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“O wife revered of Odysseus, son of Laertes, verily he hath no clear +knowledge; but my word do thou mark, for I will prophesy to thee most truly and +hide nought. Now Zeus be witness before any god, and this hospitable board and +this hearth of noble Odysseus, whereunto I am come, that Odysseus is even now +of a surety in his own country, resting or faring, learning of these evil +deeds, and sowing the seeds of evil for all the wooers. So clear was the omen +of the bird that I saw as I sat on the decked ship, and I proclaimed it to +Telemachus.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him, saying: “Ah, stranger, would that this +thy word may be accomplished! Soon shouldest thou be aware of kindness and of +many a gift at my hands, so that whoso met with thee would call thee +blessed.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. But the wooers meantime were before the +palace of Odysseus, taking their pleasure in casting of weights and of spears +on a levelled place, as heretofore, in their insolence. But when it was now the +hour for supper, and the flocks came home from the fields all around, and the +men led them whose custom it was, then Medon, who of all the henchmen was most +to their mind, and was ever with them at the feast, spake to them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Noble youths, now that ye have had sport to your hearts’ content, +get you into the house, that we may make ready a feast; for truly it is no bad +thing to take meat in season.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and they rose up and departed, and were obedient to his word. +Now when they were come into the fair-lying house, they laid aside their +mantles on the chairs and high seats, and they sacrificed great sheep and stout +goats, yea, and the fatlings of the boars and an heifer of the herd, and got +ready the feast. +</p> + +<p> +Now all this while Odysseus and the goodly swineherd were bestirring them to go +from the field to the city; and the swineherd, a master of men, spake first +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Well, my friend, forasmuch as I see thou art eager to be going to the +city to-day, even as my master gave command;—though myself I would well +that thou shouldest be left here to keep the steading, but I hold him in +reverence and fear, lest he chide me afterwards, and grievous are the rebukes +of masters—come then, let us go on our way, for lo, the day is far spent, +and soon wilt thou find it colder toward evening.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “I mark, I heed: all +this thou speakest to one with understanding. But let us be going, and be thou +my guide withal to the end. And if thou hast anywhere a staff ready cut, give +it me to lean upon, for truly ye said that slippery was the way.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he cast about his shoulders a mean scrip, all tattered, and a cord +withal to hang it, and Eumaeus gave him a staff to his mind. So these twain +went on their way, and the dogs and the herdsmen stayed behind to guard the +steading. 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. But as they fared along the rugged path they +drew near to the town, and came to the fair flowing spring, with a basin +fashioned, whence the people of the city drew water. This well Ithacus and +Neritus and Polyctor had builded. And around it was a thicket of alders that +grow by the waters, all circlewise, and down the cold stream fell from a rock +on high, and above was reared an altar to the Nymphs, whereat all wayfarers +made offering. In that place Melanthius, son of Dolius, met them, leading his +goats to feast the wooers, the best goats that were in all the herds; and two +herdsmen bare him company. Now when he saw them he reviled them, and spake and +hailed them, in terrible and evil fashion, and stirred the heart of Odysseus, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Now in very truth the vile is leading the vile, for god brings ever like +to like! Say, whither art thou leading this glutton,—thou wretched +swineherd,—this plaguy beggar, a kill-joy of the feast? He is one to +stand about and rub his shoulders against many doorposts, begging for scraps of +meat, not for swords or cauldrons. If thou wouldst give me the fellow to watch +my steading and sweep out the stalls, and carry fresh fodder to the kids, then +he might drink whey and get him a stout thigh. Howbeit, since he is practised +only in evil, he will not care to betake him to the labour of the farm, but +rather chooses to go louting through the land asking alms to fill his insatiate +belly. But now I will speak out and my word shall surely be accomplished. If +ever he fares to the house of divine Odysseus, many a stool that men’s +hands hurl shall fly about his head, and break upon his ribs,<a +href="#linknote-28" name="linknoteref-28">[28]</a> as they +pelt him through the house.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-28"></a><a href="#linknoteref-28">[28]</a> +Reading πλευραί. +</p> + +<p> +Therewith, as he went past, he kicked Odysseus on the hip, in his witlessness, +yet he drave him not from the path, but he abode steadfast. And Odysseus +pondered whether he should rush upon him and take away his life with the staff, +or lift him in his grasp<a href="#linknote-29" name="linknoteref-29">[29]</a> and smite his head to the earth. Yet he hardened +his heart to endure and refrained himself. And the swineherd looked at the +other and rebuked him, and lifting up his hands prayed aloud: +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-29"></a><a href="#linknoteref-29">[29]</a> +ἀμφουδὶς is perhaps best taken as an +adverb in -δις formed from ἀμφὶ, though +some letters of the word are still left obscure. Most modern commentators, +however, derive it from ἀμφὶ and +οὖδας “near the ground; hence, in this context, +“lift him <i>by the feet</i>.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nymphs of the well-water, daughters of Zeus, if ever Odysseus burned on +your altars pieces of the thighs of rams or kids, in their covering of rich +fat, fulfil for me this wish:—oh that he, even he, may come home, and +that some god may bring him! Then would he scatter all thy bravery, which now +thou flauntest insolently, wandering ever about the city, while evil shepherds +destroy the flock.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Melanthius, the goatherd, answered: “Lo now, what a word has this +evil-witted dog been saying! Some day I will take him in a black decked ship +far from Ithaca, that he may bring me in much livelihood. Would God that +Apollo, of the silver bow, might smite Telemachus to-day in the halls, or that +he might fall before the wooers, so surely as for Odysseus the day of returning +has in a far land gone by!” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake and left them there as they walked slowly on. But Melanthius +stepped forth, and came very speedily to the house of the prince, and +straightway he went in and sat down among the wooers, over against Eurymachus, +who chiefly showed him kindness. And they that ministered set by him a portion +of flesh, and the grave dame brought wheaten bread and set it by him to eat. +Now Odysseus and the goodly swineherd drew near and stood by, and the sound of +the hollow lyre rang around them, for Phemius was lifting up his voice amid the +company in song, and Odysseus caught the swineherd by the hand, and spake, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eumaeus, verily this is the fair house of Odysseus, and right easily +might it be known and marked even among many. There is building beyond +building, and the court of the house is cunningly wrought with a wall and +battlements, and well-fenced are the folding doors; no man may hold it in +disdain. And I see that many men keep revel within, for the savour of the fat +rises upward,<a href="#linknote-30" name="linknoteref-30">[30]</a> and the voice of the lyre is heard there, which +the gods have made to be the mate of the feast.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-30"></a><a href="#linknoteref-30">[30]</a> +Reading ἀνήνοφεν. +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Easily thou knowest it, +for indeed thou never lackest understanding. But come, let us advise us, how +things shall fall out here. Either do thou go first within the fair-lying +halls, and join the company of the wooers, so will I remain here, or if thou +wilt, abide here, and I will go before thy face, and tarry not long, lest one +see thee without, and hurl at thee or strike thee. Look well to this, I bid +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying: “I mark, I heed, +all this thou speakest to one with understanding. Do thou then go before me, +and I will remain here, for well I know what it is to be smitten and hurled at. +My heart is full of hardiness, for much evil have I suffered in perils of waves +and war; let this be added to the tale of those. But a ravening belly may none +conceal, a thing accursed, that works much ill for men. For this cause too the +benched ships are furnished, that bear mischief to foemen over the unharvested +seas.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, a hound raised up his head and +pricked his ears, even where he lay, Argos, the hound of Odysseus, of the hardy +heart, which of old himself had bred, but had got no joy of him, for ere that, +he went to sacred Ilios. Now in time past the young men used to lead the hound +against wild goats and deer and hares; but as then, despised he lay (his master +being afar) in the deep dung of mules and kine, whereof an ample bed was spread +before the doors, till the thralls of Odysseus should carry it away to dung +therewith his wide demesne. There lay the dog Argos, full of vermin. Yet even +now when he was ware of Odysseus standing by, he wagged his tail and dropped +both his ears, but nearer to his master he had not now the strength to draw. +But Odysseus looked aside and wiped away a tear that he easily hid from +Eumaeus, and straightway he asked him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eumaeus, verily this is a great marvel, this hound lying here in the +dung. Truly he is goodly of growth, but I know not certainly if he have speed +with this beauty, or if he be comely only, like as are men’s trencher +dogs that their lords keep for the pleasure of the eye.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “In very truth this is +the dog of a man that has died in a far land. If he were what once he was in +limb and in the feats of the chase, when Odysseus left him to go to Troy, soon +wouldst thou marvel at the sight of his swiftness and his strength. There was +no beast that could flee from him in the deep places of the wood, when he was +in pursuit; for even on a track he was the keenest hound. But now he is holden +in an evil case, and his lord hath perished far from his own country, and the +careless women take no charge of him. Nay, thralls are no more inclined to +honest service when their masters have lost the dominion, for Zeus, of the +far-borne voice, takes away the half of a man’s virtue, when the day of +slavery comes upon him.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he passed within the fair-lying house, and went straight to the hall, +to the company of the proud wooers. But upon Argos came the fate of black death +even in the hour that he beheld Odysseus again, in the twentieth year. +</p> + +<p> +Now godlike Telemachus was far the first to behold the swineherd as he came +into the hall, and straightway then he beckoned and called him to his side. So +Eumaeus looked about and took a settle that lay by him, where the carver was +wont to sit dividing much flesh among the wooers that were feasting in the +house. This seat he carried and set by the table of Telemachus over against +him, and there sat down himself. And the henchman took a mess and served it +him, and wheaten bread out of the basket. +</p> + +<p> +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. And he sat down on the ashen threshold within the doorway, leaning +against a pillar of cypress wood, which the carpenter on a time had deftly +planed, and thereon made straight the line. And Telemachus called the swineherd +to him, and took a whole loaf out of the fair basket, and of flesh so much as +his hands could hold in their grasp, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Take and give this to the stranger, and bid him go about and beg himself +of all the wooers in their turn, for shame is an ill mate of a needy +man.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and the swineherd went when he heard that saying, and stood by and +spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, Telemachus gives thee these and bids thee go about and beg of +all the wooers in their turn, for, he says, ‘shame ill becomes a beggar +man.’” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: “King Zeus, grant +me that Telemachus may be happy among men, and may he have all his +heart’s desire!” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he took the gift in both hands, and set it there before his feet on +his unsightly scrip. Then he ate meat so long as the minstrel was singing in +the halls. When he had done supper, and the divine minstrel was ending his +song, then the wooers raised a clamour through the halls; but Athene stood by +Odysseus, son of Laertes, and moved him to go gathering morsels of bread among +the wooers, and learn which were righteous and which unjust. Yet not even so +was she fated to redeem one man of them from an evil doom. So he set out, +beginning on the right, to ask of each man, stretching out his hand on every +side, as though he were a beggar from of old. And they in pity gave him +somewhat, and were amazed at the man, asking one another who he was and whence +he came? +</p> + +<p> +Then Melanthius, the goatherd, spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Listen, ye wooers of the renowned queen, concerning this stranger, for +verily I have seen him before. The swineherd truly was his guide hither, but of +him I have no certain knowledge, whence he avows him to be born.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but Antinous rebuked the swineherd, saying: “Oh notorious +swineherd, wherefore, I pray thee, didst thou bring this man to the city? Have +we not vagrants enough besides, plaguy beggars, kill-joys of the feast? Dost +thou count it a light thing that they assemble here and devour the living of +thy master, but thou must needs<a href="#linknote-31" name="linknoteref-31">[31]</a> call in this man too?” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-31"></a><a href="#linknoteref-31">[31]</a> +πόθι can hardly have a <i>local</i> meaning here. If +retained, it must be nearly equivalent to πού, “it +seems,” with a touch of irony. Cf. i. 348. The v. 1. +προτὶ = πρὸς is a simpler +reading, but by no means certain. +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Antinous, no fair words +are these of thine, noble though thou art. For who ever himself seeks out and +bids to the feast a stranger from afar, save only one of those that are +craftsmen of the people, a prophet or a healer of ills, or a shipwright or even +a godlike minstrel, who can delight all with his song? Nay, these are the men +that are welcome over all the wide earth. But none would call a beggar to the +banquet, to waste his substance. But thou art ever hard above all the other +wooers to the servants of Odysseus, and, beyond all, to me; but behold, I care +not, so long as my mistress, the constant Penelope, lives in the halls and +godlike Telemachus.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Be silent, answer him not, I +pray thee, with many words, for Antinous is wont ever to chide us shamefully +with bitter speech, yea, and urges the others thereto.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewithal he spake winged words to Antinous: “Antinous, verily thou +hast a good care for me, as it were a father for his son, thou that biddest me +drive our guest from the hall with a harsh command. God forbid that such a +thing should be! Take somewhat and give it him: lo, I grudge it not; nay, I +charge thee to do it. And herein regard not my mother, nor any of the thralls +that are in the house of divine Odysseus. Nay, but thou hast no such thought in +thy heart, for thou art far more fain to eat thyself than to give to +another.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous answered him and spake, saying: “Telemachus, proud of +speech, and unrestrained in fury, what word hast thou spoken? If all the wooers +should vouchsafe him as much as I, this house would keep him far enough aloof +even for three months’ space.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and seized the footstool whereon he rested his sleek feet as he +sat at the feast, and showed it from beneath the table where it lay. But all +the others gave somewhat and filled the wallet with bread and flesh; yea, and +even now, Odysseus as he returned to the threshold, was like to escape scot +free, making trial of the Achaeans, but he halted by Antinous, and spake to +him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, give me somewhat; for methinks thou art not the basest of the +Achaeans, but the best man of them all, for thou art like a king. Wherefore +thou shouldest give me a portion of bread, and that a better than the others; +so would I make thee renowned over all the wide earth. For I too, once had a +house of mine own among men, a rich man with a wealthy house, and many a time +would I give to a wanderer, what manner of man soever he might be, and in +whatsoever need he came. And I had thralls out of number, and all else in +plenty, wherewith folk live well and have a name for riches. But Zeus, the son +of Cronos, made me desolate of all,—for surely it was his will,—who +sent me with wandering sea-robbers to go to Egypt, a far road, to my ruin. And +in the river Aegyptus I stayed my curved ships. Then verily I bade my loved +companions to abide there by the ships, and to guard the ship, and I sent forth +scouts to range the points of outlook. Now they gave place to wantonness, being +the fools of their own force, and soon they fell to wasting the fields of the +Egyptians, exceeding fair, and carried away their wives and infant children, +and slew the men. And the cry came quickly to the city, and the people heard +the shout and came forth at the breaking of the day; and all the plain was +filled with footmen and horsemen and with the glitter of bronze. And Zeus, +whose joy is in the thunder, sent an evil panic upon my company, and none durst +stand and face the foe: for danger encompassed us on every side. There they +slew many of us with the edge of the sword, and others they led up with them +alive to work for them perforce. But they gave me to a friend who met them, to +take to Cyprus, even to Dmetor son of Iasus, who ruled mightily over Cyprus; +and thence, behold, am I now come hither in sore distress.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous answered, and spake, saying: “What god hath brought this +plague hither to trouble the feast? Stand forth thus in the midst, away from my +table, lest thou come soon to a bitter Egypt and a sad Cyprus; for a bold +beggar art thou and a shameless. Thou standest by all in turn and recklessly +they give to thee, for they hold not their hand nor feel any ruth in giving +freely of others’ goods, for that each man has plenty by him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels drew back and answered him: “Lo now, I see +thou hast not wisdom with thy beauty! From out of thine own house thou wouldest +not give even so much as a grain of salt to thy suppliant, thou who now even at +another’s board dost sit, and canst not find it in thy heart to take of +the bread and give it me, where there is plenty to thy hand.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and Antinous was mightily angered at heart, and looked fiercely on +him and spake winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Henceforth, methinks, thou shalt not get thee out with honour from the +hall, seeing thou dost even rail upon me.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he caught up the foot-stool and smote Odysseus at the base of the +right shoulder by the back. But he stood firm as a rock, nor reeled he beneath +the blow of Antinous, but shook his head in silence, brooding evil in the deep +of his heart. Then he went back to the threshold, and sat him there, and laid +down his well-filled scrip, and spake among the wooers: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, ye wooers of the renowned queen, and I will say what my spirit +within me bids me. Verily there is neither pain nor grief of heart, when a man +is smitten in battle fighting for his own possessions, whether cattle or white +sheep. But now Antinous hath stricken me for my wretched belly’s sake, a +thing accursed, that works much ill for men. Ah, if indeed there be gods and +Avengers of beggars, may the issues of death come upon Antinous before his +wedding!” +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: “Sit and eat thy meat in +quiet, stranger, or get thee elsewhere, lest the young men drag thee by hand or +foot through the house for thy evil words, and strip all thy flesh from off +thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and they were all exceeding wroth at his word. And on this +wise would one of the lordly young men speak: +</p> + +<p> +“Antinous, thou didst ill to strike the hapless wanderer, doomed man that +thou art,—if indeed there be a god in heaven. Yea and the gods, in the +likeness of strangers from far countries, put on all manner of shapes, and +wander through the cities, beholding the violence and the righteousness of +men.” +</p> + +<p> +So the wooers spake, but he heeded not their words. Now Telemachus nursed in +his heart a mighty grief at the smiting of Odysseus, yet he let no tear fall +from his eyelids to the ground, but shook his head in silence, brooding evil in +the deep of his heart. +</p> + +<p> +Now when wise Penelope heard of the stranger being smitten in the halls, she +spake among her maidens, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh that Apollo, the famed archer, may so smite thee thyself, +Antinous!” +</p> + +<p> +And the house-dame, Eurynome, answered her, saying: “Oh that we might win +fulfilment of our prayers! So should not one of these men come to the +fair-throned Dawn.” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Penelope answered her: “Nurse, they are all enemies, for they +all devise evil continually, but of them all Antinous is the most like to black +fate. Some hapless stranger is roaming about the house, begging alms of the +men, as his need bids him; and all the others filled his wallet and gave him +somewhat, but Antinous smote him at the base of the right shoulder with a +stool.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake among her maidens, sitting in her chamber, while goodly Odysseus +was at meat. Then she called to her the goodly swineherd and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Go thy way, goodly Eumaeus, and bid the stranger come hither, that I may +speak him a word of greeting, and ask him if haply he has heard tidings of +Odysseus of the hardy heart, or seen him with his eyes; for he seems like one +that has wandered far.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “Queen, oh that the +Achaeans would hold their peace! so would he charm thy very heart, such things +doth he say. For I kept him three nights and three days I held him in the +steading, for to me he came first when he fled from the ship, yet he had not +made an end of the tale of his affliction. Even as when a man gazes on a +singer, whom the gods have taught to sing words of yearning joy to mortals, and +they have a ceaseless desire to hear him, so long as he will sing; even so he +charmed me, sitting by me in the halls. He says that he is a friend of Odysseus +and of his house, one that dwells in Crete, where is the race of Minos. Thence +he has come hither even now, with sorrow by the way, onward and yet onward +wandering; and he stands to it that he has heard tidings of Odysseus nigh at +hand and yet alive in the fat land of the men of Thesprotia; and he is bringing +many treasures to his home.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him, saying: “Go, call him hither, that he +may speak to me face to face. But let these men sit in the doorway and take +their pleasure, or even here in the house, since their heart is glad. For their +own wealth lies unspoiled at home, bread and sweet wine, and thereon do their +servants feed. But they resorting to our house day by day sacrifice oxen and +sheep and fat goats, and keep revel and drink the dark wine recklessly; and, +lo, our great wealth is wasted, for there is no man now alive, such as Odysseus +was, to keep ruin from the house. Oh, if Odysseus might come again to his own +country; soon would he and his son avenge the violence of these men!” +</p> + +<p> +Even so she spake, and Telemachus sneezed loudly, and around the roof rang +wondrously. And Penelope laughed, and straightway spake to Eumaeus winged +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Go, call me the stranger, even so, into my presence. Dost thou not mark +how my son has sneezed a blessing on all my words? Wherefore no half-wrought +doom shall befal the wooers every one, nor shall any avoid death and the fates. +Yet another thing will I say, and do thou ponder it in thy heart. If I shall +find that he himself speaks nought but truth, I will clothe him with a mantle +and a doublet, goodly raiment.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the swineherd departed when he heard that saying, and stood +by the stranger and spake winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Father and stranger, wise Penelope, the mother of Telemachus, is calling +for thee, and her mind bids her inquire as touching her lord, albeit she has +sorrowed much already. And if she shall find that thou dost speak nought but +truth, she will clothe thee in a mantle and a doublet, whereof thou standest +most in need. Moreover thou shalt beg thy bread through the land and shalt fill +thy belly, and whosoever will, shall give to thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying: “Eumaeus, soon +would I tell all the truth to the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, for well +I know his story, and we have borne our travail together. But I tremble before +the throng of the froward wooers, whose outrage and violence reach even to the +iron heaven. For even now, as I was going through the house, when this man +struck and pained me sore, and that for no ill deed, neither Telemachus nor any +other kept off the blow. Wherefore now, bid Penelope tarry in the chambers, for +all her eagerness, till the going down of the sun, and then let her ask me +concerning her lord, as touching the day of his returning, and let her give me +a seat yet nearer to the fire, for behold, I have sorry raiment, and thou +knowest it thyself, since I made my supplication first to thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and the swineherd departed when he heard that saying. And as +he crossed the threshold Penelope spake to him: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou bringest him not, Eumaeus: what means the wanderer hereby? Can it +be that he fears some one out of measure, or is he even ashamed of tarrying in +the house? A shamefaced man makes a bad beggar.” +</p> + +<p> +Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: “He speaks aright, and +but as another would deem, in that he shuns the outrage of overweening men. +Rather would he have thee wait till the going down of the sun. Yea, and it is +far meeter for thyself, O queen, to utter thy word to the stranger alone, and +to listen to his speech.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the wise Penelope answered: “Not witless is the stranger; even as he +deems, so it well may be.<a href="#linknote-32" name="linknoteref-32">[32]</a> For there are no mortal men, methinks, so wanton +as these, and none that devise such infatuate deeds.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-32"></a><a href="#linknoteref-32">[32]</a> +Placing at colon at ξεῖνος, and reading +ὥς περ ἂν εἴη (cf. xix. +312). +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the goodly swineherd departed into the throng of the wooers, +when he had showed her all his message. And straightway he spake to Telemachus +winged words, holding his head close to him, that the others might not hear: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, I am going hence to look after thy swine and the things of the +farm, thy livelihood and mine; but do thou take charge of all that is here. Yet +first look to thyself and take heed that no evil comes nigh thee, for many of +the Achaeans have ill will against us, whom may Zeus confound before their +mischief falls on us!” +</p> + +<p> +And wise Telemachus answered him, and said: “Even so shall it be, father; +and do thou get thee on thy way, when thou hast supped. And in the morning come +again, and bring fair victims for sacrifice. And all these matters will be a +care to me and to the deathless gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the other sat down again on the polished settle; and when he +had satisfied his heart with meat and drink, he went on his way to the swine, +leaving the courts and the hall full of feasters; and they were making merry +with dance and song, for already it was close on eventide. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>BOOK XVIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +The fighting at fists of Odysseus with Irus. His admonitions to Amphinomus. +Penelope appears before the wooers, and draws presents from them. +</p> + +<p> +Then up came a common beggar, who was wont to beg through the town of Ithaca, +one that was known among all men for ravening greed, for his endless eating and +drinking, yet he had no force or might, though he was bulky enough to look on. +Arnaeus was his name, for so had his good mother given it him at his birth, but +all the young men called him Irus, because he ran on errands, whensoever any +might bid him. So now he came, and would have driven Odysseus from his own +house, and began reviling him, and spake winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Get thee hence, old man, from the doorway, lest thou be even haled out +soon by the foot. Seest thou not that all are now giving me the wink, and +bidding me drag thee forth? Nevertheless, I feel shame of the task. Nay get +thee up, lest our quarrel soon pass even to blows.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him, and spake saying: +“Sir, neither in deed nor word do I harm thee, nor do I grudge that any +should give to thee, yea though it were a good handful. But this threshold will +hold us both, and thou hast no need to be jealous for the sake of other +men’s goods. Thou seemest to me to be a wanderer, even as I am, and the +gods it is that are like to give us gain. Only provoke me not overmuch to +buffeting, lest thou anger me, and old though I be I defile thy breast and lips +with blood. Thereby should I have the greater quiet to-morrow, for methinks +that thou shalt never again come to the hall of Odysseus, son of +Laertes”. +</p> + +<p> +Then the beggar Irus spake unto him in anger: “Lo now, how trippingly and +like an old cinder-wife this glutton speaks, on whom I will work my evil will, +and smite him right and left, and drive all the teeth from his jaws to the +ground, like the tusks of a swine that spoils the corn. Gird thyself now, that +even these men all may know our mettle in fight. Nay, how shouldst thou do +battle with a younger man than thou?” +</p> + +<p> +Thus did they whet each the other’s rage right manfully before the lofty +doors upon the polished threshold. And the mighty prince Antinous heard the +twain, and sweetly he laughed out, and spake among the wooers: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, never before has there been such a thing; such goodly game has +a god brought to this house. The stranger yonder and Irus are bidding each +other to buffets. Quick, let us match them one against the other.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all at the word leaped up laughing, and gathered round the ragged beggars, +and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake among them saying: “Hear me, ye +lordly wooers, and I will say somewhat. Here are goats’ bellies lying at +the fire, that we laid by at supper-time and filled with fat and blood. Now +whichsoever of the twain wins, and shows himself the better man, let him stand +up and take his choice of these puddings. And further, he shall always eat at +our feasts, nor will we suffer any other beggar to come among us and ask for +alms.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then Odysseus of many +counsels spake among them craftily: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, an old man and foredone with travail may in no wise fight with +a younger. But my belly’s call is urgent on me, that evil-worker, to the +end that I may be subdued with stripes. But come now, swear me all of you a +strong oath, so that none, for the sake of shewing a favour to Irus, may strike +me a foul blow with heavy hand and subdue me by violence to my foe.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they all swore not to strike him, as he bade them. Now when +they had sworn and done that oath, the mighty prince Telemachus once more spake +among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, if thy heart and lordly spirit urge thee to rid thee of this +fellow, then fear not any other of the Achaeans, for whoso strikes thee shall +have to fight with many. Thy host am I, and the princes consent with me, +Antinous and Eurymachus, men of wisdom both.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he and they all consented thereto. Then Odysseus girt his rags about +his loins, and let his thighs be seen, goodly and great, and his broad +shoulders and breast and mighty arms were manifest. And Athene came nigh and +made greater the limbs of the shepherd of the people. Then the wooers were +exceedingly amazed, and thus would one speak looking to his neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“Right soon will Irus, un-Irused, have a bane of his own bringing, such a +thigh as that old man shows from out his rags!” +</p> + +<p> +So they spake, and the mind of Irus was pitifully stirred; but even so the +servants girded him and led him out perforce in great fear, his flesh trembling +on his limbs. Then Antinous chid him, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou lubber, better for thee that thou wert not now, nor ever hadst been +born, if indeed thou tremblest before this man, and art so terribly afraid; an +old man too he is, and foredone with the travail that is come upon him. But I +will tell thee plainly, and it shall surely be accomplished. If this man +prevail against thee and prove thy master, I will cast thee into a black ship, +and send thee to the mainland to Echetus the king, the maimer of all mankind, +who will cut off thy nose and ears with the pitiless steel, and draw out thy +vitals and give them raw to dogs to rend.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and yet greater trembling gat hold of the limbs of Irus, and they +led him into the ring, and the twain put up their hands. Then the steadfast +goodly Odysseus mused in himself whether he should smite him in such wise that +his life should leave his body, even there where he fell, or whether he should +strike him lightly, and stretch him on the earth. And as he thought thereon, +this seemed to him the better way, to strike lightly, that the Achaeans might +not take note of him, who he was. Then the twain put up their hands, and Irus +struck at the right shoulder, but the other smote him on his neck beneath the +ear, and crushed in the bones, and straightway the red blood gushed up through +his mouth, and with a moan he fell in the dust, and drave together his teeth as +he kicked the ground. But the proud wooers threw up their hands, and died +outright for laughter. Then Odysseus seized him by the foot, and dragged him +forth through the doorway, till he came to the courtyard and the gates of the +gallery, and he set him down and rested him against the courtyard wall, and put +his staff in his hands, and uttering his voice spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Sit thou there now, and scare off swine and dogs, and let not such an +one as thou be lord over strangers and beggars, pitiful as thou art, lest haply +some worse thing befal thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and cast about his shoulders his mean scrip all tattered, and +the cord therewith to hang it, and he gat him back to the threshold, and sat +him down there again. Now the wooers went within laughing sweetly, and greeted +him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“May Zeus, stranger, and all the other deathless gods give thee thy +dearest wish, even all thy heart’s desire, seeing that thou hast made +that insatiate one to cease from his begging in the land! Soon will we take him +over to the mainland, to Echetus the king, the maimer of all mankind.” +</p> + +<p> +So they spake, and goodly Odysseus rejoiced in the omen of the words. And +Antinous set by him the great pudding, stuffed with fat and blood, and +Amphinomus took up two loaves from the basket, and set them by him and pledged +him in a golden cup, and spake saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Father and stranger, hail! may happiness be thine in the time to come; +but as now, thou art fast holden in many sorrows.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Amphinomus, verily +thou seemest to me a prudent man enough; for such too was the father of whom +thou art sprung, for I have heard the fair fame of him, how that Nisus of +Dulichium was a good man and a rich, and his son they say thou art, and thou +seemest a man of understanding. Wherefore I will tell thee, and do thou mark +and listen to me. Nought feebler doth the earth nurture than man, of all the +creatures that breathe and move upon the face of the earth. Lo, he thinks that +he shall never suffer evil in time to come, while the gods give him happiness, +and his limbs move lightly. But when again the blessed gods have wrought for +him sorrow, even so he bears it, as he must, with a steadfast heart. For the +spirit of men upon the earth is even as their day, that comes upon them from +the father of gods and men. Yea, and I too once was like to have been +prosperous among men, but many an infatuate deed I did, giving place to mine +own hardihood and strength, and trusting to my father and my brethren. +Wherefore let no man for ever be lawless any more, but keep quietly the gifts +of the gods, whatsoever they may give. Such infatuate deeds do I see the wooers +devising, as they waste the wealth, and hold in no regard the wife of a man, +who, methinks, will not much longer be far from his friends and his own land; +nay he is very near. But for thee, may some god withdraw thee hence to thy +home, and mayst thou not meet him in the day when he returns to his own dear +country! For not without blood, as I deem, will they be sundered, the wooers +and Odysseus, when once he shall have come beneath his own roof.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and poured an offering and then drank of the honey-sweet wine, +and again set the cup in the hands of the arrayer of the people. But the other +went back through the hall, sad at heart and bowing his head; for verily his +soul boded evil. Yet even so he avoided not his fate, for Athene had bound him +likewise to be slain outright at the hands and by the spear of Telemachus. So +he sat down again on the high seat whence he had arisen. +</p> + +<p> +Now the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, put it into the heart of the daughter of +Icarius, wise Penelope, to show herself to the wooers, that she might make +their heart all flutter with hope, and that she might win yet more worship from +her lord and her son than heretofore. To she laughed an idle laugh, and spake +to the nurse, and hailed her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eurynome, my heart yearns, though before I had no such desire, to show +myself to the wooers, hateful as they are. I would also say a word to my son, +that will be for his weal, namely, that he should not for ever consort with the +proud wooers, who speak friendly with their lips, but imagine evil in the +latter end.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the housewife, Eurynome, spake to her saying: “Yea my child, all +this thou hast spoken as is meet. Go then, and declare thy word to thy son and +hide it not, but first wash thee and anoint thy face, and go not as thou art +with thy cheeks all stained with tears. Go, for it is little good to sorrow +always, and never cease. And lo, thy son is now of an age to hear thee, he whom +thou hast above all things prayed the gods that thou mightest see with a beard +upon his chin.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered her, saying: “Eurynome, speak not thus +comfortably to me, for all thy love, bidding me to wash and be anointed with +ointment. For the gods that keep Olympus destroyed my bloom, since the day that +he departed in the hollow ships. But bid Autonoe and Hippodameia come to me, to +stand by my side in the halls. Alone I will not go among men, for I am +ashamed.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the old woman passed through the chamber to tell the maidens, +and hasten their coming. +</p> + +<p> +Thereon the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, had another thought. She shed a sweet +slumber over the daughter of Icarius, who sank back in sleep, and all her +joints were loosened as she lay in the chair, and the fair goddess the while +was giving her gifts immortal, that all the Achaeans might marvel at her. Her +fair face first she steeped with beauty imperishable, such as that wherewith +the crowned Cytherea is anointed, when she goes to the lovely dances of the +Graces. And she made her taller and greater to behold, and made her whiter than +new-sawn ivory. Now when she had wrought thus, that fair goddess departed, and +the white-armed handmaidens came forth from the chamber and drew nigh with a +sound of voices. Then sweet sleep left hold of Penelope, and she rubbed her +cheeks with her hands, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely soft slumber wrapped me round, most wretched though I be. Oh! +that pure Artemis would give me so soft a death even now, that I might no more +waste my life in sorrow of heart, and longing for the manifold excellence of my +dear lord, for that he was foremost of the Achaeans.” +</p> + +<p> +With this word she went down from the shining upper chamber, not alone, for two +handmaidens likewise bare her company. But when the fair lady had now come to +the wooers, she stood by the pillar of the well-builded roof, holding her +glistening tire before her face, and on either side of her stood a faithful +handmaid. And straightway the knees of the wooers were loosened, and their +hearts were enchanted with love, and each one uttered a prayer that he might be +her bed-fellow. But she spake to Telemachus, her dear son: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, thy mind and thy thoughts are no longer stable as they were. +While thou wast still a child, thou hadst a yet quicker and more crafty wit, +but now that thou art great of growth, and art come to the measure of manhood, +and a stranger looking to thy stature and thy beauty might say that thou must +be some rich man’s son, thy mind and thy thoughts are no longer right as +of old. For lo, what manner of deed has been done in these halls, in that thou +hast suffered thy guest to be thus shamefully dealt with. How would it be now, +if the stranger sitting thus in our house, were to come to some harm all +through this evil handling? Shame and disgrace would be thine henceforth among +men.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her: “Mother mine, as to this matter I +count it no blame that thou art angered. Yet have I knowledge and understanding +of each thing, of the good and of the evil; but heretofore I was a child. +Howbeit I cannot devise all things according to wisdom, for these men in their +evil counsel drive me from my wits, on this side and on that, and there is none +to aid me. Howsoever this battle between Irus and the stranger did not fall out +as the wooers would have had it, but the stranger proved the better man. Would +to Father Zeus and Athene and Apollo, that the wooers in our halls were even +now thus vanquished, and wagging their heads, some in the court, and some +within the house, and that the limbs of each man were loosened in such fashion +as Irus yonder sits now, by the courtyard gates wagging his head, like a +drunken man, and cannot stand upright on his feet, nor yet get him home to his +own place, seeing that his limbs are loosened!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to another. But Eurymachus spake to Penelope, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, if all the Achaeans in Iasian Argos +could behold thee, even a greater press of wooers would feast in your halls +from to-morrow’s dawn, since thou dost surpass all women in beauty and +stature, and within in wisdom of mind.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Eurymachus, surely my excellence, both +of face and form, the gods destroyed in the day when the Argives embarked for +Ilios, and with them went my lord Odysseus. If but he might come and watch over +this my life, greater thus would be my fame and fairer! But now am I in sorrow; +such a host of ills some god has sent against me. Ah, well do I remember, when +he set forth and left his own country, how he took me by the right hand at the +wrist and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Lady, methinks that all the goodly-greaved Achaeans will not win +a safe return from Troy; for the Trojans too, they say, are good men at arms, +as spearsmen, and bowmen, and drivers of fleet horses, such as ever most +swiftly determine the great strife of equal battle. Wherefore I know not if the +gods will suffer me to return, or whether I shall be cut off there in Troy; so +do thou have a care for all these things. Be mindful of my father and my mother +in the halls, even as now thou art, or yet more than now, while I am far away. +But when thou seest thy son a bearded man, marry whom thou wilt and leave thine +own house.’ +</p> + +<p> +“Even so did he speak, and now all these things have an end. The night +shall come when a hateful marriage shall find me out, me most luckless, whose +good hap Zeus has taken away. But furthermore this sore trouble has come on my +heart and soul; for this was not the manner of wooers in time past. Whoso wish +to woo a good lady and the daughter of a rich man, and vie one with another, +themselves bring with them oxen of their own and goodly flocks, a banquet for +the friends of the bride, and they give the lady splendid gifts, but do not +devour another’s livelihood without atonement.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus rejoiced because she drew +from them gifts, and beguiled their souls with soothing words, while her heart +was set on other things. +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered her again: “Daughter of +Icarius, wise Penelope, the gifts which any of the Achaeans may choose to bring +hither, do thou take; for it were ill to withhold a gift. But we for our part +will neither go to our lands nor otherwhere, before thou art wedded to the best +man of the Achaeans.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well, and each man sent a +henchman to bring his gifts. For Antinous his henchman bare a broidered robe, +great and very fair, wherein were golden brooches, twelve in all, fitted with +well bent clasps. And the henchman straightway bare Eurymachus a golden chain +of curious work, strung with amber beads, shining like the sun. And his squires +bare for Eurydamas a pair of ear-rings, with three drops well wrought, and much +grace shone from them. And out of the house of Peisander the prince, the son of +Polyctor, the squire brought a necklet, a very lovely jewel. And likewise the +Achaeans brought each one some other beautiful gift. +</p> + +<p> +Then the fair lady went aloft to her upper chamber, and her attendant maidens +bare for her the lovely gifts, while the wooers turned to dancing and the +delight of song, and therein took their pleasure, and awaited the coming of +eventide. And dark evening came on them at their pastime. Anon they set up +three braziers in the halls, to give them light, and on these they laid +firewood all around, faggots seasoned long since and sere, and new split with +the axe. And midway by the braziers they placed torches, and the maids of +Odysseus, of the hardy heart, held up the lights in turn. Then the prince +Odysseus of many counsels himself spake among them saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Ye maidens of Odysseus, the lord so long afar, get ye into the chambers +where the honoured queen abides, and twist the yarn at her side, and gladden +her heart as ye sit in the chamber, or card the wools with your hands; but I +will minister light to all these that are here. For even if they are minded to +wait the throned Dawn, they shall not outstay me, so long enduring am I.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, but they laughed and looked one at the other. And the fair +Melantho chid him shamefully, Melantho that Dolius begat, but Penelope reared, +and entreated her tenderly as she had been her own child, and gave her +playthings to her heart’s desire. Yet, for all that, sorrow for Penelope +touched not her heart, but she loved Eurymachus and was his paramour. Now she +chid Odysseus with railing words: +</p> + +<p> +“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. Verily wine has got about thy wits, or perchance thou art always of this +mind, and so thou dost babble idly. Art thou beside thyself for joy, because +thou hast beaten the beggar Irus? Take heed lest a better man than Irus rise up +presently against thee, to lay his mighty hands about thy head and bedabble +thee with blood, and send thee hence from the house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on her, and said: “Yea, +straight will I go yonder and tell Telemachus hereof, thou shameless thing, for +this thy speech, that forthwith he may cut thee limb from limb.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and with his saying scared away the women, who fled through the +hall, and the knees of each were loosened for fear, for they deemed that his +words were true. But Odysseus took his stand by the burning braziers, tending +the lights, and gazed on all the men: but far other matters he pondered in his +heart, things not to be unfulfilled. +</p> + +<p> +Now Athene would in no wise suffer the lordly wooers to abstain from biting +scorn, that the pain might sink yet the deeper into the heart of Odysseus, son +of Laertes. So Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to speak among them, girding +at Odysseus, and so made mirth for his friends: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me ye wooers of the queen renowned, that I may say that which my +spirit within me bids me. Not without the gods’ will has this man come to +the house of Odysseus; methinks at least that the torchlight flares forth +from<a href="#linknote-33" name="linknoteref-33">[33]</a> +that head of his, for there are no hairs on it, nay never so thin.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-33"></a><a href="#linknoteref-33">[33]</a> +Accepting the conjecture κὰκ = κατὰ for +the MSS. καὶ. +</p> + +<p> +He spake and withal addressed Odysseus, waster of cities: “Stranger, +wouldest thou indeed be my hireling, if I would take thee for my man, at an +upland farm, and thy wages shall be assured thee, and there shalt thou gather +stones for walls and plant tall trees? There would I provide thee bread +continual, and clothe thee with raiment, and give thee shoes for thy feet. +Howbeit, since thou art practised only in evil, thou wilt not care to go to the +labours of the field, but wilt choose rather to go louting through the land, +that thou mayst have wherewithal to feed thine insatiate belly.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: “Eurymachus, would +that there might be a trial of labour between us twain, in the season of +spring, when the long days begin! In the deep grass might it be, and I should +have a crooked scythe, and thou another like it, that we might try each the +other in the matter of labour, fasting till late eventide, and grass there +should be in plenty. Or would again, that there were oxen to drive, the best +there may be, large and tawny, both well filled with fodder, of equal age and +force to bear the yoke and of strength untiring! And it should be a field of +four ploughgates, and the clod should yield before the ploughshare. Then +shouldest thou see me, whether or no I would cut a clean furrow unbroken before +me. Or would that this very day Cronion might waken war whence he would, and +that I had a shield and two spears, and a helmet all of bronze, close fitting +on my temples! Then shouldest thou see me mingling in the forefront of the +battle, nor speak and taunt me with this my belly. Nay, thou art exceeding +wanton and thy heart is hard, and thou thinkest thyself some great one and +mighty, because thou consortest with few men and feeble. Ah, if Odysseus might +but return and come to his own country, right soon would yonder doors full wide +as they are, prove all too strait for thee in thy flight through the +doorway!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and Eurymachus waxed yet the more wroth at heart, and looking +fiercely on him spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, wretch that thou art, right soon will I work thee mischief, so +boldly thou pratest among many lords, and hast no fear at heart. Verily wine +has got about thy wits, or perchance thou art always of this mind, and so thou +dost babble idly. Art thou beside thyself for joy, because thou hast beaten the +beggar Irus?” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he caught up a footstool, but Odysseus sat him down at the knees of +Amphinomus of Dulichium, in dread of Eurymachus. And Eurymachus cast and smote +the cup-bearer on the right hand, and the ladle cup dropped to the ground with +a clang, while the young man groaned and fell backwards in the dust. Then the +wooers clamoured through the shadowy halls, and thus one would say looking to +his neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“Would that our wandering guest had perished otherwhere, or ever he came +hither; so should he never have made all this tumult in our midst! But now we +are all at strife about beggars, and there will be no more joy of the good +feast, for worse things have their way.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the mighty prince Telemachus spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Sirs, ye are mad; now doth your mood betray that ye have eaten and +drunken; some one of the gods is surely moving you. Nay, now that ye have +feasted well, go home and lay you to rest, since your spirit so bids; for as +for me, I drive no man hence.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and they all bit their lips and marvelled at Telemachus, in that +he spake boldly. Then Amphinomus made harangue, and spake among them, +Amphinomus, the famous son of Nisus the prince, the son of Aretias: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, when a righteous word has been spoken, none surely would rebuke +another with hard speech and be angry. Misuse ye not this stranger, neither any +of the thralls that are in the house of godlike Odysseus. But come, let the +wine-bearer pour for libation into each cup in turn, that after the +drink-offering we may get us home to bed. But the stranger let us leave in the +halls of Odysseus for a charge to Telemachus: for to his home has he +come.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and his word was well-pleasing to them all. Then the lord Mulius +mixed for them the bowl, the henchman out of Dulichium, who was squire of +Amphinomus. And he stood by all and served it to them in their turn; and they +poured forth before the blessed gods, and drank the honey-sweet wine. Now when +they had poured forth and had drunken to their hearts’ content, they +departed to lie down, each one to his own house. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>BOOK XIX.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Telemachus removes the arms out of the hall. Odysseus disburseth with Penelope. +And is known by his nurse, but concealed. And the hunting of the boar upon that +occasion related. +</p> + +<p> +Now the goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, devising with +Athene’s aid the slaying of the wooers, and straightway he spake winged +words to Telemachus: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, we must needs lay by the weapons of war within, every one; +and when the wooers miss them and ask thee concerning them, thou shalt beguile +them with soft words, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Out of the smoke I laid them by, since they were no longer like those +that Odysseus left behind him of old, when he went to Troy, but they are wholly +marred, so mightily hath passed upon them the vapour of fire. Moreover some god +hath put into my heart this other and greater care, that perchance when ye are +heated with wine, ye set a quarrel between you and wound one the other, and +thereby shame the feast and the wooing; for iron of itself draws a man +thereto.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and Telemachus hearkened to his dear father, and called forth to +him the nurse Eurycleia and spake to her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Nurse, come now I pray thee, shut up the women in their chambers till I +shall have laid by in the armoury the goodly weapons of my father, which all +uncared for the smoke dims in the hall, since my father went hence, and I was +still but a child. Now I wish to lay them by where the vapour of the fire will +not reach them.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered him, saying: “Ah, my child, if +ever thou wouldest but take careful thought in such wise as to mind the house, +and guard all this wealth! But come, who shall fetch the light and bear it, if +thou hast thy way, since thou wouldest not that the maidens, who might have +given light, should go before thee?” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus made answer to her: “This stranger here, for I will +keep no man in idleness who eats of my bread, even if he have come from +afar.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and wingless her speech remained, and she closed the doors of +the fair-lying chambers. Then they twain sprang up, Odysseus and his renowned +son, and set to carry within the helmets and the bossy shields, and the +sharp-pointed spears; and before them Pallas Athene bare a golden cresset and +cast a most lovely light. Thereon Telemachus spake to his father suddenly: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, surely a great marvel is this that I behold with mine eyes; +meseems, at least, that the walls of the hall and the fair main-beams of the +roof and the cross-beams of pine, and the pillars that run aloft, are bright as +it were with flaming fire. Verily some god is within, of those that hold the +wide heaven.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: “Hold thy peace and +keep thy thoughts in check and ask not hereof. Lo, this is the wont of the gods +that hold Olympus. But do thou go and lay thee down, and I will abide here, +that I may yet further provoke the maids and thy mother to answer; and she in +her sorrow will ask me concerning each thing, one by one.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Telemachus passed out through the hall to his chamber to lie +down, by the light of the flaming torches, even to the chamber where of old he +took his rest, when sweet sleep came over him. There now too he lay down and +awaited the bright Dawn. But goodly Odysseus was left behind in the hall, +devising with Athene’s aid the slaying of the wooers. +</p> + +<p> +Now forth from her chamber came the wise Penelope, like Artemis or golden +Aphrodite, and they set a chair for her hard by before the fire, where she was +wont to sit, a chair well-wrought and inlaid with ivory and silver, which on a +time the craftsman Icmalius had fashioned, and had joined thereto a footstool, +that was part of the chair, whereon a great fleece was used to be laid. Here +then, the wise Penelope sat her down, and next came white-armed handmaids from +the women’s chamber, and began to take away the many fragments of food, +and the tables and the cups whence the proud lords had been drinking, and they +raked out the fire from the braziers on to the floor, and piled many fresh logs +upon them, to give light and warmth. +</p> + +<p> +Then Melantho began to revile Odysseus yet a second time, saying: +“Stranger, wilt thou still be a plague to us here, circling round the +house in the night, and spying the women? 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.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on her, and said: “Good +woman, what possesses thee to assail me thus out of an angry heart? Is it +because I go filthy and am clothed about in sorry raiment, and beg through the +land, for necessity is laid on me? This is the manner of beggars and of +wandering men. For I too once had a house of mine own among men, a rich man +with a wealthy house, and many a time would I give to a wanderer, what manner +of man soever he might be, and in whatsoever need he came. And I had countless +thralls, and all else in plenty, whereby folk live well and have a name for +riches. But Zeus, the son of Cronos, made me desolate of all, for surely it was +his will. Wherefore, woman, see lest some day thou too lose all thy fine show +wherein thou now excellest among the handmaids, as well may chance, if thy +mistress be provoked to anger with thee, or if Odysseus come home, for there is +yet a place for hope. And even if he hath perished as ye deem, and is never +more to return, yet by Apollo’s grace he hath a son like him, Telemachus, +and none of the women works wantonness in his halls without his knowledge, for +he is no longer of an age not to mark it, +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and the wise Penelope heard him, and rebuked the handmaid, and +spake and hailed her: +</p> + +<p> +“Thou reckless thing and unabashed, be sure thy great sin is not hidden +from me, and thy blood shall be on thine own head for the same! Four thou +knewest right well, in that thou hadst heard it from my lips, how that I was +minded to ask the stranger in my halls for tidings of my lord; for I am +grievously afflicted.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she spake likewise to the housedame, Eurynome, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Eurynome, bring hither a settle with a fleece thereon, that the stranger +may sit and speak with me and hear my words, for I would ask him all his +story.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the nurse made haste and brought a polished settle, and cast +a fleece thereon; and then the steadfast goodly Odysseus sat him down there, +and the wise Penelope spake first, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, I will make bold first to ask thee this: who art thou of the +sons of men, and whence? Where is thy city, and where are they that begat +thee?” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her and said: “Lady, no one of +mortal men in the wide world could find fault with thee, for lo, thy fame goes +up to the wide heaven, as doth the fame of a blameless king, one that fears the +gods and reigns among many men and mighty, maintaining right, and the black +earth bears wheat and barley, and the trees are laden with fruit, and the sheep +bring forth and fail not, and the sea gives store of fish, and all out of his +good guidance, and the people prosper under him. Wherefore do thou ask me now +in thy house all else that thou wilt, but inquire not concerning my race and +mine own country, lest as I think thereupon thou fill my heart the more with +pains, for I am a man of many sorrows. Moreover it beseems me not to sit +weeping and wailing in another’s house, for it is little good to mourn +always without ceasing, lest perchance one of the maidens, or even thyself, be +angry with me and say that I swim in tears, as one that is heavy with +wine.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him, and said: “Stranger, surely my +excellence, both of face and form, the gods destroyed, in the day when the +Argives embarked for Ilios, and with them went my lord Odysseus. If but he +might come and watch over this my life, greater and fairer thus would be my +fame! But now am I in sorrow, such a host of ills some god has sent against me. +For all the noblest that are princes in the isles, in Dulichium and Same and +wooded Zacynthus, and they that dwell around even in clear-seen Ithaca, these +are wooing me against my will, and devouring the house. Wherefore I take no +heed of strangers, nor suppliants, nor at all of heralds, the craftsmen of the +people. But I waste my heart away in longing for Odysseus; so they speed on my +marriage and I weave a web of wiles. First some god put it into my heart to set +up a great web in the halls, and thereat to weave a robe fine of woof and very +wide; and anon I spake among them, saying: ‘Ye princely youths, my +wooers, now that goodly Odysseus is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager +soever to speed on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would not +that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud for the hero Laertes, +against the day when the ruinous doom shall bring him low, of death that lays +men at their length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land count it +blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie without a winding sheet, a man +that had gotten great possessions.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake I, and their high hearts consented thereto. So then in the +daytime I would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when I +had let place the torches by me. Thus for the space of three years I hid the +thing by craft and beguiled the minds of the Achaeans. But when the fourth year +arrived, and the seasons came round as the months waned, and many days were +accomplished, then it was that by help of the handmaids, shameless things and +reckless, the wooers came and trapped me, and chid me loudly. Thus did I finish +the web by no will of mine, for so I must. And now I can neither escape the +marriage nor devise any further counsel, and my parents are instant with me to +marry, and my son chafes that these men devour his livelihood, as he takes note +of all; for by this time he has come to man’s estate; and is full able to +care for a household, for one to which Zeus vouchsafes honour. But even so tell +me of thine own stock, whence thou art, for thou art not sprung of oak or rock, +whereof old tales tell.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her and said: +</p> + +<p> +“O wife revered of Odysseus, son of Laertes, wilt thou never have done +asking me about mine own race? Nay, but I will tell thee: yet surely thou wilt +give me over to sorrows yet more than those wherein I am holden, for so it ever +is when a man has been afar from his own country, so long as now I am, +wandering in sore pain to many cities of mortals. Yet even so I will tell thee +what thou askest and inquirest. There is a land called Crete in the midst of +the wine-dark sea, a fair land and a rich, begirt with water, and therein are +many men innumerable, and ninety cities. And all have not the same speech, but +there is confusion of tongues; there dwell Achaeans and there too Cretans of +Crete, high of heart, and Cydonians there and Dorians of waving plumes and +goodly Pelasgians. And among these cities is the mighty city Cnosus, wherein +Minos when he was nine years old began to rule, he who held converse with great +Zeus, and was the father of my father, even of Deucalion, high of heart. Now +Deucalion begat me and Idomeneus the prince. Howbeit, he had gone in his beaked +ships up into Ilios, with the sons of Atreus; but my famed name is Aethon, +being the younger of the twain and he was the first born and the better man. +There I saw Odysseus, and gave him guest-gifts, for the might of the wind bare +him too to Crete, as he was making for Troy land, and had driven him wandering +past Malea. So he stayed his ships in Amnisus, whereby is the cave of +Eilithyia, in havens hard to win, and scarce he escaped the tempest. Anon he +came up to the city and asked for Idomeneus, saying that he was his friend and +held by him in love and honour. But it was now the tenth or the eleventh dawn +since Idomeneus had gone in his beaked ships up into Ilios. Then I led him to +the house, and gave him good entertainment with all loving-kindness out of the +plenty in my house, and for him and for the rest of his company, that went with +him, I gathered and gave barley meal and dark wine out of the public store, and +oxen to sacrifice to his heart’s desire. There the goodly Achaeans abode +twelve days, for the strong North Wind penned them there, and suffered them not +to stay upon the coast, for some angry god had roused it. On the thirteenth day +the wind fell, and then they lifted anchor.” +</p> + +<p> +So he told many a false tale in the likeness of truth, and her tears flowed as +she listened, and her flesh melted. And even as the snow melts in the high +places of the hills, the snow that the South-East wind has thawed, when the +West has scattered it abroad, and as it wastes the river streams run full, even +so her fair cheeks melted beneath her tears, as she wept her own lord, who even +then was sitting by her. Now Odysseus had compassion of heart upon his wife in +her lamenting, but his eyes kept steadfast between his eyelids as it were horn +or iron, and craftily he hid his tears. But she, when she had taken her fill of +tearful lamentation, answered him in turn and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend as thou art, even now I think to make trial of thee, and learn +whether in very truth thou didst entertain my lord there in thy halls with his +godlike company, as thou sayest. Tell me what manner of raiment he was clothed +in about his body, and what manner of man he was himself, and tell me of his +fellows that went with him.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Lady, it is hard for +one so long parted from him to tell thee all this, for it is now the twentieth +year since he went thither and left my country. Yet even so I will tell thee as +I see him in spirit. Goodly Odysseus wore a thick purple mantle, twofold, which +had a brooch fashioned in gold, with two sheathes for the pins, and on the face +of it was a curious device: a hound in his forepaws held a dappled fawn and +gazed on it as it writhed. And all men marvelled at the workmanship, how, +wrought as they were in gold, the hound was gazing on the fawn and strangling +it, and the fawn was writhing with his feet and striving to flee. Moreover, I +marked the shining doublet about his body, like the gleam over the skin of a +dried onion, so smooth it was, and glistering as the sun; truly many women +looked thereon and wondered. Yet another thing will I tell thee, and do thou +ponder it in thy heart. I know not if Odysseus was thus clothed upon at home, +or if one of his fellows gave him the raiment as he went on board the swift +ship, or even it may be some stranger, seeing that to many men was Odysseus +dear, for few of the Achaeans were his peers. I, too, gave him a sword of +bronze, and a fair purple mantle with double fold, and a tasseled doublet, and +I sent him away with all honour on his decked ship. Moreover, a henchman bare +him company, somewhat older than he, and I will tell thee of him too, what +manner of man he was. He was round-shouldered, black-skinned, and curly-headed, +his name Eurybates; and Odysseus honoured him above all his company, because in +all things he was like-minded with himself.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and in her heart he stirred yet more the desire of weeping, as she +knew the certain tokens that Odysseus showed her. So when she had taken her +fill of tearful lament, then she answered him, and spake saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Now verily, stranger, thou that even before wert held in pity, shalt be +dear and honourable in my halls, for it was I who gave him these garments, as +judging from thy words, and folded them myself, and brought them from the +chamber, and added besides the shining brooch to be his jewel. But him I shall +never welcome back, returned home to his own dear country. Wherefore with an +evil fate it was that Odysseus went hence in the hollow ship to see that evil +Ilios, never to be named.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Wife revered of +Odysseus, son of Laertes, destroy not now thy fair flesh any more, nor waste +thy heart with weeping for thy lord;—not that I count it any blame in +thee, for many a woman weeps that has lost her wedded lord, to whom she has +borne children in her love,—albeit a far other man than Odysseus, who, +they say, is like the gods. Nay, cease from thy lamenting, and lay up my word +in thy heart; for I will tell thee without fail, and will hide nought, how but +lately I heard tell of the return of Odysseus, that he is nigh at hand, and yet +alive in the fat land of the men of Thesprotia, and is bringing with him many +choice treasures, as he begs through the land. But he has lost his dear +companions and his hollow ship on the wine-dark sea, on his way from the isle +Thrinacia: for Zeus and Helios had a grudge against him, because his company +had slain the kine of Helios. They for their part all perished in the wash of +the sea, but the wave cast him on the keel of the ship out upon the coast, on +the land of the Phaeacians that are near of kin to the gods, and they did him +all honour heartily as unto a god, and gave him many gifts, and themselves +would fain have sent him scathless home. Yea and Odysseus would have been here +long since, but he thought it more profitable to gather wealth, as he journeyed +over wide lands; so truly is Odysseus skilled in gainful arts above all men +upon earth, nor may any mortal men contend with him. So Pheidon king of the +Thesprotians told me. Moreover he sware, in mine own presence, as he poured the +drink-offering in his house, that the ship was drawn down to the sea and his +company were ready, who were to convey him to his own dear country. But me he +first sent off, for it chanced that a ship of the Thesprotians was on her way +to Dulichium, a land rich in grain. And he showed me all the wealth that +Odysseus had gathered, yea it would suffice for his children after him, even to +the tenth generation, so great were the treasures he had stored in the chambers +of the king. As for him he had gone, he said, to Dodona to hear the counsel of +Zeus, from the high leafy oak tree of the god, how he should return to his own +dear country, having now been long afar, whether openly or by stealth. +</p> + +<p> +“In this wise, as I tell thee, he is safe and will come shortly, and very +near he is and will not much longer be far from his friends and his own +country; yet withal I will give thee my oath on it. Zeus be my witness first, +of gods the highest and best, and the hearth of noble Odysseus whereunto I am +come, that all these things shall surely be accomplished even as I tell thee. +In this same year Odysseus shall come hither, as the old moon wanes and the new +is born.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Ah! stranger, would that this word may +be accomplished. Soon shouldst thou be aware of kindness and many a gift at my +hands, so that whoso met with thee would call thee blessed. But on this wise my +heart has a boding, and so it shall be. Neither shall Odysseus come home any +more, nor shalt thou gain an escort hence, since there are not now such masters +in the house as Odysseus was among men,—if ever such an one there +was,—to welcome guests revered and speed them on their way. But do ye, my +handmaids, wash this man’s feet and strew a couch for him, bedding and +mantles and shining blankets, that well and warmly he may come to the time of +golden-throned Dawn. And very early in the morning bathe him and anoint him, +that within the house beside Telemachus he may eat meat, sitting quietly in the +hall. And it shall be the worse for any hurtful man of the wooers, that vexes +the stranger, yea he shall not henceforth profit himself here, for all his sore +anger. For how shalt thou learn concerning me, stranger, whether indeed I excel +all women in wit and thrifty device, if all unkempt and evil clad thou sittest +at supper in my halls? Man’s life is brief enough! And if any be a hard +man and hard at heart, all men cry evil on him for the time to come, while yet +he lives, and all men mock him when he is dead. But if any be a blameless man +and blameless of heart, his guests spread abroad his fame over the whole earth +and many people call him noble.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her and said: “O wife revered of +Odysseus, son of Laertes, mantles verily and shining blankets are hateful to +me, since first I left behind me the snowy hills of Crete, voyaging in the +long-oared galley; nay, I will lie as in time past I was used to rest through +the sleepless nights. For full many a night I have lain on an unsightly bed, +and awaited the bright throned Dawn. And baths for the feet are no longer my +delight, nor shall any women of those who are serving maidens in thy house +touch my foot, unless there chance to be some old wife, true of heart, one that +has borne as much trouble as myself; I would not grudge such an one to touch my +feet.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Dear stranger, for never yet has there +come to my house, of strangers from afar, a dearer man or so discreet as thou, +uttering so heedfully the words of wisdom. I have an ancient woman of an +understanding heart, that diligently nursed and tended that hapless man my +lord, she took him in her arms in the hour when his mother bare him. She will +wash thy feet, albeit her strength is frail. Up now, wise Eurycleia, and wash +this man, whose years are the same as thy master’s. Yea and perchance +such even now are the feet of Odysseus, and such too his hands, for quickly men +age in misery.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the old woman covered her face with her hands and shed hot +tears, and spake a word of lamentation, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, woe is me, child, for thy sake, all helpless that I am! Surely Zeus +hated thee above all men, though thou hadst a god-fearing spirit! For never yet +did any mortal burn so many fat pieces of the thigh and so many choice +hecatombs to Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, as thou didst give to him, +praying that so thou mightest grow to a smooth old age and rear thy renowned +son. But now from thee alone hath Zeus wholly cut off the day of thy returning. +Haply at him too did the women mock in a strange land afar, whensoever he came +to the famous palace of any lord, even as here these shameless ones all mock at +thee. To shun their insults and many taunts it is that thou sufferest them not +to wash thy feet, but the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, hath bidden me +that am right willing to this task. Wherefore I will wash thy feet, both for +Penelope’s sake and for thine own, for that my heart within me is moved +and troubled. But come, mark the word that I shall speak. Many strangers +travel-worn have ere now come hither, but I say that I have never seen any so +like another, as thou art like Odysseus, in fashion in voice and in +feet.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Old wife, even so +all men declare, that have beheld us twain, that we favour each other +exceedingly, even as thou dost mark and say.” +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon the crone took the shining cauldron, wherefrom<a href="#linknote-34" +name="linknoteref-34">[34]</a> she set to wash his feet, +and poured in much cold water and next mingled therewith the warm. Now Odysseus +sat aloof from the hearth, and of a sudden he turned his face to the darkness, +for anon he had a misgiving of heart lest when she handled him she might know +the scar again, and all should be revealed. Now she drew near her lord to wash +him, and straightway she knew the scar of the wound, that the boar had dealt +him with his white tusk long ago, when Odysseus went to Parnassus to see +Autolycus, and the sons of Autolycus, his mother’s noble father, who +outdid all men in thievery and skill in swearing. This skill was the gift of +the god himself, even Hermes, for that he burned to him the well-pleasing +sacrifice of the thighs of lambs and kids; wherefore Hermes abetted him gladly. +Now Autolycus once had gone to the rich land of Ithaca, and found his +daughter’s son a child new-born, and when he was making an end of supper, +behold, Eurycleia set the babe on his knees, and spake and hailed him: +“Autolycus find now a name thyself to give thy child’s own son; for +lo, he is a child of many prayers.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-34"></a><a href="#linknoteref-34">[34]</a> +Reading τοῦ. +</p> + +<p> +Then Autolycus made answer and spake: “My daughter and my +daughter’s lord, give ye him whatsoever name I tell you. Forasmuch as I +am come hither in wrath against many a one, both man and woman, over the +fruitful earth, wherefore let the child’s name be ‘a man of +wrath,’ Odysseus. But when the child reaches his full growth, and comes +to the great house of his mother’s kin at Parnassus, whereby are my +possessions, I will give him a gift out of these and send him on his way +rejoicing.” +</p> + +<p> +Therefore it was that Odysseus went to receive the splendid gifts. And +Autolycus and the sons of Autolycus grasped his hands and greeted him with +gentle words, and Amphithea, his mother’s mother, clasped him in her arms +and kissed his face and both his fair eyes. Then Autolycus called to his +renowned sons to get ready the meal, and they hearkened to the call. So +presently they led in a five-year-old bull, which they flayed and busily +prepared, and cut up all the limbs and deftly chopped them small, and pierced +them with spits and roasted them cunningly, dividing the messes. So for that +livelong day they feasted till the going down of the sun, and their soul lacked +not ought of the equal banquet. But when the sun sank and darkness came on, +they laid them to rest and took the boon of sleep. +</p> + +<p> +Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, they all went forth +to the chase, the hounds and the sons of Autolycus, and with them went the +goodly Odysseus. So they fared up the steep hill of wood-clad Parnassus, and +quickly they came to the windy hollows. Now the sun was but just striking on +the fields, and was come forth from the soft flowing stream of deep Oceanus. +Then the beaters reached a glade of the woodland, and before them went the +hounds tracking a scent, but behind came the sons of Autolycus, and among them +goodly Odysseus followed close on the hounds, swaying a long spear. Thereby in +a thick lair was a great boar lying, and through the coppice the force of the +wet winds blew never, neither did the bright sun light on it with his rays, nor +could the rain pierce through, so thick it was, and of fallen leaves there was +great plenty therein. Then the tramp of the men’s feet and of the dogs +came upon the boar, as they pressed on in the chase, and forth from his lair he +sprang towards them with crest well bristled and fire shining in his eyes, and +stood at bay before them all. Then Odysseus was the first to rush in, holding +his spear aloft in his strong hand, most eager to stab him; but the boar was +too quick and drave a gash above the knee, ripping deep into the flesh with his +tusk as he charged sideways, but he reached not to the bone of the man. Then +Odysseus aimed well and smote him on his right shoulder, so that the point of +the bright spear went clean through, and the boar fell in the dust with a cry, +and his life passed from him. Then the dear sons of Autolycus began to busy +them with the carcase, and as for the wound of the noble godlike Odysseus, they +bound it up skilfully, and stayed the black blood with a song of healing, and +straight-way returned to the house of their dear father. Then Autolycus and the +sons of Autolycus got him well healed of his hurt, and gave him splendid gifts, +and quickly sent him with all love to Ithaca, gladly speeding a glad guest. +There his father and lady mother were glad of his returning, and asked him of +all his adventures, and of his wound how he came by it, and duly he told them +all, namely how the boar gashed him with his white tusk in the chase, when he +had gone to Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus. +</p> + +<p> +Now the old woman took the scarred limb and passed her hands down it, and knew +it by the touch and let the foot drop suddenly, so that the knee fell into the +bath, and the brazen vessel rang, being turned over on the other side, and +behold, the water was spilled on the ground. Then joy and anguish came on her +in one moment, and both her eyes filled up with tears, and the voice of her +utterance was stayed, and touching the chin of Odysseus she spake to him, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Yea verily, thou art Odysseus, my dear child, and I knew thee not +before, till I had handled all the body of my lord.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewithal she looked towards Penelope, as minded to make a sign that her +husband was now home. But Penelope could not meet her eyes nor take note of +her, for Athene had bent her thoughts to other things. But Odysseus feeling for +the old woman’s throat gript it with his right hand and with the other +drew her closer to him and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Woman, why wouldest thou indeed destroy me? It was thou that didst nurse +me there at thine own breast, and now after travail and much pain I am come in +the twentieth year to mine own country. But since thou art ware of me, and the +god has put this in thy heart, be silent, lest another learn the matter in the +halls. For on this wise I will declare it, and it shall surely be +accomplished:—if the gods subdue the lordly wooers unto me, I will not +hold my hand from thee, my nurse though thou art, when I slay the other +handmaids in my halls.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Eurycleia answered, saying: “My child, what word hath escaped +the door of thy lips? Thou knowest how firm is my spirit and unyielding, and I +will keep me fast as stubborn stone or iron. Yet another thing will I tell +thee, and do thou ponder it in thine heart. If the gods subdue the lordly +wooers to thy hand, then will I tell thee all the tale of the women in the +halls, which of them dishonour thee and which be guiltless.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Nurse, wherefore I +pray thee wilt thou speak of these? Thou needest not, for even I myself will +mark them well and take knowledge of each. Nay, do thou keep thy saying to +thyself, and leave the rest to the gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and the old woman passed forth from the hall to bring water +for his feet, for that first water was all spilled. So when she had washed him +and anointed him well with olive-oil, Odysseus again drew up his settle nearer +to the fire to warm himself, and covered up the scar with his rags. Then the +wise Penelope spake first, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, there is yet a little thing I will make bold to ask thee, for +soon will it be the hour for pleasant rest, for him on whomsoever sweet sleep +falls, though he be heavy with care. But to me has the god given sorrow, yea +sorrow measureless, for all the day I have my fill of wailing and lamenting, as +I look to mine own housewiferies and to the tasks of the maidens in the house. +But when night comes and sleep takes hold of all, I lie on my couch, and shrewd +cares, thick thronging about my inmost heart, disquiet me in my sorrowing. Even +as when the daughter of Pandareus, the nightingale of the greenwood, sings +sweet in the first season of the spring, from her place in the thick leafage of +the trees, and with many a turn and trill she pours forth her full-voiced music +bewailing her child, dear Itylus, whom on a time she slew with the sword +unwitting, Itylus the son of Zethus the prince; even as her song, my troubled +soul sways to and fro. Shall I abide with my son, and keep all secure, all the +things of my getting, my thralls and great high-roofed home, having respect +unto the bed of my lord and the voice of the people, or even now follow with +the best of the Achaeans that woos me in the halls, and gives a bride-price +beyond reckoning? Now my son, so long as he was a child and light of heart, +suffered me not to marry and leave the house of my husband; but now that he is +great of growth, and is come to the full measure of manhood, lo now he prays me +to go back home from these walls, being vexed for his possessions that the +Achaeans devour before his eyes. But come now, hear a dream of mine and tell me +the interpretation thereof. Twenty geese I have in the house, that eat wheat, +coming forth from the water, and I am gladdened at the sight. Now a great eagle +of crooked beak swooped from the mountain, and brake all their necks and slew +them; and they lay strewn in a heap in the halls, while he was borne aloft to +the bright air. Thereon I wept and wailed, in a dream though it was, and around +me were gathered the fair-tressed Achaean women as I made piteous lament, for +that the eagle had slain my geese. But he came back and sat him down on a +jutting point of the roof-beam, and with the voice of a man he spake, and +stayed my weeping: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Take heart, O daughter of renowned Icarius; this is no dream but +a true vision, that shall be accomplished for thee. The geese are the wooers, +and I that before was the eagle am now thy husband come again, who will let +slip unsightly death upon all the wooers.’ With that word sweet slumber +let me go, and I looked about, and beheld the geese in the court pecking their +wheat at the trough, where they were wont before.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her and said: “Lady, none may +turn aside the dream to interpret it otherwise, seeing that Odysseus himself +hath showed thee how he will fulfil it. For the wooers destruction is clearly +boded, for all and every one; not a man shall avoid death and the fates.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Stranger, verily dreams are hard, and +hard to be discerned; nor are all things therein fulfilled for men. Twain are +the gates of shadowy dreams, the one is fashioned of horn and one of ivory. +Such dreams as pass through the portals of sawn ivory are deceitful, and bear +tidings that are unfulfilled. But the dreams that come forth through the gates +of polished horn bring a true issue, whosoever of mortals beholds them. Yet +methinks my strange dream came not thence; of a truth that would be most +welcome to me and to my son. But another thing will I tell thee, and do thou +ponder it in thy heart. Lo, even now draws nigh the morn of evil name, that is +to sever me from the house of Odysseus, for now I am about to ordain for a +trial those axes that he would set up in a row in his halls, like stays of oak +in ship-building, twelve in all, and he would stand far apart and shoot his +arrow through them all. And now I will offer this contest to the wooers; whoso +shall most easily string the bow in his hands, and shoot through all twelve +axes, with him will I go and forsake this house, this house of my wedlock, so +fair and filled with all livelihood, which methinks I shall yet remember, aye, +in a dream.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her and said: “Wife revered of +Odysseus son of Laertes, no longer delay this contest in thy halls; for, lo, +Odysseus of many counsels will be here, before these men, for all their +handling of this polished bow, shall have strung it, and shot the arrow through +the iron.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the wise Penelope answered him: “Stranger, if only thou wert willing +still to sit beside me in the halls and to delight me, not upon my eyelids +would sleep be shed. But men may in no wise abide sleepless ever, for the +immortals have made a time for all things for mortals on the grain-giving +earth. Howbeit I will go aloft to my upper chamber, and lay me on my bed, the +place of my groanings, that is ever watered by my tears, since the day that +Odysseus went to see that evil Ilios, never to be named. There will I lay me +down, but do thou lie in this house; either strew thee somewhat on the floor, +or let them lay bedding for thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith she ascended to her shining upper chamber, not alone, for with her +likewise went her handmaids. So she went aloft to her upper chamber with the +women her handmaids, and there was bewailing Odysseus, her dear lord, till +grey-eyed Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap20"></a>BOOK XX.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Pallas and Odysseus consult of the killing of the wooers. +</p> + +<p> +But the goodly Odysseus laid him down to sleep in the vestibule of the house. +He spread an undressed bull’s hide on the ground and above it many +fleeces of sheep, that the Achaeans were wont to slay in sacrifice, and +Eurynome threw a mantle over him where he lay. There Odysseus lay wakeful, with +evil thoughts against the wooers in his heart. And the women came forth from +their chamber, that aforetime were wont to lie with the wooers, making laughter +and mirth among themselves. Then the heart of Odysseus was stirred within his +breast, and much he communed with his mind and soul, whether he should leap +forth upon them and deal death to each, or suffer them to lie with the proud +wooers, now for the last and latest time. And his heart growled sullenly within +him. And even as a bitch stands over her tender whelps growling, when she spies +a man she knows not, and she is eager to assail him, so growled his heart +within him in his wrath at their evil deeds. Then he smote upon his breast and +rebuked his own heart, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Endure, my heart; yea, a baser thing thou once didst bear, on that day +when the Cyclops, unrestrained in fury, devoured the mighty men of my company; +but still thou didst endure till thy craft found a way for thee forth from out +the cave, where thou thoughtest to die.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, chiding his own spirit within him, and his heart verily abode +steadfast in obedience to his word. But Odysseus himself lay tossing this way +and that. And as when a man by a great fire burning takes a paunch full of fat +and blood, and turns it this way and that and longs to have it roasted most +speedily, so Odysseus tossed from side to side, musing how he might stretch +forth his hands upon the shameless wooers, being but one man against so many. +Then down from heaven came Athene and drew nigh him, fashioned in the likeness +of a woman. And she stood over his head and spake to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo now again, wherefore art thou watching, most luckless of all men +living? Is not this thy house and is not thy wife there within and thy child, +such a son as men wish to have for their own?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Yea, goddess, all +this thou hast spoken as is meet. But my heart within me muses in some measure +upon this, how I may stretch forth my hands upon the shameless wooers, being +but one man, while they abide ever in their companies within. Moreover this +other and harder matter I ponder in my heart: even if I were to slay them by +thy will and the will of Zeus, whither should I flee from the avengers? Look +well to this, I pray thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Then answered the goddess, grey-eyed Athene: “O hard of belief! yea, many +there be that trust even in a weaker friend than I am, in one that is a mortal +and knows not such craft as mine; but I am a god, that preserve thee to the +end, in all manner of toils. And now I will tell thee plainly; even should +fifty companies of mortal men compass us about eager to slay us in battle, even +their kine shouldst thou drive off and their brave flocks. But let sleep in +turn come over thee; to wake and to watch all night, this too is vexation of +spirit; and soon shalt thou rise from out of thy troubles.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake and poured slumber upon his eyelids, but for her part the fair +goddess went back to Olympus. +</p> + +<p> +While sleep laid hold of him loosening the cares of his soul, sleep that +loosens the limbs of men, his good wife awoke and wept as she sat on her soft +bed. But when she had taken her fill of weeping, to Artemis first the fair lady +made her prayer: +</p> + +<p> +“Artemis, lady and goddess, daughter of Zeus, would that even now thou +wouldst plant thy shaft within my breast and take my life away, even in this +hour! Or else, would that the stormwind might snatch me up, and bear me hence +down the dusky ways, and cast me forth where the back-flowing Oceanus mingles +with the sea. It should be even as when the stormwinds bare away the daughters +of Pandareus. Their father and their mother the gods had slain, and the maidens +were left orphans in the halls, and fair Aphrodite cherished them with curds +and sweet honey and delicious wine. And Here gave them beauty and wisdom beyond +the lot of women, and holy Artemis dowered them with stature, and Athene taught +them skill in all famous handiwork. Now while fair Aphrodite was wending to +high Olympus, to pray that a glad marriage might be accomplished for the +maidens,—and to Zeus she went whose joy is in the thunder, for he knows +all things well, what the fates give and deny to mortal men—in the +meanwhile the spirits of the storm snatched away these maidens, and gave them +to be handmaids to the hateful Erinyes. Would that in such wise they that hold +the mansions of Olympus would take me from the sight of men, or that +fair-stressed Artemis would strike me, that so with a vision of Odysseus before +mine eyes I might even pass beneath the dreadful earth, nor ever make a baser +man’s delight! But herein is an evil that may well be borne, namely, when +a man weeps all the day long in great sorrow of heart, but sleep takes him in +the night, for sleep makes him forgetful of all things, of good and evil, when +once it has overshadowed his eyelids. But as for me, even the dreams that the +gods send upon me are evil. For furthermore, this very night one seemed to lie +by my side, in the likeness of my lord, as he was when he went with the host, +and then was my heart glad, since methought it was no vain dream but a clear +vision at the last.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and anon came the golden throned Dawn. Now goodly Odysseus caught +the voice of her weeping, and then he fell a musing, and it seemed to him that +even now she knew him and was standing by his head. So he took up the mantle +and the fleeces whereon he was lying, and set them on a high seat in the hall, +and bare out the bull’s hide out of doors and laid it there, and lifting +up his hands he prayed to Zeus: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, if ye gods of your good will have led me over wet and dry, +to mine own country, after ye had plagued me sore, let some one I pray of the +folk that are waking show me a word of good omen within, and without let some +sign also be revealed to me from Zeus.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake in prayer, and Zeus, the counsellor, heard him. Straightway he +thundered from shining Olympus, from on high from the place of clouds; and +goodly Odysseus was glad. Moreover a woman, a grinder at the mill, uttered a +voice of omen from within the house hard by, where stood the mills of the +shepherd of the people. At these handmills twelve women in all plied their +task, making meal of barley and of wheat, the marrow of men. Now all the others +were asleep, for they had ground out their task of grain, but one alone rested +not yet, being the weakest of all. She now stayed her quern and spake a word, a +sign to her lord: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, who rulest over gods and men, loudly hast thou thundered +from the starry sky, yet nowhere is there a cloud to be seen: this surely is a +portent thou art showing to some mortal. Fulfil now, I pray thee, even to +miserable me, the word that I shall speak. May the wooers, on this day, for the +last and latest time make their sweet feasting in the halls of Odysseus! They +that have loosened my knees with cruel toil to grind their barley meal, may +they now sup their last!” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and goodly Odysseus was glad in the omen of the voice and in +the thunder of Zeus; for he thought that he had gotten his vengeance on the +guilty. +</p> + +<p> +Now the other maidens in the fair halls of Odysseus had gathered, and were +kindling on the hearth the never-resting fire. And Telemachus rose from his +bed, a godlike man, and put on his raiment, and slung a sharp sword about his +shoulders, and beneath his shining feet he bound his goodly sandals. And he +caught up his mighty spear shod with sharp bronze, and went and stood by the +threshold, and spake to Eurycleia: +</p> + +<p> +“Dear nurse, have ye honoured our guest in the house with food and couch, +or does he lie uncared for, as he may? For this is my mother’s way, wise +as she is: blindly she honours one of mortal men, even the worse, but the +better she sends without honour away.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the prudent Eurycleia answered: “Nay, my child, thou shouldst not +now blame her where no blame is. For the stranger sat and drank wine, so long +as he would, and of food he said he was no longer fain, for thy mother asked +him. Moreover, against the hour when he should bethink him of rest and sleep, +she bade the maidens strew for him a bed. 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.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and Telemachus passed out through the hall with his lance in his +hand, and two fleet dogs bare him company. He went on his way to the +assembly-place to join the goodly-greaved Achaeans. But the good lady +Eurycleia, daughter of Ops son of Peisenor, called aloud to her maidens: +</p> + +<p> +“Come hither, let some of you go busily and sweep the hall, and sprinkle +it, and on the fair-fashioned seats throw purple coverlets, and others with +sponges wipe all the tables clean, and cleanse the mixing bowls and +well-wrought double beakers, and others again go for water to the well, and +return with it right speedily. For the wooers will not long be out of the hall +but will return very early, for it is a feast day, yea for all the +people.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and they all gave ready ear and hearkened. Twenty of them went to +the well of dark water, and the others there in the halls were busy with +skilful hands. +</p> + +<p> +Then in came the serving-men of the Achaeans. Thereon they cleft the faggots +well and cunningly, while, behold, the women came back from the well. Then the +swineherd joined them leading three fatted boars, the best in all the flock. +These he left to feed at large in the fair courts, but as for him he spake to +Odysseus gently, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Tell me, stranger, do the Achaeans at all look on thee with more regard, +or do they dishonour thee in the halls, as heretofore?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, that the gods, Eumaeus, may avenge the scorn wherewith these men +deal insolently, and devise infatuate deeds in another’s house, and have +no place for shame!” +</p> + +<p> +On such wise they spake one to another. And Melanthius drew near them, the +goatherd, leading the goats that were most excellent in all the herds to be a +dinner for the wooers, and two shepherds bare him company. So he tethered the +goats beneath the echoing gallery, and himself spake to Odysseus and taunted +him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, wilt thou still be a plague to us here in the hall, with thy +begging of men, and wilt not get thee gone? In no wise do I think we twain will +be sundered, till we taste each the other’s fists, for thy begging is out +of all order. Also there are elsewhere other feasts of the Achaeans.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, but Odysseus of many counsels answered him not a word, but in +silence he shook his head, brooding evil in the deep of his heart. +</p> + +<p> +Moreover a third man came up, Philoetius, a master of men, leading a barren +heifer for the wooers and fatted goats. Now ferrymen had brought them over from +the mainland, boatmen who send even other folks on their way, whosoever comes +to them. The cattle he tethered carefully beneath the echoing gallery, and +himself drew close to the swineherd, and began to question him: +</p> + +<p> +“Swineherd, who is this stranger but newly come to our house? From what +men does he claim his birth? Where are his kin and his native fields? Hapless +is he, yet in fashion he is like a royal lord; but the gods mar the goodliness +of wandering men, when even for kings they have woven the web of +trouble.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and came close to him offering his right hand in welcome, and +uttering his voice spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Father and stranger, hail! may happiness be thine in the time to come; +but as now, thou art fast holden in many sorrows! Father Zeus, none other god +is more baneful than thou; thou hast no compassion on men, that are of thine +own begetting, but makest them to have fellowship with evil and with bitter +pains. The sweat brake out on me when I beheld him, and mine eyes stand full of +tears for memory of Odysseus, for he too, methinks, is clad in such vile +raiment as this, and is wandering among men, if haply he yet lives and sees the +sunlight. But if he be dead already and in the house of Hades, then woe is me +for the noble Odysseus, who set me over his cattle while I was but a lad in the +land of the Cephallenians. And now these wax numberless; in no better wise +could the breed of broad-browed cattle of any mortal increase, even as the ears +of corn. But strangers command me to be ever driving these for themselves to +devour, and they care nothing for the heir in the house, nor tremble at the +vengeance of the gods, for they are eager even now to divide among themselves +the possessions of our lord who is long afar. Now my heart within my breast +often revolves this thing. Truly it were an evil deed, while a son of the +master is yet alive, to get me away to the land of strangers, and go off, with +cattle and all, to alien men. But this is more grievous still, to abide here in +affliction watching over the herds of other men. Yea, long ago I would have +fled and gone forth to some other of the proud kings, for things are now past +sufferance; but still my thought is of that hapless one, if he might come I +know not whence, and make a scattering of the wooers in the halls.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Neatherd, seeing thou art not like to an evil man or a foolish, and of +myself I mark how that thou hast gotten understanding of heart, therefore I +will tell thee somewhat, and swear a great oath to confirm it. Be Zeus now my +witness before any god, and the hospitable board and the hearth of noble +Odysseus, whereunto I am come, that while thou art still in this place Odysseus +shall come home, and thou shalt see with thine eyes, if thou wilt, the slaying +of the wooers who lord it here.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the neatherd made answer, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, would, stranger, that Cronion may accomplish this word! So shouldst +thou know what my might is, and how my hands follow to obey.” +</p> + +<p> +In like manner Eumaeus prayed to all the gods, that wise Odysseus might return +to his own home. +</p> + +<p> +On such wise they spake one to the other, but the wooers at that time were +framing death and doom for Telemachus. Even so there came by them a bird on +their left, an eagle of lofty flight, with a cowering dove in his clutch. Then +Amphinomus made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, this counsel of ours will not go well, namely, the slaying of +Telemachus; rather let us bethink us of the feast.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Amphinomus, and his saying pleased them well. They passed into the +halls of godlike Odysseus and laid by their mantles on the chairs and high +seats, and sacrificed great sheep and stout goats and the fatlings of the boars +and the heifer of the herd; then they roasted the entrails and served them +round and mixed wine in the bowl, and the swineherd set a cup by each man. And +Philoetius, a master of men, handed them wheaten bread in beautiful baskets, +and Melanthius poured out the wine. So they put forth their hands on the good +cheer set before them. +</p> + +<p> +Now Telemachus, in his crafty purpose, made Odysseus to sit down within the +stablished hall by the threshold of stone, and placed for him a mean settle and +a little table. He set by him his mess of the entrails, and poured wine into a +golden cup and spake to him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“There, sit thee down, drinking thy wine among the lords, and the taunts +and buffets of all the wooers I myself will ward off from thee, for this is no +house of public resort, but the very house of Odysseus, and for me he won it. +But, ye wooers, refrain your minds from rebukes and your hands from buffets, +that no strife and feud may arise.” +</p> + +<p> +So he said, and they all bit their lips and marvelled at Telemachus, in that he +spake boldly. Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake among them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hard though the word be, let us accept it, Achaeans, even the word of +Telemachus, though mightily he threatens us in his speech. For Zeus Cronion +hath hindered us of our purpose, else would we have silenced him in our halls, +shrill orator as he is.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Antinous, but Telemachus took no heed of his words. Now the henchmen +were leading through the town the holy hecatomb of the gods, and lo, the +long-haired Achaeans were gathered beneath the shady grove of Apollo, the +prince of archery. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had roasted the outer flesh and drawn it off the spits, they +divided the messes and shared the glorious feast. And beside Odysseus they that +waited set an equal share, the same as that which fell to themselves, for so +Telemachus commanded, the dear son of divine Odysseus. +</p> + +<p> +Now Athene would in nowise suffer the lordly wooers to abstain from biting +scorn, that the pain might sink yet the deeper into the heart of Odysseus, son +of Laertes. There was among the wooers a man of a lawless heart, Ctesippus was +his name, and in Same was his home, who trusting, forsooth, to his vast +possessions, was wooing the wife of Odysseus the lord long afar. And now he +spake among the proud wooers: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, ye lordly wooers, and I will say somewhat. The stranger verily +has long had his due portion, as is meet, an equal share; for it is not fair +nor just to rob the guests of Telemachus of their right, whosoever they may be +that come to this house. Go to then, I also will bestow on him a +stranger’s gift, that he in turn may give a present either to the +bath-woman, or to any other of the thralls within the house of godlike +Odysseus.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he caught up an ox’s foot from the dish, where it lay, and +hurled it with strong hand. But Odysseus lightly avoided it with a turn of his +head, and smiled right grimly in his heart, and the ox’s foot smote the +well-builded wall. Then Telemachus rebuked Ctesippus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily, Ctesippus, it has turned out happier for thy heart’s +pleasure as it is! Thou didst not smite the stranger, for he himself avoided +that which was cast at him, else surely would I have struck thee through the +midst with the sharp spear, and in place of wedding banquet thy father would +have had to busy him about a funeral feast in this place. Wherefore let no man +make show of unseemly deeds in this my house, for now I have understanding to +discern both good and evil, but in time past I was yet a child. But as needs we +must, we still endure to see these deeds, while sheep are slaughtered and wine +drunken and bread devoured, for hard it is for one man to restrain many. But +come, no longer work me harm out of an evil heart; but if ye be set on slaying +me, even me, with the sword, even that would I rather endure, and far better +would it be to die than to witness for ever these unseemly +deeds—strangers shamefully entreated, and men haling the handmaidens in +foul wise through the fair house.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they were all hushed in silence. And late and at last spake +among them Agelaus, son of Damastor: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, when a righteous word has been spoken, none surely would rebuke +another with hard speech and be angry. Misuse ye not this stranger, nor any of +the thralls that are in the house of godlike Odysseus. But to Telemachus +himself I would speak a soft word and to his mother, if perchance it may find +favour with the mind of those twain. So long as your hearts within you had hope +of the wise Odysseus returning to his own house, so long none could be wroth +that ye waited and held back the wooers in the halls, for so had it been +better, if Odysseus had returned and come back to his own home. But now the +event is plain, that he will return no more. Go then, sit by thy mother and +tell her all, namely, that she must wed the best man that wooes her, and whose +gives most gifts; so shalt thou with gladness live on the heritage of thy +father, eating and drinking, while she cares for another’s house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered, and said: “Nay by Zeus, Agelaus, and by +the griefs of my father, who far away methinks from Ithaca has perished or goes +wandering, in nowise do I delay my mother’s marriage; nay, I bid her be +married to what man she will, and withal I offer gifts without number. But I do +indeed feel shame to drive her forth from the hall, despite her will, by a word +of compulsion; God forbid that ever this should be.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Telemachus, but among the wooers Pallas Athene roused laughter +unquenchable, and drave their wits wandering. And now they were laughing with +alien lips, and blood-bedabbled was the flesh they ate, and their eyes were +filled with tears and their soul was fain of lamentation. Then the godlike +Theoclymenus spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Ah, wretched men, what woe is this ye suffer? Shrouded in night are your +heads and your faces and your knees, and kindled is the voice of wailing, and +all cheeks are wet with tears, and the walls and the fair main-beams of the +roof are sprinkled with blood. And the porch is full, and full is the court, of +ghosts that hasten hellwards beneath the gloom, and the sun has perished out of +heaven, and an evil mist has overspread the world.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and they all laughed sweetly at him. Then Eurymachus, son of +Polybus, began to speak to them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“The guest that is newly come from a strange land is beside himself. +Quick, ye young men, and convey him forth out of doors, that he may go to the +place of the gathering, since here he finds it dark as night.” +</p> + +<p> +Then godlike Theoclymenus answered him: “Eurymachus, in nowise do I seek +guides of thee to send me on my way. Eyes have I, and ears, and both my feet, +and a stable mind in my breast of no mean fashioning. With these I will go +forth, for I see evil coming on you, which not one man of the wooers may avoid +or shun, of all you who in the house of divine Odysseus deal insolently with +men and devise infatuate deeds.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he went forth from out the fair-lying halls, and came to Peiraeus who +received him gladly. Then all the wooers, looking one at the other, provoked +Telemachus to anger, laughing at his guests. And thus some one of the haughty +youths would speak: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, no man is more luckless than thou in his guests, seeing thou +keepest such a filthy wanderer, whosoever he be, always longing for bread and +wine, and skilled in no peaceful work nor any deed of war, but a mere burden of +the earth. And this other fellow again must stand up to play the seer! Nay, but +if thou wouldest listen to me, much better it were. Let us cast these strangers +on board a benched ship, and send them to the Sicilians, whence they would +fetch thee their price.”<a href="#linknote-35" name="linknoteref-35">[35]</a> +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-35"></a><a href="#linknoteref-35">[35]</a> +Reading ἄλφοιν, which is a correction. Or +keeping the MSS. ἄλφοι, “and this should bring +thee in a goodly price,” the subject to ἄλφοι +being, probably, <i>the sale</i>, which is suggested by the context. +</p> + +<p> +So spake the wooers, but he heeded not their words, in silence he looked +towards his father, expecting evermore the hour when he should stretch forth +his hands upon the shameless wooers. +</p> + +<p> +Now the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, had set her fair chair over against +them, and heard the words of each one of the men in the halls. For in the midst +of laughter they had got ready the midday meal, a sweet meal and abundant, for +they had sacrificed many cattle. But never could there be a banquet less +gracious than that supper, such an one as the goddess and the brave man were +soon to spread for them; for that they had begun the devices of shame. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap21"></a>BOOK XXI.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Penelope bringeth forth her husband’s bow, which the suitors could not +bend, but was bent by Odysseus. +</p> + +<p> +Now the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, put it into the heart of the daughter of +Icarius, wise Penelope, to set the bow and the axes of grey iron, for the +wooers in the halls of Odysseus, to be the weapons of the contest, and the +beginning of death. So she descended the tall staircase of her chamber, and +took the well-bent key in her strong hand, a goodly key of bronze, whereon was +a handle of ivory. And she betook her, with her handmaidens, to the +treasure-chamber in the uttermost part of the house, where lay the treasures of +her lord, bronze and gold and well-wrought iron. And there lay the back-bent +bow and the quiver for the arrows, and many shafts were therein, winged for +death, gifts of a friend of Odysseus, that met with him in Lacedaemon, Iphitus +son of Eurytus, a man like to the gods. These twain fell in with one another in +Messene, in the house of wise Ortilochus. Now Odysseus had gone thither to +recover somewhat that was owing to him from all the people, for the men of +Messene had lifted three hundred sheep in benched ships from out of Ithaca, +with the shepherds of the flock. In quest of these it was that Odysseus went on +a far embassy, being yet a lad; for his father and the other elders sent him +forth. Moreover, Iphitus came thither in his search for twelve brood mares, +which he had lost, with sturdy mules at the teat. These same it was that +brought him death and destiny in the latter end, when he came to the child of +Zeus, hardy of heart, the man Heracles, that had knowledge of great adventures, +who smote Iphitus though his guest in his house, in his frowardness, and had no +regard for the vengeance of the gods, nor for the table which he spread before +him; for after the meal he slew him, his guest though he was, and kept for +himself in the halls the horses strong of hoof. After these was Iphitus asking, +when he met with Odysseus, and he gave him the bow, which of old great Eurytus +bare and had left at his death to his son in his lofty house. And Odysseus gave +Iphitus a sharp sword and a mighty spear, for the beginning of a loving +friendship; but never had they acquaintance one of another at the board; ere +that might be, the son of Zeus slew Iphitus son of Eurytus, a man like to the +immortals, the same that gave Odysseus the bow. But goodly Odysseus would never +take it with him on the black ships, as he went to the wars, but the bow was +laid by at home in the halls as a memorial of a dear guest, and he carried it +on his own land. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the fair lady had come even to the treasure-chamber, and had stept +upon the threshold of oak, which the carpenter had on a time planed cunningly, +and over it had made straight the line,—doorposts also had he fitted +thereby, whereon he set shining doors,—anon she quickly loosed the strap +from the handle of the door, and thrust in the key, and with a straight aim +shot back the bolts. And even as a bull roars that is grazing in a meadow, so +mightily roared the fair doors smitten by the key; and speedily they flew open +before her. Then she stept on to the high floor, where the coffers stood, +wherein the fragrant raiment was stored. Thence she stretched forth her hand, +and took the bow from off the pin, all in the bright case which sheathed it +around. And there she sat down, and set the case upon her knees, and cried +aloud and wept, and took out the bow of her lord. Now when she had her fill of +tearful lament, she set forth to go to the hall to the company of the proud +wooers, with the back-bent bow in her hands, and the quiver for the arrows, and +many shafts were therein winged for death. And her maidens along with her bare +a chest, wherein lay much store of iron and bronze, the gear of combat of their +lord. Now when the fair lady had come unto the wooers, she stood by the pillar +of the well-builded roof, holding up her glistening tire before her face; and a +faithful maiden stood on either side of her, and straightway she spake out +among the wooers and declared her word, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, ye lordly wooers, who have vexed this house, that ye might eat +and drink here evermore, forasmuch as the master is long gone, nor could ye +find any other mark<a href="#linknote-36" name="linknoteref-36">[36]</a> for your speech, but all your desire was to wed me +and take me to wife. Nay come now, ye wooers, seeing that this is the prize +that is put before you. I will set forth for you the great bow of divine +Odysseus, and whoso shall most easily string the bow in his hands, and shoot +through all twelve axes, with him will I go and forsake this house, this house +of my wedlock, so fair and filled with all livelihood, which methinks I shall +yet remember, aye, in a dream.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-36"></a><a href="#linknoteref-36">[36]</a> +The accepted interpretation of +ἐπισχεσίη (a word which occurs +only here) is “pretext”; but this does not agree with any of the +meanings of the verb from which the noun is derived. The usage of +ἐπέχω in Od. xix. 71, xxii. 75, of +ἐπίσχειν in Il. xvii. 465, and of +ἐπισχόμενος in Od. +xxii. 15, suggests rather for +ἐπισχεσίη the idea of +“aiming at a mark.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake she, and commanded Eumaeus, the goodly swineherd, to set the bow for +the wooers and the axes of grey iron. And Eumaeus took them with tears, and +laid them down; and otherwhere the neatherd wept, when he beheld the bow of his +lord. Then Antinous rebuked them, and spake and hailed them: +</p> + +<p> +“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? +Nay sit, and feast in silence, or else get ye forth and weep, and leave the bow +here behind, to be a terrible contest for the wooers, for methinks that this +polished bow does not lightly yield itself to be strung. For there is no man +among all these present such as Odysseus was, and I myself saw him, yea I +remember it well, though I was still but a child.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, but his heart within him hoped that he would string the bow, and +shoot through the iron. Yet verily, he was to be the first that should taste +the arrow at the hands of the noble Odysseus, whom but late he was dishonouring +as he sat in the halls, and was inciting all his fellows to do likewise. +</p> + +<p> +Then the mighty prince Telemachus spake among them, saying: “Lo now, in +very truth, Cronion has robbed me of my wits! My dear mother, wise as she is, +declares that she will go with a stranger and forsake this house; yet I laugh +and in my silly heart I am glad. Nay come now, ye wooers, seeing that this is +the prize which is set before you, a lady, the like of whom there is not now in +the Achaean land, neither in sacred Pylos, nor in Argos, nor in Mycenae, nor +yet in Ithaca, nor in the dark mainland. Nay but ye know all this +yourselves,—why need I praise my mother? Come therefore, delay not the +issue with excuses, nor hold much longer aloof from the drawing of the bow, +that we may see the thing that is to be. Yea and I myself would make trial of +this bow. If I shall string it, and shoot through the iron, then should I not +sorrow if my lady mother were to quit these halls and go with a stranger, +seeing that I should be left behind, well able now to lift my father’s +goodly gear of combat.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he cast from off his neck his cloak of scarlet, and sprang to his +full height, and put away the sword from his shoulders. First he dug a good +trench and set up the axes, one long trench for them all, and over it he made +straight the line and round about stamped in the earth. And amazement fell on +all that beheld how orderly he set the axes, though never before had he seen it +so. Then he went and stood by the threshold and began to prove the bow. Thrice +he made it to tremble in his great desire to draw it, and thrice he rested from +his effort, though still he hoped in his heart to string the bow, and shoot +through the iron. And now at last he might have strung it, mightily straining +thereat for the fourth time, but Odysseus nodded frowning and stayed him, for +all his eagerness. Then the strong prince Telemachus spake among them again: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo you now, even to the end of my days I shall be a coward and a +weakling, or it may be I am too young, and have as yet no trust in my hands to +defend me from such an one as does violence without a cause. But come now, ye +who are mightier men than I, essay the bow and let us make an end of the +contest.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he put the bow from him on the ground, leaning it against the smooth +and well-compacted doors, and the swift shaft he propped hard by against the +fair bow-tip, and then he sat down once more on the high seat, whence he had +risen. +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake among them, saying: “Rise up in +order, all my friends, beginning from the left, even from the place whence the +wine is poured.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then first stood up +Leiodes, son of Oenops, who was their soothsayer and ever sat by the fair +mixing bowl at the extremity of the hall; he alone hated their infatuate deeds +and was indignant with all the wooers. He now first took the bow and the swift +shaft, and he went and stood by the threshold, and began to prove the bow; but +he could not bend it; or ever that might be, his hands grew weary with the +straining, his unworn, delicate hands; so he spake among the wooers, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, of a truth I cannot bend it, let some other take it. Ah, many +of our bravest shall this bow rob of spirit and of life, since truly it is far +better for us to die, than to live on and to fail of that for which we assemble +evermore in this place, day by day expecting the prize. Many there be even now +that hope in their hearts and desire to wed Penelope, the bedfellow of +Odysseus: but when such an one shall make trial of the bow and see the issue, +thereafter let him woo some other fair-robed Achaean woman with his bridal +gifts and seek to win her. So may our lady wed the man that gives most gifts, +and comes as the chosen of fate.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and put from him the bow leaning it against the smooth and +well-compacted doors, and the swift shaft he propped hard by against the fair +bow-tip, and then he sat down once more on the high seat, whence he had risen. +</p> + +<p> +But Antinous rebuked him, and spake and hailed him: “Leiodes, what word +hath escaped the door of thy lips; a hard word, and a grievous? Nay, it angers +me to hear it, and to think that a bow such as this shall rob our bravest of +spirit and of life, and all because thou canst not draw it. For I tell thee +that thy lady mother bare thee not of such might as to draw a bow and shoot +arrows: but there be others of the proud wooers that shall draw it soon.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and commanded Melanthius, the goatherd, saying: “Up now, +light a fire in the halls, Melanthius; and place a great settle by the fire and +a fleece thereon, and bring forth a great ball of lard that is within, that we +young men may warm and anoint the bow therewith and prove it, and make an end +of the contest.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Melanthius soon kindled the never-resting fire, and drew up a +settle and placed it near, and put a fleece thereon, and he brought forth a +great ball of lard that was within. Therewith the young men warmed the bow, and +made essay, but could not string it, for they were greatly lacking of such +might. And Antinous still held to the task and godlike Eurymachus, chief men +among the wooers, who were far the most excellent of all. +</p> + +<p> +But those other twain went forth both together from the house, the neatherd and +the swineherd of godlike Odysseus; and Odysseus passed out after them. But when +they were now gotten without the gates and the courtyard, he uttered his voice +and spake to them in gentle words: +</p> + +<p> +“Neatherd and thou swineherd, shall I say somewhat or keep it to myself? +Nay, my spirit bids me declare it. What manner of men would ye be to help +Odysseus, if he should come thus suddenly, I know not whence, and some god were +to bring him? Would ye stand on the side of the wooers or of Odysseus? Tell me +even as your heart and spirit bid you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the neatherd answered him, saying: “Father Zeus, if but thou wouldst +fulfil this wish:<a href="#linknote-37" name="linknoteref-37">[37]</a>—oh, that that man might come, and some god +lead him hither! So shouldest thou know what my might is, and how my hands +follow to obey.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-37"></a><a href="#linknoteref-37">[37]</a> +Placing a colon at ἐέλδωρ. +</p> + +<p> +In like manner Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that wise Odysseus might return +to his own home. +</p> + +<p> +Now when he knew for a surety what spirit they were of, once more he answered +and spake to them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Behold, home am I come, even I; after much travail and sore am I come in +the twentieth year to mine own country. And I know how that my coming is +desired by you alone of all my thralls, for from none besides have I heard a +prayer that I might return once more to my home. And now I will tell you all +the truth, even as it shall come to pass. If the god shall subdue the proud +wooers to my hands, I will bring you each one a wife, and will give you a +heritage of your own and a house builded near to me, and ye twain shall be +thereafter in mine eyes as the brethren and companions of Telemachus. But +behold, I will likewise show you a most manifest token, that ye may know me +well and be certified in heart, even the wound that the boar dealt me with his +white tusk long ago, when I went to Parnassus with the sons of +Autolycus.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he drew aside the rags from the great scar. And when the twain had +beheld it and marked it well, they cast their arms about the wise Odysseus, and +fell a weeping; and kissed him lovingly on head and shoulders. And in like +manner Odysseus too kissed their heads and hands. And now would the sunlight +have gone down upon their sorrowing, had not Odysseus himself stayed them +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Cease ye from weeping and lamentation, lest some one come forth from the +hall and see us, and tell it likewise in the house. Nay, go ye within one by +one and not both together, I first and you following, and let this be the token +between us. All the rest, as many as are proud wooers, will not suffer that I +should be given the bow and quiver; do thou then, goodly Eumaeus, as thou +bearest the bow through the hall, set it in my hands and speak to the women +that they bar the well-fitting doors of their chamber. And if any of them hear +the sound of groaning or the din of men within our walls, let them not run +forth but abide where they are in silence at their work. But on thee, goodly +Philoetius, I lay this charge, to bolt and bar the outer gate of the court and +swiftly to tie the knot.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he passed within the fair-lying halls, and went and sat upon the +settle whence he had risen. And likewise the two thralls of divine Odysseus +went within. +</p> + +<p> +And now Eurymachus was handling the bow, warming it on this side and on that at +the light of the fire; yet even so he could not string it, and in his great +heart he groaned mightily; and in heaviness of spirit he spake and called +aloud, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo you now, truly am I grieved for myself and for you all! Not for the +marriage do I mourn so greatly, afflicted though I be; there are many Achaean +women besides, some in sea-begirt Ithaca itself and some in other cities. Nay, +but I grieve, if indeed we are so far worse than godlike Odysseus in might, +seeing that we cannot bend the bow. It will be a shame even for men unborn to +hear thereof.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: “Eurymachus, this shall +not be so, and thou thyself too knowest it. For to-day the feast of the archer +god is held in the land, a holy feast. Who at such a time would be bending +bows? Nay, set it quietly by; what and if we should let the axes all stand as +they are? None methinks will come to the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes, and +carry them away. Go to now, let the wine-bearer pour for libation into each cup +in turn, that after the drink-offering we may set down the curved bow. And in +the morning bid Melanthius, the goatherd, to lead hither the very best goats in +all his herds, that we may lay pieces of the thighs on the altar of Apollo the +archer, and assay the bow and make an end of the contest.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then the henchmen poured +water on their hands, and pages crowned the mixing-bowls with drink, and served +out the wine to all, when they had poured for libation into each cup in turn. +But when they had poured forth and had drunken to their hearts’ desire, +Odysseus of many counsels spake among them out of a crafty heart, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hear me, ye wooers of the renowned queen, that I may say that which my +heart within me bids. And mainly to Eurymachus I make my prayer and to the +godlike Antinous, forasmuch as he has spoken even this word aright, namely, +that for this present ye cease from your archery and leave the issue to the +gods; and in the morning the god will give the victory to whomsoever he will. +Come therefore, give me the polished bow, that in your presence I may prove my +hands and strength, whether I have yet any force such as once was in my supple +limbs, or whether my wanderings and needy fare have even now destroyed +it.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he and they all were exceeding wroth, for fear lest he should string +the polished bow. And Antinous rebuked him, and spake and hailed him: +</p> + +<p> +“Wretched stranger, thou hast no wit, nay never so little. Art thou not +content to feast at ease in our high company, and to lack not thy share of the +banquet, but to listen to our speech and our discourse, while no guest and +beggar beside thee hears our speech? Wine it is that wounds thee, honey sweet +wine, that is the bane of others too, even of all who take great draughts and +drink out of measure. Wine it was that darkened the mind even of the Centaur, +renowned Eurytion, in the hall of high-hearted Peirithous, when he went to the +Lapithae; and after that his heart was darkened with wine, he wrought foul +deeds in his frenzy, in the house of Peirithous. Then wrath fell on all the +heroes, and they leaped up and dragged him forth through the porch, when they +had shorn off his ears and nostrils with the pitiless sword, and then with +darkened mind he bare about with him the burden of his sin in foolishness of +heart. Thence was the feud begun between the Centaurs and mankind; but first +for himself gat he hurt, being heavy with wine. And even so I declare great +mischief unto thee if thou shalt string the bow, for thou shalt find no +courtesy at the hand of anyone in our land, and anon we will send thee in a +black ship to Echetus, the maimer of all men, and thence thou shalt not be +saved alive. Nay then, drink at thine ease, and strive not still with men that +are younger than thou.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Antinous, truly it is not fair nor just +to rob the guests of Telemachus of their due, whosoever he may be that comes to +this house. Dost thou think if yonder stranger strings the great bow of +Odysseus, in the pride of his might and of his strength of arm, that he will +lead me to his home and make me his wife? Nay he himself, methinks, has no such +hope in his breast; so, as for that, let not any of you fret himself while +feasting in this place; that were indeed unmeet.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered her, saying: “Daughter of +Icarius, wise Penelope, it is not that we deem that he will lead thee to his +home,—far be such a thought from us,—but we dread the speech of men +and women, lest some day one of the baser sort among the Achaeans say: +‘Truly men far too mean are wooing the wife of one that is noble, nor can +they string the polished bow. But a stranger and a beggar came in his +wanderings, and lightly strung the bow, and shot through the iron.’ Thus +will they speak, and this will turn to our reproach.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Eurymachus, never can there be fair +fame in the land for those that devour and dishonour the house of a prince, but +why make ye this thing into a reproach? But, behold, our guest is great of +growth and well-knit, and avows him to be born the son of a good father. Come +then, give ye him the polished bow, that we may see that which is to be. For +thus will I declare my saying, and it shall surely come to pass. If he shall +string the bow and Apollo grant him renown, I will clothe him in a mantle and a +doublet, goodly raiment, and I will give him a sharp javelin to defend him +against dogs and men, and a two-edged sword and sandals to bind beneath his +feet, and I will send him whithersoever his heart and spirit bid him go.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: “My mother, as for the bow, no +Achaean is mightier than I to give or to deny it to whomso I will, neither as +many as are lords in rocky Ithaca nor in the isles on the side of Elis, the +pastureland of horses. Not one of these shall force me in mine own despite, if +I choose to give this bow, yea once and for all, to the stranger to bear away +with him. But do thou go to thine own chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, +the loom and distaff, and bid thine handmaids ply their tasks. But the bow +shall be for men, for all, but for me in chief, for mine is the lordship in the +house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then in amaze she went back to her chamber, for she laid up the wise saying of +her son in her heart. She ascended to her upper chamber with the women her +handmaids, and then was bewailing Odysseus, her dear lord, till grey-eyed +Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids. +</p> + +<p> +Now the goodly swineherd had taken the curved bow, and was bearing it, when the +wooers all cried out upon him in the halls. 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? Lo, soon shall the swift hounds of +thine own breeding eat thee hard by thy swine, alone and away from men, if +Apollo will be gracious to us and the other deathless gods.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so they spake, and he took and set down the bow in that very place, being +affrighted because many cried out on him in the halls. Then Telemachus from the +other side spake threateningly, and called aloud: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, bring hither the bow, soon shalt thou rue it that thou servest +many masters. Take heed, lest I that am younger than thou pursue thee to the +field, and pelt thee with stones, for in might I am the better. If only I were +so much mightier in strength of arm than all the wooers that are in the halls, +soon would I send many an one forth on a woeful way from out our house, for +they imagine mischief against us.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and all the wooers laughed sweetly at him, and ceased now from +their cruel anger toward Telemachus. Then the swineherd bare the bow through +the hall, and went up to wise Odysseus, and set it in his hands. And he called +forth the nurse Eurycleia from the chamber and spake to her: +</p> + +<p> +“Wise Eurycleia, Telemachus bids thee bar the well-fitting doors of thy +chamber, and if any of the women hear the sound of groaning or the din of men +within our walls, let them not go forth, but abide where they are in silence at +their work.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and wingless her speech remained, and she barred the doors of the +fair-lying chambers. +</p> + +<p> +Then Philoetius hasted forth silently from the house, and barred the outer +gates of the fenced court. Now there lay beneath the gallery the cable of a +curved ship, fashioned of the byblus plant, wherewith he made fast the gates, +and then himself passed within. Then he went and sat on the settle whence he +had risen, and gazed upon Odysseus. He already was handling the bow, turning it +every way about, and proving it on this side and on that, lest the worms might +have eaten the horns when the lord of the bow was away. And thus men spake +looking each one to his neighbour: +</p> + +<p> +“Verily he has a good eye, and a shrewd turn for a bow! Either, methinks, +he himself has such a bow lying by at home or else he is set on making one, in +such wise does he turn it hither and thither in his hands, this evil-witted +beggar.” +</p> + +<p> +And another again of the haughty youths would say: “Would that the fellow +may have profit thereof, just so surely as he shall ever prevail to bend this +bow!” +</p> + +<p> +So spake the wooers, but Odysseus of many counsels had lifted the great bow and +viewed it on every side, and even as when a man that is skilled in the lyre and +in minstrelsy, easily stretches a cord about a new peg, after tying at either +end the twisted sheep-gut, even so Odysseus straightway bent the great bow, all +without effort, and took it in his right hand and proved the bow-string, which +rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow. Then great grief came upon +the wooers, and the colour of their countenance was changed, and Zeus thundered +loud showing forth his tokens. And the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad +thereat, in that the son of deep-counselling Cronos had sent him a sign. Then +he caught up a swift arrow which lay by his table, bare, but the other shafts +were stored within the hollow quiver, those whereof the Achaeans were soon to +taste. He took and laid it on the bridge of the bow, and held the notch and +drew the string, even from the settle whereon he sat, and with straight aim +shot the shaft and missed not one of the axes, beginning from the first +axe-handle, and the bronze-weighted shaft passed clean through and out at the +last. Then he spake to Telemachus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, thy guest that sits in the halls does thee no shame. In +nowise did I miss my mark, nor was I wearied with long bending of the bow. +Still is my might steadfast—not as the wooers say scornfully to slight +me. But now is it time that supper too be got ready for the Achaeans, while it +is yet light, and thereafter must we make other sport with the dance and the +lyre, for these are the crown of the feast.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he nodded with bent brows, and Telemachus, the dear son of divine +Odysseus, girt his sharp sword about him and took the spear in his grasp, and +stood by his high seat at his father’s side, armed with the gleaming +bronze. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap22"></a>BOOK XXII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +The killing of the wooers. +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels stripped him of his rags and leaped on to the +great threshold with his bow and quiver full of arrows, and poured forth all +the swift shafts there before his feet, and spake among the wooers: +</p> + +<p> +“Lo, now is this terrible trial ended at last; and now will I know of +another mark, which never yet man has smitten, if perchance I may hit it and +Apollo grant me renown.” +</p> + +<p> +With that he pointed the bitter arrow at Antinous. Now he was about raising to +his lips a fair twy-eared chalice of gold, and behold, he was handling it to +drink of the wine, and death was far from his thoughts. For who among men at +feast would deem that one man amongst so many, how hardy soever he were, would +bring on him foul death and black fate? But Odysseus aimed and smote him with +the arrow in the throat, and the point passed clean out through his delicate +neck, and he fell sidelong and the cup dropped from his hand as he was smitten, +and at once through his nostrils there came up a thick jet of slain man’s +blood, and quickly he spurned the table from him with his foot, and spilt the +food on the ground, and the bread and the roast flesh were defiled. Then the +wooers raised a clamour through the halls when they saw the man fallen, and +they leaped from their high seats, as men stirred by fear, all through the +hall, peering everywhere along the well-builded walls, and nowhere was there a +shield or mighty spear to lay hold on. Then they reviled Odysseus with angry +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Stranger, thou shootest at men to thy hurt. Never again shalt thou enter +other lists, now is utter doom assured thee. Yea, for now hast thou slain the +man that was far the best of all the noble youths in Ithaca; wherefore vultures +shall devour thee here.” +</p> + +<p> +So each one spake, for indeed they thought that Odysseus had not slain him +wilfully; but they knew not in their folly that on their own heads, each and +all of them, the bands of death had been made fast. Then Odysseus of many +counsels looked fiercely on them, and spake: +</p> + +<p> +“Ye dogs, ye said in your hearts that I should never more come home from +the land of the Trojans, in that ye wasted my house, and lay with the +maidservants by force, and traitorously wooed my wife while I was yet alive, +and ye had no fear of the gods, that hold the wide heaven, nor of the +indignation of men hereafter. But now the bands of death have been made fast +upon you one and all.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and pale fear gat hold on the limbs of all, and each man +looked about, where he might shun utter doom. And Eurymachus alone answered +him, and spake: “If thou art indeed Odysseus of Ithaca, come home again, +with right thou speakest thus, of all that the Achaeans have wrought, many +infatuate deeds in thy halls and many in the field. Howbeit, he now lies dead +that is to blame for all, Antinous; for he brought all these things upon us, +not as longing very greatly for the marriage nor needing it sore, but with +another purpose, that Cronion has not fulfilled for him, namely, that he might +himself be king over all the land of stablished Ithaca, and he was to have lain +in wait for thy son and killed him. But now he is slain after his deserving, +and do thou spare thy people, even thine own; and we will hereafter go about +the township and yield thee amends for all that has been eaten and drunken in +thy halls, each for himself bringing atonement of twenty oxen worth, and +requiting thee in gold and bronze till thy heart is softened, but till then +none may blame thee that thou art angry.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him, and said: +“Eurymachus, not even if ye gave me all your heritage, all that ye now +have, and whatsoever else ye might in any wise add thereto, not even so would I +henceforth hold my hands from slaying, ere the wooers had paid for all their +transgressions. And now the choice lies before you, whether to fight in fair +battle or to fly, if any may avoid death and the fates. But there be some, +methinks, that shall not escape from utter doom.” +</p> + +<p> +He spake, and their knees were straightway loosened and their hearts melted +within them. And Eurymachus spake among them yet again: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, it is plain that this man will not hold his unconquerable +hands, but now that he has caught up the polished bow and quiver, he will shoot +from the smooth threshold, till he has slain us all; wherefore let us take +thought for the delight of battle. Draw your blades, and hold up the tables to +ward off the arrows of swift death, and let us all have at him with one accord, +and drive him, if it may be, from the threshold and the doorway and then go +through the city, and quickly would the cry be raised. Thereby should this man +soon have shot his latest bolt.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he drew his sharp two-edged sword of bronze, and leapt on Odysseus +with a terrible cry, but in the same moment goodly Odysseus shot the arrow +forth and struck him on the breast by the pap, and drave the swift shaft into +his liver. So he let the sword fall from his hand, and grovelling over the +table he bowed and fell, and spilt the food and the two-handled cup on the +floor. And in his agony he smote the ground with his brow, and spurning with +both his feet he overthrew the high seat, and the mist of death was shed upon +his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +Then Amphinomus made at renowned Odysseus, setting straight at him, and drew +his sharp sword, if perchance he might make him give ground from the door. But +Telemachus was beforehand with him, and cast and smote him from behind with a +bronze-shod spear between the shoulders, and drave it out through the breast, +and he fell with a crash and struck the ground full with his forehead. Then +Telemachus sprang away, leaving the long spear fixed in Amphinomus, for he +greatly dreaded lest one of the Achaeans might run upon him with his blade, and +stab him as he drew forth the spear, or smite him with a down stroke<a +href="#linknote-38" name="linknoteref-38">[38]</a> of the +sword. So he started and ran and came quickly to his father, and stood by him, +and spake winged words: +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-38"></a><a href="#linknoteref-38">[38]</a> +Or, reading προπρηνέα, smite him +as he stooped over the corpse. +</p> + +<p> +“Father, lo, now I will bring thee a shield and two spears and a helmet +all of bronze, close fitting on the temples, and when I return I will arm +myself, and likewise give arms to the swineherd and to the neatherd yonder: for +it is better to be clad in full armour.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Run and bring them +while I have arrows to defend me, lest they thrust me from the doorway, one man +against them all.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Telemachus obeyed his dear father, and went forth to the +chamber, where his famous weapons were lying. Thence he took out four shields +and eight spears, and four helmets of bronze, with thick plumes of horse hair, +and he started to bring them and came quickly to his father. Now he girded the +gear of bronze about his own body first, and in like manner the two thralls did +on the goodly armour, and stood beside the wise and crafty Odysseus. Now he, so +long as he had arrows to defend him, kept aiming and smote the wooers one by +one in his house, and they fell thick one upon another. But when the arrows +failed the prince in his archery, he leaned his bow against the doorpost of the +stablished hall, against the shining faces of the entrance. As for him he girt +his fourfold shield about his shoulders and bound on his mighty head a well +wrought helmet, with horse hair crest, and terribly the plume waved aloft. And +he grasped two mighty spears tipped with bronze. +</p> + +<p> +Now there was in the well-builded wall a certain postern raised above the +floor, and there by the topmost level of the threshold of the stablished hall, +was a way into an open passage, closed by well-fitted folding doors. So +Odysseus bade the goodly swineherd stand near thereto and watch the way, for +thither there was but one approach. Then Agelaus spake among them, and declared +his word to all: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, will not some man climb up to the postern, and give word to the +people, and a cry would be raised straightway; so should this man soon have +shot his latest bolt?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Melanthius, the goatherd, answered him, saying: “It may in no wise +be, prince Agelaus; for the fair gate of the courtyard is terribly nigh, and +perilous is the entrance to the passage, and one man, if he were valiant, might +keep back a host. But come, let me bring you armour from the inner chamber, +that ye may be clad in hauberks, for, methinks, within that room and not +elsewhere did Odysseus and his renowned son lay by the arms.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Melanthius, the goatherd, climbed up by the clerestory of the hall to +the inner chambers of Odysseus, whence he took twelve shields and as many +spears, and as many helmets of bronze with thick plumes of horse hair, and he +came forth and brought them speedily, and gave them to the wooers. Then the +knees of Odysseus were loosened and his heart melted within him, when he saw +them girding on the armour and brandishing the long spears in their hands, and +great, he saw, was the adventure. Quickly he spake to Telemachus winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, sure I am that one of the women in the halls is stirring up +an evil battle against us, or perchance it is Melanthius.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him: “My father, it is I that have erred +herein and none other is to blame, for I left the well-fitted door of the +chamber open, and there has been one of them but too quick to spy it. Go now, +goodly Eumaeus, and close the door of the chamber, and mark if it be indeed one +of the women that does this mischief, or Melanthius, son of Dolius, as methinks +it is.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so they spake one to the other. And Melanthius, the goatherd, went yet +again to the chamber to bring the fair armour. But the goodly swineherd was +ware thereof, and quickly he spake to Odysseus who stood nigh him: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus, of many devices, lo, +there again is that baleful man, whom we ourselves suspect, going to the +chamber; do thou tell me truly, shall I slay him if I prove the better man, or +bring him hither to thee, that he may pay for the many transgressions that he +has devised in thy house?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: “Verily, I and Telemachus +will keep the proud wooers within the halls, for all their fury, but do ye +twain tie his feet and arms behind his back and cast him into the chamber, and +close the doors after you,<a href="#linknote-39" name="linknoteref-39">[39]</a> and make fast to his body a twisted rope, and drag +him up the lofty pillar till he be near the roof beams, that he may hang there +and live for long, and suffer grievous torment.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-39"></a><a href="#linknoteref-39">[39]</a> +Or, as Mr. Merry suggests in his note, “tie boards behind him” as a +method of torture. He compares Aristoph. Thesm. 931, 940. +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they gave good heed and hearkened. So they went forth to the +chamber, but the goatherd who was within knew not of their coming. Now he was +seeking for the armour in the secret place of the chamber, but they twain stood +in waiting on either side the doorposts. And when Melanthius, the goatherd, was +crossing the threshold with a goodly helm in one hand, and in the other a wide +shield and an old, stained with rust, the shield of the hero Laertes that he +bare when he was young—but at that time it was laid by, and the seams of +the straps were loosened,—then the twain rushed on him and caught him, +and dragged him in by the hair, and cast him on the floor in sorrowful plight, +and bound him hand and foot in a bitter bond, tightly winding each limb behind +his back, even as the son of Laertes bade them, the steadfast goodly Odysseus. +And they made fast to his body a twisted rope, and dragged him up the lofty +pillar till he came near the roof beams. Then didst thou speak to him and gird +at him, swineherd Eumaeus: +</p> + +<p> +“Now in good truth, Melanthius, shalt thou watch all night, lying in a +soft bed as beseems thee, nor shall the early-born Dawn escape thy ken, when +she comes forth from the streams of Oceanus, on her golden throne, in the hour +when thou art wont to drive the goats to make a meal for the wooers in the +halls.” +</p> + +<p> +So he was left there, stretched tight in the deadly bond. But they twain got +into their harness, and closed the shining door, and went to Odysseus, wise and +crafty chief. There they stood breathing fury, four men by the threshold, while +those others within the halls were many and good warriors. Then Athene, +daughter of Zeus, drew nigh them, like Mentor in fashion and in voice, and +Odysseus was glad when he saw her and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Mentor, ward from us hurt, and remember me thy dear companion, that +befriended thee often, and thou art of like age with me.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, deeming the while that it was Athene, summoner of the host. But +the wooers on the other side shouted in the halls, and first Agelaus son of +Damastor rebuked Athene, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Mentor, let not the speech of Odysseus beguile thee to fight against the +wooers, and to succour him. For methinks that on this wise we shall work our +will. When we shall have slain these men, father and son, thereafter shalt thou +perish with them, such deeds thou art set on doing in these halls; nay, with +thine own head shalt thou pay the price. But when with the sword we shall have +overcome your violence, we will mingle all thy possessions, all that thou hast +at home or in the field, with the wealth of Odysseus, and we will not suffer +thy sons nor thy daughters to dwell in the halls, nor thy good wife to gad +about in the town of Ithaca.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Athene was mightily angered at heart, and chid Odysseus in +wrathful words: “Odysseus, thou hast no more steadfast might nor any +prowess, as when for nine whole years continually thou didst battle with the +Trojans for high born Helen, of the white arms, and many men thou slewest in +terrible warfare, and by thy device the wide-wayed city of Priam was taken. How +then, now that thou art come to thy house and thine own possessions, dost thou +bewail thee and art of feeble courage to stand before the wooers? Nay, come +hither, friend, and stand by me, and I will show thee a thing, that thou mayest +know what manner of man is Mentor, son of Alcimus, to repay good deeds in the +ranks of foemen.” +</p> + +<p> +She spake, and gave him not yet clear victory in full, but still for a while +made trial of the might and prowess of Odysseus and his renowned son. As for +her she flew up to the roof timber of the murky hall, in such fashion as a +swallow flies, and there sat down. +</p> + +<p> +Now Agelaus, son of Damastor, urged on the wooers, and likewise Eurynomus and +Amphimedon and Demoptolemus and Peisandrus son of Polyctor, and wise Polybus, +for these were in valiancy far the best men of the wooers, that still lived and +fought for their lives; for the rest had fallen already beneath the bow and the +thick rain of arrows. Then Agelaus spake among them, and made known his word to +all: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, now at last will this man hold his unconquerable hands. Lo, now +has Mentor left him and spoken but vain boasts, and these remain alone at the +entrance of the doors. Wherefore now, throw not your long spears all together, +but come, do ye six cast first, if perchance Zeus may grant us to smite +Odysseus and win renown. Of the rest will we take no heed, so soon as that man +shall have fallen.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake and they all cast their javelins, as he bade them, eagerly; but +behold, Athene so wrought that they were all in vain. One man smote the +doorpost of the stablished hall, and another the well-fastened door, and the +ashen spear of yet another wooer, heavy with bronze, stuck fast in the wall. So +when they had avoided all the spears of the wooers, the steadfast goodly +Odysseus began first to speak among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, now my word is that we too cast and hurl into the press of the +wooers, that are mad to slay and strip us beyond the measure of their former +iniquities.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they all took good aim and threw their sharp spears, and +Odysseus smote Demoptolemus, and Telemachus Euryades, and the swineherd slew +Elatus, and the neatherd Peisandrus. Thus they all bit the wide floor with +their teeth, and the wooers fell back into the inmost part of the hall. But the +others dashed upon them and drew forth the shafts from the bodies of the dead. +</p> + +<p> +Then once more the wooers threw their sharp spears eagerly; but behold, Athene +so wrought that many of them were in vain. One man smote the door-post of the +stablished hall, and another the well-fastened door, and the ashen spear of +another wooer, heavy with bronze, struck in the wall. Yet Amphimedon hit +Telemachus on the hand by the wrist lightly, and the shaft of bronze wounded +the surface of the skin. And Ctesippus grazed the shoulder of Eumaeus with a +long spear high above the shield, and the spear flew over and fell to the +ground. Then again Odysseus, the wise and crafty, he and his men cast their +swift spears into the press of the wooers, and now once more Odysseus, waster +of cities, smote Eurydamas, and Telemachus Amphimedon, and the swineherd slew +Polybus, and last, the neatherd struck Ctesippus in the breast and boasted over +him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“O son of Polytherses, thou lover of jeering, never give place at all to +folly to speak so big, but leave thy case to the gods, since in truth they are +far mightier than thou. This gift is thy recompense for the ox-foot that thou +gavest of late to the divine Odysseus, when he went begging through the +house.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake the keeper of the shambling kine. Next Odysseus wounded the son of +Damastor in close fight with his long spear, and Telemachus wounded Leocritus +son of Euenor, right in the flank with his lance, and drave the bronze point +clean through, that he fell prone and struck the ground full with his forehead. +Then Athene held up her destroying aegis on high from the roof, and their minds +were scared, and they fled through the hall, like a drove of kine that the +flitting gadfly falls upon and scatters hither and thither in spring time, when +the long days begin. But the others set on like vultures of crooked claws and +curved beak, that come forth from the mountains and dash upon smaller birds, +and these scour low in the plain, stooping in terror from the clouds, while the +vultures pounce on them and slay them, and there is no help nor way of flight, +and men are glad at the sport; even so did the company of Odysseus set upon the +wooers and smite them right and left through the hall; and there rose a hideous +moaning as their heads were smitten, and the floor all ran with blood. +</p> + +<p> +Now Leiodes took hold of the knees of Odysseus eagerly, and besought him and +spake winged words: “I entreat thee by thy knees, Odysseus, and do thou +show mercy on me and have pity. For never yet, I say, have I wronged a maiden +in thy halls by froward word or deed, nay I bade the other wooers refrain, +whoso of them wrought thus. But they hearkened not unto me to keep their hands +from evil. Wherefore they have met a shameful death through their own infatuate +deeds. Yet I, the soothsayer among them, that have wrought no evil, shall fall +even as they, for no grace abides for good deeds done.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels looked askance at him, and said: “If +indeed thou dost avow thee to be the soothsayer of these men, thou art like to +have often prayed in the halls that the issue of a glad return might be far +from me, and that my dear wife should follow thee and bear thee children; +wherefore thou shalt not escape the bitterness of death.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he caught up a sword in his strong hand, that lay where Agelaus had +let it fall to the ground when he was slain, and drave it clean through his +neck, and as he yet spake his head fell even to the dust. +</p> + +<p> +But the son of Terpes, the minstrel, still sought how he might shun black fate, +Phemius, who sang among the wooers of necessity. He stood with the loud lyre in +his hand hard by the postern gate, and his heart was divided within him, +whether he should slip forth from the hall and sit down by the well-wrought +altar of great Zeus of the household court, whereon Laertes and Odysseus had +burnt many pieces of the thighs of oxen, or should spring forward and beseech +Odysseus by his knees. And as he thought thereupon this seemed to him the +better way, to embrace the knees of Odysseus, son of Laertes. So he laid the +hollow lyre on the ground between the mixing-bowl and the high seat inlaid with +silver, and himself sprang forward and seized Odysseus by the knees, and +besought him and spake winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“I entreat thee by thy knees, Odysseus, and do thou show mercy on me and +have pity. It will be a sorrow to thyself in the aftertime if thou slayest me +who am a minstrel, and sing before gods and men. Yea none has taught me but +myself, and the god has put into my heart all manner of lays, and methinks I +sing to thee as to a god, wherefore be not eager to cut off my head. And +Telemachus will testify of this, thine own dear son, that not by mine own will +or desire did I resort to thy house to sing to the wooers at their feasts; but +being so many and stronger than I they led me by constraint.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and the mighty prince Telemachus heard him and quickly spake to +his father at his side: “Hold thy hand, and wound not this blameless man +with the sword; and let us save also the henchman Medon, that ever had charge +of me in our house when I was a child, unless perchance Philoetius or the +swineherd have already slain him, or he hath met thee in thy raging through the +house.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Medon, wise of heart, heard him. For he lay crouching beneath +a high seat, clad about in the new-flayed hide of an ox and shunned black fate. +So he rose up quickly from under the seat, and cast off the ox-hide, and sprang +forth and caught Telemachus by the knees, and besought him and spake winged +words: +</p> + +<p> +“Friend, here am I; prithee stay thy hand and speak to thy father, lest +he harm me with the sharp sword in the greatness of his strength, out of his +anger for the wooers that wasted his possessions in the halls, and in their +folly held thee in no honour.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels smiled on him and said: “Take courage, for +lo, he has saved thee and delivered thee, that thou mayst know in thy heart, +and tell it even to another, how far more excellent are good deeds than evil. +But go forth from the halls and sit down in the court apart from the slaughter, +thou and the full-voiced minstrel, till I have accomplished all that I must +needs do in the house.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith the two went forth and gat them from the hall. So they sat down by +the altar of great Zeus, peering about on every side, still expecting death. +And Odysseus peered all through the house, to see if any man was yet alive and +hiding away to shun black fate. But he found all the sort of them fallen in +their blood in the dust, like fishes that the fishermen have drawn forth in the +meshes of the net into a hollow of the beach from out the grey sea, and all the +fish, sore longing for the salt sea waves, are heaped upon the sand, and the +sun shines forth and takes their life away; so now the wooers lay heaped upon +each other. Then Odysseus of many counsels spake to Telemachus: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, go, call me the nurse Eurycleia, that I may tell her a word +that is on my mind.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Telemachus obeyed his dear father, and smote at the door, and +spake to the nurse Eurycleia: “Up now, aged wife, that overlookest all +the women servants in our halls, come hither, my father calls thee and has +somewhat to say to thee.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and wingless her speech remained, and she opened the doors of +the fair-lying halls, and came forth, and Telemachus led the way before her. So +she found Odysseus among the bodies of the dead, stained with blood and soil of +battle, like a lion that has eaten of an ox of the homestead and goes on his +way, and all his breast and his cheeks on either side are flecked with blood, +and he is terrible to behold; even so was Odysseus stained, both hands and +feet. Now the nurse, when she saw the bodies of the dead and the great gore of +blood, made ready to cry aloud for joy, beholding so great an adventure. But +Odysseus checked and held her in her eagerness, and uttering his voice spake to +her winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Within thine own heart rejoice, old nurse, and be still, and cry not +aloud; for it is an unholy thing to boast over slain men. Now these hath the +destiny of the gods overcome, and their own cruel deeds, for they honoured none +of earthly men, neither the bad nor yet the good, that came among them. +Wherefore they have met a shameful death through their own infatuate deeds. But +come, tell me the tale of the women in my halls, which of them dishonour me, +and which be guiltless.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered him: “Yea now, my child, I will +tell thee all the truth. Thou hast fifty women-servants in thy halls, that we +have taught the ways of housewifery, how to card wool and to bear bondage. Of +these twelve in all have gone the way of shame, and honour not me, nor their +lady Penelope. And Telemachus hath but newly come to his strength, and his +mother suffered him not to take command over the women in this house. But now, +let me go aloft to the shining upper chamber, and tell all to thy wife, on whom +some god hath sent a sleep.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Wake her not yet, but +bid the women come hither, who in time past behaved themselves unseemly.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and the old wife passed through the hall, to tell the women and to +hasten their coming. Then Odysseus called to him Telemachus, and the neatherd, +and the swineherd, and spake to them winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Begin ye now to carry out the dead, and bid the women help you, and +thereafter cleanse the fair high seats and the tables with water and porous +sponges. And when ye have set all the house in order, lead the maidens without +the stablished hall, between the vaulted room and the goodly fence of the +court, and there slay them with your long blades, till they shall have all +given up the ghost and forgotten the love that of old they had at the bidding +of the wooers, in secret dalliance.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so he spake, and the women came all in a crowd together, making a terrible +lament and shedding big tears. So first they carried forth the bodies of the +slain, and set them beneath the gallery of the fenced court, and propped them +one on another; and Odysseus himself hasted the women and directed them, and +they carried forth the dead perforce. Thereafter they cleansed the fair high +seats and the tables with water and porous sponges. And Telemachus, and the +neatherd, and the swineherd, scraped with spades the floor of the well-builded +house, and, behold, the maidens carried all forth and laid it without the +doors. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had made an end of setting the hall in order, they led the +maidens forth from the stablished hall, and drove them up in a narrow space +between the vaulted room and the goodly fence of the court, whence none might +avoid; and wise Telemachus began to speak to his fellows, saying: “God +forbid that I should take these women’s lives by a clean death, these +that have poured dishonour on my head and on my mother, and have lain with the +wooers.” +</p> + +<p> +With that word he tied the cable of a dark-prowed ship to a great pillar and +flung it round the vaulted room, and fastened it aloft, that none might touch +the ground with her feet. And even as when thrushes, long of wing, or doves +fall into a net that is set in a thicket, as they seek to their roosting-place, +and a loathly bed harbours them, even so the women held their heads all in a +row, and about all their necks nooses were cast, that they might die by the +most pitiful death. And they writhed with their feet for a little space, but +for no long while. +</p> + +<p> +Then they led out Melanthius through the doorway and the court, and cut off his +nostrils and his ears with the pitiless sword, and drew forth his vitals for +the dogs to devour raw, and cut off his hands and feet in their cruel anger. +</p> + +<p> +Thereafter they washed their hands and feet, and went into the house to +Odysseus, and all the adventure was over. So Odysseus called to the good nurse +Eurycleia: “Bring sulphur, old nurse, that cleanses all pollution and +bring me fire, that I may purify the house with sulphur, and do thou bid +Penelope come here with her handmaidens, and tell all the women to hasten into +the hall.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia made answer: “Yea, my child, herein thou +hast spoken aright. But go to, let me bring thee a mantle and a doublet for +raiment, and stand not thus in the halls with thy broad shoulders wrapped in +rags; it were blame in thee so to do.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “First let a fire now +be made me in the hall.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and the good nurse Eurycleia was not slow to obey, but brought +fire and brimstone; and Odysseus thoroughly purged the women’s chamber +and the great hall and the court. +</p> + +<p> +Then the old wife went through the fair halls of Odysseus to tell the women, +and to hasten their coming. So they came forth from their chamber with torches +in their hands, and fell about Odysseus, and embraced him and kissed and +clasped his head and shoulders and his hands lovingly, and a sweet longing came +on him to weep and moan, for he remembered them every one. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap23"></a>BOOK XXIII.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +Odysseus maketh himself known to Penelope, tells his adventures briefly, and in +the morning goes to Laertes and makes himself known to him. +</p> + +<p> +Then the ancient woman went up into the upper chamber laughing aloud, to tell +her mistress how her dear lord was within, and her knees moved fast for joy, +and her feet stumbled one over the other; and she stood above the lady’s +head and spake to her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Awake, Penelope, dear child, that thou mayest see with thine own eyes +that which thou desirest day by day. Odysseus hath come, and hath got him to +his own house, though late hath he come, and hath slain the proud wooers that +troubled his house, and devoured his substance, and oppressed his child.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered her: “Dear nurse, the gods have made thee +distraught, the gods that can make foolish even the wisdom of the wise, and +that stablish the simple in understanding. They it is that have marred thy +reason, though heretofore thou hadst a prudent heart. Why dost thou mock me, +who have a spirit full of sorrow, to speak these wild words, and rousest me out +of sweet slumber, that had bound me and overshadowed mine eyelids? Never yet +have I slept so sound since the day that Odysseus went forth to see that evil +Ilios, never to be named. Go to now, get thee down and back to the +women’s chamber, for if any other of the maids of my house had come and +brought me such tidings, and wakened me from sleep, straightway would I have +sent her back woefully to return within the women’s chamber; but this +time thine old age shall stand thee in good stead.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: “I mock thee not, dear child, +but in very deed Odysseus is here, and hath come home, even as I tell thee. He +is that guest on whom all men wrought such dishonour in the halls. But long ago +Telemachus was ware of him, that he was within the house, yet in his prudence +he hid the counsels of his father, that he might take vengeance on the violence +of the haughty wooers.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and then was Penelope glad, and leaping from her bed she fell +on the old woman’s neck, and let fall the tears from her eyelids, and +uttering her voice spake to her winged words: “Come, dear nurse, I pray +thee, tell me all truly—if indeed he hath come home as thou +sayest—how he hath laid his hands on the shameless wooers, he being but +one man, while they abode ever in their companies within the house.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: “I saw not, I wist not, only +I heard the groaning of men slain. And we in an inmost place of the +well-builded chambers sat all amazed, and the close-fitted doors shut in the +room, till thy son called me from the chamber, for his father sent him out to +that end. Then I found Odysseus standing among the slain, who around him, +stretched on the hard floor, lay one upon the other; it would have comforted +thy heart to see him, all stained like a lion with blood and soil of battle. +And now are all the wooers gathered in an heap by the gates of the court, while +he is purifying his fair house with brimstone, and hath kindled a great fire, +and hath sent me forth to call thee. So come with me, that ye may both enter +into your heart’s delight,<a href="#linknote-40" name="linknoteref-40">[40]</a> for ye have suffered much affliction. And even now +hath this thy long desire been fulfilled; thy lord hath come alive to his own +hearth, and hath found both thee and his son in the halls; and the wooers that +wrought him evil he hath slain, every man of them in his house.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-40"></a><a href="#linknoteref-40">[40]</a> +Reading σφῶι . . . . +ἀμφοτέρω. +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered her: “Dear nurse, boast not yet over them +with laughter. Thou knowest how welcome the sight of him would be in the halls +to all, and to me in chief, and to his son that we got between us. But this is +no true tale, as thou declarest it, nay but it is one of the deathless gods +that hath slain the proud wooers, in wrath at their bitter insolence and evil +deeds. For they honoured none of earthly men, neither the good nor yet the bad, +that came among them. Wherefore they have suffered an evil doom through their +own infatuate deeds. But Odysseus, far away hath lost his homeward path to the +Achaean land, and himself is lost.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the good nurse Eurycleia made answer to her: “My child, what word +hath escaped the door of thy lips, in that thou saidest that thy lord, who is +even now within, and by his own hearthstone, would return no more? Nay, thy +heart is ever hard of belief. Go to now, and I will tell thee besides a most +manifest token, even the scar of the wound that the boar on a time dealt him +with his white tusk. This I spied while washing his feet, and fain I would have +told it even to thee, but he laid his hand on my mouth, and in the fulness of +his wisdom suffered me not to speak. But come with me and I will stake my life +on it; and if I play thee false, do thou slay me by a death most +pitiful.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope made answer to her: “Dear nurse, it is hard for thee, +how wise soever, to observe the purposes of the everlasting gods. None the less +let us go to my child, that I may see the wooers dead, and him that slew +them.” +</p> + +<p> +With that word she went down from the upper chamber, and much her heart +debated, whether she should stand apart, and question her dear lord or draw +nigh, and clasp and kiss his head and hands. But when she had come within and +had crossed the threshold of stone, she sat down over against Odysseus, in the +light of the fire, by the further wall. Now he was sitting by the tall pillar, +looking down and waiting to know if perchance his noble wife would speak to +him, when her eyes beheld him. But she sat long in silence, and amazement came +upon her soul, and now she would look upon him steadfastly with her eyes, and +now again she knew him not, for that he was clad in vile raiment. And +Telemachus rebuked her, and spake and hailed her: +</p> + +<p> +“Mother mine, ill mother, of an ungentle heart, why turnest thou thus +away from my father, and dost not sit by him and question him and ask him all? +No other woman in the world would harden her heart to stand thus aloof from her +lord, who after much travail and sore had come to her in the twentieth year to +his own country. But thy heart is ever harder than stone.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him, saying: “Child, my mind is amazed within +me, and I have no strength to speak, nor to ask him aught, nay nor to look on +him face to face. But if in truth this be Odysseus, and he hath indeed come +home, verily we shall be ware of each other the more surely, for we have tokens +that we twain know, even we, secret from all others.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus smiled, and quickly he spake to +Telemachus winged words: “Telemachus, leave now thy mother to make trial +of me within the chambers; so shall she soon come to a better knowledge than +heretofore. But now I go filthy, and am clad in vile raiment, wherefore she has +me in dishonour, and as yet will not allow that I am he. Let us then advise us +how all may be for the very best. For whoso has slain but one man in a land, +even that one leaves not many behind him to take up the feud for him, turns +outlaw and leaves his kindred and his own country; but we have slain the very +stay of the city, the men who were far the best of all the noble youths in +Ithaca. So this I bid thee consider.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Father, see thou to this, for +they say that thy counsel is far the best among men, nor might any other of +mortal men contend with thee. But right eagerly will we go with thee now, and I +think we shall not lack prowess, so far as might is ours.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Yea now, I will tell +on what wise methinks it is best. First, go ye to the bath and array you in +your doublets, and bid the maidens in the chambers to take to them their +garments. Then let the divine minstrel, with his loud lyre in hand, lead off +for us the measure of the mirthful dance. So shall any man that hears the sound +from without, whether a wayfarer or one of those that dwell around, say that it +is a wedding feast. And thus the slaughter of the wooers shall not be noised +abroad through the town before we go forth to our well-wooded farm-land. +Thereafter shall we consider what gainful counsel the Olympian may vouchsafe +us.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and they gave good ear and hearkened to him. So first they went to +the bath, and arrayed them in doublets, and the women were apparelled, and the +divine minstrel took the hollow harp, and aroused in them the desire of sweet +song and of the happy dance. Then the great hall rang round them with the sound +of the feet of dancing men and of fair-girdled women. And whoso heard it from +without would say: +</p> + +<p> +“Surely some one has wedded the queen of many wooers. Hard of heart was +she, nor had she courage to keep the great house of her wedded lord continually +till his coming.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so men spake, and knew not how these things were ordained. Meanwhile, the +house-dame Eurynome had bathed the great-hearted Odysseus within his house, and +anointed him with olive-oil, and cast about him a goodly mantle and a doublet. +Moreover Athene shed great beauty from his head downwards, and made him greater +and more mighty to behold, and from his head caused deep curling locks to flow, +like the hyacinth flower. And as when some skilful man overlays gold upon +silver, one that Hephaestus and Pallas Athene have taught all manner of craft, +and full of grace is his handiwork, even so did Athene shed grace about his +head and shoulders, and forth from the bath he came, in form like to the +immortals. Then he sat down again on the high seat, whence he had arisen, over +against his wife, and spake to her, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Strange lady, surely to thee above all womankind the Olympians have +given a heart that cannot be softened. No other woman in the world would harden +her heart to stand thus aloof from her husband, who after much travail and sore +had come to her, in the twentieth year, to his own country. Nay come, nurse, +strew a bed for me to lie all alone, for assuredly her spirit within her is as +iron.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him again: “Strange man, I have no proud +thoughts nor do I think scorn of thee, nor am I too greatly astonied, but I +know right well what manner of man thou wert, when thou wentest forth out of +Ithaca, on the long-oared galley. But come, Eurycleia, spread for him the good +bedstead outside the stablished bridal chamber that he built himself. Thither +bring ye forth the good bedstead and cast bedding thereon, even fleeces and +rugs and shining blankets.” +</p> + +<p> +So she spake and made trial of her lord, but Odysseus in sore displeasure spake +to his true wife, saying: “Verily a bitter word is this, lady, that thou +hast spoken. Who has set my bed otherwhere? Hard it would be for one, how +skilled so ever, unless a god were to come that might easily set it in another +place, if so he would. But of men there is none living, howsoever strong in his +youth, that could lightly upheave it, for a great token is wrought in the +fashioning of the bed, and it was I that made it and none other. There was +growing a bush of olive, long of leaf, and most goodly of growth, within the +inner court, and the stem as large as a pillar. Round about this I built the +chamber, till I had finished it, with stones close set, and I roofed it over +well and added thereto compacted doors fitting well. Next I sheared off all the +light wood of the long-leaved olive, and rough-hewed the trunk upwards from the +root, and smoothed it around with the adze, well and skilfully, and made +straight the line thereto and so fashioned it into the bedpost, and I bored it +all with the auger. Beginning from this bedpost, I wrought at the bedstead till +I had finished it, and made it fair with inlaid work of gold and of silver and +of ivory. Then I made fast therein a bright purple band of oxhide. Even so I +declare to thee this token, and I know not, lady, if the bedstead be yet fast +in his place, or if some man has cut away the stem of the olive tree, and set +the bedstead otherwhere.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and at once her knees were loosened, and her heart melted within +her, as she knew the sure tokens that Odysseus showed her. Then she fell a +weeping, and ran straight toward him and cast her hands about his neck, and +kissed his head and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Be not angry with me, Odysseus, for thou wert ever at other times the +wisest of men. It is the gods that gave us sorrow, the gods who begrudged us +that we should abide together and have joy of our youth, and come to the +threshold of old age. So now be not wroth with me hereat nor full of +indignation, because at the first, when I saw thee, I did not welcome thee +straightway. For always my heart within my breast shuddered, for fear lest some +man should come and deceive me with his words, for many they be that devise +gainful schemes and evil. Nay even Argive Helen, daughter of Zeus, would not +have lain with a stranger, and taken him for a lover, had she known that the +warlike sons of the Achaeans would bring her home again to her own dear +country. Howsoever, it was the god that set her upon this shameful deed; nor +ever, ere that, did she lay up in her heart the thought of this folly, a bitter +folly, whence on us too first came sorrow. But now that thou hast told all the +sure tokens of our bed, which never was seen by mortal man, save by thee and me +and one maiden only, the daughter of Actor, that my father gave me ere yet I +had come hither, she who kept the doors of our strong bridal chamber, even now +dost thou bend my soul, all ungentle as it is.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus she spake, and in his heart she stirred yet a greater longing to lament, +and he wept as he embraced his beloved wife and true. And even as when the +sight of land is welcome to swimmers, whose well-wrought ship Poseidon hath +smitten on the deep, all driven with the wind and swelling waves, and but a +remnant hath escaped the grey sea-water and swum to the shore, and their bodies +are all crusted with the brine, and gladly have they set foot on land and +escaped an evil end; so welcome to her was the sight of her lord, and her white +arms she would never quite let go from his neck. And now would the +rosy-fingered Dawn have risen upon their weeping, but the goddess, grey-eyed +Athene, had other thoughts. The night she held long in the utmost West, and on +the other side she stayed the golden-throned Dawn by the stream Oceanus, and +suffered her not to harness the swift-footed steeds that bear light to men, +Lampus and Phaethon, the steeds ever young, that bring the morning. +</p> + +<p> +Then at the last, Odysseus of many counsels spake to his wife, saying: +“Lady, we have not yet come to the issue of all our labours; but still +there will be toil unmeasured, long and difficult, that I must needs bring to a +full end. Even so the spirit of Teiresias foretold to me, on that day when I +went down into the house of Hades, to inquire after a returning for myself and +my company. Wherefore come, lady, let us to bed, that forthwith we may take our +joy of rest beneath the spell of sweet sleep.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him: “Thy bed verily shall be ready +whensoever thy soul desires it, forasmuch as the gods have indeed caused thee +to come back to thy stablished home and thine own country. But now that thou +hast noted it and the god has put it into thy heart, come, tell me of this +ordeal, for methinks the day will come when I must learn it, and timely +knowledge is no hurt.” +</p> + +<p> +And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Ah, why now art thou +so instant with me to declare it? Yet I will tell thee all and hide nought. +Howbeit thy heart shall have no joy of it, as even I myself have no pleasure +therein. For Teiresias bade me fare to many cities of men, carrying a shapen +oar in my hands, till I should come to such men as know not the sea, neither +eat meat savoured with salt, nor have they knowledge of ships of purple cheek +nor of shapen oars, which serve for wings to ships. And he told me this with +manifest token, which I will not hide from thee. In the day when another +wayfarer should meet me and say that I had a winnowing fan on my stout +shoulder, even then he bade me make fast my shapen oar in the earth, and do +goodly sacrifice to the lord Poseidon, even with a ram and a bull and a boar, +the mate of swine, and depart for home, and offer holy hecatombs to the +deathless gods, that keep the wide heaven, to each in order due. And from the +sea shall mine own death come, the gentlest death that may be, which shall end +me, foredone, with smooth old age, and the folk shall dwell happily around. All +this, he said, was to be fulfilled.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Penelope answered him saying: “If indeed the gods will bring +about for thee a happier old age at the last, then is there hope that thou +mayest yet have an escape from evil.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus they spake one to the other. Meanwhile, Eurynome and the nurse spread the +bed with soft coverlets, by the light of the torches burning. But when they had +busied them and spread the good bed, the ancient nurse went back to her chamber +to lie down, and Eurynome, the bower-maiden, guided them on their way to the +couch, with torches in her hands, and when she had led them to the +bridal-chamber she departed. And so they came gladly to the rites of their bed, +as of old. But Telemachus, and the neatherd, and the swineherd stayed their +feet from dancing, and made the women to cease, and themselves gat them to rest +through the shadowy halls. +</p> + +<p> +Now when the twain had taken their fill of sweet love, they had delight in the +tales, which they told one to the other. The fair lady spoke of all that she +had endured in the halls at the sight of the ruinous throng of wooers, who for +her sake slew many cattle, kine and goodly sheep; and many a cask of wine was +broached. And in turn, Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, recounted all the griefs +he had wrought on men, and all his own travail and sorrow, and she was +delighted with the story, and sweet sleep fell not upon her eyelids till the +tale was ended. +</p> + +<p> +He began by setting forth how he overcame the Cicones, and next arrived at the +rich land of the Lotus-eaters, and all that the Cyclops wrought, and what a +price he got from him for the good companions that he devoured, and showed no +pity. Then how he came to Aeolus, who received him gladly and sent him on his +way; but it was not yet ordained that he should reach his own country, for the +storm-wind seized him again, and bare him over the teeming seas, making +grievous moan. Next how he came to Telepylus of the Laestrygonians, who brake +his ships and slew all his goodly-greaved companions, and Odysseus only escaped +with his black ship. Then he told all the wiles and many contrivances of Circe, +and how in a benched ship he fared to the dank house of Hades, to seek to the +soul of Theban Teiresias. There he beheld all those that had been his +companions, and his mother who bore him and nurtured him, while yet he was a +little one. Then how he heard the song of the full-voiced Sirens, and came to +the Rocks Wandering, and to terrible Charybdis, and to Scylla, that never yet +have men avoided scatheless. Next he told how his company slew the kine of +Helios, and how Zeus, that thunders on high, smote the swift ship with the +flaming bolt, and the good crew perished all together, and he alone escaped +from evil fates. And how he came to the isle Ogygia, and to the nymph Calypso, +who kept him there in her hollow caves, longing to have him for her lord, and +nurtured him and said that she would make him never to know death or age all +his days: yet she never won his heart within his breast. Next how with great +toil he came to the Phaeacians, who gave him all worship heartily, as to a god, +and sent him with a ship to his own dear country, with gifts of bronze, and of +gold, and raiment in plenty. This was the last word of the tale, when sweet +sleep came speedily upon him, sleep that loosens the limbs of men, unknitting +the cares of his soul. +</p> + +<p> +Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to new thoughts. When she deemed +that Odysseus had taken his fill of love and sleep, straightway she aroused +from out Oceanus the golden-throned Dawn, to bear light to men. Then Odysseus +gat him from his soft bed, and laid this charge on his wife, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Lady, already have we had enough of labours, thou and I; thou, in +weeping here, and longing for my troublous return, I, while Zeus and the other +gods bound me fast in pain, despite my yearning after home, away from mine own +country. But now that we both have come to the bed of our desire, take thou +thought for the care of my wealth within the halls. But as for the sheep that +the proud wooers have slain, I myself will lift many more as spoil, and others +the Achaeans will give, till they fill all my folds. But now, behold, I go to +the well-wooded farm-land, to see my good father, who for love of me has been +in sorrow continually. And this charge I lay on thee, lady, too wise though +thou art to need it. Quickly will the bruit go forth with the rising sun, the +bruit concerning the wooers, whom I slew in the halls. Wherefore ascend with +the women thy handmaids into the upper chamber, and sit there and look on no +man, nor ask any question.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he girded on his shoulder his goodly armour, and roused Telemachus +and the neatherd and the swineherd, and bade them all take weapons of war in +their hands. So they were not disobedient to his word, but clad themselves in +mail, and opened the doors and went forth, and Odysseus led the way. And now +there was light over all the earth; but them Athene hid in night, and quickly +conducted out of the town. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap24"></a>BOOK XXIV.</h2> + +<p class="letter"> +The Ithacans bury the wooers, and sitting in council resolve on revenge. And +coming near the house of Laertes, are met by Odysseus, and Laertes with +Telemachus and servants, the whole number twelve, and are overcome, and submit. +</p> + +<p> +Now Cyllenian Hermes called forth from the halls the souls of the wooers, and +he held in his hand his wand that is fair and golden, wherewith he lulls the +eyes of men, of whomso he will, while others again he even wakens out of sleep. +Herewith he roused and led the souls who followed gibbering. And even as bats +flit gibbering in the secret place of a wondrous cave, when one has fallen down +from the cluster on the rock, where they cling each to each up aloft, even so +the souls gibbered as they fared together, and Hermes, the helper, led them +down the dank ways. Past the streams of Oceanus and the White Rock, past the +gates of the Sun they sped and the land of dreams, and soon they came to the +mead of asphodel, where dwell the souls, the phantoms of men outworn. There +they found the soul of Achilles son of Peleus, and the souls of Patroclus, and +of noble Antilochus, and of Aias, who in face and form was goodliest of all the +Danaans after the noble son of Peleus. +</p> + +<p> +So these were flocking round Achilles, and the spirit of Agamemnon, son of +Atreus, drew nigh sorrowful; and about him were gathered all the other shades, +as many as perished with him in the house of Aegisthus, and met their doom. Now +the soul of the son of Peleus spake to him first, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Atreus, verily we deemed that thou above all other heroes wast +evermore dear to Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, seeing that thou wast lord +over warriors, many and mighty men, in the land of the Trojans where we +Achaeans suffered affliction. But lo, thee too was deadly doom to visit +early,<a href="#linknote-41" name="linknoteref-41">[41]</a> +the doom that none avoids of all men born. Ah, would that in the fulness of thy +princely honour, thou hadst met death and fate in the land of the Trojans! So +would all the Achaean host have builded thee a barrow, yea and for thy son thou +wouldst have won great glory in the aftertime. But now it has been decreed for +thee to perish by a most pitiful death.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-41"></a><a href="#linknoteref-41">[41]</a> +Reading πρῶι. +</p> + +<p> +Then the soul of the son of Atreus answered, and spake: “Happy art thou +son of Peleus, godlike Achilles, that didst die in Troy-land far from Argos, +and about thee fell others, the best of the sons of Trojans and Achaeans, +fighting for thy body; but thou in the whirl of dust layest mighty and mightily +fallen, forgetful of thy chivalry. And we strove the livelong day, nor would we +ever have ceased from the fight, if Zeus had not stayed us with a tempest. Anon +when we had borne thee to the ships from out of the battle, we laid thee on a +bier and washed thy fair flesh clean with warm water and unguents, and around +thee the Danaans shed many a hot tear and shore their hair. And forth from the +sea came thy mother with the deathless maidens of the waters, when they heard +the tidings; and a wonderful wailing rose over the deep, and trembling fell on +the limbs of all the Achaeans. Yea, and they would have sprung up and departed +to the hollow ships, had not one held them back that knew much lore from of +old, Nestor, whose counsel proved heretofore the best. Out of his good will he +made harangue, and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Hold, ye Argives, flee not, young lords of the Achaeans. Lo, his +mother from the sea is she that comes, with the deathless maidens of the +waters, to behold the face of her dead son.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So he spake, and the high-hearted Achaeans ceased from their flight. +Then round thee stood the daughters of the ancient one of the sea, holding a +pitiful lament, and they clad thee about in raiment incorruptible. And all the +nine Muses one to the other replying with sweet voices began the dirge; there +thou wouldest not have seen an Argive but wept, so mightily rose up the clear +chant. Thus for seventeen days and nights continually did we all bewail thee, +immortal gods and mortal men. On the eighteenth day we gave thy body to the +flames, and many well-fatted sheep we slew around thee, and kine of shambling +gait. So thou wert burned in the garments of the gods, and in much unguents and +in sweet honey, and many heroes of the Achaeans moved mail-clad around the pyre +when thou wast burning, both footmen and horse, and great was the noise that +arose. But when the flame of Hephaestus had utterly abolished thee, lo, in the +morning we gathered together thy white bones, Achilles, and bestowed them in +unmixed wine and in unguents. Thy mother gave a twy-handled golden urn, and +said that it was the gift of Dionysus, and the workmanship of renowned +Hephaestus. Therein lie thy white bones, great Achilles, and mingled therewith +the bones of Patroclus son of Menoetias, that is dead, but apart is the dust of +Antilochus, whom thou didst honour above all thy other companions, after +Patroclus that was dead. Then over them did we pile a great and goodly tomb, we +the holy host of Argive warriors, high on a jutting headland over wide +Hellespont, that it might be far seen from off the sea by men that now are, and +by those that shall be hereafter. Then thy mother asked the gods for glorious +prizes in the games, and set them in the midst of the lists for the champions +of the Achaeans. In days past thou hast been at the funeral games of many a +hero, whenso, after some king’s death, the young men gird themselves and +make them ready for the meed of victory; but couldst thou have seen these gifts +thou wouldst most have marvelled in spirit, such glorious prizes did the +goddess set there to honour thee, even Thetis, the silver-footed; for very dear +wert thou to the gods. Thus not even in death hast thou lost thy name, but to +thee shall be a fair renown for ever among all men, Achilles. But what joy have +I now herein, that I have wound up the clew of war, for on my return Zeus +devised for me an evil end at the hands of Aegisthus and my wife +accursed?” +</p> + +<p> +So they spake one to the other. And nigh them came the Messenger, the slayer of +Argos, leading down the ghosts of the wooers by Odysseus slain, and the two +heroes were amazed at the sight and went straight toward them. And the soul of +Agamemnon, son of Atreus, knew the dear son of Melaneus, renowned Amphimedon, +who had been his host, having his dwelling in Ithaca. The soul of the son of +Atreus spake to him first, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Amphimedon, what hath befallen you, that ye have come beneath the +darkness of earth, all of you picked men and of like age? it is even as though +one should choose out and gather together the best warriors in a city. Did +Poseidon smite you in your ships and rouse up contrary winds and the long +waves? Or did unfriendly men, perchance, do you hurt upon the land as ye were +cutting off their oxen and fair flocks of sheep, or while they fought to defend +their city and the women thereof? Answer and tell me, for I avow me a friend of +thy house. Rememberest thou not the day when I came to your house in Ithaca +with godlike Menelaus, to urge Odysseus to follow with me to Ilios on the +decked ships? And it was a full month ere we had sailed all across the wide +sea, for scarce could we win to our cause Odysseus, waster of cities.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the ghost of Amphimedon answered him, and spake: “Most famous son of +Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, I remember all these things, O fosterling of +Zeus, as thou declarest them, and I in turn will tell thee all the tale well +and truly, even our death and evil end, on what wise it befell. We wooed the +wife of Odysseus that was long afar, and she neither refused the hated bridal +nor was minded to make an end, devising for us death and black fate. Also this +other wile she contrived in her heart. She set up in her halls a mighty web, +fine of woof and very wide, whereat she would weave, and anon she spake among +us: +</p> + +<p> +“‘Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that goodly Odysseus is dead, +do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed on this marriage of mine, till +I finish the robe. I would not that the threads perish to no avail, even this +shroud for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom shall bring +him low, of death that lays men at their length. So shall none of the Achaean +women in the land count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie +without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great possessions.’ +</p> + +<p> +“So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So then in the +daytime she would weave the mighty web, and in the night unravel the same, when +she had let place the torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid +the thing by guile and won the minds of the Achaeans; but when the fourth year +arrived and the seasons came round, as the months waned and many days were +accomplished, then it was that one of her women who knew all declared it, and +we found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished it perforce and +sore against her will. Now when she brought the robe to light, after she had +woven the great web and washed it, and it shone even as sun or moon, at that +very hour some evil god led Odysseus, I know not whence, to the upland farm, +where the swineherd abode in his dwelling. Thither too came the dear son of +divine Odysseus out of sandy Pylos, voyaging with his black ship. These twain +framed an evil death for the wooers, and came to the renowned town. Odysseus +verily came the later, and Telemachus went before and led the way. 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. And none of us, not even the elders, could know him for that he +was, on this his sudden appearing, but with evil words we assailed him and +hurled things at him. Yet for a while he hardened his heart to endure both the +hurlings and the evil words in his own halls; but at the last, when the spirit +of Zeus, lord of the aegis, aroused him, by the help of Telemachus he took up +all the goodly weapons, and laid them by in the inner chamber and drew the +bolts. Next in his great craft he bade his wife to offer his bow and store of +grey iron to the wooers to be the weapons of our contest, luckless that we +were, and the beginning of death. Now not one of us could stretch the string of +the strong bow; far short we fell of that might. But when the great bow came to +the hands of Odysseus, then we all clamoured and forbade to give him the bow, +how much soever he might speak, but Telemachus alone was instant with him and +commanded him to take it. Then he took the bow into his hands, the steadfast +goodly Odysseus, and lightly he strung it, and sent the arrow through the iron. +Then straight he went to the threshold and there took his stand, and poured +forth the swift arrows, glancing terribly around, and smote the king Antinous. +Thereafter on the others he let fly his bolts, winged for death, with straight +aim, and the wooers fell thick one upon another. Then was it known how that +some god was their helper, for pressing on as their passion drave them, they +slew the men right and left through the halls, and thence there arose a hideous +moaning, as heads were smitten and the floor all ran with blood. So we +perished, Agamemnon, and even now our bodies lie uncared for in the halls of +Odysseus, for the friends of each one at home as yet know nought, even they who +might wash the black-clotted blood out of our wounds, and lay out the bodies +and wail the dirge, for that is the due of the dead.” +</p> + +<p> +Then the ghost of the son of Atreus answered him: “Ah, happy son of +Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, yea, for a wife most excellent hast thou +gotten, so good was the wisdom of constant Penelope, daughter of Icarius, that +was duly mindful of Odysseus, her wedded lord. Wherefore the fame of her virtue +shall never perish, but the immortals will make a gracious song in the ears of +men on earth to the fame of constant Penelope. In far other wise did the +daughter of Tyndareus devise ill deeds, and slay her wedded lord, and hateful +shall the song of her be among men, and an evil repute hath she brought upon +all womankind, even on the upright.” +</p> + +<p> +Even so these twain spake one to the other, standing in the house of Hades, +beneath the secret places of the earth. +</p> + +<p> +Now when those others had gone down from the city, quickly they came to the +rich and well-ordered farm land of Laertes, that he had won for himself of old, +as the prize of great toil in war. There was his house, and all about it ran +the huts wherein the thralls were wont to eat and dwell and sleep, bondsmen +that worked his will. And in the house there was an old Sicilian woman, who +diligently cared for the old man, in the upland far from the city. There +Odysseus spake to his thralls and to his son, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Do ye now get you within the well-builded house, and quickly sacrifice +the best of the swine for the midday meal, but I will make trial of my father, +whether he will know me again and be aware of me when he sees me, or know me +not, so long have I been away,” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he gave the thralls his weapons of war. Then they went speedily to +the house, while Odysseus drew near to the fruitful vineyard to make trial of +his father. Now he found not Dolius there, as he went down into the great +garden, nor any of the thralls nor of their sons. It chanced that they had all +gone to gather stones for a garden fence, and the old man at their head. So he +found his father alone in the terraced vineyard, digging about a plant. He was +clothed in a filthy doublet, patched and unseemly, with clouted leggings of +oxhide bound about his legs, against the scratches of the thorns, and long +sleeves over his hands by reason of the brambles, and on his head he wore a +goatskin cap, and so he nursed his sorrow. Now when the steadfast goodly +Odysseus saw his father thus wasted with age and in great grief of heart, he +stood still beneath a tall pear tree and let fall a tear. Then he communed with +his heart and soul, whether he should fall on his father’s neck and kiss +him, and tell him all, how he had returned and come to his own country, or +whether he should first question him and prove him in every word. And as he +thought within himself, this seemed to him the better way, namely, first to +prove his father and speak to him sharply. So with this intent the goodly +Odysseus went up to him. Now he was holding his head down and kept digging +about the plant, while his renowned son stood by him and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Old man, thou hast no lack of skill in tending a garden; lo, thou carest +well for all,<a href="#linknote-42" name="linknoteref-42">[42]</a> nor is there aught whatsoever, either plant or +fig-tree, or vine, yea, or olive, or pear, or garden-bed in all the close, that +is not well seen to. Yet another thing will I tell thee and lay not up wrath +thereat in thy heart. Thyself art scarce so well cared for, but a pitiful old +age is on thee, and withal thou art withered and unkempt, and clad unseemly. It +cannot be to punish thy sloth that thy master cares not for thee; there shows +nothing of the slave about thy face and stature, for thou art like a kingly +man, even like one who should lie soft, when he has washed and eaten well, as +is the manner of the aged. But come declare me this and plainly tell it all. +Whose thrall art thou, and whose garden dost thou tend? Tell me moreover truly, +that I may surely know, if it be indeed to Ithaca that I am now come, as one +yonder told me who met with me but now on the way hither. He was but of little +understanding, for he deigned not to tell me all nor to heed my saying, when I +questioned him concerning my friend, whether indeed he is yet alive or is even +now dead and within the house of Hades. For I will declare it and do thou mark +and listen: once did I kindly entreat a man in mine own dear country, who came +to our home, and never yet has any mortal been dearer of all the strangers that +have drawn to my house from afar. He declared him to be by lineage from out of +Ithaca, and said that his own father was Laertes son of Arceisius. So I led him +to our halls and gave him good entertainment, with all loving-kindness, out of +the plenty that was within. Such gifts too I gave him as are the due of guests; +of well wrought gold I gave him seven talents, and a mixing bowl of flowered +work, all of silver, and twelve cloaks of single fold, and as many coverlets, +and as many goodly mantles and doublets to boot, and besides all these, four +women skilled in all fair works and most comely, the women of his +choice.” +</p> + +<p class="footnote"> +<a name="linknote-42"></a><a href="#linknoteref-42">[42]</a> +Supplying ὄρχατον from the preceding clause +as object to ἔχει. Other constructions are possible. +</p> + +<p> +Then his father answered him, weeping: “Stranger, thou art verily come to +that country whereof thou askest, but outrageous men and froward hold it. And +these thy gifts, thy countless gifts, thou didst bestow in vain. For if thou +hadst found that man yet living in the land of Ithaca he would have sent thee +on thy way with good return of thy presents, and with all hospitality, as is +due to the man that begins the kindness. But come, declare me this and plainly +tell me all; how many years are passed since thou didst entertain him, thy +guest ill-fated and my child,—if ever such an one there +was,—hapless man, whom far from his friends and his country’s soil, +the fishes, it may be, have devoured in the deep sea, or on the shore he has +fallen the prey of birds and beasts. His mother wept not over him nor clad him +for burial, nor his father, we that begat him. Nor did his bride, whom men +sought with rich gifts, the constant Penelope, bewail her lord upon the bier, +as was meet, nor closed his eyes, as is the due of the departed. Moreover, tell +me this truly, that I may surely know, who art thou and whence of the sons of +men? Where is thy city and where are they that begat thee? Where now is thy +swift ship moored, that brought thee thither with thy godlike company? Hast +thou come as a passenger on another’s ship, while they set thee ashore +and went away? +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: “Yea now, I will +tell thee all most plainly. From out of Alybas I come, where I dwell in a house +renowned, and am the son of Apheidas the son of Polypemon, the prince, and my +own name is Eperitus. But some god drave me wandering hither from Sicania +against my will, and yonder my ship is moored toward the upland away from the +city. But for Odysseus, this is now the fifth year since he went thence and +departed out of my country. Ill-fated was he, and yet he had birds of good omen +when he fared away, birds on the right; wherefore I sped him gladly on his +road, and gladly he departed, and the heart of us twain hoped yet to meet in +friendship on a day and to give splendid gifts.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and on the old man fell a black cloud of sorrow. With both his +hands he clutched the dust and ashes and showered them on his gray head, with +ceaseless groaning. Then the heart of Odysseus was moved, and up through his +nostrils throbbed anon the keen sting of sorrow at the sight of his dear +father. And he sprang towards him and fell on his neck and kissed him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Behold, I here, even I, my father, am the man of whom thou askest; in +the twentieth year am I come to mine own country. But stay thy weeping and +tearful lamentation, for I will tell thee all clearly, though great need there +is of haste. I have slain the wooers in our halls and avenged their bitter +scorn and evil deeds.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Laertes answered him and spake, saying: “If thou art indeed +Odysseus, mine own child, that art come hither, show me now a manifest token, +that I may be assured.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Look first on this +scar and consider it, that the boar dealt me with his white tusk on Parnassus, +whither I had gone, and thou didst send me forth, thou and my lady mother, to +Autolycus my mother’s father, to get the gifts which when he came hither +he promised and covenanted to give me. But come, and I will even tell thee the +trees through all the terraced garden, which thou gavest me once for mine own, +and I was begging of thee this and that, being but a little child, and +following thee through the garden. Through these very trees we were going, and +thou didst tell me the names of each of them. Pear-trees thirteen thou gavest +me and ten apple-trees and figs two-score, and, as we went, thou didst name the +fifty rows of vines thou wouldest give me, whereof each one ripened at divers +times, with all manner of clusters on their boughs, when the seasons of Zeus +wrought mightily on them from on high.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and straightway his knees were loosened, and his heart melted +within him, as he knew the sure tokens that Odysseus showed him. About his dear +son he cast his arms, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus caught him fainting to +his breast. Now when he had got breath and his spirit came to him again, once +more he answered and spake, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Father Zeus, verily ye gods yet bear sway on high Olympus, if indeed the +wooers have paid for their infatuate pride! But now my heart is terribly +afraid, lest straightway all the men of Ithaca come up against us here, and +haste to send messengers everywhere to the cities of the Cephallenians.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: “Take courage, and +let not thy heart be careful about these matters. But come, let us go to the +house that lies near the garden, for thither I sent forward Telemachus and the +neatherd and the swineherd to get ready the meal as speedily as may be.” +</p> + +<p> +After these words the twain set out to the goodly halls. Now when they had come +to the fair-lying house, they found Telemachus and the neatherd and the +swineherd carving much flesh, and mixing the dark wine. Meanwhile the Sicilian +handmaid bathed high-hearted Laertes in his house, and anointed him with +olive-oil, and cast a fair mantle about him. Then Athene drew nigh, and made +greater the limbs of the shepherd of the people, taller she made him than +before and mightier to behold. Then he went forth from the bath, and his dear +son marvelled at him, beholding him like to the deathless gods in presence. And +uttering his voice he spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Father, surely one of the gods that are from everlasting hath made thee +goodlier and greater to behold.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Laertes answered him, saying: “Ah, would to father Zeus and +Athene and Apollo, that such as I was when I took Nericus, the stablished +castle on the foreland of the continent, being then the prince of the +Cephallenians, would that in such might, and with mail about my shoulders, I +had stood to aid thee yesterday in our house, and to beat back the wooers; so +should I have loosened the knees of many an one of them in the halls, and thou +shouldest have been gladdened in thine inmost heart!” +</p> + +<p> +So they spake each with the other. But when the others had ceased from their +task and made ready the feast, they sat down all orderly on chairs and on high +seats. Then they began to put forth their hands on the meat, and the old man +Dolius drew nigh, and the old man’s sons withal came tired from their +labour in the fields, for their mother, the aged Sicilian woman, had gone forth +and called them, she that saw to their living and diligently cared for the old +man, now that old age had laid hold on him. So soon as they looked on Odysseus +and took knowledge of him, they stood still in the halls in great amazement. +But Odysseus addressed them in gentle words, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Old man, sit down to meat and do ye forget your marvelling, for long +have we been eager to put forth our hands on the food, as we abode in the hall +alway expecting your coming.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and Dolius ran straight toward him stretching forth both his +hands, and he grasped the hand of Odysseus and kissed it on the wrist, and +uttering his voice spake to him winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Beloved, forasmuch as thou hast come back to us who sore desired thee, +and no longer thought to see thee, and the gods have led thee home +again;—hail to thee and welcome manifold, and may the gods give thee all +good fortune! Moreover tell me this truly, that I may be assured, whether wise +Penelope yet knows well that thou hast come back hither, or whether we shall +dispatch a messenger.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: “Old man, already she +knows all; what need to busy thyself herewith?” +</p> + +<p> +Thereon the other sat him down again on his polished settle. And in like wise +the sons of Dolius gathered about the renowned Odysseus, and greeted him well +and clasped his hands, and then sat down all orderly by Dolius their father. +</p> + +<p> +So they were busy with the meal in the halls. Now Rumour the messenger went +swiftly all about the city, telling the tale of the dire death and fate of the +wooers. And the people heard it, and all at once gathered together from every +side with sighing and groaning before the house of Odysseus. And each brought +forth his dead from the halls, and buried them; but those that came out of +other cities they placed on swift ships and sent with fisherfolk, each to be +carried to his own home. As for them they all fared together to the +assembly-place, in sorrow of heart. When they were all gathered and come +together, Eupeithes arose and spake among them, for a comfortless grief lay +heavy on his heart for his son Antinous, the first man that goodly Odysseus had +slain. Weeping for him he made harangue and spake among them: +</p> + +<p> +“Friends, a great deed truly hath this man devised against the Achaeans. +Some with his ships he led away, many men, and noble, and his hollow ships hath +he lost, and utterly lost of his company, and others again, and those far the +best of the Cephallenians he hath slain on his coming home. Up now, before ever +he gets him swiftly either to Pylos or to fair Elis, where the Epeians bear +sway, let us go forth; else even hereafter shall we have shame of face for +ever. For a scorn this is even for the ears of men unborn to hear, if we avenge +not ourselves on the slayers of our sons and of our brethren. Life would no +more be sweet to me, but rather would I die straightway and be with the +departed. Up, let us be going, lest these fellows be beforehand with us and get +them over the sea.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake weeping, and pity fell on all the Achaeans. Then came near to +them Medon and the divine minstrel, forth from the halls of Odysseus, for that +sleep had let them go. They stood in the midst of the gathering, and amazement +seized every man. Then Medon, wise of heart, spake among them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, for surely Odysseus planned not +these deeds without the will of the gods. Nay I myself beheld a god immortal, +who stood hard by Odysseus, in the perfect semblance of Mentor; now as a +deathless god was he manifest in front of Odysseus, cheering him, and yet again +scaring the wooers he stormed through the hall, and they fell thick one on +another.” +</p> + +<p> +Thus he spake, and pale fear gat hold of the limbs of all. Then the old man, +the lord Halitherses, spake among them, the son of Mastor, for he alone saw +before and after. Out of his good will be made harangue and spake among them, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I will say. +Through your own cowardice, my friends, have these deeds come to pass. For ye +obeyed not me, nor Mentor, the shepherd of the people, to make your sons cease +from their foolish ways. A great villainy they wrought in their evil +infatuation, wasting the wealth and holding in no regard the wife of a prince, +while they deemed that he would never more come home. And now let things be on +this wise, and obey my counsel. Let us not go forth against him, lest haply +some may find a bane of their own bringing.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, but they leapt up with a great cry, the more part of them, while +the rest abode there together; for his counsel was not to the mind of the more +part, but they gave ear to Eupeithes, and swiftly thereafter they rushed for +their armour. So when they had arrayed them in shining mail, they assembled +together in front of the spacious town. And Eupeithes led them in his +witlessness, for he thought to avenge the slaying of his son, yet himself was +never to return, but then and there to meet his doom. +</p> + +<p> +Now Athene spake to Zeus, the son of Cronos, saying: “O Father, our +father Cronides, throned in the highest, answer and tell me what is now the +hidden counsel of thy heart? Wilt thou yet further rouse up evil war and the +terrible din of battle, or art thou minded to set them at one again in +friendship?” +</p> + +<p> +Then Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, answered her saying: “My child, +why dost thou thus straitly question me, and ask me this? Nay didst not thou +thyself devise this very thought, namely, that Odysseus should indeed take +vengeance on these men at his coming? Do as thou wilt, but I will tell thee of +the better way. Now that goodly Odysseus hath wreaked vengeance on the wooers, +let them make a firm covenant together with sacrifice, and let him be king all +his days, and let us bring about oblivion of the slaying of their children and +their brethren; so may both sides love one another as of old, and let peace and +wealth abundant be their portion.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith he roused Athene to yet greater eagerness, and from the peaks of +Olympus she came glancing down. +</p> + +<p> +Now when they had put from them the desire of honey-sweet food, the steadfast +goodly Odysseus began to speak among them, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Let one go forth and see, lest the people be already drawing near +against us.” +</p> + +<p> +So he spake, and the son of Dolius went forth at his bidding, and stood on the +outer threshold and saw them all close at hand. Then straightway he spake to +Odysseus winged words: +</p> + +<p> +“Here they be, close upon us! Quick, let us to arms!” +</p> + +<p> +Thereon they rose up and arrayed them in their harness, Odysseus and his men +being four, and the six sons of Dolius, and likewise Laertes and Dolius did on +their armour, grey-headed as they were, warriors through stress of need. Now +when they had clad them in shining mail, they opened the gates and went forth +and Odysseus led them. +</p> + +<p> +Then Athene, daughter of Zeus, drew near them in the likeness of Mentor, in +fashion and in voice. And the steadfast goodly Odysseus beheld her and was +glad, and straightway he spake to Telemachus his dear son: +</p> + +<p> +“Telemachus, soon shalt thou learn this, when thou thyself art got to the +place of the battle where the best men try the issue,—namely, not to +bring shame on thy father’s house, on us who in time past have been +eminent for might and hardihood over all the world.” +</p> + +<p> +Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: “Thou shalt see me, if thou +wilt, dear father, in this my mood no whit disgracing thy line, according to +thy word.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake he, and Laertes was glad and spake, saying: “What a day has +dawned for me, kind gods; yea, a glad man am I! My son and my son’s son +are vying with one another in valour.” +</p> + +<p> +Then grey-eyed Athene stood beside Laertes, and spake to him: “O son of +Arceisius that art far the dearest of all my friends, pray first to the +grey-eyed maid and to father Zeus, then swing thy long spear aloft and hurl its +straightway.” +</p> + +<p> +Therewith Pallas Athene breathed into him great strength. Then he prayed to the +daughter of mighty Zeus, and straightway swung his long spear aloft and hurled +it, and smote Eupeithes through his casque with the cheek-piece of bronze. The +armour kept not out the spear that went clean through, and he fell with a +crash, and his arms rattled about his body. Then Odysseus and his renowned son +fell on the fore-fighters, and smote them with swords and two-headed spears. +And now would they have slain them all and cut off their return, had not Athene +called aloud, the daughter of Zeus lord of the aegis, and stayed all the host +of the enemy, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Hold your hands from fierce fighting, ye men of Ithaca, that so ye may +be parted quickly, without bloodshed.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Athene, and pale fear gat hold of them all. The arms flew from their +hands in their terror and fell all upon the ground, as the goddess uttered her +voice. To the city they turned their steps, as men fain of life, and the +steadfast goodly Odysseus with a terrible cry gathered himself together and +hurled in on them, like an eagle of lofty flight. Then in that hour the son of +Cronos cast forth a flaming bolt, and it fell at the feet of the grey-eyed +goddess, the daughter of the mighty Sire. Then grey-eyed Athene spake to +Odysseus, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, refrain +thee now and stay the strife of even-handed war, lest perchance the son of +Cronos be angry with thee, even Zeus of the far-borne voice.” +</p> + +<p> +So spake Athene, and he obeyed and was glad at heart. And thereafter Pallas +Athene set a covenant between them with sacrifice, she, the daughter of Zeus +lord of the aegis, in the likeness of Mentor, both in fashion and in voice. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="poem"> +Homer, thy song men liken to the sea,<br/> + With every note of music in his tone,<br/> + With tides that wash the dim dominion<br/> + Of Hades, and light waves that laugh in glee<br/> + Around the isles enchanted: nay, to me<br/> + Thy verse seems as the River of source unknown<br/> + That glasses Egypt’s temples overthrown,<br/> + In his sky-nurtur’d stream, eternally.<br/> + No wiser we than men of heretofore<br/> + To find thy mystic fountains guarded fast;<br/> + Enough—thy flood makes green our human shore<br/> + As Nilus, Egypt, rolling down his vast,<br/> + His fertile waters, murmuring evermore<br/> + Of gods dethroned, and empires of the Past.<br/> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +A. L. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 1728 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + + |