The Odyssey 2 PDF

The Odyssey
By Homer (Circa 700 BC)

Translated by Samuel Butler
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Preface to First Edition repeatedly before the English and Italian public ever since
they appeared (without rejoinder) in the ‘Athenaeum’ for
January 30 and February 20, 1892. Both contentions were
urged (also without rejoinder) in the Johnian ‘Eagle’ for the
Lent and October terms of the same year. Nothing to which
T his translation is intended to supplement a work enti-

tled ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’, which I published
in 1897. I could not give the whole ‘Odyssey’ in that book
I should reply has reached me from any quarter, and know-
ing how anxiously I have endeavoured to learn the existence
of any flaws in my argument, I begin to feel some confi-
without making it unwieldy, I therefore epitomised my dence that, did such flaws exist, I should have heard, at any
translation, which was already completed and which I now rate about some of them, before now. Without, therefore,
publish in full. for a moment pretending to think that scholars generally
I shall not here argue the two main points dealt with in acquiesce in my conclusions, I shall act as thinking them
the work just mentioned; I have nothing either to add to, or little likely so to gainsay me as that it will be incumbent
to withdraw from, what I have there written. The points in upon me to reply, and shall confine myself to translating
question are: the ‘Odyssey’ for English readers, with such notes as I think
(1) that the ‘Odyssey’ was written entirely at, and drawn will be found useful. Among these I would especially call
entirely from, the place now called Trapani on the West attention to one on xxii. 465-473 which Lord Grimthorpe
Coast of Sicily, alike as regards the Phaeacian and the Itha- has kindly allowed me to make public.
ca scenes; while the voyages of Ulysses, when once he is I have repeated several of the illustrations used in ‘The
within easy reach of Sicily, solve themselves into a periplus Authoress of the Odyssey’, and have added two which
of the island, practically from Trapani back to Trapani, via I hope may bring the outer court of Ulysses’ house more
the Lipari islands, the Straits of Messina, and the island of vividly before the reader. I should like to explain that the
Pantellaria; presence of a man and a dog in one illustration is accidental,
(2) That the poem was entirely written by a very young and was not observed by me till I developed the negative. In
woman, who lived at the place now called Trapani, and an appendix I have also reprinted the paragraphs explana-
introduced herself into her work under the name of Nau- tory of the plan of Ulysses’ house, together with the plan
sicaa. itself. The reader is recommended to study this plan with
The main arguments on which I base the first of these some attention.
somewhat startling contentions, have been prominently and In the preface to my translation of the ‘Iliad’ I have given
The Odyssey Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com

my views as to the main principles by which a translator gods had ordained that he should return home to Ithaca,
should be guided, and need not repeat them here, beyond not even there was he quit of labours, not even among his
pointing out that the initial liberty of translating poetry into own; but all the gods had pity on him save Poseidon, who
prose involves the continual taking of more or less liberty raged continually against godlike Odysseus, till he came to
throughout the translation; for much that is right in poetry his own country. Howbeit Poseidon had now departed for
is wrong in prose, and the exigencies of readable prose are the distant Ethiopians, the Ethiopians that are sundered in
the first things to be considered in a prose translation. That twain, the uttermost of men, abiding some where Hyperion
the reader, however, may see how far I have departed from sinks and some where he rises. There he looked to receive
strict construe, I will print here Messrs. Butcher and Lang’s his hecatomb of bulls and rams, there he made merry sit-
translation of the sixty lines or so of the ‘Odyssey.’ Their ting at the feast, but the other gods were gathered in the
translation runs: halls of Olympian Zeus. Then among them the father of
Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wan- men and gods began to speak, for he bethought him in his
dered far and wide, after he had sacked the sacred citadel heart of noble Aegisthus, whom the son of Agamemnon,
of Troy, and many were the men whose towns he saw and far-famed Orestes, slew. Thinking upon him he spake out
whose mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered among the Immortals:
in his heart on the deep, striving to win his own life and the ‘Lo you now, how vainly mortal men do blame the gods!
return of his company. Nay, but even so he saved not his For of us they say comes evil, whereas they even of them-
company, though he desired it sore. For through the blind- selves, through the blindness of their own hearts, have
ness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who devoured sorrows beyond that which is ordained. Even as of late Ae-
the oxen of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from them gisthus, beyond that which was ordained, took to him the
their day of returning. Of these things, goddess, daughter of wedded wife of the son of Atreus, and killed her lord on his
Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof, declare thou return, and that with sheer doom before his eyes, since we
even unto us. had warned him by the embassy of Hermes the keen-sight-
Now all the rest, as many as fled from sheer destruction, ed, the slayer of Argos, that he should neither kill the man,
were at home, and had escaped both war and sea, but Odys- nor woo his wife. For the son of Atreus shall be avenged at
seus only, craving for his wife and for his homeward path, the hand of Orestes, so soon as he shall come to man’s es-
the lady nymph Calypso held, that fair goddess, in her hol- tate and long for his own country. So spake Hermes, yet he
low caves, longing to have him for her lord. But when now prevailed not on the heart of Aegisthus, for all his good will;
the year had come in the courses of the seasons, wherein the but now hath he paid one price for all.’

And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him, say- a copy of the ‘Odyssey’ with the Iliadic passages underlined
ing: ‘O father, our father Cronides, throned in the highest; and referred to in MS.; I have also given an ‘Iliad’ marked
that man assuredly lies in a death that is his due; so perish with all the Odyssean passages, and their references; but
likewise all who work such deeds! But my heart is rent for copies of both the ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’ so marked ought to
wise Odysseus, the hapless one, who far from his friends be within easy reach of all students.
this long while suffereth affliction in a sea-girt isle, where is Any one who at the present day discusses the questions
the navel of the sea, a woodland isle, and therein a goddess that have arisen round the ‘Iliad’ since Wolf’s time, without
hath her habitation, the daughter of the wizard Atlas, who keeping it well before his reader’s mind that the ‘Odyssey’
knows the depths of every sea, and himself upholds the tall was demonstrably written from one single neighbourhood,
pillars which keep earth and sky asunder. His daughter it is and hence (even though nothing else pointed to this conclu-
that holds the hapless man in sorrow: and ever with soft and sion) presumably by one person only—that it was written
guileful tales she is wooing him to forgetfulness of Ithaca. certainly before 750, and in all probability before 1000
But Odysseus yearning to see if it were but the smoke leap B.C.—that the writer of this very early poem was demon-
upwards from his own land, hath a desire to die. As for thee, strably familiar with the ‘Iliad’ as we now have it, borrowing
thine heart regardeth it not at all, Olympian! What! Did not as freely from those books whose genuineness has been
Odysseus by the ships of the Argives make thee free offering most impugned, as from those which are admitted to be by
of sacrifice in the wide Trojan land? Wherefore wast thou Homer—any one who fails to keep these points before his
then so wroth with him, O Zeus?’ readers, is hardly dealing equitably by them. Any one on
The ‘Odyssey’ (as every one knows) abounds in passages the other hand, who will mark his ‘Iliad’ and his ‘Odyssey’
borrowed from the ‘Iliad”; I had wished to print these in a from the copies in the British Museum above referred to,
slightly different type, with marginal references to the ‘Il- and who will draw the only inference that common sense
iad,’ and had marked them to this end in my MS. I found, can draw from the presence of so many identical passages
however, that the translation would be thus hopelessly in both poems, will, I believe, find no difficulty in assign-
scholasticised, and abandoned my intention. I would nev- ing their proper value to a large number of books here and
ertheless urge on those who have the management of our on the Continent that at present enjoy considerable reputa-
University presses, that they would render a great service tions. Furthermore, and this perhaps is an advantage better
to students if they would publish a Greek text of the ‘Odys- worth securing, he will find that many puzzles of the ‘Od-
sey’ with the Iliadic passages printed in a different type, and yssey’ cease to puzzle him on the discovery that they arise
with marginal references. I have given the British Museum from over-saturation with the ‘Iliad.’

Other difficulties will also disappear as soon as the de- I believe this to be substantially correct.
velopment of the poem in the writer’s mind is understood. Lastly, to deal with a very unimportant point, I observe
I have dealt with this at some length in pp. 251-261 of ‘The that the Leipsic Teubner edition of 894 makes Books ii. and
Authoress of the Odyssey”. Briefly, the ‘Odyssey’ consists of iii. end with a comma. Stops are things of such far more re-
two distinct poems: (1) The Return of Ulysses, which alone cent date than the ‘Odyssey,’ that there does not seem much
the Muse is asked to sing in the opening lines of the poem. use in adhering to the text in so small a matter; still, from a
This poem includes the Phaeacian episode, and the account spirit of mere conservatism, I have preferred to do so. Why
of Ulysses’ adventures as told by himself in Books ix.-xii. It [Greek] at the beginnings of Books ii. and viii., and [Greek],
consists of lines 1-79 (roughly) of Book i., of line 28 of Book at the beginning of Book vii. should have initial capitals in
v., and thence without intermission to the middle of line an edition far too careful to admit a supposition of inadver-
187 of Book xiii., at which point the original scheme was tence, when [Greek] at the beginning of Books vi. and xiii.,
abandoned. and [Greek] at the beginning of Book xvii. have no initial
(2) The story of Penelope and the suitors, with the epi- capitals, I cannot determine. No other Books of the ‘Odys-
sode of Telemachus’ voyage to Pylos. This poem begins with sey’ have initial capitals except the three mentioned unless
line 80 (roughly) of Book i., is continued to the end of Book the first word of the Book is a proper name.
iv., and not resumed till Ulysses wakes in the middle of line
187, Book xiii., from whence it continues to the end of Book S. BUTLER.
xxiv. July 25, 1900.
In ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’, I wrote:
the introduction of lines xi., 115-137 and of line ix., 535,
with the writing a new council of the gods at the beginning
of Book v., to take the place of the one that was removed to
Book i., 1-79, were the only things that were done to give
even a semblance of unity to the old scheme and the new,
and to conceal the fact that the Muse, after being asked to
sing of one subject, spend two-thirds of her time in sing-
ing a very different one, with a climax for which no-one has
asked her. For roughly the Return occupies eight Books,
and Penelope and the Suitors sixteen.

Preface to Second Edition appeared two on the page. It has been necessary to reduce
the plan of the House of Ulysses.
On page 153 of ‘The Authoress’ Butler says: ‘No great
poet would compare his hero to a paunch full of blood and
fat, cooking before the fire (xx, 24-28).’ This passage is not
B utler’s Translation of the ‘Odyssey’ appeared original-

ly in 1900, and The Authoress of the Odyssey in 1897.
In the preface to the new edition of ‘The Authoress’, which
given in the abridged Story of the ‘Odyssey’ at the begin-
ning of the book, but in the Translation it occurs in these
words:
is published simultaneously with this new edition of the ‘Thus he chided with his heart, and checked it into en-
Translation, I have given some account of the genesis of the durance, but he tossed about as one who turns a paunch
two books. full of blood and fat in front of a hot fire, doing it first on
The size of the original page has been reduced so as to one side then on the other, that he may get it cooked as soon
make both books uniform with Butler’s other works; and, as possible; even so did he turn himself about from side to
fortunately, it has been possible, by using a smaller type, to side, thinking all the time how, singlehanded as he was, he
get the same number of words into each page, so that the should contrive to kill so large a body of men as the wicked
references remain good, and, with the exception of a few suitors.’
minor alterations and rearrangements now to be enumerat- It looks as though in the interval between the publica-
ed so far as they affect the Translation, the new editions are tion of ‘The Authoress’ (1897) and of the Translation (1900)
faithful reprints of the original editions, with misprints and Butler had changed his mind; for in the first case the com-
obvious errors corrected— no attempt having been made to parison is between Ulysses and a paunch full, etc., and
edit them or to bring them up to date. in the second it is between Ulysses and a man who turns
(a) The Index has been revised. a paunch full, etc. The second comparison is perhaps one
(b) Owing to the reduction in the size of the page it has which a great poet might make.
been necessary to shorten some of the headlines, and here In seeing the works through the press I have had the
advantage has been taken of various corrections of and ad- invaluable assistance of Mr. A. T. Bartholomew of the
ditions to the headlines and shoulder-notes made by Butler University Library, Cambridge, and of Mr. Donald S. Rob-
in his own copies of the two books. ertson, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. To both these
(c) For the most part each of the illustrations now occu- friends I give my most cordial thanks for the care and skill
pies a page, whereas in the original editions they generally exercised by them. Mr. Robertson has found time for the
10 The Odyssey Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com 11

labour of checking and correcting all the quotations from
and references to the ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey,’ and I believe that BOOK I
it could not have been better performed. It was, I know, a
pleasure for him; and it would have been a pleasure also for THE GODS IN COUNCIL—
Butler if he could have known that his work was being shep-
herded by the son of his old friend, Mr. H. R. Robertson, MIVERVA’S VISIT TO
who more than half a century ago was a fellow-student with
him at Cary’s School of Art in Streatham Street, Blooms- ITHACA—THE CHALLENGE
bury.
HENRY FESTING JONES. FROM TELEMACHUS
120 MAIDA VALE, W.9.
4th December, 1921. TO THE SUITORS.
T ell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far

and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy.
Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with
whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover
he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life
and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he
could not save his men, for they perished through their own
sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so
the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me,
too, about all these things, oh daughter of Jove, from what-
soever source you may know them.
So now all who escaped death in battle or by shipwreck
had got safely home except Ulysses, and he, though he was
longing to return to his wife and country, was detained by

the goddess Calypso, who had got him into a large cave and from all his friends. It is an island covered with forest, in
wanted to marry him. But as years went by, there came a the very middle of the sea, and a goddess lives there, daugh-
time when the gods settled that he should go back to Ithaca; ter of the magician Atlas, who looks after the bottom of the
even then, however, when he was among his own people, ocean, and carries the great columns that keep heaven and
his troubles were not yet over; nevertheless all the gods had earth asunder. This daughter of Atlas has got hold of poor
now begun to pity him except Neptune, who still persecut- unhappy Ulysses, and keeps trying by every kind of blan-
ed him without ceasing and would not let him get home. dishment to make him forget his home, so that he is tired of
Now Neptune had gone off to the Ethiopians, who are at life, and thinks of nothing but how he may once more see
the world’s end, and lie in two halves, the one looking West the smoke of his own chimneys. You, sir, take no heed of
and the other East. {1} He had gone there to accept a heca- this, and yet when Ulysses was before Troy did he not propi-
tomb of sheep and oxen, and was enjoying himself at his tiate you with many a burnt sacrifice? Why then should you
festival; but the other gods met in the house of Olympian keep on being so angry with him?’
Jove, and the sire of gods and men spoke first. At that mo- And Jove said, ‘My child, what are you talking about?
ment he was thinking of Aegisthus, who had been killed by How can I forget Ulysses than whom there is no more ca-
Agamemnon’s son Orestes; so he said to the other gods: pable man on earth, nor more liberal in his offerings to the
‘See now, how men lay blame upon us gods for what is immortal gods that live in heaven? Bear in mind, however,
after all nothing but their own folly. Look at Aegisthus; he that Neptune is still furious with Ulysses for having blind-
must needs make love to Agamemnon’s wife unrighteous- ed an eye of Polyphemus king of the Cyclopes. Polyphemus
ly and then kill Agamemnon, though he knew it would be is son to Neptune by the nymph Thoosa, daughter to the
the death of him; for I sent Mercury to warn him not to do sea-king Phorcys; therefore though he will not kill Ulysses
either of these things, inasmuch as Orestes would be sure outright, he torments him by preventing him from getting
to take his revenge when he grew up and wanted to return home. Still, let us lay our heads together and see how we can
home. Mercury told him this in all good will but he would help him to return; Neptune will then be pacified, for if we
not listen, and now he has paid for everything in full.’ are all of a mind he can hardly stand out against us.’
Then Minerva said, ‘Father, son of Saturn, King of kings, And Minerva said, ‘Father, son of Saturn, King of kings,
it served Aegisthus right, and so it would any one else who if, then, the gods now mean that Ulysses should get home,
does as he did; but Aegisthus is neither here nor there; it is we should first send Mercury to the Ogygian island to tell
for Ulysses that my heart bleeds, when I think of his suf- Calypso that we have made up our minds and that he is to
ferings in that lonely sea-girt island, far away, poor man, return. In the meantime I will go to Ithaca, to put heart into

Ulysses’ son Telemachus; I will embolden him to call the give him her spear. ‘Welcome,’ said he, ‘to our house, and
Achaeans in assembly, and speak out to the suitors of his when you have partaken of food you shall tell us what you
mother Penelope, who persist in eating up any number of have come for.’
his sheep and oxen; I will also conduct him to Sparta and to He led the way as he spoke, and Minerva followed him.
Pylos, to see if he can hear anything about the return of his When they were within he took her spear and set it in the
dear father—for this will make people speak well of him.’ spear-stand against a strong bearing-post along with the
So saying she bound on her glittering golden sandals, many other spears of his unhappy father, and he conducted
imperishable, with which she can fly like the wind over land her to a richly decorated seat under which he threw a cloth
or sea; she grasped the redoubtable bronze-shod spear, so of damask. There was a footstool also for her feet,{2} and he
stout and sturdy and strong, wherewith she quells the ranks set another seat near her for himself, away from the suitors,
of heroes who have displeased her, and down she darted that she might not be annoyed while eating by their noise
from the topmost summits of Olympus, whereon forthwith and insolence, and that he might ask her more freely about
she was in Ithaca, at the gateway of Ulysses’ house, dis- his father.
guised as a visitor, Mentes, chief of the Taphians, and she A maid servant then brought them water in a beautiful
held a bronze spear in her hand. There she found the lordly golden ewer and poured it into a silver basin for them to
suitors seated on hides of the oxen which they had killed wash their hands, and she drew a clean table beside them.
and eaten, and playing draughts in front of the house. Men- An upper servant brought them bread, and offered them
servants and pages were bustling about to wait upon them, many good things of what there was in the house, the carv-
some mixing wine with water in the mixing-bowls, some er fetched them plates of all manner of meats and set cups
cleaning down the tables with wet sponges and laying them of gold by their side, and a manservant brought them wine
out again, and some cutting up great quantities of meat. and poured it out for them.
Telemachus saw her long before any one else did. He was Then the suitors came in and took their places on the
sitting moodily among the suitors thinking about his brave benches and seats. {3} Forthwith men servants poured water
father, and how he would send them flying out of the house, over their hands, maids went round with the bread-baskets,
if he were to come to his own again and be honoured as pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water, and
in days gone by. Thus brooding as he sat among them, he they laid their hands upon the good things that were be-
caught sight of Minerva and went straight to the gate, for fore them. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink
he was vexed that a stranger should be kept waiting for ad- they wanted music and dancing, which are the crowning
mittance. He took her right hand in his own, and bade her embellishments of a banquet, so a servant brought a lyre to

Phemius, whom they compelled perforce to sing to them. the wooded mountain Neritum. {6} Our fathers were friends
As soon as he touched his lyre and began to sing Telema- before us, as old Laertes will tell you, if you will go and ask
chus spoke low to Minerva, with his head close to hers that him. They say, however, that he never comes to town now,
no man might hear. and lives by himself in the country, faring hardly, with an
‘I hope, sir,’ said he, ‘that you will not be offended with old woman to look after him and get his dinner for him,
what I am going to say. Singing comes cheap to those who when he comes in tired from pottering about his vineyard.
do not pay for it, and all this is done at the cost of one whose They told me your father was at home again, and that was
bones lie rotting in some wilderness or grinding to powder why I came, but it seems the gods are still keeping him back,
in the surf. If these men were to see my father come back to for he is not dead yet not on the mainland. It is more likely
Ithaca they would pray for longer legs rather than a longer he is on some sea-girt island in mid ocean, or a prisoner
purse, for money would not serve them; but he, alas, has among savages who are detaining him against his will. I am
fallen on an ill fate, and even when people do sometimes say no prophet, and know very little about omens, but I speak
that he is coming, we no longer heed them; we shall never as it is borne in upon me from heaven, and assure you that
see him again. And now, sir, tell me and tell me true, who he will not be away much longer; for he is a man of such re-
you are and where you come from. Tell me of your town and source that even though he were in chains of iron he would
parents, what manner of ship you came in, how your crew find some means of getting home again. But tell me, and tell
brought you to Ithaca, and of what nation they declared me true, can Ulysses really have such a fine looking fellow
themselves to be—for you cannot have come by land. Tell for a son? You are indeed wonderfully like him about the
me also truly, for I want to know, are you a stranger to this head and eyes, for we were close friends before he set sail for
house, or have you been here in my father’s time? In the old Troy where the flower of all the Argives went also. Since that
days we had many visitors for my father went about much time we have never either of us seen the other.’
himself.’ ‘My mother,’ answered Telemachus, ‘tells me I am son
And Minerva answered, ‘I will tell you truly and partic- to Ulysses, but it is a wise child that knows his own father.
ularly all about it. I am Mentes, son of Anchialus, and I am Would that I were son to one who had grown old upon
King of the Taphians. I have come here with my ship and his own estates, for, since you ask me, there is no more ill-
crew, on a voyage to men of a foreign tongue being bound starred man under heaven than he who they tell me is my
for Temesa {4} with a cargo of iron, and I shall bring back father.’
copper. As for my ship, it lies over yonder off the open coun- And Minerva said, ‘There is no fear of your race dying
try away from the town, in the harbour Rheithron {5} under out yet, while Penelope has such a fine son as you are. But

tell me, and tell me true, what is the meaning of all this want Ulysses home again. Give him his helmet, shield, and
feasting, and who are these people? What is it all about? a couple of lances, and if he is the man he was when I first
Have you some banquet, or is there a wedding in the fam- knew him in our house, drinking and making merry, he
ily—for no one seems to be bringing any provisions of his would soon lay his hands about these rascally suitors, were
own? And the guests—how atrociously they are behaving; he to stand once more upon his own threshold. He was then
what riot they make over the whole house; it is enough to coming from Ephyra, where he had been to beg poison for
disgust any respectable person who comes near them.’ his arrows from Ilus, son of Mermerus. Ilus feared the ever-
‘Sir,’ said Telemachus, ‘as regards your question, so living gods and would not give him any, but my father let
long as my father was here it was well with us and with the him have some, for he was very fond of him. If Ulysses is the
house, but the gods in their displeasure have willed it other- man he then was these suitors will have a short shrift and a
wise, and have hidden him away more closely than mortal sorry wedding.
man was ever yet hidden. I could have borne it better even ‘But there! It rests with heaven to determine whether he
though he were dead, if he had fallen with his men before is to return, and take his revenge in his own house or no; I
Troy, or had died with friends around him when the days of would, however, urge you to set about trying to get rid of
his fighting were done; for then the Achaeans would have these suitors at once. Take my advice, call the Achaean he-
built a mound over his ashes, and I should myself have been roes in assembly to-morrow morning—lay your case before
heir to his renown; but now the storm-winds have spirited them, and call heaven to bear you witness. Bid the suit-
him away we know not whither; he is gone without leaving ors take themselves off, each to his own place, and if your
so much as a trace behind him, and I inherit nothing but mother’s mind is set on marrying again, let her go back to
dismay. Nor does the matter end simply with grief for the her father, who will find her a husband and provide her with
loss of my father; heaven has laid sorrows upon me of yet all the marriage gifts that so dear a daughter may expect. As
another kind; for the chiefs from all our islands, Dulichi- for yourself, let me prevail upon you to take the best ship
um, Same, and the woodland island of Zacynthus, as also you can get, with a crew of twenty men, and go in quest of
all the principal men of Ithaca itself, are eating up my house your father who has so long been missing. Some one may
under the pretext of paying their court to my mother, who tell you something, or (and people often hear things in this
will neither point blank say that she will not marry, {7} nor way) some heaven-sent message may direct you. First go
yet bring matters to an end; so they are making havoc of my to Pylos and ask Nestor; thence go on to Sparta and visit
estate, and before long will do so also with myself.’ Menelaus, for he got home last of all the Achaeans; if you
‘Is that so?’ exclaimed Minerva, ‘then you do indeed hear that your father is alive and on his way home, you can

put up with the waste these suitors will make for yet an- think more than ever about his father. He felt the change,
other twelve months. If on the other hand you hear of his wondered at it, and knew that the stranger had been a god,
death, come home at once, celebrate his funeral rites with so he went straight to where the suitors were sitting.
all due pomp, build a barrow to his memory, and make your Phemius was still singing, and his hearers sat rapt in si-
mother marry again. Then, having done all this, think it well lence as he told the sad tale of the return from Troy, and the
over in your mind how, by fair means or foul, you may kill ills Minerva had laid upon the Achaeans. Penelope, daugh-
these suitors in your own house. You are too old to plead ter of Icarius, heard his song from her room upstairs, and
infancy any longer; have you not heard how people are sing- came down by the great staircase, not alone, but attended
ing Orestes’ praises for having killed his father’s murderer by two of her handmaids. When she reached the suitors she
Aegisthus? You are a fine, smart looking fellow; show your stood by one of the bearing posts that supported the roof
mettle, then, and make yourself a name in story. Now, how- of the cloisters {8} with a staid maiden on either side of her.
ever, I must go back to my ship and to my crew, who will be She held a veil, moreover, before her face, and was weeping
impatient if I keep them waiting longer; think the matter bitterly.
over for yourself, and remember what I have said to you.’ ‘Phemius,’ she cried, ‘you know many another feat of
‘Sir,’ answered Telemachus, ‘it has been very kind of you gods and heroes, such as poets love to celebrate. Sing the
to talk to me in this way, as though I were your own son, suitors some one of these, and let them drink their wine in
and I will do all you tell me; I know you want to be getting silence, but cease this sad tale, for it breaks my sorrowful
on with your voyage, but stay a little longer till you have heart, and reminds me of my lost husband whom I mourn
taken a bath and refreshed yourself. I will then give you a ever without ceasing, and whose name was great over all
present, and you shall go on your way rejoicing; I will give Hellas and middle Argos.’ {9}
you one of great beauty and value—a keepsake such as only ‘Mother,’ answered Telemachus, ‘let the bard sing what
dear friends give to one another.’ he has a mind to; bards do not make the ills they sing of;
Minerva answered, ‘Do not try to keep me, for I would it is Jove, not they, who makes them, and who sends weal
be on my way at once. As for any present you may be dis- or woe upon mankind according to his own good pleasure.
posed to make me, keep it till I come again, and I will take it This fellow means no harm by singing the ill-fated return
home with me. You shall give me a very good one, and I will of the Danaans, for people always applaud the latest songs
give you one of no less value in return.’ most warmly. Make up your mind to it and bear it; Ulysses
With these words she flew away like a bird into the air, is not the only man who never came back from Troy, but
but she had given Telemachus courage, and had made him many another went down as well as he. Go, then, within the

house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom, is dead there are many great men in Ithaca both old and
your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for speech is young, and some other may take the lead among them; nev-
man’s matter, and mine above all others {10}—for it is I who ertheless I will be chief in my own house, and will rule those
am master here.’ whom Ulysses has won for me.’
She went wondering back into the house, and laid her Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered, ‘It rests
son’s saying in her heart. Then, going upstairs with her with heaven to decide who shall be chief among us, but
handmaids into her room, she mourned her dear husband you shall be master in your own house and over your own
till Minerva shed sweet sleep over her eyes. But the suitors possessions; no one while there is a man in Ithaca shall do
were clamorous throughout the covered cloisters {11}, and you violence nor rob you. And now, my good fellow, I want
prayed each one that he might be her bed fellow. to know about this stranger. What country does he come
Then Telemachus spoke, ‘Shameless,’ he cried, ‘and inso- from? Of what family is he, and where is his estate? Has he
lent suitors, let us feast at our pleasure now, and let there be brought you news about the return of your father, or was he
no brawling, for it is a rare thing to hear a man with such on business of his own? He seemed a well to do man, but he
a divine voice as Phemius has; but in the morning meet me hurried off so suddenly that he was gone in a moment be-
in full assembly that I may give you formal notice to depart, fore we could get to know him.’
and feast at one another’s houses, turn and turn about, at ‘My father is dead and gone,’ answered Telemachus, ‘and
your own cost. If on the other hand you choose to persist even if some rumour reaches me I put no more faith in it
in spunging upon one man, heaven help me, but Jove shall now. My mother does indeed sometimes send for a sooth-
reckon with you in full, and when you fall in my father’s sayer and question him, but I give his prophecyings no
house there shall be no man to avenge you.’ heed. As for the stranger, he was Mentes, son of Anchialus,
The suitors bit their lips as they heard him, and mar- chief of the Taphians, an old friend of my father’s.’ But in his
velled at the boldness of his speech. Then, Antinous, son of heart he knew that it had been the goddess.
Eupeithes, said, ‘The gods seem to have given you lessons in The suitors then returned to their singing and dancing
bluster and tall talking; may Jove never grant you to be chief until the evening; but when night fell upon their pleasuring
in Ithaca as your father was before you.’ they went home to bed each in his own abode. {12} Telema-
Telemachus answered, ‘Antinous, do not chide with me, chus’s room was high up in a tower {13} that looked on to
but, god willing, I will be chief too if I can. Is this the worst the outer court; hither, then, he hied, brooding and full of
fate you can think of for me? It is no bad thing to be a chief, thought. A good old woman, Euryclea, daughter of Ops, the
for it brings both riches and honour. Still, now that Ulysses son of Pisenor, went before him with a couple of blazing

torches. Laertes had bought her with his own money when
she was quite young; he gave the worth of twenty oxen for BOOK II
her, and shewed as much respect to her in his household as
he did to his own wedded wife, but he did not take her to his ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE
bed for he feared his wife’s resentment. {14} She it was who
now lighted Telemachus to his room, and she loved him OF ITHACA—SPEECHES OF
better than any of the other women in the house did, for she
had nursed him when he was a baby. He opened the door of TELEMACHUS AND OF THE
his bed room and sat down upon the bed; as he took off his
shirt {15} he gave it to the good old woman, who folded it ti- SUITORS—TELEMACHUS
dily up, and hung it for him over a peg by his bed side, after
which she went out, pulled the door to by a silver catch, and MAKES HIS PREPARATIONS
drew the bolt home by means of the strap. {16} But Telema-
chus as he lay covered with a woollen fleece kept thinking AND STARTS FOR
all night through of his intended voyage and of the counsel
that Minerva had given him. PYLOS WITH MINERVA
DISGUISED AS MENTOR.
N ow when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,

appeared Telemachus rose and dressed himself. He
bound his sandals on to his comely feet, girded his sword
about his shoulder, and left his room looking like an im-
mortal god. He at once sent the criers round to call the
people in assembly, so they called them and the people gath-
ered thereon; then, when they were got together, he went to
the place of assembly spear in hand—not alone, for his two

hounds went with him. Minerva endowed him with a pres- you, nor is there any matter of public moment on which I
ence of such divine comeliness that all marvelled at him as would speak. My grievance is purely personal, and turns on
he went by, and when he took his place in his father’s seat two great misfortunes which have fallen upon my house.
even the oldest councillors made way for him. The first of these is the loss of my excellent father, who was
Aegyptius, a man bent double with age, and of infinite chief among all you here present, and was like a father to
experience, was the first to speak. His son Antiphus had every one of you; the second is much more serious, and ere
gone with Ulysses to Ilius, land of noble steeds, but the long will be the utter ruin of my estate. The sons of all the
savage Cyclops had killed him when they were all shut up chief men among you are pestering my mother to marry
in the cave, and had cooked his last dinner for him. {17} them against her will. They are afraid to go to her father
He had three sons left, of whom two still worked on their Icarius, asking him to choose the one he likes best, and to
father’s land, while the third, Eurynomus, was one of the provide marriage gifts for his daughter, but day by day they
suitors; nevertheless their father could not get over the loss keep hanging about my father’s house, sacrificing our oxen,
of Antiphus, and was still weeping for him when he began sheep, and fat goats for their banquets, and never giving so
his speech. much as a thought to the quantity of wine they drink. No
‘Men of Ithaca,’ he said, ‘hear my words. From the day estate can stand such recklessness; we have now no Ulyss-
Ulysses left us there has been no meeting of our councillors es to ward off harm from our doors, and I cannot hold my
until now; who then can it be, whether old or young, that own against them. I shall never all my days be as good a
finds it so necessary to convene us? Has he got wind of some man as he was, still I would indeed defend myself if I had
host approaching, and does he wish to warn us, or would he power to do so, for I cannot stand such treatment any lon-
speak upon some other matter of public moment? I am sure ger; my house is being disgraced and ruined. Have respect,
he is an excellent person, and I hope Jove will grant him his therefore, to your own consciences and to public opinion.
heart’s desire.’ Fear, too, the wrath of heaven, lest the gods should be dis-
Telemachus took this speech as of good omen and rose at pleased and turn upon you. I pray you by Jove and Themis,
once, for he was bursting with what he had to say. He stood who is the beginning and the end of councils, [do not] hold
in the middle of the assembly and the good herald Pise- back, my friends, and leave me singlehanded {18}—unless
nor brought him his staff. Then, turning to Aegyptius, ‘Sir,’ it be that my brave father Ulysses did some wrong to the
said he, ‘it is I, as you will shortly learn, who have convened Achaeans which you would now avenge on me, by aiding
you, for it is I who am the most aggrieved. I have not got and abetting these suitors. Moreover, if I am to be eaten out
wind of any host approaching about which I would warn of house and home at all, I had rather you did the eating

yourselves, for I could then take action against you to some had to finish it whether she would or no. The suitors, there-
purpose, and serve you with notices from house to house fore, make you this answer, that both you and the Achaeans
till I got paid in full, whereas now I have no remedy.’ {19} may understand-’Send your mother away, and bid her mar-
With this Telemachus dashed his staff to the ground and ry the man of her own and of her father’s choice’; for I do
burst into tears. Every one was very sorry for him, but they not know what will happen if she goes on plaguing us much
all sat still and no one ventured to make him an angry an- longer with the airs she gives herself on the score of the ac-
swer, save only Antinous, who spoke thus: complishments Minerva has taught her, and because she is
‘Telemachus, insolent braggart that you are, how dare so clever. We never yet heard of such a woman; we know all
you try to throw the blame upon us suitors? It is your moth- about Tyro, Alcmena, Mycene, and the famous women of
er’s fault not ours, for she is a very artful woman. This three old, but they were nothing to your mother any one of them.
years past, and close on four, she had been driving us out of It was not fair of her to treat us in that way, and as long
our minds, by encouraging each one of us, and sending him as she continues in the mind with which heaven has now
messages without meaning one word of what she says. And endowed her, so long shall we go on eating up your estate;
then there was that other trick she played us. She set up a and I do not see why she should change, for she gets all the
great tambour frame in her room, and began to work on an honour and glory, and it is you who pay for it, not she. Un-
enormous piece of fine needlework. ‘Sweet hearts,’ said she, derstand, then, that we will not go back to our lands, neither
‘Ulysses is indeed dead, still do not press me to marry again here nor elsewhere, till she has made her choice and mar-
immediately, wait—for I would not have skill in needlework ried some one or other of us.’
perish unrecorded—till I have completed a pall for the hero Telemachus answered, ‘Antinous, how can I drive the
Laertes, to be in readiness against the time when death shall mother who bore me from my father’s house? My father is
take him. He is very rich, and the women of the place will abroad and we do not know whether he is alive or dead. It
talk if he is laid out without a pall.’ will be hard on me if I have to pay Icarius the large sum
‘This was what she said, and we assented; whereon we which I must give him if I insist on sending his daughter
could see her working on her great web all day long, but at back to him. Not only will he deal rigorously with me, but
night she would unpick the stitches again by torchlight. She heaven will also punish me; for my mother when she leaves
fooled us in this way for three years and we never found the house will call on the Erinyes to avenge her; besides, it
her out, but as time wore on and she was now in her fourth would not be a creditable thing to do, and I will have noth-
year, one of her maids who knew what she was doing told ing to say to it. If you choose to take offence at this, leave the
us, and we caught her in the act of undoing her work, so she house and feast elsewhere at one another’s houses at your

own cost turn and turn about. If, on the other hand, you man, and prophesy to your own children, or it may be worse
elect to persist in spunging upon one man, heaven help me, for them. I can read these omens myself much better than
but Jove shall reckon with you in full, and when you fall in you can; birds are always flying about in the sunshine some-
my father’s house there shall be no man to avenge you.’ where or other, but they seldom mean anything. Ulysses has
As he spoke Jove sent two eagles from the top of the died in a far country, and it is a pity you are not dead along
mountain, and they flew on and on with the wind, sailing with him, instead of prating here about omens and adding
side by side in their own lordly flight. When they were right fuel to the anger of Telemachus which is fierce enough as
over the middle of the assembly they wheeled and circled it is. I suppose you think he will give you something for
about, beating the air with their wings and glaring death your family, but I tell you—and it shall surely be—when an
into the eyes of them that were below; then, fighting fiercely old man like you, who should know better, talks a young
and tearing at one another, they flew off towards the right one over till he becomes troublesome, in the first place his
over the town. The people wondered as they saw them, and young friend will only fare so much the worse—he will take
asked each other what all this might be; whereon Halith- nothing by it, for the suitors will prevent this—and in the
erses, who was the best prophet and reader of omens among next, we will lay a heavier fine, sir, upon yourself than you
them, spoke to them plainly and in all honesty, saying: will at all like paying, for it will bear hardly upon you. As for
‘Hear me, men of Ithaca, and I speak more particularly Telemachus, I warn him in the presence of you all to send
to the suitors, for I see mischief brewing for them. Ulysses is his mother back to her father, who will find her a husband
not going to be away much longer; indeed he is close at hand and provide her with all the marriage gifts so dear a daugh-
to deal out death and destruction, not on them alone, but on ter may expect. Till then we shall go on harassing him with
many another of us who live in Ithaca. Let us then be wise our suit; for we fear no man, and care neither for him, with
in time, and put a stop to this wickedness before he comes. all his fine speeches, nor for any fortune-telling of yours.
Let the suitors do so of their own accord; it will be better You may preach as much as you please, but we shall only
for them, for I am not prophesying without due knowledge; hate you the more. We shall go back and continue to eat up
everything has happened to Ulysses as I foretold when the Telemachus’s estate without paying him, till such time as
Argives set out for Troy, and he with them. I said that af- his mother leaves off tormenting us by keeping us day after
ter going through much hardship and losing all his men he day on the tiptoe of expectation, each vying with the other
should come home again in the twentieth year and that no in his suit for a prize of such rare perfection. Besides we
one would know him; and now all this is coming true.’ cannot go after the other women whom we should marry in
Eurymachus son of Polybus then said, ‘Go home, old due course, but for the way in which she treats us.’

Then Telemachus said, ‘Eurymachus, and you other suit- Leiocritus, son of Evenor, answered him saying, ‘Mentor,
ors, I shall say no more, and entreat you no further, for the what folly is all this, that you should set the people to stay
gods and the people of Ithaca now know my story. Give me, us? It is a hard thing for one man to fight with many about
then, a ship and a crew of twenty men to take me hither and his victuals. Even though Ulysses himself were to set upon
thither, and I will go to Sparta and to Pylos in quest of my us while we are feasting in his house, and do his best to
father who has so long been missing. Some one may tell me oust us, his wife, who wants him back so very badly, would
something, or (and people often hear things in this way) have small cause for rejoicing, and his blood would be upon
some heaven-sent message may direct me. If I can hear of his own head if he fought against such great odds. There is
him as alive and on his way home I will put up with the no sense in what you have been saying. Now, therefore, do
waste you suitors will make for yet another twelve months. you people go about your business, and let his father’s old
If on the other hand I hear of his death, I will return at once, friends, Mentor and Halitherses, speed this boy on his jour-
celebrate his funeral rites with all due pomp, build a barrow ney, if he goes at all—which I do not think he will, for he is
to his memory, and make my mother marry again.’ more likely to stay where he is till some one comes and tells
With these words he sat down, and Mentor {20} who had him something.’
been a friend of Ulysses, and had been left in charge of ev- On this he broke up the assembly, and every man went
erything with full authority over the servants, rose to speak. back to his own abode, while the suitors returned to the
He, then, plainly and in all honesty addressed them thus: house of Ulysses.
‘Hear me, men of Ithaca, I hope that you may never have Then Telemachus went all alone by the sea side, washed
a kind and well-disposed ruler any more, nor one who will his hands in the grey waves, and prayed to Minerva.
govern you equitably; I hope that all your chiefs hencefor- ‘Hear me,’ he cried, ‘you god who visited me yesterday,
ward may be cruel and unjust, for there is not one of you but and bade me sail the seas in search of my father who has so
has forgotten Ulysses, who ruled you as though he were your long been missing. I would obey you, but the Achaeans, and
father. I am not half so angry with the suitors, for if they more particularly the wicked suitors, are hindering me that
choose to do violence in the naughtiness of their hearts, and I cannot do so.’
wager their heads that Ulysses will not return, they can take As he thus prayed, Minerva came close up to him in the
the high hand and eat up his estate, but as for you others I likeness and with the voice of Mentor. ‘Telemachus,’ said
am shocked at the way in which you all sit still without even she, ‘if you are made of the same stuff as your father you will
trying to stop such scandalous goings on—which you could be neither fool nor coward henceforward, for Ulysses never
do if you chose, for you are many and they are few.’ broke his word nor left his work half done. If, then, you take

after him, your voyage will not be fruitless, but unless you to do. The Achaeans will find you in everything—a ship and
have the blood of Ulysses and of Penelope in your veins I a picked crew to boot—so that you can set sail for Pylos at
see no likelihood of your succeeding. Sons are seldom as once and get news of your noble father.’
good men as their fathers; they are generally worse, not bet- ‘Antinous,’ answered Telemachus, ‘I cannot eat in peace,
ter; still, as you are not going to be either fool or coward nor take pleasure of any kind with such men as you are. Was
henceforward, and are not entirely without some share of it not enough that you should waste so much good proper-
your father’s wise discernment, I look with hope upon your ty of mine while I was yet a boy? Now that I am older and
undertaking. But mind you never make common cause know more about it, I am also stronger, and whether here
with any of those foolish suitors, for they have neither sense among this people, or by going to Pylos, I will do you all the
nor virtue, and give no thought to death and to the doom harm I can. I shall go, and my going will not be in vain—
that will shortly fall on one and all of them, so that they though, thanks to you suitors, I have neither ship nor crew
shall perish on the same day. As for your voyage, it shall of my own, and must be passenger not captain.’
not be long delayed; your father was such an old friend of As he spoke he snatched his hand from that of Antinous.
mine that I will find you a ship, and will come with you Meanwhile the others went on getting dinner ready about
myself. Now, however, return home, and go about among the buildings, {21} jeering at him tauntingly as they did so.
the suitors; begin getting provisions ready for your voyage; ‘Telemachus,’ said one youngster, ‘means to be the death
see everything well stowed, the wine in jars, and the barley of us; I suppose he thinks he can bring friends to help him
meal, which is the staff of life, in leathern bags, while I go from Pylos, or again from Sparta, where he seems bent on
round the town and beat up volunteers at once. There are going. Or will he go to Ephyra as well, for poison to put in
many ships in Ithaca both old and new; I will run my eye our wine and kill us?’
over them for you and will choose the best; we will get her Another said, ‘Perhaps if Telemachus goes on board ship,
ready and will put out to sea without delay.’ he will be like his father and perish far from his friends. In
Thus spoke Minerva daughter of Jove, and Telemachus this case we should have plenty to do, for we could then di-
lost no time in doing as the goddess told him. He went vide up his property amongst us: as for the house we can let
moodily home, and found the suitors flaying goats and his mother and the man who marries her have that.’
singeing pigs in the outer court. Antinous came up to him This was how they talked. But Telemachus went down
at once and laughed as he took his hand in his own, saying, into the lofty and spacious store-room where his father’s
‘Telemachus, my fine fire-eater, bear no more ill blood nei- treasure of gold and bronze lay heaped up upon the floor,
ther in word nor deed, but eat and drink with us as you used and where the linen and spare clothes were kept in open

chests. Here, too, there was a store of fragrant olive oil, on the barren ocean.’
while casks of old, well-ripened wine, unblended and fit for ‘Fear not, nurse,’ answered Telemachus, ‘my scheme is
a god to drink, were ranged against the wall in case Ulyss- not without heaven’s sanction; but swear that you will say
es should come home again after all. The room was closed nothing about all this to my mother, till I have been away
with well-made doors opening in the middle; moreover the some ten or twelve days, unless she hears of my having
faithful old house-keeper Euryclea, daughter of Ops the son gone, and asks you; for I do not want her to spoil her beauty
of Pisenor, was in charge of everything both night and day. by crying.’
Telemachus called her to the store-room and said: The old woman swore most solemnly that she would not,
‘Nurse, draw me off some of the best wine you have, af- and when she had completed her oath, she began drawing
ter what you are keeping for my father’s own drinking, in off the wine into jars, and getting the barley meal into the
case, poor man, he should escape death, and find his way bags, while Telemachus went back to the suitors.
home again after all. Let me have twelve jars, and see that Then Minerva bethought her of another matter. She took
they all have lids; also fill me some well-sewn leathern bags his shape, and went round the town to each one of the crew,
with barley meal—about twenty measures in all. Get these telling them to meet at the ship by sundown. She went also
things put together at once, and say nothing about it. I will to Noemon son of Phronius, and asked him to let her have a
take everything away this evening as soon as my mother ship—which he was very ready to do. When the sun had set
has gone upstairs for the night. I am going to Sparta and to and darkness was over all the land, she got the ship into the
Pylos to see if I can hear anything about the return of my water, put all the tackle on board her that ships generally
dear father.’ carry, and stationed her at the end of the harbour. Presently
When Euryclea heard this she began to cry, and spoke the crew came up, and the goddess spoke encouragingly to
fondly to him, saying, ‘My dear child, what ever can have each of them.
put such notion as that into your head? Where in the world Furthermore she went to the house of Ulysses, and threw
do you want to go to—you, who are the one hope of the the suitors into a deep slumber. She caused their drink to
house? Your poor father is dead and gone in some foreign fuddle them, and made them drop their cups from their
country nobody knows where, and as soon as your back hands, so that instead of sitting over their wine, they went
is turned these wicked ones here will be scheming to get back into the town to sleep, with their eyes heavy and full
you put out of the way, and will share all your possessions of drowsiness. Then she took the form and voice of Mentor,
among themselves; stay where you are among your own and called Telemachus to come outside.
people, and do not go wandering and worrying your life out ‘Telemachus,’ said she, ‘the men are on board and at their

oars, waiting for you to give your orders, so make haste and
let us be off.’ BOOK III
On this she led the way, while Telemachus followed in
her steps. When they got to the ship they found the crew TELEMACHUS VISITS
waiting by the water side, and Telemachus said, ‘Now my
men, help me to get the stores on board; they are all put NESTOR AT PYLOS.
together in the cloister, and my mother does not know any-
thing about it, nor any of the maid servants except one.’
With these words he led the way and the others followed
after. When they had brought the things as he told them,
Telemachus went on board, Minerva going before him and
taking her seat in the stern of the vessel, while Telemachus
B ut as the sun was rising from the fair sea {24} into the
firmament of heaven to shed light on mortals and im-
mortals, they reached Pylos the city of Neleus. Now the
sat beside her. Then the men loosed the hawsers and took people of Pylos were gathered on the sea shore to offer sac-
their places on the benches. Minerva sent them a fair wind rifice of black bulls to Neptune lord of the Earthquake.
from the West, {22} that whistled over the deep blue waves There were nine guilds with five hundred men in each, and
{23} whereon Telemachus told them to catch hold of the there were nine bulls to each guild. As they were eating the
ropes and hoist sail, and they did as he told them. They set inward meats {25} and burning the thigh bones [on the em-
the mast in its socket in the cross plank, raised it, and made bers] in the name of Neptune, Telemachus and his crew
it fast with the forestays; then they hoisted their white sails arrived, furled their sails, brought their ship to anchor, and
aloft with ropes of twisted ox hide. As the sail bellied out went ashore.
with the wind, the ship flew through the deep blue water, Minerva led the way and Telemachus followed her. Pres-
and the foam hissed against her bows as she sped onward. ently she said, ‘Telemachus, you must not be in the least shy
Then they made all fast throughout the ship, filled the mix- or nervous; you have taken this voyage to try and find out
ing bowls to the brim, and made drink offerings to the where your father is buried and how he came by his end; so
immortal gods that are from everlasting, but more particu- go straight up to Nestor that we may see what he has got to
larly to the grey-eyed daughter of Jove. tell us. Beg of him to speak the truth, and he will tell no lies,
Thus, then, the ship sped on her way through the watch- for he is an excellent person.’
es of the night from dark till dawn, ‘But how, Mentor,’ replied Telemachus, ‘dare I go up to
Nestor, and how am I to address him? I have never yet been

used to holding long conversations with people, and am very right and proper of him to have given it to herself first;
ashamed to begin questioning one who is so much older {27} she accordingly began praying heartily to Neptune.
than myself.’ ‘O thou,’ she cried, ‘that encirclest the earth, vouchsafe to
‘Some things, Telemachus,’ answered Minerva, ‘will be grant the prayers of thy servants that call upon thee. More
suggested to you by your own instinct, and heaven will especially we pray thee send down thy grace on Nestor and
prompt you further; for I am assured that the gods have on his sons; thereafter also make the rest of the Pylian peo-
been with you from the time of your birth until now.’ ple some handsome return for the goodly hecatomb they
She then went quickly on, and Telemachus followed in are offering you. Lastly, grant Telemachus and myself a hap-
her steps till they reached the place where the guilds of the py issue, in respect of the matter that has brought us in our
Pylian people were assembled. There they found Nestor sit- ship to Pylos.’
ting with his sons, while his company round him were busy When she had thus made an end of praying, she hand-
getting dinner ready, and putting pieces of meat on to the ed the cup to Telemachus and he prayed likewise. By and
spits {26} while other pieces were cooking. When they saw by, when the outer meats were roasted and had been taken
the strangers they crowded round them, took them by the off the spits, the carvers gave every man his portion and
hand and bade them take their places. Nestor’s son Pisis- they all made an excellent dinner. As soon as they had had
tratus at once offered his hand to each of them, and seated enough to eat and drink, Nestor, knight of Gerene, began
them on some soft sheepskins that were lying on the sands to speak.
near his father and his brother Thrasymedes. Then he gave ‘Now,’ said he, ‘that our guests have done their dinner, it
them their portions of the inward meats and poured wine will be best to ask them who they are. Who, then, sir strang-
for them into a golden cup, handing it to Minerva first, and ers, are you, and from what port have you sailed? Are you
saluting her at the same time. traders? or do you sail the seas as rovers with your hand
‘Offer a prayer, sir,’ said he, ‘to King Neptune, for it is his against every man, and every man’s hand against you?’
feast that you are joining; when you have duly prayed and Telemachus answered boldly, for Minerva had given
made your drink offering, pass the cup to your friend that him courage to ask about his father and get himself a good
he may do so also. I doubt not that he too lifts his hands in name.
prayer, for man cannot live without God in the world. Still ‘Nestor,’ said he, ‘son of Neleus, honour to the Achaean
he is younger than you are, and is much of an age with my- name, you ask whence we come, and I will tell you. We come
self, so I will give you the precedence.’ from Ithaca under Neritum, {28} and the matter about which
As he spoke he handed her the cup. Minerva thought it I would speak is of private not public import. I seek news of

my unhappy father Ulysses, who is said to have sacked the during all this time there was no one who could compare
town of Troy in company with yourself. We know what fate with your father in subtlety—if indeed you are his son—
befell each one of the other heroes who fought at Troy, but I can hardly believe my eyes—and you talk just like him
as regards Ulysses heaven has hidden from us the knowl- too—no one would say that people of such different ages
edge even that he is dead at all, for no one can certify us in could speak so much alike. He and I never had any kind of
what place he perished, nor say whether he fell in battle on difference from first to last neither in camp nor council, but
the mainland, or was lost at sea amid the waves of Amphi- in singleness of heart and purpose we advised the Argives
trite. Therefore I am suppliant at your knees, if haply you how all might be ordered for the best.
may be pleased to tell me of his melancholy end, whether ‘When, however, we had sacked the city of Priam, and
you saw it with your own eyes, or heard it from some other were setting sail in our ships as heaven had dispersed us,
traveller, for he was a man born to trouble. Do not soften then Jove saw fit to vex the Argives on their homeward voy-
things out of any pity for me, but tell me in all plainness ex- age; for they had not all been either wise or understanding,
actly what you saw. If my brave father Ulysses ever did you and hence many came to a bad end through the displeasure
loyal service, either by word or deed, when you Achaeans of Jove’s daughter Minerva, who brought about a quarrel
were harassed among the Trojans, bear it in mind now as in between the two sons of Atreus.
my favour and tell me truly all.’ ‘The sons of Atreus called a meeting which was not as it
‘My friend,’ answered Nestor, ‘you recall a time of much should be, for it was sunset and the Achaeans were heavy
sorrow to my mind, for the brave Achaeans suffered much with wine. When they explained why they had called the
both at sea, while privateering under Achilles, and when people together, it seemed that Menelaus was for sailing
fighting before the great city of king Priam. Our best men homeward at once, and this displeased Agamemnon, who
all of them fell there—Ajax, Achilles, Patroclus peer of gods thought that we should wait till we had offered hecatombs
in counsel, and my own dear son Antilochus, a man singu- to appease the anger of Minerva. Fool that he was, he might
larly fleet of foot and in fight valiant. But we suffered much have known that he would not prevail with her, for when the
more than this; what mortal tongue indeed could tell the gods have made up their minds they do not change them
whole story? Though you were to stay here and question me lightly. So the two stood bandying hard words, whereon the
for five years, or even six, I could not tell you all that the Achaeans sprang to their feet with a cry that rent the air,
Achaeans suffered, and you would turn homeward weary and were of two minds as to what they should do.
of my tale before it ended. Nine long years did we try every ‘That night we rested and nursed our anger, for Jove was
kind of stratagem, but the hand of heaven was against us; hatching mischief against us. But in the morning some of

us drew our ships into the water and put our goods with will give you without reserve the reports that have reached
our women on board, while the rest, about half in number, me since I have been here in my own house. They say the
stayed behind with Agamemnon. We—the other half—em- Myrmidons returned home safely under Achilles’ son Ne-
barked and sailed; and the ships went well, for heaven had optolemus; so also did the valiant son of Poias, Philoctetes.
smoothed the sea. When we reached Tenedos we offered Idomeneus, again, lost no men at sea, and all his followers
sacrifices to the gods, for we were longing to get home; cruel who escaped death in the field got safe home with him to
Jove, however, did not yet mean that we should do so, and Crete. No matter how far out of the world you live, you will
raised a second quarrel in the course of which some among have heard of Agamemnon and the bad end he came to at
us turned their ships back again, and sailed away under the hands of Aegisthus—and a fearful reckoning did Aegis-
Ulysses to make their peace with Agamemnon; but I, and thus presently pay. See what a good thing it is for a man to
all the ships that were with me pressed forward, for I saw leave a son behind him to do as Orestes did, who killed false
that mischief was brewing. The son of Tydeus went on also Aegisthus the murderer of his noble father. You too, then—
with me, and his crews with him. Later on Menelaus joined for you are a tall smart-looking fellow—show your mettle
us at Lesbos, and found us making up our minds about our and make yourself a name in story.’
course—for we did not know whether to go outside Chi- ‘Nestor son of Neleus,’ answered Telemachus, ‘honour to
os by the island of Psyra, keeping this to our left, or inside the Achaean name, the Achaeans applaud Orestes and his
Chios, over against the stormy headland of Mimas. So we name will live through all time for he has avenged his fa-
asked heaven for a sign, and were shown one to the effect ther nobly. Would that heaven might grant me to do like
that we should be soonest out of danger if we headed our vengeance on the insolence of the wicked suitors, who are
ships across the open sea to Euboea. This we therefore did, ill treating me and plotting my ruin; but the gods have no
and a fair wind sprang up which gave us a quick passage such happiness in store for me and for my father, so we must
during the night to Geraestus, {29} where we offered many bear it as best we may.’
sacrifices to Neptune for having helped us so far on our way. ‘My friend,’ said Nestor, ‘now that you remind me, I re-
Four days later Diomed and his men stationed their ships in member to have heard that your mother has many suitors,
Argos, but I held on for Pylos, and the wind never fell light who are ill disposed towards you and are making havoc
from the day when heaven first made it fair for me. of your estate. Do you submit to this tamely, or are public
‘Therefore, my dear young friend, I returned without feeling and the voice of heaven against you? Who knows
hearing anything about the others. I know neither who but what Ulysses may come back after all, and pay these
got home safely nor who were lost but, as in duty bound, I scoundrels in full, either single-handed or with a force of

Achaeans behind him? If Minerva were to take as great a away from Achaean Argos, voyaging elsewhither among
liking to you as she did to Ulysses when we were fighting mankind, that Aegisthus took heart and killed Agamem-
before Troy (for I never yet saw the gods so openly fond of non?’
any one as Minerva then was of your father), if she would ‘I will tell you truly,’ answered Nestor, ‘and indeed you
take as good care of you as she did of him, these wooers have yourself divined how it all happened. If Menelaus
would soon some of them forget their wooing.’ when he got back from Troy had found Aegisthus still alive
Telemachus answered, ‘I can expect nothing of the kind; in his house, there would have been no barrow heaped up
it would be far too much to hope for. I dare not let myself for him, not even when he was dead, but he would have
think of it. Even though the gods themselves willed it no been thrown outside the city to dogs and vultures, and not
such good fortune could befall me.’ a woman would have mourned him, for he had done a deed
On this Minerva said, ‘Telemachus, what are you talking of great wickedness; but we were over there, fighting hard
about? Heaven has a long arm if it is minded to save a man; at Troy, and Aegisthus, who was taking his ease quietly in
and if it were me, I should not care how much I suffered the heart of Argos, cajoled Agamemnon’s wife Clytemnes-
before getting home, provided I could be safe when I was tra with incessant flattery.
once there. I would rather this, than get home quickly, and ‘At first she would have nothing to do with his wick-
then be killed in my own house as Agamemnon was by the ed scheme, for she was of a good natural disposition; {30}
treachery of Aegisthus and his wife. Still, death is certain, moreover there was a bard with her, to whom Agamemnon
and when a man’s hour is come, not even the gods can save had given strict orders on setting out for Troy, that he was to
him, no matter how fond they are of him.’ keep guard over his wife; but when heaven had counselled
‘Mentor,’ answered Telemachus, ‘do not let us talk about her destruction, Aegisthus carried this bard off to a desert
it any more. There is no chance of my father’s ever coming island and left him there for crows and seagulls to batten
back; the gods have long since counselled his destruction. upon—after which she went willingly enough to the house
There is something else, however, about which I should like of Aegisthus. Then he offered many burnt sacrifices to the
to ask Nestor, for he knows much more than any one else gods, and decorated many temples with tapestries and gild-
does. They say he has reigned for three generations so that ing, for he had succeeded far beyond his expectations.
it is like talking to an immortal. Tell me, therefore, Nestor, ‘Meanwhile Menelaus and I were on our way home from
and tell me true; how did Agamemnon come to die in that Troy, on good terms with one another. When we got to Su-
way? What was Menelaus doing? And how came false Aegis- nium, which is the point of Athens, Apollo with his painless
thus to kill so far better a man than himself? Was Menelaus shafts killed Phrontis the steersman of Menelaus’ ship (and

never man knew better how to handle a vessel in rough long so far from home, nor leave your property with such
weather) so that he died then and there with the helm in dangerous people in your house; they will eat up every-
his hand, and Menelaus, though very anxious to press for- thing you have among them, and you will have been on a
ward, had to wait in order to bury his comrade and give fool’s errand. Still, I should advise you by all means to go
him his due funeral rites. Presently, when he too could put and visit Menelaus, who has lately come off a voyage among
to sea again, and had sailed on as far as the Malean heads, such distant peoples as no man could ever hope to get back
Jove counselled evil against him and made it blow hard till from, when the winds had once carried him so far out of his
the waves ran mountains high. Here he divided his fleet reckoning; even birds cannot fly the distance in a twelve-
and took the one half towards Crete where the Cydonians month, so vast and terrible are the seas that they must cross.
dwell round about the waters of the river Iardanus. There is Go to him, therefore, by sea, and take your own men with
a high headland hereabouts stretching out into the sea from you; or if you would rather travel by land you can have a
a place called Gortyn, and all along this part of the coast as chariot, you can have horses, and here are my sons who can
far as Phaestus the sea runs high when there is a south wind escort you to Lacedaemon where Menelaus lives. Beg of him
blowing, but after Phaestus the coast is more protected, for to speak the truth, and he will tell you no lies, for he is an
a small headland can make a great shelter. Here this part of excellent person.’
the fleet was driven on to the rocks and wrecked; but the As he spoke the sun set and it came on dark, whereon
crews just managed to save themselves. As for the other five Minerva said, ‘Sir, all that you have said is well; now, how-
ships, they were taken by winds and seas to Egypt, where ever, order the tongues of the victims to be cut, and mix
Menelaus gathered much gold and substance among peo- wine that we may make drink-offerings to Neptune, and
ple of an alien speech. Meanwhile Aegisthus here at home the other immortals, and then go to bed, for it is bed time.
plotted his evil deed. For seven years after he had killed People should go away early and not keep late hours at a re-
Agamemnon he ruled in Mycene, and the people were obe- ligious festival.’
dient under him, but in the eighth year Orestes came back Thus spoke the daughter of Jove, and they obeyed her
from Athens to be his bane, and killed the murderer of his saying. Men servants poured water over the hands of the
father. Then he celebrated the funeral rites of his mother guests, while pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and
and of false Aegisthus by a banquet to the people of Ar- water, and handed it round after giving every man his drink
gos, and on that very day Menelaus came home, {31} with as offering; then they threw the tongues of the victims into
much treasure as his ships could carry. the fire, and stood up to make their drink offerings. When
‘Take my advice then, and do not go travelling about for they had made their offerings and had drunk each as much

as he was minded, Minerva and Telemachus were for going day, since the gods wait upon you thus while you are still so
on board their ship, but Nestor caught them up at once and young. This can have been none other of those who dwell
stayed them. in heaven than Jove’s redoubtable daughter, the Trito-born,
‘Heaven and the immortal gods,’ he exclaimed, ‘forbid who shewed such favour towards your brave father among
that you should leave my house to go on board of a ship. Do the Argives. Holy queen,’ he continued, ‘vouchsafe to send
you think I am so poor and short of clothes, or that I have so down thy grace upon myself, my good wife, and my chil-
few cloaks and as to be unable to find comfortable beds both dren. In return, I will offer you in sacrifice a broad-browed
for myself and for my guests? Let me tell you I have store heifer of a year old, unbroken, and never yet brought by
both of rugs and cloaks, and shall not permit the son of my man under the yoke. I will gild her horns, and will offer her
old friend Ulysses to camp down on the deck of a ship—not up to you in sacrifice.’
while I live—nor yet will my sons after me, but they will Thus did he pray, and Minerva heard his prayer. He
keep open house as I have done.’ then led the way to his own house, followed by his sons and
Then Minerva answered, ‘Sir, you have spoken well, and sons in law. When they had got there and had taken their
it will be much better that Telemachus should do as you places on the benches and seats, he mixed them a bowl of
have said; he, therefore, shall return with you and sleep at sweet wine that was eleven years old when the housekeeper
your house, but I must go back to give orders to my crew, took the lid off the jar that held it. As he mixed the wine,
and keep them in good heart. I am the only older person he prayed much and made drink offerings to Minerva,
among them; the rest are all young men of Telemachus’ own daughter of Aegis-bearing Jove. Then, when they had made
age, who have taken this voyage out of friendship; so I must their drink offerings and had drunk each as much as he
return to the ship and sleep there. Moreover to-morrow I was minded, the others went home to bed each in his own
must go to the Cauconians where I have a large sum of mon- abode; but Nestor put Telemachus to sleep in the room that
ey long owing to me. As for Telemachus, now that he is your was over the gateway along with Pisistratus, who was the
guest, send him to Lacedaemon in a chariot, and let one of only unmarried son now left him. As for himself, he slept
your sons go with him. Be pleased to also provide him with in an inner room of the house, with the queen his wife by
your best and fleetest horses.’ his side.
When she had thus spoken, she flew away in the form Now when the child of morning rosy-fingered Dawn
of an eagle, and all marvelled as they beheld it. Nestor was appeared, Nestor left his couch and took his seat on the
astonished, and took Telemachus by the hand. ‘My friend,’ benches of white and polished marble that stood in front
said he, ‘I see that you are going to be a great hero some of his house. Here aforetime sat Neleus, peer of gods in

counsel, but he was now dead, and had gone to the house of pattern on it, and in his other hand he held a basket of bar-
Hades; so Nestor sat in his seat sceptre in hand, as guard- ley meal; sturdy Thrasymedes stood by with a sharp axe,
ian of the public weal. His sons as they left their rooms ready to strike the heifer, while Perseus held a bucket. Then
gathered round him, Echephron, Stratius, Perseus, Aretus, Nestor began with washing his hands and sprinkling the
and Thrasymedes; the sixth son was Pisistratus, and when barley meal, and he offered many a prayer to Minerva as he
Telemachus joined them they made him sit with them. threw a lock from the heifer’s head upon the fire.
Nestor then addressed them. When they had done praying and sprinkling the bar-
‘My sons,’ said he, ‘make haste to do as I shall bid you. ley meal {32} Thrasymedes dealt his blow, and brought the
I wish first and foremost to propitiate the great goddess heifer down with a stroke that cut through the tendons at
Minerva, who manifested herself visibly to me during the base of her neck, whereon the daughters and daughters
yesterday’s festivities. Go, then, one or other of you to the in law of Nestor, and his venerable wife Eurydice (she was
plain, tell the stockman to look me out a heifer, and come eldest daughter to Clymenus) screamed with delight. Then
on here with it at once. Another must go to Telemachus’ they lifted the heifer’s head from off the ground, and Pisis-
ship, and invite all the crew, leaving two men only in charge tratus cut her throat. When she had done bleeding and was
of the vessel. Some one else will run and fetch Laerceus the quite dead, they cut her up. They cut out the thigh bones all
goldsmith to gild the horns of the heifer. The rest, stay all of in due course, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, and
you where you are; tell the maids in the house to prepare an set some pieces of raw meat on the top of them; then Nestor
excellent dinner, and to fetch seats, and logs of wood for a laid them upon the wood fire and poured wine over them,
burnt offering. Tell them also to bring me some clear spring while the young men stood near him with five-pronged
water.’ spits in their hands. When the thighs were burned and they
On this they hurried off on their several errands. The had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest of the meat
heifer was brought in from the plain, and Telemachus’s up small, put the pieces on the spits and toasted them over
crew came from the ship; the goldsmith brought the anvil, the fire.
hammer, and tongs, with which he worked his gold, and Meanwhile lovely Polycaste, Nestor’s youngest daugh-
Minerva herself came to accept the sacrifice. Nestor gave ter, washed Telemachus. When she had washed him and
out the gold, and the smith gilded the horns of the heifer anointed him with oil, she brought him a fair mantle and
that the goddess might have pleasure in their beauty. Then shirt, {33} and he looked like a god as he came from the
Stratius and Echephron brought her in by the horns; Are- bath and took his seat by the side of Nestor. When the outer
tus fetched water from the house in a ewer that had a flower meats were done they drew them off the spits and sat down

to dinner where they were waited upon by some worthy
henchmen, who kept pouring them out their wine in cups BOOK IV
of gold. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink
Nestor said, ‘Sons, put Telemachus’s horses to the chariot THE VISIT TO KING
that he may start at once.’
Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said, and MENELAUS, WHO TELLS
yoked the fleet horses to the chariot. The housekeeper packed
them up a provision of bread, wine, and sweet meats fit for HIS STORY—MEANWHILE
the sons of princes. Then Telemachus got into the chariot,
while Pisistratus gathered up the reins and took his seat be- THE SUITORS IN
side him. He lashed the horses on and they flew forward
nothing loth into the open country, leaving the high citadel ITHACA PLOT AGAINST
of Pylos behind them. All that day did they travel, swaying
the yoke upon their necks till the sun went down and dark- TELEMACHUS.
ness was over all the land. Then they reached Pherae where
Diocles lived, who was son to Ortilochus and grandson to
Alpheus. Here they passed the night and Diocles entertained
them hospitably. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered
Dawn, appeared, they again yoked their horses and drove
out through the gateway under the echoing gatehouse. {34}
T hey reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where
they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus {36} [and
found him in his own house, feasting with his many clans-
Pisistratus lashed the horses on and they flew forward noth- men in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his
ing loth; presently they came to the corn lands of the open daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant
country, and in the course of time completed their journey, warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised
so well did their steeds take them. {35} her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were
Now when the sun had set and darkness was over the bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with
land, chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom
Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a
bride from Sparta, {37} the daughter of Alector. This son,
Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heav-

en vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne moon; then, when they had admired everything to their
Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself. heart’s content, they went into the bath room and washed
So the neighbours and kinsmen of Menelaus were feast- themselves.
ing and making merry in his house. There was a bard also When the servants had washed them and anointed them
to sing to them and play his lyre, while two tumblers went with oil, they brought them woollen cloaks and shirts, and
about performing in the midst of them when the man struck the two took their seats by the side of Menelaus. A maid-
up with his tune.] {38} servant brought them water in a beautiful golden ewer, and
Telemachus and the son of Nestor stayed their horses poured it into a silver basin for them to wash their hands;
at the gate, whereon Eteoneus servant to Menelaus came and she drew a clean table beside them. An upper servant
out, and as soon as he saw them ran hurrying back into the brought them bread, and offered them many good things of
house to tell his Master. He went close up to him and said, what there was in the house, while the carver fetched them
‘Menelaus, there are some strangers come here, two men, plates of all manner of meats and set cups of gold by their
who look like sons of Jove. What are we to do? Shall we take side.
their horses out, or tell them to find friends elsewhere as Menelaus then greeted them saying, ‘Fall to, and wel-
they best can?’ come; when you have done supper I shall ask who you are,
Menelaus was very angry and said, ‘Eteoneus, son of for the lineage of such men as you cannot have been lost.
Boethous, you never used to be a fool, but now you talk like You must be descended from a line of sceptre-bearing kings,
a simpleton. Take their horses out, of course, and show the for poor people do not have such sons as you are.’
strangers in that they may have supper; you and I have staid On this he handed them {39} a piece of fat roast loin,
often enough at other people’s houses before we got back which had been set near him as being a prime part, and they
here, where heaven grant that we may rest in peace hence- laid their hands on the good things that were before them;
forward.’ as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, Telema-
So Eteoneus bustled back and bade the other servants chus said to the son of Nestor, with his head so close that no
come with him. They took their sweating steeds from under one might hear, ‘Look, Pisistratus, man after my own heart,
the yoke, made them fast to the mangers, and gave them a see the gleam of bronze and gold—of amber, {40} ivory, and
feed of oats and barley mixed. Then they leaned the char- silver. Everything is so splendid that it is like seeing the pal-
iot against the end wall of the courtyard, and led the way ace of Olympian Jove. I am lost in admiration.’
into the house. Telemachus and Pisistratus were astonished Menelaus overheard him and said, ‘No one, my sons, can
when they saw it, for its splendour was as that of the sun and hold his own with Jove, for his house and everything about

him is immortal; but among mortal men—well, there may he is alive or dead. His old father, his long-suffering wife Pe-
be another who has as much wealth as I have, or there may nelope, and his son Telemachus, whom he left behind him
not; but at all events I have travelled much and have under- an infant in arms, are plunged in grief on his account.’
gone much hardship, for it was nearly eight years before I Thus spoke Menelaus, and the heart of Telemachus
could get home with my fleet. I went to Cyprus, Phoenicia yearned as he bethought him of his father. Tears fell from
and the Egyptians; I went also to the Ethiopians, the Sido- his eyes as he heard him thus mentioned, so that he held
nians, and the Erembians, and to Libya where the lambs his cloak before his face with both hands. When Menelaus
have horns as soon as they are born, and the sheep lamb saw this he doubted whether to let him choose his own time
down three times a year. Every one in that country, whether for speaking, or to ask him at once and find what it was all
master or man, has plenty of cheese, meat, and good milk, about.
for the ewes yield all the year round. But while I was trav- While he was thus in two minds Helen came down from
elling and getting great riches among these people, my her high vaulted and perfumed room, looking as love-
brother was secretly and shockingly murdered through the ly as Diana herself. Adraste brought her a seat, Alcippe a
perfidy of his wicked wife, so that I have no pleasure in be- soft woollen rug while Phylo fetched her the silver work-
ing lord of all this wealth. Whoever your parents may be box which Alcandra wife of Polybus had given her. Polybus
they must have told you about all this, and of my heavy loss lived in Egyptian Thebes, which is the richest city in the
in the ruin {41} of a stately mansion fully and magnificently whole world; he gave Menelaus two baths, both of pure sil-
furnished. Would that I had only a third of what I now have ver, two tripods, and ten talents of gold; besides all this, his
so that I had stayed at home, and all those were living who wife gave Helen some beautiful presents, to wit, a golden
perished on the plain of Troy, far from Argos. I often grieve, distaff, and a silver work box that ran on wheels, with a gold
as I sit here in my house, for one and all of them. At times I band round the top of it. Phylo now placed this by her side,
cry aloud for sorrow, but presently I leave off again, for cry- full of fine spun yarn, and a distaff charged with violet co-
ing is cold comfort and one soon tires of it. Yet grieve for loured wool was laid upon the top of it. Then Helen took her
these as I may, I do so for one man more than for them all. seat, put her feet upon the footstool, and began to question
I cannot even think of him without loathing both food and her husband. {42}
sleep, so miserable does he make me, for no one of all the ‘Do we know, Menelaus,’ said she, ‘the names of these
Achaeans worked so hard or risked so much as he did. He strangers who have come to visit us? Shall I guess right or
took nothing by it, and has left a legacy of sorrow to myself, wrong?—but I cannot help saying what I think. Never yet
for he has been gone a long time, and we know not whether have I seen either man or woman so like somebody else (in-

deed when I look at him I hardly know what to think) as this neighbouring cities that are subject to me. We should thus
young man is like Telemachus, whom Ulysses left as a baby have seen one another continually, and nothing but death
behind him, when you Achaeans went to Troy with battle in could have interrupted so close and happy an intercourse. I
your hearts, on account of my most shameless self.’ suppose, however, that heaven grudged us such great good
‘My dear wife,’ replied Menelaus, ‘I see the likeness just fortune, for it has prevented the poor fellow from ever get-
as you do. His hands and feet are just like Ulysses; so is his ting home at all.’
hair, with the shape of his head and the expression of his Thus did he speak, and his words set them all a weep-
eyes. Moreover, when I was talking about Ulysses, and saying. Helen wept, Telemachus wept, and so did Menelaus,
ing how much he had suffered on my account, tears fell nor could Pisistratus keep his eyes from filling, when he
from his eyes, and he hid his face in his mantle.’ remembered his dear brother Antilochus whom the son of
Then Pisistratus said, ‘Menelaus, son of Atreus, you are bright Dawn had killed. Thereon he said to Menelaus,
right in thinking that this young man is Telemachus, but ‘Sir, my father Nestor, when we used to talk about you at
he is very modest, and is ashamed to come here and be- home, told me you were a person of rare and excellent un-
gin opening up discourse with one whose conversation is derstanding. If, then, it be possible, do as I would urge you. I
so divinely interesting as your own. My father, Nestor, sent am not fond of crying while I am getting my supper. Morn-
me to escort him hither, for he wanted to know whether ing will come in due course, and in the forenoon I care not
you could give him any counsel or suggestion. A son has al- how much I cry for those that are dead and gone. This is
ways trouble at home when his father has gone away leaving all we can do for the poor things. We can only shave our
him without supporters; and this is how Telemachus is now heads for them and wring the tears from our cheeks. I had
placed, for his father is absent, and there is no one among a brother who died at Troy; he was by no means the worst
his own people to stand by him.’ man there; you are sure to have known him—his name was
‘Bless my heart,’ replied Menelaus, ‘then I am receiving a Antilochus; I never set eyes upon him myself, but they say
visit from the son of a very dear friend, who suffered much that he was singularly fleet of foot and in fight valiant.’
hardship for my sake. I had always hoped to entertain him ‘Your discretion, my friend,’ answered Menelaus, ‘is be-
with most marked distinction when heaven had granted us yond your years. It is plain you take after your father. One
a safe return from beyond the seas. I should have founded a can soon see when a man is son to one whom heaven has
city for him in Argos, and built him a house. I should have blessed both as regards wife and offspring—and it has
made him leave Ithaca with his goods, his son, and all his blessed Nestor from first to last all his days, giving him a
people, and should have sacked for them some one of the green old age in his own house, with sons about him who

are both well disposed and valiant. We will put an end there- all in rags, and entered the enemy’s city looking like a me-
fore to all this weeping, and attend to our supper again. Let nial or a beggar, and quite different from what he did when
water be poured over our hands. Telemachus and I can talk he was among his own people. In this disguise he entered
with one another fully in the morning.’ the city of Troy, and no one said anything to him. I alone
On this Asphalion, one of the servants, poured wa- recognised him and began to question him, but he was too
ter over their hands and they laid their hands on the good cunning for me. When, however, I had washed and anoint-
things that were before them. ed him and had given him clothes, and after I had sworn a
Then Jove’s daughter Helen bethought her of another solemn oath not to betray him to the Trojans till he had got
matter. She drugged the wine with an herb that banishes safely back to his own camp and to the ships, he told me all
all care, sorrow, and ill humour. Whoever drinks wine thus that the Achaeans meant to do. He killed many Trojans and
drugged cannot shed a single tear all the rest of the day, not got much information before he reached the Argive camp,
even though his father and mother both of them drop down for all which things the Trojan women made lamentation,
dead, or he sees a brother or a son hewn in pieces before but for my own part I was glad, for my heart was begin-
his very eyes. This drug, of such sovereign power and vir- ning to yearn after my home, and I was unhappy about the
tue, had been given to Helen by Polydamna wife of Thon, a wrong that Venus had done me in taking me over there,
woman of Egypt, where there grow all sorts of herbs, some away from my country, my girl, and my lawful wedded hus-
good to put into the mixing bowl and others poisonous. band, who is indeed by no means deficient either in person
Moreover, every one in the whole country is a skilled physi- or understanding.’
cian, for they are of the race of Paeeon. When Helen had put Then Menelaus said, ‘All that you have been saying, my
this drug in the bowl, and had told the servants to serve the dear wife, is true. I have travelled much, and have had much
wine round, she said: to do with heroes, but I have never seen such another man
‘Menelaus, son of Atreus, and you my good friends, sons as Ulysses. What endurance too, and what courage he dis-
of honourable men (which is as Jove wills, for he is the giver played within the wooden horse, wherein all the bravest of
both of good and evil, and can do what he chooses), feast the Argives were lying in wait to bring death and destruc-
here as you will, and listen while I tell you a tale in sea- tion upon the Trojans. {43} At that moment you came up to
son. I cannot indeed name every single one of the exploits us; some god who wished well to the Trojans must have set
of Ulysses, but I can say what he did when he was before you on to it and you had Deiphobus with you. Three times
Troy, and you Achaeans were in all sorts of difficulties. He did you go all round our hiding place and pat it; you called
covered himself with wounds and bruises, dressed himself our chiefs each by his own name, and mimicked all our

wives—Diomed, Ulysses, and I from our seats inside heard ‘I have come, sir,’ replied Telemachus, ‘to see if you can tell
what a noise you made. Diomed and I could not make up me anything about my father. I am being eaten out of house
our minds whether to spring out then and there, or to an- and home; my fair estate is being wasted, and my house is
swer you from inside, but Ulysses held us all in check, so we full of miscreants who keep killing great numbers of my
sat quite still, all except Anticlus, who was beginning to an- sheep and oxen, on the pretence of paying their addresses to
swer you, when Ulysses clapped his two brawny hands over my mother. Therefore, I am suppliant at your knees if haply
his mouth, and kept them there. It was this that saved us all, you may tell me about my father’s melancholy end, whether
for he muzzled Anticlus till Minerva took you away again.’ you saw it with your own eyes, or heard it from some other
‘How sad,’ exclaimed Telemachus, ‘that all this was of no traveller; for he was a man born to trouble. Do not soften
avail to save him, nor yet his own iron courage. But now, sir, things out of any pity for myself, but tell me in all plainness
be pleased to send us all to bed, that we may lie down and exactly what you saw. If my brave father Ulysses ever did
enjoy the blessed boon of sleep.’ you loyal service either by word or deed, when you Achae-
On this Helen told the maid servants to set beds in the ans were harassed by the Trojans, bear it in mind now as in
room that was in the gatehouse, and to make them with my favour and tell me truly all.’
good red rugs, and spread coverlets on the top of them with Menelaus on hearing this was very much shocked. ‘So,’
woollen cloaks for the guests to wear. So the maids went he exclaimed, ‘these cowards would usurp a brave man’s
out, carrying a torch, and made the beds, to which a man- bed? A hind might as well lay her new born young in the
servant presently conducted the strangers. Thus, then, did lair of a lion, and then go off to feed in the forest or in some
Telemachus and Pisistratus sleep there in the forecourt, grassy dell: the lion when he comes back to his lair will
while the son of Atreus lay in an inner room with lovely make short work with the pair of them—and so will Ulyss-
Helen by his side. es with these suitors. By father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo,
When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn ap- if Ulysses is still the man that he was when he wrestled with
peared, Menelaus rose and dressed himself. He bound his Philomeleides in Lesbos, and threw him so heavily that all
sandals on to his comely feet, girded his sword about his the Achaeans cheered him—if he is still such and were to
shoulders, and left his room looking like an immortal god. come near these suitors, they would have a short shrift and
Then, taking a seat near Telemachus he said: a sorry wedding. As regards your questions, however, I will
‘And what, Telemachus, has led you to take this long sea not prevaricate nor deceive you, but will tell you without
voyage to Lacedaemon? Are you on public, or private busi- concealment all that the old man of the sea told me.
ness? Tell me all about it.’ ‘I was trying to come on here, but the gods detained me

in Egypt, for my hecatombs had not given them full satis- people say he is my father; he is Neptune’s head man and
faction, and the gods are very strict about having their dues. knows every inch of ground all over the bottom of the sea. If
Now off Egypt, about as far as a ship can sail in a day with a you can snare him and hold him tight, he will tell you about
good stiff breeze behind her, there is an island called Phar- your voyage, what courses you are to take, and how you are
os—it has a good harbour from which vessels can get out to sail the sea so as to reach your home. He will also tell you,
into open sea when they have taken in water—and here the if you so will, all that has been going on at your house both
gods becalmed me twenty days without so much as a breath good and bad, while you have been away on your long and
of fair wind to help me forward. We should have run clean dangerous journey.’
out of provisions and my men would have starved, if a god- ‘‘Can you show me,’ said I, ‘some stratagem by means
dess had not taken pity upon me and saved me in the person of which I may catch this old god without his suspecting it
of Idothea, daughter to Proteus, the old man of the sea, for and finding me out? For a god is not easily caught—not by
she had taken a great fancy to me. a mortal man.’
‘She came to me one day when I was by myself, as I of- ‘‘Stranger,’ said she, ‘I will make it all quite clear to you.
ten was, for the men used to go with their barbed hooks, About the time when the sun shall have reached mid heav-
all over the island in the hope of catching a fish or two to en, the old man of the sea comes up from under the waves,
save them from the pangs of hunger. ‘Stranger,’ said she, ‘it heralded by the West wind that furs the water over his head.
seems to me that you like starving in this way—at any rate As soon as he has come up he lies down, and goes to sleep
it does not greatly trouble you, for you stick here day after in a great sea cave, where the seals—Halosydne’s chickens
day, without even trying to get away though your men are as they call them—come up also from the grey sea, and go
dying by inches.’ to sleep in shoals all round him; and a very strong and fish-
‘‘Let me tell you,’ said I, ‘whichever of the goddesses you like smell do they bring with them. {44} Early to-morrow
may happen to be, that I am not staying here of my own ac- morning I will take you to this place and will lay you in
cord, but must have offended the gods that live in heaven. ambush. Pick out, therefore, the three best men you have in
Tell me, therefore, for the gods know everything, which of your fleet, and I will tell you all the tricks that the old man
the immortals it is that is hindering me in this way, and tell will play you.
me also how I may sail the sea so as to reach my home.’ ‘‘First he will look over all his seals, and count them; then,
‘‘Stranger,’ replied she, ‘I will make it all quite clear to when he has seen them and tallied them on his five fingers,
you. There is an old immortal who lives under the sea here- he will go to sleep among them, as a shepherd among his
abouts and whose name is Proteus. He is an Egyptian, and sheep. The moment you see that he is asleep seize him; put

forth all your strength and hold him fast, for he will do his brosia under each man’s nostrils, which was so fragrant that
very utmost to get away from you. He will turn himself into it killed the smell of the seals. {46}
every kind of creature that goes upon the earth, and will ‘We waited the whole morning and made the best of it,
become also both fire and water; but you must hold him watching the seals come up in hundreds to bask upon the
fast and grip him tighter and tighter, till he begins to talk sea shore, till at noon the old man of the sea came up too,
to you and comes back to what he was when you saw him and when he had found his fat seals he went over them and
go to sleep; then you may slacken your hold and let him go; counted them. We were among the first he counted, and he
and you can ask him which of the gods it is that is angry never suspected any guile, but laid himself down to sleep as
with you, and what you must do to reach your home over soon as he had done counting. Then we rushed upon him
the seas.’ with a shout and seized him; on which he began at once
‘Having so said she dived under the waves, whereon I with his old tricks, and changed himself first into a lion
turned back to the place where my ships were ranged upon with a great mane; then all of a sudden he became a dragon,
the shore; and my heart was clouded with care as I went a leopard, a wild boar; the next moment he was running
along. When I reached my ship we got supper ready, for water, and then again directly he was a tree, but we stuck to
night was falling, and camped down upon the beach. him and never lost hold, till at last the cunning old creature
‘When the child of morning rosy-fingered Dawn ap- became distressed, and said, ‘Which of the gods was it, Son
peared, I took the three men on whose prowess of all kinds of Atreus, that hatched this plot with you for snaring me
I could most rely, and went along by the sea-side, praying and seizing me against my will? What do you want?’
heartily to heaven. Meanwhile the goddess fetched me up ‘‘You know that yourself, old man,’ I answered, ‘you will
four seal skins from the bottom of the sea, all of them just gain nothing by trying to put me off. It is because I have
skinned, for she meant playing a trick upon her father. Then been kept so long in this island, and see no sign of my being
she dug four pits for us to lie in, and sat down to wait till we able to get away. I am losing all heart; tell me, then, for you
should come up. When we were close to her, she made us lie gods know everything, which of the immortals it is that is
down in the pits one after the other, and threw a seal skin hindering me, and tell me also how I may sail the sea so as
over each of us. Our ambuscade would have been intoler- to reach my home?’
able, for the stench of the fishy seals was most distressing ‘Then,’ he said, ‘if you would finish your voyage and get
{45}—who would go to bed with a sea monster if he could home quickly, you must offer sacrifices to Jove and to the
help it?—but here, too, the goddess helped us, and thought rest of the gods before embarking; for it is decreed that you
of something that gave us great relief, for she put some am- shall not get back to your friends, and to your own house,

till you have returned to the heaven-fed stream of Egypt, ried Ajax with it; so he drank salt water and was drowned.
and offered holy hecatombs to the immortal gods that reign ‘‘Your brother and his ships escaped, for Juno protected
in heaven. When you have done this they will let you finish him, but when he was just about to reach the high promon-
your voyage.’ tory of Malea, he was caught by a heavy gale which carried
‘I was broken hearted when I heard that I must go back him out to sea again sorely against his will, and drove him
all that long and terrible voyage to Egypt; {47} neverthe- to the foreland where Thyestes used to dwell, but where Ae-
less, I answered, ‘I will do all, old man, that you have laid gisthus was then living. By and by, however, it seemed as
upon me; but now tell me, and tell me true, whether all the though he was to return safely after all, for the gods backed
Achaeans whom Nestor and I left behind us when we set sail the wind into its old quarter and they reached home; where-
from Troy have got home safely, or whether any one of them on Agamemnon kissed his native soil, and shed tears of joy
came to a bad end either on board his own ship or among at finding himself in his own country.
his friends when the days of his fighting were done.’ ‘‘Now there was a watchman whom Aegisthus kept
‘‘Son of Atreus,’ he answered, ‘why ask me? You had bet- always on the watch, and to whom he had promised two tal-
ter not know what I can tell you, for your eyes will surely fill ents of gold. This man had been looking out for a whole year
when you have heard my story. Many of those about whom to make sure that Agamemnon did not give him the slip
you ask are dead and gone, but many still remain, and only and prepare war; when, therefore, this man saw Agamem-
two of the chief men among the Achaeans perished dur- non go by, he went and told Aegisthus, who at once began
ing their return home. As for what happened on the field to lay a plot for him. He picked twenty of his bravest war-
of battle—you were there yourself. A third Achaean lead- riors and placed them in ambuscade on one side the cloister,
er is still at sea, alive, but hindered from returning. Ajax while on the opposite side he prepared a banquet. Then he
was wrecked, for Neptune drove him on to the great rocks sent his chariots and horsemen to Agamemnon, and invited
of Gyrae; nevertheless, he let him get safe out of the water, him to the feast, but he meant foul play. He got him there,
and in spite of all Minerva’s hatred he would have escaped all unsuspicious of the doom that was awaiting him, and
death, if he had not ruined himself by boasting. He said the killed him when the banquet was over as though he were
gods could not drown him even though they had tried to do butchering an ox in the shambles; not one of Agamemnon’s
so, and when Neptune heard this large talk, he seized his followers was left alive, nor yet one of Aegisthus’, but they
trident in his two brawny hands, and split the rock of Gyrae were all killed there in the cloisters.’
in two pieces. The base remained where it was, but the part ‘Thus spoke Proteus, and I was broken hearted as I heard
on which Ajax was sitting fell headlong into the sea and car- him. I sat down upon the sands and wept; I felt as though I

could no longer bear to live nor look upon the light of the ships we got supper ready, for night was falling, and camped
sun. Presently, when I had had my fill of weeping and writh- down upon the beach. When the child of morning, rosy-
ing upon the ground, the old man of the sea said, ‘Son of fingered Dawn appeared, we drew our ships into the water,
Atreus, do not waste any more time in crying so bitterly; and put our masts and sails within them; then we went on
it can do no manner of good; find your way home as fast board ourselves, took our seats on the benches, and smote
as ever you can, for Aegisthus may be still alive, and even the grey sea with our oars. I again stationed my ships in
though Orestes has been beforehand with you in killing the heaven-fed stream of Egypt, and offered hecatombs that
him, you may yet come in for his funeral.’ were full and sufficient. When I had thus appeased heaven’s
‘On this I took comfort in spite of all my sorrow, and anger, I raised a barrow to the memory of Agamemnon that
said, ‘I know, then, about these two; tell me, therefore, about his name might live for ever, after which I had a quick pas-
the third man of whom you spoke; is he still alive, but at sea, sage home, for the gods sent me a fair wind.
and unable to get home? or is he dead? Tell me, no matter ‘And now for yourself—stay here some ten or twelve days
how much it may grieve me.’ longer, and I will then speed you on your way. I will make
‘‘The third man,’ he answered, ‘is Ulysses who dwells in you a noble present of a chariot and three horses. I will also
Ithaca. I can see him in an island sorrowing bitterly in the give you a beautiful chalice that so long as you live you may
house of the nymph Calypso, who is keeping him prisoner, think of me whenever you make a drink-offering to the im-
and he cannot reach his home for he has no ships nor sailors mortal gods.’
to take him over the sea. As for your own end, Menelaus, ‘Son of Atreus,’ replied Telemachus, ‘do not press me to
you shall not die in Argos, but the gods will take you to the stay longer; I should be contented to remain with you for
Elysian plain, which is at the ends of the world. There fair- another twelve months; I find your conversation so delight-
haired Rhadamanthus reigns, and men lead an easier life ful that I should never once wish myself at home with my
than any where else in the world, for in Elysium there falls parents; but my crew whom I have left at Pylos are already
not rain, nor hail, nor snow, but Oceanus breathes ever with impatient, and you are detaining me from them. As for any
a West wind that sings softly from the sea, and gives fresh present you may be disposed to make me, I had rather that
life to all men. This will happen to you because you have it should be a piece of plate. I will take no horses back with
married Helen, and are Jove’s son-in-law.’ me to Ithaca, but will leave them to adorn your own stables,
‘As he spoke he dived under the waves, whereon I turned for you have much flat ground in your kingdom where lotus
back to the ships with my companions, and my heart was thrives, as also meadow-sweet and wheat and barley, and
clouded with care as I went along. When we reached the oats with their white and spreading ears; whereas in Ithaca

we have neither open fields nor racecourses, and the coun- They were astounded when they heard this, for they had
try is more fit for goats than horses, and I like it the better made sure that Telemachus had not gone to the city of Nele-
for that. {48} None of our islands have much level ground, us. They thought he was only away somewhere on the farms,
suitable for horses, and Ithaca least of all.’ and was with the sheep, or with the swineherd; so Antinous
Menelaus smiled and took Telemachus’s hand within his said, ‘When did he go? Tell me truly, and what young men
own. ‘What you say,’ said he, ‘shows that you come of good did he take with him? Were they freemen or his own bonds-
family. I both can, and will, make this exchange for you, men—for he might manage that too? Tell me also, did you
by giving you the finest and most precious piece of plate in let him have the ship of your own free will because he asked
all my house. It is a mixing bowl by Vulcan’s own hand, of you, or did he take it without your leave?’
pure silver, except the rim, which is inlaid with gold. Pha- ‘I lent it him,’ answered Noemon, ‘what else could I do
edimus, king of the Sidonians, gave it me in the course of a when a man of his position said he was in a difficulty, and
visit which I paid him when I returned thither on my home- asked me to oblige him? I could not possibly refuse. As for
ward journey. I will make you a present of it.’ those who went with him they were the best young men we
Thus did they converse [and guests kept coming to the have, and I saw Mentor go on board as captain—or some
king’s house. They brought sheep and wine, while their god who was exactly like him. I cannot understand it, for I
wives had put up bread for them to take with them; so they saw Mentor here myself yesterday morning, and yet he was
were busy cooking their dinners in the courts]. {49} then setting out for Pylos.’
Meanwhile the suitors were throwing discs or aim- Noemon then went back to his father’s house, but Anti-
ing with spears at a mark on the levelled ground in front nous and Eurymachus were very angry. They told the others
of Ulysses’ house, and were behaving with all their old to leave off playing, and to come and sit down along with
insolence. Antinous and Eurymachus, who were their ring- themselves. When they came, Antinous son of Eupeithes
leaders and much the foremost among them all, were sitting spoke in anger. His heart was black with rage, and his eyes
together when Noemon son of Phronius came up and said flashed fire as he said:
to Antinous, ‘Good heavens, this voyage of Telemachus is a very seri-
‘Have we any idea, Antinous, on what day Telemachus ous matter; we had made sure that it would come to nothing,
returns from Pylos? He has a ship of mine, and I want it, but the young fellow has got away in spite of us, and with a
to cross over to Elis: I have twelve brood mares there with picked crew too. He will be giving us trouble presently; may
yearling mule foals by their side not yet broken in, and I Jove take him before he is full grown. Find me a ship, there-
want to bring one of them over here and break him.’ fore, with a crew of twenty men, and I will lie in wait for

him in the straits between Ithaca and Samos; he will then my son leave me? What business had he to go sailing off in
rue the day that he set out to try and get news of his father.’ ships that make long voyages over the ocean like sea-hors-
Thus did he speak, and the others applauded his saying; es? Does he want to die without leaving any one behind him
they then all of them went inside the buildings. to keep up his name?’
It was not long ere Penelope came to know what the suit- ‘I do not know,’ answered Medon, ‘whether some god set
ors were plotting; for a man servant, Medon, overheard him on to it, or whether he went on his own impulse to see
them from outside the outer court as they were laying their if he could find out if his father was dead, or alive and on
schemes within, and went to tell his mistress. As he crossed his way home.’
the threshold of her room Penelope said: ‘Medon, what have Then he went downstairs again, leaving Penelope in an
the suitors sent you here for? Is it to tell the maids to leave agony of grief. There were plenty of seats in the house, but
their master’s business and cook dinner for them? I wish she had no heart for sitting on any one of them; she could
they may neither woo nor dine henceforward, neither here only fling herself on the floor of her own room and cry;
nor anywhere else, but let this be the very last time, for the whereon all the maids in the house, both old and young,
waste you all make of my son’s estate. Did not your fathers gathered round her and began to cry too, till at last in a
tell you when you were children, how good Ulysses had been transport of sorrow she exclaimed,
to them—never doing anything high-handed, nor speak- ‘My dears, heaven has been pleased to try me with more
ing harshly to anybody? Kings may say things sometimes, affliction than any other woman of my age and country.
and they may take a fancy to one man and dislike another, First I lost my brave and lion-hearted husband, who had ev-
but Ulysses never did an unjust thing by anybody—which ery good quality under heaven, and whose name was great
shows what bad hearts you have, and that there is no such over all Hellas and middle Argos, and now my darling son
thing as gratitude left in this world.’ is at the mercy of the winds and waves, without my hav-
Then Medon said, ‘I wish, Madam, that this were all; but ing heard one word about his leaving home. You hussies,
they are plotting something much more dreadful now— there was not one of you would so much as think of giv-
may heaven frustrate their design. They are going to try and ing me a call out of my bed, though you all of you very well
murder Telemachus as he is coming home from Pylos and knew when he was starting. If I had known he meant tak-
Lacedaemon, where he has been to get news of his father.’ ing this voyage, he would have had to give it up, no matter
Then Penelope’s heart sank within her, and for a long how much he was bent upon it, or leave me a corpse behind
time she was speechless; her eyes filled with tears, and she him—one or other. Now, however, go some of you and call
could find no utterance. At last, however, she said, ‘Why did old Dolius, who was given me by my father on my marriage,

and who is my gardener. Bid him go at once and tell every- suitors.’
thing to Laertes, who may be able to hit on some plan for She cried aloud as she spoke, and the goddess heard her
enlisting public sympathy on our side, as against those who prayer; meanwhile the suitors were clamorous throughout
are trying to exterminate his own race and that of Ulysses.’ the covered cloister, and one of them said:
Then the dear old nurse Euryclea said, ‘You may kill me, ‘The queen is preparing for her marriage with one or
Madam, or let me live on in your house, whichever you other of us. Little does she dream that her son has now been
please, but I will tell you the real truth. I knew all about it, doomed to die.’
and gave him everything he wanted in the way of bread and This was what they said, but they did not know what was
wine, but he made me take my solemn oath that I would going to happen. Then Antinous said, ‘Comrades, let there
not tell you anything for some ten or twelve days, unless be no loud talking, lest some of it get carried inside. Let us
you asked or happened to hear of his having gone, for he be up and do that in silence, about which we are all of a
did not want you to spoil your beauty by crying. And now, mind.’
Madam, wash your face, change your dress, and go upstairs He then chose twenty men, and they went down to their
with your maids to offer prayers to Minerva, daughter of ship and to the sea side; they drew the vessel into the water
Aegis-bearing Jove, for she can save him even though he be and got her mast and sails inside her; they bound the oars
in the jaws of death. Do not trouble Laertes: he has trouble to the thole-pins with twisted thongs of leather, all in due
enough already. Besides, I cannot think that the gods hate course, and spread the white sails aloft, while their fine ser-
the race of the son of Arceisius so much, but there will be vants brought them their armour. Then they made the ship
a son left to come up after him, and inherit both the house fast a little way out, came on shore again, got their suppers,
and the fair fields that lie far all round it.’ and waited till night should fall.
With these words she made her mistress leave off cry- But Penelope lay in her own room upstairs unable to eat
ing, and dried the tears from her eyes. Penelope washed her or drink, and wondering whether her brave son would es-
face, changed her dress, and went upstairs with her maids. cape, or be overpowered by the wicked suitors. Like a lioness
She then put some bruised barley into a basket and began caught in the toils with huntsmen hemming her in on every
praying to Minerva. side she thought and thought till she sank into a slumber,
‘Hear me,’ she cried, ‘Daughter of Aegis-bearing Jove, and lay on her bed bereft of thought and motion.
unweariable. If ever Ulysses while he was here burned you Then Minerva bethought her of another matter, and
fat thigh bones of sheep or heifer, bear it in mind now as in made a vision in the likeness of Penelope’s sister Iphthime
my favour, and save my darling son from the villainy of the daughter of Icarius who had married Eumelus and lived in

Pherae. She told the vision to go to the house of Ulysses, and here by divine commission, tell me also about that other
to make Penelope leave off crying, so it came into her room unhappy one—is he still alive, or is he already dead and in
by the hole through which the thong went for pulling the the house of Hades?’
door to, and hovered over her head saying, And the vision said, ‘I shall not tell you for certain
‘You are asleep, Penelope: the gods who live at ease will whether he is alive or dead, and there is no use in idle con-
not suffer you to weep and be so sad. Your son has done versation.’
them no wrong, so he will yet come back to you.’ Then it vanished through the thong-hole of the door and
Penelope, who was sleeping sweetly at the gates of dream- was dissipated into thin air; but Penelope rose from her sleep
land, answered, ‘Sister, why have you come here? You do not refreshed and comforted, so vivid had been her dream.
come very often, but I suppose that is because you live such Meantime the suitors went on board and sailed their
a long way off. Am I, then, to leave off crying and refrain ways over the sea, intent on murdering Telemachus. Now
from all the sad thoughts that torture me? I, who have lost there is a rocky islet called Asteris, of no great size, in mid
my brave and lion-hearted husband, who had every good channel between Ithaca and Samos, and there is a harbour
quality under heaven, and whose name was great over all on either side of it where a ship can lie. Here then the Achae-
Hellas and middle Argos; and now my darling son has gone ans placed themselves in ambush.
off on board of a ship—a foolish fellow who has never been
used to roughing it, nor to going about among gatherings
of men. I am even more anxious about him than about my
husband; I am all in a tremble when I think of him, lest
something should happen to him, either from the people
among whom he has gone, or by sea, for he has many en-
emies who are plotting against him, and are bent on killing
him before he can return home.’
Then the vision said, ‘Take heart, and be not so much
dismayed. There is one gone with him whom many a man
would be glad enough to have stand by his side, I mean Mi-
nerva; it is she who has compassion upon you, and who has
sent me to bear you this message.’
‘Then,’ said Penelope, ‘if you are a god or have been sent

BOOK V been to see if he can get news of his father.’
‘What, my dear, are you talking about?’ replied her father,
CALYPSO—ULYSSES ‘did you not send him there yourself, because you thought it
would help Ulysses to get home and punish the suitors? Be-
REACHES SCHERIA sides, you are perfectly able to protect Telemachus, and to
see him safely home again, while the suitors have to come
ON A RAFT. hurry-skurrying back without having killed him.’
When he had thus spoken, he said to his son Mercury,
‘Mercury, you are our messenger, go therefore and tell Ca-
lypso we have decreed that poor Ulysses is to return home.
He is to be convoyed neither by gods nor men, but after a
A nd now, as Dawn rose from her couch beside Tithonus—

harbinger of light alike to mortals and immortals—the
gods met in council and with them, Jove the lord of thun-
perilous voyage of twenty days upon a raft he is to reach fer-
tile Scheria, {50} the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of
kin to the gods, and will honour him as though he were one
der, who is their king. Thereon Minerva began to tell them of ourselves. They will send him in a ship to his own coun-
of the many sufferings of Ulysses, for she pitied him away try, and will give him more bronze and gold and raiment
there in the house of the nymph Calypso. than he would have brought back from Troy, if he had had
‘Father Jove,’ said she, ‘and all you other gods that live in all his prize money and had got home without disaster. This
everlasting bliss, I hope there may never be such a thing as is how we have settled that he shall return to his country
a kind and well-disposed ruler any more, nor one who will and his friends.’
govern equitably. I hope they will be all henceforth cruel Thus he spoke, and Mercury, guide and guardian, slayer
and unjust, for there is not one of his subjects but has forgot- of Argus, did as he was told. Forthwith he bound on his
ten Ulysses, who ruled them as though he were their father. glittering golden sandals with which he could fly like the
There he is, lying in great pain in an island where dwells the wind over land and sea. He took the wand with which he
nymph Calypso, who will not let him go; and he cannot get seals men’s eyes in sleep or wakes them just as he pleases,
back to his own country, for he can find neither ships nor and flew holding it in his hand over Pieria; then he swooped
sailors to take him over the sea. Furthermore, wicked peo- down through the firmament till he reached the level of the
ple are now trying to murder his only son Telemachus, who sea, whose waves he skimmed like a cormorant that flies
is coming home from Pylos and Lacedaemon, where he has fishing every hole and corner of the ocean, and drenching

its thick plumage in the spray. He flew and flew over many a if I can, and if it can be done at all; but come inside, and let
weary wave, but when at last he got to the island which was me set refreshment before you.’
his journey’s end, he left the sea and went on by land till he As she spoke she drew a table loaded with ambrosia be-
came to the cave where the nymph Calypso lived. side him and mixed him some red nectar, so Mercury ate
He found her at home. There was a large fire burning and drank till he had had enough, and then said:
on the hearth, and one could smell from far the fragrant ‘We are speaking god and goddess to one another, and
reek of burning cedar and sandal wood. As for herself, she you ask me why I have come here, and I will tell you truly
was busy at her loom, shooting her golden shuttle through as you would have me do. Jove sent me; it was no doing of
the warp and singing beautifully. Round her cave there mine; who could possibly want to come all this way over
was a thick wood of alder, poplar, and sweet smelling cy- the sea where there are no cities full of people to offer me
press trees, wherein all kinds of great birds had built their sacrifices or choice hecatombs? Nevertheless I had to come,
nests—owls, hawks, and chattering sea-crows that occupy for none of us other gods can cross Jove, nor transgress his
their business in the waters. A vine loaded with grapes was orders. He says that you have here the most ill-starred of all
trained and grew luxuriantly about the mouth of the cave; those who fought nine years before the city of King Priam
there were also four running rills of water in channels cut and sailed home in the tenth year after having sacked it.
pretty close together, and turned hither and thither so as to On their way home they sinned against Minerva, {52} who
irrigate the beds of violets and luscious herbage over which raised both wind and waves against them, so that all his
they flowed. {51} Even a god could not help being charmed brave companions perished, and he alone was carried hith-
with such a lovely spot, so Mercury stood still and looked er by wind and tide. Jove says that you are to let this man
at it; but when he had admired it sufficiently he went inside go at once, for it is decreed that he shall not perish here,
the cave. far from his own people, but shall return to his house and
Calypso knew him at once—for the gods all know each country and see his friends again.’
other, no matter how far they live from one another—but Calypso trembled with rage when she heard this, ‘You
Ulysses was not within; he was on the sea-shore as usual, gods,’ she exclaimed, ‘ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
looking out upon the barren ocean with tears in his eyes, You are always jealous and hate seeing a goddess take a fan-
groaning and breaking his heart for sorrow. Calypso gave cy to a mortal man, and live with him in open matrimony.
Mercury a seat and said: ‘Why have you come to see me, So when rosy-fingered Dawn made love to Orion, you pre-
Mercury—honoured, and ever welcome—for you do not cious gods were all of you furious till Diana went and killed
visit me often? Say what you want; I will do it for you at once him in Ortygia. So again when Ceres fell in love with Ia-

sion, and yielded to him in a thrice-ploughed fallow field, my own free will; so go, cut some beams of wood, and make
Jove came to hear of it before so very long and killed Iasion yourself a large raft with an upper deck that it may carry
with his thunderbolts. And now you are angry with me too you safely over the sea. I will put bread, wine, and water on
because I have a man here. I found the poor creature sit- board to save you from starving. I will also give you clothes,
ting all alone astride of a keel, for Jove had struck his ship and will send you a fair wind to take you home, if the gods
with lightning and sunk it in mid ocean, so that all his crew in heaven so will it—for they know more about these things,
were drowned, while he himself was driven by wind and and can settle them better than I can.’
waves on to my island. I got fond of him and cherished him, Ulysses shuddered as he heard her. ‘Now goddess,’ he an-
and had set my heart on making him immortal, so that he swered, ‘there is something behind all this; you cannot be
should never grow old all his days; still I cannot cross Jove, really meaning to help me home when you bid me do such a
nor bring his counsels to nothing; therefore, if he insists dreadful thing as put to sea on a raft. Not even a well found
upon it, let the man go beyond the seas again; but I cannot ship with a fair wind could venture on such a distant voy-
send him anywhere myself for I have neither ships nor men age: nothing that you can say or do shall make me go on
who can take him. Nevertheless I will readily give him such board a raft unless you first solemnly swear that you mean
advice, in all good faith, as will be likely to bring him safely me no mischief.’
to his own country.’ Calypso smiled at this and caressed him with her hand:
‘Then send him away,’ said Mercury, ‘or Jove will be an- ‘You know a great deal,’ said she, ‘but you are quite wrong
gry with you and punish you”. here. May heaven above and earth below be my witnesses,
On this he took his leave, and Calypso went out to look with the waters of the river Styx—and this is the most sol-
for Ulysses, for she had heard Jove’s message. She found him emn oath which a blessed god can take—that I mean you no
sitting upon the beach with his eyes ever filled with tears, sort of harm, and am only advising you to do exactly what I
and dying of sheer home sickness; for he had got tired of should do myself in your place. I am dealing with you quite
Calypso, and though he was forced to sleep with her in the straightforwardly; my heart is not made of iron, and I am
cave by night, it was she, not he, that would have it so. As for very sorry for you.’
the day time, he spent it on the rocks and on the sea shore, When she had thus spoken she led the way rapidly before
weeping, crying aloud for his despair, and always looking him, and Ulysses followed in her steps; so the pair, goddess
out upon the sea. Calypso then went close up to him said: and man, went on and on till they came to Calypso’s cave,
‘My poor fellow, you shall not stay here grieving and fret- where Ulysses took the seat that Mercury had just left. Ca-
ting your life out any longer. I am going to send you away of lypso set meat and drink before him of the food that mortals

eat; but her maids brought ambrosia and nectar for herself, and a veil to cover her head. She at once set herself to think
and they laid their hands on the good things that were be- how she could speed Ulysses on his way. So she gave him
fore them. When they had satisfied themselves with meat a great bronze axe that suited his hands; it was sharpened
and drink, Calypso spoke, saying: on both sides, and had a beautiful olive-wood handle fitted
‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, so you would start home firmly on to it. She also gave him a sharp adze, and then led
to your own land at once? Good luck go with you, but if the way to the far end of the island where the largest trees
you could only know how much suffering is in store for you grew—alder, poplar and pine, that reached the sky—very
before you get back to your own country, you would stay dry and well seasoned, so as to sail light for him in the wa-
where you are, keep house along with me, and let me make ter. {53} Then, when she had shown him where the best trees
you immortal, no matter how anxious you may be to see grew, Calypso went home, leaving him to cut them, which
this wife of yours, of whom you are thinking all the time he soon finished doing. He cut down twenty trees in all and
day after day; yet I flatter myself that I am no whit less tall adzed them smooth, squaring them by rule in good work-
or well-looking than she is, for it is not to be expected that manlike fashion. Meanwhile Calypso came back with some
a mortal woman should compare in beauty with an immor- augers, so he bored holes with them and fitted the timbers
tal.’ together with bolts and rivets. He made the raft as broad as
‘Goddess,’ replied Ulysses, ‘do not be angry with me a skilled shipwright makes the beam of a large vessel, and
about this. I am quite aware that my wife Penelope is nothing he fixed a deck on top of the ribs, and ran a gunwale all
like so tall or so beautiful as yourself. She is only a woman, round it. He also made a mast with a yard arm, and a rudder
whereas you are an immortal. Nevertheless, I want to get to steer with. He fenced the raft all round with wicker hur-
home, and can think of nothing else. If some god wrecks me dles as a protection against the waves, and then he threw on
when I am on the sea, I will bear it and make the best of it. a quantity of wood. By and by Calypso brought him some
I have had infinite trouble both by land and sea already, so linen to make the sails, and he made these too, excellently,
let this go with the rest.’ making them fast with braces and sheets. Last of all, with
Presently the sun set and it became dark, whereon the the help of levers, he drew the raft down into the water.
pair retired into the inner part of the cave and went to bed. In four days he had completed the whole work, and on
When the child of morning rosy-fingered Dawn ap- the fifth Calypso sent him from the island after washing
peared, Ulysses put on his shirt and cloak, while the him and giving him some clean clothes. She gave him a
goddess wore a dress of a light gossamer fabric, very fine goat skin full of black wine, and another larger one of wa-
and graceful, with a beautiful golden girdle about her waist ter; she also gave him a wallet full of provisions, and found

him in much good meat. Moreover, she made the wind fair will become of me? I am afraid Calypso was right when she
and warm for him, and gladly did Ulysses spread his sail be- said I should have trouble by sea before I got back home. It
fore it, while he sat and guided the raft skilfully by means of is all coming true. How black is Jove making heaven with
the rudder. He never closed his eyes, but kept them fixed on his clouds, and what a sea the winds are raising from every
the Pleiads, on late-setting Bootes, and on the Bear—which quarter at once. I am now safe to perish. Blest and thrice
men also call the wain, and which turns round and round blest were those Danaans who fell before Troy in the cause
where it is, facing Orion, and alone never dipping into the of the sons of Atreus. Would that I had been killed on the
stream of Oceanus—for Calypso had told him to keep this day when the Trojans were pressing me so sorely about the
to his left. Days seven and ten did he sail over the sea, and dead body of Achilles, for then I should have had due burial
on the eighteenth the dim outlines of the mountains on the and the Achaeans would have honoured my name; but now
nearest part of the Phaeacian coast appeared, rising like a it seems that I shall come to a most pitiable end.’
shield on the horizon. As he spoke a sea broke over him with such terrific fury
But King Neptune, who was returning from the Ethi- that the raft reeled again, and he was carried overboard a
opians, caught sight of Ulysses a long way off, from the long way off. He let go the helm, and the force of the hur-
mountains of the Solymi. He could see him sailing upon ricane was so great that it broke the mast half way up, and
the sea, and it made him very angry, so he wagged his head both sail and yard went over into the sea. For a long time
and muttered to himself, saying, ‘Good heavens, so the gods Ulysses was under water, and it was all he could do to rise
have been changing their minds about Ulysses while I was to the surface again, for the clothes Calypso had given him
away in Ethiopia, and now he is close to the land of the Pha- weighed him down; but at last he got his head above water
eacians, where it is decreed that he shall escape from the and spat out the bitter brine that was running down his face
calamities that have befallen him. Still, he shall have plenty in streams. In spite of all this, however, he did not lose sight
of hardship yet before he has done with it.’ of his raft, but swam as fast as he could towards it, got hold
Thereon he gathered his clouds together, grasped his tri- of it, and climbed on board again so as to escape drown-
dent, stirred it round in the sea, and roused the rage of every ing. The sea took the raft and tossed it about as Autumn
wind that blows till earth, sea, and sky were hidden in cloud, winds whirl thistledown round and round upon a road. It
and night sprang forth out of the heavens. Winds from East, was as though the South, North, East, and West winds were
South, North, and West fell upon him all at the same time, all playing battledore and shuttlecock with it at once.
and a tremendous sea got up, so that Ulysses’ heart began to When he was in this plight, Ino daughter of Cadmus,
fail him. ‘Alas,’ he said to himself in his dismay, ‘what ever also called Leucothea, saw him. She had formerly been a

mere mortal, but had been since raised to the rank of a ma- though it were a heap of dry chaff tossed about by a whirl-
rine goddess. Seeing in what great distress Ulysses now was, wind. Ulysses got astride of one plank and rode upon it as
she had compassion upon him, and, rising like a sea-gull if he were on horseback; he then took off the clothes Ca-
from the waves, took her seat upon the raft. lypso had given him, bound Ino’s veil under his arms, and
‘My poor good man,’ said she, ‘why is Neptune so fu- plunged into the sea—meaning to swim on shore. King
riously angry with you? He is giving you a great deal of Neptune watched him as he did so, and wagged his head,
trouble, but for all his bluster he will not kill you. You seem muttering to himself and saying, ‘There now, swim up and
to be a sensible person, do then as I bid you; strip, leave your down as you best can till you fall in with well-to-do people.
raft to drive before the wind, and swim to the Phaeacian I do not think you will be able to say that I have let you off
coast where better luck awaits you. And here, take my veil too lightly.’ On this he lashed his horses and drove to Aegae
and put it round your chest; it is enchanted, and you can where his palace is.
come to no harm so long as you wear it. As soon as you But Minerva resolved to help Ulysses, so she bound the
touch land take it off, throw it back as far as you can into the ways of all the winds except one, and made them lie quite
sea, and then go away again.’ With these words she took off still; but she roused a good stiff breeze from the North that
her veil and gave it him. Then she dived down again like a should lay the waters till Ulysses reached the land of the
sea-gull and vanished beneath the dark blue waters. Phaeacians where he would be safe.
But Ulysses did not know what to think. ‘Alas,’ he said Thereon he floated about for two nights and two days in
to himself in his dismay, ‘this is only some one or other of the water, with a heavy swell on the sea and death staring
the gods who is luring me to ruin by advising me to quit him in the face; but when the third day broke, the wind fell
my raft. At any rate I will not do so at present, for the land and there was a dead calm without so much as a breath of
where she said I should be quit of all troubles seemed to be air stirring. As he rose on the swell he looked eagerly ahead,
still a good way off. I know what I will do—I am sure it will and could see land quite near. Then, as children rejoice when
be best—no matter what happens I will stick to the raft as their dear father begins to get better after having for a long
long as her timbers hold together, but when the sea breaks time borne sore affliction sent him by some angry spirit,
her up I will swim for it; I do not see how I can do any bet- but the gods deliver him from evil, so was Ulysses thank-
ter than this.’ ful when he again saw land and trees, and swam on with
While he was thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terri- all his strength that he might once more set foot upon dry
ble great wave that seemed to rear itself above his head till ground. When, however, he got within earshot, he began to
it broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces as hear the surf thundering up against the rocks, for the swell

still broke against them with a terrific roar. Everything was under the water.
enveloped in spray; there were no harbours where a ship Here poor Ulysses would have certainly perished even in
might ride, nor shelter of any kind, but only headlands, low- spite of his own destiny, if Minerva had not helped him to
lying rocks, and mountain tops. keep his wits about him. He swam seaward again, beyond
Ulysses’ heart now began to fail him, and he said de- reach of the surf that was beating against the land, and at
spairingly to himself, ‘Alas, Jove has let me see land after the same time he kept looking towards the shore to see if he
swimming so far that I had given up all hope, but I can find could find some haven, or a spit that should take the waves
no landing place, for the coast is rocky and surf-beaten, the aslant. By and by, as he swam on, he came to the mouth of a
rocks are smooth and rise sheer from the sea, with deep wa- river, and here he thought would be the best place, for there
ter close under them so that I cannot climb out for want of were no rocks, and it afforded shelter from the wind. He felt
foot hold. I am afraid some great wave will lift me off my that there was a current, so he prayed inwardly and said:
legs and dash me against the rocks as I leave the water— ‘Hear me, O King, whoever you may be, and save me
which would give me a sorry landing. If, on the other hand, from the anger of the sea-god Neptune, for I approach you
I swim further in search of some shelving beach or harbour, prayerfully. Any one who has lost his way has at all times a
a hurricane may carry me out to sea again sorely against my claim even upon the gods, wherefore in my distress I draw
will, or heaven may send some great monster of the deep to near to your stream, and cling to the knees of your river-
attack me; for Amphitrite breeds many such, and I know hood. Have mercy upon me, O king, for I declare myself
that Neptune is very angry with me.’ your suppliant.’
While he was thus in two minds a wave caught him and Then the god staid his stream and stilled the waves, mak-
took him with such force against the rocks that he would ing all calm before him, and bringing him safely into the
have been smashed and torn to pieces if Minerva had not mouth of the river. Here at last Ulysses’ knees and strong
shown him what to do. He caught hold of the rock with hands failed him, for the sea had completely broken him.
both hands and clung to it groaning with pain till the wave His body was all swollen, and his mouth and nostrils ran
retired, so he was saved that time; but presently the wave down like a river with sea-water, so that he could neither
came on again and carried him back with it far into the breathe nor speak, and lay swooning from sheer exhaustion;
sea—tearing his hands as the suckers of a polypus are torn presently, when he had got his breath and came to him-
when some one plucks it from its bed, and the stones come self again, he took off the scarf that Ino had given him and
up along with it—even so did the rocks tear the skin from threw it back into the salt {54} stream of the river, whereon
his strong hands, and then the wave drew him deep down Ino received it into her hands from the wave that bore it to-

wards her. Then he left the river, laid himself down among
the rushes, and kissed the bounteous earth. BOOK VI
‘Alas,’ he cried to himself in his dismay, ‘what ever will
become of me, and how is it all to end? If I stay here upon THE MEETING BETWEEN
the river bed through the long watches of the night, I am so
exhausted that the bitter cold and damp may make an end NAUSICAA AND ULYSSES.
of me—for towards sunrise there will be a keen wind blow-
ing from off the river. If, on the other hand, I climb the hill
side, find shelter in the woods, and sleep in some thicket, I
may escape the cold and have a good night’s rest, but some
savage beast may take advantage of me and devour me.’
In the end he deemed it best to take to the woods, and
S o here Ulysses slept, overcome by sleep and toil; but
Minerva went off to the country and city of the Phaea-
cians—a people who used to live in the fair town of Hypereia,
he found one upon some high ground not far from the wa- near the lawless Cyclopes. Now the Cyclopes were stronger
ter. There he crept beneath two shoots of olive that grew than they and plundered them, so their king Nausithous
from a single stock—the one an ungrafted sucker, while the moved them thence and settled them in Scheria, far from
other had been grafted. No wind, however squally, could all other people. He surrounded the city with a wall, built
break through the cover they afforded, nor could the sun’s houses and temples, and divided the lands among his peo-
rays pierce them, nor the rain get through them, so closely ple; but he was dead and gone to the house of Hades, and
did they grow into one another. Ulysses crept under these King Alcinous, whose counsels were inspired of heaven,
and began to make himself a bed to lie on, for there was a was now reigning. To his house, then, did Minerva hie in
great litter of dead leaves lying about—enough to make a furtherance of the return of Ulysses.
covering for two or three men even in hard winter weather. She went straight to the beautifully decorated bedroom
He was glad enough to see this, so he laid himself down in which there slept a girl who was as lovely as a goddess,
and heaped the leaves all round him. Then, as one who lives Nausicaa, daughter to King Alcinous. Two maid servants
alone in the country, far from any neighbor, hides a brand were sleeping near her, both very pretty, one on either side
as fire-seed in the ashes to save himself from having to get of the doorway, which was closed with well made folding
a light elsewhere, even so did Ulysses cover himself up with doors. Minerva took the form of the famous sea captain
leaves; and Minerva shed a sweet sleep upon his eyes, closed Dymas’s daughter, who was a bosom friend of Nausicaa and
his eyelids, and made him lose all memories of his sorrows. just her own age; then, coming up to the girl’s bedside like a

breath of wind, she hovered over her head and said: around her, and she happened to catch her father just as
‘Nausicaa, what can your mother have been about, to he was going out to attend a meeting of the town council,
have such a lazy daughter? Here are your clothes all lying which the Phaeacian aldermen had convened. She stopped
in disorder, yet you are going to be married almost imme- him and said:
diately, and should not only be well dressed yourself, but ‘Papa dear, could you manage to let me have a good big
should find good clothes for those who attend you. This is waggon? I want to take all our dirty clothes to the river and
the way to get yourself a good name, and to make your fa- wash them. You are the chief man here, so it is only right
ther and mother proud of you. Suppose, then, that we make that you should have a clean shirt when you attend meet-
tomorrow a washing day, and start at daybreak. I will come ings of the council. Moreover, you have five sons at home,
and help you so that you may have everything ready as soon two of them married, while the other three are good look-
as possible, for all the best young men among your own ing bachelors; you know they always like to have clean linen
people are courting you, and you are not going to remain when they go to a dance, and I have been thinking about
a maid much longer. Ask your father, therefore, to have all this.’
a waggon and mules ready for us at daybreak, to take the She did not say a word about her own wedding, for she
rugs, robes, and girdles, and you can ride, too, which will did not like to, but her father knew and said, ‘You shall have
be much pleasanter for you than walking, for the washing- the mules, my love, and whatever else you have a mind for.
cisterns are some way from the town.’ Be off with you, and the men shall get you a good strong
When she had said this Minerva went away to Olympus, waggon with a body to it that will hold all your clothes.’
which they say is the everlasting home of the gods. Here no On this he gave his orders to the servants, who got the
wind beats roughly, and neither rain nor snow can fall; but waggon out, harnessed the mules, and put them to, while
it abides in everlasting sunshine and in a great peacefulness the girl brought the clothes down from the linen room and
of light, wherein the blessed gods are illumined for ever and placed them on the waggon. Her mother prepared her a bas-
ever. This was the place to which the goddess went when she ket of provisions with all sorts of good things, and a goat
had given instructions to the girl. skin full of wine; the girl now got into the waggon, and her
By and by morning came and woke Nausicaa, who began mother gave her also a golden cruse of oil, that she and her
wondering about her dream; she therefore went to the other women might anoint themselves. Then she took the whip
end of the house to tell her father and mother all about it, and reins and lashed the mules on, whereon they set off,
and found them in their own room. Her mother was sit- and their hoofs clattered on the road. They pulled without
ting by the fireside spinning her purple yarn with her maids flagging, and carried not only Nausicaa and her wash of

clothes, but the maids also who were with her. this they all shouted, and the noise they made woke Ulysses,
When they reached the water side they went to the wash- who sat up in his bed of leaves and began to wonder what it
ing cisterns, through which there ran at all times enough might all be.
pure water to wash any quantity of linen, no matter how ‘Alas,’ said he to himself, ‘what kind of people have I
dirty. Here they unharnessed the mules and turned them come amongst? Are they cruel, savage, and uncivilised, or
out to feed on the sweet juicy herbage that grew by the water hospitable and humane? I seem to hear the voices of young
side. They took the clothes out of the waggon, put them in women, and they sound like those of the nymphs that haunt
the water, and vied with one another in treading them in the mountain tops, or springs of rivers and meadows of green
pits to get the dirt out. After they had washed them and got grass. At any rate I am among a race of men and women. Let
them quite clean, they laid them out by the sea side, where me try if I cannot manage to get a look at them.’
the waves had raised a high beach of shingle, and set about As he said this he crept from under his bush, and broke
washing themselves and anointing themselves with olive off a bough covered with thick leaves to hide his naked-
oil. Then they got their dinner by the side of the stream, ness. He looked like some lion of the wilderness that stalks
and waited for the sun to finish drying the clothes. When about exulting in his strength and defying both wind and
they had done dinner they threw off the veils that covered rain; his eyes glare as he prowls in quest of oxen, sheep, or
their heads and began to play at ball, while Nausicaa sang deer, for he is famished, and will dare break even into a well
for them. As the huntress Diana goes forth upon the moun- fenced homestead, trying to get at the sheep—even such did
tains of Taygetus or Erymanthus to hunt wild boars or deer, Ulysses seem to the young women, as he drew near to them
and the wood nymphs, daughters of Aegis-bearing Jove, all naked as he was, for he was in great want. On seeing
take their sport along with her (then is Leto proud at seeing one so unkempt and so begrimed with salt water, the oth-
her daughter stand a full head taller than the others, and ers scampered off along the spits that jutted out into the sea,
eclipse the loveliest amid a whole bevy of beauties), even so but the daughter of Alcinous stood firm, for Minerva put
did the girl outshine her handmaids. courage into her heart and took away all fear from her. She
When it was time for them to start home, and they were stood right in front of Ulysses, and he doubted whether he
folding the clothes and putting them into the waggon, Mi- should go up to her, throw himself at her feet, and embrace
nerva began to consider how Ulysses should wake up and her knees as a suppliant, or stay where he was and entreat
see the handsome girl who was to conduct him to the city her to give him some clothes and show him the way to the
of the Phaeacians. The girl, therefore, threw a ball at one of town. In the end he deemed it best to entreat her from a dis-
the maids, which missed her and fell into deep water. On tance in case the girl should take offence at his coming near

enough to clasp her knees, so he addressed her in honeyed the first person I have met, and I know no one else in this
and persuasive language. country. Show me the way to your town, and let me have
‘O queen,’ he said, ‘I implore your aid—but tell me, are anything that you may have brought hither to wrap your
you a goddess or are you a mortal woman? If you are a god- clothes in. May heaven grant you in all things your heart’s
dess and dwell in heaven, I can only conjecture that you are desire—husband, house, and a happy, peaceful home; for
Jove’s daughter Diana, for your face and figure resemble there is nothing better in this world than that man and
none but hers; if on the other hand you are a mortal and wife should be of one mind in a house. It discomfits their
live on earth, thrice happy are your father and mother— enemies, makes the hearts of their friends glad, and they
thrice happy, too, are your brothers and sisters; how proud themselves know more about it than any one.’
and delighted they must feel when they see so fair a scion To this Nausicaa answered, ‘Stranger, you appear to be a
as yourself going out to a dance; most happy, however, of all sensible, well-disposed person. There is no accounting for
will he be whose wedding gifts have been the richest, and luck; Jove gives prosperity to rich and poor just as he choos-
who takes you to his own home. I never yet saw any one so es, so you must take what he has seen fit to send you, and
beautiful, neither man nor woman, and am lost in admi- make the best of it. Now, however, that you have come to
ration as I behold you. I can only compare you to a young this our country, you shall not want for clothes nor for any-
palm tree which I saw when I was at Delos growing near the thing else that a foreigner in distress may reasonably look
altar of Apollo—for I was there, too, with much people after for. I will show you the way to the town, and will tell you
me, when I was on that journey which has been the source the name of our people; we are called Phaeacians, and I am
of all my troubles. Never yet did such a young plant shoot daughter to Alcinous, in whom the whole power of the state
out of the ground as that was, and I admired and wondered is vested.’
at it exactly as I now admire and wonder at yourself. I dare Then she called her maids and said, ‘Stay where you are,
not clasp your knees, but I am in great distress; yesterday you girls. Can you not see a man without running away
made the twentieth day that I had been tossing about upon from him? Do you take him for a robber or a murderer?
the sea. The winds and waves have taken me all the way Neither he nor any one else can come here to do us Phaea-
from the Ogygian island, {55} and now fate has flung me cians any harm, for we are dear to the gods, and live apart
upon this coast that I may endure still further suffering; for on a land’s end that juts into the sounding sea, and have
I do not think that I have yet come to the end of it, but rather nothing to do with any other people. This is only some poor
that heaven has still much evil in store for me. man who has lost his way, and we must be kind to him, for
‘And now, O queen, have pity upon me, for you are strangers and foreigners in distress are under Jove’s protec-

tion, and will take what they can get and be thankful; so, him with admiration; then she said to her maids:
girls, give the poor fellow something to eat and drink, and ‘Hush, my dears, for I want to say something. I believe
wash him in the stream at some place that is sheltered from the gods who live in heaven have sent this man to the Phae-
the wind.’ acians. When I first saw him I thought him plain, but now
On this the maids left off running away and began call- his appearance is like that of the gods who dwell in heaven. I
ing one another back. They made Ulysses sit down in the should like my future husband to be just such another as he
shelter as Nausicaa had told them, and brought him a shirt is, if he would only stay here and not want to go away. How-
and cloak. They also brought him the little golden cruse of ever, give him something to eat and drink.’
oil, and told him to go and wash in the stream. But Ulysses They did as they were told, and set food before Ulysses,
said, ‘Young women, please to stand a little on one side that who ate and drank ravenously, for it was long since he had
I may wash the brine from my shoulders and anoint myself had food of any kind. Meanwhile, Nausicaa bethought her
with oil, for it is long enough since my skin has had a drop of another matter. She got the linen folded and placed in the
of oil upon it. I cannot wash as long as you all keep standing waggon, she then yoked the mules, and, as she took her seat,
there. I am ashamed to strip {56} before a number of good she called Ulysses:
looking young women.’ ‘Stranger,’ said she, ‘rise and let us be going back to the
Then they stood on one side and went to tell the girl, town; I will introduce you at the house of my excellent fa-
while Ulysses washed himself in the stream and scrubbed ther, where I can tell you that you will meet all the best
the brine from his back and from his broad shoulders. When people among the Phaeacians. But be sure and do as I bid
he had thoroughly washed himself, and had got the brine you, for you seem to be a sensible person. As long as we
out of his hair, he anointed himself with oil, and put on the are going past the fields and farm lands, follow briskly be-
clothes which the girl had given him; Minerva then made hind the waggon along with the maids and I will lead the
him look taller and stronger than before, she also made the way myself. Presently, however, we shall come to the town,
hair grow thick on the top of his head, and flow down in where you will find a high wall running all round it, and a
curls like hyacinth blossoms; she glorified him about the good harbour on either side with a narrow entrance into
head and shoulders as a skilful workman who has studied the city, and the ships will be drawn up by the road side, for
art of all kinds under Vulcan and Minerva enriches a piece every one has a place where his own ship can lie. You will
of silver plate by gilding it—and his work is full of beauty. see the market place with a temple of Neptune in the mid-
Then he went and sat down a little way off upon the beach, dle of it, and paved with large stones bedded in the earth.
looking quite young and handsome, and the girl gazed on Here people deal in ship’s gear of all kinds, such as cables

and sails, and here, too, are the places where oars are made, while till the rest of us can get into the town and reach my
for the Phaeacians are not a nation of archers; they know father’s house. Then, when you think we must have done
nothing about bows and arrows, but are a sea-faring folk, this, come into the town and ask the way to the house of my
and pride themselves on their masts, oars, and ships, with father Alcinous. You will have no difficulty in finding it; any
which they travel far over the sea. child will point it out to you, for no one else in the whole
‘I am afraid of the gossip and scandal that may be set on town has anything like such a fine house as he has. When
foot against me later on; for the people here are very ill-na- you have got past the gates and through the outer court,
tured, and some low fellow, if he met us, might say, ‘Who go right across the inner court till you come to my mother.
is this fine-looking stranger that is going about with Nau- You will find her sitting by the fire and spinning her purple
sicaa? Where did she find him? I suppose she is going to wool by firelight. It is a fine sight to see her as she leans back
marry him. Perhaps he is a vagabond sailor whom she has against one of the bearing-posts with her maids all ranged
taken from some foreign vessel, for we have no neighbours; behind her. Close to her seat stands that of my father, on
or some god has at last come down from heaven in answer which he sits and topes like an immortal god. Never mind
to her prayers, and she is going to live with him all the rest him, but go up to my mother, and lay your hands upon her
of her life. It would be a good thing if she would take herself knees if you would get home quickly. If you can gain her
off and find a husband somewhere else, for she will not look over, you may hope to see your own country again, no mat-
at one of the many excellent young Phaeacians who are in ter how distant it may be.’
love with her.’ This is the kind of disparaging remark that So saying she lashed the mules with her whip and they
would be made about me, and I could not complain, for I left the river. The mules drew well, and their hoofs went up
should myself be scandalised at seeing any other girl do the and down upon the road. She was careful not to go too fast
like, and go about with men in spite of everybody, while her for Ulysses and the maids who were following on foot along
father and mother were still alive, and without having been with the waggon, so she plied her whip with judgement.
married in the face of all the world. As the sun was going down they came to the sacred grove
‘If, therefore, you want my father to give you an escort of Minerva, and there Ulysses sat down and prayed to the
and to help you home, do as I bid you; you will see a beauti- mighty daughter of Jove.
ful grove of poplars by the road side dedicated to Minerva; ‘Hear me,’ he cried, ‘daughter of Aegis-bearing Jove, un-
it has a well in it and a meadow all round it. Here my father weariable, hear me now, for you gave no heed to my prayers
has a field of rich garden ground, about as far from the town when Neptune was wrecking me. Now, therefore, have pity
as a man’s voice will carry. Sit down there and wait for a upon me and grant that I may find friends and be hospitably

received by the Phaeacians.’
Thus did he pray, and Minerva heard his prayer, but she BOOK VII
would not show herself to him openly, for she was afraid of
her uncle Neptune, who was still furious in his endeavors to RECEPTION OF ULYSSES
prevent Ulysses from getting home.
AT THE PALACE OF
KING ALCINOUS.
T hus, then, did Ulysses wait and pray; but the girl drove
on to the town. When she reached her father’s house
she drew up at the gateway, and her brothers—comely as
the gods—gathered round her, took the mules out of the
waggon, and carried the clothes into the house, while she
went to her own room, where an old servant, Eurymedu-
sa of Apeira, lit the fire for her. This old woman had been
brought by sea from Apeira, and had been chosen as a prize
for Alcinous because he was king over the Phaeacians, and
the people obeyed him as though he were a god. {57} She
had been nurse to Nausicaa, and had now lit the fire for her,
and brought her supper for her into her own room.
Presently Ulysses got up to go towards the town; and Mi-
nerva shed a thick mist all round him to hide him in case
any of the proud Phaeacians who met him should be rude
to him, or ask him who he was. Then, as he was just enter-
ing the town, she came towards him in the likeness of a little
girl carrying a pitcher. She stood right in front of him, and

Ulysses said: Periboea was the youngest daughter of Eurymedon, who at
‘My dear, will you be so kind as to show me the house of one time reigned over the giants, but he ruined his ill-fated
king Alcinous? I am an unfortunate foreigner in distress, people and lost his own life to boot.
and do not know one in your town and country.’ ‘Neptune, however, lay with his daughter, and she had
Then Minerva said, ‘Yes, father stranger, I will show you a son by him, the great Nausithous, who reigned over the
the house you want, for Alcinous lives quite close to my Phaeacians. Nausithous had two sons Rhexenor and Alci-
own father. I will go before you and show the way, but say nous; {58} Apollo killed the first of them while he was still
not a word as you go, and do not look at any man, nor ask a bridegroom and without male issue; but he left a daughter
him questions; for the people here cannot abide strangers, Arete, whom Alcinous married, and honours as no other
and do not like men who come from some other place. They woman is honoured of all those that keep house along with
are a sea-faring folk, and sail the seas by the grace of Nep- their husbands.
tune in ships that glide along like thought, or as a bird in ‘Thus she both was, and still is, respected beyond mea-
the air.’ sure by her children, by Alcinous himself, and by the whole
On this she led the way, and Ulysses followed in her steps; people, who look upon her as a goddess, and greet her
but not one of the Phaeacians could see him as he passed whenever she goes about the city, for she is a thoroughly
through the city in the midst of them; for the great goddess good woman both in head and heart, and when any women
Minerva in her good will towards him had hidden him in a are friends of hers, she will help their husbands also to settle
thick cloud of darkness. He admired their harbours, ships, their disputes. If you can gain her good will, you may have
places of assembly, and the lofty walls of the city, which, every hope of seeing your friends again, and getting safely
with the palisade on top of them, were very striking, and back to your home and country.’
when they reached the king’s house Minerva said: Then Minerva left Scheria and went away over the sea.
‘This is the house, father stranger, which you would have She went to Marathon {59} and to the spacious streets of
me show you. You will find a number of great people sitting Athens, where she entered the abode of Erechtheus; but
at table, but do not be afraid; go straight in, for the bolder a Ulysses went on to the house of Alcinous, and he pondered
man is the more likely he is to carry his point, even though much as he paused a while before reaching the threshold
he is a stranger. First find the queen. Her name is Arete, of bronze, for the splendour of the palace was like that of
and she comes of the same family as her husband Alcinous. the sun or moon. The walls on either side were of bronze
They both descend originally from Neptune, who was fa- from end to end, and the cornice was of blue enamel. The
ther to Nausithous by Periboea, a woman of great beauty. doors were gold, and hung on pillars of silver that rose from

a floor of bronze, while the lintel was silver and the hook of there is an excellent vineyard: on the level ground of a part
the door was of gold. of this, the grapes are being made into raisins; in another
On either side there stood gold and silver mastiffs which part they are being gathered; some are being trodden in the
Vulcan, with his consummate skill, had fashioned expressly wine tubs, others further on have shed their blossom and
to keep watch over the palace of king Alcinous; so they were are beginning to show fruit, others again are just changing
immortal and could never grow old. Seats were ranged all colour. In the furthest part of the ground there are beauti-
along the wall, here and there from one end to the other, fully arranged beds of flowers that are in bloom all the year
with coverings of fine woven work which the women of the round. Two streams go through it, the one turned in ducts
house had made. Here the chief persons of the Phaeacians throughout the whole garden, while the other is carried un-
used to sit and eat and drink, for there was abundance at all der the ground of the outer court to the house itself, and
seasons; and there were golden figures of young men with the town’s people draw water from it. Such, then, were the
lighted torches in their hands, raised on pedestals, to give splendours with which the gods had endowed the house of
light by night to those who were at table. There are {60} fif- king Alcinous.
ty maid servants in the house, some of whom are always So here Ulysses stood for a while and looked about him,
grinding rich yellow grain at the mill, while others work at but when he had looked long enough he crossed the thresh-
the loom, or sit and spin, and their shuttles go backwards old and went within the precincts of the house. There he
and forwards like the fluttering of aspen leaves, while the found all the chief people among the Phaeacians making
linen is so closely woven that it will turn oil. As the Phaea- their drink offerings to Mercury, which they always did
cians are the best sailors in the world, so their women excel the last thing before going away for the night. {61} He went
all others in weaving, for Minerva has taught them all man- straight through the court, still hidden by the cloak of dark-
ner of useful arts, and they are very intelligent. ness in which Minerva had enveloped him, till he reached
Outside the gate of the outer court there is a large gar- Arete and King Alcinous; then he laid his hands upon the
den of about four acres with a wall all round it. It is full knees of the queen, and at that moment the miraculous
of beautiful trees—pears, pomegranates, and the most deli- darkness fell away from him and he became visible. Every
cious apples. There are luscious figs also, and olives in full one was speechless with surprise at seeing a man there, but
growth. The fruits never rot nor fail all the year round, nei- Ulysses began at once with his petition.
ther winter nor summer, for the air is so soft that a new crop ‘Queen Arete,’ he exclaimed, ‘daughter of great Rhexenor,
ripens before the old has dropped. Pear grows on pear, ap- in my distress I humbly pray you, as also your husband and
ple on apple, and fig on fig, and so also with the grapes, for these your guests (whom may heaven prosper with long

life and happiness, and may they leave their possessions to we may make drink-offerings to Jove the lord of thunder,
their children, and all the honours conferred upon them by who is the protector of all well-disposed suppliants.’
the state) to help me home to my own country as soon as Pontonous then mixed wine and water, and handed it
possible; for I have been long in trouble and away from my round after giving every man his drink-offering. When they
friends.’ had made their offerings, and had drunk each as much as he
Then he sat down on the hearth among the ashes and was minded, Alcinous said:
they all held their peace, till presently the old hero Ech- ‘Aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, hear
eneus, who was an excellent speaker and an elder among my words. You have had your supper, so now go home to
the Phaeacians, plainly and in all honesty addressed them bed. To-morrow morning I shall invite a still larger number
thus: of aldermen, and will give a sacrificial banquet in honour
‘Alcinous,’ said he, ‘it is not creditable to you that a of our guest; we can then discuss the question of his escort,
stranger should be seen sitting among the ashes of your and consider how we may at once send him back rejoicing
hearth; every one is waiting to hear what you are about to to his own country without trouble or inconvenience to
say; tell him, then, to rise and take a seat on a stool inlaid himself, no matter how distant it may be. We must see that
with silver, and bid your servants mix some wine and wa- he comes to no harm while on his homeward journey, but
ter that we may make a drink offering to Jove the lord of when he is once at home he will have to take the luck he was
thunder, who takes all well disposed suppliants under his born with for better or worse like other people. It is possi-
protection; and let the housekeeper give him some supper, ble, however, that the stranger is one of the immortals who
of whatever there may be in the house.’ has come down from heaven to visit us; but in this case the
When Alcinous heard this he took Ulysses by the hand, gods are departing from their usual practice, for hitherto
raised him from the hearth, and bade him take the seat of they have made themselves perfectly clear to us when we
Laodamas, who had been sitting beside him, and was his have been offering them hecatombs. They come and sit at
favourite son. A maid servant then brought him water in our feasts just like one of our selves, and if any solitary way-
a beautiful golden ewer and poured it into a silver basin farer happens to stumble upon some one or other of them,
for him to wash his hands, and she drew a clean table be- they affect no concealment, for we are as near of kin to the
side him; an upper servant brought him bread and offered gods as the Cyclopes and the savage giants are.’ {62}
him many good things of what there was in the house, and Then Ulysses said: ‘Pray, Alcinous, do not take any such
Ulysses ate and drank. Then Alcinous said to one of the ser- notion into your head. I have nothing of the immortal about
vants, ‘Pontonous, mix a cup of wine and hand it round that me, neither in body nor mind, and most resemble those

among you who are the most afflicted. Indeed, were I to tell which is called ‘the Ogygian.’ Here dwells the cunning and
you all that heaven has seen fit to lay upon me, you would powerful goddess Calypso, daughter of Atlas. She lives by
say that I was still worse off than they are. Nevertheless, let herself far from all neighbours human or divine. Fortune,
me sup in spite of sorrow, for an empty stomach is a very however, brought me to her hearth all desolate and alone,
importunate thing, and thrusts itself on a man’s notice no for Jove struck my ship with his thunderbolts, and broke it
matter how dire is his distress. I am in great trouble, yet it up in mid-ocean. My brave comrades were drowned every
insists that I shall eat and drink, bids me lay aside all mem- man of them, but I stuck to the keel and was carried hither
ory of my sorrows and dwell only on the due replenishing of and thither for the space of nine days, till at last during the
itself. As for yourselves, do as you propose, and at break of darkness of the tenth night the gods brought me to the Ogy-
day set about helping me to get home. I shall be content to gian island where the great goddess Calypso lives. She took
die if I may first once more behold my property, my bonds- me in and treated me with the utmost kindness; indeed she
men, and all the greatness of my house.’ {63} wanted to make me immortal that I might never grow old,
Thus did he speak. Every one approved his saying, and but she could not persuade me to let her do so.
agreed that he should have his escort inasmuch as he had ‘I stayed with Calypso seven years straight on end, and
spoken reasonably. Then when they had made their drink watered the good clothes she gave me with my tears during
offerings, and had drunk each as much as he was minded the whole time; but at last when the eighth year came round
they went home to bed every man in his own abode, leav- she bade me depart of her own free will, either because
ing Ulysses in the cloister with Arete and Alcinous while Jove had told her she must, or because she had changed her
the servants were taking the things away after supper. Arete mind. She sent me from her island on a raft, which she pro-
was the first to speak, for she recognised the shirt, cloak, visioned with abundance of bread and wine. Moreover she
and good clothes that Ulysses was wearing, as the work of gave me good stout clothing, and sent me a wind that blew
herself and of her maids; so she said, ‘Stranger, before we both warm and fair. Days seven and ten did I sail over the
go any further, there is a question I should like to ask you. sea, and on the eighteenth I caught sight of the first outlines
Who, and whence are you, and who gave you those clothes? of the mountains upon your coast—and glad indeed was I
Did you not say you had come here from beyond the sea?’ to set eyes upon them. Nevertheless there was still much
And Ulysses answered, ‘It would be a long story Mad- trouble in store for me, for at this point Neptune would let
am, were I to relate in full the tale of my misfortunes, for me go no further, and raised a great storm against me; the
the hand of heaven has been laid heavy upon me; but as re- sea was so terribly high that I could no longer keep to my
gards your question, there is an island far away in the sea raft, which went to pieces under the fury of the gale, and I

had to swim for it, till wind and current brought me to your be displeased if you saw me. Every human being is some-
shores. times a little suspicious and irritable.’
‘There I tried to land, but could not, for it was a bad place ‘Stranger,’ replied Alcinous, ‘I am not the kind of man
and the waves dashed me against the rocks, so I again took to get angry about nothing; it is always better to be reason-
to the sea and swam on till I came to a river that seemed able; but by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, now that I see
the most likely landing place, for there were no rocks and what kind of person you are, and how much you think as I
it was sheltered from the wind. Here, then, I got out of the do, I wish you would stay here, marry my daughter, and be-
water and gathered my senses together again. Night was come my son-in-law. If you will stay I will give you a house
coming on, so I left the river, and went into a thicket, where and an estate, but no one (heaven forbid) shall keep you
I covered myself all over with leaves, and presently heaven here against your own wish, and that you may be sure of
sent me off into a very deep sleep. Sick and sorry as I was I this I will attend tomorrow to the matter of your escort. You
slept among the leaves all night, and through the next day can sleep {64} during the whole voyage if you like, and the
till afternoon, when I woke as the sun was westering, and men shall sail you over smooth waters either to your own
saw your daughter’s maid servants playing upon the beach, home, or wherever you please, even though it be a long way
and your daughter among them looking like a goddess. I further off than Euboea, which those of my people who saw
besought her aid, and she proved to be of an excellent dis- it when they took yellow-haired Rhadamanthus to see Tity-
position, much more so than could be expected from so us the son of Gaia, tell me is the furthest of any place—and
young a person—for young people are apt to be thought- yet they did the whole voyage in a single day without dis-
less. She gave me plenty of bread and wine, and when she tressing themselves, and came back again afterwards. You
had had me washed in the river she also gave me the clothes will thus see how much my ships excel all others, and what
in which you see me. Now, therefore, though it has pained magnificent oarsmen my sailors are.’
me to do so, I have told you the whole truth.’ Then was Ulysses glad and prayed aloud saying, ‘Father
Then Alcinous said, ‘Stranger, it was very wrong of my Jove, grant that Alcinous may do all as he has said, for so he
daughter not to bring you on at once to my house along with will win an imperishable name among mankind, and at the
the maids, seeing that she was the first person whose aid same time I shall return to my country.’
you asked.’ Thus did they converse. Then Arete told her maids to set
‘Pray do not scold her,’ replied Ulysses; ‘she is not to a bed in the room that was in the gatehouse, and make it
blame. She did tell me to follow along with the maids, but with good red rugs, and to spread coverlets on the top of
I was ashamed and afraid, for I thought you might perhaps them with woollen cloaks for Ulysses to wear. The maids

thereon went out with torches in their hands, and when
they had made the bed they came up to Ulysses and said, BOOK VIII
‘Rise, sir stranger, and come with us for your bed is ready,’
and glad indeed was he to go to his rest. BANQUET IN THE
So Ulysses slept in a bed placed in a room over the echo-
ing gateway; but Alcinous lay in the inner part of the house, HOUSE OF ALCINOUS—
with the queen his wife by his side.
THE GAMES.
N ow when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,

appeared, Alcinous and Ulysses both rose, and Alci-
nous led the way to the Phaeacian place of assembly, which
was near the ships. When they got there they sat down side
by side on a seat of polished stone, while Minerva took
the form of one of Alcinous’ servants, and went round the
town in order to help Ulysses to get home. She went up to
the citizens, man by man, and said, ‘Aldermen and town
councillors of the Phaeacians, come to the assembly all of
you and listen to the stranger who has just come off a long
voyage to the house of King Alcinous; he looks like an im-
mortal god.’
With these words she made them all want to come, and
they flocked to the assembly till seats and standing room
were alike crowded. Every one was struck with the appear-
ance of Ulysses, for Minerva had beautified him about the
head and shoulders, making him look taller and stouter
than he really was, that he might impress the Phaeacians fa-

vourably as being a very remarkable man, and might come and spread the white sails aloft. They moored the vessel a
off well in the many trials of skill to which they would chal- little way out from land, and then came on shore and went
lenge him. Then, when they were got together, Alcinous to the house of King Alcinous. The out houses, {66} yards,
spoke: and all the precincts were filled with crowds of men in great
‘Hear me,’ said he, ‘aldermen and town councillors of multitudes both old and young; and Alcinous killed them
the Phaeacians, that I may speak even as I am minded. This a dozen sheep, eight full grown pigs, and two oxen. These
stranger, whoever he may be, has found his way to my house they skinned and dressed so as to provide a magnificent
from somewhere or other either East or West. He wants an banquet.
escort and wishes to have the matter settled. Let us then get A servant presently led in the famous bard Demodo-
one ready for him, as we have done for others before him; cus, whom the muse had dearly loved, but to whom she
indeed, no one who ever yet came to my house has been able had given both good and evil, for though she had endowed
to complain of me for not speeding on his way soon enough. him with a divine gift of song, she had robbed him of his
Let us draw a ship into the sea—one that has never yet made eyesight. Pontonous set a seat for him among the guests,
a voyage—and man her with two and fifty of our smart- leaning it up against a bearing-post. He hung the lyre for
est young sailors. Then when you have made fast your oars him on a peg over his head, and showed him where he was
each by his own seat, leave the ship and come to my house to feel for it with his hands. He also set a fair table with a
to prepare a feast. {65} I will find you in everything. I am basket of victuals by his side, and a cup of wine from which
giving these instructions to the young men who will form he might drink whenever he was so disposed.
the crew, for as regards you aldermen and town councillors, The company then laid their hands upon the good things
you will join me in entertaining our guest in the cloisters. that were before them, but as soon as they had had enough
I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to eat and drink, the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the
to us; for there is no bard like him whatever he may choose feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then
to sing about.’ in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulyss-
Alcinous then led the way, and the others followed af- es and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on
ter, while a servant went to fetch Demodocus. The fifty-two one another as they sat together at a banquet. But Agamem-
picked oarsmen went to the sea shore as they had been told, non was glad when he heard his chieftains quarrelling with
and when they got there they drew the ship into the wa- one another, for Apollo had foretold him this at Pytho when
ter, got her mast and sails inside her, bound the oars to the he crossed the stone floor to consult the oracle. Here was the
thole-pins with twisted thongs of leather, all in due course, beginning of the evil that by the will of Jove fell both upon

Danaans and Trojans. cinous, Laodamas, Halios, and Clytoneus, competed also.
Thus sang the bard, but Ulysses drew his purple mantle The foot races came first. The course was set out for them
over his head and covered his face, for he was ashamed to let from the starting post, and they raised a dust upon the plain
the Phaeacians see that he was weeping. When the bard left as they all flew forward at the same moment. Clytoneus
off singing he wiped the tears from his eyes, uncovered his came in first by a long way; he left every one else behind
face, and, taking his cup, made a drink-offering to the gods; him by the length of the furrow that a couple of mules can
but when the Phaeacians pressed Demodocus to sing fur- plough in a fallow field. {67} They then turned to the pain-
ther, for they delighted in his lays, then Ulysses again drew ful art of wrestling, and here Euryalus proved to be the best
his mantle over his head and wept bitterly. No one noticed man. Amphialus excelled all the others in jumping, while
his distress except Alcinous, who was sitting near him, and at throwing the disc there was no one who could approach
heard the heavy sighs that he was heaving. So he at once Elatreus. Alcinous’s son Laodamas was the best boxer, and
said, ‘Aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, we he it was who presently said, when they had all been di-
have had enough now, both of the feast, and of the minstrel- verted with the games, ‘Let us ask the stranger whether
sy that is its due accompaniment; let us proceed therefore he excels in any of these sports; he seems very powerfully
to the athletic sports, so that our guest on his return home built; his thighs, calves, hands, and neck are of prodigious
may be able to tell his friends how much we surpass all oth- strength, nor is he at all old, but he has suffered much lately,
er nations as boxers, wrestlers, jumpers, and runners.’ and there is nothing like the sea for making havoc with a
With these words he led the way, and the others fol- man, no matter how strong he is.’
lowed after. A servant hung Demodocus’s lyre on its peg for ‘You are quite right, Laodamas,’ replied Euryalus, ‘go up
him, led him out of the cloister, and set him on the same to your guest and speak to him about it yourself.’
way as that along which all the chief men of the Phaeacians When Laodamas heard this he made his way into the
were going to see the sports; a crowd of several thousands middle of the crowd and said to Ulysses, ‘I hope, Sir, that
of people followed them, and there were many excellent you will enter yourself for some one or other of our compe-
competitors for all the prizes. Acroneos, Ocyalus, Elatreus, titions if you are skilled in any of them—and you must have
Nauteus, Prymneus, Anchialus, Eretmeus, Ponteus, Prore- gone in for many a one before now. There is nothing that
us, Thoon, Anabesineus, and Amphialus son of Polyneus does any one so much credit all his life long as the show-
son of Tecton. There was also Euryalus son of Naubolus, ing himself a proper man with his hands and feet. Have
who was like Mars himself, and was the best looking man a try therefore at something, and banish all sorrow from
among the Phaeacians except Laodamas. Three sons of Al- your mind. Your return home will not be long delayed, for

the ship is already drawn into the water, and the crew is labour and sorrow, for I have gone through much both on
found.’ the field of battle and by the waves of the weary sea; still, in
Ulysses answered, ‘Laodamas, why do you taunt me in spite of all this I will compete, for your taunts have stung
this way? my mind is set rather on cares than contests; I me to the quick.’
have been through infinite trouble, and am come among So he hurried up without even taking his cloak off, and
you now as a suppliant, praying your king and people to seized a disc, larger, more massive and much heavier than
further me on my return home.’ those used by the Phaeacians when disc-throwing among
Then Euryalus reviled him outright and said, ‘I gather, themselves. {68} Then, swinging it back, he threw it from
then, that you are unskilled in any of the many sports that his brawny hand, and it made a humming sound in the air
men generally delight in. I suppose you are one of those as he did so. The Phaeacians quailed beneath the rushing
grasping traders that go about in ships as captains or mer- of its flight as it sped gracefully from his hand, and flew
chants, and who think of nothing but of their outward beyond any mark that had been made yet. Minerva, in the
freights and homeward cargoes. There does not seem to be form of a man, came and marked the place where it had fall-
much of the athlete about you.’ en. ‘A blind man, Sir,’ said she, ‘could easily tell your mark
‘For shame, Sir,’ answered Ulysses, fiercely, ‘you are an by groping for it—it is so far ahead of any other. You may
insolent fellow—so true is it that the gods do not grace all make your mind easy about this contest, for no Phaeacian
men alike in speech, person, and understanding. One man can come near to such a throw as yours.’
may be of weak presence, but heaven has adorned this with Ulysses was glad when he found he had a friend among
such a good conversation that he charms every one who sees the lookers-on, so he began to speak more pleasantly.
him; his honeyed moderation carries his hearers with him ‘Young men,’ said he, ‘come up to that throw if you can, and
so that he is leader in all assemblies of his fellows, and wher- I will throw another disc as heavy or even heavier. If any-
ever he goes he is looked up to. Another may be as handsome one wants to have a bout with me let him come on, for I am
as a god, but his good looks are not crowned with discre- exceedingly angry; I will box, wrestle, or run, I do not care
tion. This is your case. No god could make a finer looking what it is, with any man of you all except Laodamas, but
fellow than you are, but you are a fool. Your ill-judged re- not with him because I am his guest, and one cannot com-
marks have made me exceedingly angry, and you are quite pete with one’s own personal friend. At least I do not think
mistaken, for I excel in a great many athletic exercises; init a prudent or a sensible thing for a guest to challenge his
deed, so long as I had youth and strength, I was among the host’s family at any game, especially when he is in a foreign
first athletes of the age. Now, however, I am worn out by country. He will cut the ground from under his own feet if

he does; but I make no exception as regards any one else, ily when you get home, that we have an hereditary aptitude
for I want to have the matter out and know which is the for accomplishments of all kinds. We are not particular-
best man. I am a good hand at every kind of athletic sport ly remarkable for our boxing, nor yet as wrestlers, but we
known among mankind. I am an excellent archer. In battle are singularly fleet of foot and are excellent sailors. We are
I am always the first to bring a man down with my arrow, extremely fond of good dinners, music, and dancing; we
no matter how many more are taking aim at him alongside also like frequent changes of linen, warm baths, and good
of me. Philoctetes was the only man who could shoot bet- beds, so now, please, some of you who are the best dancers
ter than I could when we Achaeans were before Troy and set about dancing, that our guest on his return home may
in practice. I far excel every one else in the whole world, be able to tell his friends how much we surpass all other
of those who still eat bread upon the face of the earth, but nations as sailors, runners, dancers, and minstrels. Demo-
I should not like to shoot against the mighty dead, such as docus has left his lyre at my house, so run some one or other
Hercules, or Eurytus the Oechalian—men who could shoot of you and fetch it for him.’
against the gods themselves. This in fact was how Eurytus On this a servant hurried off to bring the lyre from the
came prematurely by his end, for Apollo was angry with king’s house, and the nine men who had been chosen as
him and killed him because he challenged him as an ar- stewards stood forward. It was their business to manage
cher. I can throw a dart farther than any one else can shoot everything connected with the sports, so they made the
an arrow. Running is the only point in respect of which I ground smooth and marked a wide space for the dancers.
am afraid some of the Phaeacians might beat me, for I have Presently the servant came back with Demodocus’s lyre,
been brought down very low at sea; my provisions ran short, and he took his place in the midst of them, whereon the
and therefore I am still weak.’ best young dancers in the town began to foot and trip it
They all held their peace except King Alcinous, who be- so nimbly that Ulysses was delighted with the merry twin-
gan, ‘Sir, we have had much pleasure in hearing all that you kling of their feet.
have told us, from which I understand that you are willing Meanwhile the bard began to sing the loves of Mars and
to show your prowess, as having been displeased with some Venus, and how they first began their intrigue in the house
insolent remarks that have been made to you by one of our of Vulcan. Mars made Venus many presents, and defiled
athletes, and which could never have been uttered by any King Vulcan’s marriage bed, so the sun, who saw what they
one who knows how to talk with propriety. I hope you will were about, told Vulcan. Vulcan was very angry when he
apprehend my meaning, and will explain to any one of your heard such dreadful news, so he went to his smithy brood-
chief men who may be dining with yourself and your fam- ing mischief, got his great anvil into its place, and began

to forge some chains which none could either unloose or graceful sight that I will show you. Jove’s daughter Venus is
break, so that they might stay there in that place. {69} When always dishonouring me because I am lame. She is in love
he had finished his snare he went into his bedroom and fes- with Mars, who is handsome and clean built, whereas I am
tooned the bed-posts all over with chains like cobwebs; he a cripple—but my parents are to blame for that, not I; they
also let many hang down from the great beam of the ceil- ought never to have begotten me. Come and see the pair
ing. Not even a god could see them so fine and subtle were together asleep on my bed. It makes me furious to look at
they. As soon as he had spread the chains all over the bed, them. They are very fond of one another, but I do not think
he made as though he were setting out for the fair state of they will lie there longer than they can help, nor do I think
Lemnos, which of all places in the world was the one he was that they will sleep much; there, however, they shall stay till
most fond of. But Mars kept no blind look out, and as soon her father has repaid me the sum I gave him for his baggage
as he saw him start, hurried off to his house, burning with of a daughter, who is fair but not honest.’
love for Venus. On this the gods gathered to the house of Vulcan. Earth-
Now Venus was just come in from a visit to her father encircling Neptune came, and Mercury the bringer of luck,
Jove, and was about sitting down when Mars came inside and King Apollo, but the goddesses staid at home all of them
the house, and said as he took her hand in his own, ‘Let us for shame. Then the givers of all good things stood in the
go to the couch of Vulcan: he is not at home, but is gone doorway, and the blessed gods roared with inextinguish-
off to Lemnos among the Sintians, whose speech is barba- able laughter, as they saw how cunning Vulcan had been,
rous.’ whereon one would turn towards his neighbour saying:
She was nothing loth, so they went to the couch to take ‘Ill deeds do not prosper, and the weak confound the
their rest, whereon they were caught in the toils which cun- strong. See how limping Vulcan, lame as he is, has caught
ning Vulcan had spread for them, and could neither get up Mars who is the fleetest god in heaven; and now Mars will
nor stir hand or foot, but found too late that they were in a be cast in heavy damages.’
trap. Then Vulcan came up to them, for he had turned back Thus did they converse, but King Apollo said to Mercu-
before reaching Lemnos, when his scout the sun told him ry, ‘Messenger Mercury, giver of good things, you would not
what was going on. He was in a furious passion, and stood care how strong the chains were, would you, if you could
in the vestibule making a dreadful noise as he shouted to sleep with Venus?’
all the gods. ‘King Apollo,’ answered Mercury, ‘I only wish I might
‘Father Jove,’ he cried, ‘and all you other blessed gods get the chance, though there were three times as many
who live for ever, come here and see the ridiculous and dis- chains—and you might look on, all of you, gods and god-

desses, but I would sleep with her if I could.’ throwing the ball straight up into the air they began to
The immortal gods burst out laughing as they heard dance, and at the same time kept on throwing it backwards
him, but Neptune took it all seriously, and kept on implor- and forwards to one another, while all the young men in the
ing Vulcan to set Mars free again. ‘Let him go,’ he cried, ring applauded and made a great stamping with their feet.
‘and I will undertake, as you require, that he shall pay you Then Ulysses said:
all the damages that are held reasonable among the immor- ‘King Alcinous, you said your people were the nimblest
tal gods.’ dancers in the world, and indeed they have proved them-
‘Do not,’ replied Vulcan, ‘ask me to do this; a bad man’s selves to be so. I was astonished as I saw them.’
bond is bad security; what remedy could I enforce against The king was delighted at this, and exclaimed to the Pha-
you if Mars should go away and leave his debts behind him eacians, ‘Aldermen and town councillors, our guest seems
along with his chains?’ to be a person of singular judgement; let us give him such
‘Vulcan,’ said Neptune, ‘if Mars goes away without pay- proof of our hospitality as he may reasonably expect. There
ing his damages, I will pay you myself.’ So Vulcan answered, are twelve chief men among you, and counting myself there
‘In this case I cannot and must not refuse you.’ are thirteen; contribute, each of you, a clean cloak, a shirt,
Thereon he loosed the bonds that bound them, and as and a talent of fine gold; let us give him all this in a lump
soon as they were free they scampered off, Mars to Thrace down at once, so that when he gets his supper he may do so
and laughter-loving Venus to Cyprus and to Paphos, where with a light heart. As for Euryalus he will have to make a
is her grove and her altar fragrant with burnt offerings. formal apology and a present too, for he has been rude.’
Here the Graces bathed her, and anointed her with oil of Thus did he speak. The others all of them applauded his
ambrosia such as the immortal gods make use of, and they saying, and sent their servants to fetch the presents. Then
clothed her in raiment of the most enchanting beauty. Euryalus said, ‘King Alcinous, I will give the stranger all
Thus sang the bard, and both Ulysses and the seafaring the satisfaction you require. He shall have my sword, which
Phaeacians were charmed as they heard him. is of bronze, all but the hilt, which is of silver. I will also give
Then Alcinous told Laodamas and Halius to dance alone, him the scabbard of newly sawn ivory into which it fits. It
for there was no one to compete with them. So they took a will be worth a great deal to him.’
red ball which Polybus had made for them, and one of them As he spoke he placed the sword in the hands of Ulysses
bent himself backwards and threw it up towards the clouds, and said, ‘Good luck to you, father stranger; if anything has
while the other jumped from off the ground and caught it been said amiss may the winds blow it away with them, and
with ease before it came down again. When they had done may heaven grant you a safe return, for I understand you

have been long away from home, and have gone through packed all the beautiful presents of gold and raiment which
much hardship.’ the Phaeacians had brought. Lastly she added a cloak and a
To which Ulysses answered, ‘Good luck to you too my good shirt from Alcinous, and said to Ulysses:
friend, and may the gods grant you every happiness. I hope ‘See to the lid yourself, and have the whole bound round
you will not miss the sword you have given me along with at once, for fear any one should rob you by the way when
your apology.’ you are asleep in your ship.’ {72}
With these words he girded the sword about his shoul- When Ulysses heard this he put the lid on the chest and
ders and towards sundown the presents began to make their made it fast with a bond that Circe had taught him. He had
appearance, as the servants of the donors kept bringing done so before an upper servant told him to come to the
them to the house of King Alcinous; here his sons received bath and wash himself. He was very glad of a warm bath,
them, and placed them under their mother’s charge. Then for he had had no one to wait upon him ever since he left
Alcinous led the way to the house and bade his guests take the house of Calypso, who as long as he remained with her
their seats. had taken as good care of him as though he had been a god.
‘Wife,’ said he, turning to Queen Arete, ‘Go, fetch the When the servants had done washing and anointing him
best chest we have, and put a clean cloak and shirt in it. with oil, and had given him a clean cloak and shirt, he left
Also, set a copper on the fire and heat some water; our guest the bath room and joined the guests who were sitting over
will take a warm bath; see also to the careful packing of the their wine. Lovely Nausicaa stood by one of the bearing-
presents that the noble Phaeacians have made him; he will posts supporting the roof of the cloister, and admired him
thus better enjoy both his supper and the singing that will as she saw him pass. ‘Farewell stranger,’ said she, ‘do not
follow. I shall myself give him this golden goblet—which is forget me when you are safe at home again, for it is to me
of exquisite workmanship—that he may be reminded of me first that you owe a ransom for having saved your life.’
for the rest of his life whenever he makes a drink offering to And Ulysses said, ‘Nausicaa, daughter of great Alcinous,
Jove, or to any of the gods.’ {70} may Jove the mighty husband of Juno, grant that I may
Then Arete told her maids to set a large tripod upon the reach my home; so shall I bless you as my guardian angel all
fire as fast as they could, whereon they set a tripod full of my days, for it was you who saved me.’
bath water on to a clear fire; they threw on sticks to make it When he had said this, he seated himself beside Alci-
blaze, and the water became hot as the flame played about nous. Supper was then served, and the wine was mixed for
the belly of the tripod. {71} Meanwhile Arete brought a drinking. A servant led in the favourite bard Demodocus,
magnificent chest from her own room, and inside it she and set him in the midst of the company, near one of the

bearing-posts supporting the cloister, that he might lean tress, and it stood there while they sat in council round it,
against it. Then Ulysses cut off a piece of roast pork with and were in three minds as to what they should do. Some
plenty of fat (for there was abundance left on the joint) and were for breaking it up then and there; others would have it
said to a servant, ‘Take this piece of pork over to Demodo- dragged to the top of the rock on which the fortress stood,
cus and tell him to eat it; for all the pain his lays may cause and then thrown down the precipice; while yet others were
me I will salute him none the less; bards are honoured and for letting it remain as an offering and propitiation for the
respected throughout the world, for the muse teaches them gods. And this was how they settled it in the end, for the city
their songs and loves them.’ was doomed when it took in that horse, within which were
The servant carried the pork in his fingers over to Demo- all the bravest of the Argives waiting to bring death and
docus, who took it and was very much pleased. They then destruction on the Trojans. Anon he sang how the sons of
laid their hands on the good things that were before them, the Achaeans issued from the horse, and sacked the town,
and as soon as they had had to eat and drink, Ulysses said breaking out from their ambuscade. He sang how they
to Demodocus, ‘Demodocus, there is no one in the world overran the city hither and thither and ravaged it, and how
whom I admire more than I do you. You must have stud- Ulysses went raging like Mars along with Menelaus to the
ied under the Muse, Jove’s daughter, and under Apollo, so house of Deiphobus. It was there that the fight raged most
accurately do you sing the return of the Achaeans with all furiously, nevertheless by Minerva’s help he was victorious.
their sufferings and adventures. If you were not there your- All this he told, but Ulysses was overcome as he heard
self, you must have heard it all from some one who was. him, and his cheeks were wet with tears. He wept as a
Now, however, change your song and tell us of the wooden woman weeps when she throws herself on the body of
horse which Epeus made with the assistance of Minerva, her husband who has fallen before his own city and peo-
and which Ulysses got by stratagem into the fort of Troy ple, fighting bravely in defence of his home and children.
after freighting it with the men who afterwards sacked the She screams aloud and flings her arms about him as he lies
city. If you will sing this tale aright I will tell all the world gasping for breath and dying, but her enemies beat her from
how magnificently heaven has endowed you.’ behind about the back and shoulders, and carry her off into
The bard inspired of heaven took up the story at the slavery, to a life of labour and sorrow, and the beauty fades
point where some of the Argives set fire to their tents and from her cheeks—even so piteously did Ulysses weep, but
sailed away while others, hidden within the horse, {73} were none of those present perceived his tears except Alcinous,
waiting with Ulysses in the Trojan place of assembly. For who was sitting near him, and could hear the sobs and sighs
the Trojans themselves had drawn the horse into their for- that he was heaving. The king, therefore, at once rose and

said: there is no danger of being wrecked or coming to any harm.
‘Aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, let Still I do remember hearing my father say that Neptune was
Demodocus cease his song, for there are those present who angry with us for being too easy-going in the matter of giv-
do not seem to like it. From the moment that we had done ing people escorts. He said that one of these days he should
supper and Demodocus began to sing, our guest has been wreck a ship of ours as it was returning from having escort-
all the time groaning and lamenting. He is evidently in ed some one, {74} and bury our city under a high mountain.
great trouble, so let the bard leave off, that we may all enjoy This is what my father used to say, but whether the god will
ourselves, hosts and guest alike. This will be much more as carry out his threat or no is a matter which he will decide
it should be, for all these festivities, with the escort and the for himself.
presents that we are making with so much good will are ‘And now, tell me and tell me true. Where have you been
wholly in his honour, and any one with even a moderate wandering, and in what countries have you travelled? Tell
amount of right feeling knows that he ought to treat a guest us of the peoples themselves, and of their cities—who were
and a suppliant as though he were his own brother. hostile, savage and uncivilised, and who, on the other hand,
‘Therefore, Sir, do you on your part affect no more con- hospitable and humane. Tell us also why you are made so
cealment nor reserve in the matter about which I shall ask unhappy on hearing about the return of the Argive Dan-
you; it will be more polite in you to give me a plain answer; aans from Troy. The gods arranged all this, and sent them
tell me the name by which your father and mother over yon- their misfortunes in order that future generations might
der used to call you, and by which you were known among have something to sing about. Did you lose some brave
your neighbours and fellow-citizens. There is no one, nei- kinsman of your wife’s when you were before Troy? a son-
ther rich nor poor, who is absolutely without any name in-law or father-in-law—which are the nearest relations a
whatever, for people’s fathers and mothers give them names man has outside his own flesh and blood? or was it some
as soon as they are born. Tell me also your country, nation, brave and kindly-natured comrade—for a good friend is as
and city, that our ships may shape their purpose accord- dear to a man as his own brother?’
ingly and take you there. For the Phaeacians have no pilots;
their vessels have no rudders as those of other nations have,
but the ships themselves understand what it is that we are
thinking about and want; they know all the cities and coun-
tries in the whole world, and can traverse the sea just as
well even when it is covered with mist and cloud, so that

BOOK IX become my guests though I live so far away from all of you.
I am Ulysses son of Laertes, renowned among mankind for
ULYSSES DECLARES all manner of subtlety, so that my fame ascends to heaven.
I live in Ithaca, where there is a high mountain called Neri-
HIMSELF AND BEGINS tum, covered with forests; and not far from it there is a group
of islands very near to one another—Dulichium, Same, and
HIS STORY—-THE the wooded island of Zacynthus. It lies squat on the hori-
zon, all highest up in the sea towards the sunset, while the
CICONS, LOTOPHAGI, others lie away from it towards dawn. {75} It is a rugged is-
land, but it breeds brave men, and my eyes know none that
AND CYCLOPES. they better love to look upon. The goddess Calypso kept me
with her in her cave, and wanted me to marry her, as did
also the cunning Aeaean goddess Circe; but they could nei-
ther of them persuade me, for there is nothing dearer to a
man than his own country and his parents, and however
A nd Ulysses answered, ‘King Alcinous, it is a good thing

to hear a bard with such a divine voice as this man
has. There is nothing better or more delightful than when a
splendid a home he may have in a foreign country, if it be far
from father or mother, he does not care about it. Now, how-
ever, I will tell you of the many hazardous adventures which
whole people make merry together, with the guests sitting by Jove’s will I met with on my return from Troy.
orderly to listen, while the table is loaded with bread and ‘When I had set sail thence the wind took me first to Is-
meats, and the cup-bearer draws wine and fills his cup for marus, which is the city of the Cicons. There I sacked the
every man. This is indeed as fair a sight as a man can see. town and put the people to the sword. We took their wives
Now, however, since you are inclined to ask the story of my and also much booty, which we divided equitably amongst
sorrows, and rekindle my own sad memories in respect of us, so that none might have reason to complain. I then said
them, I do not know how to begin, nor yet how to continue that we had better make off at once, but my men very fool-
and conclude my tale, for the hand of heaven has been laid ishly would not obey me, so they staid there drinking much
heavily upon me. wine and killing great numbers of sheep and oxen on the
‘Firstly, then, I will tell you my name that you too may sea shore. Meanwhile the Cicons cried out for help to other
know it, and one day, if I outlive this time of sorrow, may Cicons who lived inland. These were more in number, and

stronger, and they were more skilled in the art of war, for me off my course hard by the island of Cythera.
they could fight, either from chariots or on foot as the occa- ‘I was driven thence by foul winds for a space of nine days
sion served; in the morning, therefore, they came as thick upon the sea, but on the tenth day we reached the land of
as leaves and bloom in summer, and the hand of heaven was the Lotus-eaters, who live on a food that comes from a kind
against us, so that we were hard pressed. They set the battle of flower. Here we landed to take in fresh water, and our
in array near the ships, and the hosts aimed their bronze- crews got their mid-day meal on the shore near the ships.
shod spears at one another. {76} So long as the day waxed When they had eaten and drunk I sent two of my company
and it was still morning, we held our own against them, to see what manner of men the people of the place might be,
though they were more in number than we; but as the sun and they had a third man under them. They started at once,
went down, towards the time when men loose their oxen, and went about among the Lotus-eaters, who did them no
the Cicons got the better of us, and we lost half a dozen men hurt, but gave them to eat of the lotus, which was so deli-
from every ship we had; so we got away with those that were cious that those who ate of it left off caring about home, and
left. did not even want to go back and say what had happened
‘Thence we sailed onward with sorrow in our hearts, but to them, but were for staying and munching lotus {77} with
glad to have escaped death though we had lost our com- the Lotus-eaters without thinking further of their return;
rades, nor did we leave till we had thrice invoked each one nevertheless, though they wept bitterly I forced them back
of the poor fellows who had perished by the hands of the to the ships and made them fast under the benches. Then I
Cicons. Then Jove raised the North wind against us till it told the rest to go on board at once, lest any of them should
blew a hurricane, so that land and sky were hidden in thick taste of the lotus and leave off wanting to get home, so they
clouds, and night sprang forth out of the heavens. We let the took their places and smote the grey sea with their oars.
ships run before the gale, but the force of the wind tore our ‘We sailed hence, always in much distress, till we came to
sails to tatters, so we took them down for fear of shipwreck, the land of the lawless and inhuman Cyclopes. Now the Cy-
and rowed our hardest towards the land. There we lay two clopes neither plant nor plough, but trust in providence, and
days and two nights suffering much alike from toil and dis- live on such wheat, barley, and grapes as grow wild without
tress of mind, but on the morning of the third day we again any kind of tillage, and their wild grapes yield them wine as
raised our masts, set sail, and took our places, letting the the sun and the rain may grow them. They have no laws nor
wind and steersmen direct our ship. I should have got home assemblies of the people, but live in caves on the tops of high
at that time unharmed had not the North wind and the cur- mountains; each is lord and master in his family, and they
rents been against me as I was doubling Cape Malea, and set take no account of their neighbours.

‘Now off their harbour there lies a wooded and fertile is- could have seen the island if he had looked for it, nor were
land not quite close to the land of the Cyclopes, but still not there any breakers to tell us we were close in shore before we
far. It is over-run with wild goats, that breed there in great found ourselves upon the land itself; when, however, we had
numbers and are never disturbed by foot of man; for sports- beached the ships, we took down the sails, went ashore and
men—who as a rule will suffer so much hardship in forest camped upon the beach till daybreak.
or among mountain precipices—do not go there, nor yet ‘When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn ap-
again is it ever ploughed or fed down, but it lies a wilderness peared, we admired the island and wandered all over it,
untilled and unsown from year to year, and has no living while the nymphs Jove’s daughters roused the wild goats
thing upon it but only goats. For the Cyclopes have no ships, that we might get some meat for our dinner. On this we
nor yet shipwrights who could make ships for them; they fetched our spears and bows and arrows from the ships, and
cannot therefore go from city to city, or sail over the sea to dividing ourselves into three bands began to shoot the goats.
one another’s country as people who have ships can do; if Heaven sent us excellent sport; I had twelve ships with me,
they had had these they would have colonised the island, and each ship got nine goats, while my own ship had ten;
{78} for it is a very good one, and would yield everything in thus through the livelong day to the going down of the sun
due season. There are meadows that in some places come we ate and drank our fill, and we had plenty of wine left, for
right down to the sea shore, well watered and full of lus- each one of us had taken many jars full when we sacked the
cious grass; grapes would do there excellently; there is level city of the Cicons, and this had not yet run out. While we
land for ploughing, and it would always yield heavily at har- were feasting we kept turning our eyes towards the land of
vest time, for the soil is deep. There is a good harbour where the Cyclopes, which was hard by, and saw the smoke of their
no cables are wanted, nor yet anchors, nor need a ship be stubble fires. We could almost fancy we heard their voices
moored, but all one has to do is to beach one’s vessel and and the bleating of their sheep and goats, but when the sun
stay there till the wind becomes fair for putting out to sea went down and it came on dark, we camped down upon the
again. At the head of the harbour there is a spring of clear beach, and next morning I called a council.
water coming out of a cave, and there are poplars growing ‘‘Stay here, my brave fellows,’ said I, ‘all the rest of you,
all round it. while I go with my ship and exploit these people myself: I
‘Here we entered, but so dark was the night that some want to see if they are uncivilised savages, or a hospitable
god must have brought us in, for there was nothing whatev- and humane race.’
er to be seen. A thick mist hung all round our ships; {79} the ‘I went on board, bidding my men to do so also and loose
moon was hidden behind a mass of clouds so that no one the hawsers; so they took their places and smote the grey

sea with their oars. When we got to the land, which was not might have to deal with some savage who would be of great
far, there, on the face of a cliff near the sea, we saw a great strength, and would respect neither right nor law.
cave overhung with laurels. It was a station for a great many ‘We soon reached his cave, but he was out shepherding,
sheep and goats, and outside there was a large yard, with a so we went inside and took stock of all that we could see. His
high wall round it made of stones built into the ground and cheese-racks were loaded with cheeses, and he had more
of trees both pine and oak. This was the abode of a huge lambs and kids than his pens could hold. They were kept in
monster who was then away from home shepherding his separate flocks; first there were the hoggets, then the oldest
flocks. He would have nothing to do with other people, but of the younger lambs and lastly the very young ones {80} all
led the life of an outlaw. He was a horrid creature, not like kept apart from one another; as for his dairy, all the vessels,
a human being at all, but resembling rather some crag that bowls, and milk pails into which he milked, were swimming
stands out boldly against the sky on the top of a high moun- with whey. When they saw all this, my men begged me to
tain. let them first steal some cheeses, and make off with them to
‘I told my men to draw the ship ashore, and stay where the ship; they would then return, drive down the lambs and
they were, all but the twelve best among them, who were to kids, put them on board and sail away with them. It would
go along with myself. I also took a goatskin of sweet black have been indeed better if we had done so but I would not
wine which had been given me by Maron, son of Euanthes, listen to them, for I wanted to see the owner himself, in the
who was priest of Apollo the patron god of Ismarus, and hope that he might give me a present. When, however, we
lived within the wooded precincts of the temple. When we saw him my poor men found him ill to deal with.
were sacking the city we respected him, and spared his life, ‘We lit a fire, offered some of the cheeses in sacrifice, ate
as also his wife and child; so he made me some presents of others of them, and then sat waiting till the Cyclops should
great value—seven talents of fine gold, and a bowl of silver, come in with his sheep. When he came, he brought in with
with twelve jars of sweet wine, unblended, and of the most him a huge load of dry firewood to light the fire for his sup-
exquisite flavour. Not a man nor maid in the house knew per, and this he flung with such a noise on to the floor of his
about it, but only himself, his wife, and one housekeeper: cave that we hid ourselves for fear at the far end of the cav-
when he drank it he mixed twenty parts of water to one ern. Meanwhile he drove all the ewes inside, as well as the
of wine, and yet the fragrance from the mixing-bowl was she-goats that he was going to milk, leaving the males, both
so exquisite that it was impossible to refrain from drink- rams and he-goats, outside in the yards. Then he rolled a
ing. I filled a large skin with this wine, and took a wallet huge stone to the mouth of the cave—so huge that two and
full of provisions with me, for my mind misgave me that I twenty strong four-wheeled waggons would not be enough

to draw it from its place against the doorway. When he had they. I shall not spare either yourself or your companions
so done he sat down and milked his ewes and goats, all in out of any regard for Jove, unless I am in the humour for
due course, and then let each of them have her own young. doing so. And now tell me where you made your ship fast
He curdled half the milk and set it aside in wicker strain- when you came on shore. Was it round the point, or is she
ers, but the other half he poured into bowls that he might lying straight off the land?’
drink it for his supper. When he had got through with all ‘He said this to draw me out, but I was too cunning to
his work, he lit the fire, and then caught sight of us, whereon be caught in that way, so I answered with a lie; ‘Neptune,’
he said: said I, ‘sent my ship on to the rocks at the far end of your
‘‘Strangers, who are you? Where do sail from? Are you country, and wrecked it. We were driven on to them from
traders, or do you sail the sea as rovers, with your hands the open sea, but I and those who are with me escaped the
against every man, and every man’s hand against you?’ jaws of death.’
‘We were frightened out of our senses by his loud voice ‘The cruel wretch vouchsafed me not one word of an-
and monstrous form, but I managed to say, ‘We are Achae- swer, but with a sudden clutch he gripped up two of my
ans on our way home from Troy, but by the will of Jove, men at once and dashed them down upon the ground as
and stress of weather, we have been driven far out of our though they had been puppies. Their brains were shed upon
course. We are the people of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, the ground, and the earth was wet with their blood. Then
who has won infinite renown throughout the whole world, he tore them limb from limb and supped upon them. He
by sacking so great a city and killing so many people. We gobbled them up like a lion in the wilderness, flesh, bones,
therefore humbly pray you to show us some hospitality, and marrow, and entrails, without leaving anything uneaten. As
otherwise make us such presents as visitors may reasonably for us, we wept and lifted up our hands to heaven on see-
expect. May your excellency fear the wrath of heaven, for we ing such a horrid sight, for we did not know what else to
are your suppliants, and Jove takes all respectable travellers do; but when the Cyclops had filled his huge paunch, and
under his protection, for he is the avenger of all suppliants had washed down his meal of human flesh with a drink of
and foreigners in distress.’ neat milk, he stretched himself full length upon the ground
‘To this he gave me but a pitiless answer, ‘Stranger,’ said among his sheep, and went to sleep. I was at first inclined
he, ‘you are a fool, or else you know nothing of this coun- to seize my sword, draw it, and drive it into his vitals, but I
try. Talk to me, indeed, about fearing the gods or shunning reflected that if I did we should all certainly be lost, for we
their anger? We Cyclopes do not care about Jove or any of should never be able to shift the stone which the monster
your blessed gods, for we are ever so much stronger than had put in front of the door. So we stayed sobbing and sigh-

ing where we were till morning came. whom I should have chosen, and I myself made five. In the
‘When the child of morning, rosy-fingered dawn, ap- evening the wretch came back from shepherding, and drove
peared, he again lit his fire, milked his goats and ewes, all his flocks into the cave—this time driving them all inside,
quite rightly, and then let each have her own young one; as and not leaving any in the yards; I suppose some fancy must
soon as he had got through with all his work, he clutched have taken him, or a god must have prompted him to do so.
up two more of my men, and began eating them for his As soon as he had put the stone back to its place against the
morning’s meal. Presently, with the utmost ease, he rolled door, he sat down, milked his ewes and his goats all quite
the stone away from the door and drove out his sheep, but rightly, and then let each have her own young one; when he
he at once put it back again—as easily as though he were had got through with all this work, he gripped up two more
merely clapping the lid on to a quiver full of arrows. As soon of my men, and made his supper off them. So I went up to
as he had done so he shouted, and cried ‘Shoo, shoo,’ after him with an ivy-wood bowl of black wine in my hands:
his sheep to drive them on to the mountain; so I was left to ‘‘Look here, Cyclops,’ said I, you have been eating a great
scheme some way of taking my revenge and covering my- deal of man’s flesh, so take this and drink some wine, that
self with glory. you may see what kind of liquor we had on board my ship.
‘In the end I deemed it would be the best plan to do as I was bringing it to you as a drink-offering, in the hope that
follows: The Cyclops had a great club which was lying near you would take compassion upon me and further me on my
one of the sheep pens; it was of green olive wood, and he way home, whereas all you do is to go on ramping and rav-
had cut it intending to use it for a staff as soon as it should ing most intolerably. You ought to be ashamed of yourself;
be dry. It was so huge that we could only compare it to the how can you expect people to come see you any more if you
mast of a twenty-oared merchant vessel of large burden, and treat them in this way?’
able to venture out into open sea. I went up to this club and ‘He then took the cup and drank. He was so delighted
cut off about six feet of it; I then gave this piece to the men with the taste of the wine that he begged me for another
and told them to fine it evenly off at one end, which they bowl full. ‘Be so kind,’ he said, ‘as to give me some more,
proceeded to do, and lastly I brought it to a point myself, and tell me your name at once. I want to make you a pres-
charring the end in the fire to make it harder. When I had ent that you will be glad to have. We have wine even in this
done this I hid it under dung, which was lying about all over country, for our soil grows grapes and the sun ripens them,
the cave, and told the men to cast lots which of them should but this drinks like Nectar and Ambrosia all in one.’
venture along with myself to lift it and bore it into the mon- ‘I then gave him some more; three times did I fill the bowl
ster’s eye while he was asleep. The lot fell upon the very four for him, and three times did he drain it without thought or

heed; then, when I saw that the wine had got into his head, the iron—and it makes a great hiss as he does so, even thus
I said to him as plausibly as I could: ‘Cyclops, you ask my did the Cyclops’ eye hiss round the beam of olive wood, and
name and I will tell it you; give me, therefore, the present his hideous yells made the cave ring again. We ran away in
you promised me; my name is Noman; this is what my fa- a fright, but he plucked the beam all besmirched with gore
ther and mother and my friends have always called me.’ from his eye, and hurled it from him in a frenzy of rage and
‘But the cruel wretch said, ‘Then I will eat all Noman’s pain, shouting as he did so to the other Cyclopes who lived
comrades before Noman himself, and will keep Noman for on the bleak headlands near him; so they gathered from all
the last. This is the present that I will make him.’ quarters round his cave when they heard him crying, and
‘As he spoke he reeled, and fell sprawling face upwards asked what was the matter with him.
on the ground. His great neck hung heavily backwards and ‘‘What ails you, Polyphemus,’ said they, ‘that you make
a deep sleep took hold upon him. Presently he turned sick, such a noise, breaking the stillness of the night, and prevent-
and threw up both wine and the gobbets of human flesh on ing us from being able to sleep? Surely no man is carrying
which he had been gorging, for he was very drunk. Then off your sheep? Surely no man is trying to kill you either by
I thrust the beam of wood far into the embers to heat it, fraud or by force?’
and encouraged my men lest any of them should turn faint- ‘But Polyphemus shouted to them from inside the cave,
hearted. When the wood, green though it was, was about ‘Noman is killing me by fraud; no man is killing me by
to blaze, I drew it out of the fire glowing with heat, and my force.’
men gathered round me, for heaven had filled their hearts ‘‘Then,’ said they, ‘if no man is attacking you, you must
with courage. We drove the sharp end of the beam into the be ill; when Jove makes people ill, there is no help for it, and
monster’s eye, and bearing upon it with all my weight I kept you had better pray to your father Neptune.’
turning it round and round as though I were boring a hole ‘Then they went away, and I laughed inwardly at the suc-
in a ship’s plank with an auger, which two men with a wheel cess of my clever stratagem, but the Cyclops, groaning and
and strap can keep on turning as long as they choose. Even in an agony of pain, felt about with his hands till he found
thus did we bore the red hot beam into his eye, till the boil- the stone and took it from the door; then he sat in the door-
ing blood bubbled all over it as we worked it round and way and stretched his hands in front of it to catch anyone
round, so that the steam from the burning eyeball scalded going out with the sheep, for he thought I might be foolish
his eyelids and eyebrows, and the roots of the eye sputtered enough to attempt this.
in the fire. As a blacksmith plunges an axe or hatchet into ‘As for myself I kept on puzzling to think how I could best
cold water to temper it—for it is this that gives strength to save my own life and those of my companions; I schemed

and schemed, as one who knows that his life depends upon in his drink and blinded him? But I will have his life yet. If
it, for the danger was very great. In the end I deemed that you could understand and talk, you would tell me where
this plan would be the best; the male sheep were well grown, the wretch is hiding, and I would dash his brains upon the
and carried a heavy black fleece, so I bound them noiseless- ground till they flew all over the cave. I should thus have
ly in threes together, with some of the withies on which the some satisfaction for the harm this no-good Noman has
wicked monster used to sleep. There was to be a man under done me.’
the middle sheep, and the two on either side were to cover ‘As he spoke he drove the ram outside, but when we were
him, so that there were three sheep to each man. As for my- a little way out from the cave and yards, I first got from un-
self there was a ram finer than any of the others, so I caught der the ram’s belly, and then freed my comrades; as for the
hold of him by the back, esconced myself in the thick wool sheep, which were very fat, by constantly heading them in
under his belly, and hung on patiently to his fleece, face up- the right direction we managed to drive them down to the
wards, keeping a firm hold on it all the time. ship. The crew rejoiced greatly at seeing those of us who had
‘Thus, then, did we wait in great fear of mind till morning escaped death, but wept for the others whom the Cyclops
came, but when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, had killed. However, I made signs to them by nodding and
appeared, the male sheep hurried out to feed, while the ewes frowning that they were to hush their crying, and told them
remained bleating about the pens waiting to be milked, for to get all the sheep on board at once and put out to sea; so
their udders were full to bursting; but their master in spite they went aboard, took their places, and smote the grey sea
of all his pain felt the backs of all the sheep as they stood up- with their oars. Then, when I had got as far out as my voice
right, without being sharp enough to find out that the men would reach, I began to jeer at the Cyclops.
were underneath their bellies. As the ram was going out, ‘‘Cyclops,’ said I, ‘you should have taken better measure
last of all, heavy with its fleece and with the weight of my of your man before eating up his comrades in your cave.
crafty self, Polyphemus laid hold of it and said: You wretch, eat up your visitors in your own house? You
‘‘My good ram, what is it that makes you the last to leave might have known that your sin would find you out, and
my cave this morning? You are not wont to let the ewes go now Jove and the other gods have punished you.’
before you, but lead the mob with a run whether to flowery ‘He got more and more furious as he heard me, so he tore
mead or bubbling fountain, and are the first to come home the top from off a high mountain, and flung it just in front
again at night; but now you lag last of all. Is it because you of my ship so that it was within a little of hitting the end of
know your master has lost his eye, and are sorry because the rudder. {81} The sea quaked as the rock fell into it, and
that wicked Noman and his horrid crew has got him down the wash of the wave it raised carried us back towards the

mainland, and forced us towards the shore. But I snatched I may make you presents to show my hospitality, and urge
up a long pole and kept the ship off, making signs to my Neptune to help you forward on your journey—for Nep-
men by nodding my head, that they must row for their lives, tune and I are father and son. He, if he so will, shall heal
whereon they laid out with a will. When we had got twice as me, which no one else neither god nor man can do.’
far as we were before, I was for jeering at the Cyclops again, ‘Then I said, ‘I wish I could be as sure of killing you out-
but the men begged and prayed of me to hold my tongue. right and sending you down to the house of Hades, as I
‘‘Do not,’ they exclaimed, ‘be mad enough to provoke am that it will take more than Neptune to cure that eye of
this savage creature further; he has thrown one rock at us yours.’
already which drove us back again to the mainland, and we ‘On this he lifted up his hands to the firmament of heaven
made sure it had been the death of us; if he had then heard and prayed, saying, ‘Hear me, great Neptune; if I am indeed
any further sound of voices he would have pounded our your own true begotten son, grant that Ulysses may never
heads and our ship’s timbers into a jelly with the rugged reach his home alive; or if he must get back to his friends at
rocks he would have heaved at us, for he can throw them a last, let him do so late and in sore plight after losing all his
long way.’ men [let him reach his home in another man’s ship and find
‘But I would not listen to them, and shouted out to him trouble in his house.’] {82}
in my rage, ‘Cyclops, if any one asks you who it was that put ‘Thus did he pray, and Neptune heard his prayer. Then he
your eye out and spoiled your beauty, say it was the valiant picked up a rock much larger than the first, swung it aloft
warrior Ulysses, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca.’ and hurled it with prodigious force. It fell just short of the
‘On this he groaned, and cried out, ‘Alas, alas, then the ship, but was within a little of hitting the end of the rud-
old prophecy about me is coming true. There was a prophet der. The sea quaked as the rock fell into it, and the wash of
here, at one time, a man both brave and of great stature, Tel- the wave it raised drove us onwards on our way towards the
emus son of Eurymus, who was an excellent seer, and did all shore of the island.
the prophesying for the Cyclopes till he grew old; he told me ‘When at last we got to the island where we had left the
that all this would happen to me some day, and said I should rest of our ships, we found our comrades lamenting us, and
lose my sight by the hand of Ulysses. I have been all along anxiously awaiting our return. We ran our vessel upon the
expecting some one of imposing presence and superhuman sands and got out of her on to the sea shore; we also land-
strength, whereas he turns out to be a little insignificant ed the Cyclops’ sheep, and divided them equitably amongst
weakling, who has managed to blind my eye by taking ad- us so that none might have reason to complain. As for the
vantage of me in my drink; come here, then, Ulysses, that ram, my companions agreed that I should have it as an extra

share; so I sacrificed it on the sea shore, and burned its thigh
bones to Jove, who is the lord of all. But he heeded not my BOOK X
sacrifice, and only thought how he might destroy both my
ships and my comrades. AEOLUS, THE
‘Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the
sun we feasted our fill on meat and drink, but when the sun LAESTRYGONES, CIRCE.
went down and it came on dark, we camped upon the beach.
When the child of morning rosy-fingered Dawn appeared,
I bade my men on board and loose the hawsers. Then they
took their places and smote the grey sea with their oars; so
we sailed on with sorrow in our hearts, but glad to have es-
caped death though we had lost our comrades.
T hence we went on to the Aeolian island where lives Ae-
olus son of Hippotas, dear to the immortal gods. It is an
island that floats (as it were) upon the sea, {83} iron bound
with a wall that girds it. Now, Aeolus has six daughters and
six lusty sons, so he made the sons marry the daughters,
and they all live with their dear father and mother, feasting
and enjoying every conceivable kind of luxury. All day long
the atmosphere of the house is loaded with the savour of
roasting meats till it groans again, yard and all; but by night
they sleep on their well made bedsteads, each with his own
wife between the blankets. These were the people among
whom we had now come.
‘Aeolus entertained me for a whole month asking me
questions all the time about Troy, the Argive fleet, and the
return of the Achaeans. I told him exactly how everything
had happened, and when I said I must go, and asked him to
further me on my way, he made no sort of difficulty, but set
about doing so at once. Moreover, he flayed me a prime ox-
hide to hold the ways of the roaring winds, which he shut
up in the hide as in a sack—for Jove had made him captain

over the winds, and he could stir or still each one of them winds bore our fleet back to the Aeolian island.
according to his own pleasure. He put the sack in the ship ‘When we reached it we went ashore to take in water, and
and bound the mouth so tightly with a silver thread that not dined hard by the ships. Immediately after dinner I took a
even a breath of a side-wind could blow from any quarter. herald and one of my men and went straight to the house of
The West wind which was fair for us did he alone let blow as Aeolus, where I found him feasting with his wife and fami-
it chose; but it all came to nothing, for we were lost through ly; so we sat down as suppliants on the threshold. They were
our own folly. astounded when they saw us and said, ‘Ulysses, what brings
‘Nine days and nine nights did we sail, and on the tenth you here? What god has been ill-treating you? We took great
day our native land showed on the horizon. We got so close pains to further you on your way home to Ithaca, or wher-
in that we could see the stubble fires burning, and I, being ever it was that you wanted to go to.’
then dead beat, fell into a light sleep, for I had never let the ‘Thus did they speak, but I answered sorrowfully, ‘My
rudder out of my own hands, that we might get home the men have undone me; they, and cruel sleep, have ruined me.
faster. On this the men fell to talking among themselves, My friends, mend me this mischief, for you can if you will.’
and said I was bringing back gold and silver in the sack that ‘I spoke as movingly as I could, but they said nothing,
Aeolus had given me. ‘Bless my heart,’ would one turn to till their father answered, ‘Vilest of mankind, get you gone
his neighbour, saying, ‘how this man gets honoured and at once out of the island; him whom heaven hates will I in
makes friends to whatever city or country he may go. See no wise help. Be off, for you come here as one abhorred of
what fine prizes he is taking home from Troy, while we, who heaven.’ And with these words he sent me sorrowing from
have travelled just as far as he has, come back with hands as his door.
empty as we set out with—and now Aeolus has given him ‘Thence we sailed sadly on till the men were worn out
ever so much more. Quick—let us see what it all is, and how with long and fruitless rowing, for there was no longer
much gold and silver there is in the sack he gave him.’ any wind to help them. Six days, night and day did we toil,
‘Thus they talked and evil counsels prevailed. They and on the seventh day we reached the rocky stronghold
loosed the sack, whereupon the wind flew howling forth of Lamus—Telepylus, the city of the Laestrygonians, where
and raised a storm that carried us weeping out to sea and the shepherd who is driving in his sheep and goats [to be
away from our own country. Then I awoke, and knew not milked] salutes him who is driving out his flock [to feed]
whether to throw myself into the sea or to live on and make and this last answers the salute. In that country a man who
the best of it; but I bore it, covered myself up, and lay down could do without sleep might earn double wages, one as
in the ship, while the men lamented bitterly as the fierce a herdsman of cattle, and another as a shepherd, for they

work much the same by night as they do by day. {84} raised a hue-and-cry after them, and thousands of sturdy
‘When we reached the harbour we found it land-locked Laestrygonians sprang up from every quarter—ogres, not
under steep cliffs, with a narrow entrance between two men. They threw vast rocks at us from the cliffs as though
headlands. My captains took all their ships inside, and they had been mere stones, and I heard the horrid sound of
made them fast close to one another, for there was never the ships crunching up against one another, and the death
so much as a breath of wind inside, but it was always dead cries of my men, as the Laestrygonians speared them like
calm. I kept my own ship outside, and moored it to a rock fishes and took them home to eat them. While they were
at the very end of the point; then I climbed a high rock to thus killing my men within the harbour I drew my sword,
reconnoitre, but could see no sign neither of man nor cattle, cut the cable of my own ship, and told my men to row with
only some smoke rising from the ground. So I sent two of all their might if they too would not fare like the rest; so
my company with an attendant to find out what sort of peo- they laid out for their lives, and we were thankful enough
ple the inhabitants were. when we got into open water out of reach of the rocks they
‘The men when they got on shore followed a level road by hurled at us. As for the others there was not one of them
which the people draw their firewood from the mountains left.
into the town, till presently they met a young woman who ‘Thence we sailed sadly on, glad to have escaped death,
had come outside to fetch water, and who was daughter to though we had lost our comrades, and came to the Aeaean
a Laestrygonian named Antiphates. She was going to the island, where Circe lives—a great and cunning goddess who
fountain Artacia from which the people bring in their wa- is own sister to the magician Aeetes—for they are both chil-
ter, and when my men had come close up to her, they asked dren of the sun by Perse, who is daughter to Oceanus. We
her who the king of that country might be, and over what brought our ship into a safe harbour without a word, for
kind of people he ruled; so she directed them to her father’s some god guided us thither, and having landed we lay there
house, but when they got there they found his wife to be a for two days and two nights, worn out in body and mind.
giantess as huge as a mountain, and they were horrified at When the morning of the third day came I took my spear
the sight of her. and my sword, and went away from the ship to reconnoi-
‘She at once called her husband Antiphates from the tre, and see if I could discover signs of human handiwork,
place of assembly, and forthwith he set about killing my or hear the sound of voices. Climbing to the top of a high
men. He snatched up one of them, and began to make his look-out I espied the smoke of Circe’s house rising upwards
dinner off him then and there, whereon the other two ran amid a dense forest of trees, and when I saw this I doubted
back to the ships as fast as ever they could. But Antiphates whether, having seen the smoke, I would not go on at once

and find out more, but in the end I deemed it best to go back the sun went down and it came on dark, we camped upon
to the ship, give the men their dinners, and send some of the sea shore. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered
them instead of going myself. Dawn, appeared, I called a council and said, ‘My friends,
‘When I had nearly got back to the ship some god took we are in very great difficulties; listen therefore to me. We
pity upon my solitude, and sent a fine antlered stag right have no idea where the sun either sets or rises, {85} so that
into the middle of my path. He was coming down his pas- we do not even know East from West. I see no way out of it;
ture in the forest to drink of the river, for the heat of the sun nevertheless, we must try and find one. We are certainly on
drove him, and as he passed I struck him in the middle of an island, for I went as high as I could this morning, and
the back; the bronze point of the spear went clean through saw the sea reaching all round it to the horizon; it lies low,
him, and he lay groaning in the dust until the life went out but towards the middle I saw smoke rising from out of a
of him. Then I set my foot upon him, drew my spear from thick forest of trees.’
the wound, and laid it down; I also gathered rough grass and ‘Their hearts sank as they heard me, for they remem-
rushes and twisted them into a fathom or so of good stout bered how they had been treated by the Laestrygonian
rope, with which I bound the four feet of the noble crea- Antiphates, and by the savage ogre Polyphemus. They wept
ture together; having so done I hung him round my neck bitterly in their dismay, but there was nothing to be got by
and walked back to the ship leaning upon my spear, for the crying, so I divided them into two companies and set a cap-
stag was much too big for me to be able to carry him on tain over each; I gave one company to Eurylochus, while I
my shoulder, steadying him with one hand. As I threw him took command of the other myself. Then we cast lots in a
down in front of the ship, I called the men and spoke cheer- helmet, and the lot fell upon Eurylochus; so he set out with
ingly man by man to each of them. ‘Look here my friends,’ his twenty-two men, and they wept, as also did we who were
said I, ‘we are not going to die so much before our time after left behind.
all, and at any rate we will not starve so long as we have got ‘When they reached Circe’s house they found it built of
something to eat and drink on board.’ On this they uncov- cut stones, on a site that could be seen from far, in the mid-
ered their heads upon the sea shore and admired the stag, dle of the forest. There were wild mountain wolves and lions
for he was indeed a splendid fellow. Then, when they had prowling all round it—poor bewitched creatures whom she
feasted their eyes upon him sufficiently, they washed their had tamed by her enchantments and drugged into subjec-
hands and began to cook him for dinner. tion. They did not attack my men, but wagged their great
‘Thus through the livelong day to the going down of the tails, fawned upon them, and rubbed their noses lovingly
sun we stayed there eating and drinking our fill, but when against them. {86} As hounds crowd round their master

when they see him coming from dinner—for they know he tried to speak he could find no words to do so; his eyes filled
will bring them something—even so did these wolves and with tears and he could only sob and sigh, till at last we
lions with their great claws fawn upon my men, but the men forced his story out of him, and he told us what had hap-
were terribly frightened at seeing such strange creatures. pened to the others.
Presently they reached the gates of the goddess’s house, and ‘‘We went,’ said he, ‘as you told us, through the forest,
as they stood there they could hear Circe within, singing and in the middle of it there was a fine house built with cut
most beautifully as she worked at her loom, making a web stones in a place that could be seen from far. There we found
so fine, so soft, and of such dazzling colours as no one but a woman, or else she was a goddess, working at her loom
a goddess could weave. On this Polites, whom I valued and and singing sweetly; so the men shouted to her and called
trusted more than any other of my men, said, ‘There is some her, whereon she at once came down, opened the door, and
one inside working at a loom and singing most beautiful- invited us in. The others did not suspect any mischief so
ly; the whole place resounds with it, let us call her and see they followed her into the house, but I staid where I was,
whether she is woman or goddess.’ for I thought there might be some treachery. From that mo-
‘They called her and she came down, unfastened the ment I saw them no more, for not one of them ever came
door, and bade them enter. They, thinking no evil, followed out, though I sat a long time watching for them.’
her, all except Eurylochus, who suspected mischief and ‘Then I took my sword of bronze and slung it over my
staid outside. When she had got them into her house, she set shoulders; I also took my bow, and told Eurylochus to come
them upon benches and seats and mixed them a mess with back with me and shew me the way. But he laid hold of me
cheese, honey, meal, and Pramnian wine, but she drugged with both his hands and spoke piteously, saying, ‘Sir, do not
it with wicked poisons to make them forget their homes, force me to go with you, but let me stay here, for I know you
and when they had drunk she turned them into pigs by a will not bring one of them back with you, nor even return
stroke of her wand, and shut them up in her pig-styes. They alive yourself; let us rather see if we cannot escape at any
were like pigs—head, hair, and all, and they grunted just as rate with the few that are left us, for we may still save our
pigs do; but their senses were the same as before, and they lives.’
remembered everything. ‘‘Stay where you are, then,’ answered I, ‘eating and drink-
‘Thus then were they shut up squealing, and Circe threw ing at the ship, but I must go, for I am most urgently bound
them some acorns and beech masts such as pigs eat, but Eu- to do so.’
rylochus hurried back to tell me about the sad fate of our ‘With this I left the ship and went up inland. When I got
comrades. He was so overcome with dismay that though he through the charmed grove, and was near the great house of

the enchantress Circe, I met Mercury with his golden wand, ‘As he spoke he pulled the herb out of the ground and
disguised as a young man in the hey-day of his youth and shewed me what it was like. The root was black, while the
beauty with the down just coming upon his face. He came flower was as white as milk; the gods call it Moly, and mor-
up to me and took my hand within his own, saying, ‘My tal men cannot uproot it, but the gods can do whatever they
poor unhappy man, whither are you going over this moun- like.
tain top, alone and without knowing the way? Your men are ‘Then Mercury went back to high Olympus passing over
shut up in Circe’s pigstyes, like so many wild boars in their the wooded island; but I fared onward to the house of Circe,
lairs. You surely do not fancy that you can set them free? I and my heart was clouded with care as I walked along.
can tell you that you will never get back and will have to stay When I got to the gates I stood there and called the god-
there with the rest of them. But never mind, I will protect dess, and as soon as she heard me she came down, opened
you and get you out of your difficulty. Take this herb, which the door, and asked me to come in; so I followed her—much
is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to troubled in my mind. She set me on a richly decorated seat
Circe’s house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind inlaid with silver, there was a footstool also under my feet,
of mischief. and she mixed a mess in a golden goblet for me to drink; but
‘‘And I will tell you of all the wicked witchcraft that Circe she drugged it, for she meant me mischief. When she had
will try to practice upon you. She will mix a mess for you to given it me, and I had drunk it without its charming me, she
drink, and she will drug the meal with which she makes it, struck me with her wand. ‘There now,’ she cried, ‘be off to
but she will not be able to charm you, for the virtue of the the pigstye, and make your lair with the rest of them.’
herb that I shall give you will prevent her spells from work- ‘But I rushed at her with my sword drawn as though I
ing. I will tell you all about it. When Circe strikes you with would kill her, whereon she fell with a loud scream, clasped
her wand, draw your sword and spring upon her as though my knees, and spoke piteously, saying, ‘Who and whence
you were going to kill her. She will then be frightened, and are you? from what place and people have you come? How
will desire you to go to bed with her; on this you must not can it be that my drugs have no power to charm you? Never
point blank refuse her, for you want her to set your com- yet was any man able to stand so much as a taste of the herb
panions free, and to take good care also of yourself, but you I gave you; you must be spell-proof; surely you can be none
must make her swear solemnly by all the blessed gods that other than the bold hero Ulysses, who Mercury always said
she will plot no further mischief against you, or else when would come here some day with his ship while on his way
she has got you naked she will unman you and make you fit home from Troy; so be it then; sheathe your sword and let
for nothing.’ us go to bed, that we may make friends and learn to trust

each other.’ ewer and poured it into a silver basin for me to wash my
‘And I answered, ‘Circe, how can you expect me to be hands, and she drew a clean table beside me; an upper ser-
friendly with you when you have just been turning all my vant brought me bread and offered me many things of what
men into pigs? And now that you have got me here my- there was in the house, and then Circe bade me eat, but I
self, you mean me mischief when you ask me to go to bed would not, and sat without heeding what was before me,
with you, and will unman me and make me fit for nothing. still moody and suspicious.
I shall certainly not consent to go to bed with you unless ‘When Circe saw me sitting there without eating, and
you will first take your solemn oath to plot no further harm in great grief, she came to me and said, ‘Ulysses, why do
against me.’ you sit like that as though you were dumb, gnawing at your
‘So she swore at once as I had told her, and when she had own heart, and refusing both meat and drink? Is it that you
completed her oath then I went to bed with her. are still suspicious? You ought not to be, for I have already
‘Meanwhile her four servants, who are her housemaids, sworn solemnly that I will not hurt you.’
set about their work. They are the children of the groves and ‘And I said, ‘Circe, no man with any sense of what is right
fountains, and of the holy waters that run down into the sea. can think of either eating or drinking in your house until
One of them spread a fair purple cloth over a seat, and laid a you have set his friends free and let him see them. If you
carpet underneath it. Another brought tables of silver up to want me to eat and drink, you must free my men and bring
the seats, and set them with baskets of gold. A third mixed them to me that I may see them with my own eyes.’
some sweet wine with water in a silver bowl and put golden ‘When I had said this she went straight through the court
cups upon the tables, while the fourth brought in water and with her wand in her hand and opened the pigstye doors.
set it to boil in a large cauldron over a good fire which she My men came out like so many prime hogs and stood look-
had lighted. When the water in the cauldron was boiling, ing at her, but she went about among them and anointed
{87} she poured cold into it till it was just as I liked it, and each with a second drug, whereon the bristles that the bad
then she set me in a bath and began washing me from the drug had given them fell off, and they became men again,
cauldron about the head and shoulders, to take the tire and younger than they were before, and much taller and better
stiffness out of my limbs. As soon as she had done washing looking. They knew me at once, seized me each of them by
me and anointing me with oil, she arrayed me in a good the hand, and wept for joy till the whole house was filled
cloak and shirt and led me to a richly decorated seat in- with the sound of their halloa-ballooing, and Circe her-
laid with silver; there was a footstool also under my feet. A self was so sorry for them that she came up to me and said,
maid servant then brought me water in a beautiful golden ‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, go back at once to the sea

where you have left your ship, and first draw it on to the lost their lives.’
land. Then, hide all your ship’s gear and property in some ‘When I heard him I was in two minds whether or no to
cave, and come back here with your men.’ draw the keen blade that hung by my sturdy thigh and cut
‘I agreed to this, so I went back to the sea shore, and found his head off in spite of his being a near relation of my own;
the men at the ship weeping and wailing most piteously. but the men interceded for him and said, ‘Sir, if it may so be,
When they saw me the silly blubbering fellows began frisk- let this fellow stay here and mind the ship, but take the rest
ing round me as calves break out and gambol round their of us with you to Circe’s house.’
mothers, when they see them coming home to be milked ‘On this we all went inland, and Eurylochus was not left
after they have been feeding all day, and the homestead re- behind after all, but came on too, for he was frightened by
sounds with their lowing. They seemed as glad to see me the severe reprimand that I had given him.
as though they had got back to their own rugged Ithaca, ‘Meanwhile Circe had been seeing that the men who
where they had been born and bred. ‘Sir,’ said the affection- had been left behind were washed and anointed with olive
ate creatures, ‘we are as glad to see you back as though we oil; she had also given them woollen cloaks and shirts, and
had got safe home to Ithaca; but tell us all about the fate of when we came we found them all comfortably at dinner in
our comrades.’ her house. As soon as the men saw each other face to face
‘I spoke comfortingly to them and said, ‘We must draw and knew one another, they wept for joy and cried aloud
our ship on to the land, and hide the ship’s gear with all till the whole palace rang again. Thereon Circe came up to
our property in some cave; then come with me all of you me and said, ‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, tell your men to
as fast as you can to Circe’s house, where you will find your leave off crying; I know how much you have all of you suf-
comrades eating and drinking in the midst of great abun- fered at sea, and how ill you have fared among cruel savages
dance.’ on the mainland, but that is over now, so stay here, and eat
‘On this the men would have come with me at once, but and drink till you are once more as strong and hearty as you
Eurylochus tried to hold them back and said, ‘Alas, poor were when you left Ithaca; for at present you are weakened
wretches that we are, what will become of us? Rush not on both in body and mind; you keep all the time thinking of
your ruin by going to the house of Circe, who will turn us the hardships you have suffered during your travels, so that
all into pigs or wolves or lions, and we shall have to keep you have no more cheerfulness left in you.’
guard over her house. Remember how the Cyclops treated ‘Thus did she speak and we assented. We stayed with
us when our comrades went inside his cave, and Ulysses Circe for a whole twelvemonth feasting upon an untold
with them. It was all through his sheer folly that those men quantity both of meat and wine. But when the year had

passed in the waning of moons and the long days had come can reach.’
round, my men called me apart and said, ‘Sir, it is time you ‘‘You will want no guide,’ she answered; ‘raise your mast,
began to think about going home, if so be you are to be set your white sails, sit quite still, and the North Wind will
spared to see your house and native country at all.’ blow you there of itself. When your ship has traversed the
‘Thus did they speak and I assented. Thereon through waters of Oceanus, you will reach the fertile shore of Proser-
the livelong day to the going down of the sun we feasted our pine’s country with its groves of tall poplars and willows
fill on meat and wine, but when the sun went down and it that shed their fruit untimely; here beach your ship upon
came on dark the men laid themselves down to sleep in the the shore of Oceanus, and go straight on to the dark abode
covered cloisters. I, however, after I had got into bed with of Hades. You will find it near the place where the rivers
Circe, besought her by her knees, and the goddess listened Pyriphlegethon and Cocytus (which is a branch of the river
to what I had got to say. ‘Circe,’ said I, ‘please to keep the Styx) flow into Acheron, and you will see a rock near it, just
promise you made me about furthering me on my home- where the two roaring rivers run into one another.
ward voyage. I want to get back and so do my men, they are ‘‘When you have reached this spot, as I now tell you, dig a
always pestering me with their complaints as soon as ever trench a cubit or so in length, breadth, and depth, and pour
your back is turned.’ into it as a drink-offering to all the dead, first, honey mixed
‘And the goddess answered, ‘Ulysses, noble son of with milk, then wine, and in the third place water—sprin-
Laertes, you shall none of you stay here any longer if you kling white barley meal over the whole. Moreover you must
do not want to, but there is another journey which you have offer many prayers to the poor feeble ghosts, and promise
got to take before you can sail homewards. You must go to them that when you get back to Ithaca you will sacrifice a
the house of Hades and of dread Proserpine to consult the barren heifer to them, the best you have, and will load the
ghost of the blind Theban prophet Teiresias, whose reason pyre with good things. More particularly you must promise
is still unshaken. To him alone has Proserpine left his un- that Teiresias shall have a black sheep all to himself, the fin-
derstanding even in death, but the other ghosts flit about est in all your flocks.
aimlessly.’ ‘‘When you shall have thus besought the ghosts with
‘I was dismayed when I heard this. I sat up in bed and your prayers, offer them a ram and a black ewe, bending
wept, and would gladly have lived no longer to see the light their heads towards Erebus; but yourself turn away from
of the sun, but presently when I was tired of weeping and them as though you would make towards the river. On this,
tossing myself about, I said, ‘And who shall guide me upon many dead men’s ghosts will come to you, and you must tell
this voyage—for the house of Hades is a port that no ship your men to skin the two sheep that you have just killed,

and offer them as a burnt sacrifice with prayers to Hades Theban prophet Teiresias.’
and to Proserpine. Then draw your sword and sit there, so ‘The men were broken-hearted as they heard me, and
as to prevent any other poor ghost from coming near the threw themselves on the ground groaning and tearing their
spilt blood before Teiresias shall have answered your ques- hair, but they did not mend matters by crying. When we
tions. The seer will presently come to you, and will tell you reached the sea shore, weeping and lamenting our fate,
about your voyage—what stages you are to make, and how Circe brought the ram and the ewe, and we made them fast
you are to sail the sea so as to reach your home.’ hard by the ship. She passed through the midst of us with-
‘It was day-break by the time she had done speaking, out our knowing it, for who can see the comings and goings
so she dressed me in my shirt and cloak. As for herself she of a god, if the god does not wish to be seen?
threw a beautiful light gossamer fabric over her shoulders,
fastening it with a golden girdle round her waist, and she
covered her head with a mantle. Then I went about among
the men everywhere all over the house, and spoke kindly to
each of them man by man: ‘You must not lie sleeping here
any longer,’ said I to them, ‘we must be going, for Circe has
told me all about it.’ And on this they did as I bade them.
‘Even so, however, I did not get them away without mis-
adventure. We had with us a certain youth named Elpenor,
not very remarkable for sense or courage, who had got drunk
and was lying on the house-top away from the rest of the
men, to sleep off his liquor in the cool. When he heard the
noise of the men bustling about, he jumped up on a sudden
and forgot all about coming down by the main staircase, so
he tumbled right off the roof and broke his neck, and his
soul went down to the house of Hades.
‘When I had got the men together I said to them, ‘You
think you are about to start home again, but Circe has ex-
plained to me that instead of this, we have got to go to the
house of Hades and Proserpine to consult the ghost of the

BOOK XI milk, then with wine, and thirdly with water, and I sprin-
kled white barley meal over the whole, praying earnestly to
THE VISIT TO THE DEAD. the poor feckless ghosts, and promising them that when I
got back to Ithaca I would sacrifice a barren heifer for them,
the best I had, and would load the pyre with good things.
I also particularly promised that Teiresias should have a
black sheep to himself, the best in all my flocks. When I had
T hen, when we had got down to the sea shore we drew

our ship into the water and got her mast and sails into
her; we also put the sheep on board and took our places,
prayed sufficiently to the dead, I cut the throats of the two
sheep and let the blood run into the trench, whereon the
ghosts came trooping up from Erebus—brides, {89} young
weeping and in great distress of mind. Circe, that great and bachelors, old men worn out with toil, maids who had
cunning goddess, sent us a fair wind that blew dead aft and been crossed in love, and brave men who had been killed
staid steadily with us keeping our sails all the time well in battle, with their armour still smirched with blood; they
filled; so we did whatever wanted doing to the ship’s gear came from every quarter and flitted round the trench with
and let her go as the wind and helmsman headed her. All a strange kind of screaming sound that made me turn pale
day long her sails were full as she held her course over the with fear. When I saw them coming I told the men to be
sea, but when the sun went down and darkness was over all quick and flay the carcasses of the two dead sheep and
the earth, we got into the deep waters of the river Oceanus, make burnt offerings of them, and at the same time to re-
where lie the land and city of the Cimmerians who live en- peat prayers to Hades and to Proserpine; but I sat where I
shrouded in mist and darkness which the rays of the sun was with my sword drawn and would not let the poor feck-
never pierce neither at his rising nor as he goes down again less ghosts come near the blood till Teiresias should have
out of the heavens, but the poor wretches live in one long answered my questions.
melancholy night. When we got there we beached the ship, ‘The first ghost that came was that of my comrade Elpe-
took the sheep out of her, and went along by the waters of nor, for he had not yet been laid beneath the earth. We had
Oceanus till we came to the place of which Circe had told left his body unwaked and unburied in Circe’s house, for we
us. {88} had had too much else to do. I was very sorry for him, and
‘Here Perimedes and Eurylochus held the victims, while cried when I saw him: ‘Elpenor,’ said I, ‘how did you come
I drew my sword and dug the trench a cubit each way. I down here into this gloom and darkness? You have got here
made a drink-offering to all the dead, first with honey and on foot quicker than I have with my ship.’

‘‘Sir,’ he answered with a groan, ‘it was all bad luck, and noble son of Laertes, why, poor man, have you left the light
my own unspeakable drunkenness. I was lying asleep on of day and come down to visit the dead in this sad place?
the top of Circe’s house, and never thought of coming down Stand back from the trench and withdraw your sword that I
again by the great staircase but fell right off the roof and may drink of the blood and answer your questions truly.’
broke my neck, so my soul came down to the house of Ha- ‘So I drew back, and sheathed my sword, whereon when
des. And now I beseech you by all those whom you have left he had drank of the blood he began with his prophecy.
behind you, though they are not here, by your wife, by the ‘‘You want to know,’ said he, ‘about your return home,
father who brought you up when you were a child, and by but heaven will make this hard for you. I do not think that
Telemachus who is the one hope of your house, do what I you will escape the eye of Neptune, who still nurses his
shall now ask you. I know that when you leave this limbo bitter grudge against you for having blinded his son. Still,
you will again hold your ship for the Aeaean island. Do not after much suffering you may get home if you can restrain
go thence leaving me unwaked and unburied behind you, yourself and your companions when your ship reaches the
or I may bring heaven’s anger upon you; but burn me with Thrinacian island, where you will find the sheep and cattle
whatever armour I have, build a barrow for me on the sea belonging to the sun, who sees and gives ear to everything.
shore, that may tell people in days to come what a poor un- If you leave these flocks unharmed and think of nothing
lucky fellow I was, and plant over my grave the oar I used but of getting home, you may yet after much hardship reach
to row with when I was yet alive and with my messmates.’ Ithaca; but if you harm them, then I forewarn you of the de-
And I said, ‘My poor fellow, I will do all that you have asked struction both of your ship and of your men. Even though
of me.’ you may yourself escape, you will return in bad plight after
‘Thus, then, did we sit and hold sad talk with one anoth- losing all your men, [in another man’s ship, and you will
er, I on the one side of the trench with my sword held over find trouble in your house, which will be overrun by high-
the blood, and the ghost of my comrade saying all this to me handed people, who are devouring your substance under
from the other side. Then came the ghost of my dead moth- the pretext of paying court and making presents to your
er Anticlea, daughter to Autolycus. I had left her alive when wife.
I set out for Troy and was moved to tears when I saw her, but ‘‘When you get home you will take your revenge on these
even so, for all my sorrow I would not let her come near the suitors; and after you have killed them by force or fraud in
blood till I had asked my questions of Teiresias. your own house, you must take a well made oar and carry it
‘Then came also the ghost of Theban Teiresias, with his on and on, till you come to a country where the people have
golden sceptre in his hand. He knew me and said, ‘Ulysses, never heard of the sea and do not even mix salt with their

food, nor do they know anything about ships, and oars that man can cross on foot, but he must have a good ship to take
are as the wings of a ship. I will give you this certain token him. Are you all this time trying to find your way home
which cannot escape your notice. A wayfarer will meet you from Troy, and have you never yet got back to Ithaca nor
and will say it must be a winnowing shovel that you have seen your wife in your own house?’
got upon your shoulder; on this you must fix the oar in the ‘‘Mother,’ said I, ‘I was forced to come here to consult the
ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and a boar to Neptune. ghost of the Theban prophet Teiresias. I have never yet been
{90} Then go home and offer hecatombs to all the gods in near the Achaean land nor set foot on my native country,
heaven one after the other. As for yourself, death shall come and I have had nothing but one long series of misfortunes
to you from the sea, and your life shall ebb away very gently from the very first day that I set out with Agamemnon for
when you are full of years and peace of mind, and your peo- Ilius, the land of noble steeds, to fight the Trojans. But tell
ple shall bless you. All that I have said will come true].’ {91} me, and tell me true, in what way did you die? Did you
‘‘This,’ I answered, ‘must be as it may please heaven, but have a long illness, or did heaven vouchsafe you a gentle
tell me and tell me and tell me true, I see my poor mother’s easy passage to eternity? Tell me also about my father, and
ghost close by us; she is sitting by the blood without saying the son whom I left behind me, is my property still in their
a word, and though I am her own son she does not remem- hands, or has some one else got hold of it, who thinks that I
ber me and speak to me; tell me, Sir, how I can make her shall not return to claim it? Tell me again what my wife in-
know me.’ tends doing, and in what mind she is; does she live with my
‘‘That,’ said he, ‘I can soon do. Any ghost that you let son and guard my estate securely, or has she made the best
taste of the blood will talk with you like a reasonable be- match she could and married again?’
ing, but if you do not let them have any blood they will go ‘My mother answered, ‘Your wife still remains in your
away again.’ house, but she is in great distress of mind and spends her
‘On this the ghost of Teiresias went back to the house of whole time in tears both night and day. No one as yet has
Hades, for his prophecyings had now been spoken, but I sat got possession of your fine property, and Telemachus still
still where I was until my mother came up and tasted the holds your lands undisturbed. He has to entertain largely, as
blood. Then she knew me at once and spoke fondly to me, of course he must, considering his position as a magistrate,
saying, ‘My son, how did you come down to this abode of {92} and how every one invites him; your father remains at
darkness while you are still alive? It is a hard thing for the his old place in the country and never goes near the town.
living to see these places, for between us and them there are He has no comfortable bed nor bedding; in the winter he
great and terrible waters, and there is Oceanus, which no sleeps on the floor in front of the fire with the men and goes

about all in rags, but in summer, when the warm weather ‘Thus did we converse, and anon Proserpine sent up the
comes on again, he lies out in the vineyard on a bed of vine ghosts of the wives and daughters of all the most famous
leaves thrown any how upon the ground. He grieves con- men. They gathered in crowds about the blood, and I con-
tinually about your never having come home, and suffers sidered how I might question them severally. In the end I
more and more as he grows older. As for my own end it was deemed that it would be best to draw the keen blade that
in this wise: heaven did not take me swiftly and painlessly hung by my sturdy thigh, and keep them from all drinking
in my own house, nor was I attacked by any illness such the blood at once. So they came up one after the other, and
as those that generally wear people out and kill them, but each one as I questioned her told me her race and lineage.
my longing to know what you were doing and the force of ‘The first I saw was Tyro. She was daughter of Salmoneus
my affection for you—this it was that was the death of me.’ and wife of Cretheus the son of Aeolus. {94} She fell in love
{93} with the river Enipeus who is much the most beautiful river
‘Then I tried to find some way of embracing my poor in the whole world. Once when she was taking a walk by
mother’s ghost. Thrice I sprang towards her and tried to his side as usual, Neptune, disguised as her lover, lay with
clasp her in my arms, but each time she flitted from my em- her at the mouth of the river, and a huge blue wave arched
brace as it were a dream or phantom, and being touched to itself like a mountain over them to hide both woman and
the quick I said to her, ‘Mother, why do you not stay still god, whereon he loosed her virgin girdle and laid her in a
when I would embrace you? If we could throw our arms deep slumber. When the god had accomplished the deed of
around one another we might find sad comfort in the love, he took her hand in his own and said, ‘Tyro, rejoice
sharing of our sorrows even in the house of Hades; does in all good will; the embraces of the gods are not fruitless,
Proserpine want to lay a still further load of grief upon me and you will have fine twins about this time twelve months.
by mocking me with a phantom only?’ Take great care of them. I am Neptune, so now go home, but
‘‘My son,’ she answered, ‘most ill-fated of all mankind, hold your tongue and do not tell any one.’
it is not Proserpine that is beguiling you, but all people are ‘Then he dived under the sea, and she in due course bore
like this when they are dead. The sinews no longer hold the Pelias and Neleus, who both of them served Jove with all
flesh and bones together; these perish in the fierceness of their might. Pelias was a great breeder of sheep and lived in
consuming fire as soon as life has left the body, and the soul Iolcus, but the other lived in Pylos. The rest of her children
flits away as though it were a dream. Now, however, go back were by Cretheus, namely, Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon,
to the light of day as soon as you can, and note all these who was a mighty warrior and charioteer.
things that you may tell them to your wife hereafter.’ ‘Next to her I saw Antiope, daughter to Asopus, who

could boast of having slept in the arms of even Jove himself, of the cattle caught him and put him in prison; neverthe-
and who bore him two sons Amphion and Zethus. These less when a full year had passed and the same season came
founded Thebes with its seven gates, and built a wall all round again, Iphicles set him at liberty, after he had ex-
round it; for strong though they were they could not hold pounded all the oracles of heaven. Thus, then, was the will
Thebes till they had walled it. of Jove accomplished.
‘Then I saw Alcmena, the wife of Amphitryon, who also ‘And I saw Leda the wife of Tyndarus, who bore him
bore to Jove indomitable Hercules; and Megara who was two famous sons, Castor breaker of horses, and Pollux the
daughter to great King Creon, and married the redoubtable mighty boxer. Both these heroes are lying under the earth,
son of Amphitryon. though they are still alive, for by a special dispensation of
‘I also saw fair Epicaste mother of king Oedipodes whose Jove, they die and come to life again, each one of them ev-
awful lot it was to marry her own son without suspecting it. ery other day throughout all time, and they have the rank
He married her after having killed his father, but the gods of gods.
proclaimed the whole story to the world; whereon he re- ‘After her I saw Iphimedeia wife of Aloeus who boast-
mained king of Thebes, in great grief for the spite the gods ed the embrace of Neptune. She bore two sons Otus and
had borne him; but Epicaste went to the house of the mighty Ephialtes, but both were short lived. They were the finest
jailor Hades, having hanged herself for grief, and the aveng- children that were ever born in this world, and the best
ing spirits haunted him as for an outraged mother—to his looking, Orion only excepted; for at nine years old they
ruing bitterly thereafter. were nine fathoms high, and measured nine cubits round
‘Then I saw Chloris, whom Neleus married for her beau- the chest. They threatened to make war with the gods in
ty, having given priceless presents for her. She was youngest Olympus, and tried to set Mount Ossa on the top of Mount
daughter to Amphion son of Iasus and king of Minyan Olympus, and Mount Pelion on the top of Ossa, that they
Orchomenus, and was Queen in Pylos. She bore Nestor, might scale heaven itself, and they would have done it too if
Chromius, and Periclymenus, and she also bore that mar- they had been grown up, but Apollo, son of Leto, killed both
vellously lovely woman Pero, who was wooed by all the of them, before they had got so much as a sign of hair upon
country round; but Neleus would only give her to him who their cheeks or chin.
should raid the cattle of Iphicles from the grazing grounds ‘Then I saw Phaedra, and Procris, and fair Ariadne
of Phylace, and this was a hard task. The only man who daughter of the magician Minos, whom Theseus was car-
would undertake to raid them was a certain excellent seer, rying off from Crete to Athens, but he did not enjoy her, for
{95} but the will of heaven was against him, for the rangers before he could do so Diana killed her in the island of Dia

on account of what Bacchus had said against her. And Ulysses answered, ‘King Alcinous, if you were to
‘I also saw Maera and Clymene and hateful Eriphyle, bid me to stay here for a whole twelve months, and then
who sold her own husband for gold. But it would take me speed me on my way, loaded with your noble gifts, I should
all night if I were to name every single one of the wives and obey you gladly and it would redound greatly to my advan-
daughters of heroes whom I saw, and it is time for me to go tage, for I should return fuller-handed to my own people,
to bed, either on board ship with my crew, or here. As for and should thus be more respected and beloved by all who
my escort, heaven and yourselves will see to it.’ see me when I get back to Ithaca.’
Here he ended, and the guests sat all of them enthralled ‘Ulysses,’ replied Alcinous, ‘not one of us who sees you
and speechless throughout the covered cloister. Then Arete has any idea that you are a charlatan or a swindler. I know
said to them:— there are many people going about who tell such plausible
‘What do you think of this man, O Phaeacians? Is he not stories that it is very hard to see through them, but there is
tall and good looking, and is he not clever? True, he is my a style about your language which assures me of your good
own guest, but all of you share in the distinction. Do not be disposition. Moreover you have told the story of your own
in a hurry to send him away, nor niggardly in the presents misfortunes, and those of the Argives, as though you were
you make to one who is in such great need, for heaven has a practiced bard; but tell me, and tell me true, whether you
blessed all of you with great abundance.’ saw any of the mighty heroes who went to Troy at the same
Then spoke the aged hero Echeneus who was one of the time with yourself, and perished there. The evenings are
oldest men among them, ‘My friends,’ said he, ‘what our still at their longest, and it is not yet bed time—go on, there-
august queen has just said to us is both reasonable and to fore, with your divine story, for I could stay here listening
the purpose, therefore be persuaded by it; but the decision till tomorrow morning, so long as you will continue to tell
whether in word or deed rests ultimately with King Alci- us of your adventures.’
nous.’ ‘Alcinous,’ answered Ulysses, ‘there is a time for making
‘The thing shall be done,’ exclaimed Alcinous, ‘as surely speeches, and a time for going to bed; nevertheless, since
as I still live and reign over the Phaeacians. Our guest is in- you so desire, I will not refrain from telling you the still sad-
deed very anxious to get home, still we must persuade him der tale of those of my comrades who did not fall fighting
to remain with us until to-morrow, by which time I shall be with the Trojans, but perished on their return, through the
able to get together the whole sum that I mean to give him. treachery of a wicked woman.
As regards his escort it will be a matter for you all, and mine ‘When Proserpine had dismissed the female ghosts in all
above all others as the chief person among you.’ directions, the ghost of Agamemnon son of Atreus came

sadly up to me, surrounded by those who had perished with eyes when I was dying, for there is nothing in this world so
him in the house of Aegisthus. As soon as he had tasted the cruel and so shameless as a woman when she has fallen into
blood, he knew me, and weeping bitterly stretched out his such guilt as hers was. Fancy murdering her own husband!
arms towards me to embrace me; but he had no strength I thought I was going to be welcomed home by my children
nor substance any more, and I too wept and pitied him as I and my servants, but her abominable crime has brought
beheld him. ‘How did you come by your death,’ said I, ‘King disgrace on herself and all women who shall come after—
Agamemnon? Did Neptune raise his winds and waves even on the good ones.’
against you when you were at sea, or did your enemies make ‘And I said, ‘In truth Jove has hated the house of Atreus
an end of you on the main land when you were cattle-lifting from first to last in the matter of their women’s counsels.
or sheep-stealing, or while they were fighting in defence of See how many of us fell for Helen’s sake, and now it seems
their wives and city?’ that Clytemnestra hatched mischief against you too during
‘‘Ulysses,’ he answered, ‘noble son of Laertes, I was not your absence.’
lost at sea in any storm of Neptune’s raising, nor did my ‘‘Be sure, therefore,’ continued Agamemnon, ‘and not be
foes despatch me upon the mainland, but Aegisthus and my too friendly even with your own wife. Do not tell her all that
wicked wife were the death of me between them. He asked you know perfectly well yourself. Tell her a part only, and
me to his house, feasted me, and then butchered me most keep your own counsel about the rest. Not that your wife,
miserably as though I were a fat beast in a slaughter house, Ulysses, is likely to murder you, for Penelope is a very ad-
while all around me my comrades were slain like sheep or mirable woman, and has an excellent nature. We left her a
pigs for the wedding breakfast, or picnic, or gorgeous ban- young bride with an infant at her breast when we set out for
quet of some great nobleman. You must have seen numbers Troy. This child no doubt is now grown up happily to man’s
of men killed either in a general engagement, or in single estate, {96} and he and his father will have a joyful meet-
combat, but you never saw anything so truly pitiable as the ing and embrace one another as it is right they should do,
way in which we fell in that cloister, with the mixing bowl whereas my wicked wife did not even allow me the happi-
and the loaded tables lying all about, and the ground reek- ness of looking upon my son, but killed me ere I could do
ing with our blood. I heard Priam’s daughter Cassandra so. Furthermore I say—and lay my saying to your heart—do
scream as Clytemnestra killed her close beside me. I lay dy- not tell people when you are bringing your ship to Ithaca,
ing upon the earth with the sword in my body, and raised but steal a march upon them, for after all this there is no
my hands to kill the slut of a murderess, but she slipped trusting women. But now tell me, and tell me true, can you
away from me; she would not even close my lips nor my give me any news of my son Orestes? Is he in Orchomenus,

or at Pylos, or is he at Sparta with Menelaus—for I presume anything about my father Peleus—does he still rule among
that he is still living.’ the Myrmidons, or do they show him no respect through-
‘And I said, ‘Agamemnon, why do you ask me? I do not out Hellas and Phthia now that he is old and his limbs fail
know whether your son is alive or dead, and it is not right to him? Could I but stand by his side, in the light of day, with
talk when one does not know.’ the same strength that I had when I killed the bravest of
‘As we two sat weeping and talking thus sadly with one our foes upon the plain of Troy—could I but be as I then
another the ghost of Achilles came up to us with Patro- was and go even for a short time to my father’s house, any
clus, Antilochus, and Ajax who was the finest and goodliest one who tried to do him violence or supersede him would
man of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus. The fleet de- soon rue it.’
scendant of Aeacus knew me and spoke piteously, saying, ‘‘I have heard nothing,’ I answered, ‘of Peleus, but I can
‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, what deed of daring will you tell you all about your son Neoptolemus, for I took him in
undertake next, that you venture down to the house of Ha- my own ship from Scyros with the Achaeans. In our coun-
des among us silly dead, who are but the ghosts of them that cils of war before Troy he was always first to speak, and his
can labour no more?’ judgement was unerring. Nestor and I were the only two
‘And I said, ‘Achilles, son of Peleus, foremost champion who could surpass him; and when it came to fighting on
of the Achaeans, I came to consult Teiresias, and see if he the plain of Troy, he would never remain with the body of
could advise me about my return home to Ithaca, for I have his men, but would dash on far in front, foremost of them
never yet been able to get near the Achaean land, nor to set all in valour. Many a man did he kill in battle—I cannot
foot in my own country, but have been in trouble all the name every single one of those whom he slew while fighting
time. As for you, Achilles, no one was ever yet so fortunate on the side of the Argives, but will only say how he killed
as you have been, nor ever will be, for you were adored by all that valiant hero Eurypylus son of Telephus, who was the
us Argives as long as you were alive, and now that you are handsomest man I ever saw except Memnon; many others
here you are a great prince among the dead. Do not, there- also of the Ceteians fell around him by reason of a woman’s
fore, take it so much to heart even if you are dead.’ bribes. Moreover, when all the bravest of the Argives went
‘‘Say not a word,’ he answered, ‘in death’s favour; I would inside the horse that Epeus had made, and it was left to me
rather be a paid servant in a poor man’s house and be above to settle when we should either open the door of our ambus-
ground than king of kings among the dead. But give me cade, or close it, though all the other leaders and chief men
news about my son; is he gone to the wars and will he be a among the Danaans were drying their eyes and quaking in
great soldier, or is this not so? Tell me also if you have heard every limb, I never once saw him turn pale nor wipe a tear

from his cheek; he was all the time urging me to break out into subjection, and hear what I can tell you.’
from the horse—grasping the handle of his sword and his ‘He would not answer, but turned away to Erebus and to
bronze-shod spear, and breathing fury against the foe. Yet the other ghosts; nevertheless, I should have made him talk
when we had sacked the city of Priam he got his handsome to me in spite of his being so angry, or I should have gone on
share of the prize money and went on board (such is the talking to him, {97} only that there were still others among
fortune of war) without a wound upon him, neither from a the dead whom I desired to see.
thrown spear nor in close combat, for the rage of Mars is a ‘Then I saw Minos son of Jove with his golden sceptre in
matter of great chance.’ his hand sitting in judgement on the dead, and the ghosts
‘When I had told him this, the ghost of Achilles strode were gathered sitting and standing round him in the spa-
off across a meadow full of asphodel, exulting over what I cious house of Hades, to learn his sentences upon them.
had said concerning the prowess of his son. ‘After him I saw huge Orion in a meadow full of asphodel
‘The ghosts of other dead men stood near me and told driving the ghosts of the wild beasts that he had killed upon
me each his own melancholy tale; but that of Ajax son of the mountains, and he had a great bronze club in his hand,
Telamon alone held aloof—still angry with me for having unbreakable for ever and ever.
won the cause in our dispute about the armour of Achilles. ‘And I saw Tityus son of Gaia stretched upon the plain
Thetis had offered it as a prize, but the Trojan prisoners and and covering some nine acres of ground. Two vultures on
Minerva were the judges. Would that I had never gained the either side of him were digging their beaks into his liver,
day in such a contest, for it cost the life of Ajax, who was and he kept on trying to beat them off with his hands, but
foremost of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus, alike in could not; for he had violated Jove’s mistress Leto as she was
stature and prowess. going through Panopeus on her way to Pytho.
‘When I saw him I tried to pacify him and said, ‘Ajax, ‘I saw also the dreadful fate of Tantalus, who stood in a
will you not forget and forgive even in death, but must lake that reached his chin; he was dying to quench his thirst,
the judgement about that hateful armour still rankle with but could never reach the water, for whenever the poor crea-
you? It cost us Argives dear enough to lose such a tower of ture stooped to drink, it dried up and vanished, so that
strength as you were to us. We mourned you as much as we there was nothing but dry ground—parched by the spite of
mourned Achilles son of Peleus himself, nor can the blame heaven. There were tall trees, moreover, that shed their fruit
be laid on anything but on the spite which Jove bore against over his head—pears, pomegranates, apples, sweet figs and
the Danaans, for it was this that made him counsel your de- juicy olives, but whenever the poor creature stretched out
struction—come hither, therefore, bring your proud spirit his hand to take some, the wind tossed the branches back

again to the clouds. out of Hades and brought him to him, for Mercury and Mi-
‘And I saw Sisyphus at his endless task raising his pro- nerva helped me.’
digious stone with both his hands. With hands and feet he ‘On this Hercules went down again into the house of
tried to roll it up to the top of the hill, but always, just before Hades, but I stayed where I was in case some other of the
he could roll it over on to the other side, its weight would be mighty dead should come to me. And I should have seen
too much for him, and the pitiless stone {98} would come still other of them that are gone before, whom I would fain
thundering down again on to the plain. Then he would behave seen—Theseus and Pirithous—glorious children of
gin trying to push it up hill again, and the sweat ran off him the gods, but so many thousands of ghosts came round me
and the steam rose after him. and uttered such appalling cries, that I was panic stricken
‘After him I saw mighty Hercules, but it was his phan- lest Proserpine should send up from the house of Hades the
tom only, for he is feasting ever with the immortal gods, head of that awful monster Gorgon. On this I hastened back
and has lovely Hebe to wife, who is daughter of Jove and to my ship and ordered my men to go on board at once and
Juno. The ghosts were screaming round him like scared loose the hawsers; so they embarked and took their places,
birds flying all whithers. He looked black as night with his whereon the ship went down the stream of the river Ocea-
bare bow in his hands and his arrow on the string, glaring nus. We had to row at first, but presently a fair wind sprang
around as though ever on the point of taking aim. About up.
his breast there was a wondrous golden belt adorned in the
most marvellous fashion with bears, wild boars, and lions
with gleaming eyes; there was also war, battle, and death.
The man who made that belt, do what he might, would
never be able to make another like it. Hercules knew me at
once when he saw me, and spoke piteously, saying, ‘My poor
Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, are you too leading the same
sorry kind of life that I did when I was above ground? I was
son of Jove, but I went through an infinity of suffering, for
I became bondsman to one who was far beneath me—a low
fellow who set me all manner of labours. He once sent me
here to fetch the hell-hound—for he did not think he could
find anything harder for me than this, but I got the hound

BOOK XII in the midst of us and said, ‘You have done a bold thing in
going down alive to the house of Hades, and you will have
THE SIRENS, SCYLLA died twice, to other people’s once; now, then, stay here for
the rest of the day, feast your fill, and go on with your voy-
AND CHARYBDIS, THE age at daybreak tomorrow morning. In the meantime I will
tell Ulysses about your course, and will explain everything
CATTLE OF THE SUN. to him so as to prevent your suffering from misadventure
either by land or sea.’
‘We agreed to do as she had said, and feasted through the
livelong day to the going down of the sun, but when the sun
had set and it came on dark, the men laid themselves down
A fter we were clear of the river Oceanus, and had got

out into the open sea, we went on till we reached the
Aeaean island where there is dawn and sun-rise as in other
to sleep by the stern cables of the ship. Then Circe took me
by the hand and bade me be seated away from the others,
while she reclined by my side and asked me all about our
places. We then drew our ship on to the sands and got out adventures.
of her on to the shore, where we went to sleep and waited till ‘‘So far so good,’ said she, when I had ended my story, ‘and
day should break. now pay attention to what I am about to tell you—heaven it-
‘Then, when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, self, indeed, will recall it to your recollection. First you will
appeared, I sent some men to Circe’s house to fetch the body come to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them.
of Elpenor. We cut firewood from a wood where the head- If any one unwarily draws in too close and hears the sing-
land jutted out into the sea, and after we had wept over him ing of the Sirens, his wife and children will never welcome
and lamented him we performed his funeral rites. When him home again, for they sit in a green field and warble him
his body and armour had been burned to ashes, we raised a to death with the sweetness of their song. There is a great
cairn, set a stone over it, and at the top of the cairn we fixed heap of dead men’s bones lying all around, with the flesh
the oar that he had been used to row with. still rotting off them. Therefore pass these Sirens by, and
‘While we were doing all this, Circe, who knew that we stop your men’s ears with wax that none of them may hear;
had got back from the house of Hades, dressed herself and but if you like you can listen yourself, for you may get the
came to us as fast as she could; and her maid servants came men to bind you as you stand upright on a cross piece half
with her bringing us bread, meat, and wine. Then she stood way up the mast, {99} and they must lash the rope’s ends to

the mast itself, that you may have the pleasure of listening. side it Scylla sits and yelps with a voice that you might take
If you beg and pray the men to unloose you, then they must to be that of a young hound, but in truth she is a dreadful
bind you faster. monster and no one—not even a god—could face her with-
‘‘When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I out being terror-struck. She has twelve mis-shapen feet, and
cannot give you coherent directions {100} as to which of two six necks of the most prodigious length; and at the end of
courses you are to take; I will lay the two alternatives before each neck she has a frightful head with three rows of teeth
you, and you must consider them for yourself. On the one in each, all set very close together, so that they would crunch
hand there are some overhanging rocks against which the any one to death in a moment, and she sits deep within her
deep blue waves of Amphitrite beat with terrific fury; the shady cell thrusting out her heads and peering all round the
blessed gods call these rocks the Wanderers. Here not even rock, fishing for dolphins or dogfish or any larger monster
a bird may pass, no, not even the timid doves that bring am- that she can catch, of the thousands with which Amphitrite
brosia to Father Jove, but the sheer rock always carries off teems. No ship ever yet got past her without losing some
one of them, and Father Jove has to send another to make men, for she shoots out all her heads at once, and carries off
up their number; no ship that ever yet came to these rocks a man in each mouth.
has got away again, but the waves and whirlwinds of fire are ‘‘You will find the other rock lie lower, but they are so
freighted with wreckage and with the bodies of dead men. close together that there is not more than a bow-shot be-
The only vessel that ever sailed and got through, was the fa- tween them. [A large fig tree in full leaf {101} grows upon it],
mous Argo on her way from the house of Aetes, and she too and under it lies the sucking whirlpool of Charybdis. Three
would have gone against these great rocks, only that Juno times in the day does she vomit forth her waters, and three
piloted her past them for the love she bore to Jason. times she sucks them down again; see that you be not there
‘‘Of these two rocks the one reaches heaven and its peak when she is sucking, for if you are, Neptune himself could
is lost in a dark cloud. This never leaves it, so that the top is not save you; you must hug the Scylla side and drive ship by
never clear not even in summer and early autumn. No man as fast as you can, for you had better lose six men than your
though he had twenty hands and twenty feet could get a whole crew.’
foothold on it and climb it, for it runs sheer up, as smooth ‘‘Is there no way,’ said I, ‘of escaping Charybdis, and at
as though it had been polished. In the middle of it there is a the same time keeping Scylla off when she is trying to harm
large cavern, looking West and turned towards Erebus; you my men?’
must take your ship this way, but the cave is so high up that ‘‘You dare devil,’ replied the goddess, ‘you are always
not even the stoutest archer could send an arrow into it. In- wanting to fight somebody or something; you will not let

yourself be beaten even by the immortals. For Scylla is not ings; so they at once got into her, took their places, and
mortal; moreover she is savage, extreme, rude, cruel and in- began to smite the grey sea with their oars. Presently the
vincible. There is no help for it; your best chance will be to great and cunning goddess Circe befriended us with a fair
get by her as fast as ever you can, for if you dawdle about her wind that blew dead aft, and staid steadily with us, keeping
rock while you are putting on your armour, she may catch our sails well filled, so we did whatever wanted doing to the
you with a second cast of her six heads, and snap up another ship’s gear, and let her go as wind and helmsman headed
half dozen of your men; so drive your ship past her at full her.
speed, and roar out lustily to Crataiis who is Scylla’s dam, ‘Then, being much troubled in mind, I said to my men,
bad luck to her; she will then stop her from making a second ‘My friends, it is not right that one or two of us alone should
raid upon you.’ know the prophecies that Circe has made me, I will there-
‘‘You will now come to the Thrinacian island, and here fore tell you about them, so that whether we live or die we
you will see many herds of cattle and flocks of sheep belong- may do so with our eyes open. First she said we were to keep
ing to the sun-god—seven herds of cattle and seven flocks clear of the Sirens, who sit and sing most beautifully in a
of sheep, with fifty head in each flock. They do not breed, field of flowers; but she said I might hear them myself so
nor do they become fewer in number, and they are tended long as no one else did. Therefore, take me and bind me to
by the goddesses Phaethusa and Lampetie, who are children the crosspiece half way up the mast; bind me as I stand up-
of the sun-god Hyperion by Neaera. Their mother when she right, with a bond so fast that I cannot possibly break away,
had borne them and had done suckling them sent them to and lash the rope’s ends to the mast itself. If I beg and pray
the Thrinacian island, which was a long way off, to live there you to set me free, then bind me more tightly still.’
and look after their father’s flocks and herds. If you leave ‘I had hardly finished telling everything to the men be-
these flocks unharmed, and think of nothing but getting fore we reached the island of the two Sirens, {102} for the
home, you may yet after much hardship reach Ithaca; but wind had been very favourable. Then all of a sudden it fell
if you harm them, then I forewarn you of the destruction dead calm; there was not a breath of wind nor a ripple upon
both of your ship and of your comrades; and even though the water, so the men furled the sails and stowed them; then
you may yourself escape, you will return late, in bad plight, taking to their oars they whitened the water with the foam
after losing all your men.’ they raised in rowing. Meanwhile I look a large wheel of
‘Here she ended, and dawn enthroned in gold began to wax and cut it up small with my sword. Then I kneaded the
show in heaven, whereon she returned inland. I then went wax in my strong hands till it became soft, which it soon did
on board and told my men to loose the ship from her moor- between the kneading and the rays of the sun-god son of

Hyperion. Then I stopped the ears of all my men, and they been in danger, and we are in nothing like so bad a case as
bound me hands and feet to the mast as I stood upright on when the Cyclops shut us up in his cave; nevertheless, my
the cross piece; but they went on rowing themselves. When courage and wise counsel saved us then, and we shall live to
we had got within earshot of the land, and the ship was go- look back on all this as well. Now, therefore, let us all do as
ing at a good rate, the Sirens saw that we were getting in I say, trust in Jove and row on with might and main. As for
shore and began with their singing. you, coxswain, these are your orders; attend to them, for the
‘‘Come here,’ they sang, ‘renowned Ulysses, honour to ship is in your hands; turn her head away from these steam-
the Achaean name, and listen to our two voices. No one ing rapids and hug the rock, or she will give you the slip and
ever sailed past us without staying to hear the enchanting be over yonder before you know where you are, and you will
sweetness of our song—and he who listens will go on his be the death of us.’
way not only charmed, but wiser, for we know all the ills ‘So they did as I told them; but I said nothing about the
that the gods laid upon the Argives and Trojans before Troy, awful monster Scylla, for I knew the men would not go on
and can tell you everything that is going to happen over the rowing if I did, but would huddle together in the hold. In
whole world.’ one thing only did I disobey Circe’s strict instructions—I
‘They sang these words most musically, and as I longed put on my armour. Then seizing two strong spears I took
to hear them further I made signs by frowning to my men my stand on the ship’s bows, for it was there that I expect-
that they should set me free; but they quickened their stroke, ed first to see the monster of the rock, who was to do my
and Eurylochus and Perimedes bound me with still stron- men so much harm; but I could not make her out anywhere,
ger bonds till we had got out of hearing of the Sirens’ voices. though I strained my eyes with looking the gloomy rock all
Then my men took the wax from their ears and unbound over and over.
me. ‘Then we entered the Straits in great fear of mind, for on
‘Immediately after we had got past the island I saw a the one hand was Scylla, and on the other dread Charybdis
great wave from which spray was rising, and I heard a loud kept sucking up the salt water. As she vomited it up, it was
roaring sound. The men were so frightened that they loosed like the water in a cauldron when it is boiling over upon a
hold of their oars, for the whole sea resounded with the great fire, and the spray reached the top of the rocks on either
rushing of the waters, {103} but the ship stayed where it was, side. When she began to suck again, we could see the water
for the men had left off rowing. I went round, therefore, and all inside whirling round and round, and it made a deafen-
exhorted them man by man not to lose heart. ing sound as it broke against the rocks. We could see the
‘‘My friends,’ said I, ‘this is not the first time that we have bottom of the whirlpool all black with sand and mud, and

the men were at their wits ends for fear. While we were tak- sun-god, for it was here, she said, that our worst danger
en up with this, and were expecting each moment to be our would lie. Head the ship, therefore, away from the island.’
last, Scylla pounced down suddenly upon us and snatched ‘The men were in despair at this, and Eurylochus at once
up my six best men. I was looking at once after both ship gave me an insolent answer. ‘Ulysses,’ said he, ‘you are cru-
and men, and in a moment I saw their hands and feet ever el; you are very strong yourself and never get worn out;
so high above me, struggling in the air as Scylla was car- you seem to be made of iron, and now, though your men
rying them off, and I heard them call out my name in one are exhausted with toil and want of sleep, you will not let
last despairing cry. As a fisherman, seated, spear in hand, them land and cook themselves a good supper upon this
upon some jutting rock {104} throws bait into the water to island, but bid them put out to sea and go faring fruitlessly
deceive the poor little fishes, and spears them with the ox’s on through the watches of the flying night. It is by night
horn with which his spear is shod, throwing them gasping that the winds blow hardest and do so much damage; how
on to the land as he catches them one by one—even so did can we escape should one of those sudden squalls spring
Scylla land these panting creatures on her rock and munch up from South West or West, which so often wreck a vessel
them up at the mouth of her den, while they screamed and when our lords the gods are unpropitious? Now, therefore,
stretched out their hands to me in their mortal agony. This let us obey the behests of night and prepare our supper here
was the most sickening sight that I saw throughout all my hard by the ship; to-morrow morning we will go on board
voyages. again and put out to sea.’
‘When we had passed the [Wandering] rocks, with Scyl- ‘Thus spoke Eurylochus, and the men approved his
la and terrible Charybdis, we reached the noble island of words. I saw that heaven meant us a mischief and said, ‘You
the sun-god, where were the goodly cattle and sheep be- force me to yield, for you are many against one, but at any
longing to the sun Hyperion. While still at sea in my ship rate each one of you must take his solemn oath that if he
I could bear the cattle lowing as they came home to the meet with a herd of cattle or a large flock of sheep, he will
yards, and the sheep bleating. Then I remembered what the not be so mad as to kill a single head of either, but will be
blind Theban prophet Teiresias had told me, and how care- satisfied with the food that Circe has given us.’
fully Aeaean Circe had warned me to shun the island of the ‘They all swore as I bade them, and when they had com-
blessed sun-god. So being much troubled I said to the men, pleted their oath we made the ship fast in a harbour that
‘My men, I know you are hard pressed, but listen while I tell was near a stream of fresh water, and the men went ashore
you the prophecy that Teiresias made me, and how carefully and cooked their suppers. As soon as they had had enough
Aeaean Circe warned me to shun the island of the blessed to eat and drink, they began talking about their poor com-

rades whom Scylla had snatched up and eaten; this set them ‘Meanwhile Eurylochus had been giving evil counsel
weeping and they went on crying till they fell off into a to the men, ‘Listen to me,’ said he, ‘my poor comrades. All
sound sleep. deaths are bad enough but there is none so bad as famine.
‘In the third watch of the night when the stars had shift- Why should not we drive in the best of these cows and of-
ed their places, Jove raised a great gale of wind that flew fer them in sacrifice to the immortal gods? If we ever get
a hurricane so that land and sea were covered with thick back to Ithaca, we can build a fine temple to the sun-god
clouds, and night sprang forth out of the heavens. When and enrich it with every kind of ornament; if, however, he is
the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, we determined to sink our ship out of revenge for these homed
brought the ship to land and drew her into a cave wherein cattle, and the other gods are of the same mind, I for one
the sea-nymphs hold their courts and dances, and I called would rather drink salt water once for all and have done
the men together in council. with it, than be starved to death by inches in such a desert
‘‘My friends,’ said I, ‘we have meat and drink in the ship, island as this is.’
let us mind, therefore, and not touch the cattle, or we shall ‘Thus spoke Eurylochus, and the men approved his
suffer for it; for these cattle and sheep belong to the mighty words. Now the cattle, so fair and goodly, were feeding not
sun, who sees and gives ear to everything.’ And again they far from the ship; the men, therefore, drove in the best of
promised that they would obey. them, and they all stood round them saying their prayers,
‘For a whole month the wind blew steadily from the and using young oak-shoots instead of barley-meal, for
South, and there was no other wind, but only South and there was no barley left. When they had done praying they
East. {105} As long as corn and wine held out the men did killed the cows and dressed their carcasses; they cut out the
not touch the cattle when they were hungry; when, however, thigh bones, wrapped them round in two layers of fat, and
they had eaten all there was in the ship, they were forced to set some pieces of raw meat on top of them. They had no
go further afield, with hook and line, catching birds, and wine with which to make drink-offerings over the sacrifice
taking whatever they could lay their hands on; for they while it was cooking, so they kept pouring on a little wa-
were starving. One day, therefore, I went up inland that I ter from time to time while the inward meats were being
might pray heaven to show me some means of getting away. grilled; then, when the thigh bones were burned and they
When I had gone far enough to be clear of all my men, and had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small and
had found a place that was well sheltered from the wind, I put the pieces upon the spits.
washed my hands and prayed to all the gods in Olympus till ‘By this time my deep sleep had left me, and I turned
by and by they sent me off into a sweet sleep. back to the ship and to the sea shore. As I drew near I be-

gan to smell hot roast meat, so I groaned out a prayer to feasting upon them, but when Jove the son of Saturn had
the immortal gods. ‘Father Jove,’ I exclaimed, ‘and all you added a seventh day, the fury of the gale abated; we there-
other gods who live in everlasting bliss, you have done me fore went on board, raised our masts, spread sail, and put
a cruel mischief by the sleep into which you have sent me; out to sea. As soon as we were well away from the island,
see what fine work these men of mine have been making in and could see nothing but sky and sea, the son of Saturn
my absence.’ raised a black cloud over our ship, and the sea grew dark
‘Meanwhile Lampetie went straight off to the sun and beneath it. We did not get on much further, for in another
told him we had been killing his cows, whereon he flew into moment we were caught by a terrific squall from the West
a great rage, and said to the immortals, ‘Father Jove, and that snapped the forestays of the mast so that it fell aft, while
all you other gods who live in everlasting bliss, I must have all the ship’s gear tumbled about at the bottom of the vessel.
vengeance on the crew of Ulysses’ ship: they have had the The mast fell upon the head of the helmsman in the ship’s
insolence to kill my cows, which were the one thing I loved stern, so that the bones of his head were crushed to piec-
to look upon, whether I was going up heaven or down again. es, and he fell overboard as though he were diving, with no
If they do not square accounts with me about my cows, I more life left in him.
will go down to Hades and shine there among the dead.’ ‘Then Jove let fly with his thunderbolts, and the ship
‘‘Sun,’ said Jove, ‘go on shining upon us gods and upon went round and round, and was filled with fire and brim-
mankind over the fruitful earth. I will shiver their ship into stone as the lightning struck it. The men all fell into the sea;
little pieces with a bolt of white lightning as soon as they get they were carried about in the water round the ship, looking
out to sea.’ like so many sea-gulls, but the god presently deprived them
‘I was told all this by Calypso, who said she had heard it of all chance of getting home again.
from the mouth of Mercury. ‘I stuck to the ship till the sea knocked her sides from
‘As soon as I got down to my ship and to the sea shore I her keel (which drifted about by itself) and struck the mast
rebuked each one of the men separately, but we could see no out of her in the direction of the keel; but there was a back-
way out of it, for the cows were dead already. And indeed stay of stout ox-thong still hanging about it, and with this
the gods began at once to show signs and wonders among I lashed the mast and keel together, and getting astride of
us, for the hides of the cattle crawled about, and the joints them was carried wherever the winds chose to take me.
upon the spits began to low like cows, and the meat, wheth- ‘[The gale from the West had now spent its force, and the
er cooked or raw, kept on making a noise just as cows do. wind got into the South again, which frightened me lest I
‘For six days my men kept driving in the best cows and should be taken back to the terrible whirlpool of Charybdis.

This indeed was what actually happened, for I was borne
along by the waves all night, and by sunrise had reached BOOK XIII
the rock of Scylla, and the whirlpool. She was then suck-
ing down the salt sea water, {106} but I was carried aloft ULYSSES LEAVES SCHERIA
toward the fig tree, which I caught hold of and clung on to
like a bat. I could not plant my feet anywhere so as to stand AND RETURNS TO ITHACA.
securely, for the roots were a long way off and the boughs
that overshadowed the whole pool were too high, too vast,
and too far apart for me to reach them; so I hung patiently
on, waiting till the pool should discharge my mast and raft
again—and a very long while it seemed. A jury-man is not
more glad to get home to supper, after having been long de-
T hus did he speak, and they all held their peace through-
out the covered cloister, enthralled by the charm of his
story, till presently Alcinous began to speak.
tained in court by troublesome cases, than I was to see my ‘Ulysses,’ said he, ‘now that you have reached my house I
raft beginning to work its way out of the whirlpool again. doubt not you will get home without further misadventure
At last I let go with my hands and feet, and fell heavily into no matter how much you have suffered in the past. To you
the sea, hard by my raft on to which I then got, and began others, however, who come here night after night to drink
to row with my hands. As for Scylla, the father of gods and my choicest wine and listen to my bard, I would insist as fol-
men would not let her get further sight of me—otherwise I lows. Our guest has already packed up the clothes, wrought
should have certainly been lost.] {107} gold, {108} and other valuables which you have brought for
‘Hence I was carried along for nine days till on the tenth his acceptance; let us now, therefore, present him further,
night the gods stranded me on the Ogygian island, where each one of us, with a large tripod and a cauldron. We will
dwells the great and powerful goddess Calypso. She took recoup ourselves by the levy of a general rate; for private in-
me in and was kind to me, but I need say no more about dividuals cannot be expected to bear the burden of such a
this, for I told you and your noble wife all about it yesterday, handsome present.’
and I hate saying the same thing over and over again.’ Every one approved of this, and then they went home
to bed each in his own abode. When the child of morning,
rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared they hurried down to the
ship and brought their cauldrons with them. Alcinous went
on board and saw everything so securely stowed under the

ship’s benches that nothing could break adrift and injure Pontonous mixed the wine and handed it to every one in
the rowers. Then they went to the house of Alcinous to get turn; the others each from his own seat made a drink-offer-
dinner, and he sacrificed a bull for them in honour of Jove ing to the blessed gods that live in heaven, but Ulysses rose
who is the lord of all. They set the steaks to grill and made and placed the double cup in the hands of queen Arete.
an excellent dinner, after which the inspired bard, Demod- ‘Farewell, queen,’ said he, ‘henceforward and for ever, till
ocus, who was a favourite with every one, sang to them; but age and death, the common lot of mankind, lay their hands
Ulysses kept on turning his eyes towards the sun, as though upon you. I now take my leave; be happy in this house with
to hasten his setting, for he was longing to be on his way. your children, your people, and with king Alcinous.’
As one who has been all day ploughing a fallow field with a As he spoke he crossed the threshold, and Alcinous sent
couple of oxen keeps thinking about his supper and is glad a man to conduct him to his ship and to the sea shore. Arete
when night comes that he may go and get it, for it is all his also sent some maidservants with him—one with a clean
legs can do to carry him, even so did Ulysses rejoice when shirt and cloak, another to carry his strong box, and a third
the sun went down, and he at once said to the Phaeacians, with corn and wine. When they got to the water side the
addressing himself more particularly to King Alcinous: crew took these things and put them on board, with all the
‘Sir, and all of you, farewell. Make your drink-offerings meat and drink; but for Ulysses they spread a rug and a lin-
and send me on my way rejoicing, for you have fulfilled my en sheet on deck that he might sleep soundly in the stern of
heart’s desire by giving me an escort, and making me pres- the ship. Then he too went on board and lay down without a
ents, which heaven grant that I may turn to good account; word, but the crew took every man his place and loosed the
may I find my admirable wife living in peace among friends, hawser from the pierced stone to which it had been bound.
{109} and may you whom I leave behind me give satisfaction Thereon, when they began rowing out to sea, Ulysses fell
to your wives and children; {110} may heaven vouchsafe you into a deep, sweet, and almost deathlike slumber. {111}
every good grace, and may no evil thing come among your The ship bounded forward on her way as a four in hand
people.’ chariot flies over the course when the horses feel the whip.
Thus did he speak. His hearers all of them approved his Her prow curvetted as it were the neck of a stallion, and
saying and agreed that he should have his escort inasmuch a great wave of dark blue water seethed in her wake. She
as he had spoken reasonably. Alcinous therefore said to his held steadily on her course, and even a falcon, swiftest of
servant, ‘Pontonous, mix some wine and hand it round to all birds, could not have kept pace with her. Thus, then, she
everybody, that we may offer a prayer to father Jove, and cut her way through the water, carrying one who was as
speed our guest upon his way.’ cunning as the gods, but who was now sleeping peacefully,

forgetful of all that he had suffered both on the field of battle might come and steal them before Ulysses awoke; and then
and by the waves of the weary sea. they made the best of their way home again.
When the bright star that heralds the approach of dawn But Neptune did not forget the threats with which he
began to show, the ship drew near to land. {112} Now there had already threatened Ulysses, so he took counsel with
is in Ithaca a haven of the old merman Phorcys, which lies Jove. ‘Father Jove,’ said he, ‘I shall no longer be held in any
between two points that break the line of the sea and shut sort of respect among you gods, if mortals like the Phaea-
the harbour in. These shelter it from the storms of wind and cians, who are my own flesh and blood, show such small
sea that rage outside, so that, when once within it, a ship regard for me. I said I would let Ulysses get home when he
may lie without being even moored. At the head of this har- had suffered sufficiently. I did not say that he should never
bour there is a large olive tree, and at no great distance a fine get home at all, for I knew you had already nodded your
overarching cavern sacred to the nymphs who are called Na- head about it, and promised that he should do so; but now
iads. {113} There are mixing bowls within it and wine-jars they have brought him in a ship fast asleep and have land-
of stone, and the bees hive there. Moreover, there are great ed him in Ithaca after loading him with more magnificent
looms of stone on which the nymphs weave their robes of presents of bronze, gold, and raiment than he would ever
sea purple—very curious to see—and at all times there is have brought back from Troy, if he had had his share of the
water within it. It has two entrances, one facing North by spoil and got home without misadventure.’
which mortals can go down into the cave, while the other And Jove answered, ‘What, O Lord of the Earthquake,
comes from the South and is more mysterious; mortals can- are you talking about? The gods are by no means wanting in
not possibly get in by it, it is the way taken by the gods. respect for you. It would be monstrous were they to insult
Into this harbour, then, they took their ship, for they one so old and honoured as you are. As regards mortals,
knew the place. {114} She had so much way upon her that however, if any of them is indulging in insolence and treat-
she ran half her own length on to the shore; {115} when, ing you disrespectfully, it will always rest with yourself to
however, they had landed, the first thing they did was to lift deal with him as you may think proper, so do just as you
Ulysses with his rug and linen sheet out of the ship, and lay please.’
him down upon the sand still fast asleep. Then they took ‘I should have done so at once,’ replied Neptune, ‘if I
out the presents which Minerva had persuaded the Phae- were not anxious to avoid anything that might displease
acians to give him when he was setting out on his voyage you; now, therefore, I should like to wreck the Phaeacian
homewards. They put these all together by the root of the ship as it is returning from its escort. This will stop them
olive tree, away from the road, for fear some passer by {116} from escorting people in future; and I should also like to

bury their city under a huge mountain.’ afraid and got ready the bulls.
‘My good friend,’ answered Jove, ‘I should recommend Thus did the chiefs and rulers of the Phaeacians pray to
you at the very moment when the people from the city are king Neptune, standing round his altar; and at the same
watching the ship on her way, to turn it into a rock near the time {118} Ulysses woke up once more upon his own soil.
land and looking like a ship. This will astonish everybody, He had been so long away that he did not know it again;
and you can then bury their city under the mountain.’ moreover, Jove’s daughter Minerva had made it a foggy day,
When earth-encircling Neptune heard this he went to so that people might not know of his having come, and that
Scheria where the Phaeacians live, and stayed there till the she might tell him everything without either his wife or his
ship, which was making rapid way, had got close in. Then he fellow citizens and friends recognising him {119} until he
went up to it, turned it into stone, and drove it down with had taken his revenge upon the wicked suitors. Everything,
the flat of his hand so as to root it in the ground. After this therefore, seemed quite different to him—the long straight
he went away. tracks, the harbours, the precipices, and the goodly trees,
The Phaeacians then began talking among themselves, appeared all changed as he started up and looked upon his
and one would turn towards his neighbour, saying, ‘Bless native land. So he smote his thighs with the flat of his hands
my heart, who is it that can have rooted the ship in the sea and cried aloud despairingly.
just as she was getting into port? We could see the whole of ‘Alas,’ he exclaimed, ‘among what manner of people am
her only a moment ago.’ I fallen? Are they savage and uncivilised or hospitable and
This was how they talked, but they knew nothing about humane? Where shall I put all this treasure, and which way
it; and Alcinous said, ‘I remember now the old prophecy of shall I go? I wish I had staid over there with the Phaeacians;
my father. He said that Neptune would be angry with us for or I could have gone to some other great chief who would
taking every one so safely over the sea, and would one day have been good to me and given me an escort. As it is I do
wreck a Phaeacian ship as it was returning from an escort, not know where to put my treasure, and I cannot leave it
and bury our city under a high mountain. This was what my here for fear somebody else should get hold of it. In good
old father used to say, and now it is all coming true. {117} truth the chiefs and rulers of the Phaeacians have not been
Now therefore let us all do as I say; in the first place we must dealing fairly by me, and have left me in the wrong country;
leave off giving people escorts when they come here, and in they said they would take me back to Ithaca and they have
the next let us sacrifice twelve picked bulls to Neptune that not done so: may Jove the protector of suppliants chastise
he may have mercy upon us, and not bury our city under them, for he watches over everybody and punishes those
the high mountain.’ When the people heard this they were who do wrong. Still, I suppose I must count my goods and

see if the crew have gone off with any of them.’ stand to be a long way off from this Achaean country.’
He counted his goodly coppers and cauldrons, his gold Ulysses was glad at finding himself, as Minerva told him,
and all his clothes, but there was nothing missing; still in his own country, and he began to answer, but he did not
he kept grieving about not being in his own country, and speak the truth, and made up a lying story in the instinctive
wandered up and down by the shore of the sounding sea wiliness of his heart.
bewailing his hard fate. Then Minerva came up to him dis- ‘I heard of Ithaca,’ said he, ‘when I was in Crete be-
guised as a young shepherd of delicate and princely mien, yond the seas, and now it seems I have reached it with all
with a good cloak folded double about her shoulders; she these treasures. I have left as much more behind me for my
had sandals on her comely feet and held a javelin in her children, but am flying because I killed Orsilochus son of
hand. Ulysses was glad when he saw her, and went straight Idomeneus, the fleetest runner in Crete. I killed him be-
up to her. cause he wanted to rob me of the spoils I had got from Troy
‘My friend,’ said he, ‘you are the first person whom I with so much trouble and danger both on the field of battle
have met with in this country; I salute you, therefore, and and by the waves of the weary sea; he said I had not served
beg you to be well disposed towards me. Protect these my his father loyally at Troy as vassal, but had set myself up as
goods, and myself too, for I embrace your knees and pray an independent ruler, so I lay in wait for him with one of
to you as though you were a god. Tell me, then, and tell me my followers by the road side, and speared him as he was
truly, what land and country is this? Who are its inhabit- coming into town from the country. It was a very dark night
ants? Am I on an island, or is this the sea board of some and nobody saw us; it was not known, therefore, that I had
continent?’ killed him, but as soon as I had done so I went to a ship and
Minerva answered, ‘Stranger, you must be very simple, besought the owners, who were Phoenicians, to take me on
or must have come from somewhere a long way off, not to board and set me in Pylos or in Elis where the Epeans rule,
know what country this is. It is a very celebrated place, and giving them as much spoil as satisfied them. They meant
everybody knows it East and West. It is rugged and not a no guile, but the wind drove them off their course, and we
good driving country, but it is by no means a bad island for sailed on till we came hither by night. It was all we could do
what there is of it. It grows any quantity of corn and also to get inside the harbour, and none of us said a word about
wine, for it is watered both by rain and dew; it breeds cattle supper though we wanted it badly, but we all went on shore
also and goats; all kinds of timber grow here, and there are and lay down just as we were. I was very tired and fell asleep
watering places where the water never runs dry; so, sir, the directly, so they took my goods out of the ship, and placed
name of Ithaca is known even as far as Troy, which I under- them beside me where I was lying upon the sand. Then they

sailed away to Sidonia, and I was left here in great distress Achaeans were fighting before Troy, but from the day on
of mind.’ which we went on board ship after having sacked the city of
Such was his story, but Minerva smiled and caressed Priam, and heaven dispersed us—from that day, Minerva, I
him with her hand. Then she took the form of a woman, saw no more of you, and cannot ever remember your com-
fair, stately, and wise, ‘He must be indeed a shifty lying fel- ing to my ship to help me in a difficulty; I had to wander
low,’ said she, ‘who could surpass you in all manner of craft on sick and sorry till the gods delivered me from evil and
even though you had a god for your antagonist. Dare devil I reached the city of the Phaeacians, where you encouraged
that you are, full of guile, unwearying in deceit, can you me and took me into the town. {120} And now, I beseech
not drop your tricks and your instinctive falsehood, even you in your father’s name, tell me the truth, for I do not be-
now that you are in your own country again? We will say lieve I am really back in Ithaca. I am in some other country
no more, however, about this, for we can both of us deceive and you are mocking me and deceiving me in all you have
upon occasion—you are the most accomplished counsellor been saying. Tell me then truly, have I really got back to my
and orator among all mankind, while I for diplomacy and own country?’
subtlety have no equal among the gods. Did you not know ‘You are always taking something of that sort in your
Jove’s daughter Minerva—me, who have been ever with head,’ replied Minerva, ‘and that is why I cannot desert you
you, who kept watch over you in all your troubles, and who in your afflictions; you are so plausible, shrewd and shifty.
made the Phaeacians take so great a liking to you? And now, Any one but yourself on returning from so long a voyage
again, I am come here to talk things over with you, and help would at once have gone home to see his wife and children,
you to hide the treasure I made the Phaeacians give you; I but you do not seem to care about asking after them or hear-
want to tell you about the troubles that await you in your ing any news about them till you have exploited your wife,
own house; you have got to face them, but tell no one, nei- who remains at home vainly grieving for you, and having
ther man nor woman, that you have come home again. Bear no peace night or day for the tears she sheds on your behalf.
everything, and put up with every man’s insolence, without As for my not coming near you, I was never uneasy about
a word.’ you, for I was certain you would get back safely though you
And Ulysses answered, ‘A man, goddess, may know a would lose all your men, and I did not wish to quarrel with
great deal, but you are so constantly changing your appear- my uncle Neptune, who never forgave you for having blind-
ance that when he meets you it is a hard matter for him to ed his son. {121} I will now, however, point out to you the
know whether it is you or not. This much, however, I know lie of the land, and you will then perhaps believe me. This is
exceedingly well; you were very kind to me as long as we the haven of the old merman Phorcys, and here is the olive

tree that grows at the head of it; [near it is the cave sacred sending encouraging messages {123} to every one of them,
to the Naiads;] {122} here too is the overarching cavern in but meaning the very opposite of all she says.’
which you have offered many an acceptable hecatomb to the And Ulysses answered, ‘In good truth, goddess, it seems
nymphs, and this is the wooded mountain Neritum.’ I should have come to much the same bad end in my own
As she spoke the goddess dispersed the mist and the land house as Agamemnon did, if you had not given me such
appeared. Then Ulysses rejoiced at finding himself again in timely information. Advise me how I shall best avenge my-
his own land, and kissed the bounteous soil; he lifted up his self. Stand by my side and put your courage into my heart
hands and prayed to the nymphs, saying, ‘Naiad nymphs, as on the day when we loosed Troy’s fair diadem from her
daughters of Jove, I made sure that I was never again to see brow. Help me now as you did then, and I will fight three
you, now therefore I greet you with all loving salutations, hundred men, if you, goddess, will be with me.’
and I will bring you offerings as in the old days, if Jove’s re- ‘Trust me for that,’ said she, ‘I will not lose sight of you
doubtable daughter will grant me life, and bring my son to when once we set about it, and I imagine that some of those
manhood.’ who are devouring your substance will then bespatter the
‘Take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that,’ re- pavement with their blood and brains. I will begin by dis-
joined Minerva, ‘let us rather set about stowing your things guising you so that no human being shall know you; I will
at once in the cave, where they will be quite safe. Let us see cover your body with wrinkles; you shall lose all your yel-
how we can best manage it all.’ low hair; I will clothe you in a garment that shall fill all who
Therewith she went down into the cave to look for the saf- see it with loathing; I will blear your fine eyes for you, and
est hiding places, while Ulysses brought up all the treasure make you an unseemly object in the sight of the suitors, of
of gold, bronze, and good clothing which the Phaeacians your wife, and of the son whom you left behind you. Then
had given him. They stowed everything carefully away, and go at once to the swineherd who is in charge of your pigs; he
Minerva set a stone against the door of the cave. Then the has been always well affected towards you, and is devoted to
two sat down by the root of the great olive, and consulted Penelope and your son; you will find him feeding his pigs
how to compass the destruction of the wicked suitors. near the rock that is called Raven {124} by the fountain Are-
‘Ulysses,’ said Minerva, ‘noble son of Laertes, think how thusa, where they are fattening on beechmast and spring
you can lay hands on these disreputable people who have water after their manner. Stay with him and find out how
been lording it in your house these three years, courting things are going, while I proceed to Sparta and see your son,
your wife and making wedding presents to her, while she who is with Menelaus at Lacedaemon, where he has gone to
does nothing but lament your absence, giving hope and try and find out whether you are still alive.’ {125}

‘But why,’ said Ulysses, ‘did you not tell him, for you
knew all about it? Did you want him too to go sailing about BOOK XIV
amid all kinds of hardship while others are eating up his
estate?’ ULYSSES IN THE HUT
Minerva answered, ‘Never mind about him, I sent him
that he might be well spoken of for having gone. He is in WITH EUMAEUS.
no sort of difficulty, but is staying quite comfortably with
Menelaus, and is surrounded with abundance of every
kind. The suitors have put out to sea and are lying in wait
for him, for they mean to kill him before he can get home. I
do not much think they will succeed, but rather that some
of those who are now eating up your estate will first find a
U lysses now left the haven, and took the rough track up
through the wooded country and over the crest of the
mountain till he reached the place where Minerva had said
grave themselves.’ that he would find the swineherd, who was the most thrifty
As she spoke Minerva touched him with her wand and servant he had. He found him sitting in front of his hut,
covered him with wrinkles, took away all his yellow hair, which was by the yards that he had built on a site which
and withered the flesh over his whole body; she bleared his could be seen from far. He had made them spacious {126}
eyes, which were naturally very fine ones; she changed his and fair to see, with a free run for the pigs all round them; he
clothes and threw an old rag of a wrap about him, and a had built them during his master’s absence, of stones which
tunic, tattered, filthy, and begrimed with smoke; she also he had gathered out of the ground, without saying anything
gave him an undressed deer skin as an outer garment, and to Penelope or Laertes, and he had fenced them on top with
furnished him with a staff and a wallet all in holes, with a thorn bushes. Outside the yard he had run a strong fence of
twisted thong for him to sling it over his shoulder. oaken posts, split, and set pretty close together, while in-
When the pair had thus laid their plans they parted, and side he had built twelve styes near one another for the sows
the goddess went straight to Lacedaemon to fetch Telema- to lie in. There were fifty pigs wallowing in each stye, all of
chus. them breeding sows; but the boars slept outside and were
much fewer in number, for the suitors kept on eating them,
and the swineherd had to send them the best he had con-
tinually. There were three hundred and sixty boar pigs, and
the herdsman’s four hounds, which were as fierce as wolves,

slept always with them. The swineherd was at that moment received me.’
cutting out a pair of sandals {127} from a good stout ox hide. To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘Stranger,
Three of his men were out herding the pigs in one place or though a still poorer man should come here, it would not be
another, and he had sent the fourth to town with a boar that right for me to insult him, for all strangers and beggars are
he had been forced to send the suitors that they might sacri- from Jove. You must take what you can get and be thank-
fice it and have their fill of meat. ful, for servants live in fear when they have young lords for
When the hounds saw Ulysses they set up a furious bark- their masters; and this is my misfortune now, for heaven has
ing and flew at him, but Ulysses was cunning enough to sit hindered the return of him who would have been always
down and loose his hold of the stick that he had in his hand: good to me and given me something of my own—a house, a
still, he would have been torn by them in his own home- piece of land, a good looking wife, and all else that a liberal
stead had not the swineherd dropped his ox hide, rushed master allows a servant who has worked hard for him, and
full speed through the gate of the yard and driven the dogs whose labour the gods have prospered as they have mine in
off by shouting and throwing stones at them. Then he said to the situation which I hold. If my master had grown old here
Ulysses, ‘Old man, the dogs were likely to have made short he would have done great things by me, but he is gone, and I
work of you, and then you would have got me into trouble. wish that Helen’s whole race were utterly destroyed, for she
The gods have given me quite enough worries without that, has been the death of many a good man. It was this mat-
for I have lost the best of masters, and am in continual grief ter that took my master to Ilius, the land of noble steeds, to
on his account. I have to attend swine for other people to fight the Trojans in the cause of king Agamemnon.’
eat, while he, if he yet lives to see the light of day, is starving As he spoke he bound his girdle round him and went to
in some distant land. But come inside, and when you have the styes where the young sucking pigs were penned. He
had your fill of bread and wine, tell me where you come picked out two which he brought back with him and sacri-
from, and all about your misfortunes.’ ficed. He singed them, cut them up, and spitted them; when
On this the swineherd led the way into the hut and bade the meat was cooked he brought it all in and set it before
him sit down. He strewed a good thick bed of rushes upon Ulysses, hot and still on the spit, whereon Ulysses sprin-
the floor, and on the top of this he threw the shaggy cham- kled it over with white barley meal. The swineherd then
ois skin—a great thick one—on which he used to sleep by mixed wine in a bowl of ivy-wood, and taking a seat oppo-
night. Ulysses was pleased at being made thus welcome, and site Ulysses told him to begin.
said ‘May Jove, sir, and the rest of the gods grant you your ‘Fall to, stranger,’ said he, ‘on a dish of servant’s pork.
heart’s desire in return for the kind way in which you have The fat pigs have to go to the suitors, who eat them up with-

out shame or scruple; but the blessed gods love not such it in his hands, ‘My friend, who was this master of yours
shameful doings, and respect those who do what is lawful that bought you and paid for you, so rich and so power-
and right. Even the fierce freebooters who go raiding on ful as you tell me? You say he perished in the cause of King
other people’s land, and Jove gives them their spoil—even Agamemnon; tell me who he was, in case I may have met
they, when they have filled their ships and got home again with such a person. Jove and the other gods know, but I may
live conscience-stricken, and look fearfully for judgement; be able to give you news of him, for I have travelled much.’
but some god seems to have told these people that Ulysses is Eumaeus answered, ‘Old man, no traveller who comes
dead and gone; they will not, therefore, go back to their own here with news will get Ulysses’ wife and son to believe his
homes and make their offers of marriage in the usual way, story. Nevertheless, tramps in want of a lodging keep com-
but waste his estate by force, without fear or stint. Not a day ing with their mouths full of lies, and not a word of truth;
or night comes out of heaven, but they sacrifice not one vic- every one who finds his way to Ithaca goes to my mistress
tim nor two only, and they take the run of his wine, for he and tells her falsehoods, whereon she takes them in, makes
was exceedingly rich. No other great man either in Ithaca much of them, and asks them all manner of questions, cry-
or on the mainland is as rich as he was; he had as much as ing all the time as women will when they have lost their
twenty men put together. I will tell you what he had. There husbands. And you too, old man, for a shirt and a cloak
are twelve herds of cattle upon the main land, and as many would doubtless make up a very pretty story. But the wolves
flocks of sheep, there are also twelve droves of pigs, while and birds of prey have long since torn Ulysses to pieces, or
his own men and hired strangers feed him twelve widely the fishes of the sea have eaten him, and his bones are lying
spreading herds of goats. Here in Ithaca he runs even large buried deep in sand upon some foreign shore; he is dead
flocks of goats on the far end of the island, and they are in and gone, and a bad business it is for all his friends—for me
the charge of excellent goat herds. Each one of these sends especially; go where I may I shall never find so good a mas-
the suitors the best goat in the flock every day. As for myself, ter, not even if I were to go home to my mother and father
I am in charge of the pigs that you see here, and I have to where I was bred and born. I do not so much care, however,
keep picking out the best I have and sending it to them.’ about my parents now, though I should dearly like to see
This was his story, but Ulysses went on eating and drink- them again in my own country; it is the loss of Ulysses that
ing ravenously without a word, brooding his revenge. When grieves me most; I cannot speak of him without reverence
he had eaten enough and was satisfied, the swineherd took though he is here no longer, for he was very fond of me, and
the bowl from which he usually drank, filled it with wine, took such care of me that wherever he may be I shall always
and gave it to Ulysses, who was pleased, and said as he took honour his memory.’

‘My friend,’ replied Ulysses, ‘you are very positive, and no more about him, and leave him to be taken, or else to
very hard of belief about your master’s coming home again, escape if the son of Saturn holds his hand over him to pro-
nevertheless I will not merely say, but will swear, that he is tect him. And now, old man, tell me your own story; tell me
coming. Do not give me anything for my news till he has ac- also, for I want to know, who you are and where you come
tually come, you may then give me a shirt and cloak of good from. Tell me of your town and parents, what manner of
wear if you will. I am in great want, but I will not take any- ship you came in, how crew brought you to Ithaca, and from
thing at all till then, for I hate a man, even as I hate hell fire, what country they professed to come—for you cannot have
who lets his poverty tempt him into lying. I swear by king come by land.’
Jove, by the rites of hospitality, and by that hearth of Ulysses And Ulysses answered, ‘I will tell you all about it. If there
to which I have now come, that all will surely happen as I were meat and wine enough, and we could stay here in the
have said it will. Ulysses will return in this self same year; hut with nothing to do but to eat and drink while the oth-
with the end of this moon and the beginning of the next he ers go to their work, I could easily talk on for a whole twelve
will be here to do vengeance on all those who are ill treating months without ever finishing the story of the sorrows with
his wife and son.’ which it has pleased heaven to visit me.
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘Old man, ‘I am by birth a Cretan; my father was a well to do man,
you will neither get paid for bringing good news, nor will who had many sons born in marriage, whereas I was the
Ulysses ever come home; drink your wine in peace, and let son of a slave whom he had purchased for a concubine; nev-
us talk about something else. Do not keep on reminding me ertheless, my father Castor son of Hylax (whose lineage I
of all this; it always pains me when any one speaks about claim, and who was held in the highest honour among the
my honoured master. As for your oath we will let it alone, Cretans for his wealth, prosperity, and the valour of his
but I only wish he may come, as do Penelope, his old fa- sons) put me on the same level with my brothers who had
ther Laertes, and his son Telemachus. I am terribly unhappy been born in wedlock. When, however, death took him to
too about this same boy of his; he was running up fast into the house of Hades, his sons divided his estate and cast lots
manhood, and bade fare to be no worse man, face and fig- for their shares, but to me they gave a holding and little else;
ure, than his father, but some one, either god or man, has nevertheless, my valour enabled me to marry into a rich
been unsettling his mind, so he has gone off to Pylos to try family, for I was not given to bragging, or shirking on the
and get news of his father, and the suitors are lying in wait field of battle. It is all over now; still, if you look at the straw
for him as he is coming home, in the hope of leaving the you can see what the ear was, for I have had trouble enough
house of Arceisius without a name in Ithaca. But let us say and to spare. Mars and Minerva made me doughty in war;

when I had picked my men to surprise the enemy with an ing went ill with any of our ships, and we had no sickness
ambuscade I never gave death so much as a thought, but on board, but sat where we were and let the ships go as the
was the first to leap forward and spear all whom I could wind and steersmen took them. On the fifth day we reached
overtake. Such was I in battle, but I did not care about farm the river Aegyptus; there I stationed my ships in the river,
work, nor the frugal home life of those who would bring up bidding my men stay by them and keep guard over them
children. My delight was in ships, fighting, javelins, and ar- while I sent out scouts to reconnoitre from every point of
rows—things that most men shudder to think of; but one vantage.
man likes one thing and another another, and this was what ‘But the men disobeyed my orders, took to their own de-
I was most naturally inclined to. Before the Achaeans went vices, and ravaged the land of the Egyptians, killing the men,
to Troy, nine times was I in command of men and ships on and taking their wives and children captive. The alarm was
foreign service, and I amassed much wealth. I had my pick soon carried to the city, and when they heard the war cry,
of the spoil in the first instance, and much more was allot- the people came out at daybreak till the plain was filled with
ted to me later on. horsemen and foot soldiers and with the gleam of armour.
‘My house grew apace and I became a great man among Then Jove spread panic among my men, and they would
the Cretans, but when Jove counselled that terrible expedi- no longer face the enemy, for they found themselves sur-
tion, in which so many perished, the people required me rounded. The Egyptians killed many of us, and took the rest
and Idomeneus to lead their ships to Troy, and there was alive to do forced labour for them. Jove, however, put it in
no way out of it, for they insisted on our doing so. There we my mind to do thus—and I wish I had died then and there
fought for nine whole years, but in the tenth we sacked the in Egypt instead, for there was much sorrow in store for
city of Priam and sailed home again as heaven dispersed us. me—I took off my helmet and shield and dropped my spear
Then it was that Jove devised evil against me. I spent but one from my hand; then I went straight up to the king’s chariot,
month happily with my children, wife, and property, and clasped his knees and kissed them, whereon he spared my
then I conceived the idea of making a descent on Egypt, so life, bade me get into his chariot, and took me weeping to
I fitted out a fine fleet and manned it. I had nine ships, and his own home. Many made at me with their ashen spears
the people flocked to fill them. For six days I and my men and tried to kill me in their fury, but the king protected me,
made feast, and I found them many victims both for sacri- for he feared the wrath of Jove the protector of strangers,
fice to the gods and for themselves, but on the seventh day who punishes those who do evil.
we went on board and set sail from Crete with a fair North ‘I stayed there for seven years and got together much
wind behind us though we were going down a river. Noth- money among the Egyptians, for they all gave me some-

thing; but when it was now going on for eight years there all—for his son found me when I was nearly dead with cold
came a certain Phoenician, a cunning rascal, who had al- and fatigue, whereon he raised me by the hand, took me to
ready committed all sorts of villainy, and this man talked his father’s house and gave me clothes to wear.
me over into going with him to Phoenicia, where his house ‘There it was that I heard news of Ulysses, for the king
and his possessions lay. I stayed there for a whole twelve told me he had entertained him, and shown him much hos-
months, but at the end of that time when months and days pitality while he was on his homeward journey. He showed
had gone by till the same season had come round again, he me also the treasure of gold, and wrought iron that Ulysses
set me on board a ship bound for Libya, on a pretence that had got together. There was enough to keep his family for
I was to take a cargo along with him to that place, but re- ten generations, so much had he left in the house of king
ally that he might sell me as a slave and take the money I Pheidon. But the king said Ulysses had gone to Dodona that
fetched. I suspected his intention, but went on board with he might learn Jove’s mind from the god’s high oak tree,
him, for I could not help it. and know whether after so long an absence he should re-
‘The ship ran before a fresh North wind till we had turn to Ithaca openly, or in secret. Moreover the king swore
reached the sea that lies between Crete and Libya; there, in my presence, making drink-offerings in his own house as
however, Jove counselled their destruction, for as soon as he did so, that the ship was by the water side, and the crew
we were well out from Crete and could see nothing but sea found, that should take him to his own country. He sent me
and sky, he raised a black cloud over our ship and the sea off however before Ulysses returned, for there happened to
grew dark beneath it. Then Jove let fly with his thunderbolts be a Thesprotian ship sailing for the wheat-growing island
and the ship went round and round and was filled with fire of Dulichium, and he told those in charge of her to be sure
and brimstone as the lightning struck it. The men fell all and take me safely to King Acastus.
into the sea; they were carried about in the water round the ‘These men hatched a plot against me that would have
ship looking like so many sea-gulls, but the god presently reduced me to the very extreme of misery, for when the ship
deprived them of all chance of getting home again. I was had got some way out from land they resolved on selling
all dismayed. Jove, however, sent the ship’s mast within my me as a slave. They stripped me of the shirt and cloak that
reach, which saved my life, for I clung to it, and drifted be- I was wearing, and gave me instead the tattered old clouts
fore the fury of the gale. Nine days did I drift but in the in which you now see me; then, towards nightfall, they
darkness of the tenth night a great wave bore me on to the reached the tilled lands of Ithaca, and there they bound me
Thesprotian coast. There Pheidon king of the Thesprotians with a strong rope fast in the ship, while they went on shore
entertained me hospitably without charging me anything at to get supper by the sea side. But the gods soon undid my

bonds for me, and having drawn my rags over my head I slid and come a long way till at last he reached my station, and
down the rudder into the sea, where I struck out and swam I was very kind to him. He said he had seen Ulysses with
till I was well clear of them, and came ashore near a thick Idomeneus among the Cretans, refitting his ships which
wood in which I lay concealed. They were very angry at my had been damaged in a gale. He said Ulysses would return
having escaped and went searching about for me, till at last in the following summer or autumn with his men, and that
they thought it was no further use and went back to their he would bring back much wealth. And now you, you un-
ship. The gods, having hidden me thus easily, then took me fortunate old man, since fate has brought you to my door,
to a good man’s door—for it seems that I am not to die yet do not try to flatter me in this way with vain hopes. It is not
awhile.’ for any such reason that I shall treat you kindly, but only
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘Poor un- out of respect for Jove the god of hospitality, as fearing him
happy stranger, I have found the story of your misfortunes and pitying you.’
extremely interesting, but that part about Ulysses is not Ulysses answered, ‘I see that you are of an unbelieving
right; and you will never get me to believe it. Why should mind; I have given you my oath, and yet you will not cred-
a man like you go about telling lies in this way? I know all it me; let us then make a bargain, and call all the gods in
about the return of my master. The gods one and all of them heaven to witness it. If your master comes home, give me
detest him, or they would have taken him before Troy, or a cloak and shirt of good wear, and send me to Dulichium
let him die with friends around him when the days of his where I want to go; but if he does not come as I say he will,
fighting were done; for then the Achaeans would have built set your men on to me, and tell them to throw me from yon-
a mound over his ashes and his son would have been heir der precipice, as a warning to tramps not to go about the
to his renown, but now the storm winds have spirited him country telling lies.’
away we know not whither. ‘And a pretty figure I should cut then,’ replied Eumaeus,
‘As for me I live out of the way here with the pigs, and ‘both now and hereafter, if I were to kill you after receiving
never go to the town unless when Penelope sends for me you into my hut and showing you hospitality. I should have
on the arrival of some news about Ulysses. Then they all sit to say my prayers in good earnest if I did; but it is just sup-
round and ask questions, both those who grieve over the per time and I hope my men will come in directly, that we
king’s absence, and those who rejoice at it because they can may cook something savoury for supper.’
eat up his property without paying for it. For my own part Thus did they converse, and presently the swineherds
I have never cared about asking anyone else since the time came up with the pigs, which were then shut up for the
when I was taken in by an Aetolian, who had killed a man night in their styes, and a tremendous squealing they made

as they were being driven into them. But Eumaeus called to To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘Eat, my
his men and said, ‘Bring in the best pig you have, that I may good fellow, and enjoy your supper, such as it is. God grants
sacrifice him for this stranger, and we will take toll of him this, and withholds that, just as he thinks right, for he can
ourselves. We have had trouble enough this long time feed- do whatever he chooses.’
ing pigs, while others reap the fruit of our labour.’ As he spoke he cut off the first piece and offered it as a
On this he began chopping firewood, while the others burnt sacrifice to the immortal gods; then he made them
brought in a fine fat five year old boar pig, and set it at the a drink-offering, put the cup in the hands of Ulysses, and
altar. Eumaeus did not forget the gods, for he was a man of sat down to his own portion. Mesaulius brought them
good principles, so the first thing he did was to cut bristles their bread; the swineherd had brought this man on his
from the pig’s face and throw them into the fire, praying to own account from among the Taphians during his master’s
all the gods as he did so that Ulysses might return home absence, and had paid for him with his own money with-
again. Then he clubbed the pig with a billet of oak which out saying anything either to his mistress or Laertes. They
he had kept back when he was chopping the firewood, and then laid their hands upon the good things that were before
stunned it, while the others slaughtered and singed it. Then them, and when they had had enough to eat and drink, Me-
they cut it up, and Eumaeus began by putting raw pieces saulius took away what was left of the bread, and they all
from each joint on to some of the fat; these he sprinkled went to bed after having made a hearty supper.
with barley meal, and laid upon the embers; they cut the Now the night came on stormy and very dark, for there
rest of the meat up small, put the pieces upon the spits and was no moon. It poured without ceasing, and the wind blew
roasted them till they were done; when they had taken them strong from the West, which is a wet quarter, so Ulysses
off the spits they threw them on to the dresser in a heap. thought he would see whether Eumaeus, in the excellent
The swineherd, who was a most equitable man, then stood care he took of him, would take off his own cloak and give
up to give every one his share. He made seven portions; one it him, or make one of his men give him one. ‘Listen to me,’
of these he set apart for Mercury the son of Maia and the said he, ‘Eumaeus and the rest of you; when I have said a
nymphs, praying to them as he did so; the others he dealt prayer I will tell you something. It is the wine that makes
out to the men man by man. He gave Ulysses some slices cut me talk in this way; wine will make even a wise man fall to
lengthways down the loin as a mark of especial honour, and singing; it will make him chuckle and dance and say many
Ulysses was much pleased. ‘I hope, Eumaeus,’ said he, ‘that a word that he had better leave unspoken; still, as I have be-
Jove will be as well disposed towards you as I am, for the re- gun, I will go on. Would that I were still young and strong
spect you are showing to an outcast like myself.’ as when we got up an ambuscade before Troy. Menelaus and

Ulysses were the leaders, but I was in command also, for the some one of you swineherds would give me a cloak both
other two would have it so. When we had come up to the out of good will and for the respect due to a brave soldier;
wall of the city we crouched down beneath our armour and but now people look down upon me because my clothes are
lay there under cover of the reeds and thick brushwood that shabby.’
grew about the swamp. It came on to freeze with a North And Eumaeus answered, ‘Old man, you have told us an
wind blowing; the snow fell small and fine like hoar frost, excellent story, and have said nothing so far but what is
and our shields were coated thick with rime. The others had quite satisfactory; for the present, therefore, you shall want
all got cloaks and shirts, and slept comfortably enough with neither clothing nor anything else that a stranger in distress
their shields about their shoulders, but I had carelessly left may reasonably expect, but to-morrow morning you have to
my cloak behind me, not thinking that I should be too cold, shake your own old rags about your body again, for we have
and had gone off in nothing but my shirt and shield. When not many spare cloaks nor shirts up here, but every man
the night was two-thirds through and the stars had shifted has only one. When Ulysses’ son comes home again he will
their places, I nudged Ulysses who was close to me with my give you both cloak and shirt, and send you wherever you
elbow, and he at once gave me his ear. may want to go.’
‘‘Ulysses,’ said I, ‘this cold will be the death of me, for With this he got up and made a bed for Ulysses by throw-
I have no cloak; some god fooled me into setting off with ing some goatskins and sheepskins on the ground in front
nothing on but my shirt, and I do not know what to do.’ of the fire. Here Ulysses lay down, and Eumaeus covered
‘Ulysses, who was as crafty as he was valiant, hit upon him over with a great heavy cloak that he kept for a change
the following plan: in case of extraordinarily bad weather.
‘‘Keep still,’ said he in a low voice, ‘or the others will hear Thus did Ulysses sleep, and the young men slept beside
you.’ Then he raised his head on his elbow. him. But the swineherd did not like sleeping away from his
‘‘My friends,’ said he, ‘I have had a dream from heaven in pigs, so he got ready to go outside, and Ulysses was glad to
my sleep. We are a long way from the ships; I wish some one see that he looked after his property during his master’s ab-
would go down and tell Agamemnon to send us up more sence. First he slung his sword over his brawny shoulders
men at once.’ and put on a thick cloak to keep out the wind. He also took
‘On this Thoas son of Andraemon threw off his cloak the skin of a large and well fed goat, and a javelin in case of
and set out running to the ships, whereon I took the cloak attack from men or dogs. Thus equipped he went to his rest
and lay in it comfortably enough till morning. Would that I where the pigs were camping under an overhanging rock
were still young and strong as I was in those days, for then that gave them shelter from the North wind.

BOOK XV gerous people in your house; they will eat up everything
you have among them, and you will have been on a fool’s
MINERVA SUMMONS errand. Ask Menelaus to send you home at once if you wish
to find your excellent mother still there when you get back.
TELEMACHUS FROM Her father and brothers are already urging her to marry
Eurymachus, who has given her more than any of the oth-
LACEDAEMON—HE MEETS ers, and has been greatly increasing his wedding presents. I
hope nothing valuable may have been taken from the house
WITH THEOCLYMENUS in spite of you, but you know what women are—they always
want to do the best they can for the man who marries them,
AT PYLOS AND BRINGS and never give another thought to the children of their first
husband, nor to their father either when he is dead and done
HIM TO ITHACA—ON with. Go home, therefore, and put everything in charge of
the most respectable woman servant that you have, until
LANDING HE GOES TO it shall please heaven to send you a wife of your own. Let
me tell you also of another matter which you had better at-
THE HUT OF EUMAEUS. tend to. The chief men among the suitors are lying in wait
for you in the Strait {128} between Ithaca and Samos, and
they mean to kill you before you can reach home. I do not
much think they will succeed; it is more likely that some of
those who are now eating up your property will find a grave
B ut Minerva went to the fair city of Lacedaemon to tell

Ulysses’ son that he was to return at once. She found
him and Pisistratus sleeping in the forecourt of Menelaus’s
themselves. Sail night and day, and keep your ship well
away from the islands; the god who watches over you and
protects you will send you a fair wind. As soon as you get to
house; Pisistratus was fast asleep, but Telemachus could get Ithaca send your ship and men on to the town, but yourself
no rest all night for thinking of his unhappy father, so Mi- go straight to the swineherd who has charge of your pigs; he
nerva went close up to him and said: is well disposed towards you, stay with him, therefore, for
‘Telemachus, you should not remain so far away from the night, and then send him to Penelope to tell her that you
home any longer, nor leave your property with such dan- have got back safe from Pylos.’

Then she went back to Olympus; but Telemachus stirred Peloponnese, I will yoke my horses, and will conduct you
Pisistratus with his heel to rouse him, and said, ‘Wake up myself through all our principal cities. No one will send us
Pisistratus, and yoke the horses to the chariot, for we must away empty handed; every one will give us something—a
set off home.’ {129} bronze tripod, a couple of mules, or a gold cup.’
But Pisistratus said, ‘No matter what hurry we are in ‘Menelaus,’ replied Telemachus, ‘I want to go home at
we cannot drive in the dark. It will be morning soon; wait once, for when I came away I left my property without pro-
till Menelaus has brought his presents and put them in the tection, and fear that while looking for my father I shall
chariot for us; and let him say good bye to us in the usual come to ruin myself, or find that something valuable has
way. So long as he lives a guest should never forget a host been stolen during my absence.’
who has shown him kindness.’ When Menelaus heard this he immediately told his wife
As he spoke day began to break, and Menelaus, who had and servants to prepare a sufficient dinner from what there
already risen, leaving Helen in bed, came towards them. might be in the house. At this moment Eteoneus joined
When Telemachus saw him he put on his shirt as fast as he him, for he lived close by and had just got up; so Menel-
could, threw a great cloak over his shoulders, and went out aus told him to light the fire and cook some meat, which
to meet him. ‘Menelaus,’ said he, ‘let me go back now to my he at once did. Then Menelaus went down into his fragrant
own country, for I want to get home.’ store room, {130} not alone, but Helen went too, with Mega-
And Menelaus answered, ‘Telemachus, if you insist on penthes. When he reached the place where the treasures of
going I will not detain you. I do not like to see a host either his house were kept, he selected a double cup, and told his
too fond of his guest or too rude to him. Moderation is best son Megapenthes to bring also a silver mixing bowl. Mean-
in all things, and not letting a man go when he wants to do while Helen went to the chest where she kept the lovely
so is as bad as telling him to go if he would like to stay. One dresses which she had made with her own hands, and took
should treat a guest well as long as he is in the house and out one that was largest and most beautifully enriched with
speed him when he wants to leave it. Wait, then, till I can get embroidery; it glittered like a star, and lay at the very bot-
your beautiful presents into your chariot, and till you have tom of the chest. {131} Then they all came back through the
yourself seen them. I will tell the women to prepare a suf- house again till they got to Telemachus, and Menelaus said,
ficient dinner for you of what there may be in the house; it ‘Telemachus, may Jove, the mighty husband of Juno, bring
will be at once more proper and cheaper for you to get your you safely home according to your desire. I will now pres-
dinner before setting out on such a long journey. If, more- ent you with the finest and most precious piece of plate in
over, you have a fancy for making a tour in Hellas or in the all my house. It is a mixing bowl of pure silver, except the

rim, which is inlaid with gold, and it is the work of Vulcan. court, and Menelaus came after them with a golden goblet
Phaedimus king of the Sidonians made me a present of it in of wine in his right hand that they might make a drink-of-
the course of a visit that I paid him while I was on my return fering before they set out. He stood in front of the horses
home. I should like to give it to you.’ and pledged them, saying, ‘Farewell to both of you; see that
With these words he placed the double cup in the hands you tell Nestor how I have treated you, for he was as kind to
of Telemachus, while Megapenthes brought the beautiful me as any father could be while we Achaeans were fighting
mixing bowl and set it before him. Hard by stood lovely before Troy.’
Helen with the robe ready in her hand. ‘We will be sure, sir,’ answered Telemachus, ‘to tell him
‘I too, my son,’ said she, ‘have something for you as a everything as soon as we see him. I wish I were as certain
keepsake from the hand of Helen; it is for your bride to wear of finding Ulysses returned when I get back to Ithaca, that
upon her wedding day. Till then, get your dear mother to I might tell him of the very great kindness you have shown
keep it for you; thus may you go back rejoicing to your own me and of the many beautiful presents I am taking with
country and to your home.’ me.’
So saying she gave the robe over to him and he received As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand—
it gladly. Then Pisistratus put the presents into the chariot, an eagle with a great white goose in its talons which it had
and admired them all as he did so. Presently Menelaus took carried off from the farm yard—and all the men and wom-
Telemachus and Pisistratus into the house, and they both en were running after it and shouting. It came quite close
of them sat down to table. A maid servant brought them up to them and flew away on their right hands in front
water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver of the horses. When they saw it they were glad, and their
basin for them to wash their hands, and she drew a clean ta- hearts took comfort within them, whereon Pisistratus said,
ble beside them; an upper servant brought them bread and ‘Tell me, Menelaus, has heaven sent this omen for us or for
offered them many good things of what there was in the you?’
house. Eteoneus carved the meat and gave them each their Menelaus was thinking what would be the most proper
portions, while Megapenthes poured out the wine. Then answer for him to make, but Helen was too quick for him
they laid their hands upon the good things that were be- and said, ‘I will read this matter as heaven has put it in my
fore them, but as soon as they had had enough to eat and heart, and as I doubt not that it will come to pass. The eagle
drink Telemachus and Pisistratus yoked the horses, and came from the mountain where it was bred and has its nest,
took their places in the chariot. They drove out through the and in like manner Ulysses, after having travelled far and
inner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the outer suffered much, will return to take his revenge—if indeed he

is not back already and hatching mischief for the suitors.’ home to tell my father. I know how obstinate he is, and am
‘May Jove so grant it,’ replied Telemachus, ‘if it should sure he will not let you go; he will come down here to fetch
prove to be so, I will make vows to you as though you were you, and he will not go back without you. But he will be
a god, even when I am at home.’ very angry.’
As he spoke he lashed his horses and they started off at With this he drove his goodly steeds back to the city of
full speed through the town towards the open country. They the Pylians and soon reached his home, but Telemachus
swayed the yoke upon their necks and travelled the whole called the men together and gave his orders. ‘Now, my men,’
day long till the sun set and darkness was over all the land. said he, ‘get everything in order on board the ship, and let
Then they reached Pherae, where Diocles lived who was us set out home.’
son of Ortilochus, the son of Alpheus. There they passed Thus did he speak, and they went on board even as he
the night and were treated hospitably. When the child of had said. But as Telemachus was thus busied, praying also
morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, they again yoked and sacrificing to Minerva in the ship’s stern, there came to
their horses and their places in the chariot. They drove out him a man from a distant country, a seer, who was flying
through the inner gateway and under the echoing gate- from Argos because he had killed a man. He was descend-
house of the outer court. Then Pisistratus lashed his horses ed from Melampus, who used to live in Pylos, the land of
on and they flew forward nothing loath; ere long they came sheep; he was rich and owned a great house, but he was
to Pylos, and then Telemachus said: driven into exile by the great and powerful king Neleus. Ne-
‘Pisistratus, I hope you will promise to do what I am go- leus seized his goods and held them for a whole year, during
ing to ask you. You know our fathers were old friends before which he was a close prisoner in the house of king Phylacus,
us; moreover, we are both of an age, and this journey has and in much distress of mind both on account of the daugh-
brought us together still more closely; do not, therefore, ter of Neleus and because he was haunted by a great sorrow
take me past my ship, but leave me there, for if I go to your that dread Erinys had laid upon him. In the end, howev-
father’s house he will try to keep me in the warmth of his er, he escaped with his life, drove the cattle from Phylace
good will towards me, and I must go home at once.’ to Pylos, avenged the wrong that had been done him, and
Pisistratus thought how he should do as he was asked, gave the daughter of Neleus to his brother. Then he left the
and in the end he deemed it best to turn his horses towards country and went to Argos, where it was ordained that he
the ship, and put Menelaus’s beautiful presents of gold and should reign over much people. There he married, estab-
raiment in the stern of the vessel. Then he said, ‘Go on board lished himself, and had two famous sons Antiphates and
at once and tell your men to do so also before I can reach Mantius. Antiphates became father of Oicleus, and Oicleus

of Amphiaraus, who was dearly loved both by Jove and by they may not kill me, for I know they are in pursuit.’
Apollo, but he did not live to old age, for he was killed in ‘I will not refuse you,’ replied Telemachus, ‘if you wish
Thebes by reason of a woman’s gifts. His sons were Alcmae- to join us. Come, therefore, and in Ithaca we will treat you
on and Amphilochus. Mantius, the other son of Melampus, hospitably according to what we have.’
was father to Polypheides and Cleitus. Aurora, throned in On this he received Theoclymenus’ spear and laid it
gold, carried off Cleitus for his beauty’s sake, that he might down on the deck of the ship. He went on board and sat
dwell among the immortals, but Apollo made Polypheides in the stern, bidding Theoclymenus sit beside him; then
the greatest seer in the whole world now that Amphiaraus the men let go the hawsers. Telemachus told them to catch
was dead. He quarrelled with his father and went to live in hold of the ropes, and they made all haste to do so. They
Hyperesia, where he remained and prophesied for all men. set the mast in its socket in the cross plank, raised it and
His son, Theoclymenus, it was who now came up to made it fast with the forestays, and they hoisted their white
Telemachus as he was making drink-offerings and praying sails with sheets of twisted ox hide. Minerva sent them a
in his ship. ‘Friend,’ said he, ‘now that I find you sacrificing fair wind that blew fresh and strong to take the ship on her
in this place, I beseech you by your sacrifices themselves, course as fast as possible. Thus then they passed by Crouni
and by the god to whom you make them, I pray you also by and Chalcis.
your own head and by those of your followers tell me the Presently the sun set and darkness was over all the land.
truth and nothing but the truth. Who and whence are you? The vessel made a quick passage to Pheae and thence on to
Tell me also of your town and parents.’ Elis, where the Epeans rule. Telemachus then headed her for
Telemachus said, ‘I will answer you quite truly. I am from the flying islands, {132} wondering within himself whether
Ithaca, and my father is Ulysses, as surely as that he ever he should escape death or should be taken prisoner.
lived. But he has come to some miserable end. Therefore I Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd were eating their
have taken this ship and got my crew together to see if I can supper in the hut, and the men supped with them. As soon
hear any news of him, for he has been away a long time.’ as they had had to eat and drink, Ulysses began trying to
‘I too,’ answered Theoclymenus, ‘am an exile, for I have prove the swineherd and see whether he would continue to
killed a man of my own race. He has many brothers and treat him kindly, and ask him to stay on at the station or
kinsmen in Argos, and they have great power among the pack him off to the city; so he said:
Argives. I am flying to escape death at their hands, and am ‘Eumaeus, and all of you, to-morrow I want to go away
thus doomed to be a wanderer on the face of the earth. I am and begin begging about the town, so as to be no more trou-
your suppliant; take me, therefore, on board your ship that ble to you or to your men. Give me your advice therefore,

and let me have a good guide to go with me and show me as you are to me, for having saved me from going about and
the way. I will go the round of the city begging as I needs getting into trouble; there is nothing worse than being al-
must, to see if any one will give me a drink and a piece of ways on the tramp; still, when men have once got low down
bread. I should like also to go to the house of Ulysses and in the world they will go through a great deal on behalf
bring news of her husband to Queen Penelope. I could then of their miserable bellies. Since, however, you press me to
go about among the suitors and see if out of all their abun- stay here and await the return of Telemachus, tell me about
dance they will give me a dinner. I should soon make them Ulysses’ mother, and his father whom he left on the thresh-
an excellent servant in all sorts of ways. Listen and believe old of old age when he set out for Troy. Are they still living
when I tell you that by the blessing of Mercury who gives or are they already dead and in the house of Hades?’
grace and good name to the works of all men, there is no ‘I will tell you all about them,’ replied Eumaeus, ‘Laertes
one living who would make a more handy servant than I is still living and prays heaven to let him depart peacefully
should—to put fresh wood on the fire, chop fuel, carve, in his own house, for he is terribly distressed about the ab-
cook, pour out wine, and do all those services that poor sence of his son, and also about the death of his wife, which
men have to do for their betters.’ grieved him greatly and aged him more than anything else
The swineherd was very much disturbed when he heard did. She came to an unhappy end {133} through sorrow for
this. ‘Heaven help me,’ he exclaimed, ‘what ever can have her son: may no friend or neighbour who has dealt kindly
put such a notion as that into your head? If you go near the by me come to such an end as she did. As long as she was
suitors you will be undone to a certainty, for their pride and still living, though she was always grieving, I used to like
insolence reach the very heavens. They would never think seeing her and asking her how she did, for she brought me
of taking a man like you for a servant. Their servants are all up along with her daughter Ctimene, the youngest of her
young men, well dressed, wearing good cloaks and shirts, children; we were boy and girl together, and she made little
with well looking faces and their hair always tidy, the tables difference between us. When, however, we both grew up,
are kept quite clean and are loaded with bread, meat, and they sent Ctimene to Same and received a splendid dowry
wine. Stay where you are, then; you are not in anybody’s for her. As for me, my mistress gave me a good shirt and
way; I do not mind your being here, no more do any of the cloak with a pair of sandals for my feet, and sent me off into
others, and when Telemachus comes home he will give you the country, but she was just as fond of me as ever. This is
a shirt and cloak and will send you wherever you want to all over now. Still it has pleased heaven to prosper my work
go.’ in the situation which I now hold. I have enough to eat and
Ulysses answered, ‘I hope you may be as dear to the gods drink, and can find something for any respectable stranger

who comes here; but there is no getting a kind word or deed above Ortygia, {134} where the land begins to turn round
out of my mistress, for the house has fallen into the hands and look in another direction. {135} It is not very thickly
of wicked people. Servants want sometimes to see their mis- peopled, but the soil is good, with much pasture fit for cat-
tress and have a talk with her; they like to have something tle and sheep, and it abounds with wine and wheat. Dearth
to eat and drink at the house, and something too to take never comes there, nor are the people plagued by any sick-
back with them into the country. This is what will keep ser- ness, but when they grow old Apollo comes with Diana and
vants in a good humour.’ kills them with his painless shafts. It contains two commu-
Ulysses answered, ‘Then you must have been a very lit- nities, and the whole country is divided between these two.
tle fellow, Eumaeus, when you were taken so far away from My father Ctesius son of Ormenus, a man comparable to the
your home and parents. Tell me, and tell me true, was the gods, reigned over both.
city in which your father and mother lived sacked and pil- ‘Now to this place there came some cunning traders
laged, or did some enemies carry you off when you were from Phoenicia (for the Phoenicians are great mariners) in
alone tending sheep or cattle, ship you off here, and sell you a ship which they had freighted with gewgaws of all kinds.
for whatever your master gave them?’ There happened to be a Phoenician woman in my father’s
‘Stranger,’ replied Eumaeus, ‘as regards your question: sit house, very tall and comely, and an excellent servant; these
still, make yourself comfortable, drink your wine, and lis- scoundrels got hold of her one day when she was washing
ten to me. The nights are now at their longest; there is plenty near their ship, seduced her, and cajoled her in ways that no
of time both for sleeping and sitting up talking together; woman can resist, no matter how good she may be by na-
you ought not to go to bed till bed time, too much sleep is ture. The man who had seduced her asked her who she was
as bad as too little; if any one of the others wishes to go to and where she came from, and on this she told him her fa-
bed let him leave us and do so; he can then take my master’s ther’s name. ‘I come from Sidon,’ said she, ‘and am daughter
pigs out when he has done breakfast in the morning. We to Arybas, a man rolling in wealth. One day as I was com-
too will sit here eating and drinking in the hut, and telling ing into the town from the country, some Taphian pirates
one another stories about our misfortunes; for when a man seized me and took me here over the sea, where they sold
has suffered much, and been buffeted about in the world, me to the man who owns this house, and he gave them their
he takes pleasure in recalling the memory of sorrows that price for me.’
have long gone by. As regards your question, then, my tale ‘The man who had seduced her then said, ‘Would you
is as follows: like to come along with us to see the house of your parents
‘You may have heard of an island called Syra that lies over and your parents themselves? They are both alive and are

said to be well off.’ who had been feasting with my father, as being in atten-
‘‘I will do so gladly,’ answered she, ‘if you men will first dance on him; these were now all gone to a meeting of the
swear me a solemn oath that you will do me no harm by public assembly, so she snatched up three cups and carried
the way.’ them off in the bosom of her dress, while I followed her, for
‘They all swore as she told them, and when they had com- I knew no better. The sun was now set, and darkness was
pleted their oath the woman said, ‘Hush; and if any of your over all the land, so we hurried on as fast as we could till we
men meets me in the street or at the well, do not let him reached the harbour, where the Phoenician ship was lying.
speak to me, for fear some one should go and tell my mas- When they had got on board they sailed their ways over the
ter, in which case he would suspect something. He would sea, taking us with them, and Jove sent then a fair wind; six
put me in prison, and would have all of you murdered; keep days did we sail both night and day, but on the seventh day
your own counsel therefore; buy your merchandise as fast Diana struck the woman and she fell heavily down into the
as you can, and send me word when you have done load- ship’s hold as though she were a sea gull alighting on the
ing. I will bring as much gold as I can lay my hands on, and water; so they threw her overboard to the seals and fishes,
there is something else also that I can do towards paying my and I was left all sorrowful and alone. Presently the winds
fare. I am nurse to the son of the good man of the house, a and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where Laertes gave sun-
funny little fellow just able to run about. I will carry him off dry of his chattels for me, and thus it was that ever I came to
in your ship, and you will get a great deal of money for him set eyes upon this country.’
if you take him and sell him in foreign parts.’ Ulysses answered, ‘Eumaeus, I have heard the story of
‘On this she went back to the house. The Phoenicians your misfortunes with the most lively interest and pity, but
stayed a whole year till they had loaded their ship with much Jove has given you good as well as evil, for in spite of every-
precious merchandise, and then, when they had got freight thing you have a good master, who sees that you always have
enough, they sent to tell the woman. Their messenger, a very enough to eat and drink; and you lead a good life, whereas I
cunning fellow, came to my father’s house bringing a neck- am still going about begging my way from city to city.’
lace of gold with amber beads strung among it; and while Thus did they converse, and they had only a very little
my mother and the servants had it in their hands admir- time left for sleep, for it was soon daybreak. In the mean
ing it and bargaining about it, he made a sign quietly to the time Telemachus and his crew were nearing land, so they
woman and then went back to the ship, whereon she took loosed the sails, took down the mast, and rowed the ship
me by the hand and led me out of the house. In the fore part into the harbour. {136} They cast out their mooring stones
of the house she saw the tables set with the cups of guests and made fast the hawsers; they then got out upon the sea

shore, mixed their wine, and got dinner ready. As soon as called him apart and caught him by the hand. ‘Telemachus,’
they had had enough to eat and drink Telemachus said, said he, ‘that bird did not fly on your right hand without
‘Take the ship on to the town, but leave me here, for I want having been sent there by some god. As soon as I saw it I
to look after the herdsmen on one of my farms. In the eve- knew it was an omen; it means that you will remain pow-
ning, when I have seen all I want, I will come down to the erful and that there will be no house in Ithaca more royal
city, and to-morrow morning in return for your trouble I than your own.’
will give you all a good dinner with meat and wine.’ {137} ‘I wish it may prove so,’ answered Telemachus. ‘If it does,
Then Theoclymenus said, ‘And what, my dear young I will show you so much good will and give you so many
friend, is to become of me? To whose house, among all your presents that all who meet you will congratulate you.’
chief men, am I to repair? or shall I go straight to your own Then he said to his friend Piraeus, ‘Piraeus, son of Cly-
house and to your mother?’ tius, you have throughout shown yourself the most willing
‘At any other time,’ replied Telemachus, ‘I should have to serve me of all those who have accompanied me to Pylos;
bidden you go to my own house, for you would find no want I wish you would take this stranger to your own house and
of hospitality; at the present moment, however, you would entertain him hospitably till I can come for him.’
not be comfortable there, for I shall be away, and my mother And Piraeus answered, ‘Telemachus, you may stay away
will not see you; she does not often show herself even to the as long as you please, but I will look after him for you, and
suitors, but sits at her loom weaving in an upper chamber, he shall find no lack of hospitality.’
out of their way; but I can tell you a man whose house you As he spoke he went on board, and bade the others do so
can go to—I mean Eurymachus the son of Polybus, who is also and loose the hawsers, so they took their places in the
held in the highest estimation by every one in Ithaca. He ship. But Telemachus bound on his sandals, and took a long
is much the best man and the most persistent wooer, of all and doughty spear with a head of sharpened bronze from
those who are paying court to my mother and trying to the deck of the ship. Then they loosed the hawsers, thrust
take Ulysses’ place. Jove, however, in heaven alone knows the ship off from land, and made on towards the city as they
whether or no they will come to a bad end before the mar- had been told to do, while Telemachus strode on as fast as
riage takes place.’ he could, till he reached the homestead where his countless
As he was speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand—a herds of swine were feeding, and where dwelt the excellent
hawk, Apollo’s messenger. It held a dove in its talons, and the swineherd, who was so devoted a servant to his master.
feathers, as it tore them off, {138} fell to the ground midway
between Telemachus and the ship. On this Theoclymenus

BOOK XVI are. When I heard you had gone to Pylos I made sure I was
never going to see you any more. Come in, my dear child,
ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF and sit down, that I may have a good look at you now you
are home again; it is not very often you come into the coun-
TO TELEMACHUS. try to see us herdsmen; you stick pretty close to the town
generally. I suppose you think it better to keep an eye on
what the suitors are doing.’
‘So be it, old friend,’ answered Telemachus, ‘but I am
come now because I want to see you, and to learn whether
M eanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd had lit a fire in

the hut and were were getting breakfast ready at day-
break, for they had sent the men out with the pigs. When
my mother is still at her old home or whether some one else
has married her, so that the bed of Ulysses is without bed-
ding and covered with cobwebs.’
Telemachus came up, the dogs did not bark but fawned ‘She is still at the house,’ replied Eumaeus, ‘grieving and
upon him, so Ulysses, hearing the sound of feet and notic- breaking her heart, and doing nothing but weep, both night
ing that the dogs did not bark, said to Eumaeus: and day continually.’
‘Eumaeus, I hear footsteps; I suppose one of your men or As he spoke he took Telemachus’ spear, whereon he
some one of your acquaintance is coming here, for the dogs crossed the stone threshold and came inside. Ulysses rose
are fawning upon him and not barking.’ from his seat to give him place as he entered, but Telema-
The words were hardly out of his mouth before his son chus checked him; ‘Sit down, stranger,’ said he, ‘I can easily
stood at the door. Eumaeus sprang to his feet, and the bowls find another seat, and there is one here who will lay it for
in which he was mixing wine fell from his hands, as he me.’
made towards his master. He kissed his head and both his Ulysses went back to his own place, and Eumaeus
beautiful eyes, and wept for joy. A father could not be more strewed some green brushwood on the floor and threw a
delighted at the return of an only son, the child of his old sheepskin on top of it for Telemachus to sit upon. Then the
age, after ten years’ absence in a foreign country and after swineherd brought them platters of cold meat, the remains
having gone through much hardship. He embraced him, from what they had eaten the day before, and he filled the
kissed him all over as though he had come back from the bread baskets with bread as fast as he could. He mixed wine
dead, and spoke fondly to him saying: also in bowls of ivy-wood, and took his seat facing Ulysses.
‘So you are come, Telemachus, light of my eyes that you Then they laid their hands on the good things that were be-

fore them, and as soon as they had had enough to eat and strong for him.’
drink Telemachus said to Eumaeus, ‘Old friend, where does Then Ulysses said, ‘Sir, it is right that I should say some-
this stranger come from? How did his crew bring him to thing myself. I am much shocked about what you have said
Ithaca, and who were they?—for assuredly he did not come about the insolent way in which the suitors are behaving
here by land.’ in despite of such a man as you are. Tell me, do you submit
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘My son, I to such treatment tamely, or has some god set your people
will tell you the real truth. He says he is a Cretan, and that against you? May you not complain of your brothers—for it
he has been a great traveller. At this moment he is running is to these that a man may look for support, however great
away from a Thesprotian ship, and has taken refuge at my his quarrel may be? I wish I were as young as you are and in
station, so I will put him into your hands. Do whatever you my present mind; if I were son to Ulysses, or, indeed, Ulyss-
like with him, only remember that he is your suppliant.’ es himself, I would rather some one came and cut my head
‘I am very much distressed,’ said Telemachus, ‘by what off, but I would go to the house and be the bane of every
you have just told me. How can I take this stranger into my one of these men. {139} If they were too many for me—I
house? I am as yet young, and am not strong enough to hold being single-handed—I would rather die fighting in my
my own if any man attacks me. My mother cannot make own house than see such disgraceful sights day after day,
up her mind whether to stay where she is and look after the strangers grossly maltreated, and men dragging the women
house out of respect for public opinion and the memory of servants about the house in an unseemly way, wine drawn
her husband, or whether the time is now come for her to recklessly, and bread wasted all to no purpose for an end
take the best man of those who are wooing her, and the one that shall never be accomplished.’
who will make her the most advantageous offer; still, as the And Telemachus answered, ‘I will tell you truly every-
stranger has come to your station I will find him a cloak thing. There is no enmity between me and my people, nor
and shirt of good wear, with a sword and sandals, and will can I complain of brothers, to whom a man may look for
send him wherever he wants to go. Or if you like you can support however great his quarrel may be. Jove has made
keep him here at the station, and I will send him clothes us a race of only sons. Laertes was the only son of Arceisius,
and food that he may be no burden on you and on your and Ulysses only son of Laertes. I am myself the only son of
men; but I will not have him go near the suitors, for they Ulysses who left me behind him when he went away, so that
are very insolent, and are sure to ill treat him in a way that I have never been of any use to him. Hence it comes that
would greatly grieve me; no matter how valiant a man may my house is in the hands of numberless marauders; for the
be he can do nothing against numbers, for they will be too chiefs from all the neighbouring islands, Dulichium, Same,

Zacynthus, as also all the principal men of Ithaca itself, are Thus did he urge the swineherd; Eumaeus, therefore,
eating up my house under the pretext of paying court to my took his sandals, bound them to his feet, and started for
mother, who will neither say point blank that she will not the town. Minerva watched him well off the station, and
marry, nor yet bring matters to an end, so they are making then came up to it in the form of a woman—fair, stately, and
havoc of my estate, and before long will do so with myself wise. She stood against the side of the entry, and revealed
into the bargain. The issue, however, rests with heaven. But herself to Ulysses, but Telemachus could not see her, and
do you, old friend Eumaeus, go at once and tell Penelope knew not that she was there, for the gods do not let them-
that I am safe and have returned from Pylos. Tell it to her- selves be seen by everybody. Ulysses saw her, and so did the
self alone, and then come back here without letting any one dogs, for they did not bark, but went scared and whining
else know, for there are many who are plotting mischief off to the other side of the yards. She nodded her head and
against me.’ motioned to Ulysses with her eyebrows; whereon he left the
‘I understand and heed you,’ replied Eumaeus; ‘you need hut and stood before her outside the main wall of the yards.
instruct me no further, only as I am going that way say Then she said to him:
whether I had not better let poor Laertes know that you are ‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, it is now time for you to
returned. He used to superintend the work on his farm in tell your son: do not keep him in the dark any longer, but lay
spite of his bitter sorrow about Ulysses, and he would eat your plans for the destruction of the suitors, and then make
and drink at will along with his servants; but they tell me for the town. I will not be long in joining you, for I too am
that from the day on which you set out for Pylos he has nei- eager for the fray.’
ther eaten nor drunk as he ought to do, nor does he look As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand.
after his farm, but sits weeping and wasting the flesh from First she threw a fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoul-
off his bones.’ ders; then she made him younger and of more imposing
‘More’s the pity,’ answered Telemachus, ‘I am sorry for presence; she gave him back his colour, filled out his cheeks,
him, but we must leave him to himself just now. If peo- and let his beard become dark again. Then she went away
ple could have everything their own way, the first thing I and Ulysses came back inside the hut. His son was astound-
should choose would be the return of my father; but go, and ed when he saw him, and turned his eyes away for fear he
give your message; then make haste back again, and do not might be looking upon a god.
turn out of your way to tell Laertes. Tell my mother to send ‘Stranger,’ said he, ‘how suddenly you have changed
one of her women secretly with the news at once, and let from what you were a moment or two ago. You are dressed
him hear it from her.’ differently and your colour is not the same. Are you some

one or other of the gods that live in heaven? If so, be propi- about his father and wept. They were both so much moved
tious to me till I can make you due sacrifice and offerings of that they cried aloud like eagles or vultures with crooked
wrought gold. Have mercy upon me.’ talons that have been robbed of their half fledged young by
And Ulysses said, ‘I am no god, why should you take me peasants. Thus piteously did they weep, and the sun would
for one? I am your father, on whose account you grieve and have gone down upon their mourning if Telemachus had
suffer so much at the hands of lawless men.’ not suddenly said, ‘In what ship, my dear father, did your
As he spoke he kissed his son, and a tear fell from his crew bring you to Ithaca? Of what nation did they declare
cheek on to the ground, for he had restrained all tears till themselves to be—for you cannot have come by land?’
now. But Telemachus could not yet believe that it was his ‘I will tell you the truth, my son,’ replied Ulysses. ‘It was
father, and said: the Phaeacians who brought me here. They are great sailors,
‘You are not my father, but some god is flattering me with and are in the habit of giving escorts to any one who reach-
vain hopes that I may grieve the more hereafter; no mortal es their coasts. They took me over the sea while I was fast
man could of himself contrive to do as you have been do- asleep, and landed me in Ithaca, after giving me many pres-
ing, and make yourself old and young at a moment’s notice, ents in bronze, gold, and raiment. These things by heaven’s
unless a god were with him. A second ago you were old and mercy are lying concealed in a cave, and I am now come
all in rags, and now you are like some god come down from here on the suggestion of Minerva that we may consult
heaven.’ about killing our enemies. First, therefore, give me a list of
Ulysses answered, ‘Telemachus, you ought not to be so the suitors, with their number, that I may learn who, and
immeasurably astonished at my being really here. There is how many, they are. I can then turn the matter over in my
no other Ulysses who will come hereafter. Such as I am, it mind, and see whether we two can fight the whole body of
is I, who after long wandering and much hardship have got them ourselves, or whether we must find others to help us.’
home in the twentieth year to my own country. What you To this Telemachus answered, ‘Father, I have always
wonder at is the work of the redoubtable goddess Minerva, heard of your renown both in the field and in council, but
who does with me whatever she will, for she can do what she the task you talk of is a very great one: I am awed at the
pleases. At one moment she makes me like a beggar, and the mere thought of it; two men cannot stand against many and
next I am a young man with good clothes on my back; it is brave ones. There are not ten suitors only, nor twice ten, but
an easy matter for the gods who live in heaven to make any ten many times over; you shall learn their number at once.
man look either rich or poor.’ There are fifty-two chosen youths from Dulichium, and
As he spoke he sat down, and Telemachus threw his arms they have six servants; from Same there are twenty-four;

twenty young Achaeans from Zacynthus, and twelve from ask you why you are removing it; say that you have taken it
Ithaca itself, all of them well born. They have with them a to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no lon-
servant Medon, a bard, and two men who can carve at table. ger what it was when Ulysses went away, but has become
If we face such numbers as this, you may have bitter cause to soiled and begrimed with soot. Add to this more particular-
rue your coming, and your revenge. See whether you can- ly that you are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over
not think of some one who would be willing to come and their wine, and that they may do each other some harm
help us.’ which may disgrace both banquet and wooing, for the sight
‘Listen to me,’ replied Ulysses, ‘and think whether Mi- of arms sometimes tempts people to use them. But leave a
nerva and her father Jove may seem sufficient, or whether I sword and a spear apiece for yourself and me, and a couple
am to try and find some one else as well.’ of oxhide shields so that we can snatch them up at any mo-
‘Those whom you have named,’ answered Telemachus, ment; Jove and Minerva will then soon quiet these people.
‘are a couple of good allies, for though they dwell high up There is also another matter; if you are indeed my son and
among the clouds they have power over both gods and my blood runs in your veins, let no one know that Ulysses
men.’ is within the house—neither Laertes, nor yet the swineherd,
‘These two,’ continued Ulysses, ‘will not keep long out nor any of the servants, nor even Penelope herself. Let you
of the fray, when the suitors and we join fight in my house. and me exploit the women alone, and let us also make trial
Now, therefore, return home early to-morrow morning, of some other of the men servants, to see who is on our side
and go about among the suitors as before. Later on the and whose hand is against us.’
swineherd will bring me to the city disguised as a miser- ‘Father,’ replied Telemachus, ‘you will come to know me
able old beggar. If you see them ill treating me, steel your by and by, and when you do you will find that I can keep
heart against my sufferings; even though they drag me feet your counsel. I do not think, however, the plan you propose
foremost out of the house, or throw things at me, look on will turn out well for either of us. Think it over. It will take
and do nothing beyond gently trying to make them behave us a long time to go the round of the farms and exploit the
more reasonably; but they will not listen to you, for the day men, and all the time the suitors will be wasting your estate
of their reckoning is at hand. Furthermore I say, and lay my with impunity and without compunction. Prove the women
saying to your heart; when Minerva shall put it in my mind, by all means, to see who are disloyal and who guiltless, but
I will nod my head to you, and on seeing me do this you I am not in favour of going round and trying the men. We
must collect all the armour that is in the house and hide it in can attend to that later on, if you really have some sign from
the strong store room. Make some excuse when the suitors Jove that he will support you.’

Thus did they converse, and meanwhile the ship which laughed, and said to the others, ‘We need not send them any
had brought Telemachus and his crew from Pylos had message, for they are here. Some god must have told them,
reached the town of Ithaca. When they had come inside the or else they saw the ship go by, and could not overtake her.’
harbour they drew the ship on to the land; their servants On this they rose and went to the water side. The crew
came and took their armour from them, and they left all the then drew the ship on shore; their servants took their ar-
presents at the house of Clytius. Then they sent a servant to mour from them, and they went up in a body to the place
tell Penelope that Telemachus had gone into the country, of assembly, but they would not let any one old or young
but had sent the ship to the town to prevent her from be- sit along with them, and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spoke
ing alarmed and made unhappy. This servant and Eumaeus first.
happened to meet when they were both on the same errand ‘Good heavens,’ said he, ‘see how the gods have saved this
of going to tell Penelope. When they reached the House, man from destruction. We kept a succession of scouts upon
the servant stood up and said to the queen in the presence the headlands all day long, and when the sun was down we
of the waiting women, ‘Your son, Madam, is now returned never went on shore to sleep, but waited in the ship all night
from Pylos”; but Eumaeus went close up to Penelope, and till morning in the hope of capturing and killing him; but
said privately all that her son had bidden him tell her. When some god has conveyed him home in spite of us. Let us con-
he had given his message he left the house with its outbuild- sider how we can make an end of him. He must not escape
ings and went back to his pigs again. us; our affair is never likely to come off while he is alive, for
The suitors were surprised and angry at what had hap- he is very shrewd, and public feeling is by no means all on
pened, so they went outside the great wall that ran round our side. We must make haste before he can call the Achae-
the outer court, and held a council near the main entrance. ans in assembly; he will lose no time in doing so, for he will
Eurymachus, son of Polybus, was the first to speak. be furious with us, and will tell all the world how we plotted
‘My friends,’ said he, ‘this voyage of Telemachus’s is a to kill him, but failed to take him. The people will not like
very serious matter; we had made sure that it would come this when they come to know of it; we must see that they do
to nothing. Now, however, let us draw a ship into the wa- us no hurt, nor drive us from our own country into exile.
ter, and get a crew together to send after the others and tell Let us try and lay hold of him either on his farm away from
them to come back as fast as they can.’ the town, or on the road hither. Then we can divide up his
He had hardly done speaking when Amphinomus turned property amongst us, and let his mother and the man who
in his place and saw the ship inside the harbour, with the marries her have the house. If this does not please you, and
crew lowering her sails, and putting by their oars; so he you wish Telemachus to live on and hold his father’s prop-

erty, then we must not gather here and eat up his goods in the best speaker and counsellor of any man your own age
this way, but must make our offers to Penelope each from in Ithaca, but you are nothing of the kind. Madman, why
his own house, and she can marry the man who will give should you try to compass the death of Telemachus, and
the most for her, and whose lot it is to win her.’ take no heed of suppliants, whose witness is Jove himself? It
They all held their peace until Amphinomus rose to is not right for you to plot thus against one another. Do you
speak. He was the son of Nisus, who was son to king Are- not remember how your father fled to this house in fear of
tias, and he was foremost among all the suitors from the the people, who were enraged against him for having gone
wheat-growing and well grassed island of Dulichium; his with some Taphian pirates and plundered the Thesprotians
conversation, moreover, was more agreeable to Penelope who were at peace with us? They wanted to tear him in piec-
than that of any of the other suitors, for he was a man of es and eat up everything he had, but Ulysses stayed their
good natural disposition. ‘My friends,’ said he, speaking to hands although they were infuriated, and now you devour
them plainly and in all honestly, ‘I am not in favour of kill- his property without paying for it, and break my heart by
ing Telemachus. It is a heinous thing to kill one who is of wooing his wife and trying to kill his son. Leave off doing
noble blood. Let us first take counsel of the gods, and if the so, and stop the others also.’
oracles of Jove advise it, I will both help to kill him myself, To this Eurymachus son of Polybus answered, ‘Take
and will urge everyone else to do so; but if they dissuade us, heart, Queen Penelope daughter of Icarius, and do not
I would have you hold your hands.’ trouble yourself about these matters. The man is not yet
Thus did he speak, and his words pleased them well, so born, nor never will be, who shall lay hands upon your son
they rose forthwith and went to the house of Ulysses, where Telemachus, while I yet live to look upon the face of the
they took their accustomed seats. earth. I say—and it shall surely be—that my spear shall be
Then Penelope resolved that she would show herself to reddened with his blood; for many a time has Ulysses taken
the suitors. She knew of the plot against Telemachus, for me on his knees, held wine up to my lips to drink, and put
the servant Medon had overheard their counsels and had pieces of meat into my hands. Therefore Telemachus is much
told her; she went down therefore to the court attended by the dearest friend I have, and has nothing to fear from the
her maidens, and when she reached the suitors she stood by hands of us suitors. Of course, if death comes to him from
one of the bearing-posts supporting the roof of the cloister the gods, he cannot escape it.’ He said this to quiet her, but
holding a veil before her face, and rebuked Antinous say- in reality he was plotting against Telemachus.
ing: Then Penelope went upstairs again and mourned her
‘Antinous, insolent and wicked schemer, they say you are husband till Minerva shed sleep over her eyes. In the eve-

ning Eumaeus got back to Ulysses and his son, who had just
sacrificed a young pig of a year old and were helping one BOOK XVII
another to get supper ready; Minerva therefore came up to
Ulysses, turned him into an old man with a stroke of her TELEMACHUS AND HIS
wand, and clad him in his old clothes again, for fear that the
swineherd might recognise him and not keep the secret, but MOTHER MEET—ULYSSES
go and tell Penelope.
Telemachus was the first to speak. ‘So you have got back, AND EUMAEUS COME
Eumaeus,’ said he. ‘What is the news of the town? Have the
suitors returned, or are they still waiting over yonder, to DOWN TO THE TOWN,
take me on my way home?’
‘I did not think of asking about that,’ replied Eumaeus, AND ULYSSES IS INSULTED
‘when I was in the town. I thought I would give my message
and come back as soon as I could. I met a man sent by those BY MELANTHIUS—HE IS
who had gone with you to Pylos, and he was the first to tell
the news to your mother, but I can say what I saw with my RECOGNISED BY THE DOG
own eyes; I had just got on to the crest of the hill of Mercury
above the town when I saw a ship coming into harbour with ARGOS—HE IS INSULTED
a number of men in her. They had many shields and spears,
and I thought it was the suitors, but I cannot be sure.’ AND PRESENTLY STRUCK
On hearing this Telemachus smiled to his father, but so
that Eumaeus could not see him. BY ANTINOUS WITH
Then, when they had finished their work and the meal
was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full share so A STOOL—PENELOPE
that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to
eat and drink, they laid down to rest and enjoyed the boon DESIRES THAT HE SHALL
of sleep.
BE SENT TO HER.
W hen the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, ap-
peared, Telemachus bound on his sandals and took
a strong spear that suited his hands, for he wanted to go
Venus, and wept as she flung her arms about her son. She
kissed his forehead and both his beautiful eyes, ‘Light of
my eyes,’ she cried as she spoke fondly to him, ‘so you are
into the city. ‘Old friend,’ said he to the swineherd, ‘I will come home again; I made sure I was never going to see you
now go to the town and show myself to my mother, for she any more. To think of your having gone off to Pylos with-
will never leave off grieving till she has seen me. As for this out saying anything about it or obtaining my consent. But
unfortunate stranger, take him to the town and let him beg come, tell me what you saw.’
there of any one who will give him a drink and a piece of ‘Do not scold me, mother,’ answered Telemachus, ‘nor
bread. I have trouble enough of my own, and cannot be bur- vex me, seeing what a narrow escape I have had, but wash
dened with other people. If this makes him angry so much your face, change your dress, go upstairs with your maids,
the worse for him, but I like to say what I mean.’ and promise full and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if
Then Ulysses said, ‘Sir, I do not want to stay here; a beg- Jove will only grant us our revenge upon the suitors. I must
gar can always do better in town than country, for any one now go to the place of assembly to invite a stranger who has
who likes can give him something. I am too old to care about come back with me from Pylos. I sent him on with my crew,
remaining here at the beck and call of a master. Therefore and told Piraeus to take him home and look after him till I
let this man do as you have just told him, and take me to the could come for him myself.’
town as soon as I have had a warm by the fire, and the day She heeded her son’s words, washed her face, changed
has got a little heat in it. My clothes are wretchedly thin, and her dress, and vowed full and sufficient hecatombs to all
this frosty morning I shall be perished with cold, for you say the gods if they would only vouchsafe her revenge upon the
the city is some way off.’ suitors.
On this Telemachus strode off through the yards, brood- Telemachus went through, and out of, the cloisters spear
ing his revenge upon the suitors. When he reached home he in hand—not alone, for his two fleet dogs went with him.
stood his spear against a bearing-post of the cloister, crossed Minerva endowed him with a presence of such divine
the stone floor of the cloister itself, and went inside. comeliness that all marvelled at him as he went by, and the
Nurse Euryclea saw him long before any one else did. suitors gathered round him with fair words in their mouths
She was putting the fleeces on to the seats, and she burst and malice in their hearts; but he avoided them, and went
out crying as she ran up to him; all the other maids came to sit with Mentor, Antiphus, and Halitherses, old friends
up too, and covered his head and shoulders with their kiss- of his father’s house, and they made him tell them all that
es. Penelope came out of her room looking like Diana or had happened to him. Then Piraeus came up with Theo-

clymenus, whom he had escorted through the town to the You failed, however, to make it clear to me before the suitors
place of assembly, whereon Telemachus at once joined them. came back to the house, whether or no you had been able to
Piraeus was first to speak: ‘Telemachus,’ said he, ‘I wish you hear anything about the return of your father.’
would send some of your women to my house to take away ‘I will tell you then truth,’ replied her son. ‘We went to
the presents Menelaus gave you.’ Pylos and saw Nestor, who took me to his house and treat-
‘We do not know, Piraeus,’ answered Telemachus, ‘what ed me as hospitably as though I were a son of his own who
may happen. If the suitors kill me in my own house and di- had just returned after a long absence; so also did his sons;
vide my property among them, I would rather you had the but he said he had not heard a word from any human being
presents than that any of those people should get hold of about Ulysses, whether he was alive or dead. He sent me,
them. If on the other hand I managed to kill them, I shall be therefore, with a chariot and horses to Menelaus. There I
much obliged if you will kindly bring me my presents.’ saw Helen, for whose sake so many, both Argives and Tro-
With these words he took Theoclymenus to his own jans, were in heaven’s wisdom doomed to suffer. Menelaus
house. When they got there they laid their cloaks on the asked me what it was that had brought me to Lacedaemon,
benches and seats, went into the baths, and washed them- and I told him the whole truth, whereon he said, ‘So, then,
selves. When the maids had washed and anointed them, these cowards would usurp a brave man’s bed? A hind might
and had given them cloaks and shirts, they took their seats as well lay her new-born young in the lair of a lion, and then
at table. A maid servant then brought them water in a beau- go off to feed in the forest or in some grassy dell. The lion,
tiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver basin for them when he comes back to his lair, will make short work with
to wash their hands; and she drew a clean table beside them. the pair of them, and so will Ulysses with these suitors. By
An upper servant brought them bread and offered them father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, if Ulysses is still the man
many good things of what there was in the house. Oppo- that he was when he wrestled with Philomeleides in Lesbos,
site them sat Penelope, reclining on a couch by one of the and threw him so heavily that all the Greeks cheered him—
bearing-posts of the cloister, and spinning. Then they laid if he is still such, and were to come near these suitors, they
their hands on the good things that were before them, and would have a short shrift and a sorry wedding. As regards
as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Penelope your question, however, I will not prevaricate nor deceive
said: you, but what the old man of the sea told me, so much will
‘Telemachus, I shall go upstairs and lie down on that sad I tell you in full. He said he could see Ulysses on an island
couch, which I have not ceased to water with my tears, from sorrowing bitterly in the house of the nymph Calypso, who
the day Ulysses set out for Troy with the sons of Atreus. was keeping him prisoner, and he could not reach his home,

for he had no ships nor sailors to take him over the sea.’ This time.’
was what Menelaus told me, and when I had heard his story They left their sports as he told them, and when they
I came away; the gods then gave me a fair wind and soon were within the house, they laid their cloaks on the benches
brought me safe home again.’ and seats inside, and then sacrificed some sheep, goats, pigs,
With these words he moved the heart of Penelope. Then and a heifer, all of them fat and well grown. {141} Thus they
Theoclymenus said to her: made ready for their meal. In the meantime Ulysses and the
‘Madam, wife of Ulysses, Telemachus does not under- swineherd were about starting for the town, and the swine-
stand these things; listen therefore to me, for I can divine herd said, ‘Stranger, I suppose you still want to go to town
them surely, and will hide nothing from you. May Jove the to-day, as my master said you were to do; for my own part
king of heaven be my witness, and the rites of hospitality, I should have liked you to stay here as a station hand, but I
with that hearth of Ulysses to which I now come, that Ulyss- must do as my master tells me, or he will scold me later on,
es himself is even now in Ithaca, and, either going about the and a scolding from one’s master is a very serious thing. Let
country or staying in one place, is enquiring into all these us then be off, for it is now broad day; it will be night again
evil deeds and preparing a day of reckoning for the suitors. I directly and then you will find it colder.’ {142}
saw an omen when I was on the ship which meant this, and ‘I know, and understand you,’ replied Ulysses; ‘you need
I told Telemachus about it.’ say no more. Let us be going, but if you have a stick ready
‘May it be even so,’ answered Penelope; ‘if your words cut, let me have it to walk with, for you say the road is a very
come true, you shall have such gifts and such good will rough one.’
from me that all who see you shall congratulate you.’ As he spoke he threw his shabby old tattered wallet over
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were his shoulders, by the cord from which it hung, and Eu-
throwing discs, or aiming with spears at a mark on the lev- maeus gave him a stick to his liking. The two then started,
elled ground in front of the house, and behaving with all leaving the station in charge of the dogs and herdsmen
their old insolence. But when it was now time for dinner, who remained behind; the swineherd led the way and his
and the flock of sheep and goats had come into the town master followed after, looking like some broken down old
from all the country round, {140} with their shepherds as tramp as he leaned upon his staff, and his clothes were all
usual, then Medon, who was their favourite servant, and in rags. When they had got over the rough steep ground
who waited upon them at table, said, ‘Now then, my young and were nearing the city, they reached the fountain from
masters, you have had enough sport, so come inside that we which the citizens drew their water. This had been made
may get dinner ready. Dinner is not a bad thing, at dinner by Ithacus, Neritus, and Polyctor. There was a grove of wa-

ter-loving poplars planted in a circle all round it, and the er or no to fly at Melanthius and kill him with his staff, or
clear cold water came down to it from a rock high up, {143} fling him to the ground and beat his brains out; he resolved,
while above the fountain there was an altar to the nymphs, however, to endure it and keep himself in check, but the
at which all wayfarers used to sacrifice. Here Melanthius swineherd looked straight at Melanthius and rebuked him,
son of Dolius overtook them as he was driving down some lifting up his hands and praying to heaven as he did so.
goats, the best in his flock, for the suitors’ dinner, and there ‘Fountain nymphs,’ he cried, ‘children of Jove, if ever
were two shepherds with him. When he saw Eumaeus and Ulysses burned you thigh bones covered with fat whether
Ulysses he reviled them with outrageous and unseemly lan- of lambs or kids, grant my prayer that heaven may send him
guage, which made Ulysses very angry. home. He would soon put an end to the swaggering threats
‘There you go,’ cried he, ‘and a precious pair you are. See with which such men as you go about insulting people—
how heaven brings birds of the same feather to one anoth- gadding all over the town while your flocks are going to
er. Where, pray, master swineherd, are you taking this poor ruin through bad shepherding.’
miserable object? It would make any one sick to see such Then Melanthius the goatherd answered, ‘You ill condi-
a creature at table. A fellow like this never won a prize for tioned cur, what are you talking about? Some day or other I
anything in his life, but will go about rubbing his shoulders will put you on board ship and take you to a foreign country,
against every man’s door post, and begging, not for swords where I can sell you and pocket the money you will fetch.
and cauldrons {144} like a man, but only for a few scraps not I wish I were as sure that Apollo would strike Telemachus
worth begging for. If you would give him to me for a hand dead this very day, or that the suitors would kill him, as I
on my station, he might do to clean out the folds, or bring a am that Ulysses will never come home again.’
bit of sweet feed to the kids, and he could fatten his thighs With this he left them to come on at their leisure, while
as much as he pleased on whey; but he has taken to bad ways he went quickly forward and soon reached the house of
and will not go about any kind of work; he will do noth- his master. When he got there he went in and took his seat
ing but beg victuals all the town over, to feed his insatiable among the suitors opposite Eurymachus, who liked him
belly. I say, therefore—and it shall surely be—if he goes near better than any of the others. The servants brought him a
Ulysses’ house he will get his head broken by the stools they portion of meat, and an upper woman servant set bread
will fling at him, till they turn him out.’ before him that he might eat. Presently Ulysses and the
On this, as he passed, he gave Ulysses a kick on the hip swineherd came up to the house and stood by it, amid a
out of pure wantonness, but Ulysses stood firm, and did sound of music, for Phemius was just beginning to sing to
not budge from the path. For a moment he doubted wheth- the suitors. Then Ulysses took hold of the swineherd’s hand,

and said: but he had never had any work out of him. In the old days
‘Eumaeus, this house of Ulysses is a very fine place. No he used to be taken out by the young men when they went
matter how far you go, you will find few like it. One build- hunting wild goats, or deer, or hares, but now that his mas-
ing keeps following on after another. The outer court has ter was gone he was lying neglected on the heaps of mule
a wall with battlements all round it; the doors are double and cow dung that lay in front of the stable doors till the
folding, and of good workmanship; it would be a hard mat- men should come and draw it away to manure the great
ter to take it by force of arms. I perceive, too, that there are close; and he was full of fleas. As soon as he saw Ulysses
many people banqueting within it, for there is a smell of standing there, he dropped his ears and wagged his tail, but
roast meat, and I hear a sound of music, which the gods he could not get close up to his master. When Ulysses saw
have made to go along with feasting.’ the dog on the other side of the yard, he dashed a tear from
Then Eumaeus said, ‘You have perceived aright, as in- his eyes without Eumaeus seeing it, and said:
deed you generally do; but let us think what will be our best ‘Eumaeus, what a noble hound that is over yonder on the
course. Will you go inside first and join the suitors, leaving manure heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as
me here behind you, or will you wait here and let me go in he looks, or is he only one of those dogs that come begging
first? But do not wait long, or some one may see you loiter- about a table, and are kept merely for show?’
ing about outside, and throw something at you. Consider ‘This hound,’ answered Eumaeus, ‘belonged to him
this matter I pray you.’ who has died in a far country. If he were what he was when
And Ulysses answered, ‘I understand and heed. Go in Ulysses left for Troy, he would soon show you what he could
first and leave me here where I am. I am quite used to be- do. There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get
ing beaten and having things thrown at me. I have been so away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now
much buffeted about in war and by sea that I am case-hard- he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone,
ened, and this too may go with the rest. But a man cannot and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their
hide away the cravings of a hungry belly; this is an enemy work when their master’s hand is no longer over them, for
which gives much trouble to all men; it is because of this Jove takes half the goodness out of a man when he makes a
that ships are fitted out to sail the seas, and to make war slave of him.’
upon other people.’ As he spoke he went inside the buildings to the cloister
As they were thus talking, a dog that had been lying where the suitors were, but Argos died as soon as he had
asleep raised his head and pricked up his ears. This was recognised his master.
Argos, whom Ulysses had bred before setting out for Troy, Telemachus saw Eumaeus long before any one else did,

and beckoned him to come and sit beside him; so he looked good from the bad; but come what might she was not going
about and saw a seat lying near where the carver sat serving to save a single one of them. Ulysses, therefore, went on his
out their portions to the suitors; he picked it up, brought it round, going from left to right, and stretched out his hands
to Telemachus’s table, and sat down opposite him. Then the to beg as though he were a real beggar. Some of them pit-
servant brought him his portion, and gave him bread from ied him, and were curious about him, asking one another
the bread-basket. who he was and where he came from; whereon the goat-
Immediately afterwards Ulysses came inside, looking herd Melanthius said, ‘Suitors of my noble mistress, I can
like a poor miserable old beggar, leaning on his staff and tell you something about him, for I have seen him before.
with his clothes all in rags. He sat down upon the threshold The swineherd brought him here, but I know nothing about
of ash-wood just inside the doors leading from the outer to the man himself, nor where he comes from.’
the inner court, and against a bearing-post of cypress-wood On this Antinous began to abuse the swineherd. ‘You
which the carpenter had skilfully planed, and had made to precious idiot,’ he cried, ‘what have you brought this man to
join truly with rule and line. Telemachus took a whole loaf town for? Have we not tramps and beggars enough already
from the bread-basket, with as much meat as he could hold to pester us as we sit at meat? Do you think it a small thing
in his two hands, and said to Eumaeus, ‘Take this to the that such people gather here to waste your master’s proper-
stranger, and tell him to go the round of the suitors, and beg ty—and must you needs bring this man as well?’
from them; a beggar must not be shamefaced.’ And Eumaeus answered, ‘Antinous, your birth is good
So Eumaeus went up to him and said, ‘Stranger, Telema- but your words evil. It was no doing of mine that he came
chus sends you this, and says you are to go the round of the here. Who is likely to invite a stranger from a foreign coun-
suitors begging, for beggars must not be shamefaced.’ try, unless it be one of those who can do public service as a
Ulysses answered, ‘May King Jove grant all happiness to seer, a healer of hurts, a carpenter, or a bard who can charm
Telemachus, and fulfil the desire of his heart.’ us with his singing? Such men are welcome all the world
Then with both hands he took what Telemachus had over, but no one is likely to ask a beggar who will only worry
sent him, and laid it on the dirty old wallet at his feet. He him. You are always harder on Ulysses’ servants than any of
went on eating it while the bard was singing, and had just the other suitors are, and above all on me, but I do not care
finished his dinner as he left off. The suitors applauded the so long as Telemachus and Penelope are alive and here.’
bard, whereon Minerva went up to Ulysses and prompted But Telemachus said, ‘Hush, do not answer him; Anti-
him to beg pieces of bread from each one of the suitors, that nous has the bitterest tongue of all the suitors, and he makes
he might see what kind of people they were, and tell the the others worse.’

Then turning to Antinous he said, ‘Antinous, you take as was a long voyage and I was undone by it. I stationed my
much care of my interests as though I were your son. Why ships in the river Aegyptus, and bade my men stay by them
should you want to see this stranger turned out of the house? and keep guard over them, while I sent out scouts to recon-
Heaven forbid; take something and give it him yourself; I noitre from every point of vantage.
do not grudge it; I bid you take it. Never mind my mother, ‘But the men disobeyed my orders, took to their own
nor any of the other servants in the house; but I know you devices, and ravaged the land of the Egyptians, killing the
will not do what I say, for you are more fond of eating things men, and taking their wives and children captives. The
yourself than of giving them to other people.’ alarm was soon carried to the city, and when they heard the
‘What do you mean, Telemachus,’ replied Antinous, ‘by war-cry, the people came out at daybreak till the plain was
this swaggering talk? If all the suitors were to give him as filled with soldiers horse and foot, and with the gleam of
much as I will, he would not come here again for another armour. Then Jove spread panic among my men, and they
three months.’ would no longer face the enemy, for they found themselves
As he spoke he drew the stool on which he rested his surrounded. The Egyptians killed many of us, and took the
dainty feet from under the table, and made as though he rest alive to do forced labour for them; as for myself, they
would throw it at Ulysses, but the other suitors all gave him gave me to a friend who met them, to take to Cyprus, Dme-
something, and filled his wallet with bread and meat; he tor by name, son of Iasus, who was a great man in Cyprus.
was about, therefore, to go back to the threshold and eat Thence I am come hither in a state of great misery.’
what the suitors had given him, but he first went up to An- Then Antinous said, ‘What god can have sent such a pes-
tinous and said: tilence to plague us during our dinner? Get out, into the
‘Sir, give me something; you are not, surely, the poorest open part of the court, {145} or I will give you Egypt and
man here; you seem to be a chief, foremost among them all; Cyprus over again for your insolence and importunity; you
therefore you should be the better giver, and I will tell far have begged of all the others, and they have given you lav-
and wide of your bounty. I too was a rich man once, and ishly, for they have abundance round them, and it is easy
had a fine house of my own; in those days I gave to many to be free with other people’s property when there is plenty
a tramp such as I now am, no matter who he might be nor of it.’
what he wanted. I had any number of servants, and all the On this Ulysses began to move off, and said, ‘Your looks,
other things which people have who live well and are ac- my fine sir, are better than your breeding; if you were in
counted wealthy, but it pleased Jove to take all away from your own house you would not spare a poor man so much
me. He sent me with a band of roving robbers to Egypt; it as a pinch of salt, for though you are in another man’s, and

surrounded with abundance, you cannot find it in you to Thus said the suitors, but Antinous paid them no heed.
give him even a piece of bread.’ Meanwhile Telemachus was furious about the blow that had
This made Antinous very angry, and he scowled at him been given to his father, and though no tear fell from him,
saying, ‘You shall pay for this before you get clear of the he shook his head in silence and brooded on his revenge.
court.’ With these words he threw a footstool at him, and Now when Penelope heard that the beggar had been
hit him on the right shoulder blade near the top of his back. struck in the banqueting-cloister, she said before her maids,
Ulysses stood firm as a rock and the blow did not even stag- ‘Would that Apollo would so strike you, Antinous,’ and her
ger him, but he shook his head in silence as he brooded on waiting woman Eurynome answered, ‘If our prayers were
his revenge. Then he went back to the threshold and sat answered not one of the suitors would ever again see the
down there, laying his well filled wallet at his feet. sun rise.’ Then Penelope said, ‘Nurse, {147} I hate every sin-
‘Listen to me,’ he cried, ‘you suitors of Queen Penelope, gle one of them, for they mean nothing but mischief, but
that I may speak even as I am minded. A man knows nei- I hate Antinous like the darkness of death itself. A poor
ther ache nor pain if he gets hit while fighting for his money, unfortunate tramp has come begging about the house for
or for his sheep or his cattle; and even so Antinous has hit sheer want. Every one else has given him something to put
me while in the service of my miserable belly, which is al- in his wallet, but Antinous has hit him on the right shoul-
ways getting people into trouble. Still, if the poor have gods der-blade with a footstool.’
and avenging deities at all, I pray them that Antinous may Thus did she talk with her maids as she sat in her own
come to a bad end before his marriage.’ room, and in the meantime Ulysses was getting his dinner.
‘Sit where you are, and eat your victuals in silence, or Then she called for the swineherd and said, ‘Eumaeus, go
be off elsewhere,’ shouted Antinous. ‘If you say more I will and tell the stranger to come here, I want to see him and
have you dragged hand and foot through the courts, and ask him some questions. He seems to have travelled much,
the servants shall flay you alive.’ and he may have seen or heard something of my unhappy
The other suitors were much displeased at this, and one husband.’
of the young men said, ‘Antinous, you did ill in striking that To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘If these
poor wretch of a tramp: it will be worse for you if he should Achaeans, Madam, would only keep quiet, you would be
turn out to be some god—and we know the gods go about charmed with the history of his adventures. I had him three
disguised in all sorts of ways as people from foreign coun- days and three nights with me in my hut, which was the first
tries, and travel about the world to see who do amiss and place he reached after running away from his ship, and he
who righteously.’ {146} has not yet completed the story of his misfortunes. If he had

been the most heaven-taught minstrel in the whole world, and cloak of good wear.’
on whose lips all hearers hang entranced, I could not have When Eumaeus heard this he went straight to Ulysses
been more charmed as I sat in my hut and listened to him. and said, ‘Father stranger, my mistress Penelope, mother of
He says there is an old friendship between his house and Telemachus, has sent for you; she is in great grief, but she
that of Ulysses, and that he comes from Crete where the de- wishes to hear anything you can tell her about her husband,
scendants of Minos live, after having been driven hither and and if she is satisfied that you are speaking the truth, she
thither by every kind of misfortune; he also declares that he will give you a shirt and cloak, which are the very things
has heard of Ulysses as being alive and near at hand among that you are most in want of. As for bread, you can get
the Thesprotians, and that he is bringing great wealth home enough of that to fill your belly, by begging about the town,
with him.’ and letting those give that will.’
‘Call him here, then,’ said Penelope, ‘that I too may ‘I will tell Penelope,’ answered Ulysses, ‘nothing but
hear his story. As for the suitors, let them take their plea- what is strictly true. I know all about her husband, and have
sure indoors or out as they will, for they have nothing to been partner with him in affliction, but I am afraid of pass-
fret about. Their corn and wine remain unwasted in their ing through this crowd of cruel suitors, for their pride and
houses with none but servants to consume them, while they insolence reach heaven. Just now, moreover, as I was going
keep hanging about our house day after day sacrificing our about the house without doing any harm, a man gave me a
oxen, sheep, and fat goats for their banquets, and never giv- blow that hurt me very much, but neither Telemachus nor
ing so much as a thought to the quantity of wine they drink. any one else defended me. Tell Penelope, therefore, to be
No estate can stand such recklessness, for we have now no patient and wait till sundown. Let her give me a seat close
Ulysses to protect us. If he were to come again, he and his up to the fire, for my clothes are worn very thin—you know
son would soon have their revenge.’ they are, for you have seen them ever since I first asked you
As she spoke Telemachus sneezed so loudly that the to help me—she can then ask me about the return of her
whole house resounded with it. Penelope laughed when she husband.’
heard this, and said to Eumaeus, ‘Go and call the stranger; The swineherd went back when he heard this, and Pe-
did you not hear how my son sneezed just as I was speak- nelope said as she saw him cross the threshold, ‘Why do you
ing? This can only mean that all the suitors are going to be not bring him here, Eumaeus? Is he afraid that some one
killed, and that not one of them shall escape. Furthermore will ill-treat him, or is he shy of coming inside the house at
I say, and lay my saying to your heart: if I am satisfied that all? Beggars should not be shamefaced.’
the stranger is speaking the truth I shall give him a shirt To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, ‘The

stranger is quite reasonable. He is avoiding the suitors, and
is only doing what any one else would do. He asks you to BOOK XVIII
wait till sundown, and it will be much better, madam, that
you should have him all to yourself, when you can hear him THE FIGHT WITH
and talk to him as you will.’
‘The man is no fool,’ answered Penelope, ‘it would very IRUS—ULYSSES WARNS
likely be as he says, for there are no such abominable people
in the whole world as these men are.’ AMPHINOMUS—PENELOPE
When she had done speaking Eumaeus went back to the
suitors, for he had explained everything. Then he went up to GETS PRESENTS FROM
Telemachus and said in his ear so that none could overhear
him, ‘My dear sir, I will now go back to the pigs, to see after THE SUITORS—THE
your property and my own business. You will look to what
is going on here, but above all be careful to keep out of dan- BRAZIERS—ULYSSES
ger, for there are many who bear you ill will. May Jove bring
them to a bad end before they do us a mischief.’ REBUKES EURYMACHUS.
‘Very well,’ replied Telemachus, ‘go home when you have
had your dinner, and in the morning come here with the
victims we are to sacrifice for the day. Leave the rest to heav-
en and me.’
On this Eumaeus took his seat again, and when he had
finished his dinner he left the courts and the cloister with
N ow there came a certain common tramp who used to
go begging all over the city of Ithaca, and was noto-
rious as an incorrigible glutton and drunkard. This man
the men at table, and went back to his pigs. As for the suit- had no strength nor stay in him, but he was a great hulk-
ors, they presently began to amuse themselves with singing ing fellow to look at; his real name, the one his mother gave
and dancing, for it was now getting on towards evening. him, was Arnaeus, but the young men of the place called
him Irus, {148} because he used to run errands for any one
who would send him. As soon as he came he began to insult
Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house.
‘Be off, old man,’ he cried, ‘from the doorway, or you

shall be dragged out neck and heels. Do you not see that The suitors all came up laughing, and gathered round
they are all giving me the wink, and wanting me to turn you the two ragged tramps. ‘Listen to me,’ said Antinous, ‘there
out by force, only I do not like to do so? Get up then, and go are some goats’ paunches down at the fire, which we have
of yourself, or we shall come to blows.’ filled with blood and fat, and set aside for supper; he who
Ulysses frowned on him and said, ‘My friend, I do you is victorious and proves himself to be the better man shall
no manner of harm; people give you a great deal, but I am have his pick of the lot; he shall be free of our table and we
not jealous. There is room enough in this doorway for the will not allow any other beggar about the house at all.’
pair of us, and you need not grudge me things that are not The others all agreed, but Ulysses, to throw them off the
yours to give. You seem to be just such another tramp as scent, said, ‘Sirs, an old man like myself, worn out with suf-
myself, but perhaps the gods will give us better luck by and fering, cannot hold his own against a young one; but my
by. Do not, however, talk too much about fighting or you irrepressible belly urges me on, though I know it can only
will incense me, and old though I am, I shall cover your end in my getting a drubbing. You must swear, however that
mouth and chest with blood. I shall have more peace tomor- none of you will give me a foul blow to favour Irus and se-
row if I do, for you will not come to the house of Ulysses cure him the victory.’
any more.’ They swore as he told them, and when they had complet-
Irus was very angry and answered, ‘You filthy glutton, ed their oath Telemachus put in a word and said, ‘Stranger,
you run on trippingly like an old fish-fag. I have a good if you have a mind to settle with this fellow, you need not
mind to lay both hands about you, and knock your teeth be afraid of any one here. Whoever strikes you will have to
out of your head like so many boar’s tusks. Get ready, there- fight more than one. I am host, and the other chiefs, Anti-
fore, and let these people here stand by and look on. You nous and Eurymachus, both of them men of understanding,
will never be able to fight one who is so much younger than are of the same mind as I am.’
yourself.’ Every one assented, and Ulysses girded his old rags about
Thus roundly did they rate one another on the smooth his loins, thus baring his stalwart thighs, his broad chest
pavement in front of the doorway, {149} and when Antinous and shoulders, and his mighty arms; but Minerva came up
saw what was going on he laughed heartily and said to the to him and made his limbs even stronger still. The suitors
others, ‘This is the finest sport that you ever saw; heaven were beyond measure astonished, and one would turn to-
never yet sent anything like it into this house. The stranger wards his neighbour saying, ‘The stranger has brought such
and Irus have quarreled and are going to fight, let us set a thigh out of his old rags that there will soon be nothing
them on to do so at once.’ left of Irus.’

Irus began to be very uneasy as he heard them, but the dogs and pigs off; you are a pitiful creature, and if you try to
servants girded him by force, and brought him [into the make yourself king of the beggars any more you shall fare
open part of the court] in such a fright that his limbs were still worse.’
all of a tremble. Antinous scolded him and said, ‘You swag- Then he threw his dirty old wallet, all tattered and torn
gering bully, you ought never to have been born at all if over his shoulder with the cord by which it hung, and went
you are afraid of such an old broken down creature as this back to sit down upon the threshold; but the suitors went
tramp is. I say, therefore—and it shall surely be—if he beats within the cloisters, laughing and saluting him, ‘May Jove,
you and proves himself the better man, I shall pack you off and all the other gods,’ said they, ‘grant you whatever you
on board ship to the mainland and send you to king Eche- want for having put an end to the importunity of this in-
tus, who kills every one that comes near him. He will cut satiable tramp. We will take him over to the mainland
off your nose and ears, and draw out your entrails for the presently, to king Echetus, who kills every one that comes
dogs to eat.’ near him.’
This frightened Irus still more, but they brought him Ulysses hailed this as of good omen, and Antinous set
into the middle of the court, and the two men raised their a great goat’s paunch before him filled with blood and fat.
hands to fight. Then Ulysses considered whether he should Amphinomus took two loaves out of the bread-basket and
let drive so hard at him as to make an end of him then and brought them to him, pledging him as he did so in a golden
there, or whether he should give him a lighter blow that goblet of wine. ‘Good luck to you,’ he said, ‘father stranger,
should only knock him down; in the end he deemed it best you are very badly off at present, but I hope you will have
to give the lighter blow for fear the Achaeans should begin better times by and by.’
to suspect who he was. Then they began to fight, and Irus To this Ulysses answered, ‘Amphinomus, you seem to
hit Ulysses on the right shoulder; but Ulysses gave Irus a be a man of good understanding, as indeed you may well
blow on the neck under the ear that broke in the bones of be, seeing whose son you are. I have heard your father well
his skull, and the blood came gushing out of his mouth; he spoken of; he is Nisus of Dulichium, a man both brave and
fell groaning in the dust, gnashing his teeth and kicking wealthy. They tell me you are his son, and you appear to
on the ground, but the suitors threw up their hands and be a considerable person; listen, therefore, and take heed to
nearly died of laughter, as Ulysses caught hold of him by what I am saying. Man is the vainest of all creatures that
the foot and dragged him into the outer court as far as the have their being upon earth. As long as heaven vouchsafes
gate-house. There he propped him up against the wall and him health and strength, he thinks that he shall come to no
put his staff in his hands. ‘Sit here,’ said he, ‘and keep the harm hereafter, and even when the blessed gods bring sor-

row upon him, he bears it as he needs must, and makes the but they mean mischief.’
best of it; for God almighty gives men their daily minds day ‘My dear child,’ answered Eurynome, ‘all that you have
by day. I know all about it, for I was a rich man once, and said is true, go and tell your son about it, but first wash
did much wrong in the stubbornness of my pride, and in yourself and anoint your face. Do not go about with your
the confidence that my father and my brothers would sup- cheeks all covered with tears; it is not right that you should
port me; therefore let a man fear God in all things always, grieve so incessantly; for Telemachus, whom you always
and take the good that heaven may see fit to send him with- prayed that you might live to see with a beard, is already
out vain glory. Consider the infamy of what these suitors grown up.’
are doing; see how they are wasting the estate, and doing ‘I know, Eurynome,’ replied Penelope, ‘that you mean
dishonour to the wife, of one who is certain to return some well, but do not try and persuade me to wash and to anoint
day, and that, too, not long hence. Nay, he will be here soon; myself, for heaven robbed me of all my beauty on the day
may heaven send you home quietly first that you may not my husband sailed; nevertheless, tell Autonoe and Hippo-
meet with him in the day of his coming, for once he is here damia that I want them. They must be with me when I am in
the suitors and he will not part bloodlessly.’ the cloister; I am not going among the men alone; it would
With these words he made a drink-offering, and when he not be proper for me to do so.’
had drunk he put the gold cup again into the hands of Am- On this the old woman {150} went out of the room to bid
phinomus, who walked away serious and bowing his head, the maids go to their mistress. In the meantime Minerva
for he foreboded evil. But even so he did not escape de- bethought her of another matter, and sent Penelope off into
struction, for Minerva had doomed him to fall by the hand a sweet slumber; so she lay down on her couch and her limbs
of Telemachus. So he took his seat again at the place from became heavy with sleep. Then the goddess shed grace and
which he had come. beauty over her that all the Achaeans might admire her. She
Then Minerva put it into the mind of Penelope to show washed her face with the ambrosial loveliness that Venus
herself to the suitors, that she might make them still more wears when she goes dancing with the Graces; she made her
enamoured of her, and win still further honour from her taller and of a more commanding figure, while as for her
son and husband. So she feigned a mocking laugh and said, complexion it was whiter than sawn ivory. When Minerva
‘Eurynome, I have changed my mind, and have a fancy to had done all this she went away, whereon the maids came in
show myself to the suitors although I detest them. I should from the women’s room and woke Penelope with the sound
like also to give my son a hint that he had better not have of their talking.
anything more to do with them. They speak fairly enough ‘What an exquisitely delicious sleep I have been having,’

said she, as she passed her hands over her face, ‘in spite of when I was younger; I cannot, however, behave with perfect
all my misery. I wish Diana would let me die so sweetly now propriety at all times. First one and then another of these
at this very moment, that I might no longer waste in despair wicked people here keeps driving me out of my mind, and
for the loss of my dear husband, who possessed every kind I have no one to stand by me. After all, however, this fight
of good quality and was the most distinguished man among between Irus and the stranger did not turn out as the suit-
the Achaeans.’ ors meant it to do, for the stranger got the best of it. I wish
With these words she came down from her upper room, Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo would break the neck of
not alone but attended by two of her maidens, and when she every one of these wooers of yours, some inside the house
reached the suitors she stood by one of the bearing-posts and some out; and I wish they might all be as limp as Irus is
supporting the roof of the cloister, holding a veil before her over yonder in the gate of the outer court. See how he nods
face, and with a staid maid servant on either side of her. As his head like a drunken man; he has had such a thrashing
they beheld her the suitors were so overpowered and be- that he cannot stand on his feet nor get back to his home,
came so desperately enamoured of her, that each one prayed wherever that may be, for he has no strength left in him.’
he might win her for his own bed fellow. Thus did they converse. Eurymachus then came up and
‘Telemachus,’ said she, addressing her son, ‘I fear you said, ‘Queen Penelope, daughter of Icarius, if all the Achae-
are no longer so discreet and well conducted as you used ans in Iasian Argos could see you at this moment, you would
to be. When you were younger you had a greater sense of have still more suitors in your house by tomorrow morn-
propriety; now, however, that you are grown up, though a ing, for you are the most admirable woman in the whole
stranger to look at you would take you for the son of a well world both as regards personal beauty and strength of un-
to do father as far as size and good looks go, your conduct derstanding.’
is by no means what it should be. What is all this distur- To this Penelope replied, ‘Eurymachus, heaven robbed
bance that has been going on, and how came you to allow a me of all my beauty whether of face or figure when the Ar-
stranger to be so disgracefully ill-treated? What would have gives set sail for Troy and my dear husband with them. If
happened if he had suffered serious injury while a suppliant he were to return and look after my affairs, I should both
in our house? Surely this would have been very discredit- be more respected and show a better presence to the world.
able to you.’ As it is, I am oppressed with care, and with the afflictions
‘I am not surprised, my dear mother, at your displeasure,’ which heaven has seen fit to heap upon me. My husband
replied Telemachus, ‘I understand all about it and know foresaw it all, and when he was leaving home he took my
when things are not as they should be, which I could not do right wrist in his hand—‘Wife,’ he said, ‘we shall not all

of us come safe home from Troy, for the Trojans fight well he may be.’
both with bow and spear. They are excellent also at fight- The others applauded what Antinous had said, and each
ing from chariots, and nothing decides the issue of a fight one sent his servant to bring his present. Antinous’s man
sooner than this. I know not, therefore, whether heaven will returned with a large and lovely dress most exquisitely em-
send me back to you, or whether I may not fall over there at broidered. It had twelve beautifully made brooch pins of
Troy. In the meantime do you look after things here. Take pure gold with which to fasten it. Eurymachus immediately
care of my father and mother as at present, and even more brought her a magnificent chain of gold and amber beads
so during my absence, but when you see our son growing a that gleamed like sunlight. Eurydamas’s two men returned
beard, then marry whom you will, and leave this your pres- with some earrings fashioned into three brilliant pendants
ent home.’ This is what he said and now it is all coming true. which glistened most beautifully; while king Pisander son
A night will come when I shall have to yield myself to a of Polyctor gave her a necklace of the rarest workmanship,
marriage which I detest, for Jove has taken from me all hope and every one else brought her a beautiful present of some
of happiness. This further grief, moreover, cuts me to the kind.
very heart. You suitors are not wooing me after the custom Then the queen went back to her room upstairs, and her
of my country. When men are courting a woman who they maids brought the presents after her. Meanwhile the suitors
think will be a good wife to them and who is of noble birth, took to singing and dancing, and stayed till evening came.
and when they are each trying to win her for himself, they They danced and sang till it grew dark; they then brought
usually bring oxen and sheep to feast the friends of the lady, in three braziers {151} to give light, and piled them up with
and they make her magnificent presents, instead of eating chopped firewood very old and dry, and they lit torches
up other people’s property without paying for it.’ from them, which the maids held up turn and turn about.
This was what she said, and Ulysses was glad when he Then Ulysses said:
heard her trying to get presents out of the suitors, and flat- ‘Maids, servants of Ulysses who has so long been absent,
tering them with fair words which he knew she did not go to the queen inside the house; sit with her and amuse
mean. her, or spin, and pick wool. I will hold the light for all these
Then Antinous said, ‘Queen Penelope, daughter of Icar- people. They may stay till morning, but shall not beat me,
ius, take as many presents as you please from any one who for I can stand a great deal.’
will give them to you; it is not well to refuse a present; but The maids looked at one another and laughed, while
we will not go about our business nor stir from where we pretty Melantho began to gibe at him contemptuously. She
are, till you have married the best man among us whoever was daughter to Dolius, but had been brought up by Penel-

ope, who used to give her toys to play with, and looked after this man has come to the house of Ulysses; I believe the
her when she was a child; but in spite of all this she showed light has not been coming from the torches, but from his
no consideration for the sorrows of her mistress, and used own head—for his hair is all gone, every bit of it.’
to misconduct herself with Eurymachus, with whom she Then turning to Ulysses he said, ‘Stranger, will you work
was in love. as a servant, if I send you to the wolds and see that you are
‘Poor wretch,’ said she, ‘are you gone clean out of your well paid? Can you build a stone fence, or plant trees? I will
mind? Go and sleep in some smithy, or place of public gos- have you fed all the year round, and will find you in shoes
sips, instead of chattering here. Are you not ashamed of and clothing. Will you go, then? Not you; for you have got
opening your mouth before your betters—so many of them into bad ways, and do not want to work; you had rather fill
too? Has the wine been getting into your head, or do you your belly by going round the country begging.’
always babble in this way? You seem to have lost your wits ‘Eurymachus,’ answered Ulysses, ‘if you and I were to
because you beat the tramp Irus; take care that a better man work one against the other in early summer when the days
than he does not come and cudgel you about the head till he are at their longest—give me a good scythe, and take anoth-
pack you bleeding out of the house.’ er yourself, and let us see which will last the longer or mow
‘Vixen,’ replied Ulysses, scowling at her, ‘I will go and the stronger, from dawn till dark when the mowing grass is
tell Telemachus what you have been saying, and he will have about. Or if you will plough against me, let us each take a
you torn limb from limb.’ yoke of tawny oxen, well-mated and of great strength and
With these words he scared the women, and they went endurance: turn me into a four acre field, and see whether
off into the body of the house. They trembled all over, for you or I can drive the straighter furrow. If, again, war were
they thought he would do as he said. But Ulysses took his to break out this day, give me a shield, a couple of spears and
stand near the burning braziers, holding up torches and a helmet fitting well upon my temples—you would find me
looking at the people—brooding the while on things that foremost in the fray, and would cease your gibes about my
should surely come to pass. belly. You are insolent and cruel, and think yourself a great
But Minerva would not let the suitors for one moment man because you live in a little world, and that a bad one.
cease their insolence, for she wanted Ulysses to become even If Ulysses comes to his own again, the doors of his house
more bitter against them; she therefore set Eurymachus son are wide, but you will find them narrow when you try to fly
of Polybus on to gibe at him, which made the others laugh. through them.’
‘Listen to me,’ said he, ‘you suitors of Queen Penelope, that Eurymachus was furious at all this. He scowled at him
I may speak even as I am minded. It is not for nothing that and cried, ‘You wretch, I will soon pay you out for daring to

say such things to me, and in public too. Has the wine been so Mulius of Dulichium, servant to Amphinomus, mixed
getting into your head or do you always babble in this way? them a bowl of wine and water and handed it round to each
You seem to have lost your wits because you beat the tramp of them man by man, whereon they made their drink-offer-
Irus.’ With this he caught hold of a footstool, but Ulysses ings to the blessed gods: Then, when they had made their
sought protection at the knees of Amphinomus of Dulich- drink-offerings and had drunk each one as he was mind-
ium, for he was afraid. The stool hit the cupbearer on his ed, they took their several ways each of them to his own
right hand and knocked him down: the man fell with a cry abode.
flat on his back, and his wine-jug fell ringing to the ground.
The suitors in the covered cloister were now in an uproar,
and one would turn towards his neighbour, saying, ‘I wish
the stranger had gone somewhere else, bad luck to him, for
all the trouble he gives us. We cannot permit such distur-
bance about a beggar; if such ill counsels are to prevail we
shall have no more pleasure at our banquet.’
On this Telemachus came forward and said, ‘Sirs, are
you mad? Can you not carry your meat and your liquor de-
cently? Some evil spirit has possessed you. I do not wish to
drive any of you away, but you have had your suppers, and
the sooner you all go home to bed the better.’
The suitors bit their lips and marvelled at the boldness of
his speech; but Amphinomus the son of Nisus, who was son
to Aretias, said, ‘Do not let us take offence; it is reasonable,
so let us make no answer. Neither let us do violence to the
stranger nor to any of Ulysses’ servants. Let the cupbearer
go round with the drink-offerings, that we may make them
and go home to our rest. As for the stranger, let us leave
Telemachus to deal with him, for it is to his house that he
has come.’
Thus did he speak, and his saying pleased them well,

BOOK XIX of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when
Ulysses went away, but has become soiled and begrimed
TELEMACHUS AND with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are afraid
Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that
ULYSSES REMOVE THE they may do each other some harm which may disgrace
both banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes
ARMOUR—ULYSSES tempts people to use them.’
Telemachus approved of what his father had said, so he
INTERVIEWS PENELOPE— called nurse Euryclea and said, ‘Nurse, shut the women up
in their room, while I take the armour that my father left
EURYCLEA WASHES HIS behind him down into the store room. No one looks after it
now my father is gone, and it has got all smirched with soot
FEET AND RECOGNISES during my own boyhood. I want to take it down where the
smoke cannot reach it.’
THE SCAR ON HIS LEG— ‘I wish, child,’ answered Euryclea, ‘that you would take
the management of the house into your own hands alto-
PENELOPE TELLS HER gether, and look after all the property yourself. But who is
to go with you and light you to the store-room? The maids
DREAM TO ULYSSES. would have done so, but you would not let them.’
‘The stranger,’ said Telemachus, ‘shall show me a light;
when people eat my bread they must earn it, no matter
where they come from.’
Euryclea did as she was told, and bolted the women in-
U lysses was left in the cloister, pondering on the means

whereby with Minerva’s help he might be able to kill
the suitors. Presently he said to Telemachus, ‘Telemachus,
side their room. Then Ulysses and his son made all haste to
take the helmets, shields, and spears inside; and Minerva
went before them with a gold lamp in her hand that shed
we must get the armour together and take it down inside. a soft and brilliant radiance, whereon Telemachus said,
Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why you have ‘Father, my eyes behold a great marvel: the walls, with the
removed it. Say that you have taken it to be out of the way rafters, crossbeams, and the supports on which they rest are

all aglow as with a flaming fire. Surely there is some god why should you be so angry with me? Is it because I am
here who has come down from heaven.’ not clean, and my clothes are all in rags, and because I am
‘Hush,’ answered Ulysses, ‘hold your peace and ask no obliged to go begging about after the manner of tramps and
questions, for this is the manner of the gods. Get you to beggars generally? I too was a rich man once, and had a fine
your bed, and leave me here to talk with your mother and house of my own; in those days I gave to many a tramp such
the maids. Your mother in her grief will ask me all sorts of as I now am, no matter who he might be nor what he want-
questions.’ ed. I had any number of servants, and all the other things
On this Telemachus went by torch-light to the other side which people have who live well and are accounted wealthy,
of the inner court, to the room in which he always slept. but it pleased Jove to take all away from me; therefore, wom-
There he lay in his bed till morning, while Ulysses was left an, beware lest you too come to lose that pride and place in
in the cloister pondering on the means whereby with Mi- which you now wanton above your fellows; have a care lest
nerva’s help he might be able to kill the suitors. you get out of favour with your mistress, and lest Ulysses
Then Penelope came down from her room looking like should come home, for there is still a chance that he may do
Venus or Diana, and they set her a seat inlaid with scrolls of so. Moreover, though he be dead as you think he is, yet by
silver and ivory near the fire in her accustomed place. It had Apollo’s will he has left a son behind him, Telemachus, who
been made by Icmalius and had a footstool all in one piece will note anything done amiss by the maids in the house,
with the seat itself; and it was covered with a thick fleece: for he is now no longer in his boyhood.’
on this she now sat, and the maids came from the wom- Penelope heard what he was saying and scolded the
en’s room to join her. They set about removing the tables at maid, ‘Impudent baggage,’ said she, ‘I see how abominably
which the wicked suitors had been dining, and took away you are behaving, and you shall smart for it. You knew per-
the bread that was left, with the cups from which they had fectly well, for I told you myself, that I was going to see the
drunk. They emptied the embers out of the braziers, and stranger and ask him about my husband, for whose sake I
heaped much wood upon them to give both light and heat; am in such continual sorrow.’
but Melantho began to rail at Ulysses a second time and Then she said to her head waiting woman Eurynome,
said, ‘Stranger, do you mean to plague us by hanging about ‘Bring a seat with a fleece upon it, for the stranger to sit
the house all night and spying upon the women? Be off, you upon while he tells his story, and listens to what I have to
wretch, outside, and eat your supper there, or you shall be say. I wish to ask him some questions.’
driven out with a firebrand.’ Eurynome brought the seat at once and set a fleece upon
Ulysses scowled at her and answered, ‘My good woman, it, and as soon as Ulysses had sat down Penelope began by

saying, ‘Stranger, I shall first ask you who and whence are are skilled artisans, but am all the time broken-hearted
you? Tell me of your town and parents.’ about Ulysses. They want me to marry again at once, and
‘Madam,’ answered Ulysses, ‘who on the face of the whole I have to invent stratagems in order to deceive them. In the
earth can dare to chide with you? Your fame reaches the fir- first place heaven put it in my mind to set up a great tam-
mament of heaven itself; you are like some blameless king, bour-frame in my room, and to begin working upon an
who upholds righteousness, as the monarch over a great enormous piece of fine needlework. Then I said to them,
and valiant nation: the earth yields its wheat and barley, the ‘Sweethearts, Ulysses is indeed dead, still, do not press me
trees are loaded with fruit, the ewes bring forth lambs, and to marry again immediately; wait—for I would not have my
the sea abounds with fish by reason of his virtues, and his skill in needlework perish unrecorded—till I have finished
people do good deeds under him. Nevertheless, as I sit here making a pall for the hero Laertes, to be ready against the
in your house, ask me some other question and do not seek time when death shall take him. He is very rich, and the
to know my race and family, or you will recall memories women of the place will talk if he is laid out without a pall.’
that will yet more increase my sorrow. I am full of heavi- This was what I said, and they assented; whereon I used to
ness, but I ought not to sit weeping and wailing in another keep working at my great web all day long, but at night I
person’s house, nor is it well to be thus grieving continually. would unpick the stitches again by torch light. I fooled them
I shall have one of the servants or even yourself complain- in this way for three years without their finding it out, but as
ing of me, and saying that my eyes swim with tears because time wore on and I was now in my fourth year, in the wan-
I am heavy with wine.’ ing of moons, and many days had been accomplished, those
Then Penelope answered, ‘Stranger, heaven robbed me good for nothing hussies my maids betrayed me to the suit-
of all beauty, whether of face or figure, when the Argives ors, who broke in upon me and caught me; they were very
set sail for Troy and my dear husband with them. If he were angry with me, so I was forced to finish my work whether I
to return and look after my affairs I should be both more would or no. And now I do not see how I can find any fur-
respected and should show a better presence to the world. ther shift for getting out of this marriage. My parents are
As it is, I am oppressed with care, and with the afflictions putting great pressure upon me, and my son chafes at the
which heaven has seen fit to heap upon me. The chiefs from ravages the suitors are making upon his estate, for he is now
all our islands—Dulichium, Same, and Zacynthus, as also old enough to understand all about it and is perfectly able to
from Ithaca itself, are wooing me against my will and are look after his own affairs, for heaven has blessed him with
wasting my estate. I can therefore show no attention to an excellent disposition. Still, notwithstanding all this, tell
strangers, nor suppliants, nor to people who say that they me who you are and where you come from—for you must

have had father and mother of some sort; you cannot be the of everything. Moreover, I fed the men who were with him
son of an oak or of a rock.’ with barley meal from the public store, and got subscrip-
Then Ulysses answered, ‘Madam, wife of Ulysses, since tions of wine and oxen for them to sacrifice to their heart’s
you persist in asking me about my family, I will answer, no content. They stayed with me twelve days, for there was a
matter what it costs me: people must expect to be pained gale blowing from the North so strong that one could hard-
when they have been exiles as long as I have, and suffered as ly keep one’s feet on land. I suppose some unfriendly god
much among as many peoples. Nevertheless, as regards your had raised it for them, but on the thirteenth day the wind
question I will tell you all you ask. There is a fair and fruitful dropped, and they got away.’
island in mid-ocean called Crete; it is thickly peopled and Many a plausible tale did Ulysses further tell her, and Pe-
there are ninety cities in it: the people speak many different nelope wept as she listened, for her heart was melted. As the
languages which overlap one another, for there are Achae- snow wastes upon the mountain tops when the winds from
ans, brave Eteocretans, Dorians of three-fold race, and noble South East and West have breathed upon it and thawed it till
Pelasgi. There is a great town there, Cnossus, where Minos the rivers run bank full with water, even so did her cheeks
reigned who every nine years had a conference with Jove overflow with tears for the husband who was all the time
himself. {152} Minos was father to Deucalion, whose son sitting by her side. Ulysses felt for her and was sorry for her,
I am, for Deucalion had two sons Idomeneus and myself. but he kept his eyes as hard as horn or iron without letting
Idomeneus sailed for Troy, and I, who am the younger, am them so much as quiver, so cunningly did he restrain his
called Aethon; my brother, however, was at once the older tears. Then, when she had relieved herself by weeping, she
and the more valiant of the two; hence it was in Crete that I turned to him again and said: ‘Now, stranger, I shall put you
saw Ulysses and showed him hospitality, for the winds took to the test and see whether or no you really did entertain my
him there as he was on his way to Troy, carrying him out of husband and his men, as you say you did. Tell me, then, how
his course from cape Malea and leaving him in Amnisus off he was dressed, what kind of a man he was to look at, and so
the cave of Ilithuia, where the harbours are difficult to enter also with his companions.’
and he could hardly find shelter from the winds that were ‘Madam,’ answered Ulysses, ‘it is such a long time ago
then raging. As soon as he got there he went into the town that I can hardly say. Twenty years are come and gone since
and asked for Idomeneus, claiming to be his old and valued he left my home, and went elsewhither; but I will tell you as
friend, but Idomeneus had already set sail for Troy some ten well as I can recollect. Ulysses wore a mantle of purple wool,
or twelve days earlier, so I took him to my own house and double lined, and it was fastened by a gold brooch with two
showed him every kind of hospitality, for I had abundance catches for the pin. On the face of this there was a device

that shewed a dog holding a spotted fawn between his fore the store room and folded them up myself, and I gave him
paws, and watching it as it lay panting upon the ground. Ev- also the gold brooch to wear as an ornament. Alas! I shall
ery one marvelled at the way in which these things had been never welcome him home again. It was by an ill fate that he
done in gold, the dog looking at the fawn, and strangling it, ever set out for that detested city whose very name I cannot
while the fawn was struggling convulsively to escape. {153} bring myself even to mention.’
As for the shirt that he wore next his skin, it was so soft that Then Ulysses answered, ‘Madam, wife of Ulysses, do not
it fitted him like the skin of an onion, and glistened in the disfigure yourself further by grieving thus bitterly for your
sunlight to the admiration of all the women who beheld it. loss, though I can hardly blame you for doing so. A woman
Furthermore I say, and lay my saying to your heart, that I do who has loved her husband and borne him children, would
not know whether Ulysses wore these clothes when he left naturally be grieved at losing him, even though he were a
home, or whether one of his companions had given them worse man than Ulysses, who they say was like a god. Still,
to him while he was on his voyage; or possibly some one at cease your tears and listen to what I can tell you. I will hide
whose house he was staying made him a present of them, for nothing from you, and can say with perfect truth that I have
he was a man of many friends and had few equals among lately heard of Ulysses as being alive and on his way home;
the Achaeans. I myself gave him a sword of bronze and a he is among the Thesprotians, and is bringing back much
beautiful purple mantle, double lined, with a shirt that went valuable treasure that he has begged from one and anoth-
down to his feet, and I sent him on board his ship with ever of them; but his ship and all his crew were lost as they
ery mark of honour. He had a servant with him, a little older were leaving the Thrinacian island, for Jove and the sun-
than himself, and I can tell you what he was like; his shoul- god were angry with him because his men had slaughtered
ders were hunched, {154} he was dark, and he had thick the sun-god’s cattle, and they were all drowned to a man.
curly hair. His name was Eurybates, and Ulysses treated But Ulysses stuck to the keel of the ship and was drifted on
him with greater familiarity than he did any of the others, to the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of kin to the
as being the most like-minded with himself.’ immortals, and who treated him as though he had been a
Penelope was moved still more deeply as she heard the god, giving him many presents, and wishing to escort him
indisputable proofs that Ulysses laid before her; and when home safe and sound. In fact Ulysses would have been here
she had again found relief in tears she said to him, ‘Stranger, long ago, had he not thought better to go from land to land
I was already disposed to pity you, but henceforth you shall gathering wealth; for there is no man living who is so wily
be honoured and made welcome in my house. It was I who as he is; there is no one can compare with him. Pheidon
gave Ulysses the clothes you speak of. I took them out of king of the Thesprotians told me all this, and he swore to

me—making drink-offerings in his house as he did so— Then, at day break wash him and anoint him again, that he
that the ship was by the water side and the crew found who may sit in the cloister and take his meals with Telemachus.
would take Ulysses to his own country. He sent me off first, It shall be the worse for any one of these hateful people who
for there happened to be a Thesprotian ship sailing for the is uncivil to him; like it or not, he shall have no more to do
wheat-growing island of Dulichium, but he showed me all in this house. For how, sir, shall you be able to learn whether
the treasure Ulysses had got together, and he had enough or no I am superior to others of my sex both in goodness
lying in the house of king Pheidon to keep his family for ten of heart and understanding, if I let you dine in my clois-
generations; but the king said Ulysses had gone to Dodona ters squalid and ill clad? Men live but for a little season; if
that he might learn Jove’s mind from the high oak tree, and they are hard, and deal hardly, people wish them ill so long
know whether after so long an absence he should return to as they are alive, and speak contemptuously of them when
Ithaca openly or in secret. So you may know he is safe and they are dead, but he that is righteous and deals righteously,
will be here shortly; he is close at hand and cannot remain the people tell of his praise among all lands, and many shall
away from home much longer; nevertheless I will confirm call him blessed.’
my words with an oath, and call Jove who is the first and Ulysses answered, ‘Madam, I have foresworn rugs and
mightiest of all gods to witness, as also that hearth of Ulyss- blankets from the day that I left the snowy ranges of Crete
es to which I have now come, that all I have spoken shall to go on shipboard. I will lie as I have lain on many a sleep-
surely come to pass. Ulysses will return in this self same less night hitherto. Night after night have I passed in any
year; with the end of this moon and the beginning of the rough sleeping place, and waited for morning. Nor, again,
next he will be here.’ do I like having my feet washed; I shall not let any of the
‘May it be even so,’ answered Penelope; ‘if your words young hussies about your house touch my feet; but, if you
come true you shall have such gifts and such good will from have any old and respectable woman who has gone through
me that all who see you shall congratulate you; but I know as much trouble as I have, I will allow her to wash them.’
very well how it will be. Ulysses will not return, neither To this Penelope said, ‘My dear sir, of all the guests who
will you get your escort hence, for so surely as that Ulysses ever yet came to my house there never was one who spoke
ever was, there are now no longer any such masters in the in all things with such admirable propriety as you do. There
house as he was, to receive honourable strangers or to fur- happens to be in the house a most respectable old woman—
ther them on their way home. And now, you maids, wash the same who received my poor dear husband in her arms
his feet for him, and make him a bed on a couch with rugs the night he was born, and nursed him in infancy. She is
and blankets, that he may be warm and quiet till morning. very feeble now, but she shall wash your feet.’ ‘Come here,’

said she, ‘Euryclea, and wash your master’s age-mate; I sup- was going to wash his feet, and poured plenty of cold water
pose Ulysses’ hands and feet are very much the same now as into it, adding hot till the bath was warm enough. Ulysses
his are, for trouble ages all of us dreadfully fast.’ sat by the fire, but ere long he turned away from the light,
On these words the old woman covered her face with for it occurred to him that when the old woman had hold
her hands; she began to weep and made lamentation say- of his leg she would recognise a certain scar which it bore,
ing, ‘My dear child, I cannot think whatever I am to do with whereon the whole truth would come out. And indeed as
you. I am certain no one was ever more god-fearing than soon as she began washing her master, she at once knew the
yourself, and yet Jove hates you. No one in the whole world scar as one that had been given him by a wild boar when he
ever burned him more thigh bones, nor gave him finer hec- was hunting on Mt. Parnassus with his excellent grandfa-
atombs when you prayed you might come to a green old age ther Autolycus—who was the most accomplished thief and
yourself and see your son grow up to take after you: yet see perjurer in the whole world—and with the sons of Autoly-
how he has prevented you alone from ever getting back to cus. Mercury himself had endowed him with this gift, for he
your own home. I have no doubt the women in some for- used to burn the thigh bones of goats and kids to him, so he
eign palace which Ulysses has got to are gibing at him as all took pleasure in his companionship. It happened once that
these sluts here have been gibing at you. I do not wonder at Autolycus had gone to Ithaca and had found the child of his
your not choosing to let them wash you after the manner daughter just born. As soon as he had done supper Euryclea
in which they have insulted you; I will wash your feet my- set the infant upon his knees and said, ‘Autolycus, you must
self gladly enough, as Penelope has said that I am to do so; I find a name for your grandson; you greatly wished that you
will wash them both for Penelope’s sake and for your own, might have one.’
for you have raised the most lively feelings of compassion ‘Son-in-law and daughter,’ replied Autolycus, ‘call the
in my mind; and let me say this moreover, which pray at- child thus: I am highly displeased with a large number of
tend to; we have had all kinds of strangers in distress come people in one place and another, both men and women; so
here before now, but I make bold to say that no one ever yet name the child ‘Ulysses,’ or the child of anger. When he
came who was so like Ulysses in figure, voice, and feet as grows up and comes to visit his mother’s family on Mt. Par-
you are.’ nassus, where my possessions lie, I will make him a present
‘Those who have seen us both,’ answered Ulysses, ‘have and will send him on his way rejoicing.’
always said we were wonderfully like each other, and now Ulysses, therefore, went to Parnassus to get the pres-
you have noticed it too.’ ents from Autolycus, who with his sons shook hands with
Then the old woman took the cauldron in which she him and gave him welcome. His grandmother Amphithea

threw her arms about him, and kissed his head, and both try to drive it into the brute, but the boar was too quick
his beautiful eyes, while Autolycus desired his sons to get for him, and charged him sideways, ripping him above the
dinner ready, and they did as he told them. They brought knee with a gash that tore deep though it did not reach the
in a five year old bull, flayed it, made it ready and divided bone. As for the boar, Ulysses hit him on the right shoulder,
it into joints; these they then cut carefully up into smaller and the point of the spear went right through him, so that
pieces and spitted them; they roasted them sufficiently and he fell groaning in the dust until the life went out of him.
served the portions round. Thus through the livelong day The sons of Autolycus busied themselves with the carcass
to the going down of the sun they feasted, and every man of the boar, and bound Ulysses’ wound; then, after saying
had his full share so that all were satisfied; but when the sun a spell to stop the bleeding, they went home as fast as they
set and it came on dark, they went to bed and enjoyed the could. But when Autolycus and his sons had thoroughly
boon of sleep. healed Ulysses, they made him some splendid presents, and
When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, ap- sent him back to Ithaca with much mutual good will. When
peared, the sons of Autolycus went out with their hounds he got back, his father and mother were rejoiced to see him,
hunting, and Ulysses went too. They climbed the wooded and asked him all about it, and how he had hurt himself to
slopes of Parnassus and soon reached its breezy upland val- get the scar; so he told them how the boar had ripped him
leys; but as the sun was beginning to beat upon the fields, when he was out hunting with Autolycus and his sons on
fresh-risen from the slow still currents of Oceanus, they Mt. Parnassus.
came to a mountain dell. The dogs were in front searching As soon as Euryclea had got the scarred limb in her
for the tracks of the beast they were chasing, and after them hands and had well hold of it, she recognised it and dropped
came the sons of Autolycus, among whom was Ulysses, close the foot at once. The leg fell into the bath, which rang out
behind the dogs, and he had a long spear in his hand. Here and was overturned, so that all the water was spilt on the
was the lair of a huge boar among some thick brushwood, ground; Euryclea’s eyes between her joy and her grief filled
so dense that the wind and rain could not get through it, with tears, and she could not speak, but she caught Ulysses
nor could the sun’s rays pierce it, and the ground under- by the beard and said, ‘My dear child, I am sure you must be
neath lay thick with fallen leaves. The boar heard the noise Ulysses himself, only I did not know you till I had actually
of the men’s feet, and the hounds baying on every side as the touched and handled you.’
huntsmen came up to him, so he rushed from his lair, raised As she spoke she looked towards Penelope, as though
the bristles on his neck, and stood at bay with fire flashing wanting to tell her that her dear husband was in the house,
from his eyes. Ulysses was the first to raise his spear and but Penelope was unable to look in that direction and ob-

serve what was going on, for Minerva had diverted her another matter. It is indeed nearly bed time—for those, at
attention; so Ulysses caught Euryclea by the throat with his least, who can sleep in spite of sorrow. As for myself, heav-
right hand and with his left drew her close to him, and said, en has given me a life of such unmeasurable woe, that even
‘Nurse, do you wish to be the ruin of me, you who nursed by day when I am attending to my duties and looking after
me at your own breast, now that after twenty years of wan- the servants, I am still weeping and lamenting during the
dering I am at last come to my own home again? Since it has whole time; then, when night comes, and we all of us go to
been borne in upon you by heaven to recognise me, hold bed, I lie awake thinking, and my heart becomes a prey to
your tongue, and do not say a word about it to any one else the most incessant and cruel tortures. As the dun nightin-
in the house, for if you do I tell you—and it shall surely be— gale, daughter of Pandareus, sings in the early spring from
that if heaven grants me to take the lives of these suitors, I her seat in shadiest covert hid, and with many a plaintive
will not spare you, though you are my own nurse, when I trill pours out the tale how by mishap she killed her own
am killing the other women.’ child Itylus, son of king Zethus, even so does my mind toss
‘My child,’ answered Euryclea, ‘what are you talking and turn in its uncertainty whether I ought to stay with my
about? You know very well that nothing can either bend son here, and safeguard my substance, my bondsmen, and
or break me. I will hold my tongue like a stone or a piece the greatness of my house, out of regard to public opinion
of iron; furthermore let me say, and lay my saying to your and the memory of my late husband, or whether it is not
heart, when heaven has delivered the suitors into your hand, now time for me to go with the best of these suitors who are
I will give you a list of the women in the house who have wooing me and making me such magnificent presents. As
been ill-behaved, and of those who are guiltless.’ long as my son was still young, and unable to understand,
And Ulysses answered, ‘Nurse, you ought not to speak he would not hear of my leaving my husband’s house, but
in that way; I am well able to form my own opinion about now that he is full grown he begs and prays me to do so, be-
one and all of them; hold your tongue and leave everything ing incensed at the way in which the suitors are eating up
to heaven.’ his property. Listen, then, to a dream that I have had and
As he said this Euryclea left the cloister to fetch some interpret it for me if you can. I have twenty geese about the
more water, for the first had been all spilt; and when she had house that eat mash out of a trough, {155} and of which I am
washed him and anointed him with oil, Ulysses drew his exceedingly fond. I dreamed that a great eagle came swoop-
seat nearer to the fire to warm himself, and hid the scar un- ing down from a mountain, and dug his curved beak into
der his rags. Then Penelope began talking to him and said: the neck of each of them till he had killed them all. Present-
‘Stranger, I should like to speak with you briefly about ly he soared off into the sky, and left them lying dead about

the yard; whereon I wept in my dream till all my maids stays upon which a ship is built; he would then go back from
gathered round me, so piteously was I grieving because the them and shoot an arrow through the whole twelve. I shall
eagle had killed my geese. Then he came back again, and make the suitors try to do the same thing, and whichever
perching on a projecting rafter spoke to me with human of them can string the bow most easily, and send his arrow
voice, and told me to leave off crying. ‘Be of good courage,’ through all the twelve axes, him will I follow, and quit this
he said, ‘daughter of Icarius; this is no dream, but a vision of house of my lawful husband, so goodly and so abounding
good omen that shall surely come to pass. The geese are the in wealth. But even so, I doubt not that I shall remember it
suitors, and I am no longer an eagle, but your own husband, in my dreams.’
who am come back to you, and who will bring these suitors Then Ulysses answered, ‘Madam, wife of Ulysses, you
to a disgraceful end.’ On this I woke, and when I looked out need not defer your tournament, for Ulysses will return ere
I saw my geese at the trough eating their mash as usual.’ ever they can string the bow, handle it how they will, and
‘This dream, Madam,’ replied Ulysses, ‘can admit but of send their arrows through the iron.’
one interpretation, for had not Ulysses himself told you how To this Penelope said, ‘As long, sir, as you will sit here
it shall be fulfilled? The death of the suitors is portended, and talk to me, I can have no desire to go to bed. Still, peo-
and not one single one of them will escape.’ ple cannot do permanently without sleep, and heaven has
And Penelope answered, ‘Stranger, dreams are very cu- appointed us dwellers on earth a time for all things. I will
rious and unaccountable things, and they do not by any therefore go upstairs and recline upon that couch which
means invariably come true. There are two gates through I have never ceased to flood with my tears from the day
which these unsubstantial fancies proceed; the one is of Ulysses set out for the city with a hateful name.’
horn, and the other ivory. Those that come through the gate She then went upstairs to her own room, not alone, but
of ivory are fatuous, but those from the gate of horn mean attended by her maidens, and when there, she lamented her
something to those that see them. I do not think, however, dear husband till Minerva shed sweet sleep over her eye-
that my own dream came through the gate of horn, though lids.
I and my son should be most thankful if it proves to have
done so. Furthermore I say—and lay my saying to your
heart—the coming dawn will usher in the ill-omened day
that is to sever me from the house of Ulysses, for I am about
to hold a tournament of axes. My husband used to set up
twelve axes in the court, one in front of the other, like the

BOOK XX sheep the suitors had eaten, and Eurynome {156} threw a
cloak over him after he had laid himself down. There, then,
ULYSSES CANNOT SLEEP— Ulysses lay wakefully brooding upon the way in which he
should kill the suitors; and by and by, the women who had
PENELOPE’S PRAYER TO been in the habit of misconducting themselves with them,
left the house giggling and laughing with one another. This
DIANA—THE TWO SIGNS made Ulysses very angry, and he doubted whether to get
up and kill every single one of them then and there, or
FROM HEAVEN—EUMAEUS to let them sleep one more and last time with the suitors.
His heart growled within him, and as a bitch with puppies
AND PHILOETIUS ARRIVE— growls and shows her teeth when she sees a stranger, so did
his heart growl with anger at the evil deeds that were being
THE SUITORS DINE— done: but he beat his breast and said, ‘Heart, be still, you
had worse than this to bear on the day when the terrible Cy-
CTESIPPUS THROWS AN clops ate your brave companions; yet you bore it in silence
till your cunning got you safe out of the cave, though you
OX’S FOOT AT ULYSSES— made sure of being killed.’
Thus he chided with his heart, and checked it into en-
THEOCLYMENUS durance, but he tossed about as one who turns a paunch full
of blood and fat in front of a hot fire, doing it first on one
FORETELLS DISASTER side and then on the other, that he may get it cooked as soon
as possible, even so did he turn himself about from side to
AND LEAVES THE HOUSE. side, thinking all the time how, single handed as he was, he
should contrive to kill so large a body of men as the wicked
suitors. But by and by Minerva came down from heaven in
the likeness of a woman, and hovered over his head say-
ing, ‘My poor unhappy man, why do you lie awake in this
U lysses slept in the cloister upon an undressed bullock’s

hide, on the top of which he threw several skins of the
way? This is your house: your wife is safe inside it, and so
is your son who is just such a young man as any father may

be proud of.’ father and mother, for the gods killed them, so they were
‘Goddess,’ answered Ulysses, ‘all that you have said is left orphans. But Venus took care of them, and fed them on
true, but I am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill cheese, honey, and sweet wine. Juno taught them to excel all
these wicked suitors single handed, seeing what a number women in beauty of form and understanding; Diana gave
of them there always are. And there is this further difficulty, them an imposing presence, and Minerva endowed them
which is still more considerable. Supposing that with Jove’s with every kind of accomplishment; but one day when Ve-
and your assistance I succeed in killing them, I must ask nus had gone up to Olympus to see Jove about getting them
you to consider where I am to escape to from their avengers married (for well does he know both what shall happen and
when it is all over.’ what not happen to every one) the storm winds came and
‘For shame,’ replied Minerva, ‘why, any one else would spirited them away to become handmaids to the dread Er-
trust a worse ally than myself, even though that ally were inyes. Even so I wish that the gods who live in heaven would
only a mortal and less wise than I am. Am I not a god- hide me from mortal sight, or that fair Diana might strike
dess, and have I not protected you throughout in all your me, for I would fain go even beneath the sad earth if I might
troubles? I tell you plainly that even though there were fif- do so still looking towards Ulysses only, and without hav-
ty bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us, you ing to yield myself to a worse man than he was. Besides, no
should take all their sheep and cattle, and drive them away matter how much people may grieve by day, they can put
with you. But go to sleep; it is a very bad thing to lie awake up with it so long as they can sleep at night, for when the
all night, and you shall be out of your troubles before long.’ eyes are closed in slumber people forget good and ill alike;
As she spoke she shed sleep over his eyes, and then went whereas my misery haunts me even in my dreams. This very
back to Olympus. night methought there was one lying by my side who was
While Ulysses was thus yielding himself to a very deep like Ulysses as he was when he went away with his host, and
slumber that eased the burden of his sorrows, his admirable I rejoiced, for I believed that it was no dream, but the very
wife awoke, and sitting up in her bed began to cry. When she truth itself.’
had relieved herself by weeping she prayed to Diana saying, On this the day broke, but Ulysses heard the sound of her
‘Great Goddess Diana, daughter of Jove, drive an arrow into weeping, and it puzzled him, for it seemed as though she al-
my heart and slay me; or let some whirlwind snatch me up ready knew him and was by his side. Then he gathered up
and bear me through paths of darkness till it drop me into the cloak and the fleeces on which he had lain, and set them
the mouths of over-flowing Oceanus, as it did the daugh- on a seat in the cloister, but he took the bullock’s hide out
ters of Pandareus. The daughters of Pandareus lost their into the open. He lifted up his hands to heaven, and prayed,

saying ‘Father Jove, since you have seen fit to bring me over He girded his sword about his shoulder, bound his san-
land and sea to my own home after all the afflictions you dals on to his comely feet, and took a doughty spear with a
have laid upon me, give me a sign out of the mouth of some point of sharpened bronze; then he went to the threshold of
one or other of those who are now waking within the house, the cloister and said to Euryclea, ‘Nurse, did you make the
and let me have another sign of some kind from outside.’ stranger comfortable both as regards bed and board, or did
Thus did he pray. Jove heard his prayer and forthwith you let him shift for himself?—for my mother, good woman
thundered high up among the clouds from the splendour though she is, has a way of paying great attention to sec-
of Olympus, and Ulysses was glad when he heard it. At the ond-rate people, and of neglecting others who are in reality
same time within the house, a miller-woman from hard by much better men.’
in the mill room lifted up her voice and gave him anoth- ‘Do not find fault child,’ said Euryclea, ‘when there is no
er sign. There were twelve miller-women whose business it one to find fault with. The stranger sat and drank his wine
was to grind wheat and barley which are the staff of life. The as long as he liked: your mother did ask him if he would take
others had ground their task and had gone to take their rest, any more bread and he said he would not. When he wanted
but this one had not yet finished, for she was not so strong to go to bed she told the servants to make one for him, but
as they were, and when she heard the thunder she stopped he said he was such a wretched outcast that he would not
grinding and gave the sign to her master. ‘Father Jove,’ said sleep on a bed and under blankets; he insisted on having an
she, ‘you, who rule over heaven and earth, you have thun- undressed bullock’s hide and some sheepskins put for him
dered from a clear sky without so much as a cloud in it, and in the cloister and I threw a cloak over him myself.’ {157}
this means something for somebody; grant the prayer, then, Then Telemachus went out of the court to the place where
of me your poor servant who calls upon you, and let this be the Achaeans were meeting in assembly; he had his spear in
the very last day that the suitors dine in the house of Ulyss- his hand, and he was not alone, for his two dogs went with
es. They have worn me out with labour of grinding meal for him. But Euryclea called the maids and said, ‘Come, wake
them, and I hope they may never have another dinner any- up; set about sweeping the cloisters and sprinkling them
where at all.’ with water to lay the dust; put the covers on the seats; wipe
Ulysses was glad when he heard the omens conveyed to down the tables, some of you, with a wet sponge; clean out
him by the woman’s speech, and by the thunder, for he knew the mixing-jugs and the cups, and go for water from the
they meant that he should avenge himself on the suitors. fountain at once; the suitors will be here directly; they will
Then the other maids in the house rose and lit the fire be here early, for it is a feast day.’
on the hearth; Telemachus also rose and put on his clothes. Thus did she speak, and they did even as she had said:

twenty of them went to the fountain for water, and the oth- stranger that is lately come here? Is he one of your men?
ers set themselves busily to work about the house. The men What is his family? Where does he come from? Poor fel-
who were in attendance on the suitors also came up and low, he looks as if he had been some great man, but the gods
began chopping firewood. By and by the women returned give sorrow to whom they will—even to kings if it so pleases
from the fountain, and the swineherd came after them with them.’
the three best pigs he could pick out. These he let feed about As he spoke he went up to Ulysses and saluted him with
the premises, and then he said good-humouredly to Ulyss- his right hand; ‘Good day to you, father stranger,’ said he,
es, ‘Stranger, are the suitors treating you any better now, or ‘you seem to be very poorly off now, but I hope you will have
are they as insolent as ever?’ better times by and by. Father Jove, of all gods you are the
‘May heaven,’ answered Ulysses, ‘requite to them the most malicious. We are your own children, yet you show
wickedness with which they deal high-handedly in another us no mercy in all our misery and afflictions. A sweat came
man’s house without any sense of shame.’ over me when I saw this man, and my eyes filled with tears,
Thus did they converse; meanwhile Melanthius the goat- for he reminds me of Ulysses, who I fear is going about in
herd came up, for he too was bringing in his best goats for the just such rags as this man’s are, if indeed he is still among
suitors’ dinner; and he had two shepherds with him. They the living. If he is already dead and in the house of Hades,
tied the goats up under the gatehouse, and then Melanthius then, alas! for my good master, who made me his stockman
began gibing at Ulysses. ‘Are you still here, stranger,’ said when I was quite young among the Cephallenians, and now
he, ‘to pester people by begging about the house? Why can his cattle are countless; no one could have done better with
you not go elsewhere? You and I shall not come to an under- them than I have, for they have bred like ears of corn; nev-
standing before we have given each other a taste of our fists. ertheless I have to keep bringing them in for others to eat,
You beg without any sense of decency: are there not feasts who take no heed to his son though he is in the house, and
elsewhere among the Achaeans, as well as here?’ fear not the wrath of heaven, but are already eager to divide
Ulysses made no answer, but bowed his head and brood- Ulysses’ property among them because he has been away so
ed. Then a third man, Philoetius, joined them, who was long. I have often thought—only it would not be right while
bringing in a barren heifer and some goats. These were his son is living—of going off with the cattle to some foreign
brought over by the boatmen who are there to take people country; bad as this would be, it is still harder to stay here
over when any one comes to them. So Philoetius made his and be ill-treated about other people’s herds. My position is
heifer and his goats secure under the gatehouse, and then intolerable, and I should long since have run away and put
went up to the swineherd. ‘Who, Swineherd,’ said he, ‘is this myself under the protection of some other chief, only that

I believe my poor master will yet return, and send all these them.
suitors flying out of the house.’ Telemachus purposely made Ulysses sit in the part of
‘Stockman,’ answered Ulysses, ‘you seem to be a very the cloister that was paved with stone; {158} he gave him
well-disposed person, and I can see that you are a man of a shabby looking seat at a little table to himself, and had
sense. Therefore I will tell you, and will confirm my words his portion of the inward meats brought to him, with his
with an oath. By Jove, the chief of all gods, and by that wine in a gold cup. ‘Sit there,’ said he, ‘and drink your wine
hearth of Ulysses to which I am now come, Ulysses shall among the great people. I will put a stop to the gibes and
return before you leave this place, and if you are so minded blows of the suitors, for this is no public house, but belongs
you shall see him killing the suitors who are now masters to Ulysses, and has passed from him to me. Therefore, suit-
here.’ ors, keep your hands and your tongues to yourselves, or
‘If Jove were to bring this to pass,’ replied the stockman, there will be mischief.’
‘you should see how I would do my very utmost to help The suitors bit their lips, and marvelled at the bold-
him.’ ness of his speech; then Antinous said, ‘We do not like
And in like manner Eumaeus prayed that Ulysses might such language but we will put up with it, for Telemachus is
return home. threatening us in good earnest. If Jove had let us we should
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were have put a stop to his brave talk ere now.’
hatching a plot to murder Telemachus: but a bird flew near Thus spoke Antinous, but Telemachus heeded him not.
them on their left hand—an eagle with a dove in its talons. Meanwhile the heralds were bringing the holy hecatomb
On this Amphinomus said, ‘My friends, this plot of ours through the city, and the Achaeans gathered under the
to murder Telemachus will not succeed; let us go to dinner shady grove of Apollo.
instead.’ Then they roasted the outer meat, drew it off the spits,
The others assented, so they went inside and laid their gave every man his portion, and feasted to their heart’s
cloaks on the benches and seats. They sacrificed the sheep, content; those who waited at table gave Ulysses exactly the
goats, pigs, and the heifer, and when the inward meats were same portion as the others had, for Telemachus had told
cooked they served them round. They mixed the wine in them to do so.
the mixing-bowls, and the swineherd gave every man his But Minerva would not let the suitors for one moment
cup, while Philoetius handed round the bread in the bread drop their insolence, for she wanted Ulysses to become still
baskets, and Melanthius poured them out their wine. Then more bitter against them. Now there happened to be among
they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them a ribald fellow, whose name was Ctesippus, and who

came from Same. This man, confident in his great wealth, astor said, ‘No one should take offence at what has just
was paying court to the wife of Ulysses, and said to the suit- been said, nor gainsay it, for it is quite reasonable. Leave
ors, ‘Hear what I have to say. The stranger has already had off, therefore, ill-treating the stranger, or any one else of the
as large a portion as any one else; this is well, for it is not servants who are about the house; I would say, however, a
right nor reasonable to ill-treat any guest of Telemachus friendly word to Telemachus and his mother, which I trust
who comes here. I will, however, make him a present on may commend itself to both. ‘As long,’ I would say, ‘as you
my own account, that he may have something to give to the had ground for hoping that Ulysses would one day come
bath-woman, or to some other of Ulysses’ servants.’ home, no one could complain of your waiting and suffer-
As he spoke he picked up a heifer’s foot from the meat- ing {160} the suitors to be in your house. It would have been
basket in which it lay, and threw it at Ulysses, but Ulysses better that he should have returned, but it is now sufficiently
turned his head a little aside, and avoided it, smiling grimly clear that he will never do so; therefore talk all this quietly
Sardinian fashion {159} as he did so, and it hit the wall, not over with your mother, and tell her to marry the best man,
him. On this Telemachus spoke fiercely to Ctesippus, ‘It is and the one who makes her the most advantageous offer.
a good thing for you,’ said he, ‘that the stranger turned his Thus you will yourself be able to manage your own inheri-
head so that you missed him. If you had hit him I should tance, and to eat and drink in peace, while your mother will
have run you through with my spear, and your father look after some other man’s house, not yours.’’
would have had to see about getting you buried rather than To this Telemachus answered, ‘By Jove, Agelaus, and
married in this house. So let me have no more unseemly by the sorrows of my unhappy father, who has either per-
behaviour from any of you, for I am grown up now to the ished far from Ithaca, or is wandering in some distant land,
knowledge of good and evil and understand what is going I throw no obstacles in the way of my mother’s marriage; on
on, instead of being the child that I have been heretofore. I the contrary I urge her to choose whomsoever she will, and
have long seen you killing my sheep and making free with I will give her numberless gifts into the bargain, but I dare
my corn and wine: I have put up with this, for one man is not insist point blank that she shall leave the house against
no match for many, but do me no further violence. Still, if her own wishes. Heaven forbid that I should do this.’
you wish to kill me, kill me; I would far rather die than see Minerva now made the suitors fall to laughing immod-
such disgraceful scenes day after day—guests insulted, and erately, and set their wits wandering; but they were laughing
men dragging the women servants about the house in an with a forced laughter. Their meat became smeared with
unseemly way.’ blood; their eyes filled with tears, and their hearts were
They all held their peace till at last Agelaus son of Dam- heavy with forebodings. Theoclymenus saw this and said,

‘Unhappy men, what is it that ails you? There is a shroud Telemachus gave him no heed, but sate silently watching
of darkness drawn over you from head to foot, your cheeks his father, expecting every moment that he would begin his
are wet with tears; the air is alive with wailing voices; the attack upon the suitors.
walls and roof-beams drip blood; the gate of the cloisters Meanwhile the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, had
and the court beyond them are full of ghosts trooping down had a rich seat placed for her facing the court and cloisters,
into the night of hell; the sun is blotted out of heaven, and a so that she could hear what every one was saying. The din-
blighting gloom is over all the land.’ ner indeed had been prepared amid much merriment; it had
Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed heartily. been both good and abundant, for they had sacrificed many
Eurymachus then said, ‘This stranger who has lately come victims; but the supper was yet to come, and nothing can be
here has lost his senses. Servants, turn him out into the conceived more gruesome than the meal which a goddess
streets, since he finds it so dark here.’ and a brave man were soon to lay before them—for they had
But Theoclymenus said, ‘Eurymachus, you need not send brought their doom upon themselves.
any one with me. I have eyes, ears, and a pair of feet of my
own, to say nothing of an understanding mind. I will take
these out of the house with me, for I see mischief overhang-
ing you, from which not one of you men who are insulting
people and plotting ill deeds in the house of Ulysses will be
able to escape.’
He left the house as he spoke, and went back to Pirae-
us who gave him welcome, but the suitors kept looking at
one another and provoking Telemachus by laughing at the
strangers. One insolent fellow said to him, ‘Telemachus,
you are not happy in your guests; first you have this impor-
tunate tramp, who comes begging bread and wine and has
no skill for work or for hard fighting, but is perfectly use-
less, and now here is another fellow who is setting himself
up as a prophet. Let me persuade you, for it will be much
better to put them on board ship and send them off to the
Sicels to sell for what they will bring.’

BOOK XXI dred sheep from Ithaca, and had sailed away with them and
with their shepherds. In quest of these Ulysses took a long
THE TRIAL OF THE journey while still quite young, for his father and the other
chieftains sent him on a mission to recover them. Iphitus
AXES, DURING WHICH had gone there also to try and get back twelve brood mares
that he had lost, and the mule foals that were running with
ULYSSES REVEALS them. These mares were the death of him in the end, for
when he went to the house of Jove’s son, mighty Hercules,
HIMSELF TO EUMAEUS who performed such prodigies of valour, Hercules to his
shame killed him, though he was his guest, for he feared not
AND PHILOETIUS heaven’s vengeance, nor yet respected his own table which
he had set before Iphitus, but killed him in spite of every-
thing, and kept the mares himself. It was when claiming
these that Iphitus met Ulysses, and gave him the bow which
mighty Eurytus had been used to carry, and which on his
M inerva now put it in Penelope’s mind to make the suit-

ors try their skill with the bow and with the iron axes,
in contest among themselves, as a means of bringing about
death had been left by him to his son. Ulysses gave him in
return a sword and a spear, and this was the beginning of a
fast friendship, although they never visited at one another’s
their destruction. She went upstairs and got the store-room houses, for Jove’s son Hercules killed Iphitus ere they could
key, which was made of bronze and had a handle of ivo- do so. This bow, then, given him by Iphitus, had not been
ry; she then went with her maidens into the store-room at taken with him by Ulysses when he sailed for Troy; he had
the end of the house, where her husband’s treasures of gold, used it so long as he had been at home, but had left it behind
bronze, and wrought iron were kept, and where was also as having been a keepsake from a valued friend.
his bow, and the quiver full of deadly arrows that had been Penelope presently reached the oak threshold of the
given him by a friend whom he had met in Lacedaemon— store-room; the carpenter had planed this duly, and had
Iphitus the son of Eurytus. The two fell in with one another drawn a line on it so as to get it quite straight; he had then
in Messene at the house of Ortilochus, where Ulysses was set the door posts into it and hung the doors. She loosed the
staying in order to recover a debt that was owing from the strap from the handle of the door, put in the key, and drove
whole people; for the Messenians had carried off three hun- it straight home to shoot back the bolts that held the doors;

{161} these flew open with a noise like a bull bellowing in a scolded them. ‘You country louts,’ said he, ‘silly simpletons;
meadow, and Penelope stepped upon the raised platform, why should you add to the sorrows of your mistress by cry-
where the chests stood in which the fair linen and clothes ing in this way? She has enough to grieve her in the loss
were laid by along with fragrant herbs: reaching thence, she of her husband; sit still, therefore, and eat your dinners in
took down the bow with its bow case from the peg on which silence, or go outside if you want to cry, and leave the bow
it hung. She sat down with it on her knees, weeping bitterly behind you. We suitors shall have to contend for it with
as she took the bow out of its case, and when her tears had might and main, for we shall find it no light matter to string
relieved her, she went to the cloister where the suitors were, such a bow as this is. There is not a man of us all who is such
carrying the bow and the quiver, with the many deadly ar- another as Ulysses; for I have seen him and remember him,
rows that were inside it. Along with her came her maidens, though I was then only a child.’
bearing a chest that contained much iron and bronze which This was what he said, but all the time he was expect-
her husband had won as prizes. When she reached the suit- ing to be able to string the bow and shoot through the iron,
ors, she stood by one of the bearing-posts supporting the whereas in fact he was to be the first that should taste of the
roof of the cloister, holding a veil before her face, and with a arrows from the hands of Ulysses, whom he was dishonour-
maid on either side of her. Then she said: ing in his own house—egging the others on to do so also.
‘Listen to me you suitors, who persist in abusing the Then Telemachus spoke. ‘Great heavens!’ he exclaimed,
hospitality of this house because its owner has been long ab- ‘Jove must have robbed me of my senses. Here is my dear
sent, and without other pretext than that you want to marry and excellent mother saying she will quit this house and
me; this, then, being the prize that you are contending for, marry again, yet I am laughing and enjoying myself as
I will bring out the mighty bow of Ulysses, and whomso- though there were nothing happening. But, suitors, as the
ever of you shall string it most easily and send his arrow contest has been agreed upon, let it go forward. It is for a
through each one of twelve axes, him will I follow and quit woman whose peer is not to be found in Pylos, Argos, or
this house of my lawful husband, so goodly, and so abound- Mycene, nor yet in Ithaca nor on the mainland. You know
ing in wealth. But even so I doubt not that I shall remember this as well as I do; what need have I to speak in praise of
it in my dreams.’ my mother? Come on, then, make no excuses for delay, but
As she spoke, she told Eumaeus to set the bow and the let us see whether you can string the bow or no. I too will
pieces of iron before the suitors, and Eumaeus wept as he make trial of it, for if I can string it and shoot through the
took them to do as she had bidden him. Hard by, the stock- iron, I shall not suffer my mother to quit this house with a
man wept also when he saw his master’s bow, but Antinous stranger, not if I can win the prizes which my father won

before me.’ who hated their evil deeds and was indignant with the oth-
As he spoke he sprang from his seat, threw his crim- ers. He was now the first to take the bow and arrow, so he
son cloak from him, and took his sword from his shoulder. went on to the pavement to make his trial, but he could not
First he set the axes in a row, in a long groove which he had string the bow, for his hands were weak and unused to hard
dug for them, and had made straight by line. {162} Then he work, they therefore soon grew tired, and he said to the suit-
stamped the earth tight round them, and everyone was sur- ors, ‘My friends, I cannot string it; let another have it, this
prised when they saw him set them up so orderly, though bow shall take the life and soul out of many a chief among
he had never seen anything of the kind before. This done, us, for it is better to die than to live after having missed the
he went on to the pavement to make trial of the bow; thrice prize that we have so long striven for, and which has brought
did he tug at it, trying with all his might to draw the string, us so long together. Some one of us is even now hoping and
and thrice he had to leave off, though he had hoped to string praying that he may marry Penelope, but when he has seen
the bow and shoot through the iron. He was trying for the this bow and tried it, let him woo and make bridal offer-
fourth time, and would have strung it had not Ulysses made ings to some other woman, and let Penelope marry whoever
a sign to check him in spite of all his eagerness. So he said: makes her the best offer and whose lot it is to win her.’
‘Alas! I shall either be always feeble and of no prowess, or On this he put the bow down, letting it lean against the
I am too young, and have not yet reached my full strength door, {164} with the arrow standing against the tip of the
so as to be able to hold my own if any one attacks me. You bow. Then he took his seat again on the seat from which he
others, therefore, who are stronger than I, make trial of the had risen; and Antinous rebuked him saying:
bow and get this contest settled.’ ‘Leiodes, what are you talking about? Your words are
On this he put the bow down, letting it lean against monstrous and intolerable; it makes me angry to listen to
the door [that led into the house] with the arrow standing you. Shall, then, this bow take the life of many a chief among
against the top of the bow. Then he sat down on the seat us, merely because you cannot bend it yourself? True, you
from which he had risen, and Antinous said: were not born to be an archer, but there are others who will
‘Come on each of you in his turn, going towards the right soon string it.’
from the place at which the cupbearer begins when he is Then he said to Melanthius the goatherd, ‘Look sharp,
handing round the wine.’ light a fire in the court, and set a seat hard by with a sheep
The rest agreed, and Leiodes son of Oenops was the first skin on it; bring us also a large ball of lard, from what they
to rise. He was sacrificial priest to the suitors, and sat in the have in the house. Let us warm the bow and grease it—we
corner near the mixing-bowl. {163} He was the only man will then make trial of it again, and bring the contest to an

end.’ not heard any of the others praying for my return. To you
Melanthius lit the fire, and set a seat covered with sheep two, therefore, will I unfold the truth as it shall be. If heaven
skins beside it. He also brought a great ball of lard from shall deliver the suitors into my hands, I will find wives for
what they had in the house, and the suitors warmed the both of you, will give you house and holding close to my
bow and again made trial of it, but they were none of them own, and you shall be to me as though you were brothers
nearly strong enough to string it. Nevertheless there still and friends of Telemachus. I will now give you convincing
remained Antinous and Eurymachus, who were the ring- proofs that you may know me and be assured. See, here is
leaders among the suitors and much the foremost among the scar from the boar’s tooth that ripped me when I was
them all. out hunting on Mt. Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus.’
Then the swineherd and the stockman left the cloisters As he spoke he drew his rags aside from the great scar,
together, and Ulysses followed them. When they had got and when they had examined it thoroughly, they both of
outside the gates and the outer yard, Ulysses said to them them wept about Ulysses, threw their arms round him, and
quietly: kissed his head and shoulders, while Ulysses kissed their
‘Stockman, and you swineherd, I have something in my hands and faces in return. The sun would have gone down
mind which I am in doubt whether to say or no; but I think upon their mourning if Ulysses had not checked them and
I will say it. What manner of men would you be to stand said:
by Ulysses, if some god should bring him back here all of a ‘Cease your weeping, lest some one should come outside
sudden? Say which you are disposed to do—to side with the and see us, and tell those who are within. When you go in,
suitors, or with Ulysses?’ do so separately, not both together; I will go first, and do
‘Father Jove,’ answered the stockman, ‘would indeed that you follow afterwards; let this moreover be the token be-
you might so ordain it. If some god were but to bring Ulyss- tween us; the suitors will all of them try to prevent me from
es back, you should see with what might and main I would getting hold of the bow and quiver; do you, therefore, Eu-
fight for him.’ maeus, place it in my hands when you are carrying it about,
In like words Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that Ulysses and tell the women to close the doors of their apartment. If
might return; when, therefore, he saw for certain what mind they hear any groaning or uproar as of men fighting about
they were of, Ulysses said, ‘It is I, Ulysses, who am here. I the house, they must not come out; they must keep quiet,
have suffered much, but at last, in the twentieth year, I am and stay where they are at their work. And I charge you,
come back to my own country. I find that you two alone Philoetius, to make fast the doors of the outer court, and to
of all my servants are glad that I should do so, for I have bind them securely at once.’

When he had thus spoken, he went back to the house and desired, Ulysses craftily said:—
took the seat that he had left. Presently, his two servants fol- ‘Suitors of the illustrious queen, listen that I may speak
lowed him inside. even as I am minded. I appeal more especially to Euryma-
At this moment the bow was in the hands of Euryma- chus, and to Antinous who has just spoken with so much
chus, who was warming it by the fire, but even so he could reason. Cease shooting for the present and leave the mat-
not string it, and he was greatly grieved. He heaved a deep ter to the gods, but in the morning let heaven give victory
sigh and said, ‘I grieve for myself and for us all; I grieve that to whom it will. For the moment, however, give me the bow
I shall have to forgo the marriage, but I do not care nearly that I may prove the power of my hands among you all, and
so much about this, for there are plenty of other women in see whether I still have as much strength as I used to have,
Ithaca and elsewhere; what I feel most is the fact of our be- or whether travel and neglect have made an end of it.’
ing so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we cannot string This made them all very angry, for they feared he might
his bow. This will disgrace us in the eyes of those who are string the bow, Antinous therefore rebuked him fiercely
yet unborn.’ saying, ‘Wretched creature, you have not so much as a grain
‘It shall not be so, Eurymachus,’ said Antinous, ‘and you of sense in your whole body; you ought to think yourself
know it yourself. Today is the feast of Apollo throughout lucky in being allowed to dine unharmed among your bet-
all the land; who can string a bow on such a day as this? ters, without having any smaller portion served you than
Put it on one side—as for the axes they can stay where they we others have had, and in being allowed to hear our con-
are, for no one is likely to come to the house and take them versation. No other beggar or stranger has been allowed to
away: let the cupbearer go round with his cups, that we hear what we say among ourselves; the wine must have been
may make our drink-offerings and drop this matter of the doing you a mischief, as it does with all those who drink im-
bow; we will tell Melanthius to bring us in some goats to- moderately. It was wine that inflamed the Centaur Eurytion
morrow—the best he has; we can then offer thigh bones to when he was staying with Peirithous among the Lapithae.
Apollo the mighty archer, and again make trial of the bow, When the wine had got into his head, he went mad and did
so as to bring the contest to an end.’ ill deeds about the house of Peirithous; this angered the he-
The rest approved his words, and thereon men servants roes who were there assembled, so they rushed at him and
poured water over the hands of the guests, while pages filled cut off his ears and nostrils; then they dragged him through
the mixing-bowls with wine and water and handed it round the doorway out of the house, so he went away crazed,
after giving every man his drink-offering. Then, when they and bore the burden of his crime, bereft of understanding.
had made their offerings and had drunk each as much as he Henceforth, therefore, there was war between mankind and

the centaurs, but he brought it upon himself through his will? This stranger is strong and well-built, he says more-
own drunkenness. In like manner I can tell you that it will over that he is of noble birth. Give him the bow, and let us
go hardly with you if you string the bow: you will find no see whether he can string it or no. I say—and it shall surely
mercy from any one here, for we shall at once ship you off to be—that if Apollo vouchsafes him the glory of stringing it,
king Echetus, who kills every one that comes near him: you I will give him a cloak and shirt of good wear, with a javelin
will never get away alive, so drink and keep quiet without to keep off dogs and robbers, and a sharp sword. I will also
getting into a quarrel with men younger than yourself.’ give him sandals, and will see him sent safely wherever he
Penelope then spoke to him. ‘Antinous,’ said she, ‘it is wants to go.’
not right that you should ill-treat any guest of Telemachus Then Telemachus said, ‘Mother, I am the only man ei-
who comes to this house. If the stranger should prove strong ther in Ithaca or in the islands that are over against Elis who
enough to string the mighty bow of Ulysses, can you sup- has the right to let any one have the bow or to refuse it. No
pose that he would take me home with him and make me one shall force me one way or the other, not even though I
his wife? Even the man himself can have no such idea in choose to make the stranger a present of the bow outright,
his mind: none of you need let that disturb his feasting; it and let him take it away with him. Go, then, within the
would be out of all reason.’ house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom,
‘Queen Penelope,’ answered Eurymachus, ‘we do not your distaff, and the ordering of your servants. This bow is
suppose that this man will take you away with him; it is a man’s matter, and mine above all others, for it is I who am
impossible; but we are afraid lest some of the baser sort, master here.’
men or women among the Achaeans, should go gossiping She went wondering back into the house, and laid her
about and say, ‘These suitors are a feeble folk; they are pay- son’s saying in her heart. Then going upstairs with her
ing court to the wife of a brave man whose bow not one of handmaids into her room, she mourned her dear husband
them was able to string, and yet a beggarly tramp who came till Minerva sent sweet sleep over her eyelids.
to the house strung it at once and sent an arrow through The swineherd now took up the bow and was for taking
the iron.’ This is what will be said, and it will be a scandal it to Ulysses, but the suitors clamoured at him from all parts
against us.’ of the cloisters, and one of them said, ‘You idiot, where are
‘Eurymachus,’ Penelope answered, ‘people who persist you taking the bow to? Are you out of your wits? If Apollo
in eating up the estate of a great chieftain and dishonour- and the other gods will grant our prayer, your own boar-
ing his house must not expect others to think well of them. hounds shall get you into some quiet little place, and worry
Why then should you mind if men talk as you think they you to death.’

Eumaeus was frightened at the outcry they all raised, old bow-fancier; either he has got one like it at home, or he
so he put the bow down then and there, but Telemachus wants to make one, in such workmanlike style does the old
shouted out at him from the other side of the cloisters, and vagabond handle it.’
threatened him saying, ‘Father Eumaeus, bring the bow on Another said, ‘I hope he may be no more successful in
in spite of them, or young as I am I will pelt you with stones other things than he is likely to be in stringing this bow.’
back to the country, for I am the better man of the two. I But Ulysses, when he had taken it up and examined it all
wish I was as much stronger than all the other suitors in the over, strung it as easily as a skilled bard strings a new peg of
house as I am than you, I would soon send some of them off his lyre and makes the twisted gut fast at both ends. Then
sick and sorry, for they mean mischief.’ he took it in his right hand to prove the string, and it sang
Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed heart- sweetly under his touch like the twittering of a swallow. The
ily, which put them in a better humour with Telemachus; so suitors were dismayed, and turned colour as they heard it;
Eumaeus brought the bow on and placed it in the hands of at that moment, moreover, Jove thundered loudly as a sign,
Ulysses. When he had done this, he called Euryclea apart and the heart of Ulysses rejoiced as he heard the omen that
and said to her, ‘Euryclea, Telemachus says you are to close the son of scheming Saturn had sent him.
the doors of the women’s apartments. If they hear any He took an arrow that was lying upon the table {165}—
groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the house, they for those which the Achaeans were so shortly about to taste
are not to come out, but are to keep quiet and stay where were all inside the quiver—he laid it on the centre-piece of
they are at their work.’ the bow, and drew the notch of the arrow and the string to-
Euryclea did as she was told and closed the doors of the ward him, still seated on his seat. When he had taken aim
women’s apartments. he let fly, and his arrow pierced every one of the handle-
Meanwhile Philoetius slipped quietly out and made fast holes of the axes from the first onwards till it had gone right
the gates of the outer court. There was a ship’s cable of by- through them, and into the outer courtyard. Then he said
blus fibre lying in the gatehouse, so he made the gates fast to Telemachus:
with it and then came in again, resuming the seat that he ‘Your guest has not disgraced you, Telemachus. I did not
had left, and keeping an eye on Ulysses, who had now got miss what I aimed at, and I was not long in stringing my
the bow in his hands, and was turning it every way about, bow. I am still strong, and not as the suitors twit me with
and proving it all over to see whether the worms had been being. Now, however, it is time for the Achaeans to pre-
eating into its two horns during his absence. Then would pare supper while there is still daylight, and then otherwise
one turn towards his neighbour saying, ‘This is some tricky to disport themselves with song and dance which are the

crowning ornaments of a banquet.’
As he spoke he made a sign with his eyebrows, and BOOK XXII
Telemachus girded on his sword, grasped his spear, and
stood armed beside his father’s seat. THE KILLING OF
THE SUITORS—THE
MAIDS WHO HAVE
MISCONDUCTED
THEMSELVES ARE
MADE TO CLEANSE
THE CLOISTERS AND
ARE THEN HANGED.
T hen Ulysses tore off his rags, and sprang on to the broad
pavement with his bow and his quiver full of arrows.
He shed the arrows on to the ground at his feet and said,
‘The mighty contest is at an end. I will now see whether
Apollo will vouchsafe it to me to hit another mark which
no man has yet hit.’
On this he aimed a deadly arrow at Antinous, who
was about to take up a two-handled gold cup to drink his

wine and already had it in his hands. He had no thought of but Eurymachus alone spoke.
death—who amongst all the revellers would think that one ‘If you are Ulysses,’ said he, ‘then what you have said
man, however brave, would stand alone among so many is just. We have done much wrong on your lands and in
and kill him? The arrow struck Antinous in the throat, and your house. But Antinous who was the head and front of
the point went clean through his neck, so that he fell over the offending lies low already. It was all his doing. It was
and the cup dropped from his hand, while a thick stream not that he wanted to marry Penelope; he did not so much
of blood gushed from his nostrils. He kicked the table from care about that; what he wanted was something quite dif-
him and upset the things on it, so that the bread and roasted ferent, and Jove has not vouchsafed it to him; he wanted
meats were all soiled as they fell over on to the ground. {166} to kill your son and to be chief man in Ithaca. Now, there-
The suitors were in an uproar when they saw that a man fore, that he has met the death which was his due, spare the
had been hit; they sprang in dismay one and all of them lives of your people. We will make everything good among
from their seats and looked everywhere towards the walls, ourselves, and pay you in full for all that we have eaten and
but there was neither shield nor spear, and they rebuked drunk. Each one of us shall pay you a fine worth twenty
Ulysses very angrily. ‘Stranger,’ said they, ‘you shall pay for oxen, and we will keep on giving you gold and bronze till
shooting people in this way: you shall see no other contest; your heart is softened. Until we have done this no one can
you are a doomed man; he whom you have slain was the complain of your being enraged against us.’
foremost youth in Ithaca, and the vultures shall devour you Ulysses again glared at him and said, ‘Though you should
for having killed him.’ give me all that you have in the world both now and all that
Thus they spoke, for they thought that he had killed you ever shall have, I will not stay my hand till I have paid
Antinous by mistake, and did not perceive that death was all of you in full. You must fight, or fly for your lives; and fly,
hanging over the head of every one of them. But Ulysses not a man of you shall.’
glared at them and said: Their hearts sank as they heard him, but Eurymachus
‘Dogs, did you think that I should not come back from again spoke saying:
Troy? You have wasted my substance, {167} have forced my ‘My friends, this man will give us no quarter. He will
women servants to lie with you, and have wooed my wife stand where he is and shoot us down till he has killed every
while I was still living. You have feared neither God nor man among us. Let us then show fight; draw your swords,
man, and now you shall die.’ and hold up the tables to shield you from his arrows. Let us
They turned pale with fear as he spoke, and every man have at him with a rush, to drive him from the pavement
looked round about to see whither he might fly for safety, and doorway: we can then get through into the town, and

raise such an alarm as shall soon stay his shooting.’ store room where the armour was kept. He chose four
As he spoke he drew his keen blade of bronze, sharp- shields, eight spears, and four brass helmets with horse-
ened on both sides, and with a loud cry sprang towards hair plumes. He brought them with all speed to his father,
Ulysses, but Ulysses instantly shot an arrow into his breast and armed himself first, while the stockman and the swine-
that caught him by the nipple and fixed itself in his liver. herd also put on their armour, and took their places near
He dropped his sword and fell doubled up over his table. Ulysses. Meanwhile Ulysses, as long as his arrows lasted,
The cup and all the meats went over on to the ground as he had been shooting the suitors one by one, and they fell thick
smote the earth with his forehead in the agonies of death, on one another: when his arrows gave out, he set the bow
and he kicked the stool with his feet until his eyes were to stand against the end wall of the house by the door post,
closed in darkness. and hung a shield four hides thick about his shoulders; on
Then Amphinomus drew his sword and made straight at his comely head he set his helmet, well wrought with a crest
Ulysses to try and get him away from the door; but Telema- of horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it, {168} and he
chus was too quick for him, and struck him from behind; grasped two redoubtable bronze-shod spears.
the spear caught him between the shoulders and went right Now there was a trap door {169} on the wall, while at one
through his chest, so that he fell heavily to the ground end of the pavement {170} there was an exit leading to a nar-
and struck the earth with his forehead. Then Telemachus row passage, and this exit was closed by a well-made door.
sprang away from him, leaving his spear still in the body, Ulysses told Philoetius to stand by this door and guard it,
for he feared that if he stayed to draw it out, some one of the for only one person could attack it at a time. But Agelaus
Achaeans might come up and hack at him with his sword, shouted out, ‘Cannot some one go up to the trap door and
or knock him down, so he set off at a run, and immediately tell the people what is going on? Help would come at once,
was at his father’s side. Then he said: and we should soon make an end of this man and his shoot-
‘Father, let me bring you a shield, two spears, and a brass ing.’
helmet for your temples. I will arm myself as well, and will ‘This may not be, Agelaus,’ answered Melanthius, ‘the
bring other armour for the swineherd and the stockman, mouth of the narrow passage is dangerously near the en-
for we had better be armed.’ trance to the outer court. One brave man could prevent any
‘Run and fetch them,’ answered Ulysses, ‘while my ar- number from getting in. But I know what I will do, I will
rows hold out, or when I am alone they may get me away bring you arms from the store-room, for I am sure it is there
from the door.’ that Ulysses and his son have put them.’
Telemachus did as his father said, and went off to the On this the goatherd Melanthius went by back passages

to the store-room of Ulysses’ house. There he chose twelve Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said; they
shields, with as many helmets and spears, and brought them went to the store room, which they entered before Melan-
back as fast as he could to give them to the suitors. Ulysses’ thius saw them, for he was busy searching for arms in the
heart began to fail him when he saw the suitors {171} put- innermost part of the room, so the two took their stand on
ting on their armour and brandishing their spears. He saw either side of the door and waited. By and by Melanthius
the greatness of the danger, and said to Telemachus, ‘Some came out with a helmet in one hand, and an old dry-rot-
one of the women inside is helping the suitors against us, or ted shield in the other, which had been borne by Laertes
it may be Melanthius.’ when he was young, but which had been long since thrown
Telemachus answered, ‘The fault, father, is mine, and aside, and the straps had become unsewn; on this the two
mine only; I left the store room door open, and they have seized him, dragged him back by the hair, and threw him
kept a sharper look out than I have. Go, Eumaeus, put the struggling to the ground. They bent his hands and feet well
door to, and see whether it is one of the women who is do- behind his back, and bound them tight with a painful bond
ing this, or whether, as I suspect, it is Melanthius the son of as Ulysses had told them; then they fastened a noose about
Dolius.’ his body and strung him up from a high pillar till he was
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Melanthius was close up to the rafters, and over him did you then vaunt, O
again going to the store room to fetch more armour, but the swineherd Eumaeus saying, ‘Melanthius, you will pass the
swineherd saw him and said to Ulysses who was beside him, night on a soft bed as you deserve. You will know very well
‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, it is that scoundrel Melan- when morning comes from the streams of Oceanus, and it
thius, just as we suspected, who is going to the store room. is time for you to be driving in your goats for the suitors to
Say, shall I kill him, if I can get the better of him, or shall I feast on.’
bring him here that you may take your own revenge for all There, then, they left him in very cruel bondage, and
the many wrongs that he has done in your house?’ having put on their armour they closed the door behind
Ulysses answered, ‘Telemachus and I will hold these suit- them and went back to take their places by the side of Ulyss-
ors in check, no matter what they do; go back both of you es; whereon the four men stood in the cloister, fierce and
and bind Melanthius’ hands and feet behind him. Throw full of fury; nevertheless, those who were in the body of the
him into the store room and make the door fast behind you; court were still both brave and many. Then Jove’s daughter
then fasten a noose about his body, and string him close up Minerva came up to them, having assumed the voice and
to the rafters from a high bearing-post, {172} that he may form of Mentor. Ulysses was glad when he saw her and said,
linger on in an agony.’ ‘Mentor, lend me your help, and forget not your old com-

rade, nor the many good turns he has done you. Besides, phimedon, Demoptolemus, Pisander, and Polybus son of
you are my age-mate.’ Polyctor bore the brunt of the fight upon the suitors’ side; of
But all the time he felt sure it was Minerva, and the suit- all those who were still fighting for their lives they were by
ors from the other side raised an uproar when they saw her. far the most valiant, for the others had already fallen under
Agelaus was the first to reproach her. ‘Mentor,’ he cried, ‘do the arrows of Ulysses. Agelaus shouted to them and said,
not let Ulysses beguile you into siding with him and fight- ‘My friends, he will soon have to leave off, for Mentor has
ing the suitors. This is what we will do: when we have killed gone away after having done nothing for him but brag. They
these people, father and son, we will kill you too. You shall are standing at the doors unsupported. Do not aim at him
pay for it with your head, and when we have killed you, all at once, but six of you throw your spears first, and see
we will take all you have, in doors or out, and bring it into if you cannot cover yourselves with glory by killing him.
hotch-pot with Ulysses’ property; we will not let your sons When he has fallen we need not be uneasy about the oth-
live in your house, nor your daughters, nor shall your wid- ers.’
ow continue to live in the city of Ithaca.’ They threw their spears as he bade them, but Minerva
This made Minerva still more furious, so she scolded made them all of no effect. One hit the door post; another
Ulysses very angrily. {173} ‘Ulysses,’ said she, ‘your strength went against the door; the pointed shaft of another struck
and prowess are no longer what they were when you fought the wall; and as soon as they had avoided all the spears
for nine long years among the Trojans about the noble lady of the suitors Ulysses said to his own men, ‘My friends, I
Helen. You killed many a man in those days, and it was should say we too had better let drive into the middle of
through your stratagem that Priam’s city was taken. How them, or they will crown all the harm they have done us by
comes it that you are so lamentably less valiant now that killing us outright.’
you are on your own ground, face to face with the suitors They therefore aimed straight in front of them and
in your own house? Come on, my good fellow, stand by my threw their spears. Ulysses killed Demoptolemus, Telema-
side and see how Mentor, son of Alcimus shall fight your chus Euryades, Eumaeus Elatus, while the stockman killed
foes and requite your kindnesses conferred upon him.’ Pisander. These all bit the dust, and as the others drew back
But she would not give him full victory as yet, for she into a corner Ulysses and his men rushed forward and re-
wished still further to prove his own prowess and that of his gained their spears by drawing them from the bodies of the
brave son, so she flew up to one of the rafters in the roof of dead.
the cloister and sat upon it in the form of a swallow. The suitors now aimed a second time, but again Minerva
Meanwhile Agelaus son of Damastor, Eurynomus, Am- made their weapons for the most part without effect. One

hit a bearing-post of the cloister; another went against the with their blood.
door; while the pointed shaft of another struck the wall. Leiodes then caught the knees of Ulysses and said,
Still, Amphimedon just took a piece of the top skin from ‘Ulysses I beseech you have mercy upon me and spare me.
off Telemachus’s wrist, and Ctesippus managed to graze Eu- I never wronged any of the women in your house either in
maeus’s shoulder above his shield; but the spear went on word or deed, and I tried to stop the others. I saw them,
and fell to the ground. Then Ulysses and his men let drive but they would not listen, and now they are paying for their
into the crowd of suitors. Ulysses hit Eurydamas, Telema- folly. I was their sacrificing priest; if you kill me, I shall die
chus Amphimedon, and Eumaeus Polybus. After this the without having done anything to deserve it, and shall have
stockman hit Ctesippus in the breast, and taunted him say- got no thanks for all the good that I did.’
ing, ‘Foul-mouthed son of Polytherses, do not be so foolish Ulysses looked sternly at him and answered, ‘If you were
as to talk wickedly another time, but let heaven direct your their sacrificing priest, you must have prayed many a time
speech, for the gods are far stronger than men. I make you that it might be long before I got home again, and that you
a present of this advice to repay you for the foot which you might marry my wife and have children by her. Therefore
gave Ulysses when he was begging about in his own house.’ you shall die.’
Thus spoke the stockman, and Ulysses struck the son of With these words he picked up the sword that Agelaus
Damastor with a spear in close fight, while Telemachus hit had dropped when he was being killed, and which was ly-
Leocritus son of Evenor in the belly, and the dart went clean ing upon the ground. Then he struck Leiodes on the back
through him, so that he fell forward full on his face upon of his neck, so that his head fell rolling in the dust while he
the ground. Then Minerva from her seat on the rafter held was yet speaking.
up her deadly aegis, and the hearts of the suitors quailed. The minstrel Phemius son of Terpes—he who had been
They fled to the other end of the court like a herd of cattle forced by the suitors to sing to them—now tried to save his
maddened by the gadfly in early summer when the days are life. He was standing near towards the trap door, {174} and
at their longest. As eagle-beaked, crook-taloned vultures held his lyre in his hand. He did not know whether to fly out
from the mountains swoop down on the smaller birds that of the cloister and sit down by the altar of Jove that was in
cower in flocks upon the ground, and kill them, for they the outer court, and on which both Laertes and Ulysses had
cannot either fight or fly, and lookers on enjoy the sport— offered up the thigh bones of many an ox, or whether to go
even so did Ulysses and his men fall upon the suitors and straight up to Ulysses and embrace his knees, but in the end
smite them on every side. They made a horrible groaning as he deemed it best to embrace Ulysses’ knees. So he laid his
their brains were being battered in, and the ground seethed lyre on the ground between the mixing bowl {175} and the

silver-studded seat; then going up to Ulysses he caught hold than evil ones. Go, therefore, outside the cloisters into the
of his knees and said, ‘Ulysses, I beseech you have mercy on outer court, and be out of the way of the slaughter—you and
me and spare me. You will be sorry for it afterwards if you the bard—while I finish my work here inside.’
kill a bard who can sing both for gods and men as I can. I The pair went into the outer court as fast as they could,
make all my lays myself, and heaven visits me with every and sat down by Jove’s great altar, looking fearfully round,
kind of inspiration. I would sing to you as though you were and still expecting that they would be killed. Then Ulysses
a god, do not therefore be in such a hurry to cut my head searched the whole court carefully over, to see if anyone had
off. Your own son Telemachus will tell you that I did not managed to hide himself and was still living, but he found
want to frequent your house and sing to the suitors after them all lying in the dust and weltering in their blood. They
their meals, but they were too many and too strong for me, were like fishes which fishermen have netted out of the sea,
so they made me.’ and thrown upon the beach to lie gasping for water till the
Telemachus heard him, and at once went up to his fa- heat of the sun makes an end of them. Even so were the suit-
ther. ‘Hold!’ he cried, ‘the man is guiltless, do him no hurt; ors lying all huddled up one against the other.
and we will spare Medon too, who was always good to me Then Ulysses said to Telemachus, ‘Call nurse Euryclea; I
when I was a boy, unless Philoetius or Eumaeus has already have something to say to her.’
killed him, or he has fallen in your way when you were rag- Telemachus went and knocked at the door of the wom-
ing about the court.’ en’s room. ‘Make haste,’ said he, ‘you old woman who have
Medon caught these words of Telemachus, for he was been set over all the other women in the house. Come out-
crouching under a seat beneath which he had hidden by side; my father wishes to speak to you.’
covering himself up with a freshly flayed heifer’s hide, so When Euryclea heard this she unfastened the door of the
he threw off the hide, went up to Telemachus, and laid hold women’s room and came out, following Telemachus. She
of his knees. found Ulysses among the corpses bespattered with blood
‘Here I am, my dear sir,’ said he, ‘stay your hand therefore, and filth like a lion that has just been devouring an ox, and
and tell your father, or he will kill me in his rage against the his breast and both his cheeks are all bloody, so that he is
suitors for having wasted his substance and been so fool- a fearful sight; even so was Ulysses besmirched from head
ishly disrespectful to yourself.’ to foot with gore. When she saw all the corpses and such
Ulysses smiled at him and answered, ‘Fear not; Telema- a quantity of blood, she was beginning to cry out for joy,
chus has saved your life, that you may know in future, and for she saw that a great deed had been done; but Ulysses
tell other people, how greatly better good deeds prosper checked her, ‘Old woman,’ said he, ‘rejoice in silence; re-

strain yourself, and do not make any noise about it; it is an your swords till they are quite dead, and have forgotten all
unholy thing to vaunt over dead men. Heaven’s doom and about love and the way in which they used to lie in secret
their own evil deeds have brought these men to destruction, with the suitors.’
for they respected no man in the whole world, neither rich On this the women came down in a body, weeping and
nor poor, who came near them, and they have come to a bad wailing bitterly. First they carried the dead bodies out, and
end as a punishment for their wickedness and folly. Now, propped them up against one another in the gatehouse.
however, tell me which of the women in the house have mis- Ulysses ordered them about and made them do their work
conducted themselves, and who are innocent.’ {176} quickly, so they had to carry the bodies out. When they had
‘I will tell you the truth, my son,’ answered Euryclea. done this, they cleaned all the tables and seats with sponges
‘There are fifty women in the house whom we teach to do and water, while Telemachus and the two others shovelled
things, such as carding wool, and all kinds of household up the blood and dirt from the ground, and the women car-
work. Of these, twelve in all {177} have misbehaved, and ried it all away and put it out of doors. Then when they had
have been wanting in respect to me, and also to Penelope. made the whole place quite clean and orderly, they took the
They showed no disrespect to Telemachus, for he has only women out and hemmed them in the narrow space between
lately grown and his mother never permitted him to give the wall of the domed room and that of the yard, so that
orders to the female servants; but let me go upstairs and they could not get away: and Telemachus said to the other
tell your wife all that has happened, for some god has been two, ‘I shall not let these women die a clean death, for they
sending her to sleep.’ were insolent to me and my mother, and used to sleep with
‘Do not wake her yet,’ answered Ulysses, ‘but tell the the suitors.’
women who have misconducted themselves to come to So saying he made a ship’s cable fast to one of the bear-
me.’ ing-posts that supported the roof of the domed room, and
Euryclea left the cloister to tell the women, and make secured it all around the building, at a good height, lest any
them come to Ulysses; in the meantime he called Telema- of the women’s feet should touch the ground; and as thrush-
chus, the stockman, and the swineherd. ‘Begin,’ said he, ‘to es or doves beat against a net that has been set for them in a
remove the dead, and make the women help you. Then, get thicket just as they were getting to their nest, and a terrible
sponges and clean water to swill down the tables and seats. fate awaits them, even so did the women have to put their
When you have thoroughly cleansed the whole cloisters, heads in nooses one after the other and die most miserably.
take the women into the space between the domed room {178} Their feet moved convulsively for a while, but not for
and the wall of the outer court, and run them through with very long.

As for Melanthius, they took him through the cloister
into the inner court. There they cut off his nose and his ears; BOOK XXIII
they drew out his vitals and gave them to the dogs raw, and
then in their fury they cut off his hands and his feet. PENELOPE EVENTUALLY
When they had done this they washed their hands and
feet and went back into the house, for all was now over; and RECOGNISES HER
Ulysses said to the dear old nurse Euryclea, ‘Bring me sul-
phur, which cleanses all pollution, and fetch fire also that I HUSBAND—EARLY IN
may burn it, and purify the cloisters. Go, moreover, and tell
Penelope to come here with her attendants, and also all the THE MORNING ULYSSES,
maidservants that are in the house.’
‘All that you have said is true,’ answered Euryclea, ‘but TELEMACHUS, EUMAEUS,
let me bring you some clean clothes—a shirt and cloak. Do
not keep these rags on your back any longer. It is not right.’ AND PHILOETIUS
‘First light me a fire,’ replied Ulysses.
She brought the fire and sulphur, as he had bidden her, LEAVE THE TOWN.
and Ulysses thoroughly purified the cloisters and both the
inner and outer courts. Then she went inside to call the
women and tell them what had happened; whereon they
came from their apartment with torches in their hands, and
pressed round Ulysses to embrace him, kissing his head and
shoulders and taking hold of his hands. It made him feel as
E uryclea now went upstairs laughing to tell her mistress
that her dear husband had come home. Her aged knees
became young again and her feet were nimble for joy as she
if he should like to weep, for he remembered every one of went up to her mistress and bent over her head to speak
them. {179} to her. ‘Wake up Penelope, my dear child,’ she exclaimed,
‘and see with your own eyes something that you have been
wanting this long time past. Ulysses has at last indeed come
home again, and has killed the suitors who were giving so
much trouble in his house, eating up his estate and ill treat-
ing his son.’

‘My good nurse,’ answered Penelope, ‘you must be mad. because his father sent him. Then I found Ulysses standing
The gods sometimes send some very sensible people out of over the corpses that were lying on the ground all round
their minds, and make foolish people become sensible. This him, one on top of the other. You would have enjoyed it if
is what they must have been doing to you; for you always you could have seen him standing there all bespattered with
used to be a reasonable person. Why should you thus mock blood and filth, and looking just like a lion. But the corpses
me when I have trouble enough already—talking such non- are now all piled up in the gatehouse that is in the outer
sense, and waking me up out of a sweet sleep that had taken court, and Ulysses has lit a great fire to purify the house
possession of my eyes and closed them? I have never slept with sulphur. He has sent me to call you, so come with me
so soundly from the day my poor husband went to that city that you may both be happy together after all; for now at last
with the ill-omened name. Go back again into the women’s the desire of your heart has been fulfilled; your husband is
room; if it had been any one else who had woke me up to come home to find both wife and son alive and well, and to
bring me such absurd news I should have sent her away with take his revenge in his own house on the suitors who be-
a severe scolding. As it is your age shall protect you.’ haved so badly to him.’
‘My dear child,’ answered Euryclea, ‘I am not mocking ‘My dear nurse,’ said Penelope, ‘do not exult too con-
you. It is quite true as I tell you that Ulysses is come home fidently over all this. You know how delighted every one
again. He was the stranger whom they all kept on treating would be to see Ulysses come home—more particularly my-
so badly in the cloister. Telemachus knew all the time that self, and the son who has been born to both of us; but what
he was come back, but kept his father’s secret that he might you tell me cannot be really true. It is some god who is angry
have his revenge on all these wicked people.’ with the suitors for their great wickedness, and has made an
Then Penelope sprang up from her couch, threw her end of them; for they respected no man in the whole world,
arms round Euryclea, and wept for joy. ‘But my dear nurse,’ neither rich nor poor, who came near them, and they have
said she, ‘explain this to me; if he has really come home as come to a bad end in consequence of their iniquity; Ulysses
you say, how did he manage to overcome the wicked suitors is dead far away from the Achaean land; he will never re-
single handed, seeing what a number of them there always turn home again.’
were?’ Then nurse Euryclea said, ‘My child, what are you talk-
‘I was not there,’ answered Euryclea, ‘and do not know; I ing about? but you were all hard of belief and have made up
only heard them groaning while they were being killed. We your mind that your husband is never coming, although he
sat crouching and huddled up in a corner of the women’s is in the house and by his own fire side at this very moment.
room with the doors closed, till your son came to fetch me Besides I can give you another proof; when I was washing

him I perceived the scar which the wild boar gave him, and her after twenty years of absence, and after having gone
I wanted to tell you about it, but in his wisdom he would not through so much; but your heart always was as hard as a
let me, and clapped his hands over my mouth; so come with stone.’
me and I will make this bargain with you—if I am deceiv- Penelope answered, ‘My son, I am so lost in astonishment
ing you, you may have me killed by the most cruel death you that I can find no words in which either to ask questions
can think of.’ or to answer them. I cannot even look him straight in the
‘My dear nurse,’ said Penelope, ‘however wise you may face. Still, if he really is Ulysses come back to his own home
be you can hardly fathom the counsels of the gods. Never- again, we shall get to understand one another better by and
theless, we will go in search of my son, that I may see the by, for there are tokens with which we two are alone ac-
corpses of the suitors, and the man who has killed them.’ quainted, and which are hidden from all others.’
On this she came down from her upper room, and while Ulysses smiled at this, and said to Telemachus, ‘Let your
doing so she considered whether she should keep at a dis- mother put me to any proof she likes; she will make up her
tance from her husband and question him, or whether she mind about it presently. She rejects me for the moment and
should at once go up to him and embrace him. When, how- believes me to be somebody else, because I am covered with
ever, she had crossed the stone floor of the cloister, she dirt and have such bad clothes on; let us, however, consider
sat down opposite Ulysses by the fire, against the wall at what we had better do next. When one man has killed an-
right angles {180} [to that by which she had entered], while other—even though he was not one who would leave many
Ulysses sat near one of the bearing-posts, looking upon friends to take up his quarrel—the man who has killed him
the ground, and waiting to see what his brave wife would must still say good bye to his friends and fly the country;
say to him when she saw him. For a long time she sat silent whereas we have been killing the stay of a whole town, and
and as one lost in amazement. At one moment she looked all the picked youth of Ithaca. I would have you consider
him full in the face, but then again directly, she was misled this matter.’
by his shabby clothes and failed to recognise him, {181} till ‘Look to it yourself, father,’ answered Telemachus, ‘for
Telemachus began to reproach her and said: they say you are the wisest counsellor in the world, and that
‘Mother—but you are so hard that I cannot call you by there is no other mortal man who can compare with you.
such a name—why do you keep away from my father in this We will follow you with right good will, nor shall you find
way? Why do you not sit by his side and begin talking to us fail you in so far as our strength holds out.’
him and asking him questions? No other woman could bear ‘I will say what I think will be best,’ answered Ulysses.
to keep away from her husband when he had come back to ‘First wash and put your shirts on; tell the maids also to go

to their own room and dress; Phemius shall then strike up a ‘heaven has endowed you with a heart more unyielding than
dance tune on his lyre, so that if people outside hear, or any woman ever yet had. No other woman could bear to keep
of the neighbours, or some one going along the street hap- away from her husband when he had come back to her after
pens to notice it, they may think there is a wedding in the twenty years of absence, and after having gone through so
house, and no rumours about the death of the suitors will much. But come, nurse, get a bed ready for me; I will sleep
get about in the town, before we can escape to the woods alone, for this woman has a heart as hard as iron.’
upon my own land. Once there, we will settle which of the ‘My dear,’ answered Penelope, ‘I have no wish to set my-
courses heaven vouchsafes us shall seem wisest.’ self up, nor to depreciate you; but I am not struck by your
Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had said. First appearance, for I very well remember what kind of a man
they washed and put their shirts on, while the women got you were when you set sail from Ithaca. Nevertheless, Eury-
ready. Then Phemius took his lyre and set them all long- clea, take his bed outside the bed chamber that he himself
ing for sweet song and stately dance. The house re-echoed built. Bring the bed outside this room, and put bedding
with the sound of men and women dancing, and the people upon it with fleeces, good coverlets, and blankets.’
outside said, ‘I suppose the queen has been getting married She said this to try him, but Ulysses was very angry and
at last. She ought to be ashamed of herself for not continu- said, ‘Wife, I am much displeased at what you have just
ing to protect her husband’s property until he comes home.’ been saying. Who has been taking my bed from the place
{182} in which I left it? He must have found it a hard task, no mat-
This was what they said, but they did not know what it ter how skilled a workman he was, unless some god came
was that had been happening. The upper servant Eurynome and helped him to shift it. There is no man living, however
washed and anointed Ulysses in his own house and gave strong and in his prime, who could move it from its place,
him a shirt and cloak, while Minerva made him look taller for it is a marvellous curiosity which I made with my very
and stronger than before; she also made the hair grow thick own hands. There was a young olive growing within the
on the top of his head, and flow down in curls like hyacinth precincts of the house, in full vigour, and about as thick as a
blossoms; she glorified him about the head and shoulders bearing-post. I built my room round this with strong walls
just as a skilful workman who has studied art of all kinds of stone and a roof to cover them, and I made the doors
under Vulcan or Minerva—and his work is full of beauty— strong and well-fitting. Then I cut off the top boughs of the
enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it. He came from olive tree and left the stump standing. This I dressed rough-
the bath looking like one of the immortals, and sat down ly from the root upwards and then worked with carpenter’s
opposite his wife on the seat he had left. ‘My dear,’ said he, tools well and skilfully, straightening my work by drawing

a line on the wood, and making it into a bed-prop. I then trust no longer.’
bored a hole down the middle, and made it the centre-post Then Ulysses in his turn melted, and wept as he clasped
of my bed, at which I worked till I had finished it, inlaying it his dear and faithful wife to his bosom. As the sight of land
with gold and silver; after this I stretched a hide of crimson is welcome to men who are swimming towards the shore,
leather from one side of it to the other. So you see I know when Neptune has wrecked their ship with the fury of his
all about it, and I desire to learn whether it is still there, or winds and waves; a few alone reach the land, and these,
whether any one has been removing it by cutting down the covered with brine, are thankful when they find them-
olive tree at its roots.’ selves on firm ground and out of danger—even so was her
When she heard the sure proofs Ulysses now gave her, husband welcome to her as she looked upon him, and she
she fairly broke down. She flew weeping to his side, flung could not tear her two fair arms from about his neck. In-
her arms about his neck, and kissed him. ‘Do not be an- deed they would have gone on indulging their sorrow till
gry with me Ulysses,’ she cried, ‘you, who are the wisest of rosy-fingered morn appeared, had not Minerva determined
mankind. We have suffered, both of us. Heaven has denied otherwise, and held night back in the far west, while she
us the happiness of spending our youth, and of growing old, would not suffer Dawn to leave Oceanus, nor to yoke the
together; do not then be aggrieved or take it amiss that I two steeds Lampus and Phaethon that bear her onward to
did not embrace you thus as soon as I saw you. I have been break the day upon mankind.
shuddering all the time through fear that someone might At last, however, Ulysses said, ‘Wife, we have not yet
come here and deceive me with a lying story; for there are reached the end of our troubles. I have an unknown amount
many very wicked people going about. Jove’s daughter Hel- of toil still to undergo. It is long and difficult, but I must go
en would never have yielded herself to a man from a foreign through with it, for thus the shade of Teiresias prophesied
country, if she had known that the sons of Achaeans would concerning me, on the day when I went down into Hades to
come after her and bring her back. Heaven put it in her heart ask about my return and that of my companions. But now
to do wrong, and she gave no thought to that sin, which has let us go to bed, that we may lie down and enjoy the blessed
been the source of all our sorrows. Now, however, that you boon of sleep.’
have convinced me by showing that you know all about our ‘You shall go to bed as soon as you please,’ replied Pe-
bed (which no human being has ever seen but you and I and nelope, ‘now that the gods have sent you home to your own
a single maidservant, the daughter of Actor, who was given good house and to your country. But as heaven has put it in
me by my father on my marriage, and who keeps the doors your mind to speak of it, tell me about the task that lies be-
of our room) hard of belief though I have been I can mis- fore you. I shall have to hear about it later, so it is better that

I should be told at once.’ herd now left off dancing, and made the women leave off
‘My dear,’ answered Ulysses, ‘why should you press me to also. They then laid themselves down to sleep in the clois-
tell you? Still, I will not conceal it from you, though you will ters.
not like it. I do not like it myself, for Teiresias bade me travel When Ulysses and Penelope had had their fill of love they
far and wide, carrying an oar, till I came to a country where fell talking with one another. She told him how much she
the people have never heard of the sea, and do not even mix had had to bear in seeing the house filled with a crowd of
salt with their food. They know nothing about ships, nor wicked suitors who had killed so many sheep and oxen on
oars that are as the wings of a ship. He gave me this certain her account, and had drunk so many casks of wine. Ulysses
token which I will not hide from you. He said that a wayfar- in his turn told her what he had suffered, and how much
er should meet me and ask me whether it was a winnowing trouble he had himself given to other people. He told her
shovel that I had on my shoulder. On this, I was to fix my everything, and she was so delighted to listen that she never
oar in the ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and a boar to went to sleep till he had ended his whole story.
Neptune; after which I was to go home and offer hecatombs He began with his victory over the Cicons, and how he
to all the gods in heaven, one after the other. As for myself, thence reached the fertile land of the Lotus-eaters. He told
he said that death should come to me from the sea, and that her all about the Cyclops and how he had punished him
my life should ebb away very gently when I was full of years for having so ruthlessly eaten his brave comrades; how he
and peace of mind, and my people should bless me. All this, then went on to Aeolus, who received him hospitably and
he said, should surely come to pass.’ furthered him on his way, but even so he was not to reach
And Penelope said, ‘If the gods are going to vouchsafe home, for to his great grief a hurricane carried him out to
you a happier time in your old age, you may hope then to sea again; how he went on to the Laestrygonian city Tele-
have some respite from misfortune.’ pylos, where the people destroyed all his ships with their
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Eurynome and the crews, save himself and his own ship only. Then he told of
nurse took torches and made the bed ready with soft cover- cunning Circe and her craft, and how he sailed to the chill
lets; as soon as they had laid them, the nurse went back into house of Hades, to consult the ghost of the Theban prophet
the house to go to her rest, leaving the bed chamber woman Teiresias, and how he saw his old comrades in arms, and his
Eurynome {183} to show Ulysses and Penelope to bed by mother who bore him and brought him up when he was a
torch light. When she had conducted them to their room child; how he then heard the wondrous singing of the Sirens,
she went back, and they then came joyfully to the rites of and went on to the wandering rocks and terrible Charybdis
their own old bed. Telemachus, Philoetius, and the swine- and to Scylla, whom no man had ever yet passed in safety;

how his men then ate the cattle of the sun-god, and how my account, and to yourself I will give these instructions,
Jove therefore struck the ship with his thunderbolts, so that though you have little need of them. At sunrise it will at
all his men perished together, himself alone being left alive; once get abroad that I have been killing the suitors; go up-
how at last he reached the Ogygian island and the nymph stairs, therefore, {184} and stay there with your women. See
Calypso, who kept him there in a cave, and fed him, and nobody and ask no questions.’ {185}
wanted him to marry her, in which case she intended mak- As he spoke he girded on his armour. Then he roused
ing him immortal so that he should never grow old, but she Telemachus, Philoetius, and Eumaeus, and told them all to
could not persuade him to let her do so; and how after much put on their armour also. This they did, and armed them-
suffering he had found his way to the Phaeacians, who had selves. When they had done so, they opened the gates and
treated him as though he had been a god, and sent him back sallied forth, Ulysses leading the way. It was now daylight,
in a ship to his own country after having given him gold, but Minerva nevertheless concealed them in darkness and
bronze, and raiment in great abundance. This was the last led them quickly out of the town.
thing about which he told her, for here a deep sleep took
hold upon him and eased the burden of his sorrows.
Then Minerva bethought her of another matter. When
she deemed that Ulysses had had both of his wife and of
repose, she bade gold-enthroned Dawn rise out of Oceanus
that she might shed light upon mankind. On this, Ulysses
rose from his comfortable bed and said to Penelope, ‘Wife,
we have both of us had our full share of troubles, you, here,
in lamenting my absence, and I in being prevented from
getting home though I was longing all the time to do so.
Now, however, that we have at last come together, take care
of the property that is in the house. As for the sheep and
goats which the wicked suitors have eaten, I will take many
myself by force from other people, and will compel the
Achaeans to make good the rest till they shall have filled all
my yards. I am now going to the wooded lands out in the
country to see my father who has so long been grieved on

BOOK XXIV one of them has fallen out of the cluster in which they
hang, even so did the ghosts whine and squeal as Mercury
THE GHOSTS OF THE the healer of sorrow led them down into the dark abode of
death. When they had passed the waters of Oceanus and the
SUITORS IN HADES— rock Leucas, they came to the gates of the sun and the land
of dreams, whereon they reached the meadow of asphodel
ULYSSES AND HIS MEN where dwell the souls and shadows of them that can labour
no more.
GO TO THE HOUSE Here they found the ghost of Achilles son of Peleus, with
those of Patroclus, Antilochus, and Ajax, who was the fin-
OF LAERTES—THE est and handsomest man of all the Danaans after the son of
Peleus himself.
PEOPLE OF ITHACA They gathered round the ghost of the son of Peleus, and
the ghost of Agamemnon joined them, sorrowing bitterly.
COME OUT TO ATTACK Round him were gathered also the ghosts of those who had
perished with him in the house of Aegisthus; and the ghost
ULYSSES, BUT MINERVA of Achilles spoke first.
‘Son of Atreus,’ it said, ‘we used to say that Jove had loved
CONCLUDES A PEACE. you better from first to last than any other hero, for you
were captain over many and brave men, when we were all
fighting together before Troy; yet the hand of death, which
no mortal can escape, was laid upon you all too early. Bet-
ter for you had you fallen at Troy in the hey-day of your
T hen Mercury of Cyllene summoned the ghosts of the

suitors, and in his hand he held the fair golden wand
with which he seals men’s eyes in sleep or wakes them just
renown, for the Achaeans would have built a mound over
your ashes, and your son would have been heir to your good
name, whereas it has now been your lot to come to a most
as he pleases; with this he roused the ghosts and led them, miserable end.’
while they followed whining and gibbering behind him. As ‘Happy son of Peleus,’ answered the ghost of Agamem-
bats fly squealing in the hollow of some great cave, when non, ‘for having died at Troy far from Argos, while the

bravest of the Trojans and the Achaeans fell round you as of a great multitude. But when the flames of heaven had
fighting for your body. There you lay in the whirling clouds done their work, we gathered your white bones at daybreak
of dust, all huge and hugely, heedless now of your chival- and laid them in ointments and in pure wine. Your mother
ry. We fought the whole of the livelong day, nor should we brought us a golden vase to hold them—gift of Bacchus, and
ever have left off if Jove had not sent a hurricane to stay us. work of Vulcan himself; in this we mingled your bleached
Then, when we had borne you to the ships out of the fray, bones with those of Patroclus who had gone before you,
we laid you on your bed and cleansed your fair skin with and separate we enclosed also those of Antilochus, who had
warm water and with ointments. The Danaans tore their been closer to you than any other of your comrades now
hair and wept bitterly round about you. Your mother, when that Patroclus was no more.
she heard, came with her immortal nymphs from out of the ‘Over these the host of the Argives built a noble tomb, on
sea, and the sound of a great wailing went forth over the wa- a point jutting out over the open Hellespont, that it might
ters so that the Achaeans quaked for fear. They would have be seen from far out upon the sea by those now living and
fled panic-stricken to their ships had not wise old Nestor by them that shall be born hereafter. Your mother begged
whose counsel was ever truest checked them saying, ‘Hold, prizes from the gods, and offered them to be contended for
Argives, fly not sons of the Achaeans, this is his mother by the noblest of the Achaeans. You must have been pres-
coming from the sea with her immortal nymphs to view the ent at the funeral of many a hero, when the young men
body of her son.’ gird themselves and make ready to contend for prizes on
‘Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans feared no more. The the death of some great chieftain, but you never saw such
daughters of the old man of the sea stood round you weep- prizes as silver-footed Thetis offered in your honour; for the
ing bitterly, and clothed you in immortal raiment. The nine gods loved you well. Thus even in death your fame, Achil-
muses also came and lifted up their sweet voices in lament— les, has not been lost, and your name lives evermore among
calling and answering one another; there was not an Argive all mankind. But as for me, what solace had I when the days
but wept for pity of the dirge they chaunted. Days and nights of my fighting were done? For Jove willed my destruction
seven and ten we mourned you, mortals and immortals, but on my return, by the hands of Aegisthus and those of my
on the eighteenth day we gave you to the flames, and many wicked wife.’
a fat sheep with many an ox did we slay in sacrifice around Thus did they converse, and presently Mercury came up
you. You were burnt in raiment of the gods, with rich resins to them with the ghosts of the suitors who had been killed
and with honey, while heroes, horse and foot, clashed their by Ulysses. The ghosts of Agamemnon and Achilles were
armour round the pile as you were burning, with the tramp astonished at seeing them, and went up to them at once.

The ghost of Agamemnon recognised Amphimedon son of Laertes, against the time when death shall take him. He is
Melaneus, who lived in Ithaca and had been his host, so it very rich, and the women of the place will talk if he is laid
began to talk to him. out without a pall.’ This is what she said, and we assented;
‘Amphimedon,’ it said, ‘what has happened to all you fine whereupon we could see her working upon her great web all
young men—all of an age too—that you are come down day long, but at night she would unpick the stitches again by
here under the ground? One could pick no finer body of torchlight. She fooled us in this way for three years without
men from any city. Did Neptune raise his winds and waves our finding it out, but as time wore on and she was now in
against you when you were at sea, or did your enemies make her fourth year, in the waning of moons and many days had
an end of you on the mainland when you were cattle-lift- been accomplished, one of her maids who knew what she
ing or sheep-stealing, or while fighting in defence of their was doing told us, and we caught her in the act of undoing
wives and city? Answer my question, for I have been your her work, so she had to finish it whether she would or no;
guest. Do you not remember how I came to your house and when she showed us the robe she had made, after she
with Menelaus, to persuade Ulysses to join us with his ships had had it washed, {186} its splendour was as that of the sun
against Troy? It was a whole month ere we could resume our or moon.
voyage, for we had hard work to persuade Ulysses to come ‘Then some malicious god conveyed Ulysses to the up-
with us.’ land farm where his swineherd lives. Thither presently
And the ghost of Amphimedon answered, ‘Agamemnon, came also his son, returning from a voyage to Pylos, and
son of Atreus, king of men, I remember everything that you the two came to the town when they had hatched their plot
have said, and will tell you fully and accurately about the for our destruction. Telemachus came first, and then after
way in which our end was brought about. Ulysses had been him, accompanied by the swineherd, came Ulysses, clad in
long gone, and we were courting his wife, who did not say rags and leaning on a staff as though he were some mis-
point blank that she would not marry, nor yet bring matters erable old beggar. He came so unexpectedly that none of
to an end, for she meant to compass our destruction: this, us knew him, not even the older ones among us, and we
then, was the trick she played us. She set up a great tam- reviled him and threw things at him. He endured both be-
bour frame in her room and began to work on an enormous ing struck and insulted without a word, though he was in
piece of fine needlework. ‘Sweethearts,’ said she, ‘Ulysses is his own house; but when the will of Aegis-bearing Jove in-
indeed dead, still, do not press me to marry again imme- spired him, he and Telemachus took the armour and hid it
diately; wait—for I would not have my skill in needlework in an inner chamber, bolting the doors behind them. Then
perish unrecorded—till I have completed a pall for the hero he cunningly made his wife offer his bow and a quantity

of iron to be contended for by us ill-fated suitors; and this daughter of Tyndareus who killed her lawful husband; her
was the beginning of our end, for not one of us could string song shall be hateful among men, for she has brought dis-
the bow—nor nearly do so. When it was about to reach the grace on all womankind even on the good ones.’
hands of Ulysses, we all of us shouted out that it should not Thus did they converse in the house of Hades deep down
be given him, no matter what he might say, but Telemachus within the bowels of the earth. Meanwhile Ulysses and the
insisted on his having it. When he had got it in his hands others passed out of the town and soon reached the fair and
he strung it with ease and sent his arrow through the iron. well-tilled farm of Laertes, which he had reclaimed with in-
Then he stood on the floor of the cloister and poured his finite labour. Here was his house, with a lean-to running all
arrows on the ground, glaring fiercely about him. First he round it, where the slaves who worked for him slept and sat
killed Antinous, and then, aiming straight before him, he and ate, while inside the house there was an old Sicel wom-
let fly his deadly darts and they fell thick on one another. an, who looked after him in this his country-farm. When
It was plain that some one of the gods was helping them, Ulysses got there, he said to his son and to the other two:
for they fell upon us with might and main throughout the ‘Go to the house, and kill the best pig that you can find
cloisters, and there was a hideous sound of groaning as our for dinner. Meanwhile I want to see whether my father will
brains were being battered in, and the ground seethed with know me, or fail to recognise me after so long an absence.’
our blood. This, Agamemnon, is how we came by our end, He then took off his armour and gave it to Eumaeus and
and our bodies are lying still uncared for in the house of Philoetius, who went straight on to the house, while he
Ulysses, for our friends at home do not yet know what has turned off into the vineyard to make trial of his father. As
happened, so that they cannot lay us out and wash the black he went down into the great orchard, he did not see Dolius,
blood from our wounds, making moan over us according to nor any of his sons nor of the other bondsmen, for they were
the offices due to the departed.’ all gathering thorns to make a fence for the vineyard, at the
‘Happy Ulysses, son of Laertes,’ replied the ghost of place where the old man had told them; he therefore found
Agamemnon, ‘you are indeed blessed in the possession of a his father alone, hoeing a vine. He had on a dirty old shirt,
wife endowed with such rare excellence of understanding, patched and very shabby; his legs were bound round with
and so faithful to her wedded lord as Penelope the daugh- thongs of oxhide to save him from the brambles, and he also
ter of Icarius. The fame, therefore, of her virtue shall never wore sleeves of leather; he had a goat skin cap on his head,
die, and the immortals shall compose a song that shall and was looking very woe-begone. When Ulysses saw him
be welcome to all mankind in honour of the constancy of so worn, so old and full of sorrow, he stood still under a tall
Penelope. How far otherwise was the wickedness of the pear tree and began to weep. He doubted whether to em-

brace him, kiss him, and tell him all about his having come my house, and when he went away I gave him all customary
home, or whether he should first question him and see what presents. I gave him seven talents of fine gold, and a cup of
he would say. In the end he deemed it best to be crafty with solid silver with flowers chased upon it. I gave him twelve
him, so in this mind he went up to his father, who was bend- light cloaks, and as many pieces of tapestry; I also gave him
ing down and digging about a plant. twelve cloaks of single fold, twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles,
‘I see, sir,’ said Ulysses, ‘that you are an excellent gar- and an equal number of shirts. To all this I added four good
dener—what pains you take with it, to be sure. There is not looking women skilled in all useful arts, and I let him take
a single plant, not a fig tree, vine, olive, pear, nor flower bed, his choice.’
but bears the trace of your attention. I trust, however, that His father shed tears and answered, ‘Sir, you have indeed
you will not be offended if I say that you take better care of come to the country that you have named, but it is fallen
your garden than of yourself. You are old, unsavoury, and into the hands of wicked people. All this wealth of presents
very meanly clad. It cannot be because you are idle that has been given to no purpose. If you could have found your
your master takes such poor care of you, indeed your face friend here alive in Ithaca, he would have entertained you
and figure have nothing of the slave about them, and pro- hospitably and would have requited your presents amply
claim you of noble birth. I should have said that you were when you left him—as would have been only right consid-
one of those who should wash well, eat well, and lie soft at ering what you had already given him. But tell me, and tell
night as old men have a right to do; but tell me, and tell me me true, how many years is it since you entertained this
true, whose bondman are you, and in whose garden are you guest—my unhappy son, as ever was? Alas! He has perished
working? Tell me also about another matter. Is this place far from his own country; the fishes of the sea have eaten
that I have come to really Ithaca? I met a man just now who him, or he has fallen a prey to the birds and wild beasts of
said so, but he was a dull fellow, and had not the patience some continent. Neither his mother, nor I his father, who
to hear my story out when I was asking him about an old were his parents, could throw our arms about him and wrap
friend of mine, whether he was still living, or was already him in his shroud, nor could his excellent and richly dow-
dead and in the house of Hades. Believe me when I tell you ered wife Penelope bewail her husband as was natural upon
that this man came to my house once when I was in my own his death bed, and close his eyes according to the offices
country and never yet did any stranger come to me whom due to the departed. But now, tell me truly for I want to
I liked better. He said that his family came from Ithaca and know. Who and whence are you—tell me of your town and
that his father was Laertes, son of Arceisius. I received him parents? Where is the ship lying that has brought you and
hospitably, making him welcome to all the abundance of your men to Ithaca? Or were you a passenger on some other

man’s ship, and those who brought you here have gone on from a boar’s tusk when I was hunting on Mt. Parnassus.
their way and left you?’ You and my mother had sent me to Autolycus, my mother’s
‘I will tell you everything,’ answered Ulysses, ‘quite truly. father, to receive the presents which when he was over here
I come from Alybas, where I have a fine house. I am son of he had promised to give me. Furthermore I will point out
king Apheidas, who is the son of Polypemon. My own name to you the trees in the vineyard which you gave me, and I
is Eperitus; heaven drove me off my course as I was leav- asked you all about them as I followed you round the gar-
ing Sicania, and I have been carried here against my will. den. We went over them all, and you told me their names
As for my ship it is lying over yonder, off the open country and what they all were. You gave me thirteen pear trees, ten
outside the town, and this is the fifth year since Ulysses left apple trees, and forty fig trees; you also said you would give
my country. Poor fellow, yet the omens were good for him me fifty rows of vines; there was corn planted between each
when he left me. The birds all flew on our right hands, and row, and they yield grapes of every kind when the heat of
both he and I rejoiced to see them as we parted, for we had heaven has been laid heavy upon them.’
every hope that we should have another friendly meeting Laertes’ strength failed him when he heard the con-
and exchange presents.’ vincing proofs which his son had given him. He threw his
A dark cloud of sorrow fell upon Laertes as he listened. arms about him, and Ulysses had to support him, or he
He filled both hands with the dust from off the ground and would have gone off into a swoon; but as soon as he came
poured it over his grey head, groaning heavily as he did so. to, and was beginning to recover his senses, he said, ‘O fa-
The heart of Ulysses was touched, and his nostrils quivered ther Jove, then you gods are still in Olympus after all, if the
as he looked upon his father; then he sprang towards him, suitors have really been punished for their insolence and
flung his arms about him and kissed him, saying, ‘I am he, folly. Nevertheless, I am much afraid that I shall have all
father, about whom you are asking—I have returned after the townspeople of Ithaca up here directly, and they will be
having been away for twenty years. But cease your sighing sending messengers everywhere throughout the cities of the
and lamentation—we have no time to lose, for I should tell Cephallenians.’
you that I have been killing the suitors in my house, to pun- Ulysses answered, ‘Take heart and do not trouble your-
ish them for their insolence and crimes.’ self about that, but let us go into the house hard by your
‘If you really are my son Ulysses,’ replied Laertes, ‘and garden. I have already told Telemachus, Philoetius, and
have come back again, you must give me such manifest Eumaeus to go on there and get dinner ready as soon as
proof of your identity as shall convince me.’ possible.’
‘First observe this scar,’ answered Ulysses, ‘which I got Thus conversing the two made their way towards the

house. When they got there they found Telemachus with waiting for you.’
the stockman and the swineherd cutting up meat and mix- Then Dolius put out both his hands and went up to Ulyss-
ing wine with water. Then the old Sicel woman took Laertes es. ‘Sir,’ said he, seizing his master’s hand and kissing it at
inside and washed him and anointed him with oil. She put the wrist, ‘we have long been wishing you home: and now
him on a good cloak, and Minerva came up to him and heaven has restored you to us after we had given up hoping.
gave him a more imposing presence, making him taller and All hail, therefore, and may the gods prosper you. {187} But
stouter than before. When he came back his son was sur- tell me, does Penelope already know of your return, or shall
prised to see him looking so like an immortal, and said to we send some one to tell her?’
him, ‘My dear father, some one of the gods has been making ‘Old man,’ answered Ulysses, ‘she knows already, so you
you much taller and better-looking.’ need not trouble about that.’ On this he took his seat, and the
Laertes answered, ‘Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and sons of Dolius gathered round Ulysses to give him greeting
Apollo, that I were the man I was when I ruled among the and embrace him one after the other; then they took their
Cephallenians, and took Nericum, that strong fortress on seats in due order near Dolius their father.
the foreland. If I were still what I then was and had been While they were thus busy getting their dinner ready,
in our house yesterday with my armour on, I should have Rumour went round the town, and noised abroad the ter-
been able to stand by you and help you against the suitors. rible fate that had befallen the suitors; as soon, therefore,
I should have killed a great many of them, and you would as the people heard of it they gathered from every quarter,
have rejoiced to see it.’ groaning and hooting before the house of Ulysses. They
Thus did they converse; but the others, when they had took the dead away, buried every man his own, and put the
finished their work and the feast was ready, left off working, bodies of those who came from elsewhere on board the fish-
and took each his proper place on the benches and seats. ing vessels, for the fishermen to take each of them to his
Then they began eating; by and by old Dolius and his sons own place. They then met angrily in the place of assembly,
left their work and came up, for their mother, the Sicel wom- and when they were got together Eupeithes rose to speak.
an who looked after Laertes now that he was growing old, He was overwhelmed with grief for the death of his son An-
had been to fetch them. When they saw Ulysses and were tinous, who had been the first man killed by Ulysses, so he
certain it was he, they stood there lost in astonishment; but said, weeping bitterly, ‘My friends, this man has done the
Ulysses scolded them good naturedly and said, ‘Sit down to Achaeans great wrong. He took many of our best men away
your dinner, old man, and never mind about your surprise; with him in his fleet, and he has lost both ships and men;
we have been wanting to begin for some time and have been now, moreover, on his return he has been killing all the

foremost men among the Cephallenians. Let us be up and against Ulysses, or you may find that you have been draw-
doing before he can get away to Pylos or to Elis where the ing down evil on your own heads.’
Epeans rule, or we shall be ashamed of ourselves for ever af- This was what he said, and more than half raised a loud
terwards. It will be an everlasting disgrace to us if we do not shout, and at once left the assembly. But the rest stayed
avenge the murder of our sons and brothers. For my own where they were, for the speech of Halitherses displeased
part I should have no more pleasure in life, but had rather them, and they sided with Eupeithes; they therefore hurried
die at once. Let us be up, then, and after them, before they off for their armour, and when they had armed themselves,
can cross over to the main land.’ they met together in front of the city, and Eupeithes led
He wept as he spoke and every one pitied him. But Me- them on in their folly. He thought he was going to avenge
don and the bard Phemius had now woke up, and came to the murder of his son, whereas in truth he was never to re-
them from the house of Ulysses. Every one was astonished turn, but was himself to perish in his attempt.
at seeing them, but they stood in the middle of the assem- Then Minerva said to Jove, ‘Father, son of Saturn, king
bly, and Medon said, ‘Hear me, men of Ithaca. Ulysses did of kings, answer me this question—What do you propose to
not do these things against the will of heaven. I myself saw do? Will you set them fighting still further, or will you make
an immortal god take the form of Mentor and stand beside peace between them?’
him. This god appeared, now in front of him encouraging And Jove answered, ‘My child, why should you ask me?
him, and now going furiously about the court and attacking Was it not by your own arrangement that Ulysses came
the suitors whereon they fell thick on one another.’ home and took his revenge upon the suitors? Do whatever
On this pale fear laid hold of them, and old Halitherses, you like, but I will tell you what I think will be most reason-
son of Mastor, rose to speak, for he was the only man among able arrangement. Now that Ulysses is revenged, let them
them who knew both past and future; so he spoke to them swear to a solemn covenant, in virtue of which he shall con-
plainly and in all honesty, saying, tinue to rule, while we cause the others to forgive and forget
‘Men of Ithaca, it is all your own fault that things have the massacre of their sons and brothers. Let them then
turned out as they have; you would not listen to me, nor all become friends as heretofore, and let peace and plenty
yet to Mentor, when we bade you check the folly of your reign.’
sons who were doing much wrong in the wantonness of This was what Minerva was already eager to bring about,
their hearts—wasting the substance and dishonouring the so down she darted from off the topmost summits of Olym-
wife of a chieftain who they thought would not return. Now, pus.
however, let it be as I say, and do as I tell you. Do not go out Now when Laertes and the others had done dinner,

Ulysses began by saying, ‘Some of you go out and see if they As she spoke she infused fresh vigour into him, and
are not getting close up to us.’ So one of Dolius’s sons went when he had prayed to her he poised his spear and hurled it.
as he was bid. Standing on the threshold he could see them He hit Eupeithes’ helmet, and the spear went right through
all quite near, and said to Ulysses, ‘Here they are, let us put it, for the helmet stayed it not, and his armour rang rattling
on our armour at once.’ round him as he fell heavily to the ground. Meantime Ulyss-
They put on their armour as fast as they could—that is es and his son fell upon the front line of the foe and smote
to say Ulysses, his three men, and the six sons of Dolius. them with their swords and spears; indeed, they would have
Laertes also and Dolius did the same—warriors by neces- killed every one of them, and prevented them from ever get-
sity in spite of their grey hair. When they had all put on ting home again, only Minerva raised her voice aloud, and
their armour, they opened the gate and sallied forth, Ulyss- made every one pause. ‘Men of Ithaca,’ she cried, ‘cease this
es leading the way. dreadful war, and settle the matter at once without further
Then Jove’s daughter Minerva came up to them, having bloodshed.’
assumed the form and voice of Mentor. Ulysses was glad On this pale fear seized every one; they were so fright-
when he saw her, and said to his son Telemachus, ‘Telema- ened that their arms dropped from their hands and fell
chus, now that you are about to fight in an engagement, upon the ground at the sound of the goddess’ voice, and
which will show every man’s mettle, be sure not to disgrace they fled back to the city for their lives. But Ulysses gave
your ancestors, who were eminent for their strength and a great cry, and gathering himself together swooped down
courage all the world over.’ like a soaring eagle. Then the son of Saturn sent a thun-
‘You say truly, my dear father,’ answered Telemachus, derbolt of fire that fell just in front of Minerva, so she said
‘and you shall see, if you will, that I am in no mind to dis- to Ulysses, ‘Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, stop this warful
grace your family.’ strife, or Jove will be angry with you.’
Laertes was delighted when he heard this. ‘Good heav- Thus spoke Minerva, and Ulysses obeyed her gladly.
ens,’ he exclaimed, ‘what a day I am enjoying: I do indeed Then Minerva assumed the form and voice of Mentor, and
rejoice at it. My son and grandson are vying with one an- presently made a covenant of peace between the two con-
other in the matter of valour.’ tending parties.
On this Minerva came close up to him and said, ‘Son
of Arceisius—-best friend I have in the world—pray to the
blue-eyed damsel, and to Jove her father; then poise your
spear and hurl it.’

Footnotes do this, and from bk. ii. it is clear that she kept on delib-
erately encouraging the suitors, though we are asked to
believe that she was only fooling them.
{8} See note on ‘Od.’ i. 365.
{9} Middle Argos means the Peleponnese which, how-
ever, is never so called in the ‘Iliad”. I presume ‘middle’
w means ‘middle between the two Greek-speaking countries
of Asia Minor and Sicily, with South Italy”; for that parts of
{1} Black races are evidently known to the writer as Sicily and also large parts, though not the whole of South
stretching all across Africa, one half looking West on to the Italy, were inhabited by Greek-speaking races centuries be-
Atlantic, and the other East on to the Indian Ocean. fore the Dorian colonisations can hardly be doubted. The
{2} The original use of the footstool was probably less to Sicians, and also the Sicels, both of them probably spoke
rest the feet than to keep them (especially when bare) from Greek.
a floor which was often wet and dirty. {10} cf. ‘Il.’ vi. 490-495. In the ‘Iliad’ it is ‘war,’ not
{3} The [Greek] or seat, is occasionally called ‘high,’ as ‘speech,’ that is a man’s matter. It argues a certain hardness,
being higher than the [Greek] or low footstool. It was prob- or at any rate dislike of the ‘Iliad’ on the part of the writer
ably no higher than an ordinary chair is now, and seems to of the ‘Odyssey,’ that she should have adopted Hector’s fare-
have had no back. well to Andromache here, as elsewhere in the poem, for a
{4} Temesa was on the West Coast of the toe of Italy, in scene of such inferior pathos.
what is now the gulf of Sta Eufemia. It was famous in remote {11} [Greek] The whole open court with the covered clois-
times for its copper mines, which, however, were worked ter running round it was called [Greek], or [Greek], but the
out when Strabo wrote. covered part was distinguished by being called ‘shady’ or
{5} i.e. ‘with a current in it’—see illustrations and map ‘shadow-giving”. It was in this part that the tables for the
near the end of bks. v. and vi. respectively. suitors were laid. The Fountain Court at Hampton Court
{6} Reading [Greek] for [Greek], cf. ‘Od.’ iii. 81 where the may serve as an illustration (save as regards the use of
same mistake is made, and xiii. 351 where the mountain is arches instead of wooden supports and rafters) and the ar-
called Neritum, the same place being intended both here rangement is still common in Sicily. The usual translation
and in book xiii. ‘shadowy’ or ‘dusky’ halls, gives a false idea of the scene.
{7} It is never plausibly explained why Penelope cannot {12} The reader will note the extreme care which the

writer takes to make it clear that none of the suitors were was coined upon that of Nestor?
allowed to sleep in Ulysses’ house. {21} i.e. in the outer court, and in the uncovered part of
{13} See Appendix; g, in plan of Ulysses’ house. the inner house.
{14} I imagine this passage to be a rejoinder to ‘Il.’ xxiii. {22} This would be fair from Sicily, which was doing duty
702-705 in which a tripod is valued at twelve oxen, and a for Ithaca in the mind of the writer, but a North wind would
good useful maid of all work at only four. The scrupulous have been preferable for a voyage from the real Ithaca to
regard of Laertes for his wife’s feelings is of a piece with the Pylos.
extreme jealousy for the honour of woman, which is mani- {23} [Greek] The wind does not whistle over waves. It
fest throughout the ‘Odyssey”. only whistles through rigging or some other obstacle that
{15} [Greek] ‘The [Greek], or tunica, was a shirt or shift, cuts it.
and served as the chief under garment of the Greeks and {24} cf. ‘Il.’ v.20. [Greek] The Odyssean line is [Greek].
Romans, whether men or women.’ Smith’s Dictionary of There can be no doubt that the Odyssean line was suggested
Greek and Roman Antiquities, under ‘Tunica”. by the Iliadic, but nothing can explain why Idaeus jumping
{16} Doors fastened to all intents and purposes as here from his chariot should suggest to the writer of the ‘Odys-
described may be seen in the older houses at Trapani. There sey’ the sun jumping from the sea. The probability is that
is a slot on the outer side of the door by means of which a she never gave the matter a thought, but took the line in
person who has left the room can shoot the bolt. My bed- question as an effect of saturation with the ‘Iliad,’ and of un-
room at the Albergo Centrale was fastened in this way. conscious cerebration. The ‘Odyssey’ contains many such
{17} [Greek] So we vulgarly say ‘had cooked his goose,’ or examples.
‘had settled his hash.’ Aegyptus cannot of course know of {25} The heart, liver, lights, kidneys, etc. were taken out
the fate Antiphus had met with, for there had as yet been no from the inside and eaten first as being more readily cooked;
news of or from Ulysses. the [Greek], or bone meat, was cooking while the [Greek]
{18} ‘Il.’ xxii. 416. [Greek] The authoress has bungled by or inward parts were being eaten. I imagine that the thigh
borrowing these words verbatim from the ‘Iliad’, without bones made a kind of gridiron, while at the same time the
prefixing the necessary ‘do not,’ which I have supplied. marrow inside them got cooked.
{19} i.e. you have money, and could pay when I got judg- {26} i.e. skewers, either single, double, or even five
ment, whereas the suitors are men of straw. pronged. The meat would be pierced with the skewer, and
{20} cf. ‘Il.’ ii. 76. [Greek]. The Odyssean passage runs laid over the ashes to grill—the two ends of the skewer be-
[Greek]. Is it possible not to suspect that the name Mentor ing supported in whatever way convenient. Meat so cooking

may be seen in any eating house in Smyrna, or any Eastern {32} cf. ‘Il.’ i.458, ii. 421. The writer here interrupts an
town. When I rode across the Troad from the Dardanelles Iliadic passage (to which she returns immediately) for the
to Hissarlik and Mount Ida, I noticed that my dragoman double purpose of dwelling upon the slaughter of the heif-
and his men did all our outdoor cooking exactly in the Od- er, and of letting Nestor’s wife and daughter enjoy it also.
yssean and Iliadic fashion. A male writer, if he was borrowing from the ‘Iliad,’ would
{27} cf. ‘Il.’ xvii. 567. [Greek] The Odyssean lines are— have stuck to his borrowing.
[Greek] {33} cf. ‘Il.’ xxiv. 587,588 where the lines refer to the wash-
{28} Reading [Greek] for [Greek], cf. ‘Od.’ i.186. ing the dead body of Hector.
{29} The geography of the Aegean as above described is {34} See illustration on opposite page. The yard is typical
correct, but is probably taken from the lost poem, the Nosti, of many that may be seen in Sicily. The existing ground-
the existence of which is referred to ‘Od.’ i.326,327 and 350, plan is probably unmodified from Odyssean, and indeed
etc. A glance at the map will show that heaven advised its long pre-Odyssean times, but the earlier buildings would
supplicants quite correctly. have no arches, and would, one would suppose, be main-
{30} The writer—ever jealous for the honour of wom- ly timber. The Odyssean [Greek] were the sheds that ran
en—extenuates Clytemnestra’s guilt as far as possible, and round the yard as the arches do now. The [Greek] was the
explains it as due to her having been left unprotected, and one through which the main entrance passed, and which
fallen into the hands of a wicked man. was hence ‘noisy,’ or reverberating. It had an upper story in
{31} The Greek is [Greek] cf. ‘Iliad’ ii. 408 [Greek] Surely which visitors were often lodged.
the [Greek] of the Odyssean passage was due to the [Greek] {35} This journey is an impossible one. Telemachus and
of the ‘Iliad.’ No other reason suggests itself for the making Pisistratus would have been obliged to drive over the Tay-
Menelaus return on the very day of the feast given by Or- getus range, over which there has never yet been a road for
estes. The fact that in the ‘Iliad’ Menelaus came to a banquet wheeled vehicles. It is plain therefore that the audience for
without waiting for an invitation, determines the writer of whom the ‘Odyssey’ was written was one that would be
the ‘Odyssey’ to make him come to a banquet, also uninvit- unlikely to know anything about the topography of the
ed, but as circumstances did not permit of his having been Peloponnese, so that the writer might take what liberties
invited, his coming uninvited is shown to have been due to she chose.
chance. I do not think the authoress thought all this out, but {36} The lines which I have enclosed in brackets are
attribute the strangeness of the coincidence to unconscious evidently an afterthought—added probably by the writ-
cerebration and saturation. er herself—for they evince the same instinctively greater

interest in anything that may concern a woman, which is {40} Amber is never mentioned in the ‘Iliad.’ Sicily,
so noticeable throughout the poem. There is no further where I suppose the ‘Odyssey’ to have been written, has al-
sign of any special festivities nor of any other guests than ways been, and still is, one of the principal amber producing
Telemachus and Pisistratus, until lines 621-624 (ordinari- countries. It was probably the only one known in the Odys-
ly enclosed in brackets) are abruptly introduced, probably sean age. See ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’, p260.
with a view of trying to carry off the introduction of the {41} This no doubt refers to the story told in the last poem
lines now in question. of the Cypria about Paris and Helen robbing Menelaus of
The addition was, I imagine, suggested by a desire to ex- the greater part of his treasures, when they sailed together
cuse and explain the non-appearance of Hermione in bk. for Troy.
xv., as also of both Hermione and Megapenthes in the rest {42} It is inconceivable that Helen should enter thus, in
of bk. iv. Megapenthes in bk. xv. seems to be still a bachelor: the middle of supper, intending to work with her distaff, if
the presumption therefore is that bk. xv. was written be- great festivities were going on. Telemachus and Pisistratus
fore the story of his marriage here given. I take it he is only are evidently dining en famille.
married here because his sister is being married. She hav- {43} In the Italian insurrection of 1848, eight young men
ing been properly attended to, Megapenthes might as well who were being hotly pursued by the Austrian police hid
be married at the same time. Hermione could not now be themselves inside Donatello’s colossal wooden horse in the
less than thirty. Salone at Padua, and remained there for a week being fed
I have dealt with this passage somewhat more fully in by their confederates. In 1898 the last survivor was carried
my ‘Authoress of the Odyssey’, p.136-138. See also p. 256 of round Padua in triumph.
the same book. {44} The Greek is [Greek]. Is it unfair to argue that the
{37} Sparta and Lacedaemon are here treated as two dif- writer is a person of somewhat delicate sensibility, to whom
ferent places, though in other parts of the poem it is clear a strong smell of fish is distasteful?
that the writer understands them as one. The catalogue in {45} The Greek is [Greek]. I believe this to be a hit at the
the ‘Iliad,’ which the writer is here presumably following, writer’s own countrymen who were of Phocaean descent,
makes the same mistake (“Il.’ ii. 581,582) and the next following line to be a rejoinder to complaints
{38} These last three lines are identical with ‘Il.’ vxiii. made against her in bk. vi. 273-288, to the effect that she
604-606. gave herself airs and would marry none of her own people.
{39} From the Greek [Greek] it is plain that Menelaus For that the writer of the ‘Odyssey’ was the person who has
took up the piece of meat with his fingers. been introduced into the poem under the name of Nausicaa,

I cannot bring myself to question. I may remind English earlier lines of the same book, give sufficient authority for
readers that [Greek] (i.e. phoca) means ‘seal.’ Seals almost [Greek], but the [Greek] would not be redundant; it would
always appear on Phocaean coins. emphasise the surprise of the contrast, and I should prefer
{46} Surely here again we are in the hands of a writer of to have it, though it is not very important either way. This
delicate sensibility. It is not as though the seals were stale; reading of course should be translated ‘Ithaca is an island
they had only just been killed. The writer, however is obvi- fit for breeding goats, and (by your leave) itself a horseman
ously laughing at her own countrymen, and insulting them rather than fit for breeding horses—for not one of the is-
as openly as she dares. lands is good and well meadowed ground.’
{47} We were told above (lines 357,357) that it was only This would be sure to baffle the Alexandrian editors.
one day’s sail. ‘How,’ they would ask themselves, ‘could an island be a
{48} I give the usual translation, but I do not believe the horseman?’ and they would cast about for an emendation. A
Greek will warrant it. The Greek reads [Greek]. visit to the top of Mt. Eryx might perhaps make the mean-
This is usually held to mean that Ithaca is an island fit for ing intelligible, and suggest my proposed restoration of the
breeding goats, and on that account more delectable to the text to the reader as readily as it did to myself.
speaker than it would have been if it were fit for breeding I have elsewhere stated my conviction that the writer of
horses. I find little authority for such a translation; the most the ‘Odyssey’ was familiar with the old Sican city at the top
equitable translation of the text as it stands is, ‘Ithaca is an of Mt. Eryx, and that the Aegadean islands which are so
island fit for breeding goats, and delectable rather than fit striking when seen thence did duty with her for the Ionian
for breeding horses; for not one of the islands is good driv- islands—Marettimo, the highest and most westerly of the
ing ground, nor well meadowed.’ Surely the writer does not group, standing for Ithaca. When seen from the top of Mt.
mean that a pleasant or delectable island would not be fit Eryx Marettimo shows as it should do according to ‘Od.’
for breeding horses? The most equitable translation, there- ix. 25,26, ‘on the horizon, all highest up in the sea towards
fore, of the present text being thus halt and impotent, we the West,’ while the other islands lie ‘some way off it to the
may suspect corruption, and I hazard the following emen- East.’ As we descend to Trapani, Marettimo appears to sink
dation, though I have not adopted it in my translation, on to the top of the island of Levanzo, behind which it dis-
as fearing that it would be deemed too fanciful. I would appears. My friend, the late Signor E. Biaggini, pointed to
read:—[Greek]. it once as it was just standing on the top of Levanzo, and
As far as scanning goes the [Greek] is not necessary; said to me ‘Come cavalca bene’ (“How well it rides’), and
[Greek] iv. 72, [Greek] iv. 233, to go no further afield than this immediately suggested my emendation to me. Later on

I found in the hymn to the Pythian Apollo (which abounds {58} Polyphemus was also son to Neptune, see ‘Od.’ ix.
with tags taken from the ‘Odyssey’) a line ending [Greek] 412,529. he was therefore half brother to Nausithous, half
which strengthened my suspicion that this was the original uncle to King Alcinous, and half great uncle to Nausicaa.
ending of the second of the two lines above under consid- {59} It would seem as though the writer thought that
eration. Marathon was close to Athens.
{49} See note on line 3 of this book. The reader will ob- {60} Here the writer, knowing that she is drawing (with
serve that the writer has been unable to keep the women out embellishments) from things actually existing, becomes
of an interpolation consisting only of four lines. impatient of past tenses and slides into the present.
{50} Scheria means a piece of land jutting out into the {61} This is hidden malice, implying that the Phaeacian
sea. In my ‘Authoress of the Odyssey’ I thought ‘Jutland’ magnates were no better than they should be. The final
would be a suitable translation, but it has been pointed out drink-offering should have been made to Jove or Neptune,
to me that ‘Jutland’ only means the land of the Jutes. not to the god of thievishness and rascality of all kinds. In
{51} Irrigation as here described is common in gardens line 164 we do indeed find Echeneus proposing that a drink-
near Trapani. The water that supplies the ducts is drawn offering should be made to Jove, but Mercury is evidently,
from wells by a mule who turns a wheel with buckets on it. according to our authoress, the god who was most likely to
{52} There is not a word here about the cattle of the sun- be of use to them.
god. {62} The fact of Alcinous knowing anything about the
{53} The writer evidently thought that green, growing Cyclopes suggests that in the writer’s mind Scheria and the
wood might also be well seasoned. country of the Cyclopes were not very far from one another.
{54} The reader will note that the river was flowing with I take the Cyclopes and the giants to be one and the same
salt water i.e. that it was tidal. people.
{55} Then the Ogygian island was not so far off, but that {63} ‘My property, etc.’ The authoress is here adopting an
Nausicaa might be assumed to know where it was. Iliadic line (xix. 333), and this must account for the absence
{56} Greek [Greek] of all reference to Penelope. If she had happened to remem-
{57} I suspect a family joke, or sly allusion to some thing ber ‘Il.’ v.213, she would doubtless have appropriated it by
of which we know nothing, in this story of Eurymedusa’s preference, for that line reads ‘my country, my wife, and all
having been brought from Apeira. The Greek word ‘apeiros’ the greatness of my house.’
means ‘inexperienced,’ ‘ignorant.’ Is it possible that Eury- {64} The at first inexplicable sleep of Ulysses (bk. xiii. 79,
medusa was notoriously incompetent? etc.) is here, as also in viii. 445, being obviously prepared.

The writer evidently attached the utmost importance to it. that place,’ they would have been omitted in the ‘Odyssey.’
Those who know that the harbour which did duty with the {70} The reader will note that Alcinous never goes be-
writer of the ‘Odyssey’ for the one in which Ulysses landed yond saying that he is going to give the goblet; he never
in Ithaca, was only about 2 miles from the place in which gives it. Elsewhere in both ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odyssey’ the offer of
Ulysses is now talking with Alcinous, will understand why a present is immediately followed by the statement that it
the sleep was so necessary. was given and received gladly—Alcinous actually does give
{65} There were two classes—the lower who were found a chest and a cloak and shirt—probably also some of the
in provisions which they had to cook for themselves in the corn and wine for the long two-mile voyage was provided
yards and outer precincts, where they would also eat—and by him—but it is quite plain that he gave no talent and no
the upper who would eat in the cloisters of the inner court, cup.
and have their cooking done for them. {71} ‘Il.’ xviii, 344-349. These lines in the ‘Iliad’ tell of the
{66} Translation very dubious. I suppose the [Greek] here preparation for washing the body of Patroclus, and I am not
to be the covered sheds that ran round the outer courtyard. pleased that the writer of the ‘Odyssey’ should have adopted
See illustrations at the end of bk. iii. them here.
{67} The writer apparently deems that the words ‘as {72} see note {64}
compared with what oxen can plough in the same time’ go {73} see note {43}
without saying. Not so the writer of the ‘Iliad’ from which {74} The reader will find this threat fulfilled in bk. xiii
the Odyssean passage is probably taken. He explains that {75} If the other islands lay some distance away from
mules can plough quicker than oxen (“Il.’ x.351-353) Ithaca (which the word [Greek] suggests), what becomes of
{68} It was very fortunate that such a disc happened to be the [Greek] or gut between Ithaca and Samos which we hear
there, seeing that none like it were in common use. of in Bks. iv. and xv.? I suspect that the authoress in her
{69} ‘Il.’ xiii. 37. Here, as so often elsewhere in the ‘Odys- mind makes Telemachus come back from Pylos to the Lily-
sey,’ the appropriation of an Iliadic line which is not quite baean promontory and thence to Trapani through the strait
appropriate puzzles the reader. The ‘they’ is not the chains, between the Isola Grande and the mainland—the island of
nor yet Mars and Venus. It is an overflow from the Iliadic Asteria being the one on which Motya afterwards stood.
passage in which Neptune hobbles his horses in bonds ‘which {76} ‘Il.’ xviii. 533-534. The sudden lapse into the third
none could either unloose or break so that they might stay person here for a couple of lines is due to the fact that the
there in that place.’ If the line would have scanned without two Iliadic lines taken are in the third person.
the addition of the words ‘so that they might stay there in {77} cf. ‘Il.’ ii. 776. The words in both ‘Iliad’ and ‘Odys-

sey’ are [Greek]. In the ‘Iliad’ they are used of the horses of she presently does by repeating it (line 340) at the stern of
Achilles’ followers as they stood idle, ‘champing lotus.’ the ship. As for the two rocks thrown, the first I take to be
{78} I take all this passage about the Cyclopes having no the Asinelli, see map facing p.80. The second I see as the
ships to be sarcastic—meaning, ‘You people of Drepanum two contiguous islands of the Formiche, which are treat-
have no excuse for not colonising the island of Favognana, ed as one, see map facing p.108. The Asinelli is an island
which you could easily do, for you have plenty of ships, and shaped like a boat, and pointing to the island of Favognana.
the island is a very good one.’ For that the island so fully de- I think the authoress’s compatriots, who probably did not
scribed here is the Aegadean or ‘goat’ island of Favognana, like her much better that she did them, jeered at the absur-
and that the Cyclopes are the old Sican inhabitants of Mt. dity of Ulysses’ conduct, and saw the Asinelli or ‘donkeys,’
Eryx should not be doubted. not as the rock thrown by Polyphemus, but as the boat itself
{79} For the reasons why it was necessary that the night containing Ulysses and his men.
should be so exceptionally dark see ‘The Authoress of the {82} This line exists in the text here but not in the cor-
Odyssey’ pp. 188-189. responding passage xii. 141. I am inclined to think it is
{80} None but such lambs as would suck if they were interpolated (probably by the poetess herself) from the first
with their mothers would be left in the yard. The older of lines xi. 115-137, which I can hardly doubt were added by
lambs should have been out feeding. The authoress has got the writer when the scheme of the work was enlarged and
it all wrong, but it does not matter. See ‘The Authoress of the altered. See ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’ pp. 254-255.
Odyssey’ p.148. {83} ‘Floating’ ([Greek]) is not to be taken literally. The
{81} This line is enclosed in brackets in the received text, island itself, as apart from its inhabitants, was quite nor-
and is omitted (with note) by Messrs. Butcher & Lang. But mal. There is no indication of its moving during the month
lines enclosed in brackets are almost always genuine; all that Ulysses stayed with Aeolus, and on his return from his
that brackets mean is that the bracketed passage puzzled unfortunate voyage, he seems to have found it in the same
some early editor, who nevertheless found it too well estab- place. The [Greek] in fact should no more be pressed than
lished in the text to venture on omitting it. In the present [Greek] as applied to islands, ‘Odyssey’ xv. 299—where they
case the line bracketed is the very last which a full-grown are called ‘flying’ because the ship would fly past them. So
male editor would be likely to interpolate. It is safer to in- also the ‘Wanderers,’ as explained by Buttmann; see note on
fer that the writer, a young woman, not knowing or caring ‘Odyssey’ xii. 57.
at which end of the ship the rudder should be, determined {84} Literally ‘for the ways of the night and of the day
to make sure by placing it at both ends, which we shall find are near.’ I have seen what Mr. Andrew Lang says (“Homer

and the Epic,’ p.236, and ‘Longman’s Magazine’ for Janu- {91} I suppose the lines I have enclosed in brackets to
ary, 1898, p.277) about the ‘amber route’ and the ‘Sacred have been added by the author when she enlarged her origi-
Way’ in this connection; but until he gives his grounds for nal scheme by the addition of books i.-iv. and xiii. (from line
holding that the Mediterranean peoples in the Odyssean 187)-xxiv. The reader will observe that in the corresponding
age used to go far North for their amber instead of getting passage (xii. 137-141) the prophecy ends with ‘after losing all
it in Sicily, where it is still found in considerable quantities, your comrades,’ and that there is no allusion to the suitors.
I do not know what weight I ought to attach to his opinion. For fuller explanation see ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’
I have been unable to find grounds for asserting that B.C. pp. 254-255.
1000 there was any commerce between the Mediterranean {92} The reader will remember that we are in the first
and the ‘Far North,’ but I shall be very ready to learn if Mr. year of Ulysses’ wanderings, Telemachus therefore was only
Lang will enlighten me. See ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’ eleven years old. The same anachronism is made later on in
pp. 185-186. this book. See ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey’ pp. 132-133.
{85} One would have thought that when the sun was {93} Tradition says that she had hanged herself. Cf. ‘Od-
driving the stag down to the water, Ulysses might have ob- yssey’ xv. 355, etc.
served its whereabouts. {94} Not to be confounded with Aeolus king of the
{86} See Hobbes of Malmesbury’s translation. winds.
{87} ‘Il.’ vxiii. 349. Again the writer draws from the wash- {95} Melampus, vide book xv. 223, etc.
ing the body of Patroclus—which offends. {96} I have already said in a note on bk. xi. 186 that at this
{88} This visit is wholly without topographical signifi- point of Ulysses’ voyage Telemachus could only be between
cance. eleven and twelve years old.
{89} Brides presented themselves instinctively to the {97} Is the writer a man or a woman?
imagination of the writer, as the phase of humanity which {98} Cf. ‘Il.’ iv. 521, [Greek]. The Odyssean line reads,
she found most interesting. [Greek]. The famous dactylism, therefore, of the Odysse-
{90} Ulysses was, in fact, to become a missionary and an line was probably suggested by that of the Ileadic rather
preach Neptune to people who knew not his name. I was than by a desire to accommodate sound to sense. At any
fortunate enough to meet in Sicily a woman carrying one rate the double coincidence of a dactylic line, and an ending
of these winnowing shovels; it was not much shorter than [Greek], seems conclusive as to the familiarity of the writer
an oar, and I was able at once to see what the writer of the of the ‘Odyssey’ with the Iliadic line.
‘Odyssey’ intended. {99} Off the coast of Sicily and South Italy, in the month

of May, I have seen men fastened half way up a boat’s mast one in those days more than in our own could localise the
with their feet resting on a crosspiece, just large enough to Planctae, which in fact, as Buttmann has argued, were de-
support them. From this point of vantage they spear sword- rived not from any particular spot, but from sailors’ tales
fish. When I saw men thus employed I could hardly doubt about the difficulties of navigating the group of the Aeolian
that the writer of the ‘Odyssey’ had seen others like them, islands as a whole (see note on ‘Od.’ x. 3). Still the matter
and had them in her mind when describing the binding of of the poor doves caught her fancy, so she would not for-
Ulysses. I have therefore with some diffidence ventured to go them. The whirlwinds of fire and the smoke that hangs
depart from the received translation of [Greek] (cf. Alcaeus on Scylla suggests allusion to Stromboli and perhaps even
frag. 18, where, however, it is very hard to say what [Greek] Etna. Scylla is on the Italian side, and therefore may be said
means). In Sophocles’ Lexicon I find a reference to Chrys- to look West. It is about 8 miles thence to the Sicilian coast,
ostom (l, 242, A. Ed. Benedictine Paris 1834-1839) for the so Ulysses may be perfectly well told that after passing Scyl-
word [Greek], which is probably the same as [Greek], but I la he will come to the Thrinacian island or Sicily. Charybdis
have looked for the passage in vain. is transposed to a site some few miles to the north of its ac-
{100} The writer is at fault here and tries to put it off on tual position.
Circe. When Ulysses comes to take the route prescribed by {101} I suppose this line to have been intercalated by the
Circe, he ought to pass either the Wanderers or some oth- author when lines 426-446 were added.
er difficulty of which we are not told, but he does not do {102} For the reasons which enable us to identify the
so. The Planctae, or Wanderers, merge into Scylla and Cha- island of the two Sirens with the Lipari island now Salinas—
rybdis, and the alternative between them and something the ancient Didyme, or ‘twin’ island—see The Authoress of
untold merges into the alternative whether Ulysses had bet- the Odyssey, pp. 195, 196. The two Sirens doubtless were, as
ter choose Scylla or Charybdis. Yet from line 260, it seems their name suggests, the whistling gusts, or avalanches of
we are to consider the Wanderers as having been passed by air that at times descend without a moment’s warning from
Ulysses; this appears even more plainly from xxiii. 327, in the two lofty mountains of Salinas—as also from all high
which Ulysses expressly mentions the Wandering rocks as points in the neighbourhood.
having been between the Sirens and Scylla and Charybdis. {103} See Admiral Smyth on the currents in the Straits of
The writer, however, is evidently unaware that she does not Messina, quoted in ‘The Authoress of the Odyssey,’ p. 197.
quite understand her own story; her difficulty was perhaps {104} In the islands of Favognana and Marettimo off Tra-
due to the fact that though Trapanese sailors had given her pani I have seen men fish exactly as here described. They
a fair idea as to where all her other localities really were, no chew bread into a paste and throw it into the sea to attract

the fish, which they then spear. No line is used. {111} See note {64}.
{105} The writer evidently regards Ulysses as on a coast {112} The land was in reality the shallow inlet, now the
that looked East at no great distance south of the Straits of salt works of S. Cusumano—the neighbourhood of Trapani
Messina somewhere, say, near Tauromenium, now Taormi- and Mt. Eryx being made to do double duty, both as Sche-
na. ria and Ithaca. Hence the necessity for making Ulysses set
{106} Surely there must be a line missing here to tell us out after dark, fall instantly into a profound sleep, and wake
that the keel and mast were carried down into Charybdis. up on a morning so foggy that he could not see anything
Besides, the aorist [Greek] in its present surrounding is per- till the interviews between Neptune and Jove and between
plexing. I have translated it as though it were an imperfect; I Ulysses and Minerva should have given the audience time
see Messrs. Butcher and Lang translate it as a pluperfect, but to accept the situation. See illustrations and map near the
surely Charybdis was in the act of sucking down the water end of bks. v. and vi. respectively.
when Ulysses arrived. {113} This cave, which is identifiable with singular com-
{107} I suppose the passage within brackets to have been pleteness, is now called the ‘grotta del toro,’ probably a
an afterthought but to have been written by the same hand corruption of ‘tesoro,’ for it is held to contain a treasure. See
as the rest of the poem. I suppose xii. 103 to have been also The Authoress of the Odyssey, pp. 167-170.
added by the writer when she decided on sending Ulysses {114} Probably they would.
back to Charybdis. The simile suggests the hand of the wife {115} Then it had a shallow shelving bottom.
or daughter of a magistrate who had often seen her father {116} Doubtless the road would pass the harbour in Od-
come in cross and tired. yssean times as it passes the salt works now; indeed, if there
{108} Gr. [Greek]. This puts coined money out of the is to be a road at all there is no other level ground which it
question, but nevertheless implies that the gold had been could take. See map above referred to.
worked into ornaments of some kind. {117} The rock at the end of the Northern harbour of Tra-
{109} I suppose Teiresias’ prophecy of bk. xi. 114-120 had pani, to which I suppose the writer of the ‘Odyssey’ to be
made no impression on Ulysses. More probably the proph- here referring, still bears the name Malconsiglio—‘the rock
ecy was an afterthought, intercalated, as I have already said, of evil counsel.’ There is a legend that it was a ship of Turk-
by the authoress when she changed her scheme. ish pirates who were intending to attack Trapani, but the
{110} A male writer would have made Ulysses say, not ‘Madonna di Trapani’ crushed them under this rock just as
‘may you give satisfaction to your wives,’ but ‘may your they were coming into port. My friend Cavaliere Gianni-
wives give satisfaction to you.’ trapani of Trapani told me that his father used to tell him

when he was a boy that if he would drop exactly three drops special features, neither in the poem nor in nature.
of oil on to the water near the rock, he would see the ship {123} There is no attempt to disguise the fact that Penel-
still at the bottom. The legend is evidently a Christianised ope had long given encouragement to the suitors. The only
version of the Odyssean story, while the name supplies the defence set up is that she did not really mean to encourage
additional detail that the disaster happened in consequence them. Would it not have been wiser to have tried a little dis-
of an evil counsel. couragement?
{118} It would seem then that the ship had got all the way {124} See map near the end of bk. vi. Ruccazzu dei corvi
back from Ithaca in about a quarter of an hour. of course means ‘the rock of the ravens.’ Both name and ra-
{119} And may we not add ‘and also to prevent his recog- vens still exist.
nising that he was only in the place where he had met {125} See The Authoress of the Odyssey, pp. 140, 141. The
Nausicaa two days earlier.’ real reason for sending Telemachus to Pylos and Lacedae-
{120} All this is to excuse the entire absence of Miner- mon was that the authoress might get Helen of Troy into her
va from books ix.-xii., which I suppose had been written poem. He was sent at the only point in the story at which he
already, before the authoress had determined on making could be sent, so he must have gone then or not at all.
Minerva so prominent a character. {126} The site I assign to Eumaeus’s hut, close to the
{121} We have met with this somewhat lame attempt to Ruccazzu dei Corvi, is about 2,000 feet above the sea, and
cover the writer’s change of scheme at the end of bk. vi. commands an extensive view.
{122} I take the following from The Authoress of the Od- {127} Sandals such as Eumaeus was making are still
yssey, p. 167. ‘It is clear from the text that there were two worn in the Abruzzi and elsewhere. An oblong piece of
[caves] not one, but some one has enclosed in brackets the leather forms the sole: holes are cut at the four corners, and
two lines in which the second cave is mentioned, I presume through these holes leathern straps are passed, which are
because he found himself puzzled by having a second cave bound round the foot and cross-gartered up the calf.
sprung upon him when up to this point he had only been {128} See note {75}
told of one. {129} Telemachus like many another good young man
‘I venture to think that if he had known the ground he seems to expect every one to fetch and carry for him.
would not have been puzzled, for there are two caves, distant {130} ‘Il.’ vi. 288. The store room was fragrant because it
about 80 or 100 yards from one another.’ The cave in which was made of cedar wood. See ‘Il.’ xxiv. 192.
Ulysses hid his treasure is, as I have already said, identifi- {131} cf. ‘Il.’ vi. 289 and 293-296. The dress was kept at
able with singular completeness. The other cave presents no the bottom of the chest as one that would only be wanted on

the greatest occasions; but surely the marriage of Hermione of the voyages of Ulysses. She could not, however, break
and of Megapenthes (bk, iv. ad init.) might have induced his long drift from Charybdis to the island of Pantellaria;
Helen to wear it on the preceding evening, in which case it she therefore resolved to make it up to Syracuse in another
could hardly have got back. We find no hint here of Megap- way.
enthes’ recent marriage. {135} Modern excavations establish the existence of two
{132} See note {83}. and only two pre-Dorian communities at Syracuse; they
{133} cf. ‘Od.’ xi. 196, etc. were, so Dr. Orsi informed me, at Plemmirio and Cozzo
{134} The names Syra and Ortygia, on which island a Pantano. See The Authoress of the Odyssey, pp. 211-213.
great part of the Doric Syracuse was originally built, sug- {136} This harbour is again evidently the harbour in
gest that even in Odyssean times there was a prehistoric which Ulysses had landed, i.e. the harbour that is now the
Syracuse, the existence of which was known to the writer salt works of S. Cusumano.
of the poem. {137} This never can have been anything but very nig-
{135} Literally ‘where are the turnings of the sun.’ As- gardly pay for some eight or nine days’ service. I suppose
suming, as we may safely do, that the Syra and Ortygia of the crew were to consider the pleasure of having had a trip
the ‘Odyssey’ refer to Syracuse, it is the fact that not far to to Pylos as a set off. There is no trace of the dinner as hav-
the South of these places the land turns sharply round, so ing been actually given, either on the following or any other
that mariners following the coast would find the sun upon morning.
the other side of their ship to that on which they’d had it {138} No hawk can tear its prey while it is on the wing.
hitherto. {139} The text is here apparently corrupt, and will not
Mr. A. S. Griffith has kindly called my attention to Herod make sense as it stands. I follow Messrs. Butcher and Lang
iv. 42, where, speaking of the circumnavigation of Africa by in omitting line 101.
Phoenician mariners under Necos, he writes: {140} i.e. to be milked, as in South Italian and Sicilian
‘On their return they declared—I for my part do not be- towns at the present day.
lieve them, but perhaps others may—that in sailing round {141} The butchering and making ready the carcases took
Libya [i.e. Africa] they had the sun upon their right hand. In place partly in the outer yard and partly in the open part of
this way was the extent of Libya first discovered. the inner court.
I take it that Eumaeus was made to have come from Syr- {142} These words cannot mean that it would be after-
acuse because the writer thought she rather ought to have noon soon after they were spoken. Ulysses and Eumaeus
made something happen at Syracuse during her account reached the town which was ‘some way off’ (xvii. 25) in time

for the suitor’s early meal (xvii. 170 and 176) say at ten or {150} Surely in this scene, again, Eurynome is in reality
eleven o’ clock. The context of the rest of the book shows Euryclea. See note {156}
this. Eumaeus and Ulysses, therefore, cannot have started {151} These, I imagine, must have been in the open part
later than eight or nine, and Eumaeus’s words must be tak- of the inner courtyard, where the maids also stood, and
en as an exaggeration for the purpose of making Ulysses threw the light of their torches into the covered cloister that
bestir himself. ran all round it. The smoke would otherwise have been in-
{143} I imagine the fountain to have been somewhere tolerable.
about where the church of the Madonna di Trapani now {152} Translation very uncertain; vide Liddell and Scott,
stands, and to have been fed with water from what is now under [Greek]
called the Fontana Diffali on Mt. Eryx. {153} See photo on opposite page.
{144} From this and other passages in the ‘Odyssey’ it {154} cf. ‘Il.’ ii. 184, and 217, 218. An additional and well-
appears that we are in an age anterior to the use of coined marked feature being wanted to convince Penelope, the
money—an age when cauldrons, tripods, swords, cattle, writer has taken the hunched shoulders of Thersites (who is
chattels of all kinds, measures of corn, wine, or oil, etc. mentioned immediately after Eurybates in the ‘Iliad’) and
etc., not to say pieces of gold, silver, bronze, or even iron, put them on to Eurybates’ back.
wrought more or less, but unstamped, were the nearest ap- {155} This is how geese are now fed in Sicily, at any rate
proach to a currency that had as yet been reached. in summer, when the grass is all burnt up. I have never seen
{145} Gr. is [Greek] them grazing.
{146} I correct these proofs abroad and am not within {156} Lower down (line 143) Euryclea says it was her-
reach of Hesiod, but surely this passage suggests acquain- self that had thrown the cloak over Ulysses—for the plural
tance with the Works and Ways, though it by no means should not be taken as implying more than one person.
compels it. The writer is evidently still fluctuating between Euryclea
{147} It would seem as though Eurynome and Euryclea and Eurynome as the name for the old nurse. She probably
were the same person. See note {156} originally meant to call her Euryclea, but finding it not im-
{148} It is plain, therefore, that Iris was commonly ac- mediately easy to make Euryclea scan in xvii. 495, she hastily
cepted as the messenger of the gods, though our authoress called her Eurynome, intending either to alter this name
will never permit her to fetch or carry for any one. later or to change the earlier Euryclea’s into Eurynome. She
{149} i.e. the doorway leading from the inner to the outer then drifted in to Eurynome as convenience further direct-
court. ed, still nevertheless hankering after Euryclea, till at last

she found that the path of least resistance would lie in the through the hole into which the handle was fitted when the
direction of making Eurynome and Euryclea two persons. axe was in use. Twelve axes were placed in a row all at the
Therefore in xxiii. 289-292 both Eurynome and ‘the nurse’ same height, all exactly in front of one another, all edgeways
(who can be none other than Euryclea) come on together. I to Ulysses whose arrow passed through all the holes from
do not say that this is feminine, but it is not unfeminine. the first onward. I cannot see how the Greek can bear any
{157} See note {156} other interpretation, the words being, [Greek]
{158} This, I take it, was immediately in front of the main ‘He did not miss a single hole from the first onwards.’
entrance of the inner courtyard into the body of the house. [Greek] according to Liddell and Scott being ‘the hole for
{159} This is the only allusion to Sardinia in either ‘Iliad’ the handle of an axe, etc.,’ while [Greek] (“Od.’ v. 236) is,
or ‘Odyssey.’ according to the same authorities, the handle itself. The feat
{160} The normal translation of the Greek word would is absurdly impossible, but our authoress sometimes has a
be ‘holding back,’ ‘curbing,’ ‘restraining,’ but I cannot think soul above impossibilities.
that the writer meant this—she must have been using the {166} The reader will note how the spoiling of good food
word in its other sense of ‘having,’ ‘holding,’ ‘keeping,’ distresses the writer even in such a supreme moment as
‘maintaining.’ this.
{161} I have vainly tried to realise the construction of the {167} Here we have it again. Waste of substance comes
fastening here described. first.
{162} See plan of Ulysses’ house in the appendix. It is evi- {168} cf. ‘Il.’ iii. 337 and three other places. It is strange
dent that the open part of the court had no flooring but the that the author of the ‘Iliad’ should find a little horse-hair
natural soil. so alarming. Possibly enough she was merely borrowing a
{163} See plan of Ulysses’ house, and note {175}. common form line from some earlier poet—or poetess—for
{164} i.e. the door that led into the body of the house. this is a woman’s line rather than a man’s.
{165} This was, no doubt, the little table that was set for {169} Or perhaps simply ‘window.’ See plan in the ap-
Ulysses, ‘Od.’ xx. 259. pendix.
Surely the difficulty of this passage has been overrated. {170} i.e. the pavement on which Ulysses was standing.
I suppose the iron part of the axe to have been wedged into {171} The interpretation of lines 126-143 is most dubious,
the handle, or bound securely to it—the handle being half and at best we are in a region of melodrama: cf., however,
buried in the ground. The axe would be placed edgeways i.425, etc. from which it appears that there was a tower in
towards the archer, and he would have to shoot his arrow the outer court, and that Telemachus used to sleep in it. The

[Greek] I take to be a door, or trap door, leading on to the and 146 of bk. xxi we can locate the approach to the [Greek]
roof above Telemachus’s bed room, which we are told was with some certainty.
in a place that could be seen from all round—or it might be {176} But in xix. 500-502 Ulysses scolded Euryclea for of-
simply a window in Telemachus’s room looking out into the fering information on this very point, and declared himself
street. From the top of the tower the outer world was to be quite able to settle it for himself.
told what was going on, but people could not get in by the {177} There were a hundred and eight Suitors.
[Greek]: they would have to come in by the main entrance, {178} Lord Grimthorpe, whose understanding does not
and Melanthius explains that the mouth of the narrow pas- lend itself to easy imposition, has been good enough to write
sage (which was in the lands of Ulysses and his friends) to me about my conviction that the ‘Odyssey’ was written by
commanded the only entrance by which help could come, a woman, and to send me remarks upon the gross absurdity
so that there would be nothing gained by raising an alarm. of the incident here recorded. It is plain that all the author-
As for the [Greek] of line 143, no commentator ancient or ess cared about was that the women should be hanged: as
modern has been able to say what was intended—but what- for attempting to realise, or to make her readers realise,
ever they were, Melanthius could never carry twelve shields, how the hanging was done, this was of no consequence. The
twelve helmets, and twelve spears. Moreover, where he reader must take her word for it and ask no questions. Lord
could go the others could go also. If a dozen suitors had fol- Grimthorpe wrote:
lowed Melanthius into the house they could have attacked ‘I had better send you my ideas about Nausicaa’s hang-
Ulysses in the rear, in which case, unless Minerva had in- ing of the maids (not ‘maidens,’ of whom Fronde wrote so
tervened promptly, the ‘Odyssey’ would have had a different well in his ‘Science of History’) before I forget it all. Luckily
ending. But throughout the scene we are in a region of ex- for me Liddell & Scott have specially translated most of the
travagance rather than of true fiction—it cannot be taken doubtful words, referring to this very place.
seriously by any but the very serious, until we come to the ‘A ship’s cable. I don’t know how big a ship she meant,
episode of Phemius and Medon, where the writer begins to but it must have been a very small one indeed if its ‘cable’
be at home again. could be used to tie tightly round a woman’s neck, and still
{172} I presume it was intended that there should be a more round a dozen of them ‘in a row,’ besides being strong
hook driven into the bearing-post. enough to hold them and pull them all up.
{173} What for? ‘A dozen average women would need the weight and
{174} Gr: [Greek]. This is not [Greek]. strength of more than a dozen strong heavy men even over
{175} From lines 333 and 341 of this book, and lines 145 the best pulley hung to the roof over them; and the idea

of pulling them up by a rope hung anyhow round a pillar indeed, whose work or character was worth consider-
[Greek] is absurdly impossible; and how a dozen of them ation—could have endured, no matter for what reason, the
could be hung dangling round one post is a problem which unpicking of her day’s work, day after day for between three
a senior wrangler would be puzzled to answer … She had and four years.
better have let Telemachus use his sword as he had intended {187} We must suppose Dolius not yet to know that his
till she changed his mind for him.’ son Melanthius had been tortured, mutilated, and left to
{179} Then they had all been in Ulysses’ service over die by Ulysses’ orders on the preceding day, and that his
twenty years; perhaps the twelve guilty ones had been en- daughter Melantho had been hanged. Dolius was probably
gaged more recently. exceptionally simple-minded, and his name was ironical.
{180} Translation very doubtful—cf. ‘It.’ xxiv. 598. So on Mt. Eryx I was shown a man who was always called
{181} But why could she not at once ask to see the scar, of Sonza Malizia or ‘Guileless’—he being held exceptionally
which Euryclea had told her, or why could not Ulysses have cunning.
shown it to her?
{182} The people of Ithaca seem to have been as fond of
carping as the Phaeacians were in vi. 273, etc.
{183} See note {156}. Ulysses’s bed room does not appear
to have been upstairs, nor yet quite within the house. Is it
possible that it was ‘the domed room’ round the outside of
which the erring maids were, for aught we have heard to the
contrary, still hanging?
{184} Ulysses bedroom in the mind of the writer is here
too apparently down stairs.
{185} Penelope having been now sufficiently white-
washed, disappears from the poem.
{186} So practised a washerwoman as our authoress
doubtless knew that by this time the web must have become
such a wreck that it would have gone to pieces in the wash.
A lady points out to me, just as these sheets are leav-
ing my hands, that no really good needlewoman—no one,

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The Odyssey

By Homer (Circa 700 BC)

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B utler’s Translation of the ‘Odyssey’ appeared original-

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T ell me, O Muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far

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N ow when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,

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A nd now, as Dawn rose from her couch beside Tithonus—

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