The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice/The Odyssey/Book 20

by Homer

 

BOOK XX.

 

ARGUMENT.

Ulysses is reassured by a vision of Minerva, but upon waking he hesitates whether or not to destroy the women servants, he however resolves to spare them for the present. The suitors, who had been meditating fresh plots against Telemachus, while feasting are struck by a panic; from whence Theoclymenus foretells their ruin, but they deride his prophecy.

But divine Ulysses slept in the vestibule; he strewed upon the ground an undressed bull's hide, but above it many skins of sheep, which the Grecians had sacrificed. And Eurynome threw a cloak over him when he lay down. There Ulysses meditating evil in his mind against the suitors, lay awake; and the women, who were before mingled with the suitors, went out of the palace, furnishing laughter and merriment to each other. And his mind was excited in his breast; and much he meditated in his soul and in his mind, whether, rushing upon them, he should cause death to each of them, or should still suffer them to be mingled with the overbearing suitors for the last and latest time: and his heart was greatly disturbed^[1] within him. And as a bitch going about her tender whelps, growls at a man when she knows [him] not, and is eager to fight with him; so his heart growled within him, marvelling at their evil deeds. And smiting his breast, he chided his heart in words:

"Endure it now, my heart; thou once didst endure something else even more severe, in that day when the Cyclops, intolerable in might, eat thy stout companions, but thou didst endure it, until stratagem took thee out of the cave, when thou thoughtest that thou wouldst die."

Thus he spoke, rebuking the dear heart in his breast: and his heart remained at rest,^[2] unceasingly enduring it; but he turned himself on one side and the other. As when a man, while a large fire is blazing, turns a paunch full of fat and blood, from side to side, and is anxious that it should be roasted very quickly; so did he roll himself on one side and the other, meditating how he might lay his hands upon the shameless suitors, being alone amongst many; but Minerva came near to him, descending from heaven: and in her person she was like unto a woman, and she stood over his head, and addressed him in words:

"Why dost thou still watch, thou who art ill-fated above all mortals? this is thy house, and this is thy wife in the house, and thy son, such a one as any one desires his son to be."

But her much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer: "Of a truth, O goddess, thou hast rightly spoken all these things. But my mind meditates this in my breast, in what way I, being alone, shall lay my hands upon the shameless suitors; but they are always collected together within. And besides I meditate this also a greater thing in my mind, if I should slay them, by Jove's and thy will, how should I escape out of the way? I entreat thee to consider this."

But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva in turn addressed: "Wretched one, a person would obey even a worse companion, who is even a mortal, and who kens not so many counsels: but I am a deity, who guard thee throughout in all thy labours; and I will tell thee openly; even if fifty bands of articulately-speaking men should surround us, anxious to slay us in the fight, even so shouldst thou drive away their beeves and rich sheep. But let sleep take hold of thee: even to watch all night awake is a sorrow; but thou wilt soon escape from misfortunes."

Thus she spoke and shed sleep over his eyelids; and the divine one of goddesses herself went back to Olympus, when sleep seized upon him, loosing the cares of his mind, relaxing his limbs: but his wife knowing prudent things was awake: and sitting on her soft couch, she wept; but when she was satiated in her mind with weeping, the divine one of women first of all prayed to Diana:

"O Diana, venerable goddess, daughter of Jove, would that thou, now striking an arrow into my breast, wouldst take away my life immediately: or that a tempest snatching me away would speedily go, and bear me to the dark ways, and cast me in the mouths of the back-flowing ocean. As when the tempests took away the daughters of Pandarus, whose parents the gods had destroyed: but they were left orphans in the palace, and divine Venus nurtured them with cheese, and sweet honey, and pleasant wine: and Juno gave them beauty and prudence above all women, and chaste Diana gave them stature, and Minerva taught them to work excellent works. When divine Venus went to high Olympus, to beg for the damsels the accomplishment of flourishing marriage, to thunder-rejoicing Jove; (for he well kens every thing, the happiness and unhappiness of mortal men:) in the mean time the Harpies snatched away the damsels, and gave them to the hateful Furies, to serve them: so may those who possess the Olympian dwellings destroy me, or may fair-haired Diana strike me, that eyeing Ulysses, I may even come under the hateful earth, nor may I at all delight the mind of a worse man. But this evil is even to be borne, when any one weeps during the day, continually sorrowing in his heart, and sleep possesses him during the nights: (for he becomes unmindful of all things, good and evil, when it covers his eyelids around:) but upon me the deity has also made evil dreams rush. For during this night one lay near to me like unto him, such as he was when he went with the army; but my heart rejoiced, since I did not think it was a dream, but now a real vision."

Thus she spoke; and golden-throned Morn immediately came. And divine Ulysses heard the voice of her weeping; then he doubted, for she seemed to him in his mind, now knowing him, to stand near his head. Then taking up the cloak and skins on which he slept, he placed them on a throne in the palace; but taking the bull's hide, he put it out of doors: and holding up his hands he prayed to Jove:

"O father Jove, thou hast brought me willingly over the dry and the moist to mine own land, since thou hast afflicted me very much, let some one of the men who are awake within speak an omen to me: and let some other sign appear from without from Jove."

Thus he spoke praying; and provident Jupiter heard him: and he immediately thundered from shining Olympus, on high from the clouds: and divine Ulysses rejoiced. And a mill-woman near [him] uttered a word of good omen from the house, where were the mills of the shepherd of the people; and twelve women in all were constantly working at them, making meal of barley and wheat, the marrow of men. The rest indeed were sleeping, when they had ground their wheat: but she alone had not yet ceased, for she was the weakest: she then, stopping the mill, spoke a word, a sign to her master:

"O father Jove, who rulest over gods and men, thou indeed hast thundered very loudly from the starry heaven, nor is there a cloud any where: thou showest this as a sign to some one: perform even now for wretched me a request, which I crave: may the suitors for the last and latest time on this day take a delightful banquet in the palace of Ulysses: they who have now loosed my knees with grievous toil, grinding their meal; now may they feast for the last time."

Thus she spoke, and divine Ulysses rejoiced in the omen, and in the thunder of Jove; for he thought that he should be revenged on the sinners. But the other handmaidens in the beautiful house of Ulysses waking, lighted an unwearied fire upon the hearth. And Telemachus, godlike man, arose from his bed, having put on his garments; and around his shoulder he girt a sharp sword: and he bound beautiful sandals under his smooth feet, and he took a strong spear tipt with sharp brass. And going to the threshold he stood there, and addressed Euryclea:

"Dear nurse, how hast thou honoured the stranger in the house with a bed and food? or does he lie where he can, uncared for? for such is my mother, although prudent; she foolishly honours one of articulately-speaking men, who is worse, and sends away a better, having neglected [him]."

But him prudent Euryclea addressed in turn: "Thou shouldst not, my child, blame one that is blameless. For sitting down he drank wine, as long as he listed; and he said that he no longer hungered for bread; for it was asked of him. But when she was now mindful of rest and sleep, she desired the handmaidens to strew a couch [for him]; but he, as one altogether overcome with toil, and ill-fated, did not wish to sleep on a bed and in rugs, but lay down in the vestibule on an undressed bull's hide and skins of sheep: and we put a cloak over him."

Thus she spoke; and Telemachus went through out of the palace, holding his spear: and swift-footed dogs followed him. And he went to the forum amongst the well-greaved Grecians, and the divine one of women, Euryclea, daughter of Ops, son of Pisenor, exhorted the handmaidens:

"Assemble yourselves together, do some of you, busying yourselves, sweep the house, and sprinkle it; and lay the purple tapestry on the well-made thrones; and do others wipe all the tables with sponges, and clean the cups, and the embossed round bowls: and others of you going to the fountain for water, bring it quickly: for the suitors will not be a long time away from the palace, but they return very early, since there is a feast for all."^[3]

Thus she spoke; and they heard her very well, and obeyed her. Twenty went to the black-water fountain; and others laboured skilfully there in the house. And the servants of the Greeks came; they then cleft wood well and skilfully; and the women came from the fountain; and the swineherd came to them, bringing three fatted swine, which were the best amongst all. And them he left to pasture in the beautiful courts, and himself addressed Ulysses in mild [words]:

"Stranger, do the Grecians now regard thee more, or do they dishonour thee in the palace, even as before?"

But him much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer: "Would that indeed, O Eumæus, the gods would revenge the insolence with which they, insulting, contrive disgraceful things in another man's house, nor have they a particle of shame."

Thus they discoursed to one another. And near them came Melanthius the goatherd, bringing goats, which surpassed all the flocks, as a feast for the suitors; and two attendants followed him, and he bound them^[4] under the resounding portico, and himself then addressed Ulysses with scoffing words:

"Stranger, wilt thou still now give trouble here in the house, begging alms of the men? and wilt not thou go out of doors? I no longer think that we shall at all settle our quarrel, before we try our hands; since thou beggest not rightly; there are also other feasts of the Grecians."

Thus he spoke; but much-planning Ulysses did not address him at all, but moved his head in silence, deeply devising evils. And after them Philætius, chief of men, came third, bringing a heifer and fat goats for the suitors. (But ferrymen brought them over, who also conduct other men, whoever comes to them:) and he bound them safely under the resounding portico, and himself then inquired of the swineherd, standing near him:

"What stranger is this, O swineherd, that has lately come to our house? from what men does he boast himself to be? where are his race and paternal country? unhappy one, he is indeed in his person like unto a king. But the gods inflict much-wandering men with woe; when they destine toil even for kings."

He spoke; and standing near him, welcomed him with his hand, and addressing him spoke winged words: "Hail, O father stranger, mayest thou have happiness hereafter: but now thou art possessed with many ills. O father Jove, no other one of the gods is more destructive than thou; thou pitiest not men, when thou hast begotten them thyself, but dost mix them up in misfortune and sad griefs. I sweat when I behold him, and mine eyes wept as I remembered Ulysses; since I think that he, having such garments, is wandering amongst men, if he is any where still alive, and beholds the light of the sun. But if he is now dead, and in the house of Pluto, alas! then for blameless Ulysses, who set me over his beeves when I was still little, in the people of the Cephalenians: but now they are numberless, nor in any other way would the race of broad-foreheaded beeves increase under a man: them others desire me to bring for themselves to eat: nor care they at all for his son in the palace, nor do they fear the vengeance of the gods; for they are now anxious to divide the possessions of the long-absent king. But my mind often revolves this in my dear breast: it is very wicked, when the son is alive, going to another people with the cattle themselves, to take them to foreign men: but this is more sad, remaining here and sitting over another man's beeves, to suffer griefs. I indeed would long ago have fled and gone to some other proud king; since these things are no longer to be borne, but still I think of him, wretched one, if coming from any where he should make a dispersing of the suitors to their houses."

But him much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer: "O herdsman, since thou art not like unto an evil or a foolish man, but I myself also know that prudence reaches thy mind, therefore I will tell thee, and swear a great oath besides. Now let Jove, first of the gods, be witness, and the hospitable table, and the hearth of blameless Ulysses, to which I am come, Ulysses will certainly come home while thou art here; and if thou desirest, thou wilt with thine eyes behold the suitors being slain, who reign here."

But him the man, herdsman over the oxen, addressed in turn: "Would that, O stranger, the son of Saturn may bring this word to pass: thou shouldst know what my power and hands are."

In like manner Eumæus prayed to all the gods, that wise Ulysses should return to his own home.

Thus they spoke such things to one another. But the suitors were preparing death and fate for Telemachus; but a bird flew on their left hand, a high-flying eagle, and it held a timid dove. But Amphinomus harangued and addressed them:

"O friends, this plan; the death of Telemachus, will not succeed for us; but let us be mindful of the feast."

Thus spoke Amphinomus; and his words pleased them. But coming to the house of divine Ulysses, they spread cloaks upon the benches and the thrones: and they sacrificed large sheep and fat goats, and they sacrificed fatted swine and a cow from the herd: and having roasted the entrails, they distributed them: but they mixed wine in the bowls; and the swineherd distributed the cups. Then Philætius, chief of men, distributed bread to them in beautiful baskets; and Melanthius poured out wine. But they stretched forth their hands to the food lying ready before them. And Telemachus, considering what was profitable, placed Ulysses within the well-built palace, near the stone threshold, putting an unseemly seat near, and a small table; and near him he placed a share of the entrails, and poured wine in a golden cup, and addressed discourse to him:

"Sit here now, drinking wine amongst the men; but I will ward off from thee the scoffings and the hands of all the suitors; since this house is by no means public, but belonging to Ulysses: and he obtained it for me. But do ye, O suitors, restrain your mind and hands from offending, lest some strife and contention should arise."

Thus he spoke; but they all gnashing with their teeth in their lips, marvelled at Telemachus, for that he boldly spoke. And Antinous, son of Eupithes, addressed them:

"Let us put up with the language of Telemachus, O Grecians, although it is severe: he speaks, threatening us very much. For Jove, the son of Saturn, did not suffer us, otherwise we should already have stopped him in the palace, although he is a sharp speaker."

Thus spoke Antinous; but he did not regard his words. And the heralds brought a sacred hecatomb of the gods through the city; and the long-haired Grecians were assembled under the shady grove of far-darting Apollo: but when they had roasted the upper flesh, and had drawn it out, having divided the shares they made a most delightful feast. And those who served, set an equal share near to Ulysses, as they themselves were allotted: for so Telemachus, dear son of divine Ulysses, commanded them. But Minerva did not suffer the haughty suitors altogether to refrain from mind-grieving insolence: that sorrow might still more come upon Ulysses, son of Laertes, in his heart. And there was a certain man amongst the suitors, who was acquainted with lawless deeds, his name was Ctesippus, and he inhabited a house in Samos; who, trusting in the possessions of his father, wooed the wife of long-absent Ulysses: he then addressed the overbearing suitors:

"Hear me, noble suitors, whilst I speak something: the stranger, forsooth, of old has an equal share, as it seems; for it is not honourable or just to sadden the guests of Telemachus, whoever comes to this house. But come, I also will give him a hospitable present; that he himself also may give a reward either to the bath-keeper, or to any other of the servants, who are in the house of divine Ulysses."

Thus having spoken, with his strong hand he threw the foot of an ox, which was lying near, taking it from the basket: but Ulysses avoided it, gently bending his head: and he smiled in his mind with a very Sardonic smile; but he struck the well-built wall: and Telemachus chided Ctesippus in words:

"O Ctesippus, truly this was very much better for thee in thy mind; [that] thou didst not hit the stranger: for he avoided the blow; for I would certainly have struck thee in the middle with a sharp spear, and thy father would have been occupied about burial here for thee instead of marriage: therefore let not any one show unseemly behaviour to me in mine house; for I now understand and know every thing, both good and bad: but before I was still a child. But, however, we have endured to see these things, when our sheep were killed, and our wine drunk, and our bread [eat]:^[5] for it is difficult for one to hinder many. But come, no more do evil things to me, being hostile to me; but if thou now desirest to slay me myself with the brass, I would even wish it, and it would be much better to die, than for ever to behold these unseemly deeds, strangers treated disgracefully, and men dragging women-servants in an unseemly way through the beautiful palace."

Thus he spoke; but they were all mute in silence. But Agelaus, son of Damastor, at length addressed them:

"My friends, no one surely, chiding with opposing words, would be angry with what has been justly spoken. Neither insult the stranger any more, nor any other of the servants, who are in the house of divine Ulysses. But I would fain speak a kind word to Telemachus and his mother, if it would please them both in their hearts. As long as our mind expected in our breasts that wise Ulysses would return to his own home, so long there was no blame for her to remain, and restrain the suitors in the house: (since this was better, if Ulysses returned, and on his return reached his house:) but this is now evident, that he is no longer able to return. But come, sitting near thy mother, tell her this, to marry whatsoever man is best, and will give her the most [bridal presents]: that thou rejoicing mayest manage all thy paternal property, eating and drinking: and she may come to the house of another."

But him prudent Telemachus answered in turn: "No, by Jove, O Agelaus, and the griefs of my father, who has either perished or is wandering some where far away from Ithaca, I do not delay the marriage of my mother; but I order her to marry whomsoever she chooses, and who gives her abundant presents. But I am ashamed to thrust her from the palace against her will with a violent word; may not God bring this to pass."

Thus spoke Telemachus; but Pallas Minerva raised inextinguishable laughter amongst the suitors, and made their thoughts wander. And they now laughed with other men's jaws;^[6] and they eat meat polluted with blood: and their eyes were filled with tears; and their mind thought of grief. And godlike Theoclymenus addressed them:

"Ah wretched ones; what evil is this ye are suffering? your heads and faces and knees below are involved in night. And mourning has burst forth; and your cheeks are wet with tears: and the walls and beautiful intercolumniations are besprinkled with blood. And the portico is full, and the hall also is full of images, that are going under darkness to Erebus: and the sun has died away from heaven, and evil murkiness has run around us."

Thus he spoke; but they all laughed pleasantly at him, but Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to address them:

"The stranger is silly, having lately come from elsewhere: but, O youths, send him quickly out of the house through the door to go to the forum; since he likens these things to the night."^[7]

But him godlike Theoclymenus addressed in turn: "O Eurymachus, I by no means desire thee to give me conductors: I have eyes, and ears, and both my feet, and a mind made not at all unseemly in my breast: with these will I go out of doors, since I perceive that evil is coming on you, which no one of the suitors will escape or avoid, [of you,] who insulting men, in the house of godlike Ulysses, are contriving impious things."

Thus having spoken, he went out of the well-built house: and he came to Piræus, who willingly received him. But all the suitors, looking at one another, irritated Telemachus, laughing at the strangers; and thus some one of the haughty youths spoke:

"O Telemachus, there is no one else that has worse guests than thou: what a begging^[8] vagabond this is whom thou hast, in want of bread and wine: not at all skilled in works, nor strong, and to no purpose a burden of the earth. This other one too rose up to prophesy. But if thou wouldst obey me, this would be much better: putting the strangers in a many-benched ship, let us send them to the Sicilians, whence one could gain a fit price."

Thus spoke the suitors; but he did not regard their words; but silently looked towards his father, always expecting, when he should at length lay his hands upon the shameless suitors. But prudent Penelope, daughter of Icarus, placing a very beautiful seat opposite, heard the words of each of the men in the palace. They however laughing, prepared a feast, pleasant, and gratifying to the mind, since they had sacrificed very many things: but there could not be another more ungrateful feast, [than that] which the goddess and the noble man were soon about to make; for they first contrived unseemly things.

 

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1. Literally, "barked." Cf. Stat. Sylv. ii. 1, 12. "stat pectore demens Luctus, et admoto latrant præcordia tactu."
2. This is somewhat a free translation of ἐν πείσῃ κραδίῃ μένε, which properly means, "remained at anchor," πείση signifying "a cable." Cf. Hesych. πείσῃ, πείσματι καί χώρα aid. Alberti on T. i. p. 1255, v. ἐν πείσῃ, where this interpretation is fully confirmed.
3. i. e. a public feast to Apollo. See Scholiast.
4. The goats.
5. Observe the zeugma.
6. i. e. not with an honest, hearty laugh, but with a laugh that seemed to forebode their fate. See Eustathius and Loewe.
7. I must confess that I am hardly satisfied with this passage.
8. It is worth while to observe, that this word occurs no where else in Homer: the same may be observed of κατάντηστιν, v. 387. Old Transl.