s: is meet, and I will hide nothing from thee. Safely, they


s: say, came the Myrmidons the wild spearsmen, whom the famous


s: son of high-souled Achilles led; and safely Philoctetes,


s: the glorious son of Poias. And Idomeneus brought all his


s: company to Crete, all that escaped the war, and from him


s: the sea gat none. And of the son of Atreus even yourselves


s: have heard, far apart though ye dwell, how he came, and how


s: Aegisthus devised his evil end; but verily he himself paid


s: a terrible reckoning. So good a thing it is that a son of


s: the dead should still be left, even as that son also took


s: vengeance on the slayer of his father, guileful Aegisthus,


s: who slew his famous sire. And thou too, my friend, for I


s: see thee very comely and tall, be valiant, that even men


s: And wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Nestor, son of


s: Neleus, great glory of the Achaeans, verily and indeed he


s: avenged himself, and the Achaeans shall noise his fame


s: abroad, that even those may hear who are yet for to be. Oh


s: that the gods would clothe me with such strength as his,


s: that I might take vengeance on the wooers for their cruel


s: transgression, who wantonly devise against me infatuate


s: deeds! But the gods have woven for me the web of no such


s: weal, for me or for my sire. But now I must in any wise


s: Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, made answer:


s: 'Dear friend, seeing thou dost call these things to my


s: remembrance and speak thereof, they tell me that many


s: wooers for thy mother's hand plan mischief within the halls


s: in thy despite. Say, dost thou willingly submit thee to


s: oppression, or do the people through the land hate thee,


s: obedient to the voice of a god? Who knows but that Odysseus


s: may some day come and requite their violence, either


s: himself alone or all the host of the Achaeans with him? Ah,


s: if but grey-eyed Athene were inclined to love thee, as once


s: she cared exceedingly for the renowned Odysseus in the land


s: of the Trojans, where we Achaeans were sore afflicted, for


s: never yet have I seen the gods show forth such manifest


s: love, as then did Pallas Athene standing manifest by him,--


s: if she would be pleased so to love thee and to care for


s: thee, then might certain of them clean forget their


s: And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Old man, in no


s: wise methinks shall this word be accomplished. This is a


s: hard saying of thine, awe comes over me. Not for my hopes


s: shall this thing come to pass, not even if the gods so


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again:


s: 'Telemachus, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips?


s: Lightly might a god, if so he would, bring a man safe home


s: even from afar. Rather myself would I have travail and much


s: pain ere I came home and saw the day of my returning, than


s: come back and straightway perish on my own hearth-stone,


s: even as Agamemnon perished by guile at the hands of his own


s: wife and of Aegisthus. But lo you, death, which is common


s: to all, the very gods cannot avert even from the man they


s: love, when the ruinous doom shall bring him low of death


s: And wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'Mentor, no


s: longer let us tell of these things, sorrowful though we be.


s: There is none assurance any more of his returning, but


s: already have the deathless gods devised for him death and


s: black fate. But now I would question Nestor, and ask him of


s: another matter, as one who above all men knows judgments


s: and wisdom: for thrice, men say, he hath been king through


s: the generations of men; yea, like an immortal he seems to


s: me to look upon. Nestor, son of Neleus, now tell me true:


s: how died the son of Atreus, Agamemnon of the wide domain?


s: Where was Menelaus? What death did crafty Aegisthus plan


s: for him, in that he killed a man more valiant far than he?


s: Or was Menelaus not in Argos of Achaia but wandering


s: elsewhere among men, and that other took heart and slew


s: Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, answered him:


s: 'Yea now, my child, I will tell thee the whole truth.


s: Verily thou guessest aright even of thyself how things


s: would have fallen out, if Menelaus of the fair hair, the


s: son of Atreus, when he came back from Troy, had found


s: Aegisthus yet alive in the halls. Then even in his death


s: would they not have heaped the piled earth over him, but


s: dogs and fowls of the air would have devoured him as he lay


s: on the plain far from the town. {*} Nor would any of the


s: Achaean women have bewailed him; so dread was the deed he


s: contrived. Now we sat in leaguer there, achieving many


s: adventures; but he the while in peace in the heart of


s: Argos, the pastureland of horses, spake ofttimes, tempting


s: her, to the wife of Agamemnon. Verily at the first she


s: would none of the foul deed, the fair Clytemnestra, for she


s: had a good understanding. Moreover there was with her a


s: minstrel, whom the son of Atreus straitly charged as he


s: went to Troy to have a care of his wife. But when at last


s: the doom of the gods bound her to her ruin, then did


s: Aegisthus carry the minstrel to a lonely isle, and left him


s: there to be the prey and spoil of birds; while as for her,


s: he led her to his house, a willing lover with a willing


s: lady. And he burnt many thigh slices upon the holy altars


s: of the gods, and hung up many offerings, woven-work and


s: gold, seeing that he had accomplished a great deed, beyond


s: all hope. Now we, I say, were sailing together on our way


s: from Troy, the son of Atreus and I, as loving friends. But


s: when we had reached holy Sunium, the headland of Athens,


s: there Phoebus Apollo slew the pilot of Menelaus with the


s: visitation of his gentle shafts, as he held between his


s: hands the rudder of the running ship, even Phrontis, son of


s: Onetor, who excelled the tribes of men in piloting a ship,


s: whenso the storm-winds were hurrying by. Thus was Menelaus


s: holden there, though eager for the way, till he might bury


s: his friend and pay the last rites over him. But when he in


s: his turn, faring over the wine-dark sea in hollow ships,


s: reached in swift course the steep mount of Malea, then it


s: was that Zeus of the far-borne voice devised a hateful


s: path, and shed upon them the breath of the shrill winds,


s: and great swelling waves arose like unto mountains. There


s: sundered he the fleet in twain, and part thereof he brought


s: nigh to Crete, where the Cydonians dwelt about the streams


s: of Iardanus. Now there is a certain cliff, smooth and sheer


s: towards the sea, on the border of Gortyn, in the misty


s: deep, where the South-West Wind drives a great wave against


s: the left headland, towards Phaestus, and a little rock


s: keeps back the mighty water. Thither came one part of the


s: fleet, and the men scarce escaped destruction, but the


s: ships were broken by the waves against the rock; while


s: those other five dark-prowed ships the wind and the water


s: much livelihood and gold, was wandering there with his


s: ships among men of strange speech, and even then Aegisthus


s: planned that pitiful work at home. And for seven years he


s: ruled over Mycenae, rich in gold, after he slew the son of


s: Atreus, and the people were subdued unto him. But in the


s: eighth year came upon him goodly Orestes back from Athens


s: to be his bane, and slew the slayer of his father, guileful


s: Aegisthus, who killed his famous sire. Now when he had


s: slain him, he made a funeral feast to the Argives over his


s: hateful mother, and over the craven Aegisthus. And on the


s: selfsame day there came to him Menelaus of the loud


s: war-cry, bringing much treasure, even all the freight of


s: his ships. So thou, my friend, wander not long far away


s: from home, leaving thy substance behind thee and men in thy


s: house so wanton, lest they divide and utterly devour all


s: thy wealth, and thou shalt have gone on a vain journey.


s: Rather I bid and command thee to go to Menelaus, for he


s: hath lately come from a strange country, from the land of


s: men whence none would hope in his heart to return, whom


s: once the storms have driven wandering into so wide a sea.


s: Thence not even the birds can make their way in the space


s: of one year, so great a sea it is and terrible. But go now


s: with thy ship and with thy company, or if thou hast a mind


s: to fare by land, I have a chariot and horses at thy


s: service, yea and my sons to do thy will, who will be thy


s: guides to goodly Lacedaemon, where is Menelaus of the fair


s: hair. Do thou thyself entreat him, that he may give thee


s: unerring answer. He will not lie to thee, for he is very


s: {* Reading [Greek]. v. 1. '[Greek], which must be wrong.}


s: Thus he spake, and the sun went down and darkness came on.


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake among them,


s: saying: 'Yea, old man, thou hast told all this thy tale


s: aright. But come, cut up the tongues of the victims and mix


s: the wine, that we may pour forth before Poseidon and the


s: other deathless gods, and so may bethink us of sleep, for


s: it is the hour for sleep. For already has the light gone


s: beneath the west, and it is not seemly to sit long at a


s: banquet of the gods, but to be going home.'


s: So spake the daughter of Zeus, and they hearkened to her


s: voice. And the henchmen poured water over their hands, and


s: pages crowned the mixing bowls with drink, and served out


s: the wine to all, after they had first poured for libation


s: into each cup in turn; and they cast the tongues upon the


s: fire, and stood up and poured the drink-offering thereon.


s: But when they had poured forth and had drunken to their


s: heart's content, Athene and godlike Telemachus were both


s: set on returning to the hollow ship; but Nestor would have


s: stayed them, and accosted them, saying: 'Zeus forfend it,


s: and all the other deathless gods, that ye should depart


s: from my house to the swift ship, as from the dwelling of


s: one that is utterly without raiment or a needy man, who


s: hath not rugs or blankets many in his house whereon to


s: sleep softly, he or his guests. Nay not so, I have rugs and


s: fair blankets by me. Never, methinks, shall the dear son of


s: this man, even of Odysseus, lay him down upon the ship's


s: deck, while as yet I am alive, and my children after me are


s: left in my hall to entertain strangers, whoso may chance to


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again:


s: 'Yea, herein hast thou spoken aright, dear father: and


s: Telemachus may well obey thee, for before all things this


s: is meet. Behold, he shall now depart with thee, that he may


s: sleep in thy halls; as for me I will go to the black ship,


s: that I may cheer my company and tell them all. For I avow


s: me to be the one elder among them; those others are but


s: younger men, who follow for love of him, all of them of


s: like age with the high-souled Telemachus. There will I lay


s: me down by the black hollow ship this night; but in the


s: morning I will go to the Cauconians high of heart, where


s: somewhat of mine is owing to me, no small debt nor of


s: yesterday. But do thou send this man upon his way with thy


s: chariot and thy son, since he hath come to thy house, and


s: give him horses the lightest of foot and chief in


s: Therewith grey-eyed Athene departed in the semblance of a


s: sea-eagle; and amazement fell on all that saw it, and the


s: old man he marvelled when his eyes beheld it. And he took


s: the hand of Telemachus and spake and hailed him:


s: 'My friend, methinks that thou wilt in no sort be a coward


s: and a weakling, if indeed in thy youth the gods thus follow


s: with thee to be thy guides. For truly this is none other of


s: those who keep the mansions of Olympus, save only the


s: daughter of Zeus, the driver of the spoil, the maiden


s: Trito-born, she that honoured thy good father too among the


s: Argives. Nay be gracious, queen, and vouchsafe a goodly


s: fame to me, even to me and to my sons and to my wife


s: revered. And I in turn will sacrifice to thee a yearling


s: heifer, broad of brow, unbroken, which man never yet hath


s: led beneath the yoke. Such an one will I offer to thee, and


s: Even so he spake in prayer, and Pallas Athene heard him.


s: Then Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, led them, even


s: his sons and the husbands of his daughters, to his own fair


s: house. But when they had reached this prince's famous


s: halls, they sat down all orderly on seats and high chairs;


s: and when they were come, the old man mixed well for them a


s: bowl of sweet wine, which now in the eleventh year from the


s: vintaging the housewife opened, and unloosed the string


s: that fastened the lid. The old man let mix a bowl thereof,


s: and prayed instantly to Athene as he poured forth before


s: her, even to the daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis.


s: But after they had poured forth and had drunken to their


s: heart's content, these went each one to his own house to


s: lie down to rest. But Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots,


s: would needs have Telemachus, son of divine Odysseus, to


s: sleep there on a jointed bedstead beneath the echoing


s: gallery, and by him Peisistratus of the good ashen spear,


s: leader of men, who alone of his sons was yet unwed in his


s: halls. As for him he slept within the inmost chamber of the


s: lofty house, and the lady his wife arrayed for him bedstead


s: So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered,


s: Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, gat him up from his


s: bed, and he went forth and sat him down upon the smooth


s: stones, which were before his lofty doors, all polished,


s: white and glistening, whereon Neleus sat of old, in counsel


s: the peer of the gods. Howbeit, stricken by fate, he had ere


s: now gone down to the house of Hades, and to-day Nestor of


s: Gerenia in his turn sat thereon, warder of the Achaeans,


s: with his staff in his hands. And about him his sons were


s: gathered and come together, issuing from their chambers,


s: godlike Thrasymedes. And sixth and last came the hero


s: Peisistratus. And they led godlike Telemachus and set him


s: by their side, and Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots,


s: 'Quickly, my dear children, accomplish my desire, that


s: first of all the gods I may propitiate Athene, who came to


s: me in visible presence to the rich feast of the god. Nay


s: then, let one go to the plain for a heifer, that she may


s: come as soon as may be, and that the neat-herd may drive


s: her: and let another go to the black ship of high-souled


s: Telemachus to bring all his company, and let him leave two


s: men only. And let one again bid Laerces the goldsmith to


s: come hither that he may gild the horns of the heifer. And


s: ye others, abide ye here together and speak to the


s: handmaids within that they make ready a banquet through our


s: famous halls, and fetch seats and logs to set about the


s: Thus he spake and lo, they all hastened to the work. The


s: heifer she came from the field, and from the swift gallant


s: ship came the company of great-hearted Telemachus; the


s: smith came holding in his hands his tools, the instruments


s: of his craft, anvil and hammer and well-made pincers,


s: wherewith he wrought the gold; Athene too came to receive


s: her sacrifice. And the old knight Nestor gave gold, and the


s: other fashioned it skilfully, and gilded therewith the


s: horns of the heifer, that the goddess might be glad at the


s: sight of her fair offering. And Stratius and goodly


s: Echephron led the heifer by the horns. And Aretus came


s: forth from the chamber bearing water for the washing of


s: hands in a basin of flowered work, and in the other hand he


s: held the barley-meal in a basket; and Thrasymedes,


s: steadfast in the battle, stood by holding in his hand a


s: sharp axe, ready to smite the heifer. And Perseus held the


s: dish for the blood, and the old man Nestor, driver of


s: chariots, performed the first rite of the washing of hands


s: and the sprinkling of the meal, and he prayed instantly to


s: Athene as he began the rite, casting into the fire the lock


s: Now when they had prayed and tossed the sprinkled grain,


s: straightway the son of Nestor, gallant Thrasymedes, stood


s: by and struck the blow; and the axe severed the tendons of


s: the neck and loosened the might of the heifer; and the


s: women raised their cry, the daughters and the sons' wives


s: and the wife revered of Nestor, Eurydice, eldest of the


s: daughters of Clymenus. And now they lifted the victim's


s: head from the wide-wayed earth, and held it so, while


s: Peisistratus, leader of men, cut the throat. And after the


s: black blood had gushed forth and the life had left the


s: bones, quickly they broke up the body, and anon cut slices


s: from the thighs all duly, and wrapt the same in the fat,


s: folding them double, and laid raw flesh thereon. So that


s: old man burnt them on the cleft wood, and poured over them


s: the red wine, and by his side the young men held in their


s: hands the five-pronged forks. Now after that the thighs


s: were quite consumed and they had tasted the inner parts,


s: they cut the rest up small and spitted and roasted it,


s: Meanwhile she bathed Telemachus, even fair Polycaste, the


s: youngest daughter of Nestor, son of Neleus. And after she


s: had bathed him and anointed him with olive oil, and cast


s: about him a goodly mantle and a doublet, he came forth from


s: the bath in fashion like the deathless gods. So he went and


s: sat him down by Nestor, shepherd of the people.


s: Now when they had roasted the outer flesh, and drawn it off


s: the spits, they sat down and fell to feasting, and


s: honourable men waited on them, pouring wine into the golden


s: cups. But when they had put from them the desire of meat


s: and drink, Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, first spake


s: 'Lo now, my sons, yoke for Telemachus horses with flowing


s: mane and lead them beneath the car, that he may get forward


s: Even so he spake, and they gave good heed and hearkened;


s: and quickly they yoked the swift horses beneath the


s: chariot. And the dame that kept the stores placed therein


s: corn and wine and dainties, such as princes eat, the


s: fosterlings of Zeus. So Telemachus stept up into the goodly


s: car, and with him Peisistratus son of Nestor, leader of


s: men, likewise climbed the car and grasped the reins in his


s: hands, and he touched the horses with the whip to start


s: them, and nothing loth the pair flew towards the plain, and


s: left the steep citadel of Pylos. So all day long they


s: swayed the yoke they bore upon their necks.


s: Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened. And they


s: came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles, son of Orsilochus,


s: the child begotten of Alpheus. There they rested for the


s: night, and by them he set the entertainment of strangers.


s: Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered,


s: they yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid car. And forth


s: they drave from the gateway and the echoing gallery, and


s: Peisistratus touched the horses with the whip to start


s: them, and the pair flew onward nothing loth. So they came


s: to the wheat-bearing plain, and thenceforth they pressed


s: toward the end: in such wise did the swift horses speed


s: forward. Now the sun sank and all the ways were darkened.


s: Telemachus' entertainment at Sparta, where Menelaus tells


s: him what befell many of the Greeks on their return; that


s: Odysseus was with Calypso in the isle Ogygia, as he was


s: And they came to Lacedaemon lying low among the caverned


s: hills, and drave to the dwelling of renowned Menelaus. Him


s: they found giving a feast in his house to many friends of


s: his kin, a feast for the wedding of his noble son and


s: daughter. His daughter he was sending to the son of


s: Achilles, cleaver of the ranks of men, for in Troy he first


s: had promised and covenanted to give her, and now the gods


s: were bringing about their marriage. So now he was speeding


s: her on her way with chariot and horses, to the famous city


s: of the Myrmidons, among whom her lord bare rule. And for


s: his son he was bringing to his home the daughter of Alector


s: out of Sparta, for his well-beloved son, strong


s: Megapenthes, {*} born of a slave woman, for the gods no


s: more showed promise of seed to Helen, from the day that she


s: bare a lovely child, Hermione, as fair as golden Aphrodite.


s: So they were feasting through the great vaulted hall, the


s: neighbours and the kinsmen of renowned Menelaus, making


s: merry; and among them a divine minstrel was singing to the


s: lyre, and as he began the song two tumblers in the company


s: Meanwhile those twain, the hero Telemachus and the splendid


s: son of Nestor, made halt at the entry of the gate, they and


s: their horses. And the lord Eteoneus came forth and saw


s: them, the ready squire of renowned Menelaus; and he went


s: through the palace to bear the tidings to the shepherd of


s: the people, and standing near spake to him winged words:


s: 'Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, here are two strangers,


s: whosoever they be, two men like to the lineage of great


s: Zeus. Say, shall we loose their swift horses from under the


s: yoke, or send them onward to some other host who shall


s: Then in sore displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair


s: hair: 'Eteoneus son of Boethous, truly thou wert not a fool


s: aforetime, but now for this once, like a child thou talkest


s: folly. Surely ourselves ate much hospitable cheer of other


s: men, ere we twain came hither, even if in time to come Zeus


s: haply give us rest from affliction. Nay go, unyoke the


s: horses of the strangers, and as for the men, lead them


s: So spake he, and Eteoneus hasted from the hall, and called


s: the other ready squires to follow with him. So they loosed


s: the sweating horses from beneath the yoke, and fastened


s: them at the stalls of the horses, and threw beside them


s: spelt, and therewith mixed white barley, and tilted the


s: chariot against the shining faces of the gateway, and led


s: the men into the hall divine. And they beheld and marvelled


s: as they gazed throughout the palace of the king, the


s: fosterling of Zeus; for there was a gleam as it were of sun


s: or moon through the lofty palace of renowned Menelaus. But


s: after they had gazed their fill, they went to the polished


s: baths and bathed them. Now when the maidens had bathed them


s: and anointed them with olive oil, and cast about them thick


s: cloaks and doublets, they sat on chairs by Menelaus, son of


s: Atreus. And a handmaid bare water for the hands in a goodly


s: golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin to


s: wash withal; and to their side she drew a polished table,


s: and a grave dame bare food and set it by them, and laid


s: upon the board many dainties, giving freely of such things


s: as she had by her, and a carver lifted and placed by them


s: platters of divers kinds of flesh, and nigh them he set


s: golden bowls. So Menelaus of the fair hair greeted the


s: 'Taste ye food and be glad, and thereafter when ye have


s: supped, we will ask what men ye are; for the blood of your


s: parents is not lost in you, but ye are of the line of men


s: that are sceptred kings, the fosterlings of Zeus; for no


s: So spake he, and took and set before them the fat ox-chine


s: roasted, which they had given him as his own mess by way of


s: honour. And they stretched forth their hands upon the good


s: cheer set before them. Now when they had put from them the


s: desire of meat and drink Telemachus spake to the son of


s: Nestor, holding his head close to him, that those others


s: 'Son of Nestor, delight of my heart, mark the flashing of


s: bronze through the echoing halls, and the flashing of gold


s: and of amber and of silver and of ivory. Such like,


s: methinks, is the court of Olympian Zeus within, for the


s: world of things that are here; wonder comes over me as I


s: And as he spake Menelaus of the fair hair was ware of him,


s: and uttering his voice spake to them winged words:


s: 'Children dear, of a truth no one of mortal men may contend


s: with Zeus, for his mansions and his treasures are


s: everlasting: but of men there may be who will vie with me


s: in treasure, or there may be none. Yea, for after many a


s: woe and wanderings manifold, I brought my wealth home in


s: ships, and in the eighth year came hither. I roamed over


s: and Sidonians and Erembi and Libya, where lambs are horned


s: from the birth. For there the ewes yean thrice within the


s: full circle of a year; there neither lord nor shepherd


s: lacketh aught of cheese or flesh or of sweet milk, but ever


s: the flocks yield store of milk continual. While I was yet


s: roaming in those lands, gathering much livelihood, meantime


s: another slew my brother privily, at unawares, by the guile


s: of his accursed wife. Thus, look you, I have no joy of my


s: lordship among these my possessions: and ye are like to


s: have heard hereof from your fathers, whosoever they be, for


s: I have suffered much and let a house go to ruin that was


s: stablished fair, and had in it much choice substance. I


s: would that I had but a third part of those my riches, and


s: dwelt in my halls, and that those men were yet safe, who


s: perished of old in the wide land of Troy, far from Argos,


s: the pastureland of horses. Howbeit, though I bewail them


s: all and sorrow oftentimes as I sit in our halls,--awhile


s: indeed I satisfy my soul with lamentation, and then again I


s: cease; for soon hath man enough of chill lamentation--yet


s: for them all I make no such dole, despite my grief, as for


s: one only, who causes me to loathe both sleep and meat, when


s: I think upon him. For no one of the Achaeans toiled so


s: greatly as Odysseus toiled and adventured himself: but to


s: him it was to be but labour and trouble, and to me grief


s: ever comfortless for his sake, so long he is afar, nor know


s: we aught, whether he be alive or dead. Yea methinks they


s: lament him, even that old Laertes and the constant Penelope


s: and Telemachus, whom he left a child new-born in his


s: So spake he, and in the heart of Telemachus he stirred a


s: yearning to lament his father; and at his father's name he


s: let a tear fall from his eyelids to the ground, and held up


s: his purple mantle with both his hands before his eyes. And


s: Menelaus marked him and mused in his mind and his heart


s: whether he should leave him to speak of his father, or


s: first question him and prove him in every word.


s: While yet he pondered these things in his mind and in his


s: heart, Helen came forth from her fragrant vaulted chamber,


s: like Artemis of the golden arrows; and with her came


s: Adraste and set for her the well-wrought chair, and Alcippe


s: bare a rug of soft wool, and Phylo bare a silver basket


s: which Alcandre gave her, the wife of Polybus, who dwelt in


s: the houses. He gave two silver baths to Menelaus, and


s: tripods twain, ad ten talents of gold. And besides all


s: this, his wife bestowed on Helen lovely gifts; a golden


s: distaff did she give, and a silver basket with wheels


s: beneath, and the rims thereof were finished with gold. This


s: it was that the handmaid Phylo bare and set beside her,


s: filled with dressed yarn, and across it was laid a distaff


s: charged with wool of violet blue. So Helen sat her down in


s: the chair, and beneath was a footstool for the feet. And


s: anon she spake to her lord and questioned him of each


s: 'Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, know we now who these men


s: avow themselves to be that have come under our roof? Shall


s: I dissemble or shall I speak the truth? Nay, I am minded to


s: tell it. None, I say, have I ever yet seen so like another,


s: man or woman--wonder comes over me as I look on him--as


s: this man is like the son of great-hearted Odysseus,


s: Telemachus, whom he left a new born child in his house,


s: when for the sake of me, shameless woman that I was, ye


s: Achaeans came up under Troy with bold war in your hearts.'


s: And Menelaus of the fair hair answered her, saying: 'Now I


s: too, lady, mark the likeness even as thou tracest it. For


s: such as these were his feet, such his hands, and the


s: glances of his eyes, and his head, and his hair withal.


s: Yea, and even now I was speaking of Odysseus, as I


s: remembered him, of all his woeful travail for my sake;


s: when, lo, he let fall a bitter tear beneath his brows, and


s: held his purple cloak up before his eyes.'


s: And Peisistratus, son of Nestor, answered him, saying:


s: 'Menelaus, son of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the


s: host, assuredly this is the son of that very man, even as


s: thou sayest. But he is of a sober wit, and thinketh it


s: shame in his heart as on this his first coming to make show


s: of presumptuous words in the presence of thee, in whose


s: voice we twain delight as in the voice of a god. Now Nestor


s: of Gerenia, lord of chariots, sent me forth to be his guide


s: on the way: for he desired to see thee that thou mightest


s: put into his heart some word or work. For a son hath many


s: griefs in his halls when his father is away, if perchance


s: he hath none to stand by him. Even so it is now with


s: Telemachus; his father is away, nor hath he others in the


s: And Menelaus of the fair hair answered him, and said: 'Lo


s: now, in good truth there has come unto my house the son of


s: a friend indeed, who for my sake endured many adventures.


s: And I thought to welcome him on his coming more nobly than


s: all the other Argives, if but Olympian Zeus, of the


s: far-borne voice, had vouchsafed us a return over the sea in


s: our swift ships,--that such a thing should be. And in Argos


s: I would have given him a city to dwell in, and stablished


s: for him a house, and brought him forth from Ithaca with his


s: substance and his son and all his people, making one city


s: desolate of those that lie around, and are in mine own


s: domain. Then ofttimes would we have held converse here, and


s: nought would have parted us, the welcoming and the


s: welcomed, {*} ere the black cloud of death overshadowed us.


s: Howsoever, the god himself, methinks, must have been


s: jealous hereof, who from that hapless man alone cut off his


s: {* Mr. Evelyn Abbott of Balliol College has suggested to us


s: that [Greek] and [Greek] are here correlatives, and denote


s: respectively the parts of host and of guest. This is


s: sufficiently borne out by the usage of the words


s: So spake he, and in the hearts of all he stirred the desire


s: of lamentation. She wept, even Argive Helen the daughter of


s: Zeus, and Telemachus wept, and Menelaus the son of Atreus;


s: nay, nor did the son of Nestor keep tearless eyes. For he


s: bethought him in his heart of noble Antilochus, whom the


s: glorious son of the bright Dawn had slain. Thinking upon


s: 'Son of Atreus, the ancient Nestor in his own halls was


s: ever wont to say that thou wert wise beyond man's wisdom,


s: whensoever we made mention of thee and asked one another


s: concerning thee. And now, if it be possible, be persuaded


s: by me, who for one have no pleasure in weeping at supper


s: time--the new-born day will right soon be upon us. {*} Not


s: indeed that I deem it blame at all to weep for any mortal


s: who hath died and met his fate. Lo, this is now the only


s: due we pay to miserable men, to cut the hair and let the


s: tear fall from the cheek. For I too have a brother dead,


s: nowise the meanest of the Argives, and thou art like to


s: have known him, for as for me I never encountered him,


s: never beheld him. But men say that Antilochus outdid all,


s: being excellent in speed of foot and in the fight.'


s: And Menelaus of the fair hair answered him, and said: 'My


s: friend, lo, thou hast said all that a wise man might say or


s: do, yea, and an elder than thou;--for from such a sire too


s: thou art sprung, wherefore thou dost even speak wisely.


s: Right easily known is that man's seed, for whom Cronion


s: weaves the skein of luck at bridal and at birth: even as


s: now hath he granted prosperity to Nestor for ever for all


s: his days, that he himself should grow into a smooth old age


s: in his halls, and his sons moreover should be wise and the


s: best of spearsmen. But we will cease now the weeping which


s: was erewhile made, and let us once more bethink us of our


s: supper, and let them pour water over our hands. And again


s: in the morning there will be tales for Telemachus and me to


s: tell one to the other, even to the end.'


s: So spake he, and Asphalion poured water over their hands,


s: the ready squire of renowned Menelaus. And they put forth


s: their hands upon the good cheer spread before them.


s: Then Helen, daughter of Zeus, turned to new thoughts.


s: Presently she cast a drug into the wine whereof they drank,


s: a drug to lull all pain and anger, and bring forgetfulness


s: of every sorrow. Whoso should drink a draught thereof, when


s: it is mingled in the bowl, on that day he would let no tear


s: fall down his cheeks, not though his mother and his father


s: died, not though men slew his brother or dear son with the


s: sword before his face, and his own eyes beheld it.


s: Medicines of such virtue and so helpful had the daughter of


s: Zeus, which Polydamna, the wife of Thon, had given her, a


s: greatest plenty, many that are healing in the cup, and many


s: baneful. There each man is a leech skilled beyond all human


s: kind; yea, for they are of the race of Paeeon. Now after


s: she had cast in the drug and bidden pour forth of the wine,


s: she made answer once again, and spake unto her lord:


s: 'Son of Atreus, Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, and lo, ye


s: sons of noble men, forasmuch as now to one and now to


s: another Zeus gives good and evil, for to him all things are


s: possible,--now, verily, sit ye down and feast in the halls,


s: and take ye joy in the telling of tales, and I will tell


s: you one that fits the time. Now all of them I could not


s: tell or number, so many as were the adventures of Odysseus


s: of the hardy heart; but, ah, what a deed was this he


s: wrought and dared in his hardiness in the land of the


s: Trojans, where ye Achaeans suffered affliction. He subdued


s: his body with unseemly stripes, and a sorry covering he


s: cast about his shoulders, and in the fashion of a servant


s: he went down into the wide-wayed city of the foemen, and he


s: hid himself in the guise of another, a beggar, though in no


s: wise such an one was he at the ships of the Achaeans. In


s: this semblance he passed into the city of the Trojans, and


s: they wist not who he was, and I alone knew him in that


s: guise, and I kept questioning him, but in his subtlety he


s: avoided me. But when at last I was about washing him and


s: anointing him with olive oil, and had put on him raiment,


s: and sworn a great oath not to reveal Odysseus amid the


s: Trojans, ere he reached the swift ships and the huts, even


s: then he told me all the purpose of the Achaeans. And after


s: slaying many of the Trojans with the long sword, he


s: returned to the Argives and brought back word again of all.


s: Then the other Trojan women wept aloud, but my soul was


s: glad, for already my heart was turned to go back again even


s: to my home: and now at the last I groaned for the blindness


s: that Aphrodite gave me, when she led me thither away from


s: mine own country, forsaking my child and my bridal chamber


s: and my lord, that lacked not aught whether for wisdom or


s: And Menelaus of the fair hair answered her, saying: 'Verily


s: all this tale, lady, thou hast duly told. Ere now have I


s: learned the counsel and the thought of many heroes, and


s: travelled over many a land, but never yet have mine eyes


s: beheld any such man of heart as was Odysseus; such another


s: deed as he wrought and dared in his hardiness even in the


s: shapen horse, wherein sat all we chiefs of the Argives,


s: bearing to the Trojans death and doom. Anon thou camest


s: thither, and sure some god must have bidden thee, who


s: wished to bring glory to the Trojans. Yea and godlike


s: Deiphobus went with thee on thy way. Thrice thou didst go


s: round about the hollow ambush and handle it, calling aloud


s: on the chiefs of the Argives by name, and making thy voice


s: like the voices of the wives of all the Argives. Now I and


s: the son of Tydeus and goodly Odysseus sat in the midst and


s: heard thy call; and verily we twain had a desire to start


s: up and come forth or presently to answer from within; but


s: Odysseus stayed and held us there, despite our eagerness.


s: Then all the other sons of the Achaeans held their peace,


s: but Anticlus alone was still minded to answer thee. Howbeit


s: Odysseus firmly closed his mouth with strong hands, and so


s: saved all the Achaeans, and held him until such time as


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Menelaus, son


s: of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, all the


s: more grievous it is! for in no way did this courage ward


s: from him pitiful destruction, not though his heart within


s: him had been very iron. But come, bid us to bed, that


s: forthwith we may take our joy of rest beneath the spell of


s: So spake he, and Argive Helen bade her handmaids set out


s: bedsteads beneath the gallery, and fling on them fair


s: purple blankets and spread coverlets above, and thereon lay


s: thick mantles to be a clothing over all. So they went from


s: the hall with torch in hand, and spread the beds, and the


s: henchman led forth the guests. Thus they slept there in the


s: vestibule of the house, the hero Telemachus and the


s: splendid son of Nestor. But the son of Atreus slept, as his


s: custom was, in the inmost chamber of the lofty house, and


s: by him lay long-robed Helen, that fair lady.


s: Soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, Menelaus


s: of the loud war-shout gat him up from his bed and put on


s: his raiment, and cast his sharp sword about his shoulder,


s: and beneath his smooth feet bound his goodly sandals, and


s: stept forth from his chamber, in presence like a god, and


s: sat by Telemachus, and spake and hailed him:


s: 'To what end hath thy need brought thee hither, hero


s: Telemachus, unto fair Lacedaemon, over the broad back of


s: the sea? Is it a matter of the common weal or of thine own?


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Menelaus, son


s: of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, I have


s: come if perchance thou mayest tell me some tidings of my


s: father. My dwelling is being devoured and my fat lands are


s: ruined, and of unfriendly men my house is full,--who


s: slaughter continually my thronging flocks, and my kine with


s: trailing feet and shambling gait,--none other than the


s: wooers of my mother, despiteful out of measure. So now am I


s: come hither to thy knees, if haply thou art willing to tell


s: me of his pitiful death, as one that saw it perchance with


s: thine own eyes, or heard the story from some other


s: wanderer; for his mother bare him to exceeding sorrow. And


s: speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly


s: how thou didst get sight of him. Ah, I pray thee, if ever


s: at all my father, good Odysseus, made promise to thee of


s: word or work and fulfilled the same in the land of the


s: Trojans, where ye Achaeans suffered affliction, these


s: things, I pray thee, now remember and tell me truth.'


s: Then in heavy displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair


s: hair: 'Out upon them, for truly in the bed of a


s: brave-hearted man were they minded to lie, very cravens as


s: they are! Even as when a hind hath couched her newborn


s: fawns unweaned in a strong lion's lair, and searcheth out


s: the mountain knees and grassy hollows, seeking pasture, and


s: afterward the lion cometh back to his bed, and sendeth


s: forth unsightly death upon that pair, even so shall


s: Odysseus send forth unsightly death upon the wooers. Would


s: to our father Zeus and Athene and Apollo, would that in


s: and wrestled a match with Philomeleides and threw him


s: mightily, and all the Achaeans rejoiced; would that in such


s: strength Odysseus might consort with the wooers: then


s: should they all have swift fate, and bitter wedlock! But


s: for that whereof thou askest and entreatest me, be sure I


s: will not swerve from the truth in aught that I say, nor


s: deceive thee; but of all that the ancient one of the sea,


s: whose speech is sooth, declared to me, not a word will I


s: onward home, the gods they stayed me, for that I had not


s: offered them the acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs, and the


s: gods ever desired that men should be mindful of their


s: commandments. Now there is an island in the wash of the


s: one day's voyage of a hollow ship, when shrill winds blow


s: fair in her wake. And therein is a good haven, whence men


s: launch the gallant ships into the deep when they have drawn


s: a store of deep black water. There the gods held me twenty


s: days, nor did the sea-winds ever show their breath, they


s: that serve to waft ships over the broad back of the sea.


s: And now would all our corn have been spent, and likewise


s: the strength of the men, except some goddess had taken pity


s: on me and saved me, Eidothee, daughter of mighty Proteus,


s: the ancient one of the sea. For most of all I moved her


s: heart, when she met me wandering alone apart from my


s: company, who were ever roaming round the isle, fishing with


s: bent hooks, for hunger was gnawing at their belly. So she


s: stood by, and spake and uttered her voice saying:


s: {* The only name for the Nile in Homer. Cf. Wilkinson,


s: '"Art thou so very foolish, stranger, and feeble-witted, or


s: art thou wilfully remiss, and hast pleasure in suffering?


s: So long time art thou holden in the isle and canst find no


s: issue therefrom, while the heart of thy company faileth


s: 'Even so she spake, and I answered her saying: "I will


s: speak forth, what goddess soever thou art, and tell thee


s: that in no wise am I holden here by mine own will, but it


s: needs must be that I have sinned against the deathless


s: gods, who keep the wide heaven. Howbeit, do thou tell


s: me--for the gods know all things--which of the immortals it


s: is that binds me here and hath hindered me from my way, and


s: declare as touching my returning how I may go over the


s: 'So I spake, and straightway the fair goddess made answer:


s: "Yea now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. Hither


s: resorteth that ancient one of the sea, whose speech is


s: of every sea, and is the thrall of Poseidon, and who, they


s: say, is my father that begat me. If thou couldst but lay an


s: ambush and catch him, he will surely declare to thee the


s: way and the measure of thy path, and will tell thee of thy


s: returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep. Yea,


s: and he will show thee, O fosterling of Zeus, if thou wilt,


s: what good thing and what evil hath been wrought in thy


s: halls, whilst thou has been faring this long and grievous


s: 'So she spake, but I answered and said unto her: "Devise


s: now thyself the ambush to take this ancient one divine,


s: lest by any chance he see me first, or know of my coming,


s: and avoid me. For a god is hard for mortal man to quell."


s: 'So spake I, and straightway the fair goddess made answer:


s: "Yea now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. So often as


s: the sun in his course stands high in mid heaven, then forth


s: from the brine comes the ancient one of the sea, whose


s: speech is sooth, before the breath of the West Wind he


s: comes, and the sea's dark ripple covers him. And when he is


s: got forth, he lies down to sleep in the hollow of the


s: caves. And around him the seals, the brood of the fair


s: daughter of the brine, sleep all in a flock, stolen forth


s: from the grey sea water, and bitter is the scent they


s: breathe of the deeps of the salt sea. There will I lead


s: thee at the breaking of the day, and couch you all orderly;


s: so do thou choose diligently three of thy company, the best


s: thou hast in thy decked ships. And I will tell thee all the


s: magic arts of that old man. First, he will number the seals


s: and go over them; but when he has told their tale and


s: beheld them, he will lay him down in the midst, as a


s: shepherd mid the sheep of his flock. So soon as ever ye


s: shall see him couched, even then mind you of your might and


s: strength, and hold him there, despite his eagerness and


s: striving to be free. And he will make assay, and take all


s: manner of shapes of things that creep upon the earth, of


s: water likewise, and of fierce fire burning. But do ye grasp


s: him steadfastly and press him yet the more, and at length


s: when he questions thee in his proper shape, as he was when


s: first ye saw him laid to rest, then, hero, hold thy strong


s: hands, and let the ancient one go free, and ask him which


s: of the gods is hard upon thee, and as touching thy


s: returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep."


s: 'Therewith she dived beneath the heaving sea, but I betook


s: me to the ships where they stood in the sand, and my heart


s: was darkly troubled as I went. But after I had come down to


s: the ship and to the sea, and we had made ready our supper


s: and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us to rest


s: upon the sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the


s: rosy fingered, in that hour I walked by the shore of the


s: wide-wayed sea, praying instantly to the gods; and I took


s: with me three of my company, in whom I trusted most for


s: 'Meanwhile, so it was that she had plunged into the broad


s: bosom of the sea, and had brought from the deep the skins


s: of four sea-calves, and all were newly flayed, for she was


s: minded to lay a snare for her father. She scooped lairs on


s: the sea-sand, and sat awaiting us, and we drew very nigh


s: her, and she made us all lie down in order, and cast a skin


s: over each. There would our ambush have been most terrible,


s: for the deadly stench of the sea bred seals distressed us


s: sore: nay, who would lay him down by a beast of the sea?


s: But herself she wrought deliverance, and devised a great


s: comfort. She took ambrosia of a very sweet savour, and set


s: it beneath each man's nostril, and did away with the stench


s: of the beast. So all the morning we waited with steadfast


s: heart, and the seals came forth in troops from the brine,


s: and then they couched them all orderly by the sea-beach.


s: And at high day the ancient one came forth from out of the


s: brine, and found his fatted seals, yea and he went along


s: their line and told their tale; and first among the


s: sea-beasts he reckoned us, and guessed not that there was


s: guile, and afterward he too laid him down. Then we rushed


s: upon him with a cry, and cast our hands about him, nor did


s: that ancient one forget his cunning. Now behold, at the


s: first he turned into a bearded lion, and thereafter into a


s: snake, and a pard, and a huge boar; then he took the shape


s: of running water, and of a tall and flowering tree. We the


s: while held him close with steadfast heart. But when now


s: that ancient one of the magic arts was aweary, then at last


s: he questioned me and spake unto me, saying:


s: '"Which of the gods was it, son of Atreus, that aided thee


s: with his counsel, that thou mightest waylay and take me


s: 'Even so he spake, but I answered him saying; "Old man,


s: thou knowest all, wherefore dost thou question me thereof


s: with crooked words? For lo, I am holden long time in this


s: isle, neither can I find any issue therefrom, and my heart


s: faileth within me. Howbeit do thou tell me--for the gods


s: know all things--which of the immortals it is that bindeth


s: me here, and hath hindered me from my way; and declare as


s: touching my returning, how I may go over the teeming deep."


s: 'Even so I spake, and he straightway answered me, saying:


s: "Nay, surely thou shouldest have done goodly sacrifice to


s: Zeus and the other gods ere thine embarking, that with most


s: speed thou mightst reach thy country, sailing over the


s: wine-dark deep. For it is not thy fate to see thy friends,


s: and come to thy stablished house and thine own country,


s: till thou hast passed yet again within the waters of


s: to the deathless gods who keep the wide heaven. So shall


s: the gods grant thee the path which thou desirest."


s: 'So spake he, but my spirit within me was broken, for that


s: 'Yet even so I answered him saying: "Old man, all this will


s: I do, according to thy word. But come, declare me this, and


s: tell it all plainly. Did all those Achaeans return safe


s: with their ships, all whom Nestor and I left as we went


s: from Troy, or perished any by a shameful death aboard his


s: own ship, or in the arms of his friends, after he had wound


s: 'So spake I, and anon he answered me, saying: "Son of


s: Atreus, why dost thou straitly question me hereof? Nay, it


s: is not for thy good to know or learn my thought; for I tell


s: thee thou shalt not long be tearless, when thou hast heard


s: it all aright. For many of these were taken, and many were


s: left; but two only of the leaders of the mail-coated


s: Achaeans perished in returning; as for the battle, thou


s: thyself wast there. And one methinks is yet alive, and is


s: holden on the wide deep. Aias in truth was smitten in the


s: midst of his ships of the long oars. Poseidon at first


s: brought him nigh to Gyrae, to the mighty rocks, and


s: delivered him from the sea. And so he would have fled his


s: doom, albeit hated by Athene, had he not let a proud word


s: fall in the fatal darkening of his heart. He said that in


s: the gods' despite he had escaped the great gulf of the sea;


s: and Poseidon heard his loud boasting, and presently caught


s: up his trident into his strong hands, and smote the rock


s: Gyraean and cleft it in twain. And the one part abode in


s: his place, but the other fell into the sea, the broken


s: piece whereon Aias sat at the first, when his heart was


s: darkened. And the rock bore him down into the vast and


s: heaving deep; so there he perished when he had drunk of the


s: salt sea water. But thy brother verily escaped the fates


s: and avoided them in his hollow ships, for queen Hera saved


s: him. But now when he was like soon to reach the steep mount


s: of Malea, lo, the storm wind snatched him away and bore him


s: over the teeming deep, making great moan, to the border of


s: the country whereof old Thyestes dwelt, but now Aegisthus


s: abode there, the son of Thyestes. But when thence too there


s: showed a good prospect of safe returning, and the gods


s: changed the wind to a fair gale, and they had reached home,


s: then verily did Agamemnon set foot with joy upon his


s: country's soil, and as he touched his own land he kissed


s: it, and many were the hot tears he let fall, for he saw his


s: land and was glad. And it was so that the watchman spied


s: him from his tower, the watchman whom crafty Aegisthus had


s: led and posted there, promising him for a reward two


s: talents of gold. Now he kept watch for the space of a year,


s: lest Agamemnon should pass by him when he looked not, and


s: mind him of his wild prowess. So he went to the house to


s: bear the tidings to the shepherd of the people. And


s: straightway Aegisthus contrived a cunning treason. He chose


s: out twenty of the best men in the township, and set an


s: ambush, and on the further side of the hall he commanded to


s: prepare a feast. Then with chariot and horses he went to


s: bid to the feast Agamemnon, shepherd of the people; but


s: caitiff thoughts were in his heart. He brought him up to


s: his house, all unwitting of his doom, and when he had


s: feasted him slew him, as one slayeth an ox at the stall.


s: And none of the company of Atreides that were of his


s: following were left, nor any of the men of Aegisthus, but


s: 'So spake he, and my spirit within me was broken, and I


s: wept as I sat upon the sand, nor was I minded any more to


s: live and see the light of the sun. But when I had taken my


s: fill of weeping and grovelling on the ground, then spake


s: the ancient one of the sea, whose speech is sooth:


s: '"No more, son of Atreus, hold this long weeping without


s: cease, for we shall find no help therein. Rather with all


s: haste make essay that so thou mayest come to thine own


s: country. For either thou shalt find Aegisthus yet alive, or


s: it may be Orestes was beforehand with thee and slew him; so


s: mayest thou chance upon his funeral feast."


s: 'So he spake, and my heart and lordly soul again were


s: comforted for all my sorrow, and I uttered my voice and I


s: '"Their fate I now know; but tell me of the third; who is


s: it that is yet living and holden on the wide deep, or


s: perchance is dead? and fain would I hear despite my


s: 'So spake I, and straightway he answered, and said: "It is


s: the son of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca; and I saw


s: him in an island shedding big tears in the halls of the


s: nymph Calypso, who holds him there perforce; so he may not


s: come to his own country, for he has by him no ships with


s: oars, and no companions to send him on his way over the


s: broad back of the sea. But thou, Menelaus, son of Zeus, art


s: not ordained to die and meet thy fate in Argos, the


s: pasture-land of horses, but the deathless gods will convey


s: thee to the Elysian plain and the world's end, where is


s: Rhadamanthus of the fair hair, where life is easiest for


s: men. No snow is there, nor yet great storm, nor any rain;


s: but always ocean sendeth forth the breeze of the shrill


s: West to blow cool on men; yea, for thou hast Helen to wife,


s: and thereby they deem thee to be son of Zeus."


s: 'So spake he, and plunged into the heaving sea; but I


s: betook me to the ships with my godlike company, and my


s: heart was darkly troubled as I went. Now after I had come


s: down to the ship and to the sea, and had made ready our


s: supper, and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us


s: to rest upon the sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone


s: forth, the rosy-fingered, first of all we drew down our


s: ships to the fair salt sea and placed the masts and the


s: sails in the gallant ships, and the crew too climbed on


s: board, and sat upon the benches and smote the grey sea


s: water with their oars. Then back I went to the waters of


s: ships and offered the acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs. So


s: when I had appeased the anger of the everlasting gods, I


s: piled a barrow to Agamemnon, that his fame might never be


s: quenched. So having fulfilled all, I set out for home, and


s: the deathless gods gave me a fair wind, and brought me


s: swiftly to mine own dear country. But lo, now tarry in my


s: halls till it shall be the eleventh day hence or the


s: twelfth. Then will I send thee with all honour on thy way,


s: and give thee splendid gifts, three horses and a polished


s: car; and moreover I will give thee a goodly chalice, that


s: thou mayest pour forth before the deathless gods, and be


s: mindful of me all the days of thy life.'


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Son of Atreus,


s: nay, hold me not long time here. Yea even for a year would


s: I be content to sit by thee, and no desire for home or


s: parents would come upon me; for I take wondrous pleasure in


s: thy tales and talk. But already my company wearieth in fair


s: Pylos, and yet thou art keeping me long time here. And


s: whatsoever gift thou wouldest give me, let it be a thing to


s: treasure; but horses I will take none to Ithaca, but leave


s: them here to grace thine own house, for thou art lord of a


s: wide plain wherein is lotus great plenty, and therein is


s: spear-reed and wheat and rye, and white and spreading


s: barley. In Ithaca there are no wide courses, nor meadow


s: land at all. It is a pasture-land of goats, and more


s: pleasant in my sight than one that pastureth horses; for of


s: the isles that lie and lean upon the sea, none are fit for


s: the driving of horses, or rich in meadow land, and least of


s: So spake he, and Menelaus, of the loud war cry, smiled, and


s: caressed him with his hand, and spake and hailed him:


s: 'Thou art of gentle blood, dear child, so gentle the words


s: thou speakest. Therefore I will make exchange of the


s: presents, as I may. Of the gifts, such as are treasures


s: stored in my house, I will give thee the goodliest and


s: greatest of price. I will give thee a mixing bowl


s: beautifully wrought; it is all of silver, and the lips


s: thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; and


s: the hero Phaedimus, the king of the Sidonians, gave it me,


s: when his house sheltered me on my coming thither, and to


s: Even so they spake one to another, while the guests came to


s: the palace of the divine king. They drave their sheep, and


s: brought wine that maketh glad the heart of man: and their


s: wives with fair tire sent them wheaten bread. Thus were


s: these men preparing the feast in the halls.


s: But the wooers meantime were before the palace of Odysseus,


s: taking their pleasure in casting of weights and spears, on


s: a levelled place, as heretofore, in their insolence. And


s: Antinous and god-like Eurymachus were seated there, the


s: chief men of the wooers, who were far the most excellent of


s: all. And Noemon, son of Phromius, drew nigh to them and


s: spake unto Antinous and questioned him, saying:


s: 'Antinous, know we at all, or know we not, when Telemachus


s: will return from sandy Pylos? He hath departed with a ship


s: of mine, and I have need thereof, to cross over into


s: spacious Elis, where I have twelve brood mares with hardy


s: mules unbroken at the teat; I would drive off one of these


s: So spake he, and they were amazed, for they deemed not that


s: Telemachus had gone to Neleian Pylos, but that he was at


s: home somewhere in the fields, whether among the flocks, or


s: Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake to him in turn:


s: 'Tell me the plain truth; when did he go, and what noble


s: youths went with him? Were they chosen men of Ithaca or


s: hirelings and thralls of his own? He was in case to bring


s: even that about. And tell me this in good sooth, that I may


s: know for a surety: did he take thy black ship from thee


s: perforce against thy will? or didst thou give it him of


s: Then Noemon, son of Phromius, answered him saying: 'I gave


s: it him myself of free will. What can any man do, when such


s: an one, so bestead with care, begs a favour? it were hard


s: to deny the gift. The youths who next to us are noblest in


s: the land, even these have gone with him; and I marked their


s: leader on board ship, Mentor, or a god who in all things


s: resembled Mentor. But one matter I marvel at: I saw the


s: goodly Mentor here yesterday toward dawn, though already he


s: He spake and withal departed to his father's house. And the


s: proud spirits of these twain were angered, and they made


s: the wooers sit down together and cease from their games.


s: And among them spake Antinous, son of Eupeithes, in


s: displeasure; and his black heart was wholly filled with


s: rage, and his eyes were like flaming fire:


s: 'Out on him, a proud deed hath Telemachus accomplished with


s: a high hand, even this journey, and we thought that he


s: would never bring it to pass! This lad hath clean gone


s: without more ado, in spite of us all; his ship he hath let


s: haul to the sea, and chosen the noblest in the township. He


s: will begin to be our bane even more than heretofore; but


s: may Zeus destroy his might, not ours, ere he reach the


s: measure of manhood! But come, give me a swift ship and


s: twenty men, that I may lie in watch and wait even for him


s: on his way home, in the strait between Ithaca and rugged


s: Samos, that so he may have a woeful end of his cruising in


s: So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade him to


s: the work. And thereupon they arose and went to the house of


s: Now it was no long time before Penelope heard of the


s: counsel that the wooers had devised in the deep of their


s: heart. For the henchman Medon told her thereof, who stood


s: without the court and heard their purposes, while they were


s: weaving their plot within. So he went on his way through


s: the halls to bring the news to Penelope; and as he stept


s: down over the threshold, Penelope spake unto him:


s: 'Henchman, wherefore have the noble wooers sent thee forth?


s: Was it to tell the handmaids of divine Odysseus to cease


s: from their work, and prepare a banquet for them? Nay, after


s: thus much wooing, never again may they come together, but


s: here this day sup for their last and latest time; all ye


s: who assemble so often, and waste much livelihood, the


s: wealth of wise Telemachus! Long ago when ye were children,


s: ye marked not your fathers' telling, what manner of man was


s: Odysseus among them, one that wrought no iniquity toward


s: any man, nor spake aught unrighteous in the township, as is


s: the wont of divine kings. One man a king is like to hate,


s: another he might chance to love. But never did he do aught


s: at all presumptuously to any man. Nay, it is plain what


s: spirit ye are of, and your unseemly deeds are manifest to


s: all, nor is there any gratitude left for kindness done.'


s: Then Medon, wise of heart, answered her: 'Would, oh queen,


s: that this were the crowning evil! But the wooers devise


s: another far greater and more grievous, which I pray the son


s: of Cronos may never fulfil! They are set on slaying


s: Telemachus with the edge of the sword on his homeward way;


s: for he is gone to fair Pylos and goodly Lacedaemon, to seek


s: So spake he, but her knees were loosened where she stood,


s: and her heart melted within her, and long time was she


s: speechless, and lo, her eyes were filled with tears and the


s: voice of her utterance was stayed. And at the last she


s: 'Henchman, wherefore I pray thee is my son departed? There


s: is no need that he should go abroad on swift ships, that


s: serve men for horses on the sea, and that cross the great


s: wet waste. Is it that even his own name may no more be left


s: Then Medon, wise of heart, answered her: 'I know not


s: whether some god set him on or whether his own spirit


s: stirred him to go to Pylos to seek tidings of his father's


s: He spake, and departed through the house of Odysseus, and


s: on her fell a cloud of consuming grief; so that she might


s: no more endure to seat her on a chair, whereof there were


s: many in the house, but there she crouched on the threshold


s: of her well-builded chamber, wailing piteously, and her


s: handmaids round her made low moan, as many as were in the


s: house with her, young and old. And Penelope spake among


s: 'Hear me, my friends, for the Olympian sire hath given me


s: pain exceedingly beyond all women who were born and bred in


s: my day. For erewhile I lost my noble lord of the lion


s: heart, adorned with all perfection among the Danaans, my


s: good lord, whose fame is noised abroad from Hellas to mid


s: Argos. And now again the storm-winds have snatched away my


s: well-beloved son without tidings from our halls, nor heard


s: I of his departure. Oh, women, hard of heart, that even ye


s: did not each one let the thought come into your minds, to


s: rouse me from my couch when he went to the black hollow


s: ship, though ye knew full well thereof! For had I heard


s: that he was purposing this journey, verily he should have


s: stayed here still, though eager to be gone, or have left me


s: dead in the halls. Howbeit let some one make haste to call


s: the ancient Dolius, my thrall, whom my father gave me ere


s: yet I had come hither, who keepeth my garden of trees. So


s: shall he go straightway and sit by Laertes, and tell him


s: all, if perchance Laertes may weave some counsel in his


s: heart, and go forth and make his plaint to the people, who


s: are purposed to destroy his seed, and the seed of god-like


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: 'Dear lady,


s: aye, slay me if thou wilt with the pitiless sword or let me


s: yet live on in the house,--yet will I not hide my saying


s: from thee. I knew all this, and gave him whatsoever he


s: commanded, bread and sweet wine. And he took a great oath


s: of me not to tell thee till at least the twelfth day should


s: come, or thou thyself shouldst miss him and hear of his


s: departure, that thou mightest not mar thy fair flesh with


s: thy tears. But now, wash thee in water, and take to thee


s: clean raiment and ascend to thy upper chamber with the


s: women thy handmaids, and pray to Athene, daughter of Zeus,


s: lord of the aegis. For so may she save him even from death.


s: And heap not troubles on an old man's trouble; for the seed


s: of the son of Arceisius, is not, methinks, utterly hated by


s: the blessed gods, but someone will haply yet remain to


s: possess these lofty halls, and the fat fields far away.'


s: So spake she, and lulled her queen's lamentation, and made


s: her eyes to cease from weeping. So she washed her in water,


s: and took to her clean raiment, and ascended to the upper


s: chamber with the women her handmaids, and placed the meal


s: for sprinkling in a basket, and prayed unto Athene:


s: 'Hear me, child of Zeus, lord of the aegis, unwearied


s: maiden! If ever wise Odysseus in his halls burnt for thee


s: fat slices of the thighs of heifer or of sheep, these


s: things, I pray thee, now remember, and save my dear son,


s: and ward from him the wooers in the naughtiness of their


s: Therewith she raised a cry, and the goddess heard her


s: prayer. But the wooers clamoured through the shadowy halls,


s: 'Verily this queen of many wooers prepareth our marriage,


s: nor knoweth at all how that for her son death hath been


s: Thus would certain of them speak, but they knew not how


s: these things were ordained. And Antinous made harangue and


s: 'Good sirs, my friends, shun all disdainful words alike,


s: lest someone hear and tell it even in the house. But come


s: let us arise, and in silence accomplish that whereof we


s: spake, for the counsel pleased us every one.'


s: Therewith he chose twenty men that were the best, and they


s: departed to the swift ship and the sea-banks. So first of


s: all they drew the ship down to the deep water, and placed


s: the mast and sails in the black ship, and fixed the oars in


s: leathern loops all orderly, and spread forth the white


s: sails. And squires, haughty of heart, bare for them their


s: arms. And they moored her high out in the shore water, and


s: themselves disembarked. There they supped and waited for


s: But the wise Penelope lay there in her upper chamber,


s: fasting and tasting neither meat nor drink, musing whether


s: her noble son should escape death, or even fall before the


s: proud wooers. And as a lion broods all in fear among the


s: press of men, when they draw the crafty ring around him, so


s: deeply was she musing when deep sleep came over her. And


s: she sank back in sleep and all her joints were loosened.


s: Now the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to other


s: thoughts. She made a phantom, and fashioned it after the


s: likeness of a woman, Iphthime, daughter of great-hearted


s: Icarius, whom Eumelus wedded, whose dwelling was in Pherae.


s: And she sent it to the house of divine Odysseus to bid


s: Penelope, amid her sorrow and lamenting, to cease from her


s: weeping and tearful lamentation. So the phantom passed into


s: the chamber by the thong of the bolt, and stood above her


s: 'Sleepest thou, Penelope, stricken at heart? Nay, even the


s: gods who live at ease suffer thee not to wail or be


s: afflicted, seeing that thy son is yet to return; for no


s: Then wise Penelope made her answer as she slumbered very


s: 'Wherefore, sister, hast thou come hither, that before wert


s: not wont to come, for thou hast thine habitation very far


s: away? Biddest thou me indeed to cease from the sorrows and


s: pains, so many that disquiet my heart and soul? Erewhile I


s: lost my noble lord of the lion heart, adorned with all


s: perfection among the Danaans, my true lord, whose fame is


s: noised abroad from Hellas to mid Argos. And now, again, my


s: well-beloved son is departed on his hollow ship, poor


s: child, not skilled in toils or in the gatherings of men.


s: For him I sorrow yet more than for my lord, and I tremble


s: and fear for him lest aught befal him, whether, it may be,


s: amid that folk where he is gone, or in the deep. For many


s: foemen devise evil against him, and go about to kill him,


s: And the dim phantom answered her, and said: 'Take courage,


s: and be not so sorely afraid. For lo, such a friend goes to


s: guide him, as all men pray to stand by them, for that she


s: hath the power, even Pallas Athene. And she pitieth thee in


s: thy sorrow, and now hath sent me forth to speak these words


s: And wise Penelope answered her, saying: 'If thou art indeed


s: a god, and hast heard the word of a god, come, I pray thee,


s: and tell me tidings concerning that ill-fated man, whether


s: perchance he is yet alive and sees the light of the sun, or


s: hath already died, and is a dweller in the house of Hades.'


s: And the dim phantom answered her and said: 'Concerning him


s: I will not tell thee all the tale, whether he be alive or


s: dead; it is ill to speak words light as wind.'


s: Therewith the phantom slipped away by the bolt of the door


s: and passed into the breath of the wind. And the daughter of


s: Icarius started up from sleep; and her heart was cheered,


s: so clear was the vision that sped toward her in the dead of


s: Meanwhile the wooers had taken ship and were sailing over


s: the wet ways, pondering in their hearts sheer death for


s: Telemachus. Now there is a rocky isle in the mid sea,


s: midway between Ithaca and rugged Samos, Asteris, a little


s: isle; and there is a harbour therein with a double


s: entrance, where ships may ride. There the Achaeans abode


s: The Gods in council command Calypso by Hermes to send away


s: Odysseus on a raft of trees; and Poseidon, returning from


s: Ethiopia and seeing him on the coast of Phaeacia, scattered


s: his raft; and how by the help of Ino he was thrown ashore,


s: and slept on a heap of dry leaves till the next day.


s: Now the Dawn arose from her couch, from the side of the


s: lordly Tithonus, to bear light to the immortals and to


s: mortal men. And lo, the gods were gathering to session, and


s: among them Zeus, that thunders on high, whose might is


s: above all. And Athene told them the tale of the many woes


s: of Odysseus, recalling them to mind; for near her heart was


s: he that then abode in the dwelling of the nymph:


s: 'Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed gods that live for


s: ever, henceforth let not any sceptred king be kind and


s: gentle with all his heart, nor minded to do righteously,


s: but let him alway be a hard man and work unrighteousness,


s: for behold, there is none that remembereth divine Odysseus


s: of the people whose lord he was, and was gentle as a


s: father. Howbeit, as for him he lieth in an island suffering


s: strong pains, in the halls of the nymph Calypso, who


s: holdeth him perforce; so he may not reach his own country,


s: for he hath no ships by him with oars, and no companions to


s: send him on his way over the broad back of the sea. And


s: now, again, they are set on slaying his beloved son on his


s: homeward way, for he is gone to fair Pylos and to goodly


s: Lacedaemon, to seek tidings of his father.'


s: And Zeus, gatherer of the clouds, answered and spake unto


s: her: 'My child, what word hath escaped the door of thy


s: lips? Nay, didst thou not thyself plan this device, that


s: Odysseus may assuredly take vengeance on those men at his


s: coming? As for Telemachus, do thou guide him by thine art,


s: as well as thou mayest, that so he may come to his own


s: country all unharmed, and the wooers may return in their


s: Therewith he spake to Hermes, his dear son: 'Hermes,


s: forasmuch as even in all else thou art our herald, tell


s: unto the nymph of the braided tresses my unerring counsel,


s: even the return of the patient Odysseus, how he is to come


s: to his home, with no furtherance of gods or of mortal men.


s: Nay, he shall sail on a well-bound raft, in sore distress,


s: and on the twentieth day arrive at fertile Scheria, even at


s: the land of the Phaeacians, who are near of kin to the


s: gods. And they shall give him all worship heartily as to a


s: god, and send him on his way in a ship to his own dear


s: country, with gifts of bronze and gold, and raiment in


s: plenty, much store, such as never would Odysseus have won


s: for himself out of Troy, yea, though he had returned unhurt


s: with the share of the spoil that fell to him. On such wise


s: is he fated to see his friends, and come to his high-roofed


s: So spake he, nor heedless was the messenger, the slayer of


s: Argos. Straightway he bound beneath his feet his lovely


s: golden sandals, that wax not old, that bare him alike over


s: the wet sea and over the limitless land, swift as the


s: breath of the wind. And he took the wand wherewith he lulls


s: the eyes of whomso he will, while others again he even


s: wakes from out of sleep. With this rod in his hand flew the


s: strong slayer of Argos. Above Pieria he passed and leapt


s: from the upper air into the deep. Then he sped along the


s: wave like the cormorant, that chaseth the fishes through


s: the perilous gulfs of the unharvested sea, and wetteth his


s: thick plumage in the brine. Such like did Hermes ride upon


s: the press of the waves. But when he had now reached that


s: far-off isle, he went forth from the sea of violet blue to


s: get him up into the land, till he came to a great cave,


s: wherein dwelt the nymph of the braided tresses: and he


s: found her within. And on the hearth there was a great fire


s: burning, and from afar through the isle was smelt the


s: fragrance of cleft cedar blazing, and of sandal wood. And


s: the nymph within was singing with a sweet voice as she


s: fared to and fro before the loom, and wove with a shuttle


s: of gold. And round about the cave there was a wood


s: blossoming, alder and poplar and sweet-smelling cypress.


s: And therein roosted birds long of wing, owls and falcons


s: and chattering sea-crows, which have their business in the


s: waters. And lo, there about the hollow cave trailed a


s: gadding garden vine, all rich with clusters. And fountains


s: four set orderly were running with clear water, hard by one


s: another, turned each to his own course. And all around soft


s: meadows bloomed of violets and parsley, yea, even a


s: deathless god who came thither might wonder at the sight


s: and be glad at heart. There the messenger, the slayer of


s: Argos, stood and wondered. Now when he had gazed at all


s: with wonder, anon he went into the wide cave; nor did


s: Calypso, that fair goddess, fail to know him, when she saw


s: him face to face; for the gods use not to be strange one to


s: another, the immortals, not though one have his habitation


s: far away. But he found not Odysseus, the greathearted,


s: within the cave, who sat weeping on the shore even as


s: aforetime, straining his soul with tears and groans and


s: griefs, and as he wept he looked wistfully over the


s: unharvested deep. And Calypso, that fair goddess,


s: questioned Hermes, when she had made him sit on a bright


s: 'Wherefore, I pray thee, Hermes, of the golden wand, hast


s: thou come hither, worshipful and welcome, whereas as of old


s: thou wert not wont to visit me? Tell me all thy thought; my


s: heart is set on fulfilling it, if fulfil it I may, and if


s: it hath been fulfilled in the counsel of fate. But now


s: follow me further, that I may set before thee the


s: Therewith the goddess spread a table with ambrosia and set


s: it by him, and mixed the ruddy nectar. So the messenger,


s: the slayer of Argos, did eat and drink. Now after he had


s: supped and comforted his soul with food, at the last he


s: answered, and spake to her on this wise:


s: 'Thou makest question of me on my coming, a goddess of a


s: god, and I will tell thee this my saying truly, at thy


s: command. 'Twas Zeus that bade me come hither, by no will of


s: mine; nay, who of his free will would speed over such a


s: wondrous space of brine, whereby is no city of mortals that


s: do sacrifice to the gods, and offer choice hecatombs? But


s: surely it is in no wise possible for another god to go


s: beyond or to make void the purpose of Zeus, lord of the


s: aegis. He saith that thou hast with thee a man most


s: wretched beyond his fellows, beyond those men that round


s: the burg of Priam for nine years fought, and in the tenth


s: year sacked the city and departed homeward. Yet on the way


s: they sinned against Athene, and she raised upon them an


s: evil blast and long waves of the sea. Then all the rest of


s: his good company was lost, but it came to pass that the


s: wind bare and the wave brought him hither. And now Zeus


s: biddeth thee send him hence with what speed thou mayest,


s: for it is not ordained that he die away from his friends,


s: but rather it is his fate to look on them even yet, and to


s: come to his high-roofed home and his own country.'


s: So spake he, and Calypso, that fair goddess, shuddered and


s: uttered her voice, and spake unto him winged words: 'Hard


s: are ye gods and jealous exceeding, who ever grudge


s: goddesses openly to mate with men, if any make a mortal her


s: dear bed-fellow. Even so when rosy-fingered Dawn took Orion


s: for her lover, ye gods that live at ease were jealous


s: thereof, till chaste Artemis, of the golden throne, slew


s: him in Ortygia with the visitation of her gentle shafts. So


s: too when fair-tressed Demeter yielded to her love, and lay


s: with Iasion in the thrice-ploughed fallow-field, Zeus was


s: not long without tidings thereof, and cast at him with his


s: white bolt and slew him. So again ye gods now grudge that a


s: mortal man should dwell with me. Him I saved as he went all


s: alone bestriding the keel of a bark, for that Zeus had


s: crushed {*} and cleft his swift ship with a white bolt in


s: the midst of the wine-dark deep. There all the rest of his


s: good company was lost, but it came to pass that the wind


s: bare and the wave brought him hither. And him have I loved


s: and cherished, and I said that I would make him to know not


s: death and age for ever. Yet forasmuch as it is no wise


s: possible for another god to go beyond, or make void the


s: purpose of Zeus, lord of the aegis, let him away over the


s: unharvested seas, if the summons and the bidding be of


s: Zeus. But I will give him no despatch, not I, for I have no


s: ships by me with oars, nor company to bear him on his way


s: over the broad back of the sea. Yet will I be forward to


s: put this in his mind, and will hide nought, that all


s: unharmed he may come to his own country.'


s: {* It seems very doubtful whether [Greek] can bear this


s: meaning. The reading [Greek], 'smote,' preserved by the


s: Then the messenger, the slayer of Argos, answered her:


s: 'Yea, speed him now upon his path and have regard unto the


s: wrath of Zeus, lest haply he be angered and bear hard on


s: Therewith the great slayer of Argos departed, but the lady


s: nymph went on her way to the great-hearted Odysseus, when


s: she had heard the message of Zeus. And there she found him


s: sitting on the shore, and his eyes were never dry of tears,


s: and his sweet life was ebbing away as he mourned for his


s: return; for the nymph no more found favour in his sight.


s: Howsoever by night he would sleep by her, as needs he must,


s: in the hollow caves, unwilling lover by a willing lady. And


s: in the day-time he would sit on the rocks and on the beach,


s: straining his soul with tears, and groans, and griefs, and


s: through his tears he would look wistfully over the


s: unharvested deep. So standing near him that fair goddess


s: 'Hapless man, sorrow no more I pray thee in this isle, nor


s: let thy good life waste away, for even now will I send thee


s: hence with all my heart. Nay, arise and cut long beams, and


s: fashion a wide raft with the axe, and lay deckings high


s: thereupon, that it may bear thee over the misty deep. And I


s: will place therein bread and water, and red wine to thy


s: heart's desire, to keep hunger far away. And I will put


s: raiment upon thee, and send a fair gale in thy wake, that


s: so thou mayest come all unharmed to thine own country, if


s: indeed it be the good pleasure of the gods who hold wide


s: heaven, who are stronger than I am both to will and to do.'


s: So she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus shuddered,


s: and uttering his voice spake to her winged words: 'Herein,


s: goddess, thou hast plainly some other thought, and in no


s: wise my furtherance, for that thou biddest me to cross in a


s: raft the great gulf of the sea so dread and difficult,


s: which not even the swift gallant ships pass over rejoicing


s: in the breeze of Zeus. Nor would I go aboard a raft to


s: displeasure thee, unless thou wilt deign, O goddess, to


s: swear a great oath not to plan any hidden guile to mine own


s: So spake he, and Calypso, the fair goddess, smiled and


s: caressed him with her hand, and spake and hailed him:


s: 'Knavish thou art, and no weakling {*} in wit, thou that


s: hast conceived and spoken such a word. Let earth be now


s: witness hereto, and the wide heaven above, and that falling


s: water of the Styx, the greatest oath and the most terrible


s: to the blessed gods, that I will not plan any hidden guile


s: to thine own hurt. Nay, but my thoughts are such, and such


s: will be my counsel, as I would devise for myself, if ever


s: so sore a need came over me. For I too have a righteous


s: mind, and my heart within me is not of iron, but pitiful


s: weakling, in the literal sense as B. xi.249, xiv.212, or


s: Therewith the fair goddess led the way quickly, and he


s: followed hard in the steps of the goddess. And they reached


s: the hollow cave, the goddess and the man; so he sat him


s: down upon the chair whence Hermes had arisen, and the nymph


s: placed by him all manner of food to eat and drink, such as


s: is meat for men. As for her she sat over against divine


s: Odysseus, and the handmaids placed by her ambrosia and


s: nectar. So they put forth their hands upon the good cheer


s: set before them. But after they had taken their fill of


s: meat and drink, Calypso, the fair goddess, spake first and


s: 'Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many


s: devices, so it is indeed thy wish to get thee home to thine


s: own dear country even in this hour? Good fortune go with


s: thee even so! Yet didst thou know in thine heart what a


s: measure of suffering thou art ordained to fulfil, or ever


s: thou reach thine own country, here, even here, thou wouldst


s: abide with me and keep this house, and wouldst never taste


s: of death, though thou longest to see thy wife, for whom


s: thou hast ever a desire day by day. Not in sooth that I


s: avow me to be less noble than she in form or fashion, for


s: it is in no wise meet that mortal women should match them


s: with immortals, in shape and comeliness.'


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered, and spake unto her:


s: 'Be not wroth with me hereat, goddess and queen. Myself I


s: know it well, how wise Penelope is meaner to look upon than


s: thou, in comeliness and stature. But she is mortal and thou


s: knowest not age nor death. Yet even so, I wish and long day


s: by day to fare homeward and see the day of my returning.


s: Yea, and if some god shall wreck me in the wine-dark deep,


s: even so I will endure, with a heart within me patient of


s: affliction. For already have I suffered full much, and much


s: have I toiled in perils of waves and war; let this be added


s: So spake he, and the sun sank and darkness came on. Then


s: they twain went into the chamber of the hollow rock, and


s: had their delight of love, abiding each by other.


s: So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, anon


s: Odysseus put on him a mantle and doublet, and the nymph


s: clad her in a great shining robe, light of woof and


s: gracious, and about her waist she cast a fair golden


s: girdle, and a veil withal upon her head. Then she


s: considered of the sending of Odysseus, the great-hearted.


s: She gave him a great axe, fitted to his grasp, an axe of


s: bronze double-edged, and with a goodly handle of olive wood


s: fastened well. Next she gave him a polished adze, and she


s: led the way to the border of the isle where tall trees


s: grew, alder and poplar, and pine that reacheth unto heaven,


s: seasoned long since and sere, that might lightly float for


s: him. Now after she had shown him where the tall trees grew,


s: Calypso, the fair goddess, departed homeward. And he set to


s: cutting timber, and his work went busily. Twenty trees in


s: all he felled, and then trimmed them with the axe of


s: bronze, and deftly smoothed them, and over them made


s: straight the line. Meanwhile Calypso, the fair goddess,


s: brought him augers, so he bored each piece and jointed them


s: together, and then made all fast with trenails and dowels.


s: Wide as is the floor of a broad ship of burden, which some


s: man well skilled in carpentry may trace him out, of such


s: beam did Odysseus fashion his broad raft. And thereat he


s: wrought, and set up the deckings, fitting them to the


s: close-set uprights, and finished them off with long


s: gunwales, and there he set a mast, and a yard-arm fitted


s: thereto, and moreover he made him a rudder to guide the


s: craft. And he fenced it with wattled osier withies from


s: stem to stern, to be a bulwark against the wave, and piled


s: up wood to back them. Meanwhile Calypso, the fair goddess,


s: brought him web of cloth to make him sails; and these too


s: he fashioned very skilfully. And he made fast therein


s: braces and halyards and sheets, and at last he pushed the


s: raft with levers down to the fair salt sea.


s: It was the fourth day when he had accomplished all. And,


s: lo, on the fifth, the fair Calypso sent him on his way from


s: the island, when she had bathed him and clad him in


s: fragrant attire. Moreover, the goddess placed on board the


s: ship two skins, one of dark wine, and another, a great one,


s: of water, and corn too in a wallet, and she set therein a


s: store of dainties to his heart's desire, and sent forth a


s: warm and gentle wind to blow. And goodly Odysseus rejoiced


s: as he set his sails to the breeze. So he sate and cunningly


s: guided the craft with the helm, nor did sleep fall upon his


s: eyelids, as he viewed the Pleiads and Bootes, that setteth


s: late, and the Bear, which they likewise call the Wain,


s: which turneth ever in one place, and keepeth watch upon


s: Orion, and alone hath no part in the baths of Ocean. This


s: star, Calypso, the fair goddess, bade him to keep ever on


s: the left as he traversed the deep. Ten days and seven he


s: sailed traversing the deep, and on the eighteenth day


s: appeared the shadowy hills of the land of the Phaeacians,


s: at the point where it lay nearest to him; and it showed


s: Now the lord, the shaker of the earth, on his way from the


s: Ethiopians espied him afar off from the mountains of the


s: Solymi: even thence he saw Odysseus as he sailed over the


s: deep; and he was mightily angered in spirit, and shaking


s: his head he communed with his own heart. 'Lo now, it must


s: be that the gods at the last have changed their purpose


s: concerning Odysseus, while I was away among the Ethiopians.


s: And now he is nigh to the Phaeacian land, where it is


s: ordained that he escape the great issues of the woe which


s: hath come upon him. But, methinks, that even yet I will


s: drive him far enough in the path of suffering.'


s: With that he gathered the clouds and troubled the waters of


s: the deep, grasping his trident in his hands; and he roused


s: all storms of all manner of winds, and shrouded in clouds


s: the land and sea: and down sped night from heaven. The East


s: Wind and the South Wind clashed, and the stormy West, and


s: the North, that is born in the bright air, rolling onward a


s: great wave. Then were the knees of Odysseus loosened and


s: his heart melted, and heavily he spake to his own great


s: 'Oh, wretched man that I am! what is to befal me at the


s: last? I fear that indeed the goddess spake all things


s: truly, who said that I should fill up the measure of sorrow


s: on the deep, or ever I came to mine own country; and lo,


s: all these things have an end. In such wise doth Zeus crown


s: the wide heaven with clouds, and hath troubled the deep,


s: and the blasts rush on of all the winds; yea, now is utter


s: doom assured me. Thrice blessed those Danaans, yea, four


s: times blessed, who perished on a time in wide Troy-land,


s: doing a pleasure to the sons of Atreus! Would to God that I


s: too had died, and met my fate on that day when the press of


s: Trojans cast their bronze-shod spears upon me, fighting for


s: the body of the son of Peleus! So should I have gotten my


s: dues of burial, and the Achaeans would have spread my fame;


s: but now it is my fate to be overtaken by a pitiful death.'


s: Even as he spake, the great wave smote down upon him,


s: driving on in terrible wise, that the raft reeled again.


s: And far therefrom he fell, and lost the helm from his hand;


s: and the fierce blast of the jostling winds came and brake


s: his mast in the midst, and sail and yard-arm fell afar into


s: the deep. Long time the water kept him under, nor could he


s: speedily rise from beneath the rush of the mighty wave:


s: for the garments hung heavy which fair Calypso gave him.


s: But late and at length he came up, and spat forth from his


s: mouth the bitter salt water, which ran down in streams from


s: his head. Yet even so forgat he not his raft, for all his


s: wretched plight, but made a spring after it in the waves,


s: and clutched it to him, and sat in the midst thereof,


s: avoiding the issues of death; and the great wave swept it


s: hither and thither along the stream. And as the North Wind


s: in the harvest tide sweeps the thistle-down along the


s: plain, and close the tufts cling each to other, even so the


s: winds bare the raft hither and thither along the main. Now


s: the South would toss it to the North to carry, and now


s: again the East would yield it to the West to chase.


s: But the daughter of Cadmus marked him, Ino of the fair


s: ankles, Leucothea, who in time past was a maiden of mortal


s: speech, but now in the depths of the salt sea she had


s: gotten her share of worship from the gods. She took pity on


s: Odysseus in his wandering and travail, and she rose, like a


s: sea-gull on the wing, from the depth of the mere, and sat


s: upon the well-bound raft and spake saying:


s: 'Hapless one, wherefore was Poseidon, shaker of the earth,


s: so wondrous wroth with thee, seeing that he soweth for thee


s: the seeds of many evils? Yet shall he not make a full end


s: of thee, for all his desire. But do even as I tell thee,


s: and methinks thou art not witless. Cast off these garments,


s: and leave the raft to drift before the winds, but do thou


s: swim with thine hands and strive to win a footing on the


s: coast {*} of the Phaeacians, where it is decreed that thou


s: escape. Here, take this veil imperishable and wind it about


s: thy breast; so is there no fear that thou suffer aught or


s: perish. But when thou hast laid hold of the mainland with


s: thy hands, loose it from off thee and cast it into the


s: wine-dark deep far from the land, and thyself turn away.'


s: {* Lit. Strive after an arrival on the land, etc. [Greek]


s: originally meant going, journeying, and had no idea of


s: return. The earlier use survives here, and in Soph.


s: With that the goddess gave the veil, and for her part dived


s: back into the heaving deep, like a sea-gull: and the dark


s: wave closed over her. But the steadfast goodly Odysseus


s: pondered, and heavily he spake to his own brave spirit:


s: 'Ah, woe is me! Can it be that some one of the immortals is


s: weaving a new snare for me, that she bids me quit my raft?


s: Nay verily, I will not yet obey, for I had sight of the


s: shore yet a long way off, where she told me that I might


s: escape. I am resolved what I will do;--and methinks on this


s: wise it is best. So long as the timbers abide in the


s: dowels, so long will I endure steadfast in affliction, but


s: so soon as the wave hath shattered my raft asunder, I will


s: swim, for meanwhile no better counsel may be.'


s: While yet he pondered these things in his heart and soul,


s: Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred against him a great


s: wave, terrible and grievous, and vaulted from the crest,


s: and therewith smote him. And as when a great tempestuous


s: wind tosseth a heap of parched husks, and scatters them


s: this way and that, even so did the wave scatter the long


s: beams of the raft. But Odysseus bestrode a single beam, as


s: one rideth on a courser, and stript him of the garments


s: which fair Calypso gave him. And presently he wound the


s: veil beneath his breast, and fell prone into the sea,


s: outstretching his hands as one eager to swim. And the lord,


s: the shaker of the earth, saw him and shook his head, and


s: communed with his own soul. 'Even so, after all thy


s: sufferings, go wandering over the deep, till thou shalt


s: come among a people, the fosterlings of Zeus. Yet for all


s: that I deem not that thou shalt think thyself too lightly


s: afflicted.' Therewith he lashed his steeds of the flowing


s: manes, and came to Aegae, where is his lordly home.


s: But Athene, daughter of Zeus, turned to new thoughts.


s: Behold, she bound up the courses of the other winds, and


s: charged them all to cease and be still; but she roused the


s: swift North and brake the waves before him, that so


s: Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, might mingle with the


s: Phaeacians, lovers of the oar, avoiding death and the


s: So for two nights and two days he was wandering in the


s: swell of the sea, and much his heart boded of death. But


s: when at last the fair-tressed Dawn brought the full light


s: of the third day, thereafter the breeze fell, and lo, there


s: was a breathless calm, and with a quick glance ahead, (he


s: being upborne on a great wave,) he saw the land very near.


s: And even as when most welcome to his children is the sight


s: of a father's life, who lies in sickness and strong pains


s: long wasting away, some angry god assailing him; and to


s: their delight the gods have loosed him from his trouble; so


s: welcome to Odysseus showed land and wood; and he swam


s: onward being eager to set foot on the strand. But when he


s: was within earshot of the shore, and heard now the thunder


s: of the sea against the reefs--for the great wave crashed


s: against the dry land belching in terrible wise, and all was


s: covered with foam of the sea,--for there were no harbours


s: for ships nor shelters, but jutting headlands and reefs and


s: cliffs; then at last the knees of Odysseus were loosened


s: and his heart melted, and in heaviness he spake to his own


s: 'Ah me! now that beyond all hope Zeus hath given me sight


s: of land, and withal I have cloven my way through this gulf


s: of the sea, here there is no place to land on from out of


s: the grey water. For without are sharp crags, and round them


s: the wave roars surging, and sheer the smooth rock rises,


s: and the sea is deep thereby, so that in no wise may I find


s: firm foothold and escape my bane, for as I fain would go


s: ashore, the great wave may haply snatch and dash me on the


s: jagged rock--and a wretched endeavour that would be. But if


s: I swim yet further along the coast to find, if I may, spits


s: that take the waves aslant and havens of the sea, I fear


s: lest the storm-winds catch me again and bear me over the


s: teeming deep, making heavy moan; or else some god may even


s: send forth against me a monster from out of the shore


s: water; and many such pastureth the renowned Amphitrite. For


s: I know how wroth against me hath been the great Shaker of


s: Whilst yet he pondered these things in his heart and mind,


s: a great wave bore him to the rugged shore. There would he


s: have been stript of his skin and all his bones been broken,


s: but that the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, put a thought into


s: his heart. He rushed in, and with both his hands clutched


s: the rock, whereto he clung till the great wave went by. So


s: he escaped that peril, but again with backward wash it


s: leapt on him and smote him and cast him forth into the


s: deep. And as when the cuttlefish is dragged forth from his


s: chamber, the many pebbles clinging to his suckers, even so