s: shame. In nowise did I miss my mark, nor was I wearied with


s: long bending of the bow. Still is my might steadfast--not


s: as the wooers say scornfully to slight me. But now is it


s: time that supper too be got ready for the Achaeans, while


s: it is yet light, and thereafter must we make other sport


s: with the dance and the lyre, for these are the crown of the


s: Therewith he nodded with bent brows, and Telemachus, the


s: dear son of divine Odysseus, girt his sharp sword about him


s: and took the spear in his grasp, and stood by his high seat


s: at his father's side, armed with the gleaming bronze.


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels stripped him of his rags and


s: leaped on to the great threshold with his bow and quiver


s: full of arrows, and poured forth all the swift shafts there


s: before his feet, and spake among the wooers:


s: 'Lo, now is this terrible trial ended at last; and now will


s: I know of another mark, which never yet man has smitten, if


s: perchance I may hit it and Apollo grant me renown.'


s: With that he pointed the bitter arrow at Antinous. Now he


s: was about raising to his lips a fair twy-eared chalice of


s: gold, and behold, he was handling it to drink of the wine,


s: and death was far from his thoughts. For who among men at


s: feast would deem that one man amongst so many, how hardy


s: soever he were, would bring on him foul death and black


s: fate? But Odysseus aimed and smote him with the arrow in


s: the throat, and the point passed clean out through his


s: delicate neck, and he fell sidelong and the cup dropped


s: from his hand as he was smitten, and at once through his


s: nostrils there came up a thick jet of slain man's blood,


s: and quickly he spurned the table from him with his foot,


s: and spilt the food on the ground, and the bread and the


s: roast flesh were defiled. Then the wooers raised a clamour


s: through the halls when they saw the man fallen, and they


s: leaped from their high seats, as men stirred by fear, all


s: through the hall, peering everywhere along the well-builded


s: walls, and nowhere was there a shield or mighty spear to


s: lay hold on. Then they reviled Odysseus with angry words:


s: 'Stranger, thou shootest at men to thy hurt. Never again


s: shalt thou enter other lists, now is utter doom assured


s: thee. Yea, for now hast thou slain the man that was far the


s: best of all the noble youths in Ithaca; wherefore vultures


s: So each one spake, for indeed they thought that Odysseus


s: had not slain him wilfully; but they knew not in their


s: folly that on their own heads, each and all of them, the


s: bands of death had been made fast. Then Odysseus of many


s: counsels looked fiercely on them, and spake:


s: 'Ye dogs, ye said in your hearts that I should never more


s: come home from the land of the Trojans, in that ye wasted


s: my house, and lay with the maidservants by force, and


s: traitorously wooed my wife while I was yet alive, and ye


s: had no fear of the gods, that hold the wide heaven, nor of


s: the indignation of men hereafter. But now the bands of


s: death have been made fast upon you one and all.'


s: Even so he spake, and pale fear gat hold on the limbs of


s: all, and each man looked about, where he might shun utter


s: doom. And Eurymachus alone answered him, and spake: 'If


s: thou art indeed Odysseus of Ithaca, come home again, with


s: right thou speakest thus, of all that the Achaeans have


s: wrought, many infatuate deeds in thy halls and many in the


s: field. Howbeit, he now lies dead that is to blame for all,


s: Antinous; for he brought all these things upon us, not as


s: longing very greatly for the marriage nor needing it sore,


s: but with another purpose, that Cronion has not fulfilled


s: for him, namely, that he might himself be king over all the


s: land of stablished Ithaca, and he was to have lain in wait


s: for thy son and killed him. But now he is slain after his


s: deserving, and do thou spare thy people, even thine own;


s: and we will hereafter go about the township and yield thee


s: amends for all that has been eaten and drunken in thy


s: halls, each for himself bringing atonement of twenty oxen


s: worth, and requiting thee in gold and bronze till thy heart


s: is softened, but till then none may blame thee that thou


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him, and


s: said: 'Eurymachus, not even if ye gave me all your


s: heritage, all that ye now have, and whatsoever else ye


s: might in any wise add thereto, not even so would I


s: henceforth hold my hands from slaying, ere the wooers had


s: paid for all their transgressions. And now the choice lies


s: before you, whether to fight in fair battle or to fly, if


s: any may avoid death and the fates. But there be some,


s: methinks, that shall not escape from utter doom.'


s: He spake, and their knees were straightway loosened and


s: their hearts melted within them. And Eurymachus spake among


s: 'Friends, it is plain that this man will not hold his


s: unconquerable hands, but now that he has caught up the


s: polished bow and quiver, he will shoot from the smooth


s: threshold, till he has slain us all; wherefore let us take


s: thought for the delight of battle. Draw your blades, and


s: hold up the tables to ward off the arrows of swift death,


s: and let us all have at him with one accord, and drive him,


s: if it may be, from the threshold and the doorway and then


s: go through the city, and quickly would the cry be raised.


s: Thereby should this man soon have shot his latest bolt.'


s: Therewith he drew his sharp two-edged sword of bronze, and


s: leapt on Odysseus with a terrible cry, but in the same


s: moment goodly Odysseus shot the arrow forth and struck him


s: on the breast by the pap, and drave the swift shaft into


s: his liver. So he let the sword fall from his hand, and


s: grovelling over the table he bowed and fell, and spilt the


s: food and the two-handled cup on the floor. And in his agony


s: he smote the ground with his brow, and spurning with both


s: his feet he overthrew the high seat, and the mist of death


s: Then Amphinomus made at renowned Odysseus, setting straight


s: at him, and drew his sharp sword, if perchance he might


s: make him give ground from the door. But Telemachus was


s: beforehand with him, and cast and smote him from behind


s: with a bronze-shod spear between the shoulders, and drave


s: it out through the breast, and he fell with a crash and


s: struck the ground full with his forehead. Then Telemachus


s: sprang away, leaving the long spear fixed in Amphinomus,


s: for he greatly dreaded lest one of the Achaeans might run


s: upon him with his blade, and stab him as he drew forth the


s: spear, or smite him with a down stroke {*} of the sword. So


s: he started and ran and came quickly to his father, and


s: {* Or, reading [Greek], smite him as he stooped over the


s: 'Father, lo, now I will bring thee a shield and two spears


s: and a helmet all of bronze, close fitting on the temples,


s: and when I return I will arm myself, and likewise give arms


s: to the swineherd and to the neatherd yonder: for it is


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Run and


s: bring them while I have arrows to defend me, lest they


s: thrust me from the doorway, one man against them all.'


s: So he spake, and Telemachus obeyed his dear father, and


s: went forth to the chamber, where his famous weapons were


s: lying. Thence he took out four shields and eight spears,


s: and four helmets of bronze, with thick plumes of horse


s: hair, and he started to bring them and came quickly to his


s: father. Now he girded the gear of bronze about his own body


s: first, and in like manner the two thralls did on the goodly


s: armour, and stood beside the wise and crafty Odysseus. Now


s: he, so long as he had arrows to defend him, kept aiming and


s: smote the wooers one by one in his house, and they fell


s: thick one upon another. But when the arrows failed the


s: prince in his archery, he leaned his bow against the


s: doorpost of the stablished hall, against the shining faces


s: of the entrance. As for him he girt his fourfold shield


s: about his shoulders and bound on his mighty head a well


s: wrought helmet, with horse hair crest, and terribly the


s: plume waved aloft. And he grasped two mighty spears tipped


s: Now there was in the well-builded wall a certain postern


s: raised above the floor, and there by the topmost level of


s: the threshold of the stablished hall, was a way into an


s: open passage, closed by well-fitted folding doors. So


s: Odysseus bade the goodly swineherd stand near thereto and


s: watch the way, for thither there was but one approach. Then


s: Agelaus spake among them, and declared his word to all:


s: 'Friends, will not some man climb up to the postern, and


s: give word to the people, and a cry would be raised


s: straightway; so should this man soon have shot his latest


s: Then Melanthius, the goatherd, answered him, saying: 'It


s: may in no wise be, prince Agelaus; for the fair gate of the


s: courtyard is terribly nigh, and perilous is the entrance to


s: the passage, and one man, if he were valiant, might keep


s: back a host. But come, let me bring you armour from the


s: inner chamber, that ye may be clad in hauberks, for,


s: methinks, within that room and not elsewhere did Odysseus


s: Therewith Melanthius, the goatherd, climbed up by the


s: clerestory of the hall to the inner chambers of Odysseus,


s: whence he took twelve shields and as many spears, and as


s: many helmets of bronze with thick plumes of horse hair, and


s: he came forth and brought them speedily, and gave them to


s: the wooers. Then the knees of Odysseus were loosened and


s: his heart melted within him, when he saw them girding on


s: the armour and brandishing the long spears in their hands,


s: and great, he saw, was the adventure. Quickly he spake to


s: 'Telemachus, sure I am that one of the women in the halls


s: is stirring up an evil battle against us, or perchance it


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him: 'My father, it is I that


s: have erred herein and none other is to blame, for I left


s: the well-fitted door of the chamber open, and there has


s: been one of them but too quick to spy it. Go now, goodly


s: Eumaeus, and close the door of the chamber, and mark if it


s: be indeed one of the women that does this mischief, or


s: Melanthius, son of Dolius, as methinks it is.'


s: Even so they spake one to the other. And Melanthius, the


s: goatherd, went yet again to the chamber to bring the fair


s: armour. But the goodly swineherd was ware thereof, and


s: quickly he spake to Odysseus who stood nigh him:


s: 'Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus, of many


s: devices, lo, there again is that baleful man, whom we


s: ourselves suspect, going to the chamber; do thou tell me


s: truly, shall I slay him if I prove the better man, or bring


s: him hither to thee, that he may pay for the many


s: transgressions that he has devised in thy house?'


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: 'Verily, I


s: and Telemachus will keep the proud wooers within the halls,


s: for all their fury, but do ye twain tie his feet and arms


s: behind his back and cast him into the chamber, and close


s: the doors after you,{*} and make fast to his body a twisted


s: rope, and drag him up the lofty pillar till he be near the


s: roof beams, that he may hang there and live for long, and


s: {* Or, as Mr. Merry suggests in his note, 'tie boards


s: behind him' as a method of torture. He compares Aristoph.


s: So he spake, and they gave good heed and hearkened. So they


s: went forth to the chamber, but the goatherd who was within


s: knew not of their coming. Now he was seeking for the armour


s: in the secret place of the chamber, but they twain stood in


s: waiting on either side the doorposts. And when Melanthius,


s: the goatherd, was crossing the threshold with a goodly helm


s: in one hand, and in the other a wide shield and an old,


s: stained with rust, the shield of the hero Laertes that he


s: bare when he was young--but at that time it was laid by,


s: and the seams of the straps were loosened,--then the twain


s: rushed on him and caught him, and dragged him in by the


s: hair, and cast him on the floor in sorrowful plight, and


s: bound him hand and foot in a bitter bond, tightly winding


s: each limb behind his back, even as the son of Laertes bade


s: them, the steadfast goodly Odysseus. And they made fast to


s: his body a twisted rope, and dragged him up the lofty


s: pillar till he came near the roof beams. Then didst thou


s: speak to him and gird at him, swineherd Eumaeus:


s: 'Now in good truth, Melanthius, shalt thou watch all night,


s: lying in a soft bed as beseems thee, nor shall the


s: early-born Dawn escape thy ken, when she comes forth from


s: the streams of Oceanus, on her golden throne, in the hour


s: when thou art wont to drive the goats to make a meal for


s: So he was left there, stretched tight in the deadly bond.


s: But they twain got into their harness, and closed the


s: shining door, and went to Odysseus, wise and crafty chief.


s: There they stood breathing fury, four men by the threshold,


s: while those others within the halls were many and good


s: warriors. Then Athene, daughter of Zeus, drew nigh them,


s: like Mentor in fashion and in voice, and Odysseus was glad


s: 'Mentor, ward from us hurt, and remember me thy dear


s: companion, that befriended thee often, and thou art of like


s: So he spake, deeming the while that it was Athene, summoner


s: of the host. But the wooers on the other side shouted in


s: the halls, and first Agelaus son of Damastor rebuked


s: 'Mentor, let not the speech of Odysseus beguile thee to


s: fight against the wooers, and to succour him. For methinks


s: that on this wise we shall work our will. When we shall


s: have slain these men, father and son, thereafter shalt thou


s: perish with them, such deeds thou art set on doing in these


s: halls; nay, with thine own head shalt thou pay the price.


s: But when with the sword we shall have overcome your


s: violence, we will mingle all thy possessions, all that thou


s: hast at home or in the field, with the wealth of Odysseus,


s: and we will not suffer thy sons nor thy daughters to dwell


s: in the halls, nor thy good wife to gad about in the town of


s: So spake he, and Athene was mightily angered at heart, and


s: chid Odysseus in wrathful words: 'Odysseus, thou hast no


s: more steadfast might nor any prowess, as when for nine


s: whole years continually thou didst battle with the Trojans


s: for high born Helen, of the white arms, and many men thou


s: slewest in terrible warfare, and by thy device the


s: wide-wayed city of Priam was taken. How then, now that thou


s: art come to thy house and thine own possessions, dost thou


s: bewail thee and art of feeble courage to stand before the


s: wooers? Nay, come hither, friend, and stand by me, and I


s: will show thee a thing, that thou mayest know what manner


s: of man is Mentor, son of Alcimus, to repay good deeds in


s: She spake, and gave him not yet clear victory in full, but


s: still for a while made trial of the might and prowess of


s: Odysseus and his renowned son. As for her she flew up to


s: the roof timber of the murky hall, in such fashion as a


s: Now Agelaus, son of Damastor, urged on the wooers, and


s: likewise Eurynomus and Amphimedon and Demoptolemus and


s: Peisandrus son of Polyctor, and wise Polybus, for these


s: were in valiancy far the best men of the wooers, that still


s: lived and fought for their lives; for the rest had fallen


s: already beneath the bow and the thick rain of arrows. Then


s: Agelaus spake among them, and made known his word to all:


s: 'Friends, now at last will this man hold his unconquerable


s: hands. Lo, now has Mentor left him and spoken but vain


s: boasts, and these remain alone at the entrance of the


s: doors. Wherefore now, throw not your long spears all


s: together, but come, do ye six cast first, if perchance Zeus


s: may grant us to smite Odysseus and win renown. Of the rest


s: will we take no heed, so soon as that man shall have


s: So he spake and they all cast their javelins, as he bade


s: them, eagerly; but behold, Athene so wrought that they were


s: all in vain. One man smote the doorpost of the stablished


s: hall, and another the well-fastened door, and the ashen


s: spear of yet another wooer, heavy with bronze, stuck fast


s: in the wall. So when they had avoided all the spears of the


s: wooers, the steadfast goodly Odysseus began first to speak


s: 'Friends, now my word is that we too cast and hurl into the


s: press of the wooers, that are mad to slay and strip us


s: beyond the measure of their former iniquities.'


s: So he spake, and they all took good aim and threw their


s: sharp spears, and Odysseus smote Demoptolemus, and


s: Telemachus Euryades, and the swineherd slew Elatus, and the


s: neatherd Peisandrus. Thus they all bit the wide floor with


s: their teeth, and the wooers fell back into the inmost part


s: of the hall. But the others dashed upon them and drew forth


s: Then once more the wooers threw their sharp spears eagerly;


s: but behold, Athene so wrought that many of them were in


s: vain. One man smote the door-post of the stablished hall,


s: and another the well-fastened door, and the ashen spear of


s: another wooer, heavy with bronze, struck in the wall. Yet


s: Amphimedon hit Telemachus on the hand by the wrist lightly,


s: and the shaft of bronze wounded the surface of the skin.


s: And Ctesippus grazed the shoulder of Eumaeus with a long


s: spear high above the shield, and the spear flew over and


s: fell to the ground. Then again Odysseus, the wise and


s: crafty, he and his men cast their swift spears into the


s: press of the wooers, and now once more Odysseus, waster of


s: cities, smote Eurydamas, and Telemachus Amphimedon, and the


s: swineherd slew Polybus, and last, the neatherd struck


s: Ctesippus in the breast and boasted over him, saying:


s: 'O son of Polytherses, thou lover of jeering, never give


s: place at all to folly to speak so big, but leave thy case


s: to the gods, since in truth they are far mightier than


s: thou. This gift is thy recompense for the ox-foot that thou


s: gavest of late to the divine Odysseus, when he went begging


s: So spake the keeper of the shambling kine. Next Odysseus


s: wounded the son of Damastor in close fight with his long


s: spear, and Telemachus wounded Leocritus son of Euenor,


s: right in the flank with his lance, and drave the bronze


s: point clean through, that he fell prone and struck the


s: ground full with his forehead. Then Athene held up her


s: destroying aegis on high from the roof, and their minds


s: were scared, and they fled through the hall, like a drove


s: of kine that the flitting gadfly falls upon and scatters


s: hither and thither in spring time, when the long days


s: begin. But the others set on like vultures of crooked claws


s: and curved beak, that come forth from the mountains and


s: dash upon smaller birds, and these scour low in the plain,


s: stooping in terror from the clouds, while the vultures


s: pounce on them and slay them, and there is no help nor way


s: of flight, and men are glad at the sport; even so did the


s: company of Odysseus set upon the wooers and smite them


s: right and left through the hall; and there rose a hideous


s: moaning as their heads were smitten, and the floor all ran


s: Now Leiodes took hold of the knees of Odysseus eagerly, and


s: besought him and spake winged words: 'I entreat thee by thy


s: knees, Odysseus, and do thou show mercy on me and have


s: pity. For never yet, I say, have I wronged a maiden in thy


s: halls by froward word or deed, nay I bade the other wooers


s: refrain, whoso of them wrought thus. But they hearkened not


s: unto me to keep their hands from evil. Wherefore they have


s: met a shameful death through their own infatuate deeds.


s: Yet I, the soothsayer among them, that have wrought no


s: evil, shall fall even as they, for no grace abides for good


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels looked askance at him, and


s: said: 'If indeed thou dost avow thee to be the soothsayer


s: of these men, thou art like to have often prayed in the


s: halls that the issue of a glad return might be far from me,


s: and that my dear wife should follow thee and bear thee


s: children; wherefore thou shalt not escape the bitterness of


s: Therewith he caught up a sword in his strong hand, that lay


s: where Agelaus had let it fall to the ground when he was


s: slain, and drave it clean through his neck, and as he yet


s: But the son of Terpes, the minstrel, still sought how he


s: might shun black fate, Phemius, who sang among the wooers


s: of necessity. He stood with the loud lyre in his hand hard


s: by the postern gate, and his heart was divided within him,


s: whether he should slip forth from the hall and sit down by


s: the well-wrought altar of great Zeus of the household


s: court, whereon Laertes and Odysseus had burnt many pieces


s: of the thighs of oxen, or should spring forward and beseech


s: Odysseus by his knees. And as he thought thereupon this


s: seemed to him the better way, to embrace the knees of


s: Odysseus, son of Laertes. So he laid the hollow lyre on the


s: ground between the mixing-bowl and the high seat inlaid


s: with silver, and himself sprang forward and seized Odysseus


s: by the knees, and besought him and spake winged words:


s: 'I entreat thee by thy knees, Odysseus, and do thou show


s: mercy on me and have pity. It will be a sorrow to thyself


s: in the aftertime if thou slayest me who am a minstrel, and


s: sing before gods and men. Yea none has taught me but


s: myself, and the god has put into my heart all manner of


s: lays, and methinks I sing to thee as to a god, wherefore be


s: not eager to cut off my head. And Telemachus will testify


s: of this, thine own dear son, that not by mine own will or


s: desire did I resort to thy house to sing to the wooers at


s: their feasts; but being so many and stronger than I they


s: So he spake, and the mighty prince Telemachus heard him and


s: quickly spake to his father at his side: 'Hold thy hand,


s: and wound not this blameless man with the sword; and let us


s: save also the henchman Medon, that ever had charge of me in


s: our house when I was a child, unless perchance Philoetius


s: or the swineherd have already slain him, or he hath met


s: So he spake, and Medon, wise of heart, heard him. For he


s: lay crouching beneath a high seat, clad about in the


s: new-flayed hide of an ox and shunned black fate. So he rose


s: up quickly from under the seat, and cast off the ox-hide,


s: and sprang forth and caught Telemachus by the knees, and


s: 'Friend, here am I; prithee stay thy hand and speak to thy


s: father, lest he harm me with the sharp sword in the


s: greatness of his strength, out of his anger for the wooers


s: that wasted his possessions in the halls, and in their


s: And Odysseus of many counsels smiled on him and said: 'Take


s: courage, for lo, he has saved thee and delivered thee, that


s: thou mayst know in thy heart, and tell it even to another,


s: how far more excellent are good deeds than evil. But go


s: forth from the halls and sit down in the court apart from


s: the slaughter, thou and the full-voiced minstrel, till I


s: have accomplished all that I must needs do in the house.'


s: Therewith the two went forth and gat them from the hall. So


s: they sat down by the altar of great Zeus, peering about on


s: every side, still expecting death. And Odysseus peered all


s: through the house, to see if any man was yet alive and


s: hiding away to shun black fate. But he found all the sort


s: of them fallen in their blood in the dust, like fishes that


s: the fishermen have drawn forth in the meshes of the net


s: into a hollow of the beach from out the grey sea, and all


s: the fish, sore longing for the salt sea waves, are heaped


s: upon the sand, and the sun shines forth and takes their


s: life away; so now the wooers lay heaped upon each other.


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels spake to Telemachus:


s: 'Telemachus, go, call me the nurse Eurycleia, that I may


s: So he spake, and Telemachus obeyed his dear father, and


s: smote at the door, and spake to the nurse Eurycleia: 'Up


s: now, aged wife, that overlookest all the women servants in


s: our halls, come hither, my father calls thee and has


s: Even so he spake, and wingless her speech remained, and she


s: opened the doors of the fair-lying halls, and came forth,


s: and Telemachus led the way before her. So she found


s: Odysseus among the bodies of the dead, stained with blood


s: and soil of battle, like a lion that has eaten of an ox of


s: the homestead and goes on his way, and all his breast and


s: his cheeks on either side are flecked with blood, and he is


s: terrible to behold; even so was Odysseus stained, both


s: hands and feet. Now the nurse, when she saw the bodies of


s: the dead and the great gore of blood, made ready to cry


s: aloud for joy, beholding so great an adventure. But


s: Odysseus checked and held her in her eagerness, and


s: uttering his voice spake to her winged words:


s: 'Within thine own heart rejoice, old nurse, and be still,


s: and cry not aloud; for it is an unholy thing to boast over


s: slain men. Now these hath the destiny of the gods overcome,


s: and their own cruel deeds, for they honoured none of


s: earthly men, neither the bad nor yet the good, that came


s: among them. Wherefore they have met a shameful death


s: through their own infatuate deeds. But come, tell me the


s: tale of the women in my halls, which of them dishonour me,


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered him: 'Yea now, my


s: child, I will tell thee all the truth. Thou hast fifty


s: women-servants in thy halls, that we have taught the ways


s: of housewifery, how to card wool and to bear bondage. Of


s: these twelve in all have gone the way of shame, and honour


s: not me, nor their lady Penelope. And Telemachus hath but


s: newly come to his strength, and his mother suffered him not


s: to take command over the women in this house. But now, let


s: me go aloft to the shining upper chamber, and tell all to


s: thy wife, on whom some god hath sent a sleep.'


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: 'Wake


s: her not yet, but bid the women come hither, who in time


s: So he spake, and the old wife passed through the hall, to


s: tell the women and to hasten their coming. Then Odysseus


s: called to him Telemachus, and the neatherd, and the


s: swineherd, and spake to them winged words:


s: 'Begin ye now to carry out the dead, and bid the women help


s: you, and thereafter cleanse the fair high seats and the


s: tables with water and porous sponges. And when ye have set


s: all the house in order, lead the maidens without the


s: stablished hall, between the vaulted room and the goodly


s: fence of the court, and there slay them with your long


s: blades, till they shall have all given up the ghost and


s: forgotten the love that of old they had at the bidding of


s: Even so he spake, and the women came all in a crowd


s: together, making a terrible lament and shedding big tears.


s: So first they carried forth the bodies of the slain, and


s: set them beneath the gallery of the fenced court, and


s: propped them one on another; and Odysseus himself hasted


s: the women and directed them, and they carried forth the


s: dead perforce. Thereafter they cleansed the fair high seats


s: and the tables with water and porous sponges. And


s: Telemachus, and the neatherd, and the swineherd, scraped


s: behold, the maidens carried all forth and laid it without


s: Now when they had made an end of setting the hall in order,


s: they led the maidens forth from the stablished hall, and


s: drove them up in a narrow space between the vaulted room


s: and the goodly fence of the court, whence none might avoid;


s: and wise Telemachus began to speak to his fellows, saying:


s: 'God forbid that I should take these women's lives by a


s: clean death, these that have poured dishonour on my head


s: and on my mother, and have lain with the wooers.'


s: With that word he tied the cable of a dark-prowed ship to a


s: great pillar and flung it round the vaulted room, and


s: fastened it aloft, that none might touch the ground with


s: her feet. And even as when thrushes, long of wing, or doves


s: fall into a net that is set in a thicket, as they seek to


s: their roosting-place, and a loathly bed harbours them, even


s: so the women held their heads all in a row, and about all


s: their necks nooses were cast, that they might die by the


s: most pitiful death. And they writhed with their feet for a


s: Then they led out Melanthius through the doorway and the


s: court, and cut off his nostrils and his ears with the


s: pitiless sword, and drew forth his vitals for the dogs to


s: devour raw, and cut off his hands and feet in their cruel


s: Thereafter they washed their hands and feet, and went into


s: the house to Odysseus, and all the adventure was over. So


s: Odysseus called to the good nurse Eurycleia: 'Bring


s: sulphur, old nurse, that cleanses all pollution and bring


s: me fire, that I may purify the house with sulphur, and do


s: thou bid Penelope come here with her handmaidens, and tell


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia made answer: 'Yea, my child,


s: herein thou hast spoken aright. But go to, let me bring


s: thee a mantle and a doublet for raiment, and stand not thus


s: in the halls with thy broad shoulders wrapped in rags; it


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: 'First


s: So he spake, and the good nurse Eurycleia was not slow to


s: obey, but brought fire and brimstone; and Odysseus


s: thoroughly purged the women's chamber and the great hall


s: Then the old wife went through the fair halls of Odysseus


s: to tell the women, and to hasten their coming. So they came


s: forth from their chamber with torches in their hands, and


s: fell about Odysseus, and embraced him and kissed and


s: clasped his head and shoulders and his hands lovingly, and


s: a sweet longing came on him to weep and moan, for he


s: Odysseus maketh himself known to Penelope, tells his


s: adventures briefly, and in the morning goes to Laertes


s: Then the ancient woman went up into the upper chamber


s: laughing aloud, to tell her mistress how her dear lord was


s: within, and her knees moved fast for joy, and her feet


s: stumbled one over the other; and she stood above the lady's


s: 'Awake, Penelope, dear child, that thou mayest see with


s: thine own eyes that which thou desirest day by day.


s: Odysseus hath come, and hath got him to his own house,


s: though late hath he come, and hath slain the proud wooers


s: that troubled his house, and devoured his substance, and


s: Then wise Penelope answered her: 'Dear nurse, the gods have


s: made thee distraught, the gods that can make foolish even


s: the wisdom of the wise, and that stablish the simple in


s: understanding. They it is that have marred thy reason,


s: though heretofore thou hadst a prudent heart. Why dost thou


s: mock me, who have a spirit full of sorrow, to speak these


s: wild words, and rousest me out of sweet slumber, that had


s: bound me and overshadowed mine eyelids? Never yet have I


s: slept so sound since the day that Odysseus went forth to


s: see that evil Ilios, never to be named. Go to now, get thee


s: down and back to the women's chamber, for if any other of


s: the maids of my house had come and brought me such tidings,


s: and wakened me from sleep, straightway would I have sent


s: her back woefully to return within the women's chamber; but


s: this time thine old age shall stand thee in good stead.'


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: 'I mock thee


s: not, dear child, but in very deed Odysseus is here, and


s: hath come home, even as I tell thee. He is that guest on


s: whom all men wrought such dishonour in the halls. But long


s: ago Telemachus was ware of him, that he was within the


s: house, yet in his prudence he hid the counsels of his


s: father, that he might take vengeance on the violence of the


s: Thus she spake, and then was Penelope glad, and leaping


s: from her bed she fell on the old woman's neck, and let fall


s: the tears from her eyelids, and uttering her voice spake to


s: her winged words: 'Come, dear nurse, I pray thee, tell me


s: all truly--if indeed he hath come home as thou sayest--how


s: he hath laid his hands on the shameless wooers, he being


s: but one man, while they abode ever in their companies


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia answered her: 'I saw not, I


s: wist not, only I heard the groaning of men slain. And we in


s: an inmost place of the well-builded chambers sat all


s: amazed, and the close-fitted doors shut in the room, till


s: thy son called me from the chamber, for his father sent him


s: out to that end. Then I found Odysseus standing among the


s: slain, who around him, stretched on the hard floor, lay one


s: upon the other; it would have comforted thy heart to see


s: him, all stained like a lion with blood and soil of battle.


s: And now are all the wooers gathered in an heap by the gates


s: of the court, while he is purifying his fair house with


s: brimstone, and hath kindled a great fire, and hath sent me


s: forth to call thee. So come with me, that ye may both enter


s: into your heart's delight, {*} for ye have suffered much


s: affliction. And even now hath this thy long desire been


s: fulfilled; thy lord hath come alive to his own hearth, and


s: hath found both thee and his son in the halls; and the


s: wooers that wrought him evil he hath slain, every man of


s: Then wise Penelope answered her: 'Dear nurse, boast not yet


s: over them with laughter. Thou knowest how welcome the sight


s: of him would be in the halls to all, and to me in chief,


s: and to his son that we got between us. But this is no true


s: tale, as thou declarest it, nay but it is one of the


s: deathless gods that hath slain the proud wooers, in wrath


s: at their bitter insolence and evil deeds. For they honoured


s: none of earthly men, neither the good nor yet the bad, that


s: came among them. Wherefore they have suffered an evil doom


s: through their own infatuate deeds. But Odysseus, far away


s: hath lost his homeward path to the Achaean land, and


s: Then the good nurse Eurycleia made answer to her: 'My


s: child, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips, in that


s: thou saidest that thy lord, who is even now within, and by


s: his own hearthstone, would return no more? Nay, thy heart


s: is ever hard of belief. Go to now, and I will tell thee


s: besides a most manifest token, even the scar of the wound


s: that the boar on a time dealt him with his white tusk.


s: This I spied while washing his feet, and fain I would have


s: told it even to thee, but he laid his hand on my mouth, and


s: in the fulness of his wisdom suffered me not to speak. But


s: come with me and I will stake my life on it; and if I play


s: thee false, do thou slay me by a death most pitiful.'


s: Then wise Penelope made answer to her: 'Dear nurse, it is


s: hard for thee, how wise soever, to observe the purposes of


s: the everlasting gods. None the less let us go to my child,


s: that I may see the wooers dead, and him that slew them.'


s: With that word she went down from the upper chamber, and


s: much her heart debated, whether she should stand apart, and


s: question her dear lord or draw nigh, and clasp and kiss his


s: head and hands. But when she had come within and had


s: crossed the threshold of stone, she sat down over against


s: Odysseus, in the light of the fire, by the further wall.


s: Now he was sitting by the tall pillar, looking down and


s: waiting to know if perchance his noble wife would speak to


s: him, when her eyes beheld him. But she sat long in silence,


s: and amazement came upon her soul, and now she would look


s: upon him steadfastly with her eyes, and now again she knew


s: him not, for that he was clad in vile raiment. And


s: Telemachus rebuked her, and spake and hailed her:


s: 'Mother mine, ill mother, of an ungentle heart, why turnest


s: thou thus away from my father, and dost not sit by him and


s: question him and ask him all? No other woman in the world


s: would harden her heart to stand thus aloof from her lord,


s: who after much travail and sore had come to her in the


s: twentieth year to his own country. But thy heart is ever


s: Then wise Penelope answered him, saying: 'Child, my mind is


s: amazed within me, and I have no strength to speak, nor to


s: ask him aught, nay nor to look on him face to face. But if


s: in truth this be Odysseus, and he hath indeed come home,


s: verily we shall be ware of each other the more surely, for


s: we have tokens that we twain know, even we, secret from all


s: So she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus smiled, and


s: quickly he spake to Telemachus winged words: 'Telemachus,


s: leave now thy mother to make trial of me within the


s: chambers; so shall she soon come to a better knowledge than


s: heretofore. But now I go filthy, and am clad in vile


s: raiment, wherefore she has me in dishonour, and as yet will


s: not allow that I am he. Let us then advise us how all may


s: be for the very best. For whoso has slain but one man in a


s: land, even that one leaves not many behind him to take up


s: the feud for him, turns outlaw and leaves his kindred and


s: his own country; but we have slain the very stay of the


s: city, the men who were far the best of all the noble youths


s: in Ithaca. So this I bid thee consider.'


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Father, see


s: thou to this, for they say that thy counsel is far the best


s: among men, nor might any other of mortal men contend with


s: thee. But right eagerly will we go with thee now, and I


s: think we shall not lack prowess, so far as might is ours.'


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Yea


s: now, I will tell on what wise methinks it is best. First,


s: go ye to the bath and array you in your doublets, and bid


s: the maidens in the chambers to take to them their garments.


s: Then let the divine minstrel, with his loud lyre in hand,


s: lead off for us the measure of the mirthful dance. So shall


s: any man that hears the sound from without, whether a


s: wayfarer or one of those that dwell around, say that it is


s: a wedding feast. And thus the slaughter of the wooers shall


s: not be noised abroad through the town before we go forth to


s: our well-wooded farm-land. Thereafter shall we consider


s: what gainful counsel the Olympian may vouchsafe us.'


s: So he spake, and they gave good ear and hearkened to him.


s: So first they went to the bath, and arrayed them in


s: doublets, and the women were apparelled, and the divine


s: minstrel took the hollow harp, and aroused in them the


s: desire of sweet song and of the happy dance. Then the great


s: hall rang round them with the sound of the feet of dancing


s: men and of fair-girdled women. And whoso heard it from


s: 'Surely some one has wedded the queen of many wooers. Hard


s: of heart was she, nor had she courage to keep the great


s: house of her wedded lord continually till his coming.'


s: Even so men spake, and knew not how these things were


s: ordained. Meanwhile, the house-dame Eurynome had bathed the


s: great-hearted Odysseus within his house, and anointed him


s: with olive-oil, and cast about him a goodly mantle and a


s: doublet. Moreover Athene shed great beauty from his head


s: downwards, and made him greater and more mighty to behold,


s: and from his head caused deep curling locks to flow, like


s: the hyacinth flower. And as when some skilful man overlays


s: gold upon silver, one that Hephaestus and Pallas Athene


s: have taught all manner of craft, and full of grace is his


s: handiwork, even so did Athene shed grace about his head and


s: shoulders, and forth from the bath he came, in form like to


s: the immortals. Then he sat down again on the high seat,


s: whence he had arisen, over against his wife, and spake to


s: 'Strange lady, surely to thee above all womankind the


s: Olympians have given a heart that cannot be softened. No


s: other woman in the world would harden her heart to stand


s: thus aloof from her husband, who after much travail and


s: sore had come to her, in the twentieth year, to his own


s: country. Nay come, nurse, strew a bed for me to lie all


s: alone, for assuredly her spirit within her is as iron.'


s: Then wise Penelope answered him again: 'Strange man, I have


s: no proud thoughts nor do I think scorn of thee, nor am I


s: too greatly astonied, but I know right well what manner of


s: man thou wert, when thou wentest forth out of Ithaca, on


s: the long-oared galley. But come, Eurycleia, spread for him


s: the good bedstead outside the stablished bridal chamber


s: that he built himself. Thither bring ye forth the good


s: bedstead and cast bedding thereon, even fleeces and rugs


s: So she spake and made trial of her lord, but Odysseus in


s: sore displeasure spake to his true wife, saying: 'Verily a


s: bitter word is this, lady, that thou hast spoken. Who has


s: set my bed otherwhere? Hard it would be for one, how


s: skilled so ever, unless a god were to come that might


s: easily set it in another place, if so he would. But of men


s: there is none living, howsoever strong in his youth, that


s: could lightly upheave it, for a great token is wrought in


s: the fashioning of the bed, and it was I that made it and


s: none other. There was growing a bush of olive, long of


s: leaf, and most goodly of growth, within the inner court,


s: and the stem as large as a pillar. Round about this I built


s: the chamber, till I had finished it, with stones close set,


s: and I roofed it over well and added thereto compacted doors


s: fitting well. Next I sheared off all the light wood of the


s: long-leaved olive, and rough-hewed the trunk upwards from


s: the root, and smoothed it around with the adze, well and


s: skilfully, and made straight the line thereto and so


s: fashioned it into the bedpost, and I bored it all with the


s: auger. Beginning from this bedpost, I wrought at the


s: bedstead till I had finished it, and made it fair with


s: inlaid work of gold and of silver and of ivory. Then I made


s: fast therein a bright purple band of oxhide. Even so I


s: declare to thee this token, and I know not, lady, if the


s: bedstead be yet fast in his place, or if some man has cut


s: away the stem of the olive tree, and set the bedstead


s: So he spake, and at once her knees were loosened, and her


s: heart melted within her, as she knew the sure tokens that


s: Odysseus showed her. Then she fell a weeping, and ran


s: straight toward him and cast her hands about his neck, and


s: 'Be not angry with me, Odysseus, for thou wert ever at


s: other times the wisest of men. It is the gods that gave us


s: sorrow, the gods who begrudged us that we should abide


s: together and have joy of our youth, and come to the


s: threshold of old age. So now be not wroth with me hereat


s: nor full of indignation, because at the first, when I saw


s: thee, I did not welcome thee straightway. For always my


s: heart within my breast shuddered, for fear lest some man


s: should come and deceive me with his words, for many they be


s: that devise gainful schemes and evil. Nay even Argive


s: Helen, daughter of Zeus, would not have lain with a


s: stranger, and taken him for a lover, had she known that the


s: warlike sons of the Achaeans would bring her home again to


s: her own dear country. Howsoever, it was the god that set


s: her upon this shameful deed; nor ever, ere that, did she


s: lay up in her heart the thought of this folly, a bitter


s: folly, whence on us too first came sorrow. But now that


s: thou hast told all the sure tokens of our bed, which never


s: was seen by mortal man, save by thee and me and one maiden


s: only, the daughter of Actor, that my father gave me ere yet


s: I had come hither, she who kept the doors of our strong


s: bridal chamber, even now dost thou bend my soul, all


s: Thus she spake, and in his heart she stirred yet a greater


s: longing to lament, and he wept as he embraced his beloved


s: wife and true. And even as when the sight of land is


s: welcome to swimmers, whose well-wrought ship Poseidon hath


s: smitten on the deep, all driven with the wind and swelling


s: waves, and but a remnant hath escaped the grey sea-water


s: and swum to the shore, and their bodies are all crusted


s: with the brine, and gladly have they set foot on land and


s: escaped an evil end; so welcome to her was the sight of her


s: lord, and her white arms she would never quite let go from


s: his neck. And now would the rosy-fingered Dawn have risen


s: upon their weeping, but the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, had


s: other thoughts. The night she held long in the utmost West,


s: and on the other side she stayed the golden-throned Dawn by


s: the stream Oceanus, and suffered her not to harness the


s: swift-footed steeds that bear light to men, Lampus and


s: Phaethon, the steeds ever young, that bring the morning.


s: Then at the last, Odysseus of many counsels spake to his


s: wife, saying: 'Lady, we have not yet come to the issue of


s: all our labours; but still there will be toil unmeasured,


s: long and difficult, that I must needs bring to a full end.


s: Even so the spirit of Teiresias foretold to me, on that day


s: when I went down into the house of Hades, to inquire after


s: a returning for myself and my company. Wherefore come,


s: lady, let us to bed, that forthwith we may take our joy of


s: Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Thy bed verily shall be


s: ready whensoever thy soul desires it, forasmuch as the gods


s: have indeed caused thee to come back to thy stablished home


s: and thine own country. But now that thou hast noted it and


s: the god has put it into thy heart, come, tell me of this


s: ordeal, for methinks the day will come when I must learn


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: 'Ah, why


s: now art thou so instant with me to declare it? Yet I will


s: tell thee all and hide nought. Howbeit thy heart shall have


s: no joy of it, as even I myself have no pleasure therein.


s: For Teiresias bade me fare to many cities of men, carrying


s: a shapen oar in my hands, till I should come to such men as


s: know not the sea, neither eat meat savoured with salt, nor


s: have they knowledge of ships of purple cheek nor of shapen


s: oars, which serve for wings to ships. And he told me this


s: with manifest token, which I will not hide from thee. In


s: the day when another wayfarer should meet me and say that I


s: had a winnowing fan on my stout shoulder, even then he bade


s: me make fast my shapen oar in the earth, and do goodly


s: sacrifice to the lord Poseidon, even with a ram and a bull


s: and a boar, the mate of swine, and depart for home, and


s: offer holy hecatombs to the deathless gods, that keep the


s: wide heaven, to each in order due. And from the sea shall


s: mine own death come, the gentlest death that may be, which


s: shall end me, foredone, with smooth old age, and the folk


s: shall dwell happily around. All this, he said, was to be


s: Then wise Penelope answered him saying: 'If indeed the gods


s: will bring about for thee a happier old age at the last,


s: then is there hope that thou mayest yet have an escape from


s: Thus they spake one to the other. Meanwhile, Eurynome and


s: the nurse spread the bed with soft coverlets, by the light


s: of the torches burning. But when they had busied them and


s: spread the good bed, the ancient nurse went back to her


s: chamber to lie down, and Eurynome, the bower-maiden, guided


s: them on their way to the couch, with torches in her hands,


s: and when she had led them to the bridal-chamber she


s: departed. And so they came gladly to the rites of their


s: bed, as of old. But Telemachus, and the neatherd, and the


s: swineherd stayed their feet from dancing, and made the


s: women to cease, and themselves gat them to rest through the


s: Now when the twain had taken their fill of sweet love, they


s: had delight in the tales, which they told one to the other.


s: The fair lady spoke of all that she had endured in the


s: halls at the sight of the ruinous throng of wooers, who for


s: her sake slew many cattle, kine and goodly sheep; and many


s: a cask of wine was broached. And in turn, Odysseus, of the


s: seed of Zeus, recounted all the griefs he had wrought on


s: men, and all his own travail and sorrow, and she was


s: delighted with the story, and sweet sleep fell not upon her


s: He began by setting forth how he overcame the Cicones, and


s: next arrived at the rich land of the Lotus-eaters, and all


s: that the Cyclops wrought, and what a price he got from him


s: for the good companions that he devoured, and showed no


s: pity. Then how he came to Aeolus, who received him gladly


s: and sent him on his way; but it was not yet ordained that


s: he should reach his own country, for the storm-wind seized


s: him again, and bare him over the teeming seas, making


s: grievous moan. Next how he came to Telepylus of the


s: Laestrygonians, who brake his ships and slew all his


s: goodly-greaved companions, and Odysseus only escaped with


s: his black ship. Then he told all the wiles and many


s: contrivances of Circe, and how in a benched ship he fared


s: to the dank house of Hades, to seek to the soul of Theban


s: Teiresias. There he beheld all those that had been his


s: companions, and his mother who bore him and nurtured him,


s: while yet he was a little one. Then how he heard the song


s: of the full-voiced Sirens, and came to the Rocks Wandering,


s: and to terrible Charybdis, and to Scylla, that never yet


s: have men avoided scatheless. Next he told how his company


s: slew the kine of Helios, and how Zeus, that thunders on


s: high, smote the swift ship with the flaming bolt, and the


s: good crew perished all together, and he alone escaped from


s: evil fates. And how he came to the isle Ogygia, and to the


s: nymph Calypso, who kept him there in her hollow caves,


s: longing to have him for her lord, and nurtured him and said


s: that she would make him never to know death or age all his


s: days: yet she never won his heart within his breast. Next


s: how with great toil he came to the Phaeacians, who gave him


s: all worship heartily, as to a god, and sent him with a ship


s: to his own dear country, with gifts of bronze, and of gold,


s: and raiment in plenty. This was the last word of the tale,


s: when sweet sleep came speedily upon him, sleep that loosens


s: the limbs of men, unknitting the cares of his soul.


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, turned to new thoughts.


s: When she deemed that Odysseus had taken his fill of love


s: and sleep, straightway she aroused from out Oceanus the


s: golden-throned Dawn, to bear light to men. Then Odysseus


s: gat him from his soft bed, and laid this charge on his


s: 'Lady, already have we had enough of labours, thou and I;


s: thou, in weeping here, and longing for my troublous return,


s: I, while Zeus and the other gods bound me fast in pain,


s: despite my yearning after home, away from mine own country.


s: But now that we both have come to the bed of our desire,


s: take thou thought for the care of my wealth within the


s: halls. But as for the sheep that the proud wooers have


s: slain, I myself will lift many more as spoil, and others


s: the Achaeans will give, till they fill all my folds. But


s: now, behold, I go to the well-wooded farm-land, to see my


s: good father, who for love of me has been in sorrow


s: continually. And this charge I lay on thee, lady, too wise


s: though thou art to need it. Quickly will the bruit go forth


s: with the rising sun, the bruit concerning the wooers, whom


s: I slew in the halls. Wherefore ascend with the women thy


s: handmaids into the upper chamber, and sit there and look on


s: Therewith he girded on his shoulder his goodly armour, and


s: roused Telemachus and the neatherd and the swineherd, and


s: bade them all take weapons of war in their hands. So they


s: were not disobedient to his word, but clad themselves in


s: mail, and opened the doors and went forth, and Odysseus led


s: the way. And now there was light over all the earth; but


s: them Athene hid in night, and quickly conducted out of the


s: The Ithacans bury the wooers, and sitting in council


s: resolve on revenge. And coming near the house of Laertes,


s: are met by Odysseus, and Laertes with Telemachus and


s: servants, the whole number twelve, and are overcome,


s: Now Cyllenian Hermes called forth from the halls the souls


s: of the wooers, and he held in his hand his wand that is


s: fair and golden, wherewith he lulls the eyes of men, of


s: whomso he will, while others again he even wakens out of


s: sleep. Herewith he roused and led the souls who followed


s: gibbering. And even as bats flit gibbering in the secret


s: place of a wondrous cave, when one has fallen down from the


s: cluster on the rock, where they cling each to each up


s: aloft, even so the souls gibbered as they fared together,


s: and Hermes, the helper, led them down the dank ways. Past


s: the streams of Oceanus and the White Rock, past the gates


s: of the Sun they sped and the land of dreams, and soon they


s: came to the mead of asphodel, where dwell the souls, the


s: phantoms of men outworn. There they found the soul of


s: Achilles son of Peleus, and the souls of Patroclus, and of


s: noble Antilochus, and of Aias, who in face and form was


s: goodliest of all the Danaans after the noble son of Peleus.


s: So these were flocking round Achilles, and the spirit of


s: Agamemnon, son of Atreus, drew nigh sorrowful; and about


s: him were gathered all the other shades, as many as perished


s: with him in the house of Aegisthus, and met their doom.


s: Now the soul of the son of Peleus spake to him first,


s: 'Son of Atreus, verily we deemed that thou above all other


s: heroes wast evermore dear to Zeus, whose joy is in the


s: thunder, seeing that thou wast lord over warriors, many and


s: mighty men, in the land of the Trojans where we Achaeans


s: suffered affliction. But lo, thee too was deadly doom to


s: visit early, {*} the doom that none avoids of all men born.


s: Ah, would that in the fulness of thy princely honour, thou


s: hadst met death and fate in the land of the Trojans! So


s: would all the Achaean host have builded thee a barrow, yea


s: and for thy son thou wouldst have won great glory in the


s: aftertime. But now it has been decreed for thee to perish


s: Then the soul of the son of Atreus answered, and spake:


s: 'Happy art thou son of Peleus, godlike Achilles, that didst


s: die in Troy-land far from Argos, and about thee fell


s: others, the best of the sons of Trojans and Achaeans,


s: fighting for thy body; but thou in the whirl of dust layest


s: mighty and mightily fallen, forgetful of thy chivalry. And


s: we strove the livelong day, nor would we ever have ceased


s: from the fight, if Zeus had not stayed us with a tempest.


s: Anon when we had borne thee to the ships from out of the


s: battle, we laid thee on a bier and washed thy fair flesh


s: clean with warm water and unguents, and around thee the


s: Danaans shed many a hot tear and shore their hair. And


s: forth from the sea came thy mother with the deathless


s: maidens of the waters, when they heard the tidings; and a


s: wonderful wailing rose over the deep, and trembling fell on


s: the limbs of all the Achaeans. Yea, and they would have


s: sprung up and departed to the hollow ships, had not one


s: held them back that knew much lore from of old, Nestor,


s: whose counsel proved heretofore the best. Out of his good


s: will he made harangue, and spake among them:


s: '"Hold, ye Argives, flee not, young lords of the Achaeans.


s: Lo, his mother from the sea is she that comes, with the


s: deathless maidens of the waters, to behold the face of her


s: 'So he spake, and the high-hearted Achaeans ceased from


s: their flight. Then round thee stood the daughters of the


s: ancient one of the sea, holding a pitiful lament, and they


s: clad thee about in raiment incorruptible. And all the nine


s: Muses one to the other replying with sweet voices began the


s: dirge; there thou wouldest not have seen an Argive but


s: wept, so mightily rose up the clear chant. Thus for


s: seventeen days and nights continually did we all bewail


s: thee, immortal gods and mortal men. On the eighteenth day


s: we gave thy body to the flames, and many well-fatted sheep


s: we slew around thee, and kine of shambling gait. So thou


s: wert burned in the garments of the gods, and in much


s: unguents and in sweet honey, and many heroes of the


s: Achaeans moved mail-clad around the pyre when thou wast


s: burning, both footmen and horse, and great was the noise


s: that arose. But when the flame of Hephaestus had utterly


s: abolished thee, lo, in the morning we gathered together thy


s: white bones, Achilles, and bestowed them in unmixed wine


s: and in unguents. Thy mother gave a twy-handled golden urn,


s: and said that it was the gift of Dionysus, and the


s: workmanship of renowned Hephaestus. Therein lie thy white


s: bones, great Achilles, and mingled therewith the bones of


s: Patroclus son of Menoetias, that is dead, but apart is the


s: dust of Antilochus, whom thou didst honour above all thy


s: other companions, after Patroclus that was dead. Then over


s: them did we pile a great and goodly tomb, we the holy host


s: of Argive warriors, high on a jutting headland over wide


s: Hellespont, that it might be far seen from off the sea by


s: men that now are, and by those that shall be hereafter.


s: Then thy mother asked the gods for glorious prizes in the


s: games, and set them in the midst of the lists for the


s: champions of the Achaeans. In days past thou hast been at


s: the funeral games of many a hero, whenso, after some king's


s: death, the young men gird themselves and make them ready


s: for the meed of victory; but couldst thou have seen these


s: gifts thou wouldst most have marvelled in spirit, such


s: glorious prizes did the goddess set there to honour thee,


s: even Thetis, the silver-footed; for very dear wert thou to


s: the gods. Thus not even in death hast thou lost thy name,


s: but to thee shall be a fair renown for ever among all men,


s: Achilles. But what joy have I now herein, that I have wound


s: up the clew of war, for on my return Zeus devised for me an


s: evil end at the hands of Aegisthus and my wife accursed?'


s: So they spake one to the other. And nigh them came the


s: Messenger, the slayer of Argos, leading down the ghosts of


s: the wooers by Odysseus slain, and the two heroes were


s: amazed at the sight and went straight toward them. And the


s: soul of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, knew the dear son of


s: Melaneus, renowned Amphimedon, who had been his host,


s: having his dwelling in Ithaca. The soul of the son of


s: 'Amphimedon, what hath befallen you, that ye have come


s: beneath the darkness of earth, all of you picked men and of


s: like age? it is even as though one should choose out and


s: gather together the best warriors in a city. Did Poseidon


s: smite you in your ships and rouse up contrary winds and the


s: long waves? Or did unfriendly men, perchance, do you hurt


s: upon the land as ye were cutting off their oxen and fair


s: flocks of sheep, or while they fought to defend their city


s: and the women thereof? Answer and tell me, for I avow me a


s: friend of thy house. Rememberest thou not the day when I


s: came to your house in Ithaca with godlike Menelaus, to urge


s: Odysseus to follow with me to Ilios on the decked ships?


s: And it was a full month ere we had sailed all across the


s: wide sea, for scarce could we win to our cause Odysseus,


s: Then the ghost of Amphimedon answered him, and spake: 'Most


s: famous son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, I remember


s: all these things, O fosterling of Zeus, as thou declarest


s: them, and I in turn will tell thee all the tale well and


s: truly, even our death and evil end, on what wise it befell.


s: We wooed the wife of Odysseus that was long afar, and she


s: neither refused the hated bridal nor was minded to make an


s: end, devising for us death and black fate. Also this other


s: wile she contrived in her heart. She set up in her halls a


s: mighty web, fine of woof and very wide, whereat she would


s: '"Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that goodly Odysseus


s: is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed


s: on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would


s: not that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud


s: for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom


s: shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their


s: length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land


s: count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie


s: without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great


s: 'So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So


s: then in the daytime she would weave the mighty web, and in


s: the night unravel the same, when she had let place the


s: torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid


s: the thing by guile and won the minds of the Achaeans; but


s: when the fourth year arrived and the seasons came round, as


s: the months waned and many days were accomplished, then it


s: was that one of her women who knew all declared it, and we


s: found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished


s: it perforce and sore against her will. Now when she brought


s: the robe to light, after she had woven the great web and


s: washed it, and it shone even as sun or moon, at that very


s: hour some evil god led Odysseus, I know not whence, to the


s: upland farm, where the swineherd abode in his dwelling.


s: Thither too came the dear son of divine Odysseus out of


s: sandy Pylos, voyaging with his black ship. These twain


s: framed an evil death for the wooers, and came to the


s: renowned town. Odysseus verily came the later, and


s: Telemachus went before and led the way. Now the swineherd


s: brought Odysseus clad in vile raiment, in the likeness of a


s: beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on a staff, and


s: behold, he was clad about in sorry raiment. And none of us,


s: not even the elders, could know him for that he was, on


s: this his sudden appearing, but with evil words we assailed


s: him and hurled things at him. Yet for a while he hardened


s: his heart to endure both the hurlings and the evil words in


s: his own halls; but at the last, when the spirit of Zeus,


s: lord of the aegis, aroused him, by the help of Telemachus


s: he took up all the goodly weapons, and laid them by in the


s: inner chamber and drew the bolts. Next in his great craft


s: he bade his wife to offer his bow and store of grey iron to


s: the wooers to be the weapons of our contest, luckless that


s: we were, and the beginning of death. Now not one of us


s: could stretch the string of the strong bow; far short we


s: fell of that might. But when the great bow came to the


s: hands of Odysseus, then we all clamoured and forbade to


s: give him the bow, how much soever he might speak, but


s: Telemachus alone was instant with him and commanded him to


s: take it. Then he took the bow into his hands, the steadfast


s: goodly Odysseus, and lightly he strung it, and sent the


s: arrow through the iron. Then straight he went to the


s: threshold and there took his stand, and poured forth the


s: swift arrows, glancing terribly around, and smote the king


s: Antinous. Thereafter on the others he let fly his bolts,


s: winged for death, with straight aim, and the wooers fell


s: thick one upon another. Then was it known how that some god


s: was their helper, for pressing on as their passion drave


s: them, they slew the men right and left through the halls,


s: and thence there arose a hideous moaning, as heads were


s: smitten and the floor all ran with blood. So we perished,


s: Agamemnon, and even now our bodies lie uncared for in the


s: halls of Odysseus, for the friends of each one at home as


s: yet know nought, even they who might wash the black-clotted


s: blood out of our wounds, and lay out the bodies and wail


s: the dirge, for that is the due of the dead.'


s: Then the ghost of the son of Atreus answered him: 'Ah,


s: happy son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, yea, for a


s: wife most excellent hast thou gotten, so good was the


s: wisdom of constant Penelope, daughter of Icarius, that was


s: duly mindful of Odysseus, her wedded lord. Wherefore the


s: fame of her virtue shall never perish, but the immortals


s: will make a gracious song in the ears of men on earth to


s: the fame of constant Penelope. In far other wise did the


s: daughter of Tyndareus devise ill deeds, and slay her wedded


s: lord, and hateful shall the song of her be among men, and


s: an evil repute hath she brought upon all womankind, even on


s: Even so these twain spake one to the other, standing in the


s: house of Hades, beneath the secret places of the earth.


s: Now when those others had gone down from the city, quickly


s: they came to the rich and well-ordered farm land of


s: Laertes, that he had won for himself of old, as the prize


s: of great toil in war. There was his house, and all about it


s: ran the huts wherein the thralls were wont to eat and dwell


s: and sleep, bondsmen that worked his will. And in the house


s: there was an old Sicilian woman, who diligently cared for


s: the old man, in the upland far from the city. There


s: Odysseus spake to his thralls and to his son, saying:


s: 'Do ye now get you within the well-builded house, and


s: quickly sacrifice the best of the swine for the midday


s: meal, but I will make trial of my father, whether he will


s: know me again and be aware of me when he sees me, or know


s: Therewith he gave the thralls his weapons of war. Then they


s: went speedily to the house, while Odysseus drew near to the


s: fruitful vineyard to make trial of his father. Now he found


s: not Dolius there, as he went down into the great garden,


s: nor any of the thralls nor of their sons. It chanced that


s: they had all gone to gather stones for a garden fence, and


s: the old man at their head. So he found his father alone in


s: the terraced vineyard, digging about a plant. He was


s: clothed in a filthy doublet, patched and unseemly, with


s: clouted leggings of oxhide bound about his legs, against


s: the scratches of the thorns, and long sleeves over his


s: hands by reason of the brambles, and on his head he wore a


s: goatskin cap, and so he nursed his sorrow. Now when the


s: steadfast goodly Odysseus saw his father thus wasted with


s: age and in great grief of heart, he stood still beneath a


s: tall pear tree and let fall a tear. Then he communed with


s: his heart and soul, whether he should fall on his father's


s: neck and kiss him, and tell him all, how he had returned


s: and come to his own country, or whether he should first


s: question him and prove him in every word. And as he thought


s: within himself, this seemed to him the better way, namely,


s: first to prove his father and speak to him sharply. So with


s: this intent the goodly Odysseus went up to him. Now he was


s: holding his head down and kept digging about the plant,


s: while his renowned son stood by him and spake, saying:


s: 'Old man, thou hast no lack of skill in tending a garden;


s: lo, thou carest well for all, {*} nor is there aught


s: whatsoever, either plant or fig-tree, or vine, yea, or


s: olive, or pear, or garden-bed in all the close, that is not


s: well seen to. Yet another thing will I tell thee and lay


s: not up wrath thereat in thy heart. Thyself art scarce so


s: well cared for, but a pitiful old age is on thee, and


s: withal thou art withered and unkempt, and clad unseemly. It


s: cannot be to punish thy sloth that thy master cares not for


s: thee; there shows nothing of the slave about thy face and


s: stature, for thou art like a kingly man, even like one who


s: should lie soft, when he has washed and eaten well, as is


s: the manner of the aged. But come declare me this and


s: plainly tell it all. Whose thrall art thou, and whose


s: garden dost thou tend? Tell me moreover truly, that I may


s: surely know, if it be indeed to Ithaca that I am now come,


s: as one yonder told me who met with me but now on the way


s: hither. He was but of little understanding, for he deigned


s: not to tell me all nor to heed my saying, when I questioned


s: him concerning my friend, whether indeed he is yet alive or


s: is even now dead and within the house of Hades. For I will


s: declare it and do thou mark and listen: once did I kindly


s: entreat a man in mine own dear country, who came to our


s: home, and never yet has any mortal been dearer of all the


s: strangers that have drawn to my house from afar. He


s: declared him to be by lineage from out of Ithaca, and said


s: that his own father was Laertes son of Arceisius. So I led


s: him to our halls and gave him good entertainment, with all


s: loving-kindness, out of the plenty that was within. Such


s: gifts too I gave him as are the due of guests; of well


s: wrought gold I gave him seven talents, and a mixing bowl of


s: flowered work, all of silver, and twelve cloaks of single


s: fold, and as many coverlets, and as many goodly mantles and


s: doublets to boot, and besides all these, four women skilled


s: in all fair works and most comely, the women of his


s: {* Supplying [Greek] from the preceding clause as object to


s: Then his father answered him, weeping: 'Stranger, thou art


s: verily come to that country whereof thou askest, but


s: outrageous men and froward hold it. And these thy gifts,


s: thy countless gifts, thou didst bestow in vain. For if thou


s: hadst found that man yet living in the land of Ithaca he


s: would have sent thee on thy way with good return of thy


s: presents, and with all hospitality, as is due to the man


s: that begins the kindness. But come, declare me this and


s: plainly tell me all; how many years are passed since thou


s: didst entertain him, thy guest ill-fated and my child,--if


s: ever such an one there was,--hapless man, whom far from his


s: friends and his country's soil, the fishes, it may be, have


s: devoured in the deep sea, or on the shore he has fallen the


s: prey of birds and beasts. His mother wept not over him nor


s: clad him for burial, nor his father, we that begat him. Nor


s: did his bride, whom men sought with rich gifts, the


s: constant Penelope, bewail her lord upon the bier, as was


s: meet, nor closed his eyes, as is the due of the departed.


s: Moreover, tell me this truly, that I may surely know, who


s: art thou and whence of the sons of men? Where is thy city


s: and where are they that begat thee? Where now is thy swift


s: ship moored, that brought thee thither with thy godlike


s: company? Hast thou come as a passenger on another's ship,


s: while they set thee ashore and went away?


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: 'Yea


s: now, I will tell thee all most plainly. From out of Alybas


s: I come, where I dwell in a house renowned, and am the son


s: of Apheidas the son of Polypemon, the prince, and my own


s: name is Eperitus. But some god drave me wandering hither


s: from Sicania against my will, and yonder my ship is moored


s: toward the upland away from the city. But for Odysseus,


s: this is now the fifth year since he went thence and


s: departed out of my country. Ill-fated was he, and yet he


s: had birds of good omen when he fared away, birds on the


s: right; wherefore I sped him gladly on his road, and gladly


s: he departed, and the heart of us twain hoped yet to meet in


s: friendship on a day and to give splendid gifts.'


s: So he spake, and on the old man fell a black cloud of


s: sorrow. With both his hands he clutched the dust and ashes


s: and showered them on his gray head, with ceaseless


s: groaning. Then the heart of Odysseus was moved, and up


s: through his nostrils throbbed anon the keen sting of sorrow


s: at the sight of his dear father. And he sprang towards him


s: and fell on his neck and kissed him, saying:


s: 'Behold, I here, even I, my father, am the man of whom thou


s: askest; in the twentieth year am I come to mine own


s: country. But stay thy weeping and tearful lamentation, for


s: I will tell thee all clearly, though great need there is of


s: haste. I have slain the wooers in our halls and avenged


s: Then Laertes answered him and spake, saying: 'If thou art


s: indeed Odysseus, mine own child, that art come hither, show


s: me now a manifest token, that I may be assured.'


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Look


s: first on this scar and consider it, that the boar dealt me


s: with his white tusk on Parnassus, whither I had gone, and


s: thou didst send me forth, thou and my lady mother, to


s: Autolycus my mother's father, to get the gifts which when


s: he came hither he promised and covenanted to give me. But


s: come, and I will even tell thee the trees through all the


s: terraced garden, which thou gavest me once for mine own,


s: and I was begging of thee this and that, being but a little


s: child, and following thee through the garden. Through these


s: very trees we were going, and thou didst tell me the names


s: of each of them. Pear-trees thirteen thou gavest me and ten


s: apple-trees and figs two-score, and, as we went, thou didst


s: name the fifty rows of vines thou wouldest give me, whereof


s: each one ripened at divers times, with all manner of


s: clusters on their boughs, when the seasons of Zeus wrought


s: So he spake, and straightway his knees were loosened, and


s: his heart melted within him, as he knew the sure tokens


s: that Odysseus showed him. About his dear son he cast his


s: arms, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus caught him fainting


s: to his breast. Now when he had got breath and his spirit


s: came to him again, once more he answered and spake, saying:


s: 'Father Zeus, verily ye gods yet bear sway on high Olympus,


s: if indeed the wooers have paid for their infatuate pride!


s: But now my heart is terribly afraid, lest straightway all


s: the men of Ithaca come up against us here, and haste to


s: send messengers everywhere to the cities of the


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Take


s: courage, and let not thy heart be careful about these


s: matters. But come, let us go to the house that lies near


s: the garden, for thither I sent forward Telemachus and the


s: neatherd and the swineherd to get ready the meal as


s: After these words the twain set out to the goodly halls.


s: Now when they had come to the fair-lying house, they found


s: Telemachus and the neatherd and the swineherd carving much


s: flesh, and mixing the dark wine. Meanwhile the Sicilian


s: handmaid bathed high-hearted Laertes in his house, and


s: anointed him with olive-oil, and cast a fair mantle about


s: him. Then Athene drew nigh, and made greater the limbs of


s: the shepherd of the people, taller she made him than before


s: and mightier to behold. Then he went forth from the bath,


s: and his dear son marvelled at him, beholding him like to


s: the deathless gods in presence. And uttering his voice he


s: 'Father, surely one of the gods that are from everlasting


s: hath made thee goodlier and greater to behold.'


s: Then wise Laertes answered him, saying: 'Ah, would to


s: father Zeus and Athene and Apollo, that such as I was when


s: I took Nericus, the stablished castle on the foreland of


s: the continent, being then the prince of the Cephallenians,


s: would that in such might, and with mail about my shoulders,


s: I had stood to aid thee yesterday in our house, and to beat


s: back the wooers; so should I have loosened the knees of


s: many an one of them in the halls, and thou shouldest have


s: So they spake each with the other. But when the others had


s: ceased from their task and made ready the feast, they sat


s: down all orderly on chairs and on high seats. Then they


s: began to put forth their hands on the meat, and the old man


s: Dolius drew nigh, and the old man's sons withal came tired


s: from their labour in the fields, for their mother, the aged


s: Sicilian woman, had gone forth and called them, she that


s: saw to their living and diligently cared for the old man,


s: now that old age had laid hold on him. So soon as they


s: looked on Odysseus and took knowledge of him, they stood


s: still in the halls in great amazement. But Odysseus


s: 'Old man, sit down to meat and do ye forget your


s: marvelling, for long have we been eager to put forth our


s: hands on the food, as we abode in the hall alway expecting


s: So he spake, and Dolius ran straight toward him stretching


s: forth both his hands, and he grasped the hand of Odysseus


s: and kissed it on the wrist, and uttering his voice spake to


s: 'Beloved, forasmuch as thou hast come back to us who sore


s: desired thee, and no longer thought to see thee, and the


s: gods have led thee home again;--hail to thee and welcome


s: manifold, and may the gods give thee all good fortune!


s: Moreover tell me this truly, that I may be assured, whether


s: wise Penelope yet knows well that thou hast come back


s: hither, or whether we shall dispatch a messenger.'


s: Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: 'Old man,


s: already she knows all; what need to busy thyself herewith?'


s: Thereon the other sat him down again on his polished


s: settle. And in like wise the sons of Dolius gathered about


s: the renowned Odysseus, and greeted him well and clasped his


s: hands, and then sat down all orderly by Dolius their


s: So they were busy with the meal in the halls. Now Rumour


s: the messenger went swiftly all about the city, telling the


s: tale of the dire death and fate of the wooers. And the


s: people heard it, and all at once gathered together from


s: every side with sighing and groaning before the house of


s: Odysseus. And each brought forth his dead from the halls,


s: and buried them; but those that came out of other cities


s: they placed on swift ships and sent with fisherfolk, each


s: to be carried to his own home. As for them they all fared


s: together to the assembly-place, in sorrow of heart. When


s: they were all gathered and come together, Eupeithes arose


s: and spake among them, for a comfortless grief lay heavy on


s: his heart for his son Antinous, the first man that goodly


s: Odysseus had slain. Weeping for him he made harangue and


s: 'Friends, a great deed truly hath this man devised against


s: the Achaeans. Some with his ships he led away, many men,


s: and noble, and his hollow ships hath he lost, and utterly


s: lost of his company, and others again, and those far the


s: best of the Cephallenians he hath slain on his coming home.


s: Up now, before ever he gets him swiftly either to Pylos or


s: to fair Elis, where the Epeians bear sway, let us go forth;


s: else even hereafter shall we have shame of face for ever.


s: For a scorn this is even for the ears of men unborn to


s: hear, if we avenge not ourselves on the slayers of our sons


s: and of our brethren. Life would no more be sweet to me, but


s: rather would I die straightway and be with the departed.


s: Up, let us be going, lest these fellows be beforehand with


s: Thus he spake weeping, and pity fell on all the Achaeans.


s: Then came near to them Medon and the divine minstrel, forth


s: from the halls of Odysseus, for that sleep had let them go.


s: They stood in the midst of the gathering, and amazement


s: seized every man. Then Medon, wise of heart, spake among


s: 'Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, for surely Odysseus


s: planned not these deeds without the will of the gods. Nay I


s: myself beheld a god immortal, who stood hard by Odysseus,


s: in the perfect semblance of Mentor; now as a deathless god


s: was he manifest in front of Odysseus, cheering him, and yet


s: again scaring the wooers he stormed through the hall, and


s: Thus he spake, and pale fear gat hold of the limbs of all.


s: Then the old man, the lord Halitherses, spake among them,


s: the son of Mastor, for he alone saw before and after. Out


s: of his good will be made harangue and spake among them,


s: 'Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I


s: will say. Through your own cowardice, my friends, have


s: these deeds come to pass. For ye obeyed not me, nor Mentor,


s: the shepherd of the people, to make your sons cease from


s: their foolish ways. A great villainy they wrought in their


s: evil infatuation, wasting the wealth and holding in no


s: regard the wife of a prince, while they deemed that he


s: would never more come home. And now let things be on this


s: wise, and obey my counsel. Let us not go forth against him,


s: lest haply some may find a bane of their own bringing.'


s: So he spake, but they leapt up with a great cry, the more


s: part of them, while the rest abode there together; for his


s: counsel was not to the mind of the more part, but they gave


s: ear to Eupeithes, and swiftly thereafter they rushed for


s: their armour. So when they had arrayed them in shining


s: mail, they assembled together in front of the spacious


s: town. And Eupeithes led them in his witlessness, for he


s: thought to avenge the slaying of his son, yet himself was


s: never to return, but then and there to meet his doom.


s: Now Athene spake to Zeus, the son of Cronos, saying: 'O


s: Father, our father Cronides, throned in the highest, answer


s: and tell me what is now the hidden counsel of thy heart?


s: Wilt thou yet further rouse up evil war and the terrible


s: din of battle, or art thou minded to set them at one again


s: Then Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, answered her saying:


s: 'My child, why dost thou thus straitly question me, and ask


s: me this? Nay didst not thou thyself devise this very


s: thought, namely, that Odysseus should indeed take vengeance


s: on these men at his coming? Do as thou wilt, but I will


s: tell thee of the better way. Now that goodly Odysseus hath


s: wreaked vengeance on the wooers, let them make a firm


s: covenant together with sacrifice, and let him be king all


s: his days, and let us bring about oblivion of the slaying of


s: their children and their brethren; so may both sides love


s: one another as of old, and let peace and wealth abundant be


s: Therewith he roused Athene to yet greater eagerness, and


s: from the peaks of Olympus she came glancing down.


s: Now when they had put from them the desire of honey-sweet


s: food, the steadfast goodly Odysseus began to speak among


s: 'Let one go forth and see, lest the people be already


s: So he spake, and the son of Dolius went forth at his


s: bidding, and stood on the outer threshold and saw them all


s: close at hand. Then straightway he spake to Odysseus winged


s: 'Here they be, close upon us! Quick, let us to arms!'


s: Thereon they rose up and arrayed them in their harness,


s: Odysseus and his men being four, and the six sons of


s: Dolius, and likewise Laertes and Dolius did on their


s: armour, grey-headed as they were, warriors through stress


s: of need. Now when they had clad them in shining mail, they


s: opened the gates and went forth and Odysseus led them.


s: Then Athene, daughter of Zeus, drew near them in the


s: likeness of Mentor, in fashion and in voice. And the


s: steadfast goodly Odysseus beheld her and was glad, and


s: straightway he spake to Telemachus his dear son:


s: 'Telemachus, soon shalt thou learn this, when thou thyself


s: art got to the place of the battle where the best men try


s: the issue,--namely, not to bring shame on thy father's


s: house, on us who in time past have been eminent for might


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Thou shalt see


s: me, if thou wilt, dear father, in this my mood no whit


s: disgracing thy line, according to thy word.'


s: So spake he, and Laertes was glad and spake, saying: 'What


s: a day has dawned for me, kind gods; yea, a glad man am I!


s: My son and my son's son are vying with one another in


s: Then grey-eyed Athene stood beside Laertes, and spake to


s: him: 'O son of Arceisius that art far the dearest of all my


s: friends, pray first to the grey-eyed maid and to father


s: Zeus, then swing thy long spear aloft and hurl its


s: Therewith Pallas Athene breathed into him great strength.


s: Then he prayed to the daughter of mighty Zeus, and


s: straightway swung his long spear aloft and hurled it, and


s: smote Eupeithes through his casque with the cheek-piece of


s: bronze. The armour kept not out the spear that went clean


s: through, and he fell with a crash, and his arms rattled


s: about his body. Then Odysseus and his renowned son fell on


s: the fore-fighters, and smote them with swords and


s: two-headed spears. And now would they have slain them all


s: and cut off their return, had not Athene called aloud, the


s: daughter of Zeus lord of the aegis, and stayed all the host


s: 'Hold your hands from fierce fighting, ye men of Ithaca,


s: that so ye may be parted quickly, without bloodshed.'


s: So spake Athene, and pale fear gat hold of them all. The


s: arms flew from their hands in their terror and fell all


s: upon the ground, as the goddess uttered her voice. To the


s: city they turned their steps, as men fain of life, and the


s: steadfast goodly Odysseus with a terrible cry gathered


s: himself together and hurled in on them, like an eagle of


s: lofty flight. Then in that hour the son of Cronos cast


s: forth a flaming bolt, and it fell at the feet of the


s: grey-eyed goddess, the daughter of the mighty Sire. Then


s: grey-eyed Athene spake to Odysseus, saying:


s: 'Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many


s: devices, refrain thee now and stay the strife of


s: even-handed war, lest perchance the son of Cronos be angry


s: with thee, even Zeus of the far-borne voice.'


s: So spake Athene, and he obeyed and was glad at heart. And


s: thereafter Pallas Athene set a covenant between them with


s: sacrifice, she, the daughter of Zeus lord of the aegis, in


s: the likeness of Mentor, both in fashion and in voice.


s: Of Hades, and light waves that laugh in glee


s: Thy verse seems as the River of source unknown


s: To find thy mystic fountains guarded fast;


s: Enough--thy flood makes green our human shore


s: Of gods dethroned, and empires of the Past.


s: the Hound of Heaven in my former volume.


s: One image in the Proem was an unconscious plagiarism from the


s: beautiful image in Mr. Patmore's St. Valentine's Day:-


s: That flutter'st sudden 'neath the breast of Earth,


s: Finding I could not disengage it without injury to the passage in


s: acknowledgment to a Poet rich enough to lend to the poor.


s: SISTER SONGS--An Offering to Two Sisters


s: Shrewd winds and shrill--were these the speech of May?


s: Mary's spoilt nursling! wert thou wont to go?


s: Could singer pipe one tiniest linnet-lay,


s: While Song did turn away his face from song?


s: Old AEsculap's best Master!--lacking thee?


s: Thy voice of light rings out exultant, strong;


s: Through dreams she stirs and murmurs at that summons dear:


s: From its red leash my heart strains tamelessly,


s: For Spring leaps in the womb of the young year!


s: Even so; it came, nor knew we that it came,


s: And from the branches pipe each other's name;


s: Mark yonder, how the long laburnum drips


s: Its jocund spilth of fire, its honey of wild flame!


s: Yea, and myself put on swift quickening,


s: And answer to the presence of a sudden Spring.


s: From cloud-zoned pinnacles of the secret spirit


s: Song falls precipitant in dizzying streams;


s: And, like a mountain-hold when war-shouts stir it,


s: The mind's recessed fastness casts to light


s: Its gleaming multitudes, that from every height


s: Unfurl the flaming of a thousand dreams.


s: Now therefore, thou who bring'st the year to birth,


s: Who guid'st the bare and dabbled feet of May;


s: Sweet stem to that rose Christ, who from the earth


s: Suck'st our poor prayers, conveying them to Him;


s: Ere shadowy twilight lashes, drooping, dim


s: Of webbed coerule wrought and woven calms,


s: Whence has paced forth the lambent-footed sun.


s: And Thou disclose my flower of song upcurled,


s: Scatterest all love and loveliness as alms;


s: Who coin'st Thyself to beauty for the world!


s: Then, Spring's little children, your lauds do ye upraise


s: To Sylvia, O Sylvia, her sweet, feat ways!


s: And all you birds on branches, lave your mouths with May,


s: The leaves dance in the breath of the Spring.


s: For the gift to the Spring of a dewier spring,


s: I know in the lane, by the hedgerow track,


s: Are warted with rain like a toad's knobbed back;


s: In the new-sucked milk of the sun's bosom


s: Is dabbled the mouth of the daisy-blossom;


s: The smouldering rosebud chars through its sheath;


s: Like the wave-born Lady of Love Hellene;


s: Were splashed from the earth in drops of light.


s: Their voices, that scents are, now let them upraise


s: And all the birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: As if in one sweet consort there were blent


s: Which our endeavouring instruments recall.


s: And the harp thrills with thronging sighs.


s: Their pretty, pretty prating those citherns sure upraise


s: For homage unto Sylvia, her sweet, feat ways:


s: Those flutes do flute their vowelled lay,


s: Those viols' lissom bowings break the heart of May,


s: Their amiable voices, I bid them upraise


s: To Sylvia, O Sylvia, her sweet, feat ways;


s: While all the birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: With hair a-stream like pale and goblin flame.


s: Would sweep them as the sun and wind's joined flood


s: Illustrious sanguine, like a grape of blood;


s: Curd to the tincture which the opal hath,


s: Like rainbows thawing in a moonbeam bath.


s: So paled they, flushed they, swam they, sang melodiously.


s: Their chanting, soon fading, let them, too, upraise


s: For homage unto Sylvia, her sweet, feat ways;


s: And all the birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: And they advance with flutter, with grace,


s: As they glanced in their dancing-ground,


s: Float o'er the light of the wasting moon,


s: There was the clash of their cymbals clanging,


s: Ringing of swinging bells clinging their feet;


s: And the clang on wing it seemed a-hanging,


s: Hovering round their dancing so fleet. -


s: Whereat they broke to the left and right,


s: They have not tripped those dances, betrayed to my gaze,


s: To glad the heart of Sylvia, beholding of their maze;


s: While all the birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: A throng of children like to flowers were sown


s: About the grass beside, or clomb her knee:


s: I looked who were that favoured company.


s: Of sinking day, which, pouring its abundance,


s: Sublimed the illuminous and volute redundance


s: Of locks that, half dissolving, floated round her face;


s: I knew what chosen child was there in place!


s: I knew there might no brows be, save of one,


s: Which in her moving seemed to wheel about her head.


s: O Spring's little children, more loud your lauds upraise,


s: For this is even Sylvia, with her sweet, feat ways!


s: And all you birds on branches, lave your mouths with May,


s: Spring, goddess, is it thou, desired long?


s: And art thou girded round with this young train? -


s: Now of thy grace let me one meed obtain,


s: After the years when others therefrom fade,


s: To whom the gate of my heart's fortalice,


s: And the shy self who doth therein immew him


s: 'Gainst what loud leagurers battailously woo him,


s: Then suffer, Spring, thy children, that lauds they should upraise


s: And that all birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: Once--in that nightmare-time which still doth haunt


s: I had endured through watches of the dark


s: Of all those heavenly passers' scrutiny;


s: For Time to shoot his barbed minutes at me;


s: Suffered the trampling hoof of every hour


s: From under those dread wheels; and, bled of strength,


s: A child; like thee, a spring-flower; but a flower


s: Fallen from the budded coronal of Spring,


s: And through the city-streets blown withering.


s: She passed,--O brave, sad, lovingest, tender thing! -


s: And of her own scant pittance did she give,


s: Then fled, a swift and trackless fugitive.


s: The heart of Childhood, so divine for me;


s: Borne from me now, as then, a trackless fugitive.


s: And spring, and all things that have gone from me,


s: All vanished hopes, and all most hopeless bliss,


s: From child, and woman, and the boon earth's green,


s: And all wherewith life's face is fair beseen;


s: Five suns, except of the all-kissing sun


s: From childish lips' unvalued precious brush,


s: Between the loosening fibres of the heart.


s: Let workaday wisdom blink sage lids thereat;


s: Which towers a flight three hedgerows high, poor bat!


s: And straightway charts me out the empyreal air.


s: Its chart I wing not by, its canon of worth


s: Scorn not, nor reck though mine should breed it mirth:


s: Yet still my falcon spirit makes her point


s: Thou, sweetest quarry, hast put in from her!


s: (Soul, hush these sad numbers, too sad to upraise


s: In hymning bright Sylvia, unlearn'd in such ways!


s: When all the birds on branches lave their mouths with May,


s: Then thus Spring, bounteous lady, made reply:


s: And thy white mind shall rest by my devising


s: A Gideon-fleece amid life's dusty drouth.


s: (Which is the sun to mortals' sealed sight)


s: Draw thee yet dripping from the quiet pools,


s: Of sleep, which all night mirror constellate dreams;


s: Like to the sign which led the Israelite,


s: Appointed solemn courts, and covenanted streams."


s: Cease, Spring's little children, now cease your lauds to raise;


s: That dream is past, and Sylvia, with her sweet, feat ways.


s: Make sweet, you birds on branches! make sweet your mouths with


s: And now, thou elder nursling of the nest;


s: The flaming brazen bowl o' the burnished sun


s: Nay, how or with what countenance shall I come


s: I who can scarcely speak my fellows' speech,


s: Love their love, or mine own love to them teach;


s: Who seem, in this dim shape's uneasy nook,


s: Some sun-flower's spirit which by luckless chance


s: How com'st thou, little tender thing of white,


s: Whose very touch full scantly me beseems,


s: How com'st thou resting on my vaporous dreams,


s: Kindling a wraith there of earth's vernal green?


s: In night's aerial sea with no wind blust'rous,


s: And on its slope marge shelving to the night


s: The stranded moon lay quivering like a lustrous


s: Lay in an oozy pool of its own deliquious light.


s: Nor, tender white orb, be thou opposite!


s: Life and life's beauty only hold their revels


s: There, like the phantasms of a poet pale,


s: Clarified silver; greens and azures frail


s: As if the colours sighed themselves away,


s: As if they swooned into each other's arms;


s: And beings that, under night's swart pinion,


s: But where day's glance turns baffled from the deeps,


s: And in the immense profound no creature glides or creeps.


s: Love and love's beauty only hold their revels


s: And forced her bend on me her shrinking sight;


s: I too, imperishing essences that console.


s: Under my ruined passions, fallen and sere,


s: The wild dreams stir like little radiant girls,


s: Their comrades sweet have buried to the curls.


s: Deaf to them, pleading all their piteous fills;


s: Who weep, as weep the maidens of the mist


s: Clinging the necks of the unheeding hills:


s: And their tears wash them lovelier than before,


s: That from grief's self our sad delight grows more,


s: Fair are the soul's uncrisped calms, indeed,


s: But scarce itself is conscious of the store


s: Casts up its loosened thoughts upon the shore.


s: Tis sweet for one whose voice has no reply,


s: And are its plumes a burning bright array?


s: A bubble, charioteered by the inward breath


s: Which, ardorous for its own invisible lure,


s: I am rapt towards that bodiless paramour;


s: Starry buds tangled in the whirling hair


s: That flames round the Phoebean wassailer,


s: Speed no more ignorant, more predestined flight,


s: As some most beautiful one, with lovely taunting,


s: Her eyes of guileless guile o'ercanopies,


s: Yet from the mouth's reflex you guess the wanting


s: In all their upturned grievous witcheries,


s: And each still hidden feature view within


s: The moon's young rondure through the shamefast veil


s: From the enticing smile of earth and skies


s: And guessingly her love's close traits devise,


s: Through little human glimpses slow displays,


s: Turning love's bread, is bought at hunger's price.


s: Which roll song's Orient on the sullen night


s: Whose ragged banners in their own despite


s: Take on the tinges of the hated light, -


s: Who must none other breath of passion feel


s: Save such as winnows to the fledged heel


s: Consentient with enamoured wings, might know my love for thee.


s: Yet is there more, whereat none guesseth, love!