s: water, for thrice a day she spouts it forth, and thrice a


s: day she sucks it down in terrible wise. Never mayest thou


s: be there when she sucks the water, for none might save thee


s: then from thy bane, not even the Earth-Shaker! But take


s: heed and swiftly drawing nigh to Scylla's rock drive the


s: ship past, since of a truth it is far better to mourn six


s: of thy company in the ship, than all in the selfsame hour."


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


s: pray thee herein, goddess, tell me true, if there be any


s: means whereby I might escape from the deadly Charybdis and


s: avenge me on that other, when she would prey upon my


s: 'So spake I, and that fair goddess answered me: "Man


s: overbold, lo, now again the deeds of war are in thy mind


s: and the travail thereof. Wilt thou not yield thee even to


s: the deathless gods? As for her, she is no mortal, but an


s: immortal plague, dread, grievous, and fierce, and not to be


s: fought with; and against her there is no defence; flight is


s: the bravest way. For if thou tarry to do on thine armour by


s: the cliff, I fear lest once again she sally forth and catch


s: at thee with so many heads, and seize as many men as


s: before. So drive past with all thy force, and call on


s: Cratais, mother of Scylla, which bore her for a bane to


s: mortals. And she will then let her from darting forth


s: '"Then thou shalt come unto the isle Thrinacia; there are


s: the many kine of Helios and his brave flocks feeding, seven


s: herds of kine and as many goodly flocks of sheep, and fifty


s: in each flock. They have no part in birth or in corruption,


s: and there are goddesses to shepherd them, nymphs with fair


s: tresses, Phaethusa and Lampetie whom bright Neaera bare to


s: Helios Hyperion. Now when the lady their mother had borne


s: and nursed them, she carried them to the isle Thrinacia to


s: dwell afar, that they should guard their father's flocks


s: and his kine with shambling gait. If thou doest these no


s: hurt, being heedful of thy return, truly ye may even yet


s: reach Ithaca, albeit in evil case. But if thou hurtest


s: them, I foreshow ruin for thy ship and for thy men, and


s: even though thou shouldest thyself escape, late shalt thou


s: return in evil plight with the loss of all thy company."


s: 'So spake she, and anon came the golden-throned Dawn. Then


s: the fair goddess took her way up the island. But I departed


s: to my ship and roused my men themselves to mount the vessel


s: and loose the hawsers. And speedily they went aboard and


s: sat upon the benches, and sitting orderly smote the grey


s: sea water with their oars. And in the wake of our


s: dark-prowed ship she sent a favouring wind that filled the


s: sails, a kindly escort,--even Circe of the braided tresses,


s: a dread goddess of human speech. And straightway we set in


s: order the gear throughout the ship and sat us down, and the


s: wind and the helmsman guided our barque.


s: 'Then I spake among my company with a heavy heart:


s: "Friends, forasmuch as it is not well that one or two alone


s: should know of the oracles that Circe, the fair goddess,


s: spake unto me, therefore will I declare them, that with


s: foreknowledge we may die, or haply shunning death and


s: destiny escape. First she bade us avoid the sound of the


s: voice of the wondrous Sirens, and their field of flowers,


s: and me only she bade listen to their voices. So bind ye me


s: in a hard bond, that I may abide unmoved in my place,


s: upright in the mast-stead, and from the mast let rope-ends


s: be tied, and if I beseech and bid you to set me free, then


s: 'Thus I rehearsed these things one and all, and declared


s: them to my company. Meanwhile our good ship quickly came to


s: the island of the Sirens twain, for a gentle breeze sped


s: her on her way. Then straightway the wind ceased, and lo,


s: there was a windless calm, and some god lulled the waves.


s: Then my company rose up and drew in the ship's sails, and


s: stowed them in the hold of the ship, while they sat at the


s: oars and whitened the water with their polished pine


s: blades. But I with my sharp sword cleft in pieces a great


s: circle of wax, and with my strong hands kneaded it. And


s: soon the wax grew warm, for that my great might constrained


s: it, and the beam of the lord Helios, son of Hyperion. And I


s: anointed therewith the ears of all my men in their order,


s: and in the ship they bound me hand and foot upright in the


s: mast-stead, and from the mast they fastened rope-ends and


s: themselves sat down, and smote the grey sea water with


s: their oars. But when the ship was within the sound of a


s: man's shout from the land, we fleeing swiftly on our way,


s: the Sirens espied the swift ship speeding toward them, and


s: '"Hither, come hither, renowned Odysseus, great glory of


s: the Achaeans, here stay thy barque, that thou mayest listen


s: to the voice of us twain. For none hath ever driven by this


s: way in his black ship, till he hath heard from our lips the


s: voice sweet as the honeycomb, and hath had joy thereof and


s: gone on his way the wiser. For lo, we know all things, all


s: the travail that in wide Troy-land the Argives and Trojans


s: bare by the gods' designs, yea, and we know all that shall


s: 'So spake they uttering a sweet voice, and my heart was


s: fain to listen, and I bade my company unbind me, nodding at


s: them with a frown, but they bent to their oars and rowed


s: on. Then straight uprose Perimedes and Eurylochus and bound


s: me with more cords and straitened me yet the more.  Now


s: when we had driven past them, nor heard we any longer the


s: sound of the Sirens or their song, forthwith my dear


s: company took away the wax wherewith I had anointed their


s: 'But so soon as we left that isle, thereafter presently I


s: saw smoke and a great wave, and heard the sea roaring. Then


s: for very fear the oars flew from their hands, and down the


s: stream they all splashed, and the ship was holden there,


s: for my company no longer plied with their hands the


s: tapering oars. But I paced the ship and cheered on my men,


s: as I stood by each one and spake smooth words:


s: '"Friends, forasmuch as in sorrow we are not all unlearned,


s: truly this is no greater woe that is upon us, {*} than when


s: the Cyclops penned us by main might in his hollow cave; yet


s: even thence we made escape by my manfulness, even by my


s: counsel and my wit, and some day I think that this


s: adventure too we shall remember. Come now, therefore, let


s: us all give ear to do according to my word. Do ye smite the


s: deep surf of the sea with your oars, as ye sit on the


s: benches, if peradventure Zeus may grant us to escape from


s: and shun this death. And as for thee, helmsman, thus I


s: charge thee, and ponder it in thine heart seeing that thou


s: wieldest the helm of the hollow ship. Keep the ship well


s: away from this smoke and from the wave and hug the rocks,


s: lest the ship, ere thou art aware, start from her course to


s: the other side, and so thou hurl us into ruin."


s: {* Reading [Greek], not [Greek] with La Roche.}


s: 'So I spake, and quickly they hearkened to my words. But of


s: Scylla I told them nothing more, a bane none might deal


s: with, lest haply my company should cease from rowing for


s: fear, and hide them in the hold. In that same hour I


s: suffered myself to forget the hard behest of Circe, in that


s: she bade me in nowise be armed; but I did on my glorious


s: harness and caught up two long lances in my hands, and went


s: on the decking of the prow, for thence methought that


s: Scylla of the rock would first be seen, who was to bring


s: woe on my company. Yet could I not spy her anywhere, and my


s: eyes waxed weary for gazing all about toward the darkness


s: "Next we began to sail up the narrow strait lamenting. For


s: on the one hand lay Scylla, and on the other mighty


s: Charybdis in terrible wise sucked down the salt sea water.


s: As often as she belched it forth, like a cauldron on a


s: great fire she would seethe up through all her troubled


s: deeps, and overhead the spray fell on the tops of either


s: cliff. But oft as she gulped down the salt sea water,


s: within she was all plain to see through her troubled deeps,


s: and the rock around roared horribly and beneath the earth


s: was manifest swart with sand, and pale fear gat hold on my


s: men. Toward her, then, we looked fearing destruction; but


s: Scylla meanwhile caught from out my hollow ship six of my


s: company, the hardiest of their hands and the chief in


s: might. And looking into the swift ship to find my men, even


s: then I marked their feet and hands as they were lifted on


s: high, and they cried aloud in their agony, and called me by


s: my name for that last time of all. Even as when as fisher


s: on some headland lets down with a long rod his baits for a


s: snare to the little fishes below, casting into the deep the


s: horn of an ox of the homestead, and as he catches each


s: flings it writhing ashore, so writhing were they borne


s: upward to the cliff. And there she devoured them shrieking


s: in her gates, they stretching forth their hands to me in


s: the dread death-struggle. And the most pitiful thing was


s: this that mine eyes have seen of all my travail in


s: 'Now when we had escaped the Rocks and dread Charybdis and


s: Scylla, thereafter we soon came to the fair island of the


s: god; where were the goodly kine, broad of brow, and the


s: many brave flocks of Helios Hyperion. Then while as yet I


s: was in my black ship upon the deep, I heard the lowing of


s: the cattle being stalled and the bleating of the sheep, and


s: on my mind there fell the saying of the blind seer, Theban


s: Teiresias, and of Circe of Aia, who charged me very


s: straitly to shun the isle of Helios, the gladdener of the


s: world. Then I spake out among my company in sorrow of


s: '"Hear my words, my men, albeit in evil plight, that I may


s: declare unto you the oracles of Teiresias and of Circe of


s: Aia, who very straitly charged me to shun the isle of


s: Helios, the gladdener of the world. For there she said the


s: most dreadful mischief would befal us. Nay, drive ye then


s: the black ship beyond and past that isle."


s: 'So spake I, and their heart was broken within them. And


s: Eurylochus straightway answered me sadly, saying:


s: '"Hardy art thou, Odysseus, of might beyond measure, and


s: thy limbs are never weary; verily thou art fashioned all of


s: iron, that sufferest not thy fellows, foredone with toil


s: and drowsiness, to set foot on shore, where we might


s: presently prepare us a good supper in this sea-girt island.


s: But even as we are thou biddest us fare blindly through the


s: sudden night, and from the isle go wandering on the misty


s: deep. And strong winds, the bane of ships, are born of the


s: night. How could a man escape from utter doom, if there


s: chanced to come a sudden blast of the South Wind, or of the


s: boisterous West, which mainly wreck ships, beyond the will


s: of the gods, the lords of all? Howbeit for this present let


s: us yield to the black night, and we will make ready our


s: supper abiding by the swift ship, and in the morning we


s: will climb on board, and put out into the broad deep."


s: 'So spake Eurylochus, and the rest of my company consented


s: thereto. Then at the last I knew that some god was indeed


s: imagining evil, and I uttered my voice and spake unto him


s: '"Eurylochus, verily ye put force upon me, being but one


s: among you all. But come, swear me now a mighty oath, one


s: and all, to the intent that if we light on a herd of kine


s: or a great flock of sheep, none in the evil folly of his


s: heart may slay any sheep or ox; but in quiet eat ye the


s: 'So I spake, and straightway they swore to refrain as I


s: commanded them. Now after they had sworn and done that


s: oath, we stayed our well-builded ship in the hollow harbour


s: near to a well of sweet water, and my company went forth


s: from out the ship and deftly got ready supper. But when


s: they had put from them the desire of meat and drink,


s: thereafter they fell a weeping as they thought upon their


s: dear companions whom Scylla had snatched from out the


s: hollow ship and so devoured. And deep sleep came upon them


s: amid their weeping. And when it was the third watch of the


s: night, and the stars had crossed the zenith, Zeus the


s: cloud-gatherer roused against them an angry wind with


s: wondrous tempest, and shrouded in clouds land and sea


s: alike, and from heaven sped down the night. Now when early


s: Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, we beached the ship,


s: and dragged it up within a hollow cave, where were the fair


s: dancing grounds of the nymphs and the places of their


s: session. Thereupon I ordered a gathering of my men and


s: '"Friends, forasmuch as there is yet meat and drink in the


s: swift ship, let us keep our hands off those kine, lest some


s: evil thing befal us. For these are the kine and the brave


s: flocks of a dread god, even of Helios, who overseeth all


s: 'So I spake, and their lordly spirit hearkened thereto.


s: Then for a whole month the South Wind blew without ceasing,


s: and no other wind arose, save only the East and the South.


s: 'Now so long as my company still had corn and red wine,


s: they refrained them from the kine, for they were fain of


s: life. But when the corn was now all spent from out the


s: ship, and they went wandering with barbed hooks in quest of


s: game, as needs they must, fishes and fowls, whatsoever


s: might come to their hand, for hunger gnawed at their belly,


s: then at last I departed up the isle, that I might pray to


s: the gods, if perchance some one of them might show me a way


s: of returning. And now when I had avoided my company on my


s: way through the island, I laved my hands where was a


s: shelter from the wind, and prayed to all the gods that hold


s: Olympus. But they shed sweet sleep upon my eyelids. And


s: Eurylochus the while set forth an evil counsel to my


s: '"Hear my words, my friends, though ye be in evil case.


s: Truly every shape of death is hateful to wretched mortals,


s: but to die of hunger and so meet doom is most pitiful of


s: all. Nay come, we will drive off the best of the kine of


s: Helios and will do sacrifice to the deathless gods who keep


s: wide heaven. And if we may yet reach Ithaca, our own


s: country, forthwith will we rear a rich shrine to Helios


s: Hyperion, and therein would we set many a choice offering.


s: But if he be somewhat wroth for his cattle with straight


s: horns, and is fain to wreck our ship, and the other gods


s: follow his desire, rather with one gulp at the wave would I


s: cast my life away, than be slowly straitened to death in a


s: 'So spake Eurylochus, and the rest of the company consented


s: thereto. Forthwith they drave off the best of the kine of


s: Helios that were nigh at hand, for the fair kine of


s: shambling gait and broad of brow were feeding no great way


s: from the dark-prowed ship. Then they stood around the


s: cattle and prayed to the gods, plucking the fresh leaves


s: from an oak of lofty boughs, for they had no white barley


s: on board the decked ship. Now after they had prayed and cut


s: the throats of the kine and flayed them, they cut out


s: slices of the thighs and wrapped them in the fat, making a


s: double fold, and thereon they laid raw flesh. Yet had they


s: no pure wine to pour over the flaming sacrifices, but they


s: made libation with water and roasted the entrails over the


s: fire. Now after the thighs were quite consumed and they had


s: tasted the inner parts, they cut the rest up small and


s: spitted it on spits. In the same hour deep sleep sped from


s: my eyelids and I sallied forth to the swift ship and the


s: sea-banks. But on my way as I drew near to the curved ship,


s: the sweet savour of the fat came all about me; and I


s: groaned and spake out before the deathless gods:


s: '"Father Zeus, and all ye other blessed gods that live for


s: ever, verily to my undoing ye have lulled me with a


s: ruthless sleep, and my company abiding behind have imagined


s: 'Then swiftly to Helios Hyperion came Lampetie of the long


s: robes, with the tidings that we had slain his kine. And


s: straight he spake with angry heart amid the Immortals:


s: ever, take vengeance I pray you on the company of Odysseus,


s: son of Laertes, that have insolently slain my cattle,


s: wherein I was wont to be glad as I went toward the starry


s: heaven, and when I again turned earthward from the


s: firmament. And if they pay me not full atonement for the


s: cattle, I will go down to Hades and shine among the dead."


s: 'And Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered him, saying: "Helios,


s: do thou, I say, shine on amidst the deathless gods, and


s: amid mortal men upon the earth, the grain-giver. But as for


s: me, I will soon smite their swift ship with my white bolt,


s: and cleave it in pieces in the midst of the wine-dark


s: 'This I heard from Calypso of the fair hair; and she said


s: that she herself had heard it from Hermes the Messenger.


s: 'But when I had come down to the ship and to the sea, I


s: went up to my companions and rebuked them one by one; but


s: we could find no remedy, the cattle were dead and gone. And


s: soon thereafter the gods showed forth signs and wonders to


s: my company. The skins were creeping, and the flesh


s: bellowing upon the spits, both the roast and raw, and there


s: 'Then for six days my dear company feasted on the best of


s: the kine of Helios which they had driven off. But when


s: Zeus, son of Cronos, had added the seventh day thereto,


s: thereafter the wind ceased to blow with a rushing storm,


s: and at once we climbed the ship and launched into the broad


s: deep, when we had set up the mast and hoisted the white


s: 'But now when we left that isle nor any other land


s: appeared, but sky and sea only, even then the son of Cronos


s: stayed a dark cloud above the hollow ship, and beneath it


s: the deep darkened. And the ship ran on her way for no long


s: while, for of a sudden came the shrilling West, with the


s: rushing of a great tempest, and the blast of wind snapped


s: the two forestays of the mast, and the mast fell backward


s: and all the gear dropped into the bilge. And behold, on the


s: hind part of the ship the mast struck the head of the pilot


s: and brake all the bones of his skull together, and like a


s: diver he dropt down from the deck, and his brave spirit


s: left his bones. In that same hour Zeus thundered and cast


s: his bolt upon the ship, and she reeled all over being


s: stricken by the bolt of Zeus, and was filled with sulphur,


s: and lo, my company fell from out the vessel. Like sea-gulls


s: they were borne round the black ship upon the billows, and


s: 'But I kept pacing through my ship, till the surge loosened


s: the sides from the keel, and the wave swept her along


s: stript of her tackling, and brake her mast clean off at the


s: keel. Now the backstay fashioned of an oxhide had been


s: flung thereon; therewith I lashed together both keel and


s: mast, and sitting thereon I was borne by the ruinous winds.


s: 'Then verily the West Wind ceased to blow with a rushing


s: storm, and swiftly withal the South Wind came, bringing


s: sorrow to my soul, that so I might again measure back that


s: space of sea, the way to deadly Charybdis. All the night


s: was I borne, but with the rising of the sun I came to the


s: rock of Scylla, and to dread Charybdis. Now she had sucked


s: down her salt sea water, when I was swung up on high to the


s: tall fig-tree whereto I clung like a bat, and could find no


s: sure rest for my feet nor place to stand, for the roots


s: spread far below and the branches hung aloft out of reach,


s: long and large, and overshadowed Charybdis. Steadfast I


s: clung till she should spew forth mast and keel again; and


s: late they came to my desire. At the hour when a man rises


s: up from the assembly and goes to supper, one who judges the


s: many quarrels of the young men that seek to him for law, at


s: that same hour those timbers came forth to view from out


s: Charybdis. And I let myself drop down hands and feet, and


s: plunged heavily in the midst of the waters beyond the long


s: timbers, and sitting on these I rowed hard with my hands.


s: But the father of gods and of men suffered me no more to


s: behold Scylla, else I should never have escaped from utter


s: 'Thence for nine days was I borne, and on the tenth night


s: the gods brought me nigh to the isle of Ogygia, where


s: dwells Calypso of the braided tresses, an awful goddess of


s: mortal speech, who took me in and entreated me kindly. But


s: why rehearse all this tale? For even yesterday I told it to


s: thee and to thy noble wife in thy house; and it liketh me


s: Odysseus, sleeping, is set ashore at Ithaca by the


s: Phaeacians, and waking knows it not. Pallas, in the form of


s: a shepherd, helps to hide his treasure. The ship that


s: conveyed him is turned into a rock, and Odysseus by Pallas


s: is instructed what to do, and transformed into an old


s: So spake he, and dead silence fell on all, and they were


s: spell-bound throughout the shadowy halls. Thereupon


s: Alcinous answered him, and spake, saying:


s: 'Odysseus, now that thou hast come to my high house with


s: floor of bronze, never, methinks, shalt thou be driven from


s: thy way ere thou returnest, though thou hast been sore


s: afflicted. And for each man among you, that in these halls


s: of mine drink evermore the dark wine of the elders, and


s: hearken to the minstrel, this is my word and command.


s: Garments for the stranger are already laid up in a polished


s: coffer, with gold curiously wrought, and all other such


s: gifts as the counsellors of the Phaeacians bare hither.


s: Come now, let us each of us give him a great tripod and a


s: cauldron, and we in turn will gather goods among the people


s: and get us recompense; for it were hard that one man should


s: So spake Alcinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then


s: they went each one to his house to lay him down to rest;


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


s: they hasted to the ship and bare the bronze, the joy of


s: men. And the mighty king Alcinous himself went about the


s: ship and diligently bestowed the gifts beneath the benches,


s: that they might not hinder any of the crew in their rowing,


s: when they laboured at their oars. Then they betook them to


s: the house of Alcinous and fell to feasting. And the mighty


s: king Alcinous sacrificed before them an ox to Zeus, the son


s: of Cronos, that dwells in the dark clouds, who is lord of


s: all. And when they had burnt the pieces of the thighs, they


s: shared the glorious feast and made merry, and among them


s: harped the divine minstrel Demodocus, whom the people


s: honoured. But Odysseus would ever turn his head toward the


s: splendour of the sun, as one fain to hasten his setting:


s: for verily he was most eager to return. And as when a man


s: longs for his supper, for whom all day long two dark oxen


s: drag through the fallow field the jointed plough, yea and


s: welcome to such an one the sunlight sinketh, that so he may


s: get him to supper, for his knees wax faint by the way, even


s: so welcome was the sinking of the sunlight to Odysseus.


s: Then straight he spake among the Phaeacians, masters of the


s: oar, and to Alcinous in chief he made known his word,


s: 'My lord Alcinous, most notable of all the people, pour ye


s: the drink offering, and send me safe upon my way, and as


s: for you, fare ye well. For now have I all that my heart


s: desired, an escort and loving gifts. May the gods of heaven


s: give me good fortune with them, and may I find my noble


s: wife in my home with my friends unharmed, while ye, for


s: your part, abide here and make glad your wedded wives and


s: children; and may the gods vouchsafe all manner of good,


s: So spake he, and they all consented thereto and bade send


s: the stranger on his way, in that he had spoken aright. Then


s: the mighty Alcinous spake to the henchman: 'Pontonous, mix


s: the bowl and serve out the wine to all in the hall, that we


s: may pray to Father Zeus, and send the stranger on his way


s: So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine,


s: and served it to all in turn. And they poured forth before


s: the blessed gods that keep wide heaven, even there as they


s: sat. Then goodly Odysseus uprose, and placed in Arete's


s: hand the two-handled cup, and uttering his voice spake to


s: 'Fare thee well, O queen, all the days of thy life, till


s: old age come and death, that visit all mankind. But I go


s: homeward, and do thou in this thy house rejoice in thy


s: children and thy people and Alcinous the king.'


s: Therewith goodly Odysseus stept over the threshold. And


s: with him the mighty Alcinous sent forth a henchman to guide


s: him to the swift ship and the sea-banks. And Arete sent in


s: this train certain maidens of her household, one bearing a


s: fresh robe and a doublet, and another she joined to them to


s: carry the strong coffer, and yet another bare bread and red


s: wine. Now when they had come down to the ship and to the


s: sea, straightway the good men of the escort took these


s: things and laid them by in the hollow ship, even all the


s: meat and drink. Then they strewed for Odysseus a rug and a


s: sheet of linen, on the decks of the hollow ship, in the


s: hinder part thereof, that he might sleep sound. Then he too


s: climbed aboard and laid him down in silence, while they sat


s: upon the benches, every man in order, and unbound the


s: hawser from the pierced stone. So soon as they leant


s: backwards and tossed the sea water with the oar blade, a


s: deep sleep fell upon his eyelids, a sound sleep, very


s: sweet, and next akin to death. And even as on a plain a


s: yoke of four stallions comes springing all together beneath


s: the lash, leaping high and speedily accomplishing the way,


s: so leaped the stern of that ship, and the dark wave of the


s: sounding sea rushed mightily in the wake, and she ran ever


s: surely on her way, nor could a circling hawk keep pace with


s: her, of winged things the swiftest. Even thus she lightly


s: sped and cleft the waves of the sea, bearing a man whose


s: counsel was as the counsel of the gods, one that erewhile


s: had suffered much sorrow of heart, in passing through the


s: wars of men, and the grievous waves; but for that time he


s: slept in peace, forgetful of all that he had suffered.


s: So when the star came up, that is brightest of all, and


s: goes ever heralding the light of early Dawn, even then did


s: the seafaring ship draw nigh the island. There is in the


s: land of Ithaca a certain haven of Phorcys, the ancient one


s: of the sea, and thereby are two headlands of sheer cliff,


s: which slope to the sea on the haven's side and break the


s: mighty wave that ill winds roll without, but within, the


s: decked ships ride unmoored when once they have reached the


s: place of anchorage. Now at the harbour's head is a


s: long-leaved olive tree, and hard by is a pleasant cave and


s: shadowy, sacred to the nymphs, that are called the Naiads.


s: And therein are mixing bowls and jars of stone, and there


s: moreover do bees hive. And there are great looms of stone,


s: whereon the nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, a marvel


s: to behold, and therein are waters welling evermore. Two


s: gates there are to the cave, the one set toward the North


s: Wind whereby men may go down, but the portals toward the


s: South pertain rather to the gods, whereby men may not


s: Thither they, as having knowledge of that place, let drive


s: their ship; and now the vessel in full course ran ashore,


s: half her keel's length high; so well was she sped by the


s: hands of the oarsmen. Then they alighted from the benched


s: ship upon the land, and first they lifted Odysseus from out


s: the hollow ship, all as he was in the sheet of linen and


s: the bright rug, and laid him yet heavy with slumber on the


s: sand. And they took forth the goods which the lordly


s: Phaeacians had given him on his homeward way by grace of


s: the great-hearted Athene. These they set in a heap by the


s: trunk of the olive tree, a little aside from the road, lest


s: some wayfaring man, before Odysseus awakened, should come


s: and spoil them. Then themselves departed homeward again.


s: But the shaker of the earth forgat not the threats,


s: wherewith at the first he had threatened god like Odysseus,


s: and he inquired into the counsel of Zeus, saying:


s: 'Father Zeus, I for one shall no longer be of worship among


s: the deathless gods, when mortal men hold me in no regard,


s: even Phaeacians, who moreover are of mine own lineage. Lo,


s: now I said that after much affliction Odysseus should come


s: home, for I had no mind to rob him utterly of his return,


s: when once thou hadst promised it and given assent; but


s: behold, in his sleep they have borne him in a swift ship


s: over the sea, and set him down in Ithaca, and given him


s: gifts out of measure, bronze and gold in plenty and woven


s: raiment, much store, such as never would Odysseus have won


s: for himself out of Troy; yea, though he had returned unhurt


s: with the share of the spoil that fell to him.'


s: And Zeus, the cloud gatherer, answered him saying: 'Lo,


s: now, shaker of the earth, of widest power, what a word hast


s: thou spoken! The gods nowise dishonour thee; hard would it


s: be to assail with dishonour our eldest and our best. But if


s: any man, giving place to his own hardihood and strength,


s: holds thee not in worship, thou hast always thy revenge for


s: the same, even in the time to come. Do thou as thou wilt,


s: Then Poseidon, shaker of the earth, answered him:


s: 'Straightway would I do even as thou sayest, O god of the


s: dark clouds; but thy wrath I always hold in awe and avoid.


s: Howbeit, now I fain would smite a fair ship of the


s: Phaeacians, as she comes home from a convoy on the misty


s: deep, that thereby they may learn to hold their hands, and


s: cease from giving escort to men; and I would overshadow


s: And Zeus the gatherer of the clouds, answered him, saying:


s: 'Friend, learn now what seems best in my sight. At an hour


s: when the folk are all looking forth from the city at the


s: ship upon her way, smite her into a stone hard by the land;


s: a stone in the likeness of a swift ship, that all mankind


s: may marvel, and do thou overshadow their city with a great


s: Now when Poseidon, shaker of the earth, heard this saying,


s: he went on his way to Scheria, where the Phaeacians dwell.


s: There he abode awhile; and lo, she drew near, the seafaring


s: ship, lightly sped upon her way. Then nigh her came the


s: shaker of the earth, and he smote her into a stone, and


s: rooted her far below with the down-stroke of his hand; and


s: Then one to the other they spake winged words, the


s: Phaeacians of the long oars, mariners renowned. And thus


s: would they speak, looking each man to his neighbour:


s: 'Ah me! who is this that fettered our swift ship on the


s: deep as she drave homewards? Even now she stood full in


s: Even so they would speak; but they knew not how these


s: things were ordained. And Alcinous made harangue and spake


s: 'Lo now, in very truth the ancient oracles of my father


s: have come home to me. He was wont to say that Poseidon was


s: jealous of us, for that we give safe escort to all men. He


s: said that the day would come when the god would smite a


s: fair ship of the Phaeacians, as she came home from a convoy


s: on the misty deep, and overshadow our city with a great


s: mountain. Thus that ancient one would speak; and lo, all


s: these things now have an end. But come, let us all give ear


s: and do according to my word. Cease ye from the convoy of


s: mortals, whensoever any shall come unto our town, and let


s: us sacrifice to Poseidon twelve choice bulls, if perchance


s: he may take pity, neither overshadow our city with a great


s: So spake he, and they were dismayed and got ready the


s: bulls. Thus were they praying to the lord Poseidon, the


s: princes and counsellors of the land of the Phaeacians, as


s: Even then the goodly Odysseus awoke where he slept on his


s: native land; nor knew he the same again, having now been


s: long afar, for around him the goddess had shed a mist, even


s: Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, to the end that she might


s: make him undiscovered for that he was, and might expound to


s: him all things, that so his wife should not know him


s: neither his townsmen and kinsfolk, ere the wooers had paid


s: for all their transgressions. Wherefore each thing showed


s: strange to the lord of the land, the long paths and the


s: sheltering havens and the steep rocks and the trees in


s: their bloom. So he started up, and stood and looked upon


s: his native land, and then he made moan withal, and smote on


s: both his thighs with the down-stroke of his hands, and


s: 'Oh, woe is me, unto what mortals' land am I now come? Say,


s: are they froward, and wild, and unjust, or hospitable and


s: of a god-fearing mind? Whither do I bear all this treasure?


s: Yea, where am I wandering myself? Oh that the treasure had


s: remained with the Phaeacians where it was, so had I come to


s: some other of the mighty princes, who would have entreated


s: me kindly and sent me on my way. But now I know not where


s: to bestow these things, nor yet will I leave them here


s: behind, lest haply other men make spoil of them. Ah then,


s: they are not wholly wise or just, the princes and


s: counsellors of the Phaeacians, who carried me to a strange


s: land. Verily they promised to bring me to clear-seen


s: Ithaca, but they performed it not. May Zeus requite them,


s: the god of suppliants, seeing that he watches over all men


s: and punishes the transgressor! But come, I will reckon up


s: these goods and look to them, lest the men be gone, and


s: have taken aught away upon their hollow ship.'


s: Therewith he set to number the fair tripods and the


s: cauldrons and the gold and the goodly woven raiment; and of


s: all these he lacked not aught, but he bewailed him for his


s: own country, as he walked downcast by the shore of the


s: sounding sea, and made sore lament. Then Athene came nigh


s: him in the guise of a young man, the herdsman of a flock, a


s: young man most delicate, such as are the sons of kings. And


s: she had a well-wrought mantle that fell in two folds about


s: her shoulders, and beneath her smooth feet she had sandals


s: bound, and a javelin in her hands. And Odysseus rejoiced as


s: he saw her, and came over against her, and uttering his


s: 'Friend, since thou art the first that I have chanced on in


s: this land, hail to thee, and with no ill-will mayest thou


s: meet me! Nay, save this my substance and save me too, for


s: to thee as to a god I make prayer, and to thy dear knees


s: have I come. And herein tell me true, that I may surely


s: know. What land, what people is this? what men dwell


s: therein? Surely, methinks, it is some clear seen isle, or a


s: shore of the rich mainland that lies and leans upon the


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


s: 'Thou art witless, stranger, or thou art come from afar, if


s: indeed thou askest of this land; nay, it is not so very


s: nameless but that many men know it, both all those who


s: dwell toward the dawning and the sun, and they that abide


s: over against the light toward the shadowy west. Verily it


s: is rough and not fit for the driving of horses, yet is it


s: not a very sorry isle, though narrow withal. For herein is


s: corn past telling, and herein too wine is found, and the


s: rain is on it evermore, and the fresh dew. And it is good


s: for feeding goats and feeding kine; all manner of wood is


s: here, and watering-places unfailing are herein. Wherefore,


s: stranger, the name of Ithaca hath reached even unto


s: Troy-land, which men say is far from this Achaean shore.'


s: So spake she, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad,


s: and had joy in his own country, according to the word of


s: Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis. And he


s: uttered his voice and spake unto her winged words; yet he


s: did not speak the truth, but took back the word that was on


s: his lips, for quick and crafty was his wit within his


s: 'Of Ithaca have I heard tell, even in broad Crete, far over


s: the seas; and now have I come hither myself with these my


s: goods. And I left as much again to my children, when I


s: turned outlaw for the slaying of the dear son of Idomeneus,


s: Orsilochus, swift of foot, who in wide Crete was the


s: swiftest of all men that live by bread. Now he would have


s: despoiled me of all that booty of Troy, for the which I had


s: endured pain of heart, in passing through the wars of men,


s: and the grievous waves of the sea, for this cause that I


s: would not do a favour to his father, and make me his squire


s: in the land of the Trojans, but commanded other fellowship


s: of mine own. So I smote him with a bronze-shod spear as he


s: came home from the field, lying in ambush for him by the


s: wayside, with one of my companions. And dark midnight held


s: the heavens, and no man marked us, but privily I took his


s: life away. Now after I had slain him with the sharp spear,


s: straightway I went to a ship and besought the lordly


s: Phoenicians, and gave them spoil to their hearts' desire. I


s: charged them to take me on board, and land me at Pylos or


s: at goodly Elis where the Epeans bear rule. Howbeit of a


s: truth, the might of the wind drave them out of their


s: course, sore against their will, nor did they wilfully play


s: me false. Thence we were driven wandering, and came hither


s: by night. And with much ado we rowed onward into harbour,


s: nor took we any thought of supper, though we stood sore in


s: need thereof, but even as we were we stept ashore and all


s: lay down. Then over me there came sweet slumber in my


s: weariness, but they took forth my goods from the hollow


s: ship, and set them by me where I myself lay upon the sands.


s: Then they went on board, and departed for the fair-lying


s: land of Sidon; while as for me I was left stricken at


s: So spake he and the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, smiled, and


s: caressed him with her hand; and straightway she changed to


s: the semblance of a woman, fair and tall, and skilled in


s: splendid handiwork. And uttering her voice she spake unto


s: 'Crafty must he be, and knavish, who would outdo thee in


s: all manner of guile, even if it were a god encountered


s: thee. Hardy man, subtle of wit, of guile insatiate, so thou


s: wast not even in thine own country to cease from thy


s: sleights and knavish words, which thou lovest from the


s: bottom of thine heart! But come, no more let us tell of


s: these things, being both of us practised in deceits, for


s: that thou art of all men far the first in counsel and in


s: discourse, and I in the company of all the gods win renown


s: for my wit and wile. Yet thou knewest not me, Pallas


s: Athene, daughter of Zeus, who am always by thee and guard


s: thee in all adventures. Yea, and I made thee to be beloved


s: of all the Phaeacians. And now am I come hither to contrive


s: a plot with thee and to hide away the goods, that by my


s: counsel and design the noble Phaeacians gave thee on thy


s: homeward way. And I would tell thee how great a measure of


s: trouble thou art ordained to fulfil within thy well-builded


s: house. But do thou harden thy heart, for so it must be, and


s: tell none neither man nor woman of all the folk, that thou


s: hast indeed returned from wandering, but in silence endure


s: much sorrow, submitting thee to the despite of men.'


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: 'Hard is


s: it, goddess, for a mortal man that meets thee to discern


s: thee, howsoever wise he be; for thou takest upon thee every


s: shape. But this I know well, that of old thou wast kindly


s: to me, so long as we sons of the Achaeans made war in Troy.


s: But so soon as we had sacked the steep city of Priam and


s: had gone on board our ships, and the god had scattered the


s: Achaeans, thereafter I have never beheld thee, daughter of


s: Zeus, nor seen thee coming on board my ship, to ward off


s: sorrow from me--but I wandered evermore with a stricken


s: heart, till the gods delivered me from my evil case--even


s: till the day when, within the fat land of the men of


s: Phaeacia, thou didst comfort me with thy words, and thyself


s: didst lead me to their city. And now I beseech thee in thy


s: father's name to tell me: for I deem not that I am come to


s: clear-seen Ithaca, but I roam over some other land, and


s: methinks that thou speakest thus to mock me and beguile my


s: mind. Tell me whether in very deed I am come to mine own


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: 'Yea,


s: such a thought as this is ever in thy breast. Wherefore I


s: may in no wise leave thee in thy grief, so courteous art


s: thou, so ready of wit and so prudent. Right gladly would


s: any other man on his return from wandering have hasted to


s: behold his children and his wife in his halls; but thou


s: hast no will to learn or to hear aught, till thou hast


s: furthermore made trial of thy wife, who sits as ever in her


s: halls, and wearily for her the nights wane always and the


s: days, in shedding of tears. But of this I never doubted,


s: but ever knew it in my heart that thou wouldest come home


s: with the loss of all thy company. Yet, I tell thee, I had


s: no mind to be at strife with Poseidon, my own father's


s: brother, who laid up wrath in his heart against thee, being


s: angered at the blinding of his dear son. But come, and I


s: will show thee the place of the dwelling of Ithaca, that


s: thou mayst be assured. Lo, here is the haven of Phorcys,


s: the ancient one of the sea, and here at the haven's head is


s: the olive tree with spreading leaves, and hard by it is the


s: pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs that are


s: called the Naiads. Yonder, behold, is the roofed cavern,


s: where thou offeredst many an acceptable sacrifice of


s: hecatombs to the nymphs; and lo, this hill is Neriton, all


s: Therewith the goddess scattered the mist, and the land


s: appeared. Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad


s: rejoicing in his own land, and he kissed the earth, the


s: grain-giver. And anon he prayed to the nymphs, and lifted


s: 'Ye Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, never did I think to


s: look on you again, but now be ye greeted in my loving


s: prayers: yea, and gifts as aforetime I will give, if the


s: daughter of Zeus, driver of the spoil, suffer me of her


s: grace myself to live, and bring my dear son to manhood.'


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


s: of good courage, and let not thy heart be careful about


s: these things. But come, let us straightway set thy goods in


s: the secret place of the wondrous cave, that there they may


s: abide for thee safe. And let us for ourselves advise us how


s: Therewith the goddess plunged into the shadowy cave,


s: searching out the chambers of the cavern. Meanwhile


s: Odysseus brought up his treasure, the gold and the


s: unyielding bronze and fair woven raiment, which the


s: Phaeacians gave him. And these things he laid by with care,


s: and Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis, set


s: a stone against the door of the cave. Then they twain sat


s: down by the trunk of the sacred olive tree, and devised


s: death for the froward wooers. And the goddess, grey-eyed


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


s: devices, advise thee how thou mayest stretch forth thine


s: hands upon the shameless wooers, who now these three years


s: lord it through thy halls, as they woo thy godlike wife and


s: proffer the gifts of wooing. And she, that is ever


s: bewailing her for thy return, gives hope to all and makes


s: promises to every man and sends them messages, but her mind


s: And Odysseus of many counsels answered her, saying:


s: 'Lo now, in very truth I was like to have perished in my


s: halls by the evil doom of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, hadst


s: not thou, goddess, declared me each thing aright. Come


s: then, weave some counsel whereby I may requite them; and


s: thyself stand by me, and put great boldness of spirit


s: within me, even as in the day when we loosed the shining


s: coronal of Troy. If but thou wouldest stand by me with such


s: eagerness, thou grey-eyed goddess, I would war even with


s: three hundred men, with thee my lady and goddess, if thou


s: of thy grace didst succour me the while.'


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: 'Yea,


s: verily I will be near thee nor will I forget thee,


s: whensoever we come to this toil: and methinks that certain


s: of the wooers that devour thy livelihood shall bespatter


s: the boundless earth with blood and brains. But come, I will


s: make thee such-like that no man shall know thee. Thy fair


s: skin I will wither on thy supple limbs, and make waste thy


s: yellow hair from off thy head, and wrap thee in a foul


s: garment, such that one would shudder to see a man therein.


s: And I will dim thy two eyes, erewhile so fair, in such wise


s: that thou mayest be unseemly in the sight of all the wooers


s: and of thy wife and son, whom thou didst leave in thy


s: halls. And do thou thyself first of all go unto the


s: swineherd, who tends thy swine, loyal and at one with thee,


s: and loves thy son and constant Penelope. Him shalt thou


s: find sitting by the swine, as they are feeding near the


s: rock of Corax and the spring Arethusa, and there they eat


s: abundance of acorns and drink the black water, things


s: whereby swine grow fat and well-liking. There do thou abide


s: and sit by the swine, and find out all, till I have gone to


s: Sparta, the land of fair women, to call Telemachus thy dear


s: son, Odysseus, who hath betaken himself to spacious


s: Lacedaemon, to the house of Menelaus to seek tidings of


s: thee, whether haply thou are yet alive.'


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


s: wherefore then didst thou not tell him, seeing thou hast


s: knowledge of all? Was it, perchance, that he too may wander


s: in sorrow over the unharvested seas, and that others may


s: Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: 'Nay, let


s: him not be heavy on thy heart. I myself was his guide, that


s: by going thither he might win a good report. Lo, he knows


s: no toil, but he sits in peace in the palace of the son of


s: Atreus, and has boundless store about him. Truly the young


s: men with their black ship they lie in wait, and are eager


s: to slay him ere he come to his own country. But this,


s: methinks, shall never be. Yea, sooner shall the earth close


s: over certain of the wooers that devour thy livelihood.'


s: Therewith Athene touched him with her wand. His fair flesh


s: she withered on his supple limbs, and made waste his yellow


s: hair from off his head, and over all his limbs she cast the


s: skin of an old man, and dimmed his two eyes, erewhile so


s: fair. And she changed his raiment to a vile wrap and a


s: doublet, torn garments and filthy, stained with foul smoke.


s: And over all she clad him with the great bald hide of a


s: swift stag, and she gave him a staff and a mean tattered


s: And after they twain had taken this counsel together, they


s: parted; and she now went to goodly Lacedaemon to fetch the


s: Odysseus, in the form of a beggar, goes to Eumaeus, the


s: master of his swine, where he is well used and tells a


s: feigned story, and informs himself of the behaviour of the


s: But Odysseus fared forth from the haven by the rough track,


s: up the wooded country and through the heights, where Athene


s: had showed him that he should find the goodly swineherd,


s: who cared most for his substance of all the thralls that


s: Now he found him sitting at the vestibule of the house,


s: where his courtyard was builded high, in a place with wide


s: prospect; a great court it was and a fair, with free range


s: round it. This the swineherd had builded by himself for the


s: swine of his lord who was afar, and his mistress and the


s: old man Laertes knew not of it. With stones from the quarry


s: had he builded it, and coped it with a fence of white


s: thorn, and he had split an oak to the dark core, and


s: without he had driven stakes the whole length thereof on


s: either side, set thick and close; and within the courtyard


s: he made twelve styes hard by one another to be beds for the


s: swine, and in each stye fifty grovelling swine were penned,


s: brood swine; but the boars slept without. Now these were


s: far fewer in number, the godlike wooers minishing them at


s: their feasts, for the swineherd ever sent in the best of


s: all the fatted hogs. And their tale was three hundred and


s: three-score. And by them always slept four dogs, as fierce


s: as wild beasts, which the swineherd had bred, a master of


s: men. Now he was fitting sandals to his feet, cutting a good


s: brown oxhide, while the rest of his fellows, three in all,


s: were abroad this way and that, with the droves of swine;


s: while the fourth he had sent to the city to take a boar to


s: the proud wooers, as needs he must, that they might


s: sacrifice it and satisfy their soul with flesh.


s: And of a sudden the baying dogs saw Odysseus, and they ran


s: at him yelping, but Odysseus in his wariness sat him down,


s: and let the staff fall from his hand. There by his own


s: homestead would he have suffered foul hurt, but the


s: swineherd with quick feet hasted after them, and sped


s: through the outer door, and let the skin fall from his


s: hand. And the hounds he chid and drave them this way and


s: that, with a shower of stones, and he spake unto his lord,


s: 'Old man, truly the dogs went nigh to be the death of thee


s: all of a sudden, so shouldest thou have brought shame on


s: me. Yea, and the gods have given me other pains and griefs


s: enough. Here I sit, mourning and sorrowing for my godlike


s: lord, and foster the fat swine for others to eat, while he


s: craving, perchance, for food, wanders over some land and


s: city of men of a strange speech, if haply he yet lives and


s: beholds the sunlight. But come with me, let us to the inner


s: steading, old man, that when thy heart is satisfied with


s: bread and wine, thou too mayest tell thy tale and declare


s: whence thou art, and how many woes thou hast endured.'


s: Therewith the goodly swineherd led him to the steading, and


s: took him in and set him down, and strewed beneath him thick


s: brushwood, and spread thereon the hide of a shaggy wild


s: goat, wide and soft, which served himself for a mattress.


s: And Odysseus rejoiced that he had given him such welcome,


s: 'May Zeus, O stranger, and all the other deathless gods


s: grant thee thy dearest wish, since thou hast received me


s: Then, O swineherd Eumaeus, didst thou answer him, saying:


s: 'Guest of mine, it were an impious thing for me to slight a


s: stranger, even if there came a meaner man than thou; for


s: from Zeus are all strangers and beggars; and a little gift


s: from such as we, is dear; for this is the way with thralls,


s: who are ever in fear when young lords like ours bear rule


s: over them. For surely the gods have stayed the returning of


s: my master, who would have loved me diligently, and given me


s: somewhat of my own, a house and a parcel of ground, and a


s: comely {*} wife, such as a kind lord gives to his man, who


s: hath laboured much for him and the work of whose hands God


s: hath likewise increased, even as he increaseth this work of


s: mine whereat I abide. Therefore would my lord have rewarded


s: me greatly, had he grown old at home. But he hath perished,


s: as I would that all the stock of Helen had perished


s: utterly, forasmuch as she hath caused the loosening of many


s: a man's knees. For he too departed to Ilios of the goodly


s: steeds, to get atonement for Agamemnon, that so he might


s: Therewith he quickly bound up his doublet with his girdle,


s: and went his way to the styes, where the tribes of the


s: swine were penned. Thence he took and brought forth two,


s: and sacrificed them both, and singed them and cut them


s: small, and spitted them. And when he had roasted all, he


s: bare and set it by Odysseus, all hot as it was upon the


s: spits, and he sprinkled thereupon white barley-meal. Then


s: in a bowl of ivywood he mixed the honey-sweet wine, and


s: himself sat over against him and bade him fall to:


s: 'Eat now, stranger, such fare as thralls have to hand, even


s: flesh of sucking pigs; but the fatted hogs the wooers


s: devour, for they know not the wrath of the gods nor any


s: pity. Verily the blessed gods love not froward deeds, but


s: they reverence justice and the righteous acts of men. Yet


s: even foes and men unfriendly, that land on a strange coast,


s: and Zeus grants them a prey, and they have laden their


s: ships and depart for home; yea, even on their hearts falls


s: strong fear of the wrath of the gods. But lo you, these men


s: know somewhat,--for they have heard an utterance of a god


s: --, even the tidings of our lord's evil end, seeing that


s: they are not minded justly to woo, nor to go back to their


s: own, but at ease they devour our wealth with insolence, and


s: now there is no sparing. For every day and every night that


s: comes from Zeus, they make sacrifice not of one victim


s: only, nor of two, and wine they draw and waste it


s: riotously. For surely his livelihood was great past


s: telling, no lord in the dark mainland had so much, nor any


s: in Ithaca itself; nay, not twenty men together have wealth


s: so great, and I will tell thee the sum thereof. Twelve


s: herds of kine upon the mainland, as many flocks of sheep,


s: as many droves of swine, as many ranging herds of goats,


s: that his own shepherds and strangers pasture. And ranging


s: herds of goats, eleven in all, graze here by the extremity


s: of the island with trusty men to watch them. And day by day


s: each man of these ever drives one of the flock to the


s: wooers, whichsoever seems the best of the fatted goats. But


s: as for me I guard and keep these swine and I choose out for


s: them, as well as I may, the best of the swine and send it


s: So spake he, but Odysseus ceased not to eat flesh and drink


s: wine right eagerly and in silence, and the while was sowing


s: the seeds of evil for the wooers. Now when he had well


s: eaten and comforted his heart with food, then the herdsman


s: filled him the bowl out of which he was wont himself to


s: drink, and he gave it him brimming with wine, and he took


s: it and was glad at heart, and uttering his voice spake to


s: 'My friend, who was it then that bought thee with his


s: wealth, a man so exceedingly rich and mighty as thou


s: declarest? Thou saidest that he perished to get atonement


s: for Agamemnon; tell me, if perchance I may know him, being


s: such an one as thou sayest. For Zeus, methinks, and the


s: other deathless gods know whether I may bring tidings of


s: having seen him; for I have wandered far.'


s: Then the swineherd, a master of men, answered him: 'Old


s: man, no wanderer who may come hither and bring tidings of


s: him can win the ear of his wife and his dear son; but


s: lightly do vagrants lie when they need entertainment, and


s: care not to tell truth. Whosoever comes straying to the


s: land of Ithaca, goes to my mistress and speaks words of


s: guile. And she receives him kindly and lovingly and


s: inquires of all things, and the tears fall from her eyelids


s: for weeping, as is meet for a woman when her lord hath died


s: afar. And quickly enough wouldst thou too, old man, forge a


s: tale, if any would but give thee a mantle and a doublet for


s: raiment. But as for him, dogs and swift fowls are like


s: already to have torn his skin from the bones, and his


s: spirit hath left him. Or the fishes have eaten him in the


s: deep, and there lie his bones swathed in sand-drift on the


s: shore. Yonder then hath he perished, but for his friends


s: nought is ordained but care, for all, but for me in chief.


s: For never again shall I find a lord so gentle, how far


s: soever I may go, not though again I attain unto the house


s: of my father and my mother, where at first I was born, and


s: they nourished me themselves and with their own hands they


s: reared me. Nor henceforth it is not for these that I sorrow


s: so much, though I long to behold them with mine eyes in


s: mine own country, but desire comes over me for Odysseus who


s: is afar. His name, stranger, even though he is not here, it


s: shameth me to speak, for he loved me exceedingly, and cared


s: for me at heart; nay, I call him "worshipful," albeit he is


s: Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus spake to him again: 'My


s: friend, forasmuch as thou gainsayest utterly, and sayest


s: that henceforth he will not come again, and thine heart is


s: ever slow to believe, therefore will I tell thee not


s: lightly but with an oath, that Odysseus shall return. And


s: let me have the wages of good tidings as soon as ever he in


s: his journeying shall come hither to his home. Then clothe


s: me in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment. But ere that,


s: albeit I am sore in need I will not take aught, for hateful


s: to me even as the gates of hell, is that man, who under


s: stress of poverty speaks words of guile. Now be Zeus my


s: witness before any god, and the hospitable board and the


s: hearth of noble Odysseus whereunto I am come, that all


s: these things shall surely be accomplished even as I tell


s: thee. In this same year Odysseus shall come hither; as the


s: old moon wanes and the new is born shall he return to his


s: home, and shall take vengeance on all who here dishonour


s: Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Old man,


s: it is not I then, that shall ever pay thee these wages of


s: good tidings, nor henceforth shall Odysseus ever come to


s: his home. Nay drink in peace, and let us turn our thoughts


s: to other matters, and bring not these to my remembrance,


s: for surely my heart within me is sorrowful whenever any man


s: puts me in mind of my true lord. But as for thine oath, we


s: will let it go by; yet, oh that Odysseus may come according


s: to my desire, and the desire of Penelope and of that old


s: man Laertes and godlike Telemachus! But now I make a


s: comfortless lament for the boy begotten of Odysseus, even


s: for Telemachus. When the gods had reared him like a young


s: sapling, and I thought that he would be no worse man among


s: men than his dear father, glorious in form and face, some


s: god or some man marred his good wits within him, and he


s: went to fair Pylos after tidings of his sire. And now the


s: lordly wooers lie in wait for him on his way home, that the


s: race of godlike Arceisius may perish nameless out of


s: Ithaca. Howbeit, no more of him now, whether he shall be


s: taken or whether he shall escape, and Cronion stretch out


s: his hand to shield him. But come, old man, do thou tell me


s: of thine own troubles. And herein tell me true, that I may


s: surely know. Who art thou of the sons of men, and whence?


s: Where is thy city, where are they that begat thee? Say on


s: what manner of ship didst thou come, and how did sailors


s: bring thee to Ithaca, and who did they avow them to be? For


s: in nowise do I deem that thou camest hither by land.'


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


s: now, I will tell thee all most plainly. Might we have food


s: and sweet wine enough to last for long, while we abide


s: within thy hut to feast thereon in quiet, and others betake


s: them to their work; then could I easily speak for a whole


s: year, nor yet make a full end of telling all the troubles


s: of my spirit, all the travail I have wrought by the will of


s: 'I avow that I come by lineage from wide Crete, and am the


s: son of a wealthy man. And many other sons he had born and


s: bred in the halls, lawful born of a wedded wife; but the


s: mother that bare me was a concubine bought with a price.


s: Yet Castor son of Hylax, of whose blood I avow me to be,


s: gave me no less honour than his lawful sons. Now he at the


s: time got worship even as a god from the Cretans in the


s: land, for wealth and riches and sons renowned. Howbeit the


s: fates of death bare him away to the house of Hades, and his


s: gallant sons divided among them his living and cast lots


s: for it. But to me they gave a very small gift and assigned


s: me a dwelling, and I took unto me a wife, the daughter of


s: men that had wide lands, by reason of my valour, for that I


s: failed me, yet even so I deem that thou mightest guess from


s: seeing the stubble what the grain has been, for of trouble


s: I have plenty and to spare. But then verily did Ares and


s: Athene give me boldness and courage to hurl through the


s: press of men, whensoever I chose the best warriors for an


s: ambush, sowing the seeds of evil for my foes; no boding of


s: death was ever in my lordly heart, but I would leap out the


s: foremost and slay with the spear whoso of my foes was less


s: fleet of foot than I. Such an one was I in war, but the


s: labour of the field I never loved, nor home-keeping thrift,


s: that breeds brave children, but galleys with their oars


s: were dear to me, and wars and polished shafts and darts--


s: baneful things whereat others use to shudder. But that,


s: methinks, was dear to me which the god put in my heart, for


s: divers men take delight in divers deeds. For ere ever the


s: sons of the Achaeans had set foot on the land of Troy, I


s: had nine times been a leader of men and of swift-faring


s: ships against a strange people, and wealth fell ever to my


s: hands. Of the booty I would choose out for me all that I


s: craved, and much thereafter I won by lot. So my house got


s: increase speedily, and thus I waxed dread and honourable


s: among the Cretans. But when Zeus, of the far-borne voice,


s: devised at the last that hateful path which loosened the


s: knees of many a man in death, then the people called on me


s: and on renowned Idomeneus to lead the ships to Ilios, nor


s: was there any way whereby to refuse, for the people's voice


s: bore hard upon us. There we sons of the Achaeans warred for


s: nine whole years, and then in the tenth year we sacked the


s: city of Priam, and departed homeward with our ships, and a


s: god scattered the Achaeans. But Zeus, the counsellor,


s: devised mischief against me, wretched man that I was! For


s: one month only I abode and had joy in my children and my


s: wedded wife, and all that I had; and thereafter my spirit


s: with my godlike company. Nine ships I fitted out and the


s: host was gathered quickly; and then for six days my dear


s: company feasted, and I gave them many victims that they


s: might sacrifice to the gods and prepare a feast for


s: themselves. But on the seventh day we set sail from wide


s: Crete, with a North Wind fresh and fair, and lightly we ran


s: as it were down stream, yea and no harm came to any ship of


s: mine, but we sat safe and hale, while the wind and the


s: pilots guided the barques. And on the fifth day we came to


s: stayed my curved ships. Then verily I bade my dear


s: companions to abide there by the ships and to guard them,


s: and I sent forth scouts to range the points of outlook. But


s: my men gave place to wantonness, being the fools of their


s: own force, and soon they fell to wasting the fields of the


s: infant children and slew the men. And the cry came quickly


s: to the city, and the people hearing the shout came forth at


s: the breaking of the day, and all the plain was filled with


s: footmen and chariots and with the glitter of bronze. And


s: Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, sent an evil panic upon


s: my company, and none durst stand and face the foe, for


s: danger encompassed us on every side. There they slew many


s: of us with the edge of the sword, and others they led up


s: with them alive to work for them perforce. But as for me,


s: Zeus himself put a thought into my heart; would to God that


s: sorrow was still mine host! Straightway I put off my


s: well-wrought helmet from my head, and the shield from off


s: my shoulders, and I cast away my spear from my hand, and I


s: came over against the chariots of the king, and clasped and


s: kissed his knees, and he saved me and delivered me, and


s: setting me on his own chariot took me weeping to his home.


s: Truly many an one made at me with their ashen spears, eager


s: to slay me, for verily they were sore angered. But the king


s: kept them off and had respect unto the wrath of Zeus, the


s: god of strangers, who chiefly hath displeasure at evil


s: deeds. So for seven whole years I abode with their king,


s: all gave me gifts. But when the eighth year came in due


s: season, there arrived a Phoenician practised in deceit, a


s: greedy knave, who had already done much mischief among men.


s: He wrought on me with his cunning, and took me with him


s: until he came to Phoenicia, where was his house and where


s: his treasures lay. There I abode with him for the space of


s: a full year. But when now the months and days were


s: fulfilled, as the year came round and the seasons returned,


s: he set me aboard a seafaring ship for Libya, under colour


s: as though I was to convey a cargo thither with him, but his


s: purpose was to sell me in Libya, and get a great price. So


s: I went with him on board, perforce, yet boding evil. And


s: the ship ran before a North Wind fresh and fair, through


s: the mid sea over above Crete, and Zeus contrived the


s: destruction of the crew. But when we left Crete, and no


s: land showed in sight but sky and sea only, even then the


s: son of Cronos stayed a dark cloud over the hollow ship, and


s: the deep grew dark beneath it. And in the same moment Zeus


s: thundered and smote his bolt into the ship, and she reeled


s: all over being stricken by the bolt of Zeus, and was filled


s: with fire and brimstone, and all the crew fell overboard.


s: And like sea-gulls they were borne hither and thither on


s: the waves about the black ship, and the god cut off their


s: return. But in this hour of my affliction Zeus himself put


s: into my hands the huge mast of the dark-prowed ship, that


s: even yet I might escape from harm. So I clung round the


s: mast and was borne by the ruinous winds. For nine days was


s: I borne, and on the tenth black night the great rolling


s: wave brought me nigh to the land of the Thesprotians. There


s: the king of the Thesprotians, the lord Pheidon, took me in


s: freely, for his dear son lighted on me and raised me by the


s: hand and led me to his house, foredone with toil and the


s: keen air, till he came to his father's palace. And he


s: clothed me in a mantle and a doublet for raiment.


s: 'There I heard tidings of Odysseus, for the king told me


s: that he had entertained him, and kindly entreated him on


s: his way to his own country; and he showed me all the wealth


s: that Odysseus had gathered, bronze and gold and


s: well-wrought iron; yea it would suffice for his children


s: after him even to the tenth generation, so great were the


s: treasures he had stored in the chambers of the king. He had


s: gone, he said, to Dodona to hear the counsel of Zeus, from


s: the high leafy oak tree of the god, how he should return to


s: the fat land of Ithaca after long absence, whether openly


s: or by stealth. Moreover, he sware, in mine own presence, as


s: he poured the drink offering in his house, that the ship


s: was drawn down to the sea and his company were ready, who


s: were to convey him to his own dear country. But ere that,


s: he sent me off, for it chanced that a ship of the


s: Thesprotians was starting for Dulichium, a land rich in


s: grain. Thither he bade them bring me with all diligence to


s: the king Acastus. But an evil counsel concerning me found


s: favour in their sight, that even yet I might reach the


s: extremity of sorrow. When the seafaring ship had sailed a


s: great way from the land, anon they sought how they might


s: compass for me the day of slavery. They stript me of my


s: garments, my mantle and a doublet, and changed my raiment


s: to a vile wrap and doublet, tattered garments, even those


s: thou seest now before thee; and in the evening they reached


s: the fields of clear-seen Ithaca. There in the decked ship


s: they bound me closely with a twisted rope, and themselves


s: went ashore, and hasted to take supper by the sea-banks.


s: Meanwhile the gods themselves lightly unclasped my bands,


s: and muffling my head with the wrap I slid down the smooth


s: lading-plank, and set my breast to the sea and rowed hard


s: with both hands as I swam, and very soon I was out of the


s: water and beyond their reach. Then I went up where there


s: was a thicket, a wood in full leaf, and lay there


s: crouching. And they went hither and thither making great


s: moan; but when now it seemed to them little avail to go


s: further on their quest, they departed back again aboard


s: their hollow ship. And the gods themselves hid me easily


s: and brought me nigh to the homestead of a wise man; for


s: still, methinks, I am ordained to live on.'


s: Then didst thou make answer to him, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Ah!


s: wretched guest, verily thou hast stirred my heart with the


s: tale of all these things, of thy sufferings and thy


s: wanderings. Yet herein, methinks, thou speakest not aright,


s: and never shalt thou persuade me with the tale about


s: Odysseus; why should one in thy plight lie vainly? Well I


s: know of mine own self, as touching my lord's return, that


s: he was utterly hated by all the gods, in that they smote


s: him not among the Trojans nor in the arms of his friends,


s: when he had wound up the clew of war. So should the whole


s: Achaean host have builded him a barrow; yea and for his son


s: would he have won great glory in the after days; but now


s: all ingloriously the spirits of the storm have snatched him


s: away. But as for me I dwell apart by the swine and go not


s: to the city, unless perchance wise Penelope summons me


s: thither, when tidings of my master are brought I know not


s: whence. Now all the people sit round and straitly question


s: the news-bearer, both such as grieve for their lord that is


s: long gone, and such as rejoice in devouring his living


s: without atonement. But I have no care to ask or to inquire,


s: since the day that an Aetolian cheated me with his story,


s: one who had slain his man and wandered over wide lands and


s: came to my steading, and I dealt lovingly with him. He said


s: that he had seen my master among the Cretans at the house


s: of Idomeneus, mending his ships which the storms had


s: broken. And he said that he would come home either by the


s: summer or the harvest-tide, bringing much wealth with the


s: godlike men of his company. And thou too, old man of many


s: sorrows, seeing that some god hath brought thee to me, seek


s: not my grace with lies, nor give me any such comfort; not


s: for this will I have respect to thee or hold thee dear, but


s: only for the fear of Zeus, the god of strangers, and for


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


s: thy heart within thee is slow to believe, seeing that even


s: with an oath I have not won thee, nor find credence with


s: thee. But come now, let us make a covenant; and we will


s: each one have for witnesses the gods above, who hold


s: Olympus. If thy lord shall return to this house, put on me


s: a mantle and doublet for raiment, and send me on my way to


s: Dulichium, whither I had a desire to go. But if thy lord


s: return not according to my word, set thy thralls upon me,


s: and cast me down from a mighty rock, that another beggar in


s: And the goodly swineherd answered him, saying: 'Yea


s: stranger, even so should I get much honour and good luck


s: among men both now and ever hereafter, if after bringing


s: thee to my hut and giving thee a stranger's cheer, I should


s: turn again and slay thee and take away thy dear life. Eager


s: indeed thereafter should I be to make a prayer to Zeus the


s: son of Cronos! But now it is supper-time, and would that my


s: fellows may speedily be at home, that we may make ready a


s: Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, the swine and the


s: swineherds drew nigh. And the swine they shut up to sleep


s: in their lairs, and a mighty din arose as the swine were


s: being stalled. Then the goodly swineherd called to his


s: 'Bring the best of the swine, that I may sacrifice it for a


s: guest of mine from a far land: and we too will have good


s: cheer therewith, for we have long suffered and toiled by


s: reason of the white-tusked swine, while others devour the


s: Therewithal he cleft logs with the pitiless axe, and the


s: others brought in a well-fatted boar of five years old; and


s: they set him by the hearth nor did the swineherd forget the


s: deathless gods, for he was of an understanding heart. But


s: for a beginning of sacrifice he cast bristles from the head


s: of the white-tusked boar upon the fire, and prayed to all


s: the gods that wise Odysseus might return to his own house.


s: Then he stood erect, and smote the boar with a billet of


s: oak which he had left in the cleaving, and the boar yielded


s: up his life. Then they cut the throat and singed the


s: carcass and quickly cut it up, and the swineherd took a


s: first portion from all the limbs, and laid the raw flesh on


s: the rich fat. And some pieces he cast into the fire after


s: sprinkling them with bruised barley-meal, and they cut the


s: rest up small, and pierced it, and spitted and roasted it


s: carefully, and drew it all off from the spits, and put the


s: whole mess together on trenchers. Then the swineherd stood


s: up to carve, for well he knew what was fair, and he cut up


s: the whole and divided it into seven portions. One, when he


s: had prayed, he set aside for the nymphs and for Hermes son


s: of Maia, and the rest he distributed to each. And he gave


s: Odysseus the portion of honour, the long back of the


s: white-tusked boar, and the soul of his lord rejoiced at


s: this renown, and Odysseus of many counsels hailed him


s: 'Eumaeus, oh that thou mayest so surely be dear to father


s: Zeus, as thou art to me, seeing that thou honourest me with


s: Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus:


s: 'Eat, luckless stranger, and make merry with such fare as


s: is here. And one thing the god will give and another


s: withhold, even as he will, for with him all things are


s: So he spake, and made burnt offering of the hallowed parts


s: to the everlasting gods, and poured the dark wine for a


s: drink offering, and set the cup in the hands of Odysseus,


s: the waster of cities, and sat down by his own mess. And


s: Mesaulius bare them wheaten bread, a thrall that the


s: swineherd had gotten all alone, while his lord was away,


s: without the knowledge of his mistress and the old Laertes:


s: yea he had bought him of the Taphians with his own


s: substance. So they stretched forth their hands upon the


s: good cheer spread before them. Now after they had put from


s: them the desire of meat and drink, Mesaulius cleared away


s: the bread, and they, now that they had eaten enough of


s: bread and flesh, were moved to go to rest.


s: Now it was so that night came on foul with a blind moon,


s: and Zeus rained the whole night through, and still the


s: great West Wind, the rainy wind, was blowing. Then Odysseus


s: spake among them that he might make trial of the swineherd,


s: and see whether he would take off his own mantle and give


s: it to him or bid one of his company strip, since he cared


s: 'Listen now, Eumaeus, and all of you his companions, with a


s: prayer will I utter my word; so bids me witless wine, which


s: drives even the wisest to sing and to laugh softly, and


s: rouses him to dance, yea and makes him to speak out a word


s: which were better unspoken. Howbeit, now that I have broken


s: into speech, I will not hide aught. Oh that I were young,


s: and my might were steadfast, as in the day when we arrayed


s: our ambush and led it beneath Troy town! And Odysseus, and


s: Menelaus son of Atreus, were leaders and with them I was a


s: third in command; for so they bade me. Now when we had come


s: to the city and the steep wall, we lay about the citadel in


s: the thick brushwood, crouching under our arms among the


s: reeds and the marsh land, and behold, the night came on


s: foul, with frost, as the North Wind went down, while the


s: snow fell from above, and crusted like rime, bitter cold,


s: and the ice set thick about our shields. Now the others all


s: had mantles and doublets, and slept in peace with their


s: shields buckled close about their shoulders; but I as I


s: went forth had left my mantle behind with my men, in my


s: folly, thinking that even so I should not be cold: so I


s: came with only my shield and bright leathern apron. But


s: when it was now the third watch of the night and the stars


s: had passed the zenith, in that hour I spake unto Odysseus


s: who was nigh me, and thrust him with my elbow, and he


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


s: devices, verily I shall cease from among living men, for


s: this wintry cold is slaying me, seeing that I have no


s: mantle. Some god beguiled me to wear a doublet only, and


s: 'So I spake, and he apprehended a thought in his heart,


s: such an one as he was in counsel and in fight. So he


s: '"Be silent now, lest some other Achaeans hear thee."


s: Therewith he raised his head upon his elbow, and spake,


s: saying: "Listen, friends, a vision from a god came to me in


s: my sleep. Lo, we have come very far from the ships; I would


s: there were one to tell it to Agamemnon, son of Atreus,


s: shepherd of the host, if perchance he may send us hither a


s: 'So spake he, and Thoas, son of Andraemon, rose up quickly


s: and cast off his purple mantle. And he started to run unto


s: the ships, but I lay gladly in his garment, and the


s: golden-throned Dawn showed her light. Oh! that I were young


s: as then and my might steadfast! Then should some of the


s: swineherds in the homestead give me a mantle, alike for


s: love's sake and for pity of a good warrior. But now they


s: scorn me for that sorry raiment is about my body.'


s: Then didst thou make answer, O swineherd Eumaeus: 'Old man,


s: the tale that thou hast told in his praise is very good,


s: and so far thou hast not misspoken aught, nor uttered a


s: word unprofitably. Wherefore for this night thou shalt lack


s: neither raiment nor aught else that is the due of a hapless


s: suppliant, when he has met them that can befriend him. But


s: in the morning thou shalt go shuffling in thine own rags,


s: for there are not many mantles here or changes of doublet;


s: for each man hath but one coat. But when the dear son of


s: Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle and


s: doublet for raiment, and send thee whithersoever thy heart


s: With that he sprang up and set a bed for Odysseus near the


s: fire, and thereon he cast skins of sheep and goats. There


s: Odysseus laid him down and Eumaeus cast a great thick


s: mantle over him, which he had ever by him for a change of


s: covering, when any terrible storm should arise.


s: So there Odysseus slept, and the young men slept beside


s: him. But the swineherd had no mind to lie there in a bed


s: away from the boars. So he made him ready to go forth and


s: Odysseus was glad, because he had a great care for his


s: master's substance while he was afar. First he cast his


s: sharp sword about his strong shoulders, then he clad him in


s: a very thick mantle, to keep the wind away; and he caught


s: up the fleece of a great and well-fed goat, and seized his


s: sharp javelin, to defend him against dogs and men. Then he


s: went to lay him down even where the white-tusked boars were


s: sleeping, beneath the hollow of the rock, in a place of


s: Pallas sends home Telemachus from Lacedaemon with the


s: presents given him by Menelaus. Telemachus landed, goes


s: Now Pallas Athene went to the wide land of Lacedaemon, to


s: put the noble son of the great-hearted Odysseus in mind of


s: his return, and to make him hasten his coming. And she


s: found Telemachus, and the glorious son of Nestor, couched


s: at the vestibule of the house of famous Menelaus. The son


s: of Nestor truly was overcome with soft sleep, but sweet


s: sleep gat not hold of Telemachus, but, through the night


s: divine, careful thoughts for his father kept him wakeful.


s: And grey-eyed Athene stood nigh him and spake to him,


s: 'Telemachus, it is no longer meet that thou shouldest


s: wander far from thy home, leaving thy substance behind


s: thee, and men in thy house so wanton, lest they divide and


s: utterly devour all thy wealth, and thou shalt have gone on


s: a vain journey. But come, rouse with all haste Menelaus, of


s: the loud war-cry, to send thee on thy way, that thou mayest


s: even yet find thy noble mother in her home. For even now


s: her father and her brethren bid her wed Eurymachus, for he


s: outdoes all the wooers in his presents, and hath been


s: greatly increasing his gifts of wooing. So shall she take


s: no treasure from thy house despite thy will. Thou knowest


s: of what sort is the heart of a woman within her; all her


s: desire is to increase the house of the man who takes her to


s: wife, but of her former children and of her own dear lord


s: she has no more memory once he is dead, and she asks


s: concerning him no more. Go then, and thyself place all thy


s: substance in the care of the handmaid who seems to thee the


s: best, till the day when the gods shall show thee a glorious


s: bride. Now another word will I tell thee, and do thou lay


s: it up in thine heart. The noblest of the wooers lie in wait


s: for thee of purpose, in the strait between Ithaca and


s: rugged Samos, eager to slay thee before thou come to thine


s: own country. But this, methinks, will never be; yea, sooner


s: shall the earth close over certain of the wooers that


s: devour thy livelihood. Nay, keep thy well-wrought ship far


s: from those isles, and sail by night as well as day, and he


s: of the immortals who hath thee in his keeping and


s: protection will send thee a fair breeze in thy wake. But


s: when thou hast touched the nearest shore of Ithaca, send


s: thy ship and all thy company forward to the city, but for


s: thy part seek first the swineherd who keeps thy swine,


s: loyal and at one with thee. There do thou rest the night,


s: and bid him go to the city to bear tidings of thy coming to


s: the wise Penelope, how that she hath got thee safe, and


s: Therewith she departed to high Olympus. But Telemachus woke


s: the son of Nestor out of sweet sleep, touching him with his


s: 'Awake, Peisistratus, son of Nestor, bring up thy horses of


s: solid hoof, and yoke them beneath the car, that we may get


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


s: 'Telemachus, we may in no wise drive through the dark


s: night, how eager soever to be gone; nay, soon it will be


s: dawn. Tarry then, till the hero, the son of Atreus,


s: spear-famed Menelaus, brings gifts, and sets them on the


s: car, and bespeaks thee kindly, and sends thee on thy way.


s: For of him a guest is mindful all the days of his life,


s: even of the host that shows him loving-kindness.'


s: So spake he, and anon came the golden-throned Dawn. And


s: Menelaus, of the loud war cry, drew nigh to them, new risen


s: from his bed, by fair-haired Helen. Now when the dear son


s: of Odysseus marked him, he made haste and girt his shining


s: doublet about him, and the hero cast a great mantle over


s: his mighty shoulders, and went forth at the door, and


s: Telemachus, dear son of divine Odysseus, came up and spake


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


s: people, even now do thou speed me hence, to mine own dear


s: country; for even now my heart is fain to come home again.'


s: Then Menelaus, of the loud war cry, answered him:


s: 'Telemachus, as for me, I will not hold thee a long time


s: here, that art eager to return; nay, I think it shame even


s: in another host, who loves overmuch or hates overmuch.


s: Measure is best in all things. He does equal wrong who


s: speeds a guest that would fain abide, and stays one who is


s: in haste to be gone. Men should lovingly entreat the


s: present guest and speed the parting. But abide till I bring


s: fair gifts and set them on the car and thine own eyes


s: behold them, and I bid the women to prepare the midday meal


s: in the halls, out of the good store they have within.


s: Honour and glory it is for us, and gain withal for thee,


s: that ye should have eaten well ere ye go on your way, over


s: vast and limitless lands. What and if thou art minded to


s: pass through Hellas and mid Argos? So shall I too go with


s: thee, and yoke thee horses and lead thee to the towns of


s: men, and none shall send us empty away, but will give us


s: some one thing to take with us, either a tripod of goodly


s: bronze or a cauldron, or two mules or a golden chalice.'


s: Then wise Telemachus answered him saying: 'Menelaus, son of


s: Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the people, rather


s: would I return even now to mine own land, for I left none


s: behind to watch over my goods when I departed. I would not


s: that I myself should perish on the quest of my godlike


s: father, nor that any good heir-loom should be lost from my


s: Now when Menelaus, of the loud war cry, heard this saying,


s: straightway he bade his wife and maids to prepare the


s: midday meal in the halls, out of the good store they had by


s: them. Then Eteoneus, son of Boethous, came nigh him, just


s: risen from his bed, for he abode not far from him. Him


s: Menelaus of the loud war cry bade kindle the fire and roast


s: of the flesh; and he hearkened and obeyed. Then the prince


s: went down into the fragrant treasure chamber, not alone,


s: for Helen went with him, and Megapenthes. Now, when they


s: came to the place where the treasures were stored, then


s: Atrides took a two-handled cup, and bade his son


s: Megapenthes to bear a mixing bowl of silver. And Helen


s: stood by the coffers, wherein were her robes of curious


s: needlework which she herself had wrought. Then Helen, the


s: fair lady, lifted one and brought it out, the widest and


s: most beautifully embroidered of all, and it shone like a


s: Then they went forth through the house till they came to


s: Telemachus; and Menelaus, of the fair hair, spake to him


s: 'Telemachus, may Zeus the thunderer, and the lord of Here,


s: in very truth bring about thy return according to the


s: desire of thy heart. And of the gifts, such as are


s: treasures stored in my house, I will give thee the


s: goodliest and greatest of price. I will give thee a mixing


s: bowl beautifully wrought; it is all of silver and the lips


s: thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; and


s: the hero Phaedimus the king of the Sidonians, gave it to me


s: when his house sheltered me, on my coming thither. This cup


s: Therewith the hero Atrides set the two-handled cup in his


s: hands. And the strong Megapenthes bare the shining silver


s: bowl and set it before him. And Helen came up, beautiful


s: Helen, with the robe in her hands, and spake and hailed


s: 'Lo! I too give thee this gift, dear child, a memorial of


s: the hands of Helen, against the day of thy desire, even of


s: thy bridal, for thy bride to wear it. But meanwhile let it


s: lie by thy dear mother in her chamber. And may joy go with


s: thee to thy well-builded house, and thine own country.'


s: With that she put it into his hands, and he took it and was


s: glad. And the hero Peisistratus took the gifts and laid


s: them in the chest of the car, and gazed on all and


s: wondered. Then Menelaus of the fair hair led them to the


s: house. Then they twain sat them down on chairs and high


s: seats, and a handmaid bare water for the hands in a goodly


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


s: wash withal, and drew to their side a polished table. And a


s: grave dame bare wheaten bread and set it by them, and laid


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


s: she had by her. And the son of Boethous carved by the board


s: and divided the messes, and the son of renowned Menelaus


s: poured forth the wine. So they stretched forth their hands


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


s: from them the desire of meat and drink, then did Telemachus


s: and the glorious son of Nestor yoke the horses and climb


s: into the inlaid car. And they drave forth from the gateway


s: and the echoing gallery. After these Menelaus, of the fair


s: hair, the son of Atreus, went forth bearing in his right


s: hand a golden cup of honey-hearted wine, that they might


s: pour a drink-offering ere they departed. And he stood


s: before the horses and spake his greeting:


s: 'Farewell, knightly youths, and salute in my name Nestor,


s: the shepherd of the people; for truly he was gentle to me


s: as a father, while we sons of the Achaeans warred in the


s: And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Yea verily, O


s: fosterling of Zeus, we will tell him all on our coming even


s: as thou sayest. Would God that when I return to Ithaca I


s: may find Odysseus in his home and tell him all, so surely


s: as now I go on my way having met with all loving-kindness


s: at thy hands, and take with me treasures many and goodly!'


s: And even as he spake a bird flew forth at his right hand,


s: an eagle that bare in his claws a great white goose, a tame


s: fowl from the yard, and men and women followed shouting.


s: But the bird drew near them and flew off to the right,


s: across the horses, and they that saw it were glad, and


s: their hearts were all comforted within them. And


s: Peisistratus, son of Nestor, first spake among them:


s: 'Consider, Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the


s: people, whether god hath showed forth this sign for us


s: So spake he, and the warrior Menelaus pondered thereupon,


s: how he should take heed to answer, and interpret it aright.


s: And long-robed Helen took the word and spake, saying: 'Hear


s: me, and I will prophesy as the immortals put it into my


s: heart, and as I deem it will be accomplished. Even as


s: yonder eagle came down from the hill, the place of his


s: birth and kin, and snatched away the goose that was


s: fostered in the house, even so shall Odysseus return home


s: after much trial and long wanderings and take vengeance;


s: yea, or even now is he at home and sowing the seeds of evil


s: Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'Now may Zeus


s: ordain it so, Zeus the thunderer and the lord of Here. Then


s: would I do thee worship, as to a god, even in my home


s: He spake and smote the horses with the lash, and they sped


s: quickly towards the plain, in eager course through the


s: city. So all day long they swayed the yoke they bore upon


s: their necks. And the sun sank, and all the ways were


s: darkened. And they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles,


s: son of Orsilochus, the child begotten of Alpheus. There


s: they rested for the night, and by them he set the


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


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


s: they drave from the gateway and the echoing gallery. And he


s: touched the horses with the whip to start them, and the


s: pair flew onward nothing loth. And soon thereafter they


s: reached the steep hold of Pylos. Then Telemachus spake unto


s: 'Son of Nestor, in what wise mightest thou make me a


s: promise and fulfil my bidding? For we claim to be friends


s: by reason of our fathers' friendship from of old. Moreover


s: we are equals in age, and this journey shall turn to our


s: greater love. Take me not hence past my ship, O fosterling


s: of Zeus, but leave me there, lest that old man keep me in


s: his house in my despite, out of his eager kindness, for I


s: So spake he, and the some of Nestor communed with his own


s: heart how he might make promise, and duly fulfil the same.


s: So as he thought thereon, in this wise it seemed to him


s: best. He turned back his horses toward the swift ship and


s: the sea-banks, and took forth the fair gifts and set them


s: in the hinder part of the ship, the raiment and the gold


s: which Menelaus gave him. And he called to Telemachus and


s: 'Now climb the ship with all haste, and bid all thy company


s: do likewise, ere I reach home and bring the old man word.


s: For well I know in my mind and heart that, being so wilful


s: of heart, he will not let thee go, but he himself will come


s: hither to bid thee to his house, and methinks that he will


s: not go back without thee; for very wroth will he be despite


s: Thus he spake, and drave the horses with the flowing manes


s: back to the town of the Pylians, and came quickly to the


s: halls. And Telemachus called to his companions and


s: 'Set ye the gear in order, my friends, in the black ship,


s: and let us climb aboard that we may make way upon our


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


s: straightway they embarked and sat upon the benches.


s: Thus was he busy hereat and praying and making


s: burnt-offering to Athene, by the stern of the ship, when


s: there drew nigh him one from a far country, that had slain


s: his man and was fleeing from out of Argos. He was a


s: soothsayer, and by his lineage he came of Melampus, who of


s: old time abode in Pylos, mother of flocks, a rich man and


s: one that had an exceeding goodly house among the Pylians,


s: but afterward he had come to the land of strangers, fleeing


s: from his country and from Neleus, the great-hearted, the


s: proudest of living men, who kept all his goods for a full


s: year by force. All that time Melampus lay bound with hard


s: bonds in the halls of Phylacus, suffering strong pains for


s: the sake of the daughter of Neleus, and for the dread


s: blindness of soul which the goddess, the Erinnys of the


s: dolorous stroke, had laid on him. Howsoever he escaped his


s: fate, and drave away the lowing kine from Phylace to Pylos,


s: and avenged the foul deed upon godlike Neleus, and brought


s: the maiden home to his own brother to wife. As for him, he


s: went to a country of other men, to Argos, the pastureland


s: of horses; for there truly it was ordained that he should


s: dwell, bearing rule over many of the Argives. There he


s: wedded a wife, and builded him a lofty house, and begat


s: Antiphates and Mantius, two mighty sons. Now Antiphates


s: begat Oicles the great-hearted, and Oicles Amphiaraus, the


s: rouser of the host, whom Zeus, lord of the aegis, and


s: Apollo loved with all manner of love. Yet he reached not


s: the threshold of old age, but died in Thebes by reason of a


s: woman's gifts. And the sons born to him were Alcmaeon and


s: Amphilochus. But Mantius begat Polypheides and Cleitus; but


s: it came to pass that the golden-throned Dawn snatched away


s: Cleitus for his very beauty's sake, that he might dwell


s: And Apollo made the high-souled Polypheides a seer, far the


s: chief of human kind, Amphiaraus being now dead. He removed


s: his dwelling to Hypheresia, being angered with his father,


s: and here he abode and prophesied to all men.


s: This man's son it was, Theoclymenus by name, that now drew


s: nigh and stood by Telemachus. And he found him pouring a


s: drink-offering and praying by the swift black ship, and


s: uttering his voice he spake to him winged words:


s: 'Friend, since I find thee making burnt-offering in this


s: place, I pray thee, by thine offerings and by the god, and


s: thereafter by thine own head, and in the name of the men of


s: thy company answer my question truly and hide it not. Who


s: art thou of the sons of men and whence? Where is thy city,


s: And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Yea now,


s: stranger, I will plainly tell thee all. Of Ithaca am I by


s: lineage, and my father is Odysseus, if ever such an one


s: there was, but now hath he perished by an evil fate.


s: Wherefore I have taken my company and a black ship, and


s: have gone forth to hear word of my father that has been


s: Then godlike Theoclymenus spake to him again: 'Even so I


s: too have fled from my country, for the manslaying of one of


s: mine own kin. And many brethren and kinsmen of the slain


s: are in Argos, the pastureland of horses, and rule mightily


s: over the Achaeans. Wherefore now am I an exile to shun


s: death and black fate at their hands, for it is my doom yet


s: to wander among men. Now set me on board ship, since I


s: supplicate thee in my flight, lest they slay me utterly;