s: is not yet bed time--go on, therefore, with your divine story,


s: for I could stay here listening till tomorrow morning, so long


s: as you will continue to tell us of your adventures."


s: "Alcinous," answered Ulysses, "there is a time for making


s: speeches, and a time for going to bed; nevertheless, since you


s: so desire, I will not refrain from telling you the still sadder


s: tale of those of my comrades who did not fall fighting with the


s: Trojans, but perished on their return, through the treachery of


s: "When Proserpine had dismissed the female ghosts in all


s: directions, the ghost of Agamemnon son of Atreus came sadly up


s: to me, surrounded by those who had perished with him in the


s: house of Aegisthus. As soon as he had tasted the blood, he knew


s: me, and weeping bitterly stretched out his arms towards me to


s: embrace me; but he had no strength nor substance any more, and I


s: too wept and pitied him as I beheld him. 'How did you come by


s: your death,' said I, 'King Agamemnon? Did Neptune raise his


s: winds and waves against you when you were at sea, or did your


s: enemies make an end of you on the main land when you were


s: cattle-lifting or sheep-stealing, or while they were fighting in


s: "'Ulysses,' he answered, 'noble son of Laertes, I was not lost


s: at sea in any storm of Neptune's raising, nor did my foes


s: despatch me upon the mainland, but Aegisthus and my wicked wife


s: were the death of me between them. He asked me to his house,


s: feasted me, and then butchered me most miserably as though I


s: were a fat beast in a slaughter house, while all around me my


s: comrades were slain like sheep or pigs for the wedding


s: breakfast, or picnic, or gorgeous banquet of some great


s: nobleman. You must have seen numbers of men killed either in a


s: general engagement, or in single combat, but you never saw


s: anything so truly pitiable as the way in which we fell in that


s: cloister, with the mixing bowl and the loaded tables lying all


s: about, and the ground reeking with our blood. I heard Priam's


s: daughter Cassandra scream as Clytemnestra killed her close


s: beside me. I lay dying upon the earth with the sword in my body,


s: slipped away from me; she would not even close my lips nor my


s: eyes when I was dying, for there is nothing in this world so


s: cruel and so shameless as a woman when she has fallen into such


s: guilt as hers was. Fancy murdering her own husband! I thought I


s: was going to be welcomed home by my children and my servants,


s: but her abominable crime has brought disgrace on herself and all


s: women who shall come after--even on the good ones.'


s: "And I said, 'In truth Jove has hated the house of Atreus from


s: first to last in the matter of their women's counsels. See how


s: many of us fell for Helen's sake, and now it seems that


s: Clytemnestra hatched mischief against you too during your


s: "'Be sure, therefore,' continued Agamemnon, 'and not be too


s: friendly even with your own wife. Do not tell her all that you


s: know perfectly well yourself. Tell her a part only, and keep


s: your own counsel about the rest. Not that your wife, Ulysses, is


s: likely to murder you, for Penelope is a very admirable woman,


s: and has an excellent nature. We left her a young bride with an


s: infant at her breast when we set out for Troy. This child no


s: doubt is now grown up happily to man's estate, {96} and he and


s: his father will have a joyful meeting and embrace one another as


s: it is right they should do, whereas my wicked wife did not even


s: allow me the happiness of looking upon my son, but killed me ere


s: I could do so. Furthermore I say--and lay my saying to your


s: heart--do not tell people when you are bringing your ship to


s: Ithaca, but steal a march upon them, for after all this there is


s: no trusting women. But now tell me, and tell me true, can you


s: give me any news of my son Orestes? Is he in Orchomenus, or at


s: Pylos, or is he at Sparta with Menelaus--for I presume that he


s: "And I said, 'Agamemnon, why do you ask me? I do not know


s: whether your son is alive or dead, and it is not right to talk


s: "As we two sat weeping and talking thus sadly with one another


s: the ghost of Achilles came up to us with Patroclus, Antilochus,


s: and Ajax who was the finest and goodliest man of all the Danaans


s: after the son of Peleus.  The fleet descendant of Aeacus knew me


s: and spoke piteously, saying, 'Ulysses, noble son of Laertes,


s: what deed of daring will you undertake next, that you venture


s: down to the house of Hades among us silly dead, who are but the


s: ghosts of them that can labour no more?'


s: "And I said, 'Achilles, son of Peleus, foremost champion of the


s: Achaeans, I came to consult Teiresias, and see if he could


s: advise me about my return home to Ithaca, for I have never yet


s: been able to get near the Achaean land, nor to set foot in my


s: own country, but have been in trouble all the time. As for you,


s: Achilles, no one was ever yet so fortunate as you have been, nor


s: ever will be, for you were adored by all us Argives as long as


s: you were alive, and now that you are here you are a great prince


s: among the dead. Do not, therefore, take it so much to heart even


s: "'Say not a word,' he answered, 'in death's favour; I would


s: rather be a paid servant in a poor man's house and be above


s: ground than king of kings among the dead. But give me news about


s: my son; is he gone to the wars and will he be a great soldier,


s: or is this not so? Tell me also if you have heard anything about


s: my father Peleus--does he still rule among the Myrmidons, or do


s: they show him no respect throughout Hellas and Phthia now that


s: he is old and his limbs fail him? Could I but stand by his side,


s: in the light of day, with the same strength that I had when I


s: killed the bravest of our foes upon the plain of Troy--could I


s: but be as I then was and go even for a short time to my father's


s: house, any one who tried to do him violence or supersede him


s: "'I have heard nothing,' I answered, 'of Peleus, but I can tell


s: you all about your son Neoptolemus, for I took him in my own


s: ship from Scyros with the Achaeans. In our councils of war


s: before Troy he was always first to speak, and his judgement was


s: unerring. Nestor and I were the only two who could surpass him;


s: and when it came to fighting on the plain of Troy, he would


s: never remain with the body of his men, but would dash on far in


s: front, foremost of them all in valour. Many a man did he kill in


s: battle--I cannot name every single one of those whom he slew


s: while fighting on the side of the Argives, but will only say how


s: he killed that valiant hero Eurypylus son of Telephus, who was


s: the handsomest man I ever saw except Memnon; many others also of


s: the Ceteians fell around him by reason of a woman's bribes.


s: Moreover, when all the bravest of the Argives went inside the


s: horse that Epeus had made, and it was left to me to settle when


s: we should either open the door of our ambuscade, or close it,


s: though all the other leaders and chief men among the Danaans


s: were drying their eyes and quaking in every limb, I never once


s: saw him turn pale nor wipe a tear from his cheek; he was all the


s: time urging me to break out from the horse--grasping the handle


s: of his sword and his bronze-shod spear, and breathing fury


s: against the foe. Yet when we had sacked the city of Priam he got


s: his handsome share of the prize money and went on board (such is


s: the fortune of war) without a wound upon him, neither from a


s: thrown spear nor in close combat, for the rage of Mars is a


s: "When I had told him this, the ghost of Achilles strode off


s: across a meadow full of asphodel, exulting over what I had said


s: "The ghosts of other dead men stood near me and told me each his


s: own melancholy tale; but that of Ajax son of Telamon alone held


s: aloof--still angry with me for having won the cause in our


s: dispute about the armour of Achilles.  Thetis had offered it as


s: a prize, but the Trojan prisoners and Minerva were the judges.


s: Would that I had never gained the day in such a contest, for it


s: cost the life of Ajax, who was foremost of all the Danaans after


s: the son of Peleus, alike in stature and prowess.


s: "When I saw him I tried to pacify him and said, 'Ajax, will you


s: not forget and forgive even in death, but must the judgement


s: about that hateful armour still rankle with you?  It cost us


s: Argives dear enough to lose such a tower of strength as you were


s: to us. We mourned you as much as we mourned Achilles son of


s: Peleus himself, nor can the blame be laid on anything but on the


s: spite which Jove bore against the Danaans, for it was this that


s: made him counsel your destruction--come hither, therefore, bring


s: your proud spirit into subjection, and hear what I can tell


s: "He would not answer, but turned away to Erebus and to the other


s: ghosts; nevertheless, I should have made him talk to me in spite


s: of his being so angry, or I should have gone on talking to him,


s: {97} only that there were still others among the dead whom I


s: "Then I saw Minos son of Jove with his golden sceptre in his


s: hand sitting in judgement on the dead, and the ghosts were


s: gathered sitting and standing round him in the spacious house of


s: Hades, to learn his sentences upon them.


s: "After him I saw huge Orion in a meadow full of asphodel driving


s: the ghosts of the wild beasts that he had killed upon the


s: mountains, and he had a great bronze club in his hand,


s: "And I saw Tityus son of Gaia stretched upon the plain and


s: covering some nine acres of ground. Two vultures on either side


s: of him were digging their beaks into his liver, and he kept on


s: trying to beat them off with his hands, but could not; for he


s: had violated Jove's mistress Leto as she was going through


s: "I saw also the dreadful fate of Tantalus, who stood in a lake


s: that reached his chin; he was dying to quench his thirst, but


s: could never reach the water, for whenever the poor creature


s: stooped to drink, it dried up and vanished, so that there was


s: nothing but dry ground--parched by the spite of heaven. There


s: were tall trees, moreover, that shed their fruit over his


s: head--pears, pomegranates, apples, sweet figs and juicy olives,


s: but whenever the poor creature stretched out his hand to take


s: some, the wind tossed the branches back again to the clouds.


s: "And I saw Sisyphus at his endless task raising his prodigious


s: stone with both his hands. With hands and feet he tried to roll


s: it up to the top of the hill, but always, just before he could


s: roll it over on to the other side, its weight would be too much


s: for him, and the pitiless stone {98} would come thundering down


s: again on to the plain. Then he would begin trying to push it up


s: hill again, and the sweat ran off him and the steam rose after


s: "After him I saw mighty Hercules, but it was his phantom only,


s: for he is feasting ever with the immortal gods, and has lovely


s: Hebe to wife, who is daughter of Jove and Juno.  The ghosts were


s: screaming round him like scared birds flying all whithers. He


s: looked black as night with his bare bow in his hands and his


s: arrow on the string, glaring around as though ever on the point


s: of taking aim. About his breast there was a wondrous golden belt


s: adorned in the most marvellous fashion with bears, wild boars,


s: and lions with gleaming eyes; there was also war, battle, and


s: death.  The man who made that belt, do what he might, would


s: never be able to make another like it. Hercules knew me at once


s: when he saw me, and spoke piteously, saying, 'My poor Ulysses,


s: noble son of Laertes, are you too leading the same sorry kind of


s: life that I did when I was above ground? I was son of Jove, but


s: I went through an infinity of suffering, for I became bondsman


s: to one who was far beneath me--a low fellow who set me all


s: manner of labours.  He once sent me here to fetch the


s: hell-hound--for he did not think he could find anything harder


s: for me than this, but I got the hound out of Hades and brought


s: him to him, for Mercury and Minerva helped me.'


s: "On this Hercules went down again into the house of Hades, but I


s: stayed where I was in case some other of the mighty dead should


s: come to me. And I should have seen still other of them that are


s: gone before, whom I would fain have seen--Theseus and


s: Pirithous--glorious children of the gods, but so many thousands


s: of ghosts came round me and uttered such appalling cries, that I


s: was panic stricken lest Proserpine should send up from the house


s: of Hades the head of that awful monster Gorgon. On this I


s: hastened back to my ship and ordered my men to go on board at


s: once and loose the hawsers; so they embarked and took their


s: places, whereon the ship went down the stream of the river


s: Oceanus.  We had to row at first, but presently a fair wind


s: "After we were clear of the river Oceanus, and had got out into


s: the open sea, we went on till we reached the Aeaean island where


s: there is dawn and sun-rise as in other places.  We then drew our


s: ship on to the sands and got out of her on to the shore, where


s: we went to sleep and waited till day should break.


s: "Then, when the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared,


s: I sent some men to Circe's house to fetch the body of Elpenor.


s: We cut firewood from a wood where the headland jutted out into


s: the sea, and after we had wept over him and lamented him we


s: performed his funeral rites.  When his body and armour had been


s: burned to ashes, we raised a cairn, set a stone over it, and at


s: the top of the cairn we fixed the oar that he had been used to


s: "While we were doing all this, Circe, who knew that we had got


s: back from the house of Hades, dressed herself and came to us as


s: fast as she could; and her maid servants came with her bringing


s: us bread, meat, and wine. Then she stood in the midst of us and


s: said, 'You have done a bold thing in going down alive to the


s: house of Hades, and you will have died twice, to other people's


s: once; now, then, stay here for the rest of the day, feast your


s: fill, and go on with your voyage at daybreak tomorrow morning.


s: In the meantime I will tell Ulysses about your course, and will


s: explain everything to him so as to prevent your suffering from


s: "We agreed to do as she had said, and feasted through the


s: livelong day to the going down of the sun, but when the sun had


s: set and it came on dark, the men laid themselves down to sleep


s: by the stern cables of the ship. Then Circe took me by the hand


s: and bade me be seated away from the others, while she reclined


s: by my side and asked me all about our adventures.


s: "'So far so good,' said she, when I had ended my story, 'and now


s: pay attention to what I am about to tell you--heaven itself,


s: indeed, will recall it to your recollection. First you will come


s: to the Sirens who enchant all who come near them. If any one


s: unwarily draws in too close and hears the singing of the Sirens,


s: his wife and children will never welcome him home again, for


s: they sit in a green field and warble him to death with the


s: sweetness of their song. There is a great heap of dead men's


s: bones lying all around, with the flesh still rotting off them.


s: Therefore pass these Sirens by, and stop your men's ears with


s: wax that none of them may hear; but if you like you can listen


s: yourself, for you may get the men to bind you as you stand


s: upright on a cross piece half way up the mast, {99} and they


s: must lash the rope's ends to the mast itself, that you may have


s: the pleasure of listening. If you beg and pray the men to


s: unloose you, then they must bind you faster.


s: "'When your crew have taken you past these Sirens, I cannot give


s: you coherent directions {100} as to which of two courses you are


s: to take; I will lay the two alternatives before you, and you


s: must consider them for yourself. On the one hand there are some


s: overhanging rocks against which the deep blue waves of


s: Amphitrite beat with terrific fury; the blessed gods call these


s: rocks the Wanderers. Here not even a bird may pass, no, not even


s: the timid doves that bring ambrosia to Father Jove, but the


s: sheer rock always carries off one of them, and Father Jove has


s: to send another to make up their number; no ship that ever yet


s: came to these rocks has got away again, but the waves and


s: whirlwinds of fire are freighted with wreckage and with the


s: bodies of dead men. The only vessel that ever sailed and got


s: through, was the famous Argo on her way from the house of Aetes,


s: and she too would have gone against these great rocks, only that


s: Juno piloted her past them for the love she bore to Jason.


s: "'Of these two rocks the one reaches heaven and its peak is lost


s: in a dark cloud. This never leaves it, so that the top is never


s: clear not even in summer and early autumn. No man though he had


s: twenty hands and twenty feet could get a foothold on it and


s: climb it, for it runs sheer up, as smooth as though it had been


s: polished. In the middle of it there is a large cavern, looking


s: West and turned towards Erebus; you must take your ship this


s: way, but the cave is so high up that not even the stoutest


s: archer could send an arrow into it. Inside it Scylla sits and


s: yelps with a voice that you might take to be that of a young


s: hound, but in truth she is a dreadful monster and no one--not


s: even a god--could face her without being terror-struck. She has


s: twelve mis-shapen feet, and six necks of the most prodigious


s: length; and at the end of each neck she has a frightful head


s: with three rows of teeth in each, all set very close together,


s: so that they would crunch any one to death in a moment, and she


s: sits deep within her shady cell thrusting out her heads and


s: peering all round the rock, fishing for dolphins or dogfish or


s: any larger monster that she can catch, of the thousands with


s: which Amphitrite teems. No ship ever yet got past her without


s: losing some men, for she shoots out all her heads at once, and


s: "'You will find the other rock lie lower, but they are so close


s: together that there is not more than a bow-shot between them. [A


s: large fig tree in full leaf {101} grows upon it], and under it


s: lies the sucking whirlpool of Charybdis.  Three times in the day


s: does she vomit forth her waters, and three times she sucks them


s: down again; see that you be not there when she is sucking, for


s: if you are, Neptune himself could not save you; you must hug the


s: Scylla side and drive ship by as fast as you can, for you had


s: better lose six men than your whole crew.'


s: "'Is there no way,' said I, 'of escaping Charybdis, and at the


s: same time keeping Scylla off when she is trying to harm my men?'


s: "'You dare devil,' replied the goddess, 'you are always wanting


s: to fight somebody or something; you will not let yourself be


s: beaten even by the immortals. For Scylla is not mortal; moreover


s: she is savage, extreme, rude, cruel and invincible. There is no


s: help for it; your best chance will be to get by her as fast as


s: ever you can, for if you dawdle about her rock while you are


s: putting on your armour, she may catch you with a second cast of


s: her six heads, and snap up another half dozen of your men; so


s: drive your ship past her at full speed, and roar out lustily to


s: Crataiis who is Scylla's dam, bad luck to her; she will then


s: stop her from making a second raid upon you.'


s: "'You will now come to the Thrinacian island, and here you will


s: see many herds of cattle and flocks of sheep belonging to the


s: sun-god--seven herds of cattle and seven flocks of sheep, with


s: fifty head in each flock. They do not breed, nor do they become


s: fewer in number, and they are tended by the goddesses Phaethusa


s: and Lampetie, who are children of the sun-god Hyperion by


s: Neaera. Their mother when she had borne them and had done


s: suckling them sent them to the Thrinacian island, which was a


s: long way off, to live there and look after their father's flocks


s: and herds. If you leave these flocks unharmed, and think of


s: nothing but getting home, you may yet after much hardship reach


s: Ithaca; but if you harm them, then I forewarn you of the


s: destruction both of your ship and of your comrades; and even


s: though you may yourself escape, you will return late, in bad


s: "Here she ended, and dawn enthroned in gold began to show in


s: heaven, whereon she returned inland. I then went on board and


s: told my men to loose the ship from her moorings; so they at once


s: got into her, took their places, and began to smite the grey sea


s: with their oars. Presently the great and cunning goddess Circe


s: befriended us with a fair wind that blew dead aft, and staid


s: steadily with us, keeping our sails well filled, so we did


s: whatever wanted doing to the ship's gear, and let her go as wind


s: "Then, being much troubled in mind, I said to my men, 'My


s: friends, it is not right that one or two of us alone should know


s: the prophecies that Circe has made me, I will therefore tell you


s: about them, so that whether we live or die we may do so with our


s: eyes open. First she said we were to keep clear of the Sirens,


s: who sit and sing most beautifully in a field of flowers; but she


s: said I might hear them myself so long as no one else did.


s: Therefore, take me and bind me to the crosspiece half way up the


s: mast; bind me as I stand upright, with a bond so fast that I


s: cannot possibly break away, and lash the rope's ends to the mast


s: itself. If I beg and pray you to set me free, then bind me more


s: "I had hardly finished telling everything to the men before we


s: reached the island of the two Sirens, {102} for the wind had


s: been very favourable. Then all of a sudden it fell dead calm;


s: there was not a breath of wind nor a ripple upon the water, so


s: the men furled the sails and stowed them; then taking to their


s: oars they whitened the water with the foam they raised in


s: rowing. Meanwhile I look a large wheel of wax and cut it up


s: small with my sword. Then I kneaded the wax in my strong hands


s: till it became soft, which it soon did between the kneading and


s: the rays of the sun-god son of Hyperion. Then I stopped the ears


s: of all my men, and they bound me hands and feet to the mast as I


s: stood upright on the cross piece; but they went on rowing


s: themselves. When we had got within earshot of the land, and the


s: ship was going at a good rate, the Sirens saw that we were


s: getting in shore and began with their singing.


s: "'Come here,' they sang, 'renowned Ulysses, honour to the


s: Achaean name, and listen to our two voices. No one ever sailed


s: past us without staying to hear the enchanting sweetness of our


s: song--and he who listens will go on his way not only charmed,


s: but wiser, for we know all the ills that the gods laid upon the


s: Argives and Trojans before Troy, and can tell you everything


s: that is going to happen over the whole world.'


s: "They sang these words most musically, and as I longed to hear


s: them further I made signs by frowning to my men that they should


s: set me free; but they quickened their stroke, and Eurylochus and


s: Perimedes bound me with still stronger bonds till we had got out


s: of hearing of the Sirens' voices. Then my men took the wax from


s: "Immediately after we had got past the island I saw a great wave


s: from which spray was rising, and I heard a loud roaring sound.


s: The men were so frightened that they loosed hold of their oars,


s: for the whole sea resounded with the rushing of the waters,


s: {103} but the ship stayed where it was, for the men had left off


s: rowing. I went round, therefore, and exhorted them man by man


s: "'My friends,' said I, 'this is not the first time that we have


s: been in danger, and we are in nothing like so bad a case as when


s: the Cyclops shut us up in his cave; nevertheless, my courage and


s: wise counsel saved us then, and we shall live to look back on


s: all this as well. Now, therefore, let us all do as I say, trust


s: in Jove and row on with might and main. As for you, coxswain,


s: these are your orders; attend to them, for the ship is in your


s: hands; turn her head away from these steaming rapids and hug the


s: rock, or she will give you the slip and be over yonder before


s: you know where you are, and you will be the death of us.'


s: "So they did as I told them; but I said nothing about the awful


s: monster Scylla, for I knew the men would not go on rowing if I


s: did, but would huddle together in the hold. In one thing only


s: did I disobey Circe's strict instructions--I put on my armour.


s: Then seizing two strong spears I took my stand on the ship's


s: bows, for it was there that I expected first to see the monster


s: of the rock, who was to do my men so much harm; but I could not


s: make her out anywhere, though I strained my eyes with looking


s: "Then we entered the Straits in great fear of mind, for on the


s: one hand was Scylla, and on the other dread Charybdis kept


s: sucking up the salt water. As she vomited it up, it was like the


s: water in a cauldron when it is boiling over upon a great fire,


s: and the spray reached the top of the rocks on either side. When


s: she began to suck again, we could see the water all inside


s: whirling round and round, and it made a deafening sound as it


s: broke against the rocks. We could see the bottom of the


s: whirlpool all black with sand and mud, and the men were at their


s: wits ends for fear. While we were taken up with this, and were


s: expecting each moment to be our last, Scylla pounced down


s: suddenly upon us and snatched up my six best men. I was looking


s: at once after both ship and men, and in a moment I saw their


s: hands and feet ever so high above me, struggling in the air as


s: Scylla was carrying them off, and I heard them call out my name


s: in one last despairing cry. As a fisherman, seated, spear in


s: hand, upon some jutting rock {104} throws bait into the water to


s: deceive the poor little fishes, and spears them with the ox's


s: horn with which his spear is shod, throwing them gasping on to


s: the land as he catches them one by one--even so did Scylla land


s: these panting creatures on her rock and munch them up at the


s: mouth of her den, while they screamed and stretched out their


s: hands to me in their mortal agony. This was the most sickening


s: sight that I saw throughout all my voyages.


s: "When we had passed the [Wandering] rocks, with Scylla and


s: terrible Charybdis, we reached the noble island of the sun-god,


s: where were the goodly cattle and sheep belonging to the sun


s: Hyperion. While still at sea in my ship I could bear the cattle


s: lowing as they came home to the yards, and the sheep bleating.


s: Then I remembered what the blind Theban prophet Teiresias had


s: told me, and how carefully Aeaean Circe had warned me to shun


s: the island of the blessed sun-god. So being much troubled I said


s: to the men, 'My men, I know you are hard pressed, but listen


s: while I tell you the prophecy that Teiresias made me, and how


s: carefully Aeaean Circe warned me to shun the island of the


s: blessed sun-god, for it was here, she said, that our worst


s: danger would lie. Head the ship, therefore, away from the


s: "The men were in despair at this, and Eurylochus at once gave me


s: an insolent answer. 'Ulysses,' said he, 'you are cruel; you are


s: very strong yourself and never get worn out; you seem to be made


s: of iron, and now, though your men are exhausted with toil and


s: want of sleep, you will not let them land and cook themselves a


s: good supper upon this island, but bid them put out to sea and go


s: faring fruitlessly on through the watches of the flying night.


s: It is by night that the winds blow hardest and do so much


s: damage; how can we escape should one of those sudden squalls


s: spring up from South West or West, which so often wreck a vessel


s: when our lords the gods are unpropitious?  Now, therefore, let


s: us obey the behests of night and prepare our supper here hard by


s: the ship; to-morrow morning we will go on board again and put


s: "Thus spoke Eurylochus, and the men approved his words. I saw


s: that heaven meant us a mischief and said, 'You force me to


s: yield, for you are many against one, but at any rate each one of


s: you must take his solemn oath that if he meet with a herd of


s: cattle or a large flock of sheep, he will not be so mad as to


s: kill a single head of either, but will be satisfied with the


s: "They all swore as I bade them, and when they had completed


s: their oath we made the ship fast in a harbour that was near a


s: stream of fresh water, and the men went ashore and cooked their


s: suppers. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, they


s: began talking about their poor comrades whom Scylla had snatched


s: up and eaten; this set them weeping and they went on crying till


s: "In the third watch of the night when the stars had shifted


s: their places, Jove raised a great gale of wind that flew a


s: hurricane so that land and sea were covered with thick clouds,


s: and night sprang forth out of the heavens. When the child of


s: morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, we brought the ship to


s: land and drew her into a cave wherein the sea-nymphs hold their


s: courts and dances, and I called the men together in council.


s: "'My friends,' said I, 'we have meat and drink in the ship, let


s: us mind, therefore, and not touch the cattle, or we shall suffer


s: for it; for these cattle and sheep belong to the mighty sun, who


s: sees and gives ear to everything.' And again they promised that


s: "For a whole month the wind blew steadily from the South, and


s: there was no other wind, but only South and East. {105} As long


s: as corn and wine held out the men did not touch the cattle when


s: they were hungry; when, however, they had eaten all there was in


s: the ship, they were forced to go further afield, with hook and


s: line, catching birds, and taking whatever they could lay their


s: hands on; for they were starving. One day, therefore, I went up


s: inland that I might pray heaven to show me some means of getting


s: away.  When I had gone far enough to be clear of all my men, and


s: had found a place that was well sheltered from the wind, I


s: washed my hands and prayed to all the gods in Olympus till by


s: and by they sent me off into a sweet sleep.


s: "Meanwhile Eurylochus had been giving evil counsel to the men,


s: 'Listen to me,' said he, 'my poor comrades. All deaths are bad


s: enough but there is none so bad as famine.  Why should not we


s: drive in the best of these cows and offer them in sacrifice to


s: the immortal gods? If we ever get back to Ithaca, we can build a


s: fine temple to the sun-god and enrich it with every kind of


s: ornament; if, however, he is determined to sink our ship out of


s: revenge for these homed cattle, and the other gods are of the


s: same mind, I for one would rather drink salt water once for all


s: and have done with it, than be starved to death by inches in


s: "Thus spoke Eurylochus, and the men approved his words. Now the


s: cattle, so fair and goodly, were feeding not far from the ship;


s: the men, therefore, drove in the best of them, and they all


s: stood round them saying their prayers, and using young


s: oak-shoots instead of barley-meal, for there was no barley left.


s: When they had done praying they killed the cows and dressed


s: their carcasses; they cut out the thigh bones, wrapped them


s: round in two layers of fat, and set some pieces of raw meat on


s: top of them. They had no wine with which to make drink-offerings


s: over the sacrifice while it was cooking, so they kept pouring on


s: a little water from time to time while the inward meats were


s: being grilled; then, when the thigh bones were burned and they


s: had tasted the inward meats, they cut the rest up small and put


s: "By this time my deep sleep had left me, and I turned back to


s: the ship and to the sea shore. As I drew near I began to smell


s: hot roast meat, so I groaned out a prayer to the immortal gods.


s: 'Father Jove,' I exclaimed, 'and all you other gods who live in


s: everlasting bliss, you have done me a cruel mischief by the


s: sleep into which you have sent me; see what fine work these men


s: of mine have been making in my absence.'


s: "Meanwhile Lampetie went straight off to the sun and told him we


s: had been killing his cows, whereon he flew into a great rage,


s: and said to the immortals, 'Father Jove, and all you other gods


s: who live in everlasting bliss, I must have vengeance on the crew


s: of Ulysses' ship: they have had the insolence to kill my cows,


s: which were the one thing I loved to look upon, whether I was


s: going up heaven or down again. If they do not square accounts


s: with me about my cows, I will go down to Hades and shine there


s: "'Sun,' said Jove, 'go on shining upon us gods and upon mankind


s: over the fruitful earth. I will shiver their ship into little


s: pieces with a bolt of white lightning as soon as they get out to


s: "I was told all this by Calypso, who said she had heard it from


s: "As soon as I got down to my ship and to the sea shore I rebuked


s: each one of the men separately, but we could see no way out of


s: it, for the cows were dead already. And indeed the gods began at


s: once to show signs and wonders among us, for the hides of the


s: cattle crawled about, and the joints upon the spits began to low


s: like cows, and the meat, whether cooked or raw, kept on making a


s: "For six days my men kept driving in the best cows and feasting


s: upon them, but when Jove the son of Saturn had added a seventh


s: day, the fury of the gale abated; we therefore went on board,


s: raised our masts, spread sail, and put out to sea. As soon as we


s: were well away from the island, and could see nothing but sky


s: and sea, the son of Saturn raised a black cloud over our ship,


s: and the sea grew dark beneath it. We did not get on much


s: further, for in another moment we were caught by a terrific


s: squall from the West that snapped the forestays of the mast so


s: that it fell aft, while all the ship's gear tumbled about at the


s: bottom of the vessel. The mast fell upon the head of the


s: helmsman in the ship's stern, so that the bones of his head were


s: crushed to pieces, and he fell overboard as though he were


s: "Then Jove let fly with his thunderbolts, and the ship went


s: round and round, and was filled with fire and brimstone as the


s: lightning struck it. The men all fell into the sea; they were


s: carried about in the water round the ship, looking like so many


s: sea-gulls, but the god presently deprived them of all chance of


s: "I stuck to the ship till the sea knocked her sides from her


s: keel (which drifted about by itself) and struck the mast out of


s: her in the direction of the keel; but there was a backstay of


s: stout ox-thong still hanging about it, and with this I lashed


s: the mast and keel together, and getting astride of them was


s: carried wherever the winds chose to take me.


s: "[The gale from the West had now spent its force, and the wind


s: got into the South again, which frightened me lest I should be


s: taken back to the terrible whirlpool of Charybdis. This indeed


s: was what actually happened, for I was borne along by the waves


s: all night, and by sunrise had reached the rock of Scylla, and


s: the whirlpool. She was then sucking down the salt sea water,


s: {106} but I was carried aloft toward the fig tree, which I


s: caught hold of and clung on to like a bat. I could not plant my


s: feet anywhere so as to stand securely, for the roots were a long


s: way off and the boughs that overshadowed the whole pool were too


s: high, too vast, and too far apart for me to reach them; so I


s: hung patiently on, waiting till the pool should discharge my


s: mast and raft again--and a very long while it seemed. A jury-man


s: is not more glad to get home to supper, after having been long


s: detained in court by troublesome cases, than I was to see my


s: raft beginning to work its way out of the whirlpool again. At


s: last I let go with my hands and feet, and fell heavily into the


s: sea, hard by my raft on to which I then got, and began to row


s: with my hands. As for Scylla, the father of gods and men would


s: not let her get further sight of me--otherwise I should have


s: "Hence I was carried along for nine days till on the tenth night


s: the gods stranded me on the Ogygian island, where dwells the


s: great and powerful goddess Calypso. She took me in and was kind


s: to me, but I need say no more about this, for I told you and


s: your noble wife all about it yesterday, and I hate saying the


s: Thus did he speak, and they all held their peace throughout the


s: covered cloister, enthralled by the charm of his story, till


s: "Ulysses," said he, "now that you have reached my house I doubt


s: not you will get home without further misadventure no matter how


s: much you have suffered in the past. To you others, however, who


s: come here night after night to drink my choicest wine and listen


s: to my bard, I would insist as follows. Our guest has already


s: packed up the clothes, wrought gold, {108} and other valuables


s: which you have brought for his acceptance; let us now,


s: therefore, present him further, each one of us, with a large


s: tripod and a cauldron. We will recoup ourselves by the levy of a


s: general rate; for private individuals cannot be expected to bear


s: Every one approved of this, and then they went home to bed each


s: in his own abode. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,


s: appeared they hurried down to the ship and brought their


s: cauldrons with them. Alcinous went on board and saw everything


s: so securely stowed under the ship's benches that nothing could


s: break adrift and injure the rowers. Then they went to the house


s: of Alcinous to get dinner, and he sacrificed a bull for them in


s: honour of Jove who is the lord of all. They set the steaks to


s: grill and made an excellent dinner, after which the inspired


s: bard, Demodocus, who was a favourite with every one, sang to


s: them; but Ulysses kept on turning his eyes towards the sun, as


s: though to hasten his setting, for he was longing to be on his


s: way. As one who has been all day ploughing a fallow field with a


s: couple of oxen keeps thinking about his supper and is glad when


s: night comes that he may go and get it, for it is all his legs


s: can do to carry him, even so did Ulysses rejoice when the sun


s: went down, and he at once said to the Phaeacians, addressing


s: himself more particularly to King Alcinous:


s: "Sir, and all of you, farewell. Make your drink-offerings and


s: send me on my way rejoicing, for you have fulfilled my heart's


s: desire by giving me an escort, and making me presents, which


s: heaven grant that I may turn to good account; may I find my


s: admirable wife living in peace among friends, {109} and may you


s: whom I leave behind me give satisfaction to your wives and


s: children; {110} may heaven vouchsafe you every good grace, and


s: may no evil thing come among your people."


s: Thus did he speak. His hearers all of them approved his saying


s: and agreed that he should have his escort inasmuch as he had


s: spoken reasonably. Alcinous therefore said to his servant,


s: "Pontonous, mix some wine and hand it round to everybody, that


s: we may offer a prayer to father Jove, and speed our guest upon


s: Pontonous mixed the wine and handed it to every one in turn; the


s: others each from his own seat made a drink-offering to the


s: blessed gods that live in heaven, but Ulysses rose and placed


s: the double cup in the hands of queen Arete.


s: "Farewell, queen," said he, "henceforward and for ever, till age


s: and death, the common lot of mankind, lay their hands upon you.


s: I now take my leave; be happy in this house with your children,


s: As he spoke he crossed the threshold, and Alcinous sent a man to


s: conduct him to his ship and to the sea shore. Arete also sent


s: some maidservants with him--one with a clean shirt and cloak,


s: another to carry his strong box, and a third with corn and wine.


s: When they got to the water side the crew took these things and


s: put them on board, with all the meat and drink; but for Ulysses


s: they spread a rug and a linen sheet on deck that he might sleep


s: soundly in the stern of the ship. Then he too went on board and


s: lay down without a word, but the crew took every man his place


s: and loosed the hawser from the pierced stone to which it had


s: been bound. Thereon, when they began rowing out to sea, Ulysses


s: fell into a deep, sweet, and almost deathlike slumber. {111}


s: The ship bounded forward on her way as a four in hand chariot


s: flies over the course when the horses feel the whip. Her prow


s: curvetted as it were the neck of a stallion, and a great wave of


s: dark blue water seethed in her wake.  She held steadily on her


s: course, and even a falcon, swiftest of all birds, could not have


s: kept pace with her.  Thus, then, she cut her way through the


s: water, carrying one who was as cunning as the gods, but who was


s: now sleeping peacefully, forgetful of all that he had suffered


s: both on the field of battle and by the waves of the weary sea.


s: When the bright star that heralds the approach of dawn began to


s: show, the ship drew near to land. {112} Now there is in Ithaca a


s: haven of the old merman Phorcys, which lies between two points


s: that break the line of the sea and shut the harbour in. These


s: shelter it from the storms of wind and sea that rage outside, so


s: that, when once within it, a ship may lie without being even


s: moored. At the head of this harbour there is a large olive tree,


s: and at no great distance a fine overarching cavern sacred to the


s: nymphs who are called Naiads. {113} There are mixing bowls


s: within it and wine-jars of stone, and the bees hive there.


s: Moreover, there are great looms of stone on which the nymphs


s: weave their robes of sea purple--very curious to see--and at all


s: times there is water within it. It has two entrances, one facing


s: North by which mortals can go down into the cave, while the


s: other comes from the South and is more mysterious; mortals


s: cannot possibly get in by it, it is the way taken by the gods.


s: Into this harbour, then, they took their ship, for they knew the


s: place. {114} She had so much way upon her that she ran half her


s: own length on to the shore; {115} when, however, they had


s: landed, the first thing they did was to lift Ulysses with his


s: rug and linen sheet out of the ship, and lay him down upon the


s: sand still fast asleep. Then they took out the presents which


s: Minerva had persuaded the Phaeacians to give him when he was


s: setting out on his voyage homewards.  They put these all


s: together by the root of the olive tree, away from the road, for


s: fear some passer by {116} might come and steal them before


s: Ulysses awoke; and then they made the best of their way home


s: But Neptune did not forget the threats with which he had already


s: threatened Ulysses, so he took counsel with Jove.  "Father


s: Jove," said he, "I shall no longer be held in any sort of


s: respect among you gods, if mortals like the Phaeacians, who are


s: my own flesh and blood, show such small regard for me. I said I


s: would let Ulysses get home when he had suffered sufficiently. I


s: did not say that he should never get home at all, for I knew you


s: had already nodded your head about it, and promised that he


s: should do so; but now they have brought him in a ship fast


s: asleep and have landed him in Ithaca after loading him with more


s: magnificent presents of bronze, gold, and raiment than he would


s: ever have brought back from Troy, if he had had his share of the


s: spoil and got home without misadventure."


s: And Jove answered, "What, O Lord of the Earthquake, are you


s: talking about? The gods are by no means wanting in respect for


s: you. It would be monstrous were they to insult one so old and


s: honoured as you are. As regards mortals, however, if any of them


s: is indulging in insolence and treating you disrespectfully, it


s: will always rest with yourself to deal with him as you may think


s: "I should have done so at once," replied Neptune, "if I were not


s: anxious to avoid anything that might displease you; now,


s: therefore, I should like to wreck the Phaeacian ship as it is


s: returning from its escort. This will stop them from escorting


s: people in future; and I should also like to bury their city


s: "My good friend," answered Jove, "I should recommend you at the


s: very moment when the people from the city are watching the ship


s: on her way, to turn it into a rock near the land and looking


s: like a ship. This will astonish everybody, and you can then bury


s: When earth-encircling Neptune heard this he went to Scheria


s: where the Phaeacians live, and stayed there till the ship, which


s: was making rapid way, had got close in. Then he went up to it,


s: turned it into stone, and drove it down with the flat of his


s: hand so as to root it in the ground. After this he went away.


s: The Phaeacians then began talking among themselves, and one


s: would turn towards his neighbour, saying, "Bless my heart, who


s: is it that can have rooted the ship in the sea just as she was


s: getting into port? We could see the whole of her only a moment


s: This was how they talked, but they knew nothing about it; and


s: Alcinous said, "I remember now the old prophecy of my father. He


s: said that Neptune would be angry with us for taking every one so


s: safely over the sea, and would one day wreck a Phaeacian ship as


s: it was returning from an escort, and bury our city under a high


s: mountain. This was what my old father used to say, and now it is


s: all coming true. {117} Now therefore let us all do as I say; in


s: the first place we must leave off giving people escorts when


s: they come here, and in the next let us sacrifice twelve picked


s: bulls to Neptune that he may have mercy upon us, and not bury


s: our city under the high mountain." When the people heard this


s: they were afraid and got ready the bulls.


s: Thus did the chiefs and rulers of the Phaeacians pray to king


s: Neptune, standing round his altar; and at the same time {118}


s: Ulysses woke up once more upon his own soil. He had been so long


s: away that he did not know it again; moreover, Jove's daughter


s: Minerva had made it a foggy day, so that people might not know


s: of his having come, and that she might tell him everything


s: without either his wife or his fellow citizens and friends


s: recognising him {119} until he had taken his revenge upon the


s: wicked suitors. Everything, therefore, seemed quite different to


s: him--the long straight tracks, the harbours, the precipices, and


s: the goodly trees, appeared all changed as he started up and


s: looked upon his native land. So he smote his thighs with the


s: flat of his hands and cried aloud despairingly.


s: "Alas," he exclaimed, "among what manner of people am I fallen?


s: Are they savage and uncivilised or hospitable and humane? Where


s: shall I put all this treasure, and which way shall I go? I wish


s: I had staid over there with the Phaeacians; or I could have gone


s: to some other great chief who would have been good to me and


s: given me an escort. As it is I do not know where to put my


s: treasure, and I cannot leave it here for fear somebody else


s: should get hold of it. In good truth the chiefs and rulers of


s: the Phaeacians have not been dealing fairly by me, and have left


s: me in the wrong country; they said they would take me back to


s: Ithaca and they have not done so: may Jove the protector of


s: suppliants chastise them, for he watches over everybody and


s: punishes those who do wrong. Still, I suppose I must count my


s: goods and see if the crew have gone off with any of them."


s: He counted his goodly coppers and cauldrons, his gold and all


s: his clothes, but there was nothing missing; still he kept


s: grieving about not being in his own country, and wandered up and


s: down by the shore of the sounding sea bewailing his hard fate.


s: Then Minerva came up to him disguised as a young shepherd of


s: delicate and princely mien, with a good cloak folded double


s: about her shoulders; she had sandals on her comely feet and held


s: a javelin in her hand. Ulysses was glad when he saw her, and


s: "My friend," said he, "you are the first person whom I have met


s: with in this country; I salute you, therefore, and beg you to be


s: well disposed towards me. Protect these my goods, and myself


s: too, for I embrace your knees and pray to you as though you were


s: a god. Tell me, then, and tell me truly, what land and country


s: is this? Who are its inhabitants? Am I on an island, or is this


s: Minerva answered, "Stranger, you must be very simple, or must


s: have come from somewhere a long way off, not to know what


s: country this is. It is a very celebrated place, and everybody


s: knows it East and West. It is rugged and not a good driving


s: country, but it is by no means a bad island for what there is of


s: it. It grows any quantity of corn and also wine, for it is


s: watered both by rain and dew; it breeds cattle also and goats;


s: all kinds of timber grow here, and there are watering places


s: where the water never runs dry; so, sir, the name of Ithaca is


s: known even as far as Troy, which I understand to be a long way


s: Ulysses was glad at finding himself, as Minerva told him, in his


s: own country, and he began to answer, but he did not speak the


s: truth, and made up a lying story in the instinctive wiliness of


s: "I heard of Ithaca," said he, "when I was in Crete beyond the


s: seas, and now it seems I have reached it with all these


s: treasures. I have left as much more behind me for my children,


s: but am flying because I killed Orsilochus son of Idomeneus, the


s: fleetest runner in Crete. I killed him because he wanted to rob


s: me of the spoils I had got from Troy with so much trouble and


s: danger both on the field of battle and by the waves of the weary


s: sea; he said I had not served his father loyally at Troy as


s: vassal, but had set myself up as an independent ruler, so I lay


s: in wait for him with one of my followers by the road side, and


s: speared him as he was coming into town from the country.  It was


s: a very dark night and nobody saw us; it was not known,


s: therefore, that I had killed him, but as soon as I had done so I


s: went to a ship and besought the owners, who were Phoenicians, to


s: take me on board and set me in Pylos or in Elis where the Epeans


s: rule, giving them as much spoil as satisfied them. They meant no


s: guile, but the wind drove them off their course, and we sailed


s: on till we came hither by night. It was all we could do to get


s: inside the harbour, and none of us said a word about supper


s: though we wanted it badly, but we all went on shore and lay down


s: just as we were. I was very tired and fell asleep directly, so


s: they took my goods out of the ship, and placed them beside me


s: where I was lying upon the sand.  Then they sailed away to


s: Sidonia, and I was left here in great distress of mind."


s: Such was his story, but Minerva smiled and caressed him with her


s: hand. Then she took the form of a woman, fair, stately, and


s: wise, "He must be indeed a shifty lying fellow," said she, "who


s: could surpass you in all manner of craft even though you had a


s: god for your antagonist.  Dare devil that you are, full of


s: guile, unwearying in deceit, can you not drop your tricks and


s: your instinctive falsehood, even now that you are in your own


s: country again? We will say no more, however, about this, for we


s: can both of us deceive upon occasion--you are the most


s: accomplished counsellor and orator among all mankind, while I


s: for diplomacy and subtlety have no equal among the gods.  Did


s: you not know Jove's daughter Minerva--me, who have been ever


s: with you, who kept watch over you in all your troubles, and who


s: made the Phaeacians take so great a liking to you? And now,


s: again, I am come here to talk things over with you, and help you


s: to hide the treasure I made the Phaeacians give you; I want to


s: tell you about the troubles that await you in your own house;


s: you have got to face them, but tell no one, neither man nor


s: woman, that you have come home again. Bear everything, and put


s: up with every man's insolence, without a word."


s: And Ulysses answered, "A man, goddess, may know a great deal,


s: but you are so constantly changing your appearance that when he


s: meets you it is a hard matter for him to know whether it is you


s: or not. This much, however, I know exceedingly well; you were


s: very kind to me as long as we Achaeans were fighting before


s: Troy, but from the day on which we went on board ship after


s: having sacked the city of Priam, and heaven dispersed us--from


s: that day, Minerva, I saw no more of you, and cannot ever


s: remember your coming to my ship to help me in a difficulty; I


s: had to wander on sick and sorry till the gods delivered me from


s: evil and I reached the city of the Phaeacians, where you


s: encouraged me and took me into the town. {120} And now, I


s: beseech you in your father's name, tell me the truth, for I do


s: not believe I am really back in Ithaca. I am in some other


s: country and you are mocking me and deceiving me in all you have


s: been saying. Tell me then truly, have I really got back to my


s: "You are always taking something of that sort in your head,"


s: replied Minerva, "and that is why I cannot desert you in your


s: afflictions; you are so plausible, shrewd and shifty. Any one


s: but yourself on returning from so long a voyage would at once


s: have gone home to see his wife and children, but you do not seem


s: to care about asking after them or hearing any news about them


s: till you have exploited your wife, who remains at home vainly


s: grieving for you, and having no peace night or day for the tears


s: she sheds on your behalf. As for my not coming near you, I was


s: never uneasy about you, for I was certain you would get back


s: safely though you would lose all your men, and I did not wish to


s: quarrel with my uncle Neptune, who never forgave you for having


s: blinded his son. {121} I will now, however, point out to you the


s: lie of the land, and you will then perhaps believe me. This is


s: the haven of the old merman Phorcys, and here is the olive tree


s: that grows at the head of it; [near it is the cave sacred to the


s: Naiads;] {122} here too is the overarching cavern in which you


s: have offered many an acceptable hecatomb to the nymphs, and this


s: As she spoke the goddess dispersed the mist and the land


s: appeared. Then Ulysses rejoiced at finding himself again in his


s: own land, and kissed the bounteous soil; he lifted up his hands


s: and prayed to the nymphs, saying, "Naiad nymphs, daughters of


s: Jove, I made sure that I was never again to see you, now


s: therefore I greet you with all loving salutations, and I will


s: bring you offerings as in the old days, if Jove's redoubtable


s: daughter will grant me life, and bring my son to manhood."


s: "Take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that," rejoined


s: Minerva, "let us rather set about stowing your things at once in


s: the cave, where they will be quite safe.  Let us see how we can


s: Therewith she went down into the cave to look for the safest


s: hiding places, while Ulysses brought up all the treasure of


s: gold, bronze, and good clothing which the Phaeacians had given


s: him. They stowed everything carefully away, and Minerva set a


s: stone against the door of the cave. Then the two sat down by the


s: root of the great olive, and consulted how to compass the


s: "Ulysses," said Minerva, "noble son of Laertes, think how you


s: can lay hands on these disreputable people who have been lording


s: it in your house these three years, courting your wife and


s: making wedding presents to her, while she does nothing but


s: lament your absence, giving hope and sending encouraging


s: messages {123} to every one of them, but meaning the very


s: And Ulysses answered, "In good truth, goddess, it seems I should


s: have come to much the same bad end in my own house as Agamemnon


s: did, if you had not given me such timely information. Advise me


s: how I shall best avenge myself.  Stand by my side and put your


s: courage into my heart as on the day when we loosed Troy's fair


s: diadem from her brow.  Help me now as you did then, and I will


s: fight three hundred men, if you, goddess, will be with me."


s: "Trust me for that," said she, "I will not lose sight of you


s: when once we set about it, and I imagine that some of those who


s: are devouring your substance will then bespatter the pavement


s: with their blood and brains. I will begin by disguising you so


s: that no human being shall know you; I will cover your body with


s: wrinkles; you shall lose all your yellow hair; I will clothe you


s: in a garment that shall fill all who see it with loathing; I


s: will blear your fine eyes for you, and make you an unseemly


s: object in the sight of the suitors, of your wife, and of the son


s: whom you left behind you. Then go at once to the swineherd who


s: is in charge of your pigs; he has been always well affected


s: towards you, and is devoted to Penelope and your son; you will


s: find him feeding his pigs near the rock that is called Raven


s: {124} by the fountain Arethusa, where they are fattening on


s: beechmast and spring water after their manner. Stay with him and


s: find out how things are going, while I proceed to Sparta and see


s: your son, who is with Menelaus at Lacedaemon, where he has gone


s: to try and find out whether you are still alive." {125}


s: "But why," said Ulysses, "did you not tell him, for you knew all


s: about it? Did you want him too to go sailing about amid all


s: kinds of hardship while others are eating up his estate?"


s: Minerva answered, "Never mind about him, I sent him that he


s: might be well spoken of for having gone. He is in no sort of


s: difficulty, but is staying quite comfortably with Menelaus, and


s: is surrounded with abundance of every kind.  The suitors have


s: put out to sea and are lying in wait for him, for they mean to


s: kill him before he can get home. I do not much think they will


s: succeed, but rather that some of those who are now eating up


s: your estate will first find a grave themselves."


s: As she spoke Minerva touched him with her wand and covered him


s: with wrinkles, took away all his yellow hair, and withered the


s: flesh over his whole body; she bleared his eyes, which were


s: naturally very fine ones; she changed his clothes and threw an


s: old rag of a wrap about him, and a tunic, tattered, filthy, and


s: begrimed with smoke; she also gave him an undressed deer skin as


s: an outer garment, and furnished him with a staff and a wallet


s: all in holes, with a twisted thong for him to sling it over his


s: When the pair had thus laid their plans they parted, and the


s: goddess went straight to Lacedaemon to fetch Telemachus.


s: Ulysses now left the haven, and took the rough track up through


s: the wooded country and over the crest of the mountain till he


s: reached the place where Minerva had said that he would find the


s: swineherd, who was the most thrifty servant he had. He found him


s: sitting in front of his hut, which was by the yards that he had


s: built on a site which could be seen from far. He had made them


s: spacious {126} and fair to see, with a free run for the pigs all


s: round them; he had built them during his master's absence, of


s: stones which he had gathered out of the ground, without saying


s: anything to Penelope or Laertes, and he had fenced them on top


s: with thorn bushes. Outside the yard he had run a strong fence of


s: oaken posts, split, and set pretty close together, while inside


s: he had built twelve styes near one another for the sows to lie


s: in. There were fifty pigs wallowing in each stye, all of them


s: breeding sows; but the boars slept outside and were much fewer


s: in number, for the suitors kept on eating them, and the


s: swineherd had to send them the best he had continually. There


s: were three hundred and sixty boar pigs, and the herdsman's four


s: hounds, which were as fierce as wolves, slept always with them.


s: The swineherd was at that moment cutting out a pair of sandals


s: {127} from a good stout ox hide. Three of his men were out


s: herding the pigs in one place or another, and he had sent the


s: fourth to town with a boar that he had been forced to send the


s: suitors that they might sacrifice it and have their fill of


s: When the hounds saw Ulysses they set up a furious barking and


s: flew at him, but Ulysses was cunning enough to sit down and


s: loose his hold of the stick that he had in his hand: still, he


s: would have been torn by them in his own homestead had not the


s: swineherd dropped his ox hide, rushed full speed through the


s: gate of the yard and driven the dogs off by shouting and


s: throwing stones at them. Then he said to Ulysses, "Old man, the


s: dogs were likely to have made short work of you, and then you


s: would have got me into trouble. The gods have given me quite


s: enough worries without that, for I have lost the best of


s: masters, and am in continual grief on his account. I have to


s: attend swine for other people to eat, while he, if he yet lives


s: to see the light of day, is starving in some distant land. But


s: come inside, and when you have had your fill of bread and wine,


s: tell me where you come from, and all about your misfortunes."


s: On this the swineherd led the way into the hut and bade him sit


s: down. He strewed a good thick bed of rushes upon the floor, and


s: on the top of this he threw the shaggy chamois skin--a great


s: thick one--on which he used to sleep by night. Ulysses was


s: pleased at being made thus welcome, and said "May Jove, sir, and


s: the rest of the gods grant you your heart's desire in return for


s: the kind way in which you have received me."


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "Stranger, though a


s: still poorer man should come here, it would not be right for me


s: to insult him, for all strangers and beggars are from Jove. You


s: must take what you can get and be thankful, for servants live in


s: fear when they have young lords for their masters; and this is


s: my misfortune now, for heaven has hindered the return of him who


s: would have been always good to me and given me something of my


s: own--a house, a piece of land, a good looking wife, and all else


s: that a liberal master allows a servant who has worked hard for


s: him, and whose labour the gods have prospered as they have mine


s: in the situation which I hold.  If my master had grown old here


s: he would have done great things by me, but he is gone, and I


s: wish that Helen's whole race were utterly destroyed, for she has


s: been the death of many a good man. It was this matter that took


s: my master to Ilius, the land of noble steeds, to fight the


s: Trojans in the cause of king Agamemnon."


s: As he spoke he bound his girdle round him and went to the styes


s: where the young sucking pigs were penned. He picked out two


s: which he brought back with him and sacrificed. He singed them,


s: cut them up, and spitted them; when the meat was cooked he


s: brought it all in and set it before Ulysses, hot and still on


s: the spit, whereon Ulysses sprinkled it over with white barley


s: meal. The swineherd then mixed wine in a bowl of ivy-wood, and


s: taking a seat opposite Ulysses told him to begin.


s: "Fall to, stranger," said he, "on a dish of servant's pork.  The


s: fat pigs have to go to the suitors, who eat them up without


s: shame or scruple; but the blessed gods love not such shameful


s: doings, and respect those who do what is lawful and right. Even


s: the fierce freebooters who go raiding on other people's land,


s: and Jove gives them their spoil--even they, when they have


s: filled their ships and got home again live conscience-stricken,


s: and look fearfully for judgement; but some god seems to have


s: told these people that Ulysses is dead and gone; they will not,


s: therefore, go back to their own homes and make their offers of


s: marriage in the usual way, but waste his estate by force,


s: without fear or stint. Not a day or night comes out of heaven,


s: but they sacrifice not one victim nor two only, and they take


s: the run of his wine, for he was exceedingly rich. No other great


s: man either in Ithaca or on the mainland is as rich as he was; he


s: had as much as twenty men put together. I will tell you what he


s: had.  There are twelve herds of cattle upon the main land, and


s: as many flocks of sheep, there are also twelve droves of pigs,


s: while his own men and hired strangers feed him twelve widely


s: spreading herds of goats. Here in Ithaca he runs even large


s: flocks of goats on the far end of the island, and they are in


s: the charge of excellent goat herds.  Each one of these sends the


s: suitors the best goat in the flock every day. As for myself, I


s: am in charge of the pigs that you see here, and I have to keep


s: picking out the best I have and sending it to them."


s: This was his story, but Ulysses went on eating and drinking


s: ravenously without a word, brooding his revenge. When he had


s: eaten enough and was satisfied, the swineherd took the bowl from


s: which he usually drank, filled it with wine, and gave it to


s: Ulysses, who was pleased, and said as he took it in his hands,


s: "My friend, who was this master of yours that bought you and


s: paid for you, so rich and so powerful as you tell me? You say he


s: perished in the cause of King Agamemnon; tell me who he was, in


s: case I may have met with such a person. Jove and the other gods


s: know, but I may be able to give you news of him, for I have


s: Eumaeus answered, "Old man, no traveller who comes here with


s: news will get Ulysses' wife and son to believe his story.


s: Nevertheless, tramps in want of a lodging keep coming with their


s: mouths full of lies, and not a word of truth; every one who


s: finds his way to Ithaca goes to my mistress and tells her


s: falsehoods, whereon she takes them in, makes much of them, and


s: asks them all manner of questions, crying all the time as women


s: will when they have lost their husbands. And you too, old man,


s: for a shirt and a cloak would doubtless make up a very pretty


s: story. But the wolves and birds of prey have long since torn


s: Ulysses to pieces, or the fishes of the sea have eaten him, and


s: his bones are lying buried deep in sand upon some foreign shore;


s: he is dead and gone, and a bad business it is for all his


s: friends--for me especially; go where I may I shall never find so


s: good a master, not even if I were to go home to my mother and


s: father where I was bred and born.  I do not so much care,


s: however, about my parents now, though I should dearly like to


s: see them again in my own country; it is the loss of Ulysses that


s: grieves me most; I cannot speak of him without reverence though


s: he is here no longer, for he was very fond of me, and took such


s: care of me that wherever he may be I shall always honour his


s: "My friend," replied Ulysses, "you are very positive, and very


s: hard of belief about your master's coming home again,


s: nevertheless I will not merely say, but will swear, that he is


s: coming. Do not give me anything for my news till he has actually


s: come, you may then give me a shirt and cloak of good wear if you


s: will. I am in great want, but I will not take anything at all


s: till then, for I hate a man, even as I hate hell fire, who lets


s: his poverty tempt him into lying. I swear by king Jove, by the


s: rites of hospitality, and by that hearth of Ulysses to which I


s: have now come, that all will surely happen as I have said it


s: will.  Ulysses will return in this self same year; with the end


s: of this moon and the beginning of the next he will be here to do


s: vengeance on all those who are ill treating his wife and son."


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "Old man, you will


s: neither get paid for bringing good news, nor will Ulysses ever


s: come home; drink your wine in peace, and let us talk about


s: something else. Do not keep on reminding me of all this; it


s: always pains me when any one speaks about my honoured master. As


s: for your oath we will let it alone, but I only wish he may come,


s: as do Penelope, his old father Laertes, and his son Telemachus.


s: I am terribly unhappy too about this same boy of his; he was


s: running up fast into manhood, and bade fare to be no worse man,


s: face and figure, than his father, but some one, either god or


s: man, has been unsettling his mind, so he has gone off to Pylos


s: to try and get news of his father, and the suitors are lying in


s: wait for him as he is coming home, in the hope of leaving the


s: house of Arceisius without a name in Ithaca. But let us say no


s: more about him, and leave him to be taken, or else to escape if


s: the son of Saturn holds his hand over him to protect him. And


s: now, old man, tell me your own story; tell me also, for I want


s: to know, who you are and where you come from. Tell me of your


s: town and parents, what manner of ship you came in, how crew


s: brought you to Ithaca, and from what country they professed to


s: come--for you cannot have come by land."


s: And Ulysses answered, "I will tell you all about it. If there


s: were meat and wine enough, and we could stay here in the hut


s: with nothing to do but to eat and drink while the others go to


s: their work, I could easily talk on for a whole twelve months


s: without ever finishing the story of the sorrows with which it


s: "I am by birth a Cretan; my father was a well to do man, who had


s: many sons born in marriage, whereas I was the son of a slave


s: whom he had purchased for a concubine; nevertheless, my father


s: Castor son of Hylax (whose lineage I claim, and who was held in


s: the highest honour among the Cretans for his wealth, prosperity,


s: and the valour of his sons) put me on the same level with my


s: brothers who had been born in wedlock. When, however, death took


s: him to the house of Hades, his sons divided his estate and cast


s: lots for their shares, but to me they gave a holding and little


s: else; nevertheless, my valour enabled me to marry into a rich


s: family, for I was not given to bragging, or shirking on the


s: field of battle. It is all over now; still, if you look at the


s: straw you can see what the ear was, for I have had trouble


s: enough and to spare. Mars and Minerva made me doughty in war;


s: when I had picked my men to surprise the enemy with an ambuscade


s: I never gave death so much as a thought, but was the first to


s: leap forward and spear all whom I could overtake. Such was I in


s: battle, but I did not care about farm work, nor the frugal home


s: life of those who would bring up children. My delight was in


s: ships, fighting, javelins, and arrows--things that most men


s: shudder to think of; but one man likes one thing and another


s: another, and this was what I was most naturally inclined to.


s: Before the Achaeans went to Troy, nine times was I in command of


s: men and ships on foreign service, and I amassed much wealth. I


s: had my pick of the spoil in the first instance, and much more


s: "My house grew apace and I became a great man among the Cretans,


s: but when Jove counselled that terrible expedition, in which so


s: many perished, the people required me and Idomeneus to lead


s: their ships to Troy, and there was no way out of it, for they


s: insisted on our doing so.  There we fought for nine whole years,


s: but in the tenth we sacked the city of Priam and sailed home


s: again as heaven dispersed us. Then it was that Jove devised evil


s: against me. I spent but one month happily with my children,


s: wife, and property, and then I conceived the idea of making a


s: had nine ships, and the people flocked to fill them.  For six


s: days I and my men made feast, and I found them many victims both


s: for sacrifice to the gods and for themselves, but on the seventh


s: day we went on board and set sail from Crete with a fair North


s: wind behind us though we were going down a river. Nothing went


s: ill with any of our ships, and we had no sickness on board, but


s: sat where we were and let the ships go as the wind and steersmen


s: I stationed my ships in the river, bidding my men stay by them


s: and keep guard over them while I sent out scouts to reconnoitre


s: "But the men disobeyed my orders, took to their own devices, and


s: their wives and children captive. The alarm was soon carried to


s: the city, and when they heard the war cry, the people came out


s: at daybreak till the plain was filled with horsemen and foot


s: soldiers and with the gleam of armour. Then Jove spread panic


s: among my men, and they would no longer face the enemy, for they


s: and took the rest alive to do forced labour for them.  Jove,


s: however, put it in my mind to do thus--and I wish I had died


s: store for me--I took off my helmet and shield and dropped my


s: spear from my hand; then I went straight up to the king's


s: chariot, clasped his knees and kissed them, whereon he spared my


s: life, bade me get into his chariot, and took me weeping to his


s: own home. Many made at me with their ashen spears and tried to


s: kill me in their fury, but the king protected me, for he feared


s: the wrath of Jove the protector of strangers, who punishes those


s: "I stayed there for seven years and got together much money


s: was now going on for eight years there came a certain


s: Phoenician, a cunning rascal, who had already committed all


s: sorts of villainy, and this man talked me over into going with


s: him to Phoenicia, where his house and his possessions lay. I


s: stayed there for a whole twelve months, but at the end of that


s: time when months and days had gone by till the same season had


s: come round again, he set me on board a ship bound for Libya, on


s: a pretence that I was to take a cargo along with him to that


s: place, but really that he might sell me as a slave and take the


s: money I fetched. I suspected his intention, but went on board


s: "The ship ran before a fresh North wind till we had reached the


s: sea that lies between Crete and Libya; there, however, Jove


s: counselled their destruction, for as soon as we were well out


s: from Crete and could see nothing but sea and sky, he raised a


s: black cloud over our ship and the sea grew dark beneath it. Then


s: Jove let fly with his thunderbolts and the ship went round and


s: round and was filled with fire and brimstone as the lightning


s: struck it. The men fell all into the sea; they were carried


s: about in the water round the ship looking like so many


s: sea-gulls, but the god presently deprived them of all chance of


s: getting home again. I was all dismayed. Jove, however, sent the


s: ship's mast within my reach, which saved my life, for I clung to


s: it, and drifted before the fury of the gale. Nine days did I


s: drift but in the darkness of the tenth night a great wave bore


s: me on to the Thesprotian coast. There Pheidon king of the


s: Thesprotians entertained me hospitably without charging me


s: anything at all--for his son found me when I was nearly dead


s: with cold and fatigue, whereon he raised me by the hand, took me


s: to his father's house and gave me clothes to wear.


s: "There it was that I heard news of Ulysses, for the king told me


s: he had entertained him, and shown him much hospitality while he


s: was on his homeward journey. He showed me also the treasure of


s: gold, and wrought iron that Ulysses had got together. There was


s: enough to keep his family for ten generations, so much had he


s: left in the house of king Pheidon. But the king said Ulysses had


s: gone to Dodona that he might learn Jove's mind from the god's


s: high oak tree, and know whether after so long an absence he


s: should return to Ithaca openly, or in secret. Moreover the king


s: swore in my presence, making drink-offerings in his own house as


s: he did so, that the ship was by the water side, and the crew


s: found, that should take him to his own country. He sent me off


s: however before Ulysses returned, for there happened to be a


s: Thesprotian ship sailing for the wheat-growing island of


s: Dulichium, and he told those in charge of her to be sure and


s: "These men hatched a plot against me that would have reduced me


s: to the very extreme of misery, for when the ship had got some


s: way out from land they resolved on selling me as a slave. They


s: stripped me of the shirt and cloak that I was wearing, and gave


s: me instead the tattered old clouts in which you now see me;


s: then, towards nightfall, they reached the tilled lands of


s: Ithaca, and there they bound me with a strong rope fast in the


s: ship, while they went on shore to get supper by the sea side.


s: But the gods soon undid my bonds for me, and having drawn my


s: rags over my head I slid down the rudder into the sea, where I


s: struck out and swam till I was well clear of them, and came


s: ashore near a thick wood in which I lay concealed. They were


s: very angry at my having escaped and went searching about for me,


s: till at last they thought it was no further use and went back to


s: their ship. The gods, having hidden me thus easily, then took me


s: to a good man's door--for it seems that I am not to die yet


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "Poor unhappy


s: stranger, I have found the story of your misfortunes extremely


s: interesting, but that part about Ulysses is not right; and you


s: will never get me to believe it. Why should a man like you go


s: about telling lies in this way? I know all about the return of


s: my master. The gods one and all of them detest him, or they


s: would have taken him before Troy, or let him die with friends


s: around him when the days of his fighting were done; for then the


s: Achaeans would have built a mound over his ashes and his son


s: would have been heir to his renown, but now the storm winds have


s: "As for me I live out of the way here with the pigs, and never


s: go to the town unless when Penelope sends for me on the arrival


s: of some news about Ulysses. Then they all sit round and ask


s: questions, both those who grieve over the king's absence, and


s: those who rejoice at it because they can eat up his property


s: without paying for it. For my own part I have never cared about


s: asking anyone else since the time when I was taken in by an


s: Aetolian, who had killed a man and come a long way till at last


s: he reached my station, and I was very kind to him. He said he


s: had seen Ulysses with Idomeneus among the Cretans, refitting his


s: ships which had been damaged in a gale. He said Ulysses would


s: return in the following summer or autumn with his men, and that


s: he would bring back much wealth. And now you, you unfortunate


s: old man, since fate has brought you to my door, do not try to


s: flatter me in this way with vain hopes. It is not for any such


s: reason that I shall treat you kindly, but only out of respect


s: for Jove the god of hospitality, as fearing him and pitying


s: Ulysses answered, "I see that you are of an unbelieving mind; I


s: have given you my oath, and yet you will not credit me; let us


s: then make a bargain, and call all the gods in heaven to witness


s: it. If your master comes home, give me a cloak and shirt of good


s: wear, and send me to Dulichium where I want to go; but if he


s: does not come as I say he will, set your men on to me, and tell


s: them to throw me from yonder precipice, as a warning to tramps


s: not to go about the country telling lies."


s: "And a pretty figure I should cut then," replied Eumaeus, "both


s: now and hereafter, if I were to kill you after receiving you


s: into my hut and showing you hospitality. I should have to say my


s: prayers in good earnest if I did; but it is just supper time and


s: I hope my men will come in directly, that we may cook something


s: Thus did they converse, and presently the swineherds came up


s: with the pigs, which were then shut up for the night in their


s: styes, and a tremendous squealing they made as they were being


s: driven into them. But Eumaeus called to his men and said, "Bring


s: in the best pig you have, that I may sacrifice him for this


s: stranger, and we will take toll of him ourselves. We have had


s: trouble enough this long time feeding pigs, while others reap


s: On this he began chopping firewood, while the others brought in


s: a fine fat five year old boar pig, and set it at the altar.


s: Eumaeus did not forget the gods, for he was a man of good


s: principles, so the first thing he did was to cut bristles from


s: the pig's face and throw them into the fire, praying to all the


s: gods as he did so that Ulysses might return home again. Then he


s: clubbed the pig with a billet of oak which he had kept back when


s: he was chopping the firewood, and stunned it, while the others


s: slaughtered and singed it. Then they cut it up, and Eumaeus


s: began by putting raw pieces from each joint on to some of the


s: fat; these he sprinkled with barley meal, and laid upon the


s: embers; they cut the rest of the meat up small, put the pieces


s: upon the spits and roasted them till they were done; when they


s: had taken them off the spits they threw them on to the dresser


s: in a heap. The swineherd, who was a most equitable man, then


s: stood up to give every one his share. He made seven portions;


s: one of these he set apart for Mercury the son of Maia and the


s: nymphs, praying to them as he did so; the others he dealt out to


s: the men man by man. He gave Ulysses some slices cut lengthways


s: down the loin as a mark of especial honour, and Ulysses was much


s: pleased. "I hope, Eumaeus," said he, "that Jove will be as well


s: disposed towards you as I am, for the respect you are showing to


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "Eat, my good fellow,


s: and enjoy your supper, such as it is. God grants this, and


s: withholds that, just as he thinks right, for he can do whatever


s: As he spoke he cut off the first piece and offered it as a burnt


s: sacrifice to the immortal gods; then he made them a


s: drink-offering, put the cup in the hands of Ulysses, and sat


s: down to his own portion. Mesaulius brought them their bread; the


s: swineherd had brought this man on his own account from among the


s: Taphians during his master's absence, and had paid for him with


s: his own money without saying anything either to his mistress or


s: Laertes. They then laid their hands upon the good things that


s: were before them, and when they had had enough to eat and drink,


s: Mesaulius took away what was left of the bread, and they all


s: went to bed after having made a hearty supper.


s: Now the night came on stormy and very dark, for there was no


s: moon. It poured without ceasing, and the wind blew strong from


s: the West, which is a wet quarter, so Ulysses thought he would


s: see whether Eumaeus, in the excellent care he took of him, would


s: take off his own cloak and give it him, or make one of his men


s: give him one. "Listen to me," said he, "Eumaeus and the rest of


s: you; when I have said a prayer I will tell you something. It is


s: the wine that makes me talk in this way; wine will make even a


s: wise man fall to singing; it will make him chuckle and dance and


s: say many a word that he had better leave unspoken; still, as I


s: have begun, I will go on. Would that I were still young and


s: strong as when we got up an ambuscade before Troy. Menelaus and


s: Ulysses were the leaders, but I was in command also, for the


s: other two would have it so.  When we had come up to the wall of


s: the city we crouched down beneath our armour and lay there under


s: cover of the reeds and thick brushwood that grew about the


s: swamp. It came on to freeze with a North wind blowing; the snow


s: fell small and fine like hoar frost, and our shields were coated


s: thick with rime. The others had all got cloaks and shirts, and


s: slept comfortably enough with their shields about their


s: shoulders, but I had carelessly left my cloak behind me, not


s: thinking that I should be too cold, and had gone off in nothing


s: but my shirt and shield. When the night was two-thirds through


s: and the stars had shifted their places, I nudged Ulysses who was


s: close to me with my elbow, and he at once gave me his ear.


s: "'Ulysses,' said I, 'this cold will be the death of me, for I


s: have no cloak; some god fooled me into setting off with nothing


s: on but my shirt, and I do not know what to do.'


s: "Ulysses, who was as crafty as he was valiant, hit upon the


s: "'Keep still,' said he in a low voice, 'or the others will hear


s: you.' Then he raised his head on his elbow.


s: "'My friends,' said he, 'I have had a dream from heaven in my


s: sleep. We are a long way from the ships; I wish some one would


s: go down and tell Agamemnon to send us up more men at once.'


s: "On this Thoas son of Andraemon threw off his cloak and set out


s: running to the ships, whereon I took the cloak and lay in it


s: comfortably enough till morning. Would that I were still young


s: and strong as I was in those days, for then some one of you


s: swineherds would give me a cloak both out of good will and for


s: the respect due to a brave soldier; but now people look down


s: And Eumaeus answered, "Old man, you have told us an excellent


s: story, and have said nothing so far but what is quite


s: satisfactory; for the present, therefore, you shall want neither


s: clothing nor anything else that a stranger in distress may


s: reasonably expect, but to-morrow morning you have to shake your


s: own old rags about your body again, for we have not many spare


s: cloaks nor shirts up here, but every man has only one. When


s: Ulysses' son comes home again he will give you both cloak and


s: shirt, and send you wherever you may want to go."


s: With this he got up and made a bed for Ulysses by throwing some


s: goatskins and sheepskins on the ground in front of the fire.


s: Here Ulysses lay down, and Eumaeus covered him over with a great


s: heavy cloak that he kept for a change in case of extraordinarily


s: Thus did Ulysses sleep, and the young men slept beside him.  But


s: the swineherd did not like sleeping away from his pigs, so he


s: got ready to go outside, and Ulysses was glad to see that he


s: looked after his property during his master's absence. First he


s: slung his sword over his brawny shoulders and put on a thick


s: cloak to keep out the wind. He also took the skin of a large and


s: well fed goat, and a javelin in case of attack from men or dogs.


s: Thus equipped he went to his rest where the pigs were camping


s: under an overhanging rock that gave them shelter from the North


s: But Minerva went to the fair city of Lacedaemon to tell Ulysses'


s: son that he was to return at once. She found him and Pisistratus


s: sleeping in the forecourt of Menelaus's house; Pisistratus was


s: fast asleep, but Telemachus could get no rest all night for


s: thinking of his unhappy father, so Minerva went close up to him


s: "Telemachus, you should not remain so far away from home any


s: longer, nor leave your property with such dangerous people in


s: your house; they will eat up everything you have among them, and


s: you will have been on a fool's errand. Ask Menelaus to send you


s: home at once if you wish to find your excellent mother still


s: there when you get back. Her father and brothers are already


s: urging her to marry Eurymachus, who has given her more than any


s: of the others, and has been greatly increasing his wedding


s: presents. I hope nothing valuable may have been taken from the


s: house in spite of you, but you know what women are--they always


s: want to do the best they can for the man who marries them, and


s: never give another thought to the children of their first


s: husband, nor to their father either when he is dead and done


s: with. Go home, therefore, and put everything in charge of the


s: most respectable woman servant that you have, until it shall


s: please heaven to send you a wife of your own. Let me tell you


s: also of another matter which you had better attend to. The chief


s: men among the suitors are lying in wait for you in the Strait


s: {128} between Ithaca and Samos, and they mean to kill you before


s: you can reach home. I do not much think they will succeed; it is


s: more likely that some of those who are now eating up your


s: property will find a grave themselves. Sail night and day, and


s: keep your ship well away from the islands; the god who watches


s: over you and protects you will send you a fair wind. As soon as


s: you get to Ithaca send your ship and men on to the town, but


s: yourself go straight to the swineherd who has charge of your


s: pigs; he is well disposed towards you, stay with him, therefore,


s: for the night, and then send him to Penelope to tell her that


s: Then she went back to Olympus; but Telemachus stirred


s: Pisistratus with his heel to rouse him, and said, "Wake up


s: Pisistratus, and yoke the horses to the chariot, for we must set


s: But Pisistratus said, "No matter what hurry we are in we cannot


s: drive in the dark. It will be morning soon; wait till Menelaus


s: has brought his presents and put them in the chariot for us; and


s: let him say good bye to us in the usual way. So long as he lives


s: a guest should never forget a host who has shown him kindness."


s: As he spoke day began to break, and Menelaus, who had already


s: risen, leaving Helen in bed, came towards them.  When Telemachus


s: saw him he put on his shirt as fast as he could, threw a great


s: cloak over his shoulders, and went out to meet him. "Menelaus,"


s: said he, "let me go back now to my own country, for I want to


s: And Menelaus answered, "Telemachus, if you insist on going I


s: will not detain you. I do not like to see a host either too fond


s: of his guest or too rude to him. Moderation is best in all


s: things, and not letting a man go when he wants to do so is as


s: bad as telling him to go if he would like to stay. One should


s: treat a guest well as long as he is in the house and speed him


s: when he wants to leave it. Wait, then, till I can get your


s: beautiful presents into your chariot, and till you have yourself


s: seen them. I will tell the women to prepare a sufficient dinner


s: for you of what there may be in the house; it will be at once


s: more proper and cheaper for you to get your dinner before


s: setting out on such a long journey. If, moreover, you have a


s: fancy for making a tour in Hellas or in the Peloponnese, I will


s: yoke my horses, and will conduct you myself through all our


s: principal cities. No one will send us away empty handed; every


s: one will give us something--a bronze tripod, a couple of mules,


s: "Menelaus," replied Telemachus, "I want to go home at once, for


s: when I came away I left my property without protection, and fear


s: that while looking for my father I shall come to ruin myself, or


s: find that something valuable has been stolen during my absence."


s: When Menelaus heard this he immediately told his wife and


s: servants to prepare a sufficient dinner from what there might be


s: in the house. At this moment Eteoneus joined him, for he lived


s: close by and had just got up; so Menelaus told him to light the


s: fire and cook some meat, which he at once did. Then Menelaus


s: went down into his fragrant store room, {130} not alone, but


s: Helen went too, with Megapenthes. When he reached the place


s: where the treasures of his house were kept, he selected a double


s: cup, and told his son Megapenthes to bring also a silver mixing


s: bowl.  Meanwhile Helen went to the chest where she kept the


s: lovely dresses which she had made with her own hands, and took


s: out one that was largest and most beautifully enriched with


s: embroidery; it glittered like a star, and lay at the very bottom


s: of the chest. {131} Then they all came back through the house


s: again till they got to Telemachus, and Menelaus said,


s: "Telemachus, may Jove, the mighty husband of Juno, bring you


s: safely home according to your desire. I will now present you


s: with the finest and most precious piece of plate in all my


s: house. It is a mixing bowl of pure silver, except the rim, which


s: is inlaid with gold, and it is the work of Vulcan. Phaedimus


s: king of the Sidonians made me a present of it in the course of a


s: visit that I paid him while I was on my return home. I should


s: With these words he placed the double cup in the hands of


s: Telemachus, while Megapenthes brought the beautiful mixing bowl


s: and set it before him. Hard by stood lovely Helen with the robe


s: "I too, my son," said she, "have something for you as a keepsake


s: from the hand of Helen; it is for your bride to wear upon her


s: wedding day. Till then, get your dear mother to keep it for you;


s: thus may you go back rejoicing to your own country and to your


s: So saying she gave the robe over to him and he received it


s: gladly. Then Pisistratus put the presents into the chariot, and


s: admired them all as he did so. Presently Menelaus took


s: Telemachus and Pisistratus into the house, and they both of them


s: sat down to table. A maid servant brought them water in a


s: beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver basin for


s: them to wash their hands, and she drew a clean table beside


s: them; an upper servant brought them bread and offered them many


s: good things of what there was in the house. Eteoneus carved the


s: meat and gave them each their portions, while Megapenthes poured


s: out the wine. Then they laid their hands upon the good things


s: that were before them, but as soon as they had had enough to eat


s: and drink Telemachus and Pisistratus yoked the horses, and took


s: their places in the chariot.  They drove out through the inner


s: gateway and under the echoing gatehouse of the outer court, and


s: Menelaus came after them with a golden goblet of wine in his


s: right hand that they might make a drink-offering before they set


s: out.  He stood in front of the horses and pledged them, saying,


s: "Farewell to both of you; see that you tell Nestor how I have


s: treated you, for he was as kind to me as any father could be


s: while we Achaeans were fighting before Troy."


s: "We will be sure, sir," answered Telemachus, "to tell him


s: everything as soon as we see him. I wish I were as certain of


s: finding Ulysses returned when I get back to Ithaca, that I might


s: tell him of the very great kindness you have shown me and of the


s: many beautiful presents I am taking with me."


s: As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand--an eagle


s: with a great white goose in its talons which it had carried off


s: from the farm yard--and all the men and women were running after


s: it and shouting. It came quite close up to them and flew away on


s: their right hands in front of the horses. When they saw it they


s: were glad, and their hearts took comfort within them, whereon


s: Pisistratus said, "Tell me, Menelaus, has heaven sent this omen


s: Menelaus was thinking what would be the most proper answer for


s: him to make, but Helen was too quick for him and said, "I will


s: read this matter as heaven has put it in my heart, and as I


s: doubt not that it will come to pass. The eagle came from the


s: mountain where it was bred and has its nest, and in like manner


s: Ulysses, after having travelled far and suffered much, will


s: return to take his revenge--if indeed he is not back already and


s: "May Jove so grant it," replied Telemachus, "if it should prove


s: to be so, I will make vows to you as though you were a god, even


s: As he spoke he lashed his horses and they started off at full


s: speed through the town towards the open country. They swayed the


s: yoke upon their necks and travelled the whole day long till the


s: sun set and darkness was over all the land. Then they reached


s: Pherae, where Diocles lived who was son of Ortilochus, the son


s: of Alpheus. There they passed the night and were treated


s: hospitably. When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn,


s: appeared, they again yoked their horses and their places in the