Complete Works of Homer

Home > Fantasy > Complete Works of Homer > Page 438
Complete Works of Homer Page 438

by Homer


  Hereafter, if in truth by signs from heav'n

  Inform'd, thou hast been taught the will of Jove.

  Thus they conferr'd. The gallant bark, meantime,

  Reach'd Ithaca, which from the Pylian shore 380

  Had brought Telemachus with all his band.

  Within the many-fathom'd port arrived

  His lusty followers haled her far aground,

  Then carried thence their arms, but to the house

  Of Clytius the illustrious gifts convey'd.

  Next to the royal mansion they dispatch'd

  An herald charg'd with tidings to the Queen,

  That her Telemachus had reach'd the cot

  Of good Eumæus, and the bark had sent

  Home to the city; lest the matchless dame 390

  Should still deplore the absence of her son.

  They, then, the herald and the swine-herd, each

  Bearing like message to his mistress, met,

  And at the palace of the godlike Chief

  Arriving, compass'd by the female throng

  Inquisitive, the herald thus began.

  Thy son, O Queen! is safe; ev'n now return'd.

  Then, drawing nigh to her, Eumæus told

  His message also from her son received,

  And, his commission punctually discharged, 400

  Leaving the palace, sought his home again.

  Grief seized and anguish, at those tidings, all

  The suitors; issuing forth, on the outside

  Of the high wall they sat, before the gate,

  When Polybus' son, Eurymachus, began.

  My friends! his arduous task, this voyage, deem'd

  By us impossible, in our despight

  Telemachus hath atchieved. Haste! launch we forth

  A sable bark, our best, which let us man

  With mariners expert, who, rowing forth 410

  Swiftly, shall summon our companions home.

  Scarce had he said, when turning where he sat,

  Amphinomus beheld a bark arrived

  Just then in port; he saw them furling sail,

  And seated with their oars in hand; he laugh'd

  Through pleasure at that sight, and thus he spake.

  Our message may be spared. Lo! they arrive.

  Either some God inform'd them, or they saw,

  Themselves, the vessel of Telemachus

  Too swiftly passing to be reach'd by theirs. 420

  He spake; they, rising, hasted to the shore.

  Alert they drew the sable bark aground,

  And by his servant each his arms dispatch'd

  To his own home. Then, all, to council those

  Assembling, neither elder of the land

  Nor youth allow'd to join them, and the rest

  Eupithes' son, Antinoüs, thus bespake.

  Ah! how the Gods have rescued him! all day

  Perch'd on the airy mountain-top, our spies

  Successive watch'd; and, when the sun declined, 430

  We never slept on shore, but all night long

  Till sacred dawn arose, plow'd the abyss,

  Hoping Telemachus, that we might seize

  And slay him, whom some Deity hath led,

  In our despight, safe to his home again.

  But frame we yet again means to destroy

  Telemachus; ah--let not Him escape!

  For end of this our task, while he survives,

  None shall be found, such prudence he displays

  And wisdom, neither are the people now 440

  Unanimous our friends as heretofore.

  Come, then--prevent him, ere he call the Greeks

  To council; for he will not long delay,

  But will be angry, doubtless, and will tell

  Amid them all, how we in vain devised

  His death, a deed which they will scarce applaud,

  But will, perhaps, punish and drive us forth

  From our own country to a distant land.--

  Prevent him, therefore, quickly; in the field

  Slay him, or on the road; so shall his wealth 450

  And his possessions on ourselves devolve

  Which we will share equally, but his house

  Shall be the Queen's, and his whom she shall wed.

  Yet, if not so inclined, ye rather chuse

  That he should live and occupy entire

  His patrimony, then, no longer, here

  Assembled, let us revel at his cost,

  But let us all with spousal gifts produced

  From our respective treasures, woo the Queen,

  Leaving her in full freedom to espouse 460

  Who proffers most, and whom the fates ordain.

  He ceased; the assembly silent sat and mute.

  Then rose Amphinomus amid them all,

  Offspring renown'd of Nisus, son, himself,

  Of King Aretias. He had thither led

  The suitor train who from the pleasant isle

  Corn-clad of green Dulichium had arrived,

  And by his speech pleased far beyond them all

  Penelope, for he was just and wise,

  And thus, well-counselling the rest, began. 470

  Not I, my friends! far be the thought from me

  To slay Telemachus! it were a deed

  Momentous, terrible, to slay a prince.

  First, therefore, let us counsel ask of heav'n,

  And if Jove's oracle that course approve,

  I will encourage you, and will myself

  Be active in his death; but if the Gods

  Forbid it, then, by my advice, forbear.

  So spake Amphinomus, whom all approved.

  Arising then, into Ulysses' house 480

  They went, where each his splendid seat resumed.

  A novel purpose occupied, meantime,

  Penelope; she purposed to appear

  Before her suitors, whose design to slay

  Telemachus she had from Medon learn'd,

  The herald, for his ear had caught the sound.

  Toward the hall with her attendant train

  She moved, and when, most graceful of her sex,

  Where sat the suitors she arrived, between

  The columns standing of the stately dome, 490

  And covering with her white veil's lucid folds

  Her features, to Antinoüs thus she spake.

  Antinoüs, proud, contentious, evermore

  To mischief prone! the people deem thee wise

  Past thy compeers, and in all grace of speech

  Pre-eminent, but such wast never thou.

  Inhuman! why is it thy dark design

  To slay Telemachus? and why with scorn

  Rejectest thou the suppliant's pray'r, which Jove

  Himself hath witness'd? Plots please not the Gods. 500

  Know'st not that thy own father refuge found

  Here, when he fled before the people's wrath

  Whom he had irritated by a wrong

  Which, with a band of Taphian robbers joined,

  He offer'd to the Thesprots, our allies?

  They would have torn his heart, and would have laid

  All his delights and his possessions waste,

  But my Ulysses slaked the furious heat

  Of their revenge, whom thou requitest now

  Wasting his goods, soliciting his wife, 510

  Slaying his son, and filling me with woe.

  But cease, I charge thee, and bid cease the rest.

  To whom the son of Polybus replied,

  Eurymachus.--Icarius' daughter wise!

  Take courage, fair Penelope, and chace

  These fears unreasonable from thy mind!

  The man lives not, nor shall, who while I live,

  And faculty of sight retain, shall harm

  Telemachus, thy son. For thus I say,

  And thus will I perform; his blood shall stream 520

  A sable current from my lance's point

  That moment; for
the city-waster Chief

  Ulysses, oft, me placing on his knees,

  Hath fill'd my infant grasp with sav'ry food,

  And giv'n me ruddy wine. I, therefore, hold

  Telemachus of all men most my friend,

  Nor hath he death to fear from hand of ours.

  Yet, if the Gods shall doom him, die he must.

  So he encouraged her, who yet, himself,

  Plotted his death. She, re-ascending, sought 530

  Her stately chamber, and, arriving there,

  Deplored with tears her long-regretted Lord

  Till Athenæan Pallas azure-eyed

  Dews of soft slumber o'er her lids diffused.

  And now, at even-tide, Eumæus reach'd

  Ulysses and his son. A yearling swine

  Just slain they skilfully for food prepared,

  When Pallas, drawing nigh, smote with her wand

  Ulysses, at the stroke rend'ring him old,

  And his apparel sordid as before, 540

  Lest, knowing him, the swain at once should seek

  Penelope, and let the secret forth.

  Then foremost him Telemachus address'd.

  Noble Eumæus! thou art come; what news

  Bring'st from the city? Have the warrior band

  Of suitors, hopeless of their ambush, reach'd

  The port again, or wait they still for me?

  To whom Eumæus, thou didst thus reply.

  No time for such enquiry, nor to range,

  Curious, the streets had I, but anxious wish'd 550

  To make my message known, and to return.

  But, as it chanced, a nimble herald sent

  From thy companions, met me on the way,

  Who reach'd thy mother first. Yet this I know,

  For this I saw. Passing above the town

  Where they have piled a way-side hill of stones

  To Mercury, I beheld a gallant bark

  Ent'ring the port; a bark she was of ours,

  The crew were num'rous, and I mark'd her deep-

  Laden with shields and spears of double edge. 560

  Theirs I conjectured her, and could no more.

  He spake, and by Eumæus unperceived,

  Telemachus his father eyed and smiled.

  Their task accomplish'd, and the table spread,

  They ate, nor any his due portion miss'd,

  And hunger, now, and thirst both sated, all

  To rest repair'd, and took the gift of sleep.

  FOOTNOTES:

  Alluding probably to entreaties made to him at some former time by

  herself and Telemachus, that he would not harm them. Clarke.

  BOOK XVII

  ARGUMENT

  Telemachus returns to the city, and relates to his mother the principal

  passages of his voyage; Ulysses, conducted by Eumæus, arrives there also,

  and enters among the suitors, having been known only by his old dog

  Argus, who dies at his feet. The curiosity of Penelope being excited by

  the account which Eumæus gives her of Ulysses, she orders him immediately

  into her presence, but Ulysses postpones the interview till evening, when

  the suitors having left the palace, there shall be no danger of

  interruption. Eumæus returns to his cottage.

  Now look'd Aurora from the East abroad,

  When the illustrious offspring of divine

  Ulysses bound his sandals to his feet;

  He seiz'd his sturdy spear match'd to his gripe,

  And to the city meditating quick

  Departure now, the swine-herd thus bespake.

  Father! I seek the city, to convince

  My mother of my safe return, whose tears,

  I judge, and lamentation shall not cease

  Till her own eyes behold me. But I lay 10

  On thee this charge. Into the city lead,

  Thyself, this hapless guest, that he may beg

  Provision there, a morsel and a drop

  From such as may, perchance, vouchsafe the boon.

  I cannot, vext and harass'd as I am,

  Feed all, and should the stranger take offence,

  The worse for him. Plain truth is my delight.

  To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied.

  Nor is it my desire to be detained.

  Better the mendicant in cities seeks 20

  His dole, vouchsafe it whosoever may,

  Than in the villages. I am not young,

  Nor longer of an age that well accords

  With rural tasks, nor could I all perform

  That it might please a master to command.

  Go then, and when I shall have warm'd my limbs

  Before the hearth, and when the risen sun

  Shall somewhat chase the cold, thy servant's task

  Shall be to guide me thither, as thou bidd'st,

  For this is a vile garb; the frosty air 30

  Of morning would benumb me thus attired,

  And, as ye say, the city is remote.

  He ended, and Telemachus in haste

  Set forth, his thoughts all teeming as he went

  With dire revenge. Soon in the palace-courts

  Arriving, he reclined his spear against

  A column, and proceeded to the hall.

  Him Euryclea, first, his nurse, perceived,

  While on the variegated seats she spread

  Their fleecy cov'ring; swift with tearful eyes 40

  She flew to him, and the whole female train

  Of brave Ulysses swarm'd around his son,

  Clasping him, and his forehead and his neck

  Kissing affectionate; then came, herself,

  As golden Venus or Diana fair,

  Forth from her chamber to her son's embrace,

  The chaste Penelope; with tears she threw

  Her arms around him, his bright-beaming eyes

  And forehead kiss'd, and with a murmur'd plaint

  Maternal, in wing'd accents thus began. 50

  Thou hast return'd, light of my eyes! my son!

  My lov'd Telemachus! I had no hope

  To see thee more when once thou hadst embark'd

  For Pylus, privily, and with no consent

  From me obtain'd, news seeking of thy sire.

  But haste; unfold. Declare what thou hast seen.

  To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied.

  Ah mother! let my sorrows rest, nor me

  From death so lately 'scaped afflict anew,

  But, bathed and habited in fresh attire, 60

  With all the maidens of thy train ascend

  To thy superior chamber, there to vow

  A perfect hecatomb to all the Gods,

  When Jove shall have avenged our num'rous wrongs.

  I seek the forum, there to introduce

  A guest, my follower from the Pylian shore,

  Whom sending forward with my noble band,

  I bade Piræus to his own abode

  Lead him, and with all kindness entertain

  The stranger, till I should myself arrive. 70

  He spake, nor flew his words useless away.

  She, bathed and habited in fresh attire,

  Vow'd a full hecatomb to all the Gods,

  Would Jove but recompense her num'rous wrongs.

  Then, spear in hand, went forth her son, two dogs

  Fleet-footed following him. O'er all his form

  Pallas diffused a dignity divine,

  And ev'ry eye gazed on him as he pass'd.

  The suitors throng'd him round, joy on their lips

  And welcome, but deep mischief in their hearts. 80

  He, shunning all that crowd, chose to himself

  A seat, where Mentor sat, and Antiphus,

  And Halytherses, long his father's friends

  Sincere, who of his voyage much enquired.

  Then drew Piræus nigh, leading his guest

  Toward the forum; nor Telemachus
/>
  Stood long aloof, but greeted his approach,

  And was accosted by Piræus thus.

  Sir! send thy menial women to bring home

  The precious charge committed to my care, 90

  Thy gifts at Menelaus' hands received.

  To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied.

  Piræus! wait; for I not yet foresee

  The upshot. Should these haughty ones effect

  My death, clandestine, under my own roof,

  And parcel my inheritance by lot,

  I rather wish those treasures thine, than theirs.

  But should I with success plan for them all

  A bloody death, then, wing'd with joy, thyself

  Bring home those presents to thy joyful friend. 100

  So saying, he led the anxious stranger thence

  Into the royal mansion, where arrived,

  Each cast his mantle on a couch or throne,

  And plung'd his feet into a polish'd bath.

  There wash'd and lubricated with smooth oils,

  From the attendant maidens each received

  Tunic and shaggy mantle. Thus attired,

  Forth from the baths they stepp'd, and sat again.

  A maiden, next, with golden ewer charged,

  And silver bowl, pour'd water on their hands, 110

  And spread the polish'd table, which with food

  Of all kinds, remnants of the last regale,

  The mistress of the household charge supplied.

  Meantime, beside a column of the dome

  His mother, on a couch reclining, twirl'd

  Her slender threads. They to the furnish'd board

  Stretch'd forth their hands, and, hunger now and thirst

  Both satisfied, Penelope began.

  Telemachus! I will ascend again,

  And will repose me on my woeful bed; 120

  For such it hath been, and with tears of mine

  Ceaseless bedew'd, e'er since Ulysses went

  With Atreus' sons to Troy. For not a word

  Thou would'st vouchsafe me till our haughty guests

  Had occupied the house again, of all

  That thou hast heard (if aught indeed thou hast)

  Of thy long-absent father's wish'd return.

  Her answer'd then Telemachus discrete.

  Mother, at thy request I will with truth

  Relate the whole. At Pylus shore arrived 130

  We Nestor found, Chief of the Pylian race.

  Receiving me in his august abode,

  He entertain'd me with such welcome kind

  As a glad father shews to his own son

  Long-lost and newly found; so Nestor me,

  And his illustrious offspring, entertain'd,

  But yet assured me that he nought had heard

  From mortal lips of my magnanimous sire,

 

‹ Prev