Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  Snarler! Telemachus shall be inform'd

  This moment of thy eloquent harangue,

  That he may hew thee for it, limb from limb.

  So saying, he scared the women; back they flew

  Into the house, but each with falt'ring knees

  Through dread, for they believ'd his threats sincere.

  He, then illumin'd by the triple blaze,

  Watch'd close the lights, busy from hearth to hearth, 420

  But in his soul, meantime, far other thoughts

  Revolved, tremendous, not conceived in vain.

  Nor Pallas (that they might exasp'rate more

  Laertes' son) permitted to abstain

  From heart-corroding bitterness of speech

  Those suitors proud, of whom Eurymachus,

  Offspring of Polybus, while thus he jeer'd

  Ulysses, set the others in a roar.

  Hear me, ye suitors of the illustrious Queen!

  I shall promulge my thought. This man, methinks, 430

  Not unconducted by the Gods, hath reach'd

  Ulysses' mansion, for to me the light

  Of yonder torches altogether seems

  His own, an emanation from his head,

  Which not the smallest growth of hair obscures.

  He ended; and the city-waster Chief

  Himself accosted next. Art thou disposed

  To serve me, friend! would I afford thee hire,

  A labourer at my farm? thou shalt not want

  Sufficient wages; thou may'st there collect 440

  Stones for my fences, and may'st plant my oaks,

  For which I would supply thee all the year

  With food, and cloaths, and sandals for thy feet.

  But thou hast learn'd less creditable arts,

  Nor hast a will to work, preferring much

  By beggary from others to extort

  Wherewith to feed thy never-sated maw.

  Then answer, thus, Ulysses wise return'd.

  Forbear, Eurymachus; for were we match'd

  In work against each other, thou and I, 450

  Mowing in spring-time, when the days are long,

  I with my well-bent sickle in my hand,

  Thou arm'd with one as keen, for trial sake

  Of our ability to toil unfed

  Till night, grass still sufficing for the proof.--

  Or if, again, it were our task to drive

  Yoked oxen of the noblest breed, sleek-hair'd,

  Big-limb'd, both batten'd to the full with grass,

  Their age and aptitude for work the same

  Not soon to be fatigued, and were the field 460

  In size four acres, with a glebe through which

  The share might smoothly slide, then should'st thou see

  How strait my furrow should be cut and true.--

  Or should Saturnian Jove this day excite

  Here, battle, or elsewhere, and were I arm'd

  With two bright spears and with a shield, and bore

  A brazen casque well-fitted to my brows,

  Me, then, thou should'st perceive mingling in fight

  Amid the foremost Chiefs, nor with the crime

  Of idle beggary should'st upbraid me more. 470

  But thou art much a railer, one whose heart

  Pity moves not, and seem'st a mighty man

  And valiant to thyself, only because

  Thou herd'st with few, and those of little worth.

  But should Ulysses come, at his own isle

  Again arrived, wide as these portals are,

  To thee, at once, too narrow they should seem

  To shoot thee forth with speed enough abroad.

  He ceased--then tenfold indignation fired

  Eurymachus; he furrow'd deep his brow 480

  With frowns, and in wing'd accents thus replied.

  Wretch, I shall roughly handle thee anon,

  Who thus with fluent prate presumptuous dar'st

  Disturb this num'rous company, restrain'd

  By no respect or fear. Either thou art

  With wine intoxicated, or, perchance,

  Art always fool, and therefore babblest now;

  Or thou art frantic haply with delight

  That thou hast foil'd yon vagabond obscure.

  So saying, he seized a stool; but to the knees 490

  Ulysses flew of the Dulichian Prince

  Amphinomus, and sat, fearing incensed

  Eurymachus; he on his better hand

  Smote full the cup-bearer; on the hall-floor

  Loud rang the fallen beaker, and himself

  Lay on his back clamouring in the dust.

  Strait through the dusky hall tumult ensued

  Among the suitors, of whom thus, a youth,

  With eyes directed to the next, exclaim'd.

  Would that this rambling stranger had elsewhere 500

  Perish'd, or ever he had here arrived,

  Then no such uproar had he caused as this!

  This doth the beggar; he it is for whom

  We wrangle thus, and may despair of peace

  Or pleasure more; now look for strife alone.

  Then in the midst Telemachus upstood

  Majestic, and the suitors thus bespake.

  Sirs! ye are mad, and can no longer eat

  Or drink in peace; some dæmon troubles you.

  But since ye all have feasted, to your homes 510

  Go now, and, at your pleasure, to your beds;

  Soonest were best, but I thrust no man hence.

  He ceased; they gnawing stood their lips, aghast

  With wonder that Telemachus in his speech

  Such boldness used. Then rose Amphinomus,

  Brave son of Nisus offspring of the King

  Aretus, and the assembly thus address'd.

  My friends! let none with contradiction thwart

  And rude reply words rational and just;

  Assault no more the stranger, nor of all 520

  The servants of renown'd Ulysses here

  Harm any. Come. Let the cup-bearer fill

  To all, that due libation made, to rest

  We may repair at home, leaving the Prince

  To accommodate beneath his father's roof

  The stranger, for he is the Prince's guest.

  He ended, whose advice none disapproved.

  The Hero Mulius then, Dulichian-born,

  And herald of Amphinomus, the cup

  Filling, dispensed it, as he stood, to all; 530

  They, pouring forth to the Immortals, quaff'd

  The luscious bev'rage, and when each had made

  Libation, and such measure as he would

  Of wine had drunk, then all to rest retired.

  FOOTNOTES:

  Tradition says that Echetus, for a love-affair, condemned his

  daughter to lose her eyes, and to grind iron barley-grains, while her

  lover was doomed to suffer what Antinoüs threatens to Irus. F.

  This seems the sort of laughter intended by the word Αχρειον.

  From Iäsus, once King of Peloponnesus.

  BOOK XIX

  ARGUMENT

  Ulysses and Telemachus remove the arms from the hall to an upper-chamber.

  The Hero then confers with Penelope, to whom he gives a fictitious

  narrative of his adventures. Euryclea, while bathing Ulysses, discovers

  him by a scar on his knee, but he prevents her communication of that

  discovery to Penelope.

  They went, but left the noble Chief behind

  In his own house, contriving by the aid

  Of Pallas, the destruction of them all,

  And thus, in accents wing'd, again he said.

  My son! we must remove and safe dispose

  All these my well-forged implements of war;

  And should the suitors, missing them, enquire

  Where are they? thou shalt answer smoothly thus--

  I have con
vey'd them from the reach of smoke,

  For they appear no more the same which erst 10

  Ulysses, going hence to Ilium, left,

  So smirch'd and sullied by the breath of fire.

  This weightier reason (thou shalt also say)

  Some God suggested to me,--lest, inflamed

  With wine, ye wound each other in your brawls,

  Shaming both feast and courtship; for the view

  Itself of arms incites to their abuse.

  He ceased, and, in obedience to his will,

  Calling the ancient Euryclea forth,

  His nurse, Telemachus enjoin'd her thus. 20

  Go--shut the women in; make fast the doors

  Of their apartment, while I safe dispose

  Elsewhere, my father's implements of war,

  Which, during his long absence, here have stood

  Till smoke hath sullied them. For I have been

  An infant hitherto, but, wiser grown,

  Would now remove them from the breath of fire.

  Then thus the gentle matron in return.

  Yes truly--and I wish that now, at length,

  Thou would'st assert the privilege of thy years, 30

  My son, thyself assuming charge of all,

  Both house and stores; but who shall bear the light?

  Since they, it seems, who would, are all forbidden.

  To whom Telemachus discrete replied.

  This guest; for no man, from my table fed,

  Come whence he may; shall be an idler here.

  He ended, nor his words flew wing'd away,

  But Euryclea bolted every door.

  Then, starting to the task, Ulysses caught,

  And his illustrious son, the weapons thence, 40

  Helmet, and bossy shield, and pointed spear,

  While Pallas from a golden lamp illumed

  The dusky way before them. At that sight

  Alarm'd, the Prince his father thus address'd.

  Whence--whence is this, my father? I behold

  A prodigy! the walls of the whole house,

  The arches, fir-tree beams, and pillars tall

  Shine in my view, as with the blaze of fire!

  Some Pow'r celestial, doubtless, is within.

  To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied. 50

  Soft! ask no questions. Give no vent to thought,

  Such is the custom of the Pow'rs divine.

  Hence, thou, to bed. I stay, that I may yet

  Both in thy mother and her maidens move

  More curiosity; yes--she with tears

  Shall question me of all that I have seen.

  He ended, and the Prince, at his command,

  Guided by flaming torches, sought the couch

  Where he was wont to sleep, and there he slept

  On that night also, waiting the approach 60

  Of sacred dawn. Thus was Ulysses left

  Alone, and planning sat in solitude,

  By Pallas' aid, the slaughter of his foes.

  At length, Diana-like, or like herself,

  All golden Venus, (her apartment left)

  Enter'd Penelope. Beside the hearth

  Her women planted her accustom'd seat

  With silver wreathed and ivory. That throne

  Icmalius made, artist renown'd, and join'd

  A footstool to its splendid frame beneath, 70

  Which ever with an ample fleece they spread.

  There sat discrete Penelope; then came

  Her beautiful attendants from within,

  Who cleared the litter'd bread, the board, and cups

  From which the insolent companions drank.

  They also raked the embers from the hearths

  Now dim, and with fresh billets piled them high,

  Both for illumination and for warmth.

  Then yet again Melantho with rude speech

  Opprobrious, thus, assail'd Ulysses' ear. 80

  Guest--wilt thou trouble us throughout the night

  Ranging the house? and linger'st thou a spy

  Watching the women? Hence--get thee abroad

  Glad of such fare as thou hast found, or soon

  With torches beaten we will thrust thee forth.

  To whom Ulysses, frowning stern, replied.

  Petulant woman! wherefore thus incensed

  Inveigh'st thou against me? is it because

  I am not sleek? because my garb is mean?

  Because I beg? thanks to necessity-- 90

  I would not else. But such as I appear,

  Such all who beg and all who wander are.

  I also lived the happy owner once

  Of such a stately mansion, and have giv'n

  To num'rous wand'rers, whencesoe'er they came,

  All that they needed; I was also served

  By many, and enjoy'd all that denotes

  The envied owner opulent and blest.

  But Jove (for so it pleas'd him) hath reduced

  My all to nothing. Therefore well beware 100

  Thou also, mistress, lest a day arrive

  When all these charms by which thou shin'st among

  Thy sister-menials, fade; fear, too, lest her

  Thou should'st perchance irritate, whom thou serv'st,

  And lest Ulysses come, of whose return

  Hope yet survives; but even though the Chief

  Have perish'd, as ye think, and comes no more,

  Consider yet his son, how bright the gifts

  Shine of Apollo in the illustrious Prince

  Telemachus; no woman, unobserved 110

  By him, can now commit a trespass here;

  His days of heedless infancy are past.

  He ended, whom Penelope discrete

  O'erhearing, her attendant sharp rebuked.

  Shameless, audacious woman! known to me

  Is thy great wickedness, which with thy life

  Thou shalt atone; for thou wast well aware,

  (Hearing it from myself) that I design'd

  To ask this stranger of my absent Lord,

  For whose dear sake I never cease to mourn. 120

  Then to her household's governess she said.

  Bring now a seat, and spread it with a fleece,

  Eurynome! that, undisturb'd, the guest

  May hear and answer all that I shall ask.

  She ended. Then the matron brought in haste

  A polish'd seat, and spread it with a fleece,

  On which the toil-accustom'd Hero sat,

  And thus the chaste Penelope began.

  Stranger! my first enquiry shall be this--

  Who art thou? whence? where born? and sprung from whom? 130

  Then answer thus Ulysses, wise, return'd.

  O Queen! uncensurable by the lips

  Of mortal man! thy glory climbs the skies

  Unrivall'd, like the praise of some great King

  Who o'er a num'rous people and renown'd

  Presiding like a Deity, maintains

  Justice and truth. The earth, under his sway,

  Her produce yields abundantly; the trees

  Fruit-laden bend; the lusty flocks bring forth;

  The Ocean teems with finny swarms beneath 140

  His just controul, and all the land is blest.

  Me therefore, question of what else thou wilt

  In thy own palace, but forbear to ask

  From whom I sprang, and of my native land,

  Lest thou, reminding me of those sad themes,

  Augment my woes; for I have much endured;

  Nor were it seemly, in another's house,

  To pass the hours in sorrow and in tears,

  Wearisome when indulg'd with no regard

  To time or place; thy train (perchance thyself) 150

  Would blame me, and I should reproach incur

  As one tear-deluged through excess of wine.

  Him answer'd then Penelope discrete.

  The immortal Gods, O stranger, then destroy'd
/>
  My form, my grace, my beauty, when the Greeks

  Whom my Ulysses follow'd, sail'd to Troy.

  Could he, returning, my domestic charge

  Himself intend, far better would my fame

  Be so secured, and wider far diffused.

  But I am wretched now, such storms of woe 160

  The Gods have sent me; for as many Chiefs

  As hold dominion in the neighbour isles

  Samos, Dulichium, and the forest-crown'd

  Zacynthus; others, also, rulers here

  In pleasant Ithaca, me, loth to wed,

  Woo ceaseless, and my household stores consume.

  I therefore, neither guest nor suppliant heed,

  Nor public herald more, but with regret

  Of my Ulysses wear my soul away.

  They, meantime, press my nuptials, which by art 170

  I still procrastinate. Some God the thought

  Suggested to me, to commence a robe

  Of amplest measure and of subtlest woof,

  Laborious task; which done, I thus address'd them.

  Princes, my suitors! since the noble Chief

  Ulysses is no more, enforce not now

  My nuptials; wait till I shall finish first

  A fun'ral robe (lest all my threads be marr'd)

  Which for the ancient Hero I prepare

  Laertes, looking for the mournful hour 180

  When fate shall snatch him to eternal rest.

  Else, I the censure dread of all my sex,

  Should he, so wealthy, want at last a shroud.

  Such was my speech; they, unsuspicious all,

  With my request complied. Thenceforth, all day

  I wove the ample web, and, by the aid

  Of torches, ravell'd it again at night.

  Three years by artifice I thus their suit

  Eluded safe; but when the fourth arrived,

  And the same season after many moons 190

  And fleeting days return'd, passing my train

  Who had neglected to release the dogs,

  They came, surprized and reprimanded me.

  Thus, through necessity, not choice, at last

  I have perform'd it, in my own despight.

  But no escape from marriage now remains,

  Nor other subterfuge for me; meantime

  My parents urge my nuptials, and my son

  (Of age to note it) with disgust observes

  His wealth consumed; for he is now become 200

  Adult, and abler than myself to rule

  The house, a Prince distinguish'd by the Gods,

  Yet, stranger, after all, speak thy descent;

  Say whence thou art; for not of fabulous birth

  Art thou, nor from the oak, nor from the rock.

  Her answer'd then Ulysses, ever-wise.