Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

  All reminiscence blots of all alike,

  Both good and ill; but me the Gods afflict

  Not seldom ev'n in dreams, and at my side,

  This night again, one lay resembling him;

  Such as my own Ulysses when he join'd

  Achaia's warriors; my exulting heart

  No airy dream believed it, but a truth.

  While thus she spake, in orient gold enthroned

  Came forth the morn; Ulysses, as she wept,

  Heard plain her lamentation; him that sound 110

  Alarm'd; he thought her present, and himself

  Known to her. Gath'ring hastily the cloak

  His cov'ring, and the fleeces, them he placed

  Together on a throne within the hall,

  But bore the bull's-hide forth into the air.

  Then, lifting high his hands to Jove, he pray'd.

  Eternal Sire! if over moist and dry

  Ye have with good-will sped me to my home

  After much suff'ring, grant me from the lips

  Of some domestic now awake, to hear 120

  Words of propitious omen, and thyself

  Vouchsafe me still some other sign abroad.

  Such pray'r he made, and Jove omniscient heard.

  Sudden he thunder'd from the radiant heights

  Olympian; glad, Ulysses heard the sound.

  A woman, next, a labourer at the mill

  Hard by, where all the palace-mills were wrought,

  Gave him the omen of propitious sound.

  Twelve maidens, day by day, toil'd at the mills,

  Meal grinding, some, of barley, some, of wheat, 130

  Marrow of man. The rest (their portion ground)

  All slept; she only from her task as yet

  Ceas'd not, for she was feeblest of them all;

  She rested on her mill, and thus pronounced

  The happy omen by her Lord desired.

  Jove, Father, Governor of heav'n and earth!

  Loud thou hast thunder'd from the starry skies

  By no cloud veil'd; a sign propitious, giv'n

  To whom I know not; but oh grant the pray'r

  Of a poor bond-woman! appoint their feast 140

  This day, the last that in Ulysses' house

  The suitors shall enjoy, for whom I drudge,

  With aching heart and trembling knees their meal

  Grinding continual. Feast they here no more!

  She ended, and the list'ning Chief received

  With equal joy both signs; for well he hoped

  That he should punish soon those guilty men.

  And now the other maidens in the hall

  Assembling, kindled on the hearth again

  Th' unwearied blaze; then, godlike from his couch 150

  Arose Telemachus, and, fresh-attired,

  Athwart his shoulders his bright faulchion slung,

  Bound his fair sandals to his feet, and took

  His sturdy spear pointed with glitt'ring brass;

  Advancing to the portal, there he stood,

  And Euryclea thus, his nurse, bespake.

  Nurse! have ye with respectful notice serv'd

  Our guest? or hath he found a sordid couch

  E'en where he might? for, prudent though she be,

  My mother, inattentive oft, the worse 160

  Treats kindly, and the better sends away.

  Whom Euryclea answer'd, thus, discrete.

  Blame not, my son! who merits not thy blame.

  The guest sat drinking till he would no more,

  And ate, till, question'd, he replied--Enough.

  But when the hour of sleep call'd him to rest,

  She gave commandment to her female train

  To spread his couch. Yet he, like one forlorn,

  And, through despair, indiff'rent to himself,

  Both bed and rugs refused, and in the porch 170

  On skins of sheep and on an undress'd hide

  Reposed, where we threw cov'ring over him.

  She ceas'd, and, grasping his bright-headed spear,

  Forth went the Prince attended, as he went,

  By his fleet hounds; to the assembled Greeks

  In council with majestic gait he moved,

  And Euryclea, daughter wise of Ops,

  Pisenor's son, call'd to the serving-maids.

  Haste ye! be diligent! sweep the palace-floor

  And sprinkle it; then give the sumptuous seats 180

  Their purple coverings. Let others cleanse

  With sponges all the tables, wash and rince

  The beakers well, and goblets rich-emboss'd;

  Run others to the fountain, and bring thence

  Water with speed. The suitors will not long

  Be absent, but will early come to-day,

  For this day is a public festival.

  So she; whom all, obedient, heard; forth went

  Together, twenty to the crystal fount,

  While in their sev'ral provinces the rest 190

  Bestirr'd them brisk at home. Then enter'd all

  The suitors, and began cleaving the wood.

  Meantime, the women from the fountain came,

  Whom soon the swine-herd follow'd, driving three

  His fattest brawns; them in the spacious court

  He feeding left, and to Ulysses' side

  Approaching, courteously bespake the Chief.

  Guest! look the Greecians on thee with respect

  At length, or still disdainful as before?

  Then, answer thus Ulysses wise return'd. 200

  Yes--and I would that vengeance from the Gods

  Might pay their insolence, who in a house

  Not theirs, dominion exercise, and plan

  Unseemly projects, shameless as they are!

  Thus they conferr'd; and now Melanthius came

  The goat-herd, driving, with the aid of two

  His fellow-swains, the fattest of his goats

  To feast the suitors. In the sounding porch

  The goats he tied, then, drawing near, in terms

  Reproachful thus assail'd Ulysses' ear. 210

  How, stranger? persever'st thou, begging, still

  To vex the suitors? wilt thou not depart?

  Scarce shall we settle this dispute, I judge,

  Till we have tasted each the other's fist;

  Thou art unreasonable thus to beg

  Here always--have the Greeks no feasts beside?

  He spake, to whom Ulysses answer none

  Return'd, but shook his brows, and, silent, framed

  Terrible purposes. Then, third, approach'd

  Chief o'er the herds, Philœtius; fatted goats 220

  He for the suitors brought, with which he drove

  An heifer; (ferry-men had pass'd them o'er,

  Carriers of all who on their coast arrive)

  He tied them in the sounding porch, then stood

  Beside the swine-herd, to whom thus he said.

  Who is this guest, Eumæus, here arrived

  So lately? from what nation hath he come?

  What parentage and country boasts the man?

  I pity him, whose figure seems to speak

  Royalty in him. Heav'n will surely plunge 230

  The race of common wand'rers deep in woe,

  If thus it destine even Kings to mourn.

  He ceas'd; and, with his right hand, drawing nigh,

  Welcom'd Ulysses, whom he thus bespake.

  Hail venerable guest! and be thy lot

  Prosp'rous at least hereafter, who art held

  At present in the bonds of num'rous ills.

  Thou, Jupiter, of all the Gods, art most

  Severe, and spar'st not to inflict distress

  Even on creatures from thyself derived. 240

  I had no sooner mark'd thee, than my eyes

  Swam, and the sweat gush'd from me at the thought

  Of dear Ulysses; for if yet he live

  And see the
sun, such tatters, I suppose,

  He wears, a wand'rer among human-kind.

  But if already with the dead he dwell

  In Pluto's drear abode, oh then, alas

  For kind Ulysses! who consign'd to me,

  While yet a boy, his Cephalenian herds,

  And they have now encreas'd to such a store 250

  Innumerable of broad-fronted beeves,

  As only care like mine could have produced.

  These, by command of others, I transport

  For their regale, who neither heed his son,

  Nor tremble at the anger of the Gods,

  But long have wish'd ardently to divide

  And share the substance of our absent Lord.

  Me, therefore, this thought occupies, and haunts

  My mind not seldom; while the heir survives

  It were no small offence to drive his herds 260

  Afar, and migrate to a foreign land;

  Yet here to dwell, suff'ring oppressive wrongs

  While I attend another's beeves, appears

  Still less supportable; and I had fled,

  And I had served some other mighty Chief

  Long since, (for patience fails me to endure

  My present lot) but that I cherish still

  Some hope of my ill-fated Lord's return,

  To rid his palace of those lawless guests.

  To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied. 270

  Herdsman! since neither void of sense thou seem'st,

  Nor yet dishonest, but myself am sure

  That thou art owner of a mind discrete,

  Hear therefore, for I swear! bold I attest

  Jove and this hospitable board, and these

  The Lares of the noble Chief, whose hearth

  Protects me now, that, ere thy going hence,

  Ulysses surely shall have reach'd his home,

  And thou shalt see him, if thou wilt, thyself,

  Slaying the suitors who now lord it here. 280

  Him answer'd then the keeper of his beeves.

  Oh stranger! would but the Saturnian King

  Perform that word, thou should'st be taught (thyself

  Eye-witness of it) what an arm is mine.

  Eumæus also ev'ry power of heav'n

  Entreated, that Ulysses might possess

  His home again. Thus mutual they conferr'd.

  Meantime, in conf'rence close the suitors plann'd

  Death for Telemachus; but while they sat

  Consulting, on their left the bird of Jove 290

  An eagle soar'd, grasping a tim'rous dove.

  Then, thus, Amphinomus the rest bespake.

  Oh friends! our consultation how to slay

  Telemachus, will never smoothly run

  To its effect; but let us to the feast.

  So spake Amphinomus, whose counsel pleased.

  Then, all into the royal house repaired,

  And on the thrones and couches throwing off

  Their mantles, slew the fatted goats, the brawns,

  The sheep full-sized, and heifer of the herd. 300

  The roasted entrails first they shared, then fill'd

  The beakers, and the swine-herd placed the cups,

  Philœtius, chief intendant of the beeves,

  Served all with baskets elegant of bread,

  While all their cups Melanthius charged with wine,

  And they assail'd at once the ready feast.

  Meantime Telemachus, with forecast shrewd,

  Fast by the marble threshold, but within

  The spacious hall his father placed, to whom

  A sordid seat he gave and scanty board. 310

  A portion of the entrails, next, he set

  Before him, fill'd a golden goblet high,

  And thus, in presence of them all, began.

  There seated now, drink as the suitors drink.

  I will, myself, their biting taunts forbid,

  And violence. This edifice is mine,

  Not public property; my father first

  Possess'd it, and my right from him descends.

  Suitors! controul your tongues, nor with your hands

  Offend, lest contest fierce and war ensue. 320

  He ceas'd: they gnawing, sat, their lips, aghast

  With wonder that Telemachus in his speech

  Such boldness used. Then spake Eupithes' son,

  Antinoüs, and the assembly thus address'd.

  Let pass, ye Greeks! the language of the Prince,

  Harsh as it is, and big with threats to us.

  Had Jove permitted, his orations here,

  Although thus eloquent, ere now had ceased.

  So spake Antinoüs, whom Ulysses' son

  Heard unconcern'd. And now the heralds came 330

  In solemn pomp, conducting through the streets

  A sacred hecatomb, when in the grove

  Umbrageous of Apollo, King shaft-arm'd,

  The assembled Greecians met. The sav'ry roast

  Finish'd, and from the spits withdrawn, each shared

  His portion of the noble feast, and such

  As they enjoy'd themselves the attendants placed

  Before Ulysses, for the Hero's son

  Himself, Telemachus, had so enjoined.

  But Pallas (that they might exasp'rate more 340

  Ulysses) suffer'd not the suitor Chiefs

  To banquet, guiltless of heart-piercing scoffs

  Malign. There was a certain suitor named

  Ctesippus, born in Samos; base of mind

  Was he and profligate, but, in the wealth

  Confiding of his father, woo'd the wife

  Of long-exiled Ulysses. From his seat

  The haughty suitors thus that man address'd.

  Ye noble suitors, I would speak; attend!

  The guest is served; he hath already shared 350

  Equal with us; nor less the laws demand

  Of hospitality; for neither just

  It were nor decent, that a guest, received

  Here by Telemachus, should be denied

  His portion of the feast. Come then--myself

  Will give to him, that he may also give

  To her who laved him in the bath, or else

  To whatsoever menial here he will.

  So saying, he from a basket near at hand

  Heav'd an ox-foot, and with a vig'rous arm 360

  Hurl'd it. Ulysses gently bow'd his head,

  Shunning the blow, but gratified his just

  Resentment with a broad sardonic smile

  Of dread significance. He smote the wall.

  Then thus Telemachus rebuked the deed.

  Ctesippus, thou art fortunate; the bone

  Struck not the stranger, for he shunn'd the blow;

  Else, I had surely thrust my glitt'ring lance

  Right through thee; then, no hymenæal rites

  Of thine should have employ'd thy father here, 370

  But thy funereal. No man therefore treat

  Me with indignity within these walls,

  For though of late a child, I can discern

  Now, and distinguish between good and ill.

  Suffice it that we patiently endure

  To be spectators daily of our sheep

  Slaughter'd, our bread consumed, our stores of wine

  Wasted; for what can one to all opposed?

  Come then--persist no longer in offence

  And hostile hate of me; or if ye wish 380

  To slay me, pause not. It were better far

  To die, and I had rather much be slain,

  Than thus to witness your atrocious deeds

  Day after day; to see our guests abused,

  With blows insulted, and the women dragg'd

  With a licentious violence obscene

  From side to side of all this fair abode.

  He said, and all sat silent, till at length

  Thus Agelaüs spake, Diastor's son.

  My friend
s! let none with contradiction thwart 390

  And rude reply, words rational and just;

  Assault no more the stranger, nor of all

  The servants of renown'd Ulysses here

  Harm any. My advice, both to the Queen

  And to Telemachus, shall gentle be,

  May it but please them. While the hope survived

  Within your bosoms of the safe return

  Of wise Ulysses to his native isle,

  So long good reason was that she should use

  Delay, and hold our wooing in suspence; 400

  For had Ulysses come, that course had proved

  Wisest and best; but that he comes no more

  Appears, now, manifest. Thou, therefore, Prince!

  Seeking thy mother, counsel her to wed

  The noblest, and who offers richest dow'r,

  That thou, for thy peculiar, may'st enjoy

  Thy own inheritance in peace and ease,

  And she, departing, find another home.

  To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied.

  I swear by Jove, and by my father's woes, 410

  Who either hath deceased far from his home,

  Or lives a wand'rer, that I interpose

  No hindrance to her nuptials. Let her wed

  Who offers most, and even whom she will.

  But to dismiss her rudely were a deed

  Unfilial--That I dare not--God forbid!

  So spake Telemachus. Then Pallas struck

  The suitors with delirium; wide they stretch'd

  Their jaws with unspontaneous laughter loud;

  Their meat dripp'd blood; tears fill'd their eyes, and dire

  Presages of approaching woe, their hearts. 421

  Then thus the prophet Theoclymenus.

  Ah miserable men! what curse is this

  That takes you now? night wraps itself around

  Your faces, bodies, limbs; the palace shakes

  With peals of groans--and oh, what floods ye weep!

  I see the walls and arches dappled thick

  With gore; the vestibule is throng'd, the court

  On all sides throng'd with apparitions grim

  Of slaughter'd men sinking into the gloom 430

  Of Erebus; the sun is blotted out

  From heav'n, and midnight whelms you premature.

  He said, they, hearing, laugh'd; and thus the son

  Of Polybus, Eurymachus replied.

  This wand'rer from a distant shore hath left

  His wits behind. Hoa there! conduct him hence

  Into the forum; since he dreams it night

  Already, teach him there that it is day.

  Then answer'd godlike Theoclymenus.

  I have no need, Eurymachus, of guides 440

  To lead me hence, for I have eyes and ears,

  The use of both my feet, and of a mind

  In no respect irrational or wild.

  These shall conduct me forth, for well I know