Complete Works of Homer

by Homer

Shafts from the door till he have slain us all.

  Therefore to arms--draw each his sword--oppose

  The tables to his shafts, and all at once

  Rush on him; that, dislodging him at least

  From portal and from threshold, we may give

  The city on all sides a loud alarm,

  So shall this archer soon have shot his last.

  Thus saying, he drew his brazen faulchion keen

  Of double edge, and with a dreadful cry 90

  Sprang on him; but Ulysses with a shaft

  In that same moment through his bosom driv'n

  Transfix'd his liver, and down dropp'd his sword.

  He, staggering around his table, fell

  Convolv'd in agonies, and overturn'd

  Both food and wine; his forehead smote the floor;

  Woe fill'd his heart, and spurning with his heels

  His vacant seat, he shook it till he died.

  Then, with his faulchion drawn, Amphinomus

  Advanced to drive Ulysses from the door, 100

  And fierce was his assault; but, from behind,

  Telemachus between his shoulders fix'd

  A brazen lance, and urged it through his breast.

  Full on his front, with hideous sound, he fell.

  Leaving the weapon planted in his spine

  Back flew Telemachus, lest, had he stood

  Drawing it forth, some enemy, perchance,

  Should either pierce him with a sudden thrust

  Oblique, or hew him with a downright edge.

  Swift, therefore, to his father's side he ran, 110

  Whom reaching, in wing'd accents thus he said.

  My father! I will now bring thee a shield,

  An helmet, and two spears; I will enclose

  Myself in armour also, and will give

  Both to the herdsmen and Eumæus arms

  Expedient now, and needful for us all.

  To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied.

  Run; fetch them, while I yet have arrows left,

  Lest, single, I be justled from the door.

  He said, and, at his word, forth went the Prince, 120

  Seeking the chamber where he had secured

  The armour. Thence he took four shields, eight spears,

  With four hair-crested helmets, charged with which

  He hasted to his father's side again,

  And, arming first himself, furnish'd with arms

  His two attendants. Then, all clad alike

  In splendid brass, beside the dauntless Chief

  Ulysses, his auxiliars firm they stood.

  He, while a single arrow unemploy'd

  Lay at his foot, right-aiming, ever pierced 130

  Some suitor through, and heaps on heaps they fell.

  But when his arrows fail'd the royal Chief,

  His bow reclining at the portal's side

  Against the palace-wall, he slung, himself,

  A four-fold buckler on his arm, he fix'd

  A casque whose crest wav'd awful o'er his brows

  On his illustrious head, and fill'd his gripe

  With two stout spears, well-headed both, with brass.

  There was a certain postern in the wall

  At the gate-side, the customary pass 140

  Into a narrow street, but barr'd secure.

  Ulysses bade his faithful swine-herd watch

  That egress, station'd near it, for it own'd

  One sole approach; then Agelaüs loud

  Exhorting all the suitors, thus exclaim'd.

  Oh friends, will none, ascending to the door

  Of yonder postern, summon to our aid

  The populace, and spread a wide alarm?

  So shall this archer soon have shot his last.

  To whom the keeper of the goats replied 150

  Melanthius. Agelaüs! Prince renown'd!

  That may not be. The postern and the gate

  Neighbour too near each other, and to force

  The narrow egress were a vain attempt;

  One valiant man might thence repulse us all.

  But come--myself will furnish you with arms

  Fetch'd from above; for there, as I suppose,

  (And not elsewhere) Ulysses and his son

  Have hidden them, and there they shall be found.

  So spake Melanthius, and, ascending, sought 160

  Ulysses' chambers through the winding stairs

  And gall'ries of the house. Twelve bucklers thence

  He took, as many spears, and helmets bright

  As many, shagg'd with hair, then swift return'd

  And gave them to his friends. Trembled the heart

  Of brave Ulysses, and his knees, at sight

  Of his opposers putting armour on,

  And shaking each his spear; arduous indeed

  Now seem'd his task, and in wing'd accents brief

  Thus to his son Telemachus he spake. 170

  Either some woman of our train contrives

  Hard battle for us, furnishing with arms

  The suitors, or Melanthius arms them all.

  Him answer'd then Telemachus discrete.

  Father, this fault was mine, and be it charged

  On none beside; I left the chamber-door

  Unbarr'd, which, more attentive than myself,

  Their spy perceived. But haste, Eumæus, shut

  The chamber-door, observing well, the while,

  If any women of our train have done 180

  This deed, or whether, as I more suspect,

  Melanthius, Dolius' son, have giv'n them arms.

  Thus mutual they conferr'd; meantime, again

  Melanthius to the chamber flew in quest

  Of other arms. Eumæus, as he went,

  Mark'd him, and to Ulysses' thus he spake.

  Laertes' noble son, for wiles renown'd!

  Behold, the traytor, whom ourselves supposed,

  Seeks yet again the chamber! Tell me plain,

  Shall I, should I superior prove in force, 190

  Slay him, or shall I drag him thence to thee,

  That he may suffer at thy hands the doom

  Due to his treasons perpetrated oft

  Against thee, here, even in thy own house?

  Then answer thus Ulysses shrewd return'd.

  I, with Telemachus, will here immew

  The lordly suitors close, rage as they may.

  Ye two, the while, bind fast Melanthius' hands

  And feet behind his back, then cast him bound

  Into the chamber, and (the door secured) 200

  Pass underneath his arms a double chain,

  And by a pillar's top weigh him aloft

  Till he approach the rafters, there to endure,

  Living long time, the mis'ries he hath earned.

  He spake; they prompt obey'd; together both

  They sought the chamber, whom the wretch within

  Heard not, exploring ev'ry nook for arms.

  They watching stood the door, from which, at length,

  Forth came Melanthius, bearing in one hand

  A casque, and in the other a broad shield 210

  Time-worn and chapp'd with drought, which in his youth

  Warlike Laertes had been wont to bear.

  Long time neglected it had lain, till age

  Had loosed the sutures of its bands. At once

  Both, springing on him, seized and drew him in

  Forcibly by his locks, then cast him down

  Prone on the pavement, trembling at his fate.

  With painful stricture of the cord his hands

  They bound and feet together at his back,

  As their illustrious master had enjoined, 220

  Then weigh'd him with a double chain aloft

  By a tall pillar to the palace-roof,

  And thus, deriding him, Eumæus spake.

  Now, good Melanthius, on that fleecy bed

  Reclined, as well befits thee, thou wilt wat
ch

  All night, nor when the golden dawn forsakes

  The ocean stream, will she escape thine eye,

  But thou wilt duly to the palace drive

  The fattest goats, a banquet for thy friends.

  So saying, he left him in his dreadful sling. 230

  Then, arming both, and barring fast the door,

  They sought brave Laertiades again.

  And now, courageous at the portal stood

  Those four, by numbers in the interior house

  Opposed of adversaries fierce in arms,

  When Pallas, in the form and with the voice

  Approach'd of Mentor, whom Laertes' son

  Beheld, and joyful at the sight, exclaim'd.

  Help, Mentor! help--now recollect a friend

  And benefactor, born when thou wast born. 240

  So he, not unsuspicious that he saw

  Pallas, the heroine of heav'n. Meantime

  The suitors fill'd with menaces the dome,

  And Agelaüs, first, Damastor's son,

  In accents harsh rebuked the Goddess thus.

  Beware, oh Mentor! that he lure thee not

  To oppose the suitors and to aid himself,

  For thus will we. Ulysses and his son

  Both slain, in vengeance of thy purpos'd deeds

  Against us, we will slay _thee_ next, and thou 250

  With thy own head shalt satisfy the wrong.

  Your force thus quell'd in battle, all thy wealth

  Whether in house or field, mingled with his,

  We will confiscate, neither will we leave

  Or son of thine, or daughter in thy house

  Alive, nor shall thy virtuous consort more

  Within the walls of Ithaca be seen.

  He ended, and his words with wrath inflamed

  Minerva's heart the more; incensed, she turn'd

  Towards Ulysses, whom she thus reproved. 260

  Thou neither own'st the courage nor the force,

  Ulysses, now, which nine whole years thou showd'st

  At Ilium, waging battle obstinate

  For high-born Helen, and in horrid fight

  Destroying multitudes, till thy advice

  At last lay'd Priam's bulwark'd city low.

  Why, in possession of thy proper home

  And substance, mourn'st thou want of pow'r t'oppose

  The suitors? Stand beside me, mark my deeds,

  And thou shalt own Mentor Alcimides 270

  A valiant friend, and mindful of thy love.

  She spake; nor made she victory as yet

  Entire his own, proving the valour, first,

  Both of the sire and of his glorious son,

  But, springing in a swallow's form aloft,

  Perch'd on a rafter of the splendid roof.

  Then, Agelaüs animated loud

  The suitors, whom Eurynomus also roused,

  Amphimedon, and Demoptolemus,

  And Polyctorides, Pisander named, 280

  And Polybus the brave; for noblest far

  Of all the suitor-chiefs who now survived

  And fought for life were these. The bow had quell'd

  And shafts, in quick succession sent, the rest.

  Then Agelaüs, thus, harangued them all.

  We soon shall tame, O friends, this warrior's might,

  Whom Mentor, after all his airy vaunts

  Hath left, and at the portal now remain

  Themselves alone. Dismiss not therefore, all,

  Your spears together, but with six alone 290

  Assail them first; Jove willing, we shall pierce

  Ulysses, and subduing him, shall slay

  With ease the rest; their force is safely scorn'd.

  He ceas'd; and, as he bade, six hurl'd the spear

  Together; but Minerva gave them all

  A devious flight; one struck a column, one

  The planks of the broad portal, and a third

  Flung right his ashen beam pond'rous with brass

  Against the wall. Then (ev'ry suitor's spear

  Eluded) thus Ulysses gave the word-- 300

  Now friends! I counsel you that ye dismiss

  Your spears at _them_, who, not content with past

  Enormities, thirst also for our blood.

  He said, and with unerring aim, all threw

  Their glitt'ring spears. Ulysses on the ground

  Stretch'd Demoptolemus; Euryades

  Fell by Telemachus; the swine-herd slew

  Elătus; and the keeper of the beeves

  Pisander; in one moment all alike

  Lay grinding with their teeth the dusty floor. 310

  Back flew the suitors to the farthest wall,

  On whom those valiant four advancing, each

  Recover'd, quick, his weapon from the dead.

  Then hurl'd the desp'rate suitors yet again

  Their glitt'ring spears, but Pallas gave to each

  A frustrate course; one struck a column, one

  The planks of the broad portal, and a third

  Flung full his ashen beam against the walăl.

  Yet pierced Amphimedon the Prince's wrist,

  But slightly, a skin-wound, and o'er his shield 320

  Ctesippus reach'd the shoulder of the good

  Eumæus, but his glancing weapon swift

  O'erflew the mark, and fell. And now the four,

  Ulysses, dauntless Hero, and his friends

  All hurl'd their spears together in return,

  Himself Ulysses, city-waster Chief,

  Wounded Eurydamas; Ulysses' son

  Amphimedon; the swine-herd Polybus;

  And in his breast the keeper of the beeves

  Ctesippus, glorying over whom, he cried. 330

  Oh son of Polytherses! whose delight

  Hath been to taunt and jeer, never again

  Boast foolishly, but to the Gods commit

  Thy tongue, since they are mightier far than thou.

  Take this--a compensation for thy pledge

  Of hospitality, the huge ox-hoof,

  Which while he roam'd the palace, begging alms,

  Ulysses at thy bounteous hand received.

  So gloried he; then, grasping still his spear,

  Ulysses pierced Damastor's son, and, next, 340

  Telemachus, enforcing his long beam

  Sheer through his bowels and his back, transpierced

  Leiocritus, he prostrate smote the floor.

  Then, Pallas from the lofty roof held forth

  Her host-confounding Ægis o'er their heads,

  With'ring their souls with fear. They through the hall

  Fled, scatter'd as an herd, which rapid-wing'd

  The gad-fly dissipates, infester fell

  Of beeves, when vernal suns shine hot and long.

  But, as when bow-beak'd vultures crooked-claw'd 350

  Stoop from the mountains on the smaller fowl;

  Terrified at the toils that spread the plain

  The flocks take wing, they, darting from above,

  Strike, seize, and slay, resistance or escape

  Is none, the fowler's heart leaps with delight,

  So they, pursuing through the spacious hall

  The suitors, smote them on all sides, their heads

  Sounded beneath the sword, with hideous groans

  The palace rang, and the floor foamed with blood.

  Then flew Leiodes to Ulysses' knees, 360

  Which clasping, in wing'd accents thus he cried.

  I clasp thy knees, Ulysses! oh respect

  My suit, and spare me! Never have I word

  Injurious spoken, or injurious deed

  Attempted 'gainst the women of thy house,

  But others, so transgressing, oft forbad.

  Yet they abstain'd not, and a dreadful fate

  Due to their wickedness have, therefore, found.

  But I, their soothsayer alone, must fall,

  Though unoffending; suc
h is the return 370

  By mortals made for benefits received!

  To whom Ulysses, louring dark, replied.

  Is that thy boast? Hast thou indeed for these

  The seer's high office fill'd? Then, doubtless, oft

  Thy pray'r hath been that distant far might prove

  The day delectable of my return,

  And that my consort might thy own become

  To bear thee children; wherefore thee I doom

  To a dire death which thou shalt not avoid.

  So saying, he caught the faulchion from the floor 380

  Which Agelaüs had let fall, and smote

  Leiodes, while he kneel'd, athwart his neck

  So suddenly, that ere his tongue had ceased

  To plead for life, his head was in the dust.

  But Phemius, son of Terpius, bard divine,

  Who, through compulsion, with his song regaled

  The suitors, a like dreadful death escaped.

  Fast by the postern, harp in hand, he stood,

  Doubtful if, issuing, he should take his seat

  Beside the altar of Hercæan Jove, 390

  Where oft Ulysses offer'd, and his sire,

  Fat thighs of beeves, or whether he should haste,

  An earnest suppliant, to embrace his knees.

  That course, at length, most pleased him; then, between

  The beaker and an argent-studded throne

  He grounded his sweet lyre, and seizing fast

  The Hero's knees, him, suppliant, thus address'd.

  I clasp thy knees, Ulysses! oh respect

  My suit, and spare me. Thou shalt not escape

  Regret thyself hereafter, if thou slay 400

  Me, charmer of the woes of Gods and men.

  Self-taught am I, and treasure in my mind

  Themes of all argument from heav'n inspired,

  And I can sing to thee as to a God.

  Ah, then, behead me not. Put ev'n the wish

  Far from thee! for thy own beloved son

  Can witness, that not drawn by choice, or driv'n

  By stress of want, resorting to thine house

  I have regaled these revellers so oft,

  But under force of mightier far than I. 410

  So he; whose words soon as the sacred might

  Heard of Telemachus, approaching quick

  His father, thus, humane, he interposed.

  Hold, harm not with the vengeful faulchion's edge

  This blameless man; and we will also spare

  Medon the herald, who hath ever been

  A watchful guardian of my boyish years,

  Unless Philœtius have already slain him,

  Or else Eumæus, or thyself, perchance,

  Unconscious, in the tumult of our foes. 420

  He spake, whom Medon hearing (for he lay

  Beneath a throne, and in a new-stript hide

  Enfolded, trembling with the dread of death)

  Sprang from his hiding-place, and casting off