Book 17: The beggar in the town
Telemachus and his Mother Meet—Ulysses and Eumaeus Come Down to the Town, and Ulysses is Insulted by Melanthius—He is Recognised by the Dog Argos—He is Insulted and Presently Struck by Antinous with a Stool—Penelope Desires That He Shall Be Sent to her.
Greek
Ἦμος δ’ ἠριγένεια φάνη ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ἦώς,δὴ τότ’ ἔπειθ’ ὑπὸ ποσσὶν ἐδήσατο καλὰ πέδιλαΤηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,εἵλετο δ’ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος, ὅ οἱ παλάμηφιν ἀρήρει,ἄστυδε ἱέμενος, καὶ ἑὸν προσέειπε συβώτην·ἄττ’, ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼν εἷμ’ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρα με μήτηρὄψεται· οὐ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν παύσεσθαι ὀΐωκλαυθμοῦ τε στυγεροῖο γόοιό τε δακρυόεντος,πρίν γ’ αὐτόν με ἴδηται· ἀτὰρ σοί γ’ ὧδ’ ἐπιτέλλω.τὸν ξεῖνον δύστηνον ἄγ’ ἐς πόλιν, ὄφρ’ ἂν ἐκεῖθιδαῖτα πτωχεύῃ· δώσει δέ οἱ ὅς κ’ ἐθέλῃσιπύρνον καὶ κοτύλην· ἐμὲ δ’ οὔ πως ἔστιν ἅπανταςἀνθρώπους ἀνέχεσθαι, ἔχοντά περ ἄλγεα θυμῷ.ὁ ξεῖνος δ’ εἴ περ μάλα μηνίει, ἄλγιον αὐτῷἔσσεται. ἦ γὰρ ἐμοὶ φίλ’ ἀληθέα μυθήσασθαι.Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·ὦ φίλος, οὐδέ τοι αὐτὸς ἐρύκεσθαι μενεαίνω·πτωχῷ βέλτερόν ἐστι κατὰ πτόλιν ἠὲ κατ’ ἀγροὺςδαῖτα πτωχεύειν· δώσει δέ μοι ὅς κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν.οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ σταθμοῖσι μένειν ἔτι τηλίκος εἰμί,ὥς τ’ ἐπιτειλαμένῳ σημάντορι πάντα πιθέσθαι.ἀλλ’ ἔρχευ· ἐμὲ δ’ ἄξει ἀνὴρ ὅδε, τὸν σὺ κελεύεις,αὐτίκ’ ἐπεί κε πυρὸς θερέω ἀλέη τε γένηται.αἰνῶς γὰρ τάδε εἵματ’ ἔχω κακά· μή με δαμάσσῃστίβη ὑπηοίη· ἕκαθεν δέ τε ἄστυ φάτ’ εἶναι.Ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ διὰ σταθμοῖο βεβήκει,κραιπνὰ ποσὶ προβιβάς, κακὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσι φύτευεν.αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ’ ἵκανε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,ἔγχος μέν ῥ’ ἔστησε φέρων πρὸς κίονα μακρήν,αὐτὸς δ’ εἴσω ἴεν καὶ ὑπέρβη λάϊνον οὐδόν.Τὸν δὲ πολὺ πρώτη εἶδε τροφὸς Εὐρύκλεια,κώεα καστορνῦσα θρόνοις ἔνι δαιδαλέοισι,δακρύσασα δ’ ἔπειτ’ ἰθὺς κίεν· ἀμφὶ δ’ ἄρ’ ἄλλαιδμῳαὶ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠγερέθοντο,καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμεναι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὦμους.Ἡ δ’ ἴεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,Ἀρτέμιδι ἰκέλη ἠὲ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ,ἀμφὶ δὲ παιδὶ φίλῳ βάλε πήχεε δακρύσασα,κύσσε δέ μιν κεφαλήν τε καὶ ἄμφω φάεα καλά,καί ῥ’ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·ἦλθες, Τηλέμαχε, γλυκερὸν φάος. οὔ σ’ ἔτ’ ἐγώ γεὄψεσθαι ἐφάμην, ἐπεὶ οἴχεο νηὶ Πύλονδελάθρῃ, ἐμεῦ ἀέκητι, φίλου μετὰ πατρὸς ἀκουήν.ἀλλ’ ἄγε μοι κατάλεξον ὅπως ἤντησας ὀπωπῆς.Τὴν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·μῆτερ ἐμή, μή μοι γόον ὄρνυθι μηδέ μοι ἦτορἐν στήθεσσιν ὄρινε φυγόντι περ αἰπὺν ὄλεθρον·ἀλλ’ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροὶ εἵμαθ’ ἑλοῦσα,εἰς ὑπερῷ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶνεὔχεο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβαςῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ἀγορὴν ἐσελεύσομαι, ὄφρα καλέσσωξεῖνον, ὅτις μοι κεῖθεν ἅμ’ ἕσπετο δεῦρο κιόντι.τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ προὔπεμψα σὺν ἀντιθέοις ἑτάροισι,Πείραιον δέ μιν ἠνώγεα προτὶ οἶκον ἄγονταἐνδυκέως φιλέειν καὶ τιέμεν, εἰς ὅ κεν ἔλθω.Ὃς ἄρ’ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δ’ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος.ἡ δ’ ὑδρηναμένη, καθαρὰ χροὶ εἵμαθ’ ἑλοῦσα,εὔχετο πᾶσι θεοῖσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβαςῥέξειν, αἴ κέ ποθι Ζεὺς ἄντιτα ἔργα τελέσσῃ.Τηλέμαχος δ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειτα διὲκ μεγάροιο βεβήκειἔγχος ἔχων, ἅμα τῷ γε δύω κύνες ἀργοὶ ἕποντο.θεσπεσίην δ’ ἄρα τῷ γε χάριν κατέχευεν Ἀθήνη·τὸν δ’ ἄρα πάντες λαοὶ ἐπερχόμενον θηεῦντο.ἀμφὶ δέ μιν μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἠγερέθοντοἔσθλ’ ἀγορεύοντες, κακὰ δὲ φρεσὶ βυσσοδόμευον.αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν μὲν ἔπειτα ἀλεύατο πουλὺν ὅμιλον,ἀλλ’ ἵνα Μέντωρ ἧστο καὶ ΓΑντιφος ἠδ’ Ἀλιθέρσης,οἵ τέ οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς πατρώϊοι ἦσαν ἑταῖροι,ἔνθα καθέζετ’ ἰών· τοὶ δ’ ἐξερέεινον ἅπαντα.τοῖσι δὲ Πείραιος δουρικλυτὸς ἐγγύθεν ἦλθεξεῖνον ἄγων ἀγορήνδε διὰ πτόλιν· οὐδ’ ἄρ’ ἔτι δὴνΤηλέμαχος ξείνοιο ἑκὰς τράπετ’, ἀλλὰ παρέστη.τὸν καὶ Πείραιος πρότερος πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·Τηλέμαχ’, αἶψ’ ὄτρυνον ἐμὸν ποτὶ δῶμα γυναῖκας,ὥς τοι δῶρ’ ἀποπέμψω, ἅ τοι Μενέλαος ἔδωκε.Τὸν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·Πείραι’, οὐ γὰρ ἴδμεν ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.εἴ κεν ἐμὲ μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες ἐν μεγάροισιλάθρῃ κτείναντες πατρώϊα πάντα δάσωνται,αὐτὸν ἔχοντά σε βούλομ’ ἐπαυρέμεν ἤ τινα τῶνδε·εἰ δέ κ’ ἐγὼ τούτοισι φόνον καὶ κῆρα φυτεύσω,δὴ τότε μοι χαίροντι φέρειν πρὸς δώματα χαίρων.Ὃς εἰπὼν ξεῖνον ταλαπείριον ἦγεν ἐς οἶκον.αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ’ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,χλαίνας μὲν κατέθεντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,ἐς δ’ ἀσαμίνθους βάντες ἐὐξέστας λούσαντο.τοὺς δ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν δμῳαὶ λοῦσαν καὶ χρῖσαν ἐλαίῳ,ἀμφὶ δ’ ἄρα χλαίνας οὔλας βάλον ἠδὲ χιτῶνας,ἔκ ῥ’ ἀσαμίνθων βάντες ἐπὶ κλισμοῖσι καθῖζον.χέρνιβα δ’ ἀμφίπολος προχόῳ ἐπέχευε φέρουσακαλῇ χρυσείῃ, ὑπὲρ ἀργυρέοιο λέβητος,νίψασθαι· παρὰ δὲ ξεστὴν ἐτάνυσσε τράπεζαν.σῖτον δ’ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσα,εἴδατα πόλλ’ ἐπιθεῖσα, χαριζομένη παρεόντων.μήτηρ δ’ ἀντίον ἴζε παρὰ σταθμὸν μεγάροιοκλισμῷ κεκλιμένη, λέπτ’ ἠλάκατα στρωφῶσα.οἱ δ’ ἐπ’ ὀνείαθ’ ἑτοῖμα προκείμενα χεῖρας ἴαλλον.αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο,τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἄρχε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·Τηλέμαχ’, ἡ τοι ἐγὼν ὑπερώϊον εἰσαναβᾶσαλέξομαι εἰς εὐνήν, ἥ μοι στονόεσσα τέτυκται,αἰεὶ δάκρυσ’ ἐμοῖσι πεφυρμένη, ἐξ οὗ Ὀδυσσεὺςοἴχεθ’ ἅμ’ Ἀτρεΐδησιν ἐς Ἴλιον· οὐδέ μοι ἔτλης,πρὶν ἐλθεῖν μνηστῆρας ἀγήνορας ἐς τόδε δῶμα,νόστον σοῦ πατρὸς σάφα εἰπέμεν, εἴ που ἄκουσας.Τὴν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·τοιγὰρ ἐγώ τοι, μῆτερ, ἀληθείην καταλέξω.οἰχόμεθ’ ἔς τε Πύλον καὶ Νέστορα, ποιμένα λαῶν·δεξάμενος δέ με κεῖνος ἐν ὑψηλοῖσι δόμοισινἐνδυκέως ἐφίλει, ὡς εἴ τε πατὴρ ἑὸν υἱὸνἐλθόντα χρόνιον νέον ἄλλοθεν· ὡς ἐμὲ κεῖνοςἐνδυκέως ἐκόμιζε σὺν υἱάσι κυδαλίμοισιν.αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος οὔ ποτ’ ἔφασκεζωοῦ οὐδὲ θανόντος ἐπιχθονίων τευ ἀκοῦσαι,ἀλλά μ’ ἐς Ἀτρεΐδην, δουρικλειτὸν Μενέλαον,ἵπποισι προὔπεμψε καὶ ἅρμασι κολλητοῖσιν.ἔνθ’ ἴδον Ἀργείην Ἑλένην, ἧς εἵνεκα πολλὰἈργεῖοι Τρῶές τε θεῶν ἰότητι μόγησαν.εἴρετο δ’ αὐτίκ’ ἔπειτα βοὴν ἀγαθὸς Μενέλαοςὅττευ χρηΐζων ἱκόμην Λακεδαίμονα δῖαν·αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ τῷ πᾶσαν ἀληθείην κατέλεξα·καὶ τότε δή με ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·ὦ πόποι, ἦ μάλα δὴ κρατερόφρονος ἀνδρὸς ἐν εὐνῇἤθελον εὐνηθῆναι, ἀνάλκιδες αὐτοὶ ἐόντες.ὡς δ’ ὁπότ’ ἐν ξυλόχῳ ἔλαφος κρατεροῖο λέοντοςνεβροὺς κοιμήσασα νεηγενέας γαλαθηνοὺςκνημοὺς ἐξερέῃσι καὶ ἄγκεα ποιήενταβοσκομένη, ὁ δ’ ἔπειτα ἑὴν εἰσήλυθεν εὐνήν,ἀμφοτέροισι δὲ τοῖσιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφῆκεν,ὡς Ὀδυσεὺς κείνοισιν ἀεικέα πότμον ἐφήσει.αἱ γάρ, Ζεῦ τε πάτερ καὶ Ἀθηναίη καὶ ΓΑπολλον,τοῖος ἐὼν οἷός ποτ’ ἐὐκτιμένῃ ἐνὶ Λέσβῳἐξ ἔριδος Φιλομηλεΐδῃ ἐπάλαισεν ἀναστάς,κὰδ δ’ ἔβαλε κρατερῶς, κεχάροντο δὲ πάντες Ἀχαιοί,τοῖος ἐὼν μνηστῆρσιν ὁμιλήσειεν Ὀδυσσεύς·πάντες κ’ ὠκύμοροί τε γενοίατο πικρόγαμοί τε.ταῦτα δ’ ἅ μ’ εἰρωτᾷς καὶ λίσσεαι, οὐκ ἂν ἐγώ γεἄλλα παρὲξ εἴποιμι παρακλιδὸν οὐδ’ ἀπατήσω,ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν μοι ἔειπε γέρων ἅλιος νημερτής,τῶν οὐδέν τοι ἐγὼ κρύψω ἔπος οὐδ’ ἐπικεύσω,φῆ μιν ὅ γ’ ἐν νήσῳ ἰδέειν κρατέρ’ ἄλγε’ ἔχοντα,νύμφης ἐν μεγάροισι Καλυψοῦς, ἥ μιν ἀνάγκῃἴσχει· ὁ δ’ οὐ δύναται ἣν πατρίδα γαῖαν ἱκέσθαι.οὐ γάρ οἱ πάρα νῆες ἐπήρετμοι καὶ ἑταῖροι,οἵ κέν μιν πέμποιεν ἐπ’ εὐρέα νῶτα θαλάσσης.ὡς ἔφατ’ Ἀτρεΐδης, δουρικλειτὸς Μενέλαος.ταῦτα τελευτήσας νεόμην· ἔδοσαν δέ μοι οὖρονἀθάνατοι, τοί μ’ ὦκα φίλην ἐς πατρίδ’ ἔπεμψαν.Ὣς φάτο, τῇ δ’ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὄρινε. ᾿τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Θεοκλύμενος θεοειδής··ὦ γύναι αἰδοίη Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος,ἦ τοι ὅ γ’ οὐ σάφα οἶδεν, ἐμεῖο δὲ σύνθεο μῦθον··ἀτρεκέως γάρ τοι μαντεύσομαι οὐδ’ ἐπικεύσω.ἴστω νῦν Ζεὺς πρῶτα θεῶν ξενίη τε τράπεζαἱστίη τ’ Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ἣν ἀφικάνω,ὡς ἢ τοι Ὀδυσεὺς ἤδη ἐν πατρίδι γαίῃ,ἥμενος ἢ ἕρπων, τάδε πευθόμενος κακὰ ἔργα,ἔστιν, ἀτὰρ μνηστῆρσι κακὸν πάντεσσι φυτεύει·οἷον ἐγὼν οἰωνὸν ἐὐσσέλμου ἐπὶ νηὸςἥμενος ἐφρασάμην καὶ Τηλεμάχῳ ἐγεγώνευν.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·αἷ γὰρ τοῦτο, ξεῖνε, ἔπος τετελεσμένον εἴη·τῷ κε τάχα γνοίης φιλότητά τε πολλά τε δῶραἐξ ἐμεῦ, ὡς ἄν τίς σε συναντόμενος μακαρίζοι.Ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·μνηστῆρες δὲ πάροιθεν Ὀδυσσῆος μεγάροιοδίσκοισιν τέρποντο καὶ αἰγανέῃσιν ἱέντες,ἐν τυκτῷ δαπέδῳ, ὅθι περ πάρος, ὕβριν ἔχοντες.ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ δείπνηστος ἔην καὶ ἐπήλυθε μῆλαπάντοθεν ἐξ ἀγρῶν, οἱ δ’ ἤγαγον οἱ τὸ πάρος περ,καὶ τότε δή σφιν ἔειπε Μέδων· ὃς γάρ ῥα μάλισταἥνδανε κηρύκων, καί σφιν παρεγίγνετο δαιτί·κοῦροι, ἐπεὶ δὴ πάντες ἐτέρφθητε φρέν’ ἀέθλοις,ἔρχεσθε πρὸς δώμαθ’, ἵν’ ἐντυνώμεθα δαῖτα·οὐ μὲν γάρ τι χέρειον ἐν ὥρῃ δεῖπνον ἑλέσθαι.Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἱ δ’ ἀνστάντες ἔβαν πείθοντό τε μύθῳ.αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ’ ἵκοντο δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,χλαίνας μὲν κατέθεντο κατὰ κλισμούς τε θρόνους τε,οἱ δ’ ἱέρευον ὄϊς μεγάλους καὶ πίονας αἶγας,ἵρευον δὲ σύας σιάλους καὶ βοῦν ἀγελαίην,δαῖτ’ ἐντυνόμενοι. τοὶ δ’ ἐξ ἀγροῖο πόλινδεὀτρύνοντ’ Ὀδυσεύς τ’ ἰέναι καὶ δῖος ὑφορβός.τοῖσι δὲ μύθων ἄρχε συβώτης, ὄρχαμος ἀνδρῶν·ξεῖν’, ἐπεὶ ἂρ δὴ ἔπειτα πόλινδ’ ἰέναι μενεαίνειςσήμερον, ὡς ἐπέτελλεν ἄναξ ἐμός,.—ἦ σ’ ἂν ἐγώ γεαὐτοῦ βουλοίμην σταθμῶν ῥυτῆρα λιπέσθαι·ἀλλὰ τὸν αἰδέομαι καὶ δείδια, μή μοι ὀπίσσωνεικείῃ· χαλεπαὶ δὲ ἀνάκτων εἰσὶν ὁμοκλαί·ἀλλ’ ἄγε νῦν ἴομεν· δὴ γὰρ μέμβλωκε μάλισταἦμαρ, ἀτὰρ τάχα τοι ποτὶ ἕσπερα ῥίγιον ἔσται.Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·γιγνώσκω, φρονέω· τά γε δὴ νοέοντι κελεύεις.ἀλλ’ ἴομεν, σὺ δ’ ἔπειτα διαμπερὲς ἡγεμόνευε.δὸς δέ μοι, εἴ ποθί τοι ῥόπαλον τετμημένον ἐστί,σκηρίπτεσθ’, ἐπεὶ ἦ φατ’ ἀρισφαλέ’ ἔμμεναι οὐδόν.Ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφ’ ὥμοισιν ἀεικέα βάλλετο πήρην,πυκνὰ ῥωγαλέην· ἐν δὲ στρόφος ἦεν ἀορτήρ.Εὔμαιος δ’ ἄρα οἱ σκῆπτρον θυμαρὲς ἔδωκε.τὼ βήτην, σταθμὸν δὲ κύνες καὶ βώτορες ἄνδρεςῥύατ’ ὄπισθε μένοντες· ὁ δ’ ἐς πόλιν ἦγεν ἄνακταπτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιον ἠδὲ γέροντι,σκηπτόμενον’ τὰ δὲ λυγρὰ περὶ χροὶ εἵματα ἕστο.Ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ στείχοντες ὁδὸν κάτα παιπαλόεσσανἄστεος ἐγγὺς ἔσαν καὶ ἐπὶ κρήνην ἀφίκοντοτυκτὴν καλλίροον, ὅθεν ὑδρεύοντο πολῖται,τὴν ποίησ’ Ἴθακος καὶ Νήριτος ἠδὲ Πολύκτωρ·ἀμφὶ δ’ ἄρ’ αἰγείρων ὑδατοτρεφέων ἦν ἄλσος,πάντοσε κυκλοτερές, κατὰ δὲ ψυχρὸν ῥέεν ὕδωρὑψόθεν ἐκ πέτρης· βωμὸς δ’ ἐφύπερθε τέτυκτονυμφάων, ὅθι πάντες ἐπιρρέζεσκον ὁδῖται·ἔνθα σφέας ἐκίχανεν υἱὸς Δολίοιο Μελανθεὺςαἶγας ἄγων, αἱ πᾶσι μετέπρεπον αἰπολίοισι,δεῖπνον μνηστήρεσσι δύω δ’ ἅμ’ ἕποντο νομῆες.τοὺς δὲ ἰδὼν νείκεσσεν ἔπος τ’ ἔφατ’ ἔκ τ’ ὀνόμαζενἔκπαγλον καὶ ἀεικές· ὄρινε δὲ κῆρ Ὀδυσῆος·νῦν μὲν δὴ μάλα πάγχυ κακὸς κακὸν ἡγηλάζει,ὡς αἰεὶ τὸν ὁμοῖον ἄγει θεὸς ὡς τὸν ὁμοῖον.πῇ δὴ τόνδε μολοβρὸν ἄγεις, ἀμέγαρτε συβῶτα,πτωχὸν ἀνιηρόν, δαιτῶν ἀπολυμαντῆρα;ὃς πολλῇς φλιῇσι παραστὰς θλίψεται ὥμους,αἰτίζων ἀκόλους, οὐκ ἄορας οὐδὲ λέβητας·τόν κ’ εἴ μοι δοίης σταθμῶν ῥυτῆρα γενέσθαισηκοκόρον τ’ ἔμεναι θαλλόν τ’ ἐρίφοισι φορῆναι,καί κεν ὀρὸν πίνων μεγάλην ἐπιγουνίδα θεῖτο.ἀλλ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν δὴ ἔργα κάκ’ ἔμμαθεν, οὐκ ἐθελήσειἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πτώσσων κατὰ δῆμονβούλεται αἰτίζων βόσκειν ἣν γαστέρ’ ἄναλτον.ἀλλ’ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·αἴ κ’ ἔλθῃ πρὸς δώματ’ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,πολλά οἱ ἀμφὶ κάρη σφέλα ἀνδρῶν ἐκ παλαμάωνπλευραὶ ἀποτρίψουσι δόμον κάτα βαλλομένοιο.Ὣς φάτο, καὶ παριὼν λὰξ ἔνθορεν ἀφραδίησινἰσχίῳ· οὐδέ μιν ἐκτὸς ἀταρπιτοῦ ἐστυφέλιξεν,ἀλλ’ ἔμεν’ ἀσφαλέως· ὁ δὲ μερμήριξεν Ὀδυσσεὺςἠὲ μεταΐξας ῥοπάλῳ ἐκ θυμὸν ἕλοιτο,ἦ πρὸς γῆν ἐλάσειε κάρη ἀμφουδὶς ἀείρας.ἀλλ’ ἐπετόλμησε, φρεσὶ δ’ ἔσχετο· τὸν δὲ συβώτηςνείκεσ’ ἐσάντα ἰδών, μέγα δ’ εὔξατο χεῖρας ἀνασχών·νύμφαι κρηναῖαι, κοῦραι Διός, εἴ ποτ’ Ὀδυσσεὺςὕμμ’ ἐπὶ μηρία κῆε, καλύψας πίονι δημῷ,ἀρνῶν ἠδ’ ἐρίφων, τόδε μοι κρηήνατ’ ἐέλδωρ,ὡς ἔλθοι μὲν κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ἀγάγοι δέ ἑ δαίμων·τῷ κέ τοι ἀγλαΐας γε διασκεδάσειεν ἁπάσας,τὰς νῦν ὑβρίζων φορέεις, ἀλαλήμενος αἰεὶἄστυ κἀτ’· αὐτὰρ μῆλα κακοὶ φθείρουσι νομῆες.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·ὦ πόποι, οἷον ἔειπε κύων ὀλοφώϊα εἰδώς,τόν ποτ’ ἐγὼν ἐπὶ νηὸς ἐὐσσέλμοιο μελαίνηςἄξω τῆλ’ Ἰθάκης, ἵνα μοι βίοτον πολὺν ἄλφοι.αἱ γὰρ Τηλέμαχον βάλοι ἀργυρότοξος Ἀπόλλωνσήμερον ἐν μεγάροις, ἢ ὑπὸ μνηστῆρσι δαμείη,ὡς Ὀδυσῆϊ γε τηλοῦ ἀπώλετο νόστιμον ἦμαρ.Ἃς εἰπὼν τοὺς μὲν λίπεν αὐτόθι ἦκα κιόντας,αὐτὰρ ὁ βῆ, μάλα δ’ ὦκα δόμους ἵκανεν ἄνακτος.αὐτίκα δ’ εἴσω ἴεν, μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσι καθῖζεν,ἀντίον Εὐρυμάχου’ τὸν γὰρ φιλέεσκε μάλιστα.τῷ πάρα μὲν κρειῶν μοῖραν θέσαν οἱ πονέοντο,σῖτον δ’ αἰδοίη ταμίη παρέθηκε φέρουσαἔδμεναι. ἀγχίμολον δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς καὶ δῖος ὑφορβὸςστήτην ἐρχομένω, περὶ δέ σφεας ἤλυθ’ ἰωὴφόρμιγγος γλαφυρῆς· ἀνὰ γάρ σφισι βάλλετ’ ἀείδεινΦήμιος. αὐτὰρ ὁ χειρὸς ἑλὼν προσέειπε συβώτην·Εὔμαι’, ἦ μάλα δὴ τάδε δώματα κἀλ’ Ὀδυσῆος,ῥεῖα δ’ ἀρίγνωτ’ ἐστὶ καὶ ἐν πολλοῖσιν ἰδέσθαι.ἐξ ἑτέρων ἕτερ’ ἐστίν, ἐπήσκηται δέ οἱ αὐλὴτοίχῳ καὶ θριγκοῖσι, θύραι δ’ εὐερκέες εἰσὶδικλίδες· οὐκ ἄν τίς μιν ἀνὴρ ὑπεροπλίσσαιτο.γιγνώσκω δ’ ὅτι πολλοὶ ἐν αὐτῷ δαῖτα τίθενταιἄνδρες, ἐπεὶ κνίση μὲν ἐνήνοθεν, ἐν δέ τε φόρμιγξἠπύει, ἣν ἄρα δαιτὶ θεοὶ ποίησαν ἑταίρην.Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·ῥεῖ ἔγνως, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ τά τ’ ἄλλα πέρ ἐσσ’ ἀνοήμων.ἀλλ’ ἄγε δὴ φραζώμεθ’ ὅπως ἔσται τάδε ἔργα.ἠὲ σὺ πρῶτος ἔσελθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,δύσεο δὲ μνηστῆρας, ἐγὼ δ’ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ·εἰ δ’ ἐθέλεις, ἐπίμεινον, ἐγὼ δ’ εἶμι προπάροιθε.μηδὲ σὺ δηθύνειν, μή τίς σ’ ἔκτοσθε νοήσαςἢ βάλῃ ἢ ἐλάσῃ’ τὰ δέ σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγα.Τὸν δ’ ἠμείβετ’ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·γιγνώσκω, φρονέω· τά γε δὴ νοέοντι κελεύεις.ἀλλ’ ἔρχευ προπάροιθεν, ἐγὼ δ’ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ.οὐ γάρ τι πληγέων ἀδαήμων οὐδὲ βολάων.τολμήεις μοι θυμός, ἐπεὶ κακὰ πολλὰ πέπονθακύμασι καὶ πολέμῳ· μετὰ καὶ τόδε τοῖσι γενέσθω.γαστέρα δ’ οὔ πως ἔστιν ἀποκρύψαι μεμαυῖαν,οὐλομένην, ἣ πολλὰ κάκ’ ἀνθρώποισι δίδωσι,τῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ νῆες ἐδῶγοι ὁπλίζονταιπόντον ἐπ’ ἀτρύγετον, κακὰ δυσμενέεσσι φέρουσαι.Ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον·ἂν δὲ κύων κεφαλήν τε καὶ οὔατα κείμενος ἔσχεν,ἼΑργος, Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος, ὅν ῥά ποτ’ αὐτὸςθρέψε μέν, οὐδ’ ἀπόνητο, πάρος δ’ ἐς Ἴλιον ἱρὴνοἴχετο. τὸν δὲ πάροιθεν ἀγίνεσκον νέοι ἄνδρεςαἶγας ἐπ’ ἀγροτέρας ἠδὲ πρόκας ἠδὲ λαγωούς·δὴ τότε κεῖτ’ ἀπόθεστος ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος,ἐν πολλῇ κόπρῳ, ἥ οἱ προπάροιθε θυράωνἡμιόνων τε βοῶν τε ἅλις κέχυτ’, ὄφρ’ ἂν ἄγοιενὁμῶες Ὀδυσσῆος τέμενος μέγα κοπρήσοντες·ἔνθα κύων κεῖτ’ Ἄργος, ἐνίπλειος κυνοραιστέων.δὴ τότε γ’, ὡς ἐνόησεν Ὀδυσσέα ἐγγὺς ἐόντα,οὐρῇ μέν ῥ’ ὅ γ’ ἔσηνε καὶ οὔατα κάββαλεν ἄμφω,ἄσσον δ’ οὐκέτ’ ἔπειτα δυνήσατο οἷο ἄνακτοςἐλθέμεν· αὐτὰρ ὁ νόσφιν ἰδὼν ἀπομόρξατο δάκρυ,ῥεῖα λαθὼν Εὔμαιον, ἄφαρ δ’ ἐρεείνετο μύθῳ·Εὔμαι’, ἣ μάλα θαῦμα κύων ὅδε κεῖτ’ ἐνὶ κόπρῳ.καλὸς μὲν δέμας ἐστίν, ἀτὰρ τόδε γ’ οὐ σάφα οἶδα,ἢ δὴ καὶ ταχὺς ἔσκε θέειν ἐπὶ εἴδεϊ τῷδε,ἡ αὕτως οἷοί τε τραπεζῆες κύνες ἀνδρῶνγίγνοντ’, ἀγλαΐης δ’ ἕνεκεν κομέουσιν ἄνακτες.Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·καὶ λίην ἀνδρός γε κύων ὅδε τῆλε θανόντος.εἰ τοιόσδ’ εἴη ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ ἔργα,οἷόν μιν Τροίηνδε κιὼν κατέλειπεν Ὀδυσσεύς,αἶψά κε θηήσαιο ἰδὼν ταχυτῆτα καὶ ἀλκήν.οὐ μὲν γάρ τι φύγεσκε βαθείης βένθεσιν ὕληςκνώδαλον, ὅττι δίοιτο’ καὶ ἴχνεσι γὰρ περιήδη·νῦν δ’ ἔχεται κακότητι, ἄναξ δέ οἱ ἄλλοθι πάτρηςὥλετο, τὸν δὲ γυναῖκες ἀκηδέες οὐ κομέουσι.δμῶες δ’, εὖτ’ ἂν μηκέτ’ ἐπικρατέωσιν ἄνακτες,οὐκέτ’ ἔπειτ’ ἐθέλουσιν ἐναίσιμα ἐργάζεσθαι·ἥμισυ γάρ τ’ ἀρετῆς ἀποαίνυται εὐρύοπα Ζεὺςἀνέρος, εὖτ’ ἄν μιν κατὰ δούλιον ἦμαρ ἕλῃσιν.Ὃς εἰπὼν εἰσῆλθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας,βῆ δ’ ἰθὺς μεγάροιο μετὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς.Ἄργον δ’ αὖ κατὰ μοῖρ’ ἔλαβεν μέλανος θανάτοιο,αὐτίκ’ ἰδόντ’ Ὀδυσῆα ἐεικοστῷ ἐνιαυτῷ.Τὸν δὲ πολὺ πρῶτος ἴδε Τηλέμαχος θεοειδὴςἐρχόμενον κατὰ δῶμα συβώτην, ὧκα δ’ ἔπειτανεῦσ’ ἐπὶ οἵ καλέσας· ὃ δὲ παπτήνας ἕλε δίφρονκείμενον, ἔνθα τε δαιτρὸς ἐφίζεσκε κρέα πολλὰδαιόμενος μνηστῆρσι δόμον κάτα δαινυμένοισι·τὸν κατέθηκε φέρων πρὸς Τηλεμάχοιο τράπεζανἀντίον, ἔνθα δ’ ἄρ’ αὐτὸς ἐφέζετο’ τῷ δ’ ἄρα κῆρυξμοῖραν ἑλὼν ἐτίθει κανέου τ’ ἐκ σῖτον ἀείρας.Ἀγχίμολον δὲ μετ’ αὐτὸν ἐδύσετο δώματ’ Ὀδυσσεύς,πτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιος ἠδὲ γέροντι,σκηπτόμενος· τὰ δὲ λυγρὰ περὶ χροὶ εἵματα ἕστο.ἴζε δ’ ἐπὶ μελίνου οὐδοῦ ἔντοσθε θυράων,κλινάμενος σταθμῷ κυπαρισσίνῳ, ὅν ποτε τέκτωνξέσσεν ἐπισταμένως καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνε.Τηλέμαχος δ’ ἐπὶ οἵ καλέσας προσέειπε συβώτην,ἄρτον τ’ οὗλον ἑλὼν περικαλλέος ἐκ κανέοιοκαὶ κρέας, ὥς οἱ χεῖρες ἐχάνδανον ἀμφιβαλόντι·δὸς τῷ ξείνῳ ταῦτα φέρων αὐτόν τε κέλευεαἰτίζιν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·αἰδὼς δ’ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ κεχρημένῳ ἀνδρὶ παρεῖναι.Ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσεν,ἀγχοῦ δ’ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντ’ ἀγόρευε·Τηλέμαχός τοι, ξεῖνε, διδοῖ τάδε, καί σε κελεύειαἰτίζειν μάλα πάντας ἐποιχόμενον μνηστῆρας·αἰδῶ δ’ οὐκ ἀγαθήν φησ’ ἔμμεναι ἀνδρὶ προΐκτῃ.Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·Ζεῦ ἄνα, Τηλέμαχόν μοι ἐν ἀνδράσιν ὄλβιον εἶναι,καί οἵ πάντα γένοιτο ὅσα φρεσὶν ἧσι μενοινᾷ.Ἦ ῥα καὶ ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ἐδέξατο καὶ κατέθηκεναὖθι ποδῶν προπάροιθεν, ἀεικελίης ἐπὶ πήρης,ἤσθιε δ’ ἧος ἀοιδὸς ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄειδεν·εὖθ’ ὁ δεδειπνήκειν, ὁ δ’ ἐπαύετο θεῖος ἀοιδός,μνηστῆρες δ’ ὁμάδησαν ἀνὰ μέγαρ’· αὐτὰρ Ἀθήνηἄγχι παρισταμένη Λαερτιάδην Ὀδυσῆαὄτρυν’, ὡς ἂν πύρνα κατὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγείροι,γνοίη θ’ οἵ τινές εἰσιν ἐναίσιμοι οἵ τ’ ἀθέμιστοι·ἀλλ’ οὐδ’ ὥς τιν’ ἔμελλ’ ἀπαλεξήσειν κακότητος.βῆ δ’ ἴμεν αἰτήσων ἐνδέξια φῶτα ἕκαστον,πάντοσε χεῖρ’ ὀρέγων, ὡς εἰ πτωχὸς πάλαι εἴη.οἱ δ’ ἐλεαίροντες δίδοσαν, καὶ ἐθάμβεον αὐτόν,ἀλλήλους τ’ εἴροντο τίς εἴη καὶ πόθεν ἔλθοι.τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειπε Μελάνθιος, αἰπόλος αἰγῶν·κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης,τοῦδε περὶ ξείνου· ἢ γάρ μιν πρόσθεν ὄπωπα.ἦ τοι μέν οἱ δεῦρο συβώτης ἡγεμόνευεν,αὐτὸν δ’ οὐ σάφα οἶδα, πόθεν γένος εὔχεται εἶναι.Ὣς ἔφατ’, Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἔπεσιν νείκεσσε συβώτην·ὦ ἀρίγνωτε συβῶτα, τίη δὲ σὺ τόνδε πόλινδεἤγαγες; ἦ οὐχ ἅλις ἧμιν ἀλήμονές εἰσι καὶ ἄλλοι,πτωχοὶ ἀνιηροί, δαιτῶν ἀπολυμαντῆρες;ἡ ὄνοσαι ὅτι τοι βίοτον κατέδουσιν ἄνακτοςἐνθάδ’ ἀγειρόμενοι, σὺ δὲ καὶ προτὶ τόνδ’ ἐκάλεσσας;Τὸν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·Ἀντίνο’, οὐ μὲν καλὰ καὶ ἐσθλὸς ἐὼν ἀγορεύεις·τίς γὰρ δὴ ξεῖνον καλεῖ ἄλλοθεν αὐτὸς ἐπελθὼνἄλλον γ’, εἰ μὴ τῶν οἱ δημιοεργοὶ ἔασι,μάντιν ἢ ἰητῆρα κακῶν ἣ τέκτονα δούρων,ἢ καὶ θέσπιν ἀοιδόν, ὅ κεν τέρπησιν ἀείδων;οὗτοι γὰρ κλητοί γε βροτῶν ἐπ’ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν·πτωχὸν δ’ οὐκ ἄν τις καλέοι τρύξοντα αὐτόν.ἀλλ’ αἰεὶ χαλεπὸς περὶ πάντων εἰς μνηστήρωνὁμωσὶν Ὀδυσσῆος, πέρι δ’ αὖτ’ ἐμοί· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γεοὐκ ἀλέγω, ἣδς μοι ἐχέφρων Πηνελόπειαζώει ἐνὶ μεγάροις καὶ Τηλέμαχος θεοειδής.Τὸν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·σίγα, μή μοι τοῦτον ἀμείβεο πολλὰ ἔπεσσιν·Ἀντίνοος δ’ εἴωθε κακῶς ἐρεθιζέμεν αἰεὶμύθοισιν χαλεποῖσιν, ἐποτρύνει δὲ καὶ ἄλλους.Ἦ ῥα καὶ Ἀντίνοον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·Ἀντίνο’, ἦ μευ καλὰ πατὴρ ὡς κήδεαι υἷος,ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωγας ἀπὸ μεγάροιο δίεσθαιμύθῳ ἀναγκαίῳ· μὴ τοῦτο θεὸς τελέσειε.δός οἱ ἑλών· οὔ τοι φθονέω· κέλομαι γὰρ ἐγώ γε·μήτ’ οὖν μητέρ’ ἐμὴν ἅζευ τό γε μήτε τιν’ ἄλλονδμώων, οἱ κατὰ δώματ’ Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο.ἀλλ’ οὔ τοι τοιοῦτον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα·αὐτὸς γὰρ φαγέμεν πολὺ βούλεαι ἢ δόμεν ἄλλῳ.Τὸν δ’ αὖτ’ Ἀντίνοος ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέειπε·Τηλέμαχ’ ὑψαγόρη, μένος ἄσχετε, ποῖον ἔειπες.εἴ οἱ τόσσον πάντες ὀρέξειαν μνηστῆρες,καί κέν μιν τρεῖς μῆνας ἀπόπροθεν οἶκος ἐρύκοι.Ὣς ἄρ’ ἔφη, καὶ θρῆνυν ἑλὼν ὑπέφηνε τραπέζηςκείμενον, ᾧ ῥ’ ἔπεχεν λιπαροὺς πόδας εἰλαπινάζων.οἱ δ’ ἄλλοι πάντες δίδοσαν, πλῆσαν δ’ ἄρα πήρηνσίτου καὶ κρειῶν· τάχα δὴ καὶ ἔμελλεν Ὀδυσσεὺςαὗτις ἐπ’ οὐδὸν ἰὼν προικὸς γεύσεσθαι Ἀχαιῶν·στῆ δὲ παρ’ Ἀντίνοον, καί μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε·δός, φίλος· οὐ μέν μοι δοκέεις ὁ κάκιστος Ἀχαιῶνἔμμεναι, ἀλλ’ ὥριστος, ἐπεὶ βασιλῆϊ ἔοικας.τῷ σε χρὴ δόμεναι καὶ λώϊον ἠέ περ ἄλλοισίτου· ἐγὼ δέ κέ σε κλείω κατ’ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν.καὶ γὰρ ἐγώ ποτε οἶκον ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἔναιονὄλβιος ἀφνειὸν καὶ πολλάκι δόσκον ἀλήτῃτοίῳ, ὁποῖος ἔοι καὶ ὅτευ κεχρημένος ἔλθοι·ἦσαν δὲ δμῶες μάλα μυρίοι ἄλλα τε πολλὰοἷσίν τ’ εὖ ζώουσι καὶ ἀφνειοὶ καλέονται.ἀλλὰ Ζεὺς ἀλάπαξε Κρονίων—ἤθελε γάρ που—ὅς μ’ ἅμα ληϊστῆρσι πολυπλάγκτοισιν ἀνῆκενΑἴγυπτόνδ’ ἰέναι, δολιχὴν ὁδόν, ὄφρ’ ἀπολοίμην.στῆσα δ’ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ποταμῷ νέας ἀμφιελίσσας.ἔνθ’ ἦ τοι μὲν ἐγὼ κελόμην ἐρίηρας ἑταίρουςαὐτοῦ πὰρ νήεσσι μένειν καὶ νῆα ἔρυσθαι,ὀπτῆρας δὲ κατὰ σκοπιὰς ὄτρυνα νέεσθαι.οἱ δ’ ὕβρει εἴξαντες, ἐπισπόμενοι μένεϊ σφῷ,αἶψα μάλ’ Αἰγυπτίων ἀνδρῶν περικαλλέας ἀγροὺςπόρθεον, ἐκ δὲ γυναῖκας ἄγον καὶ νήπια τέκνα,αὐτούς τ’ ἔκτεινον· τάχα δ’ ἐς πόλιν ἵκετ’ ἀὐτή.οἱ δὲ βοῆς ἀΐοντες ἅμ’ ἠοῖ φαινομένηφινἦλθον· πλῆτο δὲ πᾶν πεδίον πεζῶν τε καὶ ἵππωνχαλκοῦ τε στεροπῆς· ἐν δὲ Ζεὺς τερπικέραυνοςφύζαν ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισι κακὴν βάλεν, οὐδέ τις ἔτληστῆναι ἐναντίβιον· περὶ γὰρ κακὰ πάντοθεν ἔστη.ἔνθ’ ἡμέων πολλοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτανον ὀξέϊ χαλκῷ,τοὺς δ’ ἄναγον ζωούς, σφίσιν ἐργάζεσθαι ἀνάγκῃ.αὐτὰρ ἔμ’ ἐς Κύπρον ξείνῳ δόσαν ἀντιάσαντι,Δμήτορι Ἰασίδῃ, ὃς Κύπρου ἶφι ἄνασσεν·ἔνθεν δὴ νῦν δεῦρο τόδ’ ἵκω πήματα πάσχων.Τὸν δ’ αὖτ’ Ἀντίνοος ἀπαμείβετο φώνησέν τε·τίς δαίμων τόδε πῆμα προσήγαγε, δαιτὸς ἀνίην;στῇθ’ οὕτως ἐς μέσσον, ἐμῆς ἀπάνευθε τραπέζης,μὴ τάχα πικρὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ Κύπρον ἵκηαι·ὥς τις θαρσαλέος καὶ ἀναιδής ἐσσι προΐκτης.ἑξείης πάντεσσι παρίστασαι’ οἱ δὲ διδοῦσιμαψιδίως, ἐπεὶ οὔ τις ἐπίσχεσις οὐδ’ ἐλεητὺςἀλλοτρίων χαρίσασθαι, ἐπεὶ πάρα πολλὰ ἑκάστῳ.Τὸν δ’ ἀναχωρήσας προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·ὦ πόποι, οὐκ ἄρα σοί γ’ ἐπὶ εἴδεϊ καὶ φρένες ἦσαν·οὐ σύ γ’ ἂν ἐξ οἴκου σῷ ἐπιστάτῃ οὐδ’ ἅλα δοίης,ὃς νῦν ἀλλοτρίοισι παρήμενος οὔ τί μοι ἔτληςσίτου ἀποπροελὼν δόμεναι· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ πάρεστιν.Ὣς ἔφατ’, Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἐχολώσατο κηρόθι μᾶλλον,καί μιν ὑπόδρα ἰδὼν ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·νῦν δή σ’ οὐκέτι καλὰ διὲκ μεγάροιό γ’ ὀΐωἂψ ἀναχωρήσειν, ὅτε δὴ καὶ ὀνείδεα βάζεις.Ἃς ἄρ’ ἔφη, καὶ θρῆνυν ἑλὼν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον,πρυμνότατον κατὰ νῶτον· ὁ δ’ ἐστάθη ἠΰτε πέτρηἔμπεδον, οὐδ’ ἄρα μιν σφῆλεν βέλος Ἀντινόοιο,ἀλλ’ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.ἃψ δ’ ὅ γ’ ἐπ’ οὐδὸν ἰὼν κατ’ ἄρ’ ἕζετο, κὰδ δ’ ἄρα πήρηνθῆκεν ἐὐπλείην, μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσιν ἔειπε·κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης,ὄφρ’ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει.οὐ μὰν οὔτ’ ἄχος ἐστὶ μετὰ φρεσὶν οὔτε τι πένθος,ὁππότ’ ἀνὴρ περὶ οἷσι μαχειόμενος κτεάτεσσιβλήεται, ἢ περὶ βουσὶν ἣ ἀργεννῇς ὀΐεσσιν·αὐτὰρ ἔμ’ Ἀντίνοος βάλε γαστέρος εἵνεκα λυγρῆς,οὐλομένης, ἣ πολλὰ κάκ’ ἀνθρώποισι δίδωσιν.ἀλλ’ εἴ που πτωχῶν γε θεοὶ καὶ ἐρινύες εἰσίν,Ἀντίνοον πρὸ γάμοιο τέλος θανάτοιο κιχείη.Τὸν δ’ αὖτ’ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·ἔσθι’ ἕκηλος, ξεῖνε, καθήμενος, ἢ ἄπιθ’ ἄλλῃ,μή σε νέοι διὰ δώματ’ ἐρύσσωσ’, οἵ’ ἀγορεύεις,ἢ ποδὸς ἢ καὶ χειρός, ἀποδρύψωσι δὲ πάντα.Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἱ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως νεμέσησαν·ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·Ἀντίνο’, οὐ μὲν κἀλ’ ἔβαλες δύστηνον ἀλήτην,οὐλόμεν’, εἰ δή πού τις ἐπουράνιος θεός ἐστι.καί τε θεοὶ ξείνοισιν ἐοικότες ἀλλοδαποῖσι,παντοῖοι τελέθοντες, ἐπιστρωφῶσι πόληας,ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν τε καὶ εὐνομίην ἐφορῶντες.Ὃς ἄρ’ ἔφαν μνηστῆρες, ὁ δ’ οὐκ ἐμπάζετο μύθων.Τηλέμαχος δ’ ἐν μὲν κραδίῃ μέγα πένθος ἄεξεβλημένου, οὐδ’ ἄρα δάκρυ χαμαὶ βάλεν ἐκ βλεφάροιϊν,ἀλλ’ ἀκέων κίνησε κάρη, κακὰ βυσσοδομεύων.Τοῦ δ’ ὡς οὖν ἤκουσε περίφρων Πηνελόπειαβλημένου ἐν μεγάρῳ, μετ’ ἄρα δμῳῇσιν ἔειπεν·αἴθ’ οὕτως αὐτόν σε βάλοι κλυτότοξος Ἀπόλλων.τὴν δ’ αὖτ’ Εὐρυνόμη ταμίη πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπεν·εἰ γὰρ ἐπ’ ἀρῇσιν τέλος ἡμετέρῃσι γένοιτο·οὐκ ἄν τις τούτων γε ἐΐθρονον Ἠῶ ἵκοιτο.Τὴν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·μαῖ’, ἐχθροὶ μὲν πάντες, ἐπεὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται·Ἀντίνοος δὲ μάλιστα μελαίνῃ κηρὶ ἔοικε.ξεῖνός τις δύστηνος ἀλητεύει κατὰ δῶμαἀνέρας αἰτίζων· ἀχρημοσύνη γὰρ ἀνώγει·ἔνθ’ ἄλλοι μὲν πάντες ἐνέπλησάν τ’ ἔδοσάν τε,οὗτος δὲ θρήνυι πρυμνὸν βάλε δεξιὸν ὦμον.Ἡ μὲν ἄρ’ ὡς ἀγόρευε μετὰ δμῳῇσι γυναιξίν,ἡμένη ἐν θαλάμῳ· ὁ δ’ ἐδείπνει δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.ἡ δ’ ἐπὶ οἵ καλέσασα προσηΐδα δῖον ὑφορβόν·ἔρχεο, δῖ Εὔμαιε, κιὼν τὸν ξεῖνον ἄνωχθιἐλθέμεν, ὄφρα τί μιν προσπτύξομαι ἠδ’ ἐρέωμαιεἴ που Ὀδυσσῆος ταλασίφρονος ἠὲ πέπυσταιἢ ἴδεν ὀφθαλμοῖσι πολυπλάγκτῳ γὰρ ἔοικε.Τὴν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·εἰ γάρ τοι, βασίλεια, σιωπήσειαν Ἀχαιοί·οἵ ὅ γε μυθεῖται, θέλγοιτό κέ τοι φίλον ἧτορ.τρεῖς γὰρ δή μιν νύκτας ἔχον, τρία δ’ ἤματ’ ἔρυξαἐν κλισίῃ· πρῶτον γὰρ ἔμ’ ἵκετο νηὸς ἀποδράς·ἀλλ’ οὔ πω κακότητα διήνυσεν ἣν ἀγορεύων.ὡς δ’ ὅτ’ ἀοιδὸν ἀνὴρ ποτιδέρκεται, ὅς τε θεῶν ἐξἀείδῃ δεδαὼς ἔπε’ ἱμερόεντα βροτοῖσι,τοῦ δ’ ἄμοτον μεμάασιν ἀκουέμεν, ὁππότ’ ἀείδῃ·ὡς ἐμὲ κεῖνος ἔθελγε παρήμενος ἐν μεγάροισι.φησὶ δ’ Ὀδυσσῆος ξεῖνος πατρώϊος εἶναι,Κρήτῃ ναιετάων, ὅθι Μίνωος γένος ἐστίν.ἔνθεν δὴ νῦν δεῦρο τόδ’ ἵκετο πήματα πάσχων,προπροκυλινδόμενος· στεῦται δ’ Ὀδυσῆος ἀκοῦσαιἀγχοῦ, Θεσπρωτῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐν πίονι δήμῳ,ζωοῦ· πολλὰ δ’ ἄγει κειμήλια ὅνδε δόμονδε.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·ἔρχεο, δεῦρο κάλεσσον, ἵν’ ἀντίον αὐτὸς ἐνίσπῃ.οὗτοι δ’ ἠὲ θύρῃσι καθήμενοι ἑψιαάσθωνἢ αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματ’, ἐπεί σφισι θυμὸς ἐύφρων.αὐτῶν μὲν γὰρ κτήματ’ ἀκήρατα κεῖτ’ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,σῖτος καὶ μέθυ ἡδύ· τὰ μὲν οἰκῆες ἔδουσιν,οἱ δ’ εἰς ἡμέτερον πωλεύμενοι ἤματα πάντα,βοῦς ἱερεύοντες καὶ ὄϊς καὶ πίονας αἶγας;εἰλαπινάζυσιν πίνουσί τε αἴθοπα οἷνονμαψιδίως· τὰ δὲ πολλὰ κατάνεται· οὐ γὰρ ἔπ’ ἀνήρ,οἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν, ἀρὴν ἀπὸ οἴκου ἀμῦναι.εἰ δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς ἔλθοι καὶ ἵκοιτ’ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν,αἶψά κε σὺν ᾧ παιδὶ βίας ἀποτίσεται ἀνδρῶν.Ὣς φάτο, Τηλέμαχος δὲ μέγ’ ἔπταρεν, ἀμφὶ δὲ δῶμασμερδαλέον κονάβησε· γέλασσε δὲ Πηνελόπεια,αἶψα δ’ ἄρ’ Εὔμαιον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·ἔρχεδ μοι, τὸν ξεῖνον ἐναντίον ὧδε κάλεσσον.οὐχ ὁράᾳς ὅ μοι υἱὸς ἐπέπταρε πᾶσι ἔπεσσι;τῷ κε καὶ οὐκ ἀτελὴς θάνατος μνηστῆρσι γένοιτοπᾶσι μάλ’, οὐδέ κέ τις θάνατον καὶ κῆρας ἀλύζξει.ἄλλο δέ τόι ἐρέω, σὺ δ’ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσιν·αἴ κ’ αὐτὸν γνώω νημερτέα πάντ’ ἐνέποντα,ἕσσω μιν χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, εἵματα καλά.Ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσεν,ἀγχοῦ δ’ ἱστάμενος ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·ξεῖνε πάτερ, καλέει σε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,μήτηρ Τηλεμάχοιο· μεταλλῆσαί τί ἑ θυμὸςἀμφὶ πόσει κέλεται, καὶ κήδεά περ πεπαθυίῃ.εἰ δέ κέ σε γνώῃ νημερτέα πάντ’ ἐνέποντα,ἕσσει σε χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, τῶν σὺ μάλισταχρηΐζεις· σῖτον δὲ καὶ αἰτίζων κατὰ δῆμονγαστέρα βοσκήσεις· δώσει δέ τοι ὅς κ’ ἐθέλῃσι.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς·Εὔμαι’, αἶψά κ’ ἐγὼ νημερτέα πάντ’ ἐνέποιμικούρῃ Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ·οἷδα γὰρ εὖ περὶ κείνου, ὁμὴν δ’ ἀνεδέγμεθ’ ὀϊζύν.ἀλλὰ μνηστήρων χαλεπῶν ὑποδείδι’ ὅμιλον,τῶν ὕβρις τε βίη τε σιδήρεον οὐρανὸν ἵκει.καὶ γὰρ νῦν, ὅτε μ’ οὗτος ἀνὴρ κατὰ δῶμα κιόνταοὔ τι κακὸν ῥέξαντα βαλὼν ὀδύνῃσιν ἔδωκεν,οὔτε τι Τηλέμαχος τό γ’ ἐπήρκεσεν οὔτε τις ἄλλος.τῷ νῦν Πηνελόπειαν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἄνωχθιμεῖναι, ἐπειγομένην περ, ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα·καὶ τότε μ’ εἰρέσθω πόσιος πέρι νόστιμον ἦμαρ,ἀσσοτέρω καθίσασα παραὶ πυρί· εἵματα γάρ τοιλύγρ’ ἔχω· οἶσθα καὶ αὐτός, ἐπεί σε πρῶθ’ ἱκέτευσα.Ὣς φάτο, βῆ δὲ συφορβός, ἐπεὶ τὸν μῦθον ἄκουσε.τὸν δ’ ὑπὲρ οὐδοῦ βάντα προσηύδα Πηνελόπεια·οὐ σύ γ’ ἄγεις, Εὔμαιε; τί τοῦτ’ ἐνόησεν ἀλήτης;ἡ τινά που δείσας ἐξαίσιον ἦε καὶ ἄλλωςαἰδεῖται κατὰ δῶμα; κακὸς δ’ αἰδοῖος ἀλήτης.Τὴν δ’ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφης, Εὔμαιε συβῶτα·μυθεῖται κατὰ μοῖραν, ἅ πέρ κ’ οἴοιτο καὶ ἄλλος,ὕβριν ἀλυσκάζων ἀνδρῶν ὑπερηνορεόντων.ἀλλά σε μεῖναι ἄνωγεν ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα.καὶ δὲ σοὶ ὧδ’ αὐτῇ πολὺ κάλλιον, ὦ βασίλεια,οἴην πρὸς ξεῖνον φάσθαι ἔπος ἠδ’ ἐπακοῦσαι.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·οὐκ ἄφρων ὁ ξεῖνος ὀΐεται, ὥς περ ἂν εἴη·οὐ γάρ πώ τινες ὧδε καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπωνἀνέρες ὑβρίζοντες ἀτάσθαλα μηχανόωνται.Ἡ μὲν ἄρ’ ὡς ἀγόρευεν, ὁ δ’ οἴχετο δῖος ὑφορβὸςμνηστήρων ἐς ὅμιλον, ἐπεὶ διεπέφραδε πάντα.αἶψα δὲ Τηλέμαχον ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηΐδα,ἄγχι σχὼν κεφαλήν, ἵνα μὴ πευθοίαθ’ οἱ ἄλλοι·ὦ φίλ’, ἐγὼ μὲν ἄπειμι, σύας καὶ κεῖνα φυλάξων,σὸν καὶ ἐμὸν βίοτον· σοὶ δ’ ἐνθάδε πάντα μελόντων.αὐτὸν μέν σε πρῶτα σάω, καὶ φράζεο θυμῷμή τι πάθῃς· πολλοὶ δὲ κακὰ φρονέουσιν Ἀχαιῶν,τοὺς Ζεὺς ἐξολέσειε πρὶν ἡμῖν πῆμα γενέσθαι.Τὸν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·ἔσσεται οὕτως, ἄττα· σὺ δ’ ἔρχεο δειελιήσας·ἠῶθεν δ’ ἰέναι καὶ ἄγειν ἱερήϊα καλά·αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τάδε πάντα καὶ ἀθανάτοισι μελήσει.Ὃς φάθ’, ὁ δ’ αὖτις ἄρ’ ἕζετ’ ἐὐξέστου ἐπὶ δίφρου,πλησάμενος δ’ ἄρα θυμὸν ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτοςβῆ ῥ’ ἴμεναι μεθ’ ὕας, λίπε δ’ ἕρκεά τε μέγαρόν τεπλεῖον δαιτυμόνων· οἱ δ’ ὀρχηστυῖ καὶ ἀοιδῇτέρποντ’· ἤδη γὰρ καὶ ἐπήλυθε δείελον ἦμαρ.
English
When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, Telemachus bound on his sandals and took a strong spear that suited his hands, for he wanted to go into the city. “Old friend,” said he to the swineherd, “I will now go to the town and show myself to my mother, for she will never leave off grieving till she has seen me. As for this unfortunate stranger, take him to the town and let him beg there of any one who will give him a drink and a piece of bread. I have trouble enough of my own, and cannot be burdened with other people. If this makes him angry so much the worse for him, but I like to say what I mean.”
Then Ulysses said, “Sir, I do not want to stay here; a beggar can always do better in town than country, for any one who likes can give him something. I am too old to care about remaining here at the beck and call of a master. Therefore let this man do as you have just told him, and take me to the town as soon as I have had a warm by the fire, and the day has got a little heat in it. My clothes are wretchedly thin, and this frosty morning I shall be perished with cold, for you say the city is some way off.”
On this Telemachus strode off through the yards, brooding his revenge upon the suitors. When he reached home he stood his spear against a bearing-post of the cloister, crossed the stone floor of the cloister itself, and went inside.
Nurse Euryclea saw him long before any one else did. She was putting the fleeces on to the seats, and she burst out crying as she ran up to him; all the other maids came up too, and covered his head and shoulders with their kisses. Penelope came out of her room looking like Diana or Venus, and wept as she flung her arms about her son. She kissed his forehead and both his beautiful eyes, “Light of my eyes,” she cried as she spoke fondly to him, “so you are come home again; I made sure I was never going to see you any more. To think of your having gone off to Pylos without saying anything about it or obtaining my consent. But come, tell me what you saw.”
“Do not scold me, mother,” answered Telemachus, “nor vex me, seeing what a narrow escape I have had, but wash your face, change your dress, go upstairs with your maids, and promise full and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if Jove will only grant us our revenge upon the suitors. I must now go to the place of assembly to invite a stranger who has come back with me from Pylos. I sent him on with my crew, and told Piraeus to take him home and look after him till I could come for him myself.”
She heeded her son’s words, washed her face, changed her dress, and vowed full and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if they would only vouchsafe her revenge upon the suitors.
Telemachus went through, and out of, the cloisters spear in hand—not alone, for his two fleet dogs went with him. Minerva endowed him with a presence of such divine comeliness that all marvelled at him as he went by, and the suitors gathered round him with fair words in their mouths and malice in their hearts; but he avoided them, and went to sit with Mentor, Antiphus, and Halitherses, old friends of his father’s house, and they made him tell them all that had happened to him. Then Piraeus came up with Theoclymenus, whom he had escorted through the town to the place of assembly, whereon Telemachus at once joined them. Piraeus was first to speak: “Telemachus,” said he, “I wish you would send some of your women to my house to take away the presents Menelaus gave you.”
“We do not know, Piraeus,” answered Telemachus, “what may happen. If the suitors kill me in my own house and divide my property among them, I would rather you had the presents than that any of those people should get hold of them. If on the other hand I managed to kill them, I shall be much obliged if you will kindly bring me my presents.”
With these words he took Theoclymenus to his own house. When they got there they laid their cloaks on the benches and seats, went into the baths, and washed themselves. When the maids had washed and anointed them, and had given them cloaks and shirts, they took their seats at table. A maid servant then brought them water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver basin for them to wash their hands; and she drew a clean table beside them. An upper servant brought them bread and offered them many good things of what there was in the house. Opposite them sat Penelope, reclining on a couch by one of the bearing-posts of the cloister, and spinning. Then they laid their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Penelope said:
“Telemachus, I shall go upstairs and lie down on that sad couch, which I have not ceased to water with my tears, from the day Ulysses set out for Troy with the sons of Atreus. You failed, however, to make it clear to me before the suitors came back to the house, whether or no you had been able to hear anything about the return of your father.”
“I will tell you then truth,” replied her son. “We went to Pylos and saw Nestor, who took me to his house and treated me as hospitably as though I were a son of his own who had just returned after a long absence; so also did his sons; but he said he had not heard a word from any human being about Ulysses, whether he was alive or dead. He sent me, therefore, with a chariot and horses to Menelaus. There I saw Helen, for whose sake so many, both Argives and Trojans, were in heaven’s wisdom doomed to suffer. Menelaus asked me what it was that had brought me to Lacedaemon, and I told him the whole truth, whereon he said, ‘So, then, these cowards would usurp a brave man’s bed? A hind might as well lay her new-born young in the lair of a lion, and then go off to feed in the forest or in some grassy dell. The lion, when he comes back to his lair, will make short work with the pair of them, and so will Ulysses with these suitors. By father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, if Ulysses is still the man that he was when he wrestled with Philomeleides in Lesbos, and threw him so heavily that all the Greeks cheered him—if he is still such, and were to come near these suitors, they would have a short shrift and a sorry wedding. As regards your question, however, I will not prevaricate nor deceive you, but what the old man of the sea told me, so much will I tell you in full. He said he could see Ulysses on an island sorrowing bitterly in the house of the nymph Calypso, who was keeping him prisoner, and he could not reach his home, for he had no ships nor sailors to take him over the sea.’ This was what Menelaus told me, and when I had heard his story I came away; the gods then gave me a fair wind and soon brought me safe home again.”
With these words he moved the heart of Penelope. Then Theoclymenus said to her:
“Madam, wife of Ulysses, Telemachus does not understand these things; listen therefore to me, for I can divine them surely, and will hide nothing from you. May Jove the king of heaven be my witness, and the rites of hospitality, with that hearth of Ulysses to which I now come, that Ulysses himself is even now in Ithaca, and, either going about the country or staying in one place, is enquiring into all these evil deeds and preparing a day of reckoning for the suitors. I saw an omen when I was on the ship which meant this, and I told Telemachus about it.”
“May it be even so,” answered Penelope; “if your words come true, you shall have such gifts and such good will from me that all who see you shall congratulate you.”
Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were throwing discs, or aiming with spears at a mark on the levelled ground in front of the house, and behaving with all their old insolence. But when it was now time for dinner, and the flock of sheep and goats had come into the town from all the country round, with their shepherds as usual, then Medon, who was their favourite servant, and who waited upon them at table, said, “Now then, my young masters, you have had enough sport, so come inside that we may get dinner ready. Dinner is not a bad thing, at dinner time.”
They left their sports as he told them, and when they were within the house, they laid their cloaks on the benches and seats inside, and then sacrificed some sheep, goats, pigs, and a heifer, all of them fat and well grown. Thus they made ready for their meal. In the meantime Ulysses and the swineherd were about starting for the town, and the swineherd said, “Stranger, I suppose you still want to go to town to-day, as my master said you were to do; for my own part I should have liked you to stay here as a station hand, but I must do as my master tells me, or he will scold me later on, and a scolding from one’s master is a very serious thing. Let us then be off, for it is now broad day; it will be night again directly and then you will find it colder.”
“I know, and understand you,” replied Ulysses; “you need say no more. Let us be going, but if you have a stick ready cut, let me have it to walk with, for you say the road is a very rough one.”
As he spoke he threw his shabby old tattered wallet over his shoulders, by the cord from which it hung, and Eumaeus gave him a stick to his liking. The two then started, leaving the station in charge of the dogs and herdsmen who remained behind; the swineherd led the way and his master followed after, looking like some broken down old tramp as he leaned upon his staff, and his clothes were all in rags. When they had got over the rough steep ground and were nearing the city, they reached the fountain from which the citizens drew their water. This had been made by Ithacus, Neritus, and Polyctor. There was a grove of water-loving poplars planted in a circle all round it, and the clear cold water came down to it from a rock high up, while above the fountain there was an altar to the nymphs, at which all wayfarers used to sacrifice. Here Melanthius son of Dolius overtook them as he was driving down some goats, the best in his flock, for the suitors’ dinner, and there were two shepherds with him. When he saw Eumaeus and Ulysses he reviled them with outrageous and unseemly language, which made Ulysses very angry.
“There you go,” cried he, “and a precious pair you are. See how heaven brings birds of the same feather to one another. Where, pray, master swineherd, are you taking this poor miserable object? It would make any one sick to see such a creature at table. A fellow like this never won a prize for anything in his life, but will go about rubbing his shoulders against every man’s door post, and begging, not for swords and cauldrons like a man, but only for a few scraps not worth begging for. If you would give him to me for a hand on my station, he might do to clean out the folds, or bring a bit of sweet feed to the kids, and he could fatten his thighs as much as he pleased on whey; but he has taken to bad ways and will not go about any kind of work; he will do nothing but beg victuals all the town over, to feed his insatiable belly. I say, therefore—and it shall surely be—if he goes near Ulysses’ house he will get his head broken by the stools they will fling at him, till they turn him out.”
On this, as he passed, he gave Ulysses a kick on the hip out of pure wantonness, but Ulysses stood firm, and did not budge from the path. For a moment he doubted whether or no to fly at Melanthius and kill him with his staff, or fling him to the ground and beat his brains out; he resolved, however, to endure it and keep himself in check, but the swineherd looked straight at Melanthius and rebuked him, lifting up his hands and praying to heaven as he did so.
“Fountain nymphs,” he cried, “children of Jove, if ever Ulysses burned you thigh bones covered with fat whether of lambs or kids, grant my prayer that heaven may send him home. He would soon put an end to the swaggering threats with which such men as you go about insulting people—gadding all over the town while your flocks are going to ruin through bad shepherding.”
Then Melanthius the goatherd answered, “You ill conditioned cur, what are you talking about? Some day or other I will put you on board ship and take you to a foreign country, where I can sell you and pocket the money you will fetch. I wish I were as sure that Apollo would strike Telemachus dead this very day, or that the suitors would kill him, as I am that Ulysses will never come home again.”
With this he left them to come on at their leisure, while he went quickly forward and soon reached the house of his master. When he got there he went in and took his seat among the suitors opposite Eurymachus, who liked him better than any of the others. The servants brought him a portion of meat, and an upper woman servant set bread before him that he might eat. Presently Ulysses and the swineherd came up to the house and stood by it, amid a sound of music, for Phemius was just beginning to sing to the suitors. Then Ulysses took hold of the swineherd’s hand, and said:
“Eumaeus, this house of Ulysses is a very fine place. No matter how far you go, you will find few like it. One building keeps following on after another. The outer court has a wall with battlements all round it; the doors are double folding, and of good workmanship; it would be a hard matter to take it by force of arms. I perceive, too, that there are many people banqueting within it, for there is a smell of roast meat, and I hear a sound of music, which the gods have made to go along with feasting.”
Then Eumaeus said, “You have perceived aright, as indeed you generally do; but let us think what will be our best course. Will you go inside first and join the suitors, leaving me here behind you, or will you wait here and let me go in first? But do not wait long, or some one may see you loitering about outside, and throw something at you. Consider this matter I pray you.”
And Ulysses answered, “I understand and heed. Go in first and leave me here where I am. I am quite used to being beaten and having things thrown at me. I have been so much buffeted about in war and by sea that I am case-hardened, and this too may go with the rest. But a man cannot hide away the cravings of a hungry belly; this is an enemy which gives much trouble to all men; it is because of this that ships are fitted out to sail the seas, and to make war upon other people.”
As they were thus talking, a dog that had been lying asleep raised his head and pricked up his ears. This was Argos, whom Ulysses had bred before setting out for Troy, but he had never had any work out of him. In the old days he used to be taken out by the young men when they went hunting wild goats, or deer, or hares, but now that his master was gone he was lying neglected on the heaps of mule and cow dung that lay in front of the stable doors till the men should come and draw it away to manure the great close; and he was full of fleas. As soon as he saw Ulysses standing there, he dropped his ears and wagged his tail, but he could not get close up to his master. When Ulysses saw the dog on the other side of the yard, he dashed a tear from his eyes without Eumaeus seeing it, and said:
“Eumaeus, what a noble hound that is over yonder on the manure heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as he looks, or is he only one of those dogs that come begging about a table, and are kept merely for show?”
“This hound,” answered Eumaeus, “belonged to him who has died in a far country. If he were what he was when Ulysses left for Troy, he would soon show you what he could do. There was not a wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him. Servants never do their work when their master’s hand is no longer over them, for Jove takes half the goodness out of a man when he makes a slave of him.”
As he spoke he went inside the buildings to the cloister where the suitors were, but Argos died as soon as he had recognised his master.
Telemachus saw Eumaeus long before any one else did, and beckoned him to come and sit beside him; so he looked about and saw a seat lying near where the carver sat serving out their portions to the suitors; he picked it up, brought it to Telemachus’s table, and sat down opposite him. Then the servant brought him his portion, and gave him bread from the bread-basket.
Immediately afterwards Ulysses came inside, looking like a poor miserable old beggar, leaning on his staff and with his clothes all in rags. He sat down upon the threshold of ash-wood just inside the doors leading from the outer to the inner court, and against a bearing-post of cypress-wood which the carpenter had skilfully planed, and had made to join truly with rule and line. Telemachus took a whole loaf from the bread-basket, with as much meat as he could hold in his two hands, and said to Eumaeus, “Take this to the stranger, and tell him to go the round of the suitors, and beg from them; a beggar must not be shamefaced.”
So Eumaeus went up to him and said, “Stranger, Telemachus sends you this, and says you are to go the round of the suitors begging, for beggars must not be shamefaced.”
Ulysses answered, “May King Jove grant all happiness to Telemachus, and fulfil the desire of his heart.”
Then with both hands he took what Telemachus had sent him, and laid it on the dirty old wallet at his feet. He went on eating it while the bard was singing, and had just finished his dinner as he left off. The suitors applauded the bard, whereon Minerva went up to Ulysses and prompted him to beg pieces of bread from each one of the suitors, that he might see what kind of people they were, and tell the good from the bad; but come what might she was not going to save a single one of them. Ulysses, therefore, went on his round, going from left to right, and stretched out his hands to beg as though he were a real beggar. Some of them pitied him, and were curious about him, asking one another who he was and where he came from; whereon the goatherd Melanthius said, “Suitors of my noble mistress, I can tell you something about him, for I have seen him before. The swineherd brought him here, but I know nothing about the man himself, nor where he comes from.”
On this Antinous began to abuse the swineherd. “You precious idiot,” he cried, “what have you brought this man to town for? Have we not tramps and beggars enough already to pester us as we sit at meat? Do you think it a small thing that such people gather here to waste your master’s property—and must you needs bring this man as well?”
And Eumaeus answered, “Antinous, your birth is good but your words evil. It was no doing of mine that he came here. Who is likely to invite a stranger from a foreign country, unless it be one of those who can do public service as a seer, a healer of hurts, a carpenter, or a bard who can charm us with his singing? Such men are welcome all the world over, but no one is likely to ask a beggar who will only worry him. You are always harder on Ulysses’ servants than any of the other suitors are, and above all on me, but I do not care so long as Telemachus and Penelope are alive and here.”
But Telemachus said, “Hush, do not answer him; Antinous has the bitterest tongue of all the suitors, and he makes the others worse.”
Then turning to Antinous he said, “Antinous, you take as much care of my interests as though I were your son. Why should you want to see this stranger turned out of the house? Heaven forbid; take something and give it him yourself; I do not grudge it; I bid you take it. Never mind my mother, nor any of the other servants in the house; but I know you will not do what I say, for you are more fond of eating things yourself than of giving them to other people.”
“What do you mean, Telemachus,” replied Antinous, “by this swaggering talk? If all the suitors were to give him as much as I will, he would not come here again for another three months.”
As he spoke he drew the stool on which he rested his dainty feet from under the table, and made as though he would throw it at Ulysses, but the other suitors all gave him something, and filled his wallet with bread and meat; he was about, therefore, to go back to the threshold and eat what the suitors had given him, but he first went up to Antinous and said:
“Sir, give me something; you are not, surely, the poorest man here; you seem to be a chief, foremost among them all; therefore you should be the better giver, and I will tell far and wide of your bounty. I too was a rich man once, and had a fine house of my own; in those days I gave to many a tramp such as I now am, no matter who he might be nor what he wanted. I had any number of servants, and all the other things which people have who live well and are accounted wealthy, but it pleased Jove to take all away from me. He sent me with a band of roving robbers to Egypt; it was a long voyage and I was undone by it. I stationed my ships in the river Aegyptus, and bade my men stay by them and keep guard over them, while I sent out scouts to reconnoitre from every point of vantage.
“But the men disobeyed my orders, took to their own devices, and ravaged the land of the Egyptians, killing the men, and taking their wives and children captives. The alarm was soon carried to the city, and when they heard the war-cry, the people came out at daybreak till the plain was filled with soldiers horse and foot, and with the gleam of armour. Then Jove spread panic among my men, and they would no longer face the enemy, for they found themselves surrounded. The Egyptians killed many of us, and took the rest alive to do forced labour for them; as for myself, they gave me to a friend who met them, to take to Cyprus, Dmetor by name, son of Iasus, who was a great man in Cyprus. Thence I am come hither in a state of great misery.”
Then Antinous said, “What god can have sent such a pestilence to plague us during our dinner? Get out, into the open part of the court, or I will give you Egypt and Cyprus over again for your insolence and importunity; you have begged of all the others, and they have given you lavishly, for they have abundance round them, and it is easy to be free with other people’s property when there is plenty of it.”
On this Ulysses began to move off, and said, “Your looks, my fine sir, are better than your breeding; if you were in your own house you would not spare a poor man so much as a pinch of salt, for though you are in another man’s, and surrounded with abundance, you cannot find it in you to give him even a piece of bread.”
This made Antinous very angry, and he scowled at him saying, “You shall pay for this before you get clear of the court.” With these words he threw a footstool at him, and hit him on the right shoulder blade near the top of his back. Ulysses stood firm as a rock and the blow did not even stagger him, but he shook his head in silence as he brooded on his revenge. Then he went back to the threshold and sat down there, laying his well filled wallet at his feet.
“Listen to me,” he cried, “you suitors of Queen Penelope, that I may speak even as I am minded. A man knows neither ache nor pain if he gets hit while fighting for his money, or for his sheep or his cattle; and even so Antinous has hit me while in the service of my miserable belly, which is always getting people into trouble. Still, if the poor have gods and avenging deities at all, I pray them that Antinous may come to a bad end before his marriage.”
“Sit where you are, and eat your victuals in silence, or be off elsewhere,” shouted Antinous. “If you say more I will have you dragged hand and foot through the courts, and the servants shall flay you alive.”
The other suitors were much displeased at this, and one of the young men said, “Antinous, you did ill in striking that poor wretch of a tramp: it will be worse for you if he should turn out to be some god—and we know the gods go about disguised in all sorts of ways as people from foreign countries, and travel about the world to see who do amiss and who righteously.”
Thus said the suitors, but Antinous paid them no heed. Meanwhile Telemachus was furious about the blow that had been given to his father, and though no tear fell from him, he shook his head in silence and brooded on his revenge.
Now when Penelope heard that the beggar had been struck in the banqueting-cloister, she said before her maids, “Would that Apollo would so strike you, Antinous,” and her waiting woman Eurynome answered, “If our prayers were answered not one of the suitors would ever again see the sun rise.” Then Penelope said, “Nurse, I hate every single one of them, for they mean nothing but mischief, but I hate Antinous like the darkness of death itself. A poor unfortunate tramp has come begging about the house for sheer want. Every one else has given him something to put in his wallet, but Antinous has hit him on the right shoulder-blade with a footstool.”
Thus did she talk with her maids as she sat in her own room, and in the meantime Ulysses was getting his dinner. Then she called for the swineherd and said, “Eumaeus, go and tell the stranger to come here, I want to see him and ask him some questions. He seems to have travelled much, and he may have seen or heard something of my unhappy husband.”
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, “If these Achaeans, Madam, would only keep quiet, you would be charmed with the history of his adventures. I had him three days and three nights with me in my hut, which was the first place he reached after running away from his ship, and he has not yet completed the story of his misfortunes. If he had been the most heaven-taught minstrel in the whole world, on whose lips all hearers hang entranced, I could not have been more charmed as I sat in my hut and listened to him. He says there is an old friendship between his house and that of Ulysses, and that he comes from Crete where the descendants of Minos live, after having been driven hither and thither by every kind of misfortune; he also declares that he has heard of Ulysses as being alive and near at hand among the Thesprotians, and that he is bringing great wealth home with him.”
“Call him here, then,” said Penelope, “that I too may hear his story. As for the suitors, let them take their pleasure indoors or out as they will, for they have nothing to fret about. Their corn and wine remain unwasted in their houses with none but servants to consume them, while they keep hanging about our house day after day sacrificing our oxen, sheep, and fat goats for their banquets, and never giving so much as a thought to the quantity of wine they drink. No estate can stand such recklessness, for we have now no Ulysses to protect us. If he were to come again, he and his son would soon have their revenge.”
As she spoke Telemachus sneezed so loudly that the whole house resounded with it. Penelope laughed when she heard this, and said to Eumaeus, “Go and call the stranger; did you not hear how my son sneezed just as I was speaking? This can only mean that all the suitors are going to be killed, and that not one of them shall escape. Furthermore I say, and lay my saying to your heart: if I am satisfied that the stranger is speaking the truth I shall give him a shirt and cloak of good wear.”
When Eumaeus heard this he went straight to Ulysses and said, “Father stranger, my mistress Penelope, mother of Telemachus, has sent for you; she is in great grief, but she wishes to hear anything you can tell her about her husband, and if she is satisfied that you are speaking the truth, she will give you a shirt and cloak, which are the very things that you are most in want of. As for bread, you can get enough of that to fill your belly, by begging about the town, and letting those give that will.”
“I will tell Penelope,” answered Ulysses, “nothing but what is strictly true. I know all about her husband, and have been partner with him in affliction, but I am afraid of passing through this crowd of cruel suitors, for their pride and insolence reach heaven. Just now, moreover, as I was going about the house without doing any harm, a man gave me a blow that hurt me very much, but neither Telemachus nor any one else defended me. Tell Penelope, therefore, to be patient and wait till sundown. Let her give me a seat close up to the fire, for my clothes are worn very thin—you know they are, for you have seen them ever since I first asked you to help me—she can then ask me about the return of her husband.”
The swineherd went back when he heard this, and Penelope said as she saw him cross the threshold, “Why do you not bring him here, Eumaeus? Is he afraid that some one will ill-treat him, or is he shy of coming inside the house at all? Beggars should not be shamefaced.”
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, “The stranger is quite reasonable. He is avoiding the suitors, and is only doing what any one else would do. He asks you to wait till sundown, and it will be much better, madam, that you should have him all to yourself, when you can hear him and talk to him as you will.”
“The man is no fool,” answered Penelope, “it would very likely be as he says, for there are no such abominable people in the whole world as these men are.”
When she had done speaking Eumaeus went back to the suitors, for he had explained everything. Then he went up to Telemachus and said in his ear so that none could overhear him, “My dear sir, I will now go back to the pigs, to see after your property and my own business. You will look to what is going on here, but above all be careful to keep out of danger, for there are many who bear you ill will. May Jove bring them to a bad end before they do us a mischief.”
“Very well,” replied Telemachus, “go home when you have had your dinner, and in the morning come here with the victims we are to sacrifice for the day. Leave the rest to heaven and me.”
On this Eumaeus took his seat again, and when he had finished his dinner he left the courts and the cloister with the men at table, and went back to his pigs. As for the suitors, they presently began to amuse themselves with singing and dancing, for it was now getting on towards evening.