Book 21: The bow
The Trial of the Axes, During Which Ulysses Reveals Himself to Eumaeus and Philoetius.
Greek
Τῇ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θῆκε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,κούρῃ Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ,τόξον μνηστήρεσσι θέμεν πολιόν τε σίδηρονἐν μεγάροις Ὀδυσῆος, ἀέθλια καὶ φόνου ἀρχήν.κλίμακα δ’ ὑψηλὴν προσεβήσετο οἷο δόμοιο,εἵλετο δὲ κληΐδ’ εὐκαμπέα χειρὶ παχείῃκαλὴν χαλκείην· κώπη δ’ ἐλέφαντος ἐπῆεν.βῆ δ’ ἴμεναι θἀλαμόνδε σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶνἔσχατον· ἔνθα δέ οἱ κειμήλια κεῖτο ἄνακτος,χαλκός τε χρυσός τε πολύκμητός τε σίδηρος.ἔνθα δὲ τόξον κεῖτο παλίντονον ἠδὲ φαρέτρηἰοδόκος, πολλοὶ δ’ ἔνεσαν στονόεντες ὀϊστοί,δῶρα τά οἱ ξεῖνος Λακεδαίμονι δῶκε τυχήσαςἼφιτος Εὐρυτίδης, ἐπιείκελος ἀθανάτοισι.τὼ δ’ ἐν Μεσσήνῃ ξυμβλήτην ἀλλήλοιϊνοἴκῳ ἐν Ὀρτιλόχοιο δαΐφρονος. ἦ τοι Ὀδυσσεὺςἦλθε μετὰ χρεῖος, τό ῥά οἱ πᾶς δῆμος ὄφελλε·μῆλα γὰρ ἐξ Ἰθάκης Μεσσήνιοι ἄνδρες ἄειραννηυσὶ πολυκλήϊσι τριηκόσι’ ἠδὲ νομῆας.τῶν ἕνεκ’ ἐξεσίην πολλὴν ὁδὸν ἦλθεν Ὀδυσσεὺςπαιδνὸς ἐών· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκε πατὴρ ἄλλοι τε γέροντες.Ἴφιτος αὖθ’ ἵππους διζήμενος, αἵ οἵ ὄλοντοδώδεκα θήλειαι, ὑπὸ δ’ ἡμίονοι ταλαεργοί·αἱ δή οἱ καὶ ἔπειτα φόνος καὶ μοῖρα γένοντο,ἐπεὶ δὴ Διὸς υἱὸν ἀφίκετο καρτερόθυμον,φῶθ’ Ἡρακλῆα, μεγάλων ἐπιίστορα ἔργων,ὅς μιν ξεῖνον ἐόντα κατέκτανεν ᾧ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ,σχέτλιος, οὐδὲ θεῶν ὄπιν αἰδέσατ’ οὐδὲ τράπεζαν,τὴν ἥν οἱ παρέθηκεν· ἔπειτα δὲ πέφνε καὶ αὐτόν,ἵππους δ’ αὐτὸς ἔχε κρατερώνυχας ἐν μεγάροισι.τὰς ἐρέω· Ὀδυσῆϊ συνήντετο, δῶκε δὲ τόξον,τὸ πρὶν μέν ῥ’ ἐφόρει μέγας Ἐὔρυτος, αὐτὰρ ὁ παιδὶκἀλλιπ’ ἀποθνήσκων ἐν δώμασιν ὑψηλοῖσι.τῷ δ’ Ὀδυσεὺς ξίφος ὀξὺ καὶ ἄλκιμον ἔγχος ἔδωκεν,ἀρχὴν ξεινοσύνης προσκηδέος· οὐδὲ τραπέζῃγνώτην ἀλλήλων· πρὶν γὰρ Διὸς υἱὸς ἔπεφνενἼφιτον Ἐὐρυτίδην, ἐπιείκελον ἀθανάτοισιν,ὅς οἱ τόξον ἔδωκε. τὸ δ’ οὔ ποτε δῖος Ὀδυσσεὺςἐρχόμενος πόλεμόνδε μελαινάων ἐπὶ νηῶνἡρεῖτ’, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῦ μνῆμα ξείνοιο φίλοιοκέσκετ’ ἐνὶ μεγάροισι, φόρει δέ μιν ἧς ἐπὶ γαίης.Ἡ δ’ ὅτε δὴ θάλαμον τὸν ἀφίκετο δῖα γυναικῶν,οὐδόν τε δρύϊνον προσεβήσετο, τόν ποτε τέκτωνξέσσεν ἐπισταμένως καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνεν,ἐν δὲ σταθμοὺς ἄρσε, θύρας δ’ ἐπέθηκε φαεινάς·αὐτίκ’ ἄρ’ ἥ γ’ ἱμάντα θοῶς ἀπέλυσε κορώνης,ἐν δὲ κληϊδ’ ἧκε, θυρέων δ’ ἀνέκοπτεν ὀχῆαςἄντα τιτυσκομένη· τὰ δ’ ἀνέβραχεν ἠΐτε ταῦροςβοσκόμενος λειμῶνι· τόσ’ ἔβραχε καλὰ θύρετραπληγέντα κληΐδι, πετάσθησαν δέ οἱ ὦκα.ἡ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐφ’ ὑψηλῆς σανίδος βῆ· ἔνθα δὲ χηλοὶἕστασαν, ἐν δ’ ἄρα τῇσι θυώδεα εἵματ’ ἔκειτο.ἔνθεν ὀρεξαμένη ἀπὸ πασσάλου αἴνυτο τόξοναὐτῷ γωρυτῷ, ὅς οἱ περίκειτο φαεινός.ἑζμένη δὲ κατ’ αὖθι, φίλοις ἐπὶ γούνασι θεῖσα,κλαῖε μάλα λιγέως, ἐκ δ’ ἥρεε τόξον ἄνακτος.ἡ δ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν τάρφθη πολυδακρύτοιο γόοιο,βῆ ῥ’ ἴμεναι μέγαρόνδε μετὰ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυοὺςτόξον ἔχουσ’ ἐν χειρὶ παλίντονον ἠδὲ φαρέτρηνἰοδόκον’ πολλοὶ δ’ ἔνεσαν στονόεντες ὀϊστοί.τῇ δ’ ἄρ’ ἅμ’ ἀμφίπολοι φέρον ὄγκιον, ἔνθα σίδηροςκεῖτο πολὺς καὶ χαλκός, ἀέθλια τοῖο ἄνακτος.ἡ δ’ ὅτε δὴ μνηστῆρας ἀφίκετο δῖα γυναικῶν,στῆ ῥα παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο,ἄντα παρειάων σχομένη λιπαρὰ κρήδεμνα.ἀμφίπολος δ’ ἄρα οἱ κεδνὴ ἑκάτερθε παρέστη.αὐτίκα δὲ μνηστῆρσι μετηύδα καὶ φάτο μῦθον·κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγήνορες, οἱ τόδε δῶμαἐχράετ’ ἐσθιέμεν καὶ πινέμεν ἐμμενὲς αἰεὶἀνδρὸς ἀποιχομένοιο πολὺν χρόνον· οὐδέ τιν’ ἄλληνμύθου ποιήσασθαι ἐπισχεσίην ἐδύνασθε,ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ ἱέμενοι γῆμαι θέσθαι τε γυναῖκα.ἀλλ’ ἄγετε, μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ τόδε φαίνετ’ ἄεθλον·θήσω γὰρ μέγα τόξον Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο·ὃς δέ κε ῥηΐτατ’ ἐντανύσῃ βιὸν ἐν παλάμῃσικαὶ διοϊστεύσῃ πελέκεων δυοκαίδεκα πάντων,τῷ κεν ἅμ’ ἑσποίμην νοσφισσαμένη τόδε δῶμακουρίδιον, μάλα καλόν, ἐνίπλειον βιότοιο,τοῦ ποτε μεμνήσεσθαι ὀΐομαι ἔν περ ὀνείρῳ.Ὣς φάτο, καί ῥ’ Εὔμαιον ἀνώγει, δῖον ὑφορβόν,τόξον μνηστήρεσσι θέμεν πολιόν τε σίδηρον.δακρύσας δ’ Εὔμαιος ἐδέξατο καὶ κατέθηκε·κλαῖε δὲ βουκόλος ἄλλοθ’, ἐπεὶ ἴδε τόξον ἄνακτος.Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τ’ ἔφατ’ ἔκ τ’ ὀνόμαζε·νήπιοι ἀγροιῶται, ἐφημέρια φρονέοντες,ἃ δειλώ, τί νυ δάκρυ κατείβετον ἠδὲ γυναικὶθυμὸν ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ὀρίνετον; ἧ τε καὶ ἄλλωςκεῖται ἐν ἄλγεσι θυμός, ἐπεὶ φίλον ὥλεσ’ ἀκοίτην.ἀλλ’ ἀκέων δαίνυσθε καθήμενοι, ἠὲ θύραζεκλαίετον ἐξελθόντε, κατ’ αὐτόθι τόξα λιπόντε,μνηστήρεσσιν ἄεθλον ἀάατον· οὐ γὰρ ὀΐωῥηϊδίως τόδε τόξον ἐύξοον ἐντανύεσθαι.οὐ γάρ τις μέτα τοῖος ἀνὴρ ἐν τοίσδεσι πᾶσινοἷος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἔσκεν· ἐγὼ δέ μιν αὐτὸς ὄπωπα,καὶ γὰρ μνήμων εἰμί, πάϊς δ’ ἔτι νήπιος ἦα.Ὣς φάτο, τῷ δ’ ἄρα θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἐώλπεινευρὴν ἐντανύειν διοϊστεύσειν τε σιδήρου.ἢ τοι ὀϊστοῦ γε πρῶτος γεύσεσθαι ἔμελλενἐκ χειρῶν Ὀδυσῆος ἀμύμονος, ὃν τότ’ ἀτίμαἥμενος ἐν μεγάροις, ἐπὶ δ’ ὄρνυε πάντας ἑταίρους.τοῖσι δὲ καὶ μετέειφ’ ἱερὴ ὃς Τηλεμάχοιο·ὦ πόποι, ἢ μάλα με Ζεὺς ἄφρονα θῆκε Κρονίων·μήτηρ μέν μοί φησι φίλη, πινυτή περ ἐοῦσα,ἄλλῳ ἅμ’ ἕψεσθαι νοσφισσαμένη τόδε δῶμα·αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ γελόω καὶ τέρπομαι ἄφρονι θυμῷ.ἀλλ’ ἄγετε, μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ τόδε φαίνετ’ ἄεθλον,οἵη νῦν οὐκ ἔστι γυνὴ κατ’ Ἀχαιΐδα γαῖαν,οὔτε Πύλου ἱερῆς οὔτ’ ΓΑργεος οὔτε Μυκήνης·οὔτ’ αὐτῆς Ἰθάκης οὔτ’ ἠπείροιο μελαίνης·καὶ δ’ αὐτοὶ τόδε ἴστε· τί με χρὴ μητέρος αἴνου;ἀλλ’ ἄγε μὴ μύνῃσι παρέλκετε μηδ’ ἔτι τόξουδηρὸν ἀποτρωπᾶσθε τανυστύος, ὄφρα ἴδωμεν.καὶ δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τοῦ τόξου πειρησαίμην·εἰ δέ κεν ἐντανύσω διοϊστεύσω τε σιδήρου,οὔ κέ μοι ἀχνυμένῳ τάδε δώματα πότνια μήτηρ. λείποι ἅμ’ ἄλλῳ ἰοῦσ’, ὅτ’ ἐγὼ κατόπισθε λιποίμηνοἷός τ’ ἤδη πατρὸς ἀέθλια κάλ’ ἀνελέσθαι.Ἦ καὶ ἀπ’ ὤμοιϊν χλαῖναν θέτο φοινικόεσσανὀρθὸς ἀναΐξας, ἀπὸ δὲ ξίφος ὀξὺ θέτ’ ὥμων.πρῶτον μὲν πελέκεας στῆσεν, διὰ τάφρον ὀρύξαςπᾶσι μίαν μακρήν, καὶ ἐπὶ στάθμην ἴθυνεν,ἀμφὶ δὲ γαῖαν ἔναξε· τάφος δ’ ἕλε πάντας ἰδόντας,ὡς εὐκόσμως στῆσε· πάρος δ’ οὔ πώ ποτ’ ὀπώτει.στῆ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐπ’ οὐδὸν ἰὼν καὶ τόξου πειρήτιζε.τρὶς μέν μιν πελέμιξεν ἐρύσσασθαι μενεαίνων,τρὶς δὲ μεθῆκε βίης, ἐπιελπόμενος τό γε θυμῷνευρὴν ἐντανύειν διοϊστεύσειν τε σιδήρου.καί νύ κε δή ῥ’ ἐτάνυσσε βίῃ τὸ τέταρτον ἀνέλκων,ἀλλ’ Ὀδυσεὺς ἀνένευε καὶ ἔσχεθεν ἱέμενόν περ.τοῖς δ’ αὖτις μετέειφ’ ἱερὴ ἲς Τηλεμάχοιο·ὦ πόποι, ἦ καὶ ἔπειτα κακός τ’ ἔσομαι καὶ ἄκικυς, ἡἠὲ νεώτερός εἶμι καὶ οὔ πω χερσὶ πέποιθαἄνδρ’ ἀπαμύνασθαι, ὅτε τις πρότερος χαλεπήν.ἀλλ’ ἄγεθ’, οἵ περ ἐμεῖο βίῃ προφερέστεροί ἐστε,τόξου πειρήσασθε, καὶ ἐκτελέωμεν ἄεθλον.Ἃς εἰπὼν τόξον μὲν ἀπὸ ἕο θῆκε χαμᾶζε,κλίνας κολλητῇσιν ἐὐξέστῃς σανίδεσσιν,αὐτοῦ δ’ ὠκὺ βέλος καλῇ προσέκλινε κορώνῃ,ἂψ δ’ αὖτις κατ’ ἄρ’ ἕζετ’ ἐπὶ θρόνου ἔνθεν ἀνέστη.τοῖσιν δ’ Ἀντίνοος μετέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·ὄρνυσθ’ ἑξείης ἐπιδέξια πάντες ἑταῖροι,ἀρξάμενοι τοῦ χώρου ὅθεν τέ περ οἰνοχοεύει.Ὣς ἔφατ’ Ἀντίνοος, τοῖσιν δ’ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.Ληώδης δὲ πρῶτος ἀνίστατο, Οἴνοπος υἱός,ὅ σφι θυοσκόος ἔσκε, παρὰ κρητῆρα δὲ καλὸνἴζε μυχοίτατος αἰεί; ἀτασθαλίαι δέ οἱ οἴῳἐχθραὶ ἔσαν, πᾶσιν δὲ νεμέσσα μνηστήρεσσιν·ὅς ῥα τότε πρῶτος τόξον λάβε καὶ βέλος ὠκύ.στῆ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐπ’ οὐδὸν ἰὼν καὶ τόξου πειρήτιζεν,οὐδέ μιν ἐντάνυσε’ πρὶν γὰρ κάμε χεῖρας ἀνέλκωνἀτρίπτους ἁπαλάς· μετὰ δὲ μνηστῆρσιν ἔειπεν·ὦ φίλοι, οὐ μὲν ἐγὼ τανύω, λαβέτω δὲ καὶ ἄλλος.πολλοὺς γὰρ τόδε τόξον ἀριστῆας κεκαδήσειθυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολὺ φέρτερόν ἐστιτεθνάμεν ἢ ζώοντας ἁμαρτεῖν, οὗ θ’ ἕνεκ’ αἰεὶἐνθάδ’ ὁμιλέομεν, ποτιδέγμενοι ἤματα πάντα.νῦν μέν τις καὶ ἔλπετ’ ἐνὶ φρεσὶν ἠδὲ μενοινᾷγῆμαι Πηνελόπειαν, Ὀδυσσῆος παράκοιτιν.αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν τόξου πειρήσεται ἠδὲ ἴδηται,ἄλλην δή τιν’ ἔπειτα Ἀχαιϊάδων εὐπέπλωνμνάσθω ἐέδνοισιν διζήμενος· ἡ δέ κ’ ἔπειταγήμαιθ’ ὅς κε πλεῖστα πόροι καὶ μόρσιμος ἔλθοι.Ὃς ἄρ’ ἐφώνησεν καὶ ἀπὸ ἕο τόξον ἔθηκε,κλίνας κολλητῇσιν ἐὐξέστῃς σανίδεσσιν,αὐτοῦ δ’ ὠκὺ βέλος καλῇ προσέκλινε κορώνῃ,ἂψ δ’ αὖτις κατ’ ἄρ’ ἕζετ’ ἐπὶ θρόνου ἔνθεν ἀνέστη.Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τ’ ἔφατ’ ἔκ τ’ ὀνόμαζε·Ληῶδες, ποῖόν σε ἔπος φύγεν ἕρκος ὀδόντων,δεινόν τ’ ἀργαλέον τε,—νεμεσσῶμαι δέ τ’ ἀκούων,—εἶ δὴ τοῦτό γε τόξον ἀριστῆας κεκαδήσειθυμοῦ καὶ ψυχῆς, ἐπεὶ οὐ δύνασαι σὺ τανύσσαι.οὐ γάρ τοι σέ γε τοῖον ἐγείνατο πότνια μήτηροἷόν τε ῥυτῆρα βιοῦ τ’ ἔμεναι καὶ ὀϊστῶν·ἀλλ’ ἄλλοι τανύουσι τάχα μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοί.Ὣς φάτο, καί ῥ’ ἐκέλευσε Μελάνθιον, αἰπόλον αἰγῶν·ἄγρει δή, πῦρ κῆον ἐνὶ μεγάροισι, Μελανθεῦ,πὰρ δὲ τίθει δίφρον τε μέγαν καὶ κῶας ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ,ἐκ δὲ στέατος ἔνεικε μέγαν τροχὸν ἔνδον ἐόντος,ὄφρα νέοι θάλποντες, ἐπιχρίοντες ἀλοιφῇ,τόξου πειρώμεσθα καὶ ἐκτελέωμεν ἄεθλον.Ὃς φάθ’, ὁ δ’ αἷψ’ ἀνέκαιε Μελάνθιος ἀκάματον πῦρ,πὰρ δὲ φέρων δίφρον θῆκεν καὶ κῶας ἐπ’ αὐτοῦ,ἐκ δὲ στέατος ἔνεικε μέγαν τροχὸν ἔνδον ἐόντος·τῷ ῥα νέοι θάλποντες ἐπειρῶντ’· οὐδ’ ἐδύναντοἐντανύσαι, πολλὸν δὲ βίης ἐπιδευέες ἦσαν.Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἔτ’ ἐπεῖχε καὶ Εὐρύμαχος θεοειδής,ἀρχοὶ μνηστήρων· ἀρετῇ δ’ ἔσαν ἔξοχ’ ἄριστοι.Τὼ δ’ ἐξ οἴκου βῆσαν ὁμαρτήσαντες ἅμ’ ἄμφωβουκόλος ἠδὲ συφορβὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο·ἐκ δ’ αὐτὸς μετὰ τοὺς δόμου ἤλυθε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς.ἀλλ’ ὅτε δή ῥ’ ἐκτὸς θυρέων ἔσαν ἠδὲ καὶ αὐλῆς,φθεγξάμενός σφε ἔπεσσι προσηύδα μειλιχίοισι·βουκόλε καὶ σύ, συφορβέ, ἔπος τί κε μυθησαίμην,ἦ αὐτὸς κεύθω; φάσθαι δέ με θυμὸς ἀνώγει.ποῖοί κ’ εἶτ’ Ὀδυσῆϊ ἀμυνέμεν, εἴ ποθεν ἔλθοιὧδε μάλ’ ἐξαπίνης καί τις θεὸς αὐτὸν ἐνείκαι;ἤ κε μνηστήρεσσιν ἀμύνοιτ’ ἦ Ὀδυσῆϊ;εἴπαθ’ ὅπως ὑμέας κραδίη θυμός τε κελεύει.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε βοῶν ἐπιβουκόλος ἀνήρ·Ζεῦ πάτερ, αἱ γὰρ τοῦτο τελευτήσειας ἐέλδωρ,ὡς ἔλθοι μὲν κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ἀγάγοι δέ ἑ δαίμων·γνοίης χ’ οἵη ἐμὴ δύναμις καὶ χεῖρες ἕπονται.Ὡς δ’ αὔτως Εὔμαιος ἐπεύχετο πᾶσι θεοῖσινοστῆσαι Ὀδυσῆα πολύφρονα ὅνδε δόμονδε.αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τῶν γε νόον νημερτέ’ ἀνέγνω,ἐξαῦτίς σφε ἔπεσσιν ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν·Ἔνδον μὲν δὴ ὅδ’ αὐτὸς ἐγώ, κακὰ πολλὰ μογήσας,ἤλυθον εἰκοστῷ ἔτεϊ ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν.γιγνώσκω δ’ ὡς σφῶϊν ἐελδομένοισιν ἱκάνωοἴοισι δμώων· τῶν δ’ ἄλλων οὔ τευ ἄκουσαεὐξαμένου ἐμὲ αὖτις ὑπότροπον οἴκαδ’ ἱκέσθαι.σφῶϊν δ’, ὡς ἔσεταί περ, ἀληθείην καταλέξω·εἴ χ’ ὑπ’ ἐμοί γε θεὸς δαμάσῃ μνηστῆρας ἀγαυούς,ἄξομαι ἀμφοτέροις ἀλόχους καὶ κτήματ’ ὀπάσσωοἰκία τ’ ἐγγὺς ἐμεῖο τετυγμένα· καί μοι ἔπειταΤηλεμάχου ἑτάρω τε κασιγνήτω τε ἔσεσθον.εἰ δ’ ἄγε δὴ καὶ σῆμα ἀριφραδὲς ἄλλο τι δείξω,ὄφρα μ’ ἐὺ γνῶτον πιστωθῆτόν τ’ ἐνὶ θυμῷ,οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ με σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντιΠαρνησόνδ’ ἐλθόντα σὺν υἱάσιν Αὐτολύκοιο.Ὣς εἰπὼν ῥάκεα μεγάλης ἀποέργαθεν οὐλῆς.τὼ δ’ ἐπεὶ εἰσιδέτην εὖ τ’ ἐφράσσαντο ἕκαστα,κλαῖον ἄρ’ ἀμφ’ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι χεῖρε βαλόντε,καὶ κύνεον ἀγαπαζόμενοι κεφαλήν τε καὶ ὥμους.ὡς δ’ αὔτως Ὀδυσεὺς κεφαλὰς καὶ χεῖρας ἔκυσσε.καί νύ κ’ ὀδυρομένοισιν ἔδυ φάος ἠελίοιο,εἰ μὴ Ὀδυσσεὺς αὐτὸς ἐρύκακε φώνησέν τε·παύεσθον κλαυθμοῖο γόοιό τε, μή τις ἴδηταιἐξελθὼν μεγάροιο, ἀτὰρ εἴπῃσι καὶ εἴσω.ἀλλὰ προμνηστῖνοι ἐσέλθετε, μηδ’ ἅμα πάντες,πρῶτος ἐγώ, μετὰ δ’ ὕμμες· ἀτὰρ τόδε σῆμα τετύχθω·ἄλλοι μὲν γὰρ πάντες, ὅσοι μνηστῆρες ἀγαυοί,οὐκ ἐάσουσιν ἐμοὶ δόμεναι βιὸν ἠδὲ φαρέτρην·ἀλλὰ σύ, δῖ’ Εὔμαιε, φέρων ἀνὰ δώματα τόξονἐν χείρεσσιν ἐμοὶ θέμεναι, εἰπεῖν τε γυναιξὶκληΐσαι μεγάροιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας,ἣν δέ τις ἢ στοναχῆς ἠὲ κτύπου ἔνδον ἀκούσῃἀνδρῶν ἡμετέροισιν ἐν ἕρκεσι, μή τι θύραζεπροβλώσκειν, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῦ ἀκὴν ἔμεναι παρὰ ἔργῳ.σοὶ δέ, Φιλοίτιε δῖε, θύρας ἐπιτέλλομαι αὐλῆςκληῖσαι κληῖδι, θοῶς δ’ ἐπὶ δεσμὸν ἰῆλαι.Ἃς εἰπὼν εἰσῆλθε δόμους εὖ ναιετάοντας·ἕζετ’ ἔπειτ’ ἐπὶ δίφρον ἰών, ἔνθεν περ ἀνέστη·ἐς δ’ ἄρα καὶ τὼ ὁμῶε ἴτην θείου Ὀδυσῆος.Εὐρύμαχος δ’ ἤδη τόξον μετὰ χερσὶν ἐνώμα,θάλπων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα σέλᾳ πυρός· ἀλλά μιν οὐδ’ ὡςἐντανύσαι δύνατο, μέγα δ’ ἔστενε κυδάλιμον κῆρ·ὀχθήσας δ’ ἄρα εἶπεν ἔπος τ’ ἔφατ’ ἔκ τ’ ὀνόμαζεν·ὦ πόποι, ἦ μοι ἄχος περί τ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ περὶ πάντων·οὔ τι γάμου τοσσοῦτον ὀδύρομαι, ἀχνύμενός περ·εἰσὶ καὶ ἄλλαι πολλαὶ Ἀχαιΐδες, αἱ μὲν ἐν αὐτῇἀμφιάλῳ Ἰθάκῃ, αἱ δ’ ἄλλῃσιν πολίεσσιν·ἀλλ’ εἰ δὴ τοσσόνδε βίης ἐπιδευέες εἰμὲνἀντιθέου Ὀδυσῆος, ὅ τ’ οὐ δυνάμεσθα τανύσσαιτόξον· ἐλεγχείη δὲ καὶ ἐσσομένοισι πυθέσθαι.Τὸν δ’ αὖτ’ Ἀντίνοος προσέφη, Εὐπείθεος υἱός·Εὐρύμαχ’, οὐχ οὕτως ἔσται· νοέεις δὲ καὶ αὐτός.νῦν μὲν γὰρ κατὰ δῆμον ἑορτὴ τοῖο θεοῖοἁγνή· τίς δέ κε τόξα τιταίνοιτ’; ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοικάτθετ’. ἀτὰρ πελέκεάς γε καὶ εἴ κ’ εἰῶμεν ἅπανταςἑστάμεν’ οὐ μὲν γὰρ τιν’ ἀναιρήσεσθαι ὀΐω,ἐλθόντ’ ἐς μέγαρον Λαερτιάδεω Ὀδυσῆος.ἀλλ’ ἄγετ’, οἰνοχόος μὲν ἐπαρξάσθω δεπάεσσιν,ὄφρα σπείσαντες καταθείομεν ἀγκύλα τόξα·ἠῶθεν δὲ κέλεσθε Μελάνθιον, αἰπόλον αἰγῶν,αἶγας ἄγειν, αἱ πᾶσι μέγ’ ἔξοχοι αἰπολίοισιν,ὄφρ’ ἐπὶ μηρία θέντες Ἀπόλλωνι κλυτοτόξῳτόξου πειρώμεσθα καὶ ἐκτελέωμεν ἄεθλον.Ὣς ἔφατ’ Ἀντίνοος, τοῖσιν δ’ ἐπιήνδανε μῦθος.τοῖσι δὲ κήρυκες μὲν ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἔχευαν,κοῦροι δὲ κρητῆρας ἐπεστέψαντο ποτοῖο,νώμησαν δ’ ἄρα πᾶσιν ἐπαρξάμενοι δεπάεσσιν.οἱ δ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν σπεῖσάν τ’ ἔπιόν θ’ ὅσον ἤθελε θυμός,τοῖς δὲ δολοφρονέων μετέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς·κέκλυτέ μευ, μνηστῆρες ἀγακλειτῆς βασιλείης·ὄφρ’ εἴπω τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει·Εὐρύμαχον δὲ μάλιστα καὶ Ἀντίνοον θεοειδέαλίσσομ’, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἔπος κατὰ μοῖραν ἔειπε,νῦν μὲν παῦσαι τόξον, ἐπιτρέψαι δὲ θεοῖσιν·ἠῶθεν δὲ θεὸς δώσει κράτος ᾧ κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν.ἀλλ’ ἄγ’ ἐμοὶ δότε τόξον ἐὔξοον, ὄφρα μεθ’ ὑμῖνχειρῶν καὶ σθένεος πειρήσομαι, ἤ μοι ἔτ’ ἐστὶνἔς, οἵη πάρος ἔσκεν ἐνὶ γναμπτοῖσι μέλεσσιν,ἡ ἤδη μοι ὄλεσσεν ἄλη τ’ ἀκομιστίη τε.Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἱ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ὑπερφιάλως νεμέσησαν,δείσαντες μὴ τόξον ἐὔξοον ἐντανύσειεν.Ἀντίνοος δ’ ἐνένιπεν ἔπος τ’ ἔφατ’ ἔκ τ’ ὀνόμαζεν·ἃ δειλὲ ξείνων, ἔνι τοι φρένες οὐδ’ ἠβαιαί·οὐκ ἀγαπᾷς ὃ ἕκηλος ὑπερφιάλοισι μεθ’ ἡμῖνδαίνυσαι, οὐδέ τι δαιτὸς ἀμέρδεαι, αὐτὰρ ἀκούειςμύθων ἡμετέρων καὶ ῥήσιος; οὐδέ τις ἄλλοςἡμετέρων μύθων ξεῖνος καὶ πτωχὸς ἀκούει.οἷνός σε τρώει μελιηδής, ὅς τε καὶ ἄλλουςβλάπτει, ὃς ἄν μιν χανδὸν ἕλῃ μηδ’ αἴσιμα πίνῃ.οἶνος καὶ Κένταυρον, ἀγακλυτὸν Εὐρυτίωνα,ἄασ’ ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ μεγαθύμου Πειριθόοιο,ἐς Λαπίθας ἐλθόνθ’. ὁ δ’ ἐπεὶ φρένας ἄασεν οἴνῳ,μαινόμενος κἀκ’ ἔρεξε δόμον κάτα Πειριθόοιο·ἥρωας δ’ ἄχος εἷλε, διὲκ προθύρου δὲ θύραζεἕλκον ἀναΐξαντες, ἀπ’ οὔατα νηλέϊ χαλκῷῥῖνάς τ’ ἀμήσαντες· ὁ δὲ φρεσὶν ἧσιν ἀασθεὶςἤϊεν ἣν ἄτην ὀχέων ἀεσίφρονι θυμῷ.ἐξ οὗ Κενταύροισι καὶ ἀνδράσι νεῖκος ἐτύχθη,οἵ δ’ αὐτῷ πρώτῳ κακὸν εὕρετο οἰνοβαρείων.ὡς καὶ σοὶ μέγα πῆμα πιφαύσκομαι, αἴ κε τὸ τόξονἐντανύσῃς· οὐ γάρ τευ ἐπητύος ἀντιβολήσειςἡμετέρῳ ἐνὶ δήμῳ, ἄφαρ δέ σε νηὶ μελαίνῃεἰς Ἔχετον βασιλῆα, βροτῶν δηλήμονα πάντων,πέμψομεν· ἔνθεν δ’ οὔ τι σαώσεαι’ ἀλλὰ ἕκηλοςπῖνέ τε, μηδ’ ἐρίδαινε μετ’ ἀνδράσι κουροτέροισι.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·Ἀντίνο’, οὐ μὲν καλὸν ἀτέμβειν οὐδὲ δίκαιονξείνους Τηλεμάχου, ὅς κεν τάδε δώμαθ’ ἵκηται.ἔλπεαι, αἴ χ’ ὁ ξεῖνος Ὀδυσσῆος μέγα τόξονἐντανύσῃ χερσίν τε βίηφί τε ἧφι πιθήσας,οἴκαδέ μ’ ἄξεσθαι καὶ ἑὴν θήσεσθαι ἄκοιτιν;οὐδ’ αὐτός που τοῦτό γ’ ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔολπε·μηδέ τις ὑμείων τοῦ γ’ εἵνεκα θυμὸν ἀχεύωνἐνθάδε δαινύσθω, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδὲ ἔοικε.Τὴν δ’ αὖτ’ Εὐρύμαχος, Πολύβου πάϊς, ἀντίον ηὔδα·κούρη Ἰκαρίοιο, περίφρον Πηνελόπεια,οὔ τί σε τόνδ’ ἄξεσθαι ὀϊόμεθ’· οὐδὲ ἔοικεν·ἀλλ’ αἰσχυνόμενοι φάτιν ἀνδρῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν,μή ποτέ τις εἴπῃσι κακώτερος ἄλλος Ἀχαιῶν·ἦ πολὺ χείρονες ἄνδρες ἀμύμονος ἀνδρὸς ἄκοιτινμνῶνται, οὐδέ τι τόξον ἐύξοον ἐντανύουσιν·ἀλλ’ ἄλλος τις πτωχὸς ἀνὴρ ἀλαλήμενος ἐλθὼνῥηϊδίως ἐτάνυσσε βιόν, διὰ δ’ ἧκε σιδήρου.ὡς ἐρέουσ’, ἡμῖν δ’ ἂν ἐλέγχεα ταῦτα γένοιτο.Τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε περίφρων Πηνελόπεια·Ἑὐρύμαχ’, οὔ πως ἔστιν ἐὐκλεῖας κατὰ δῆμονἔμμεναι οἱ δὴ οἶκον ἀτιμάζντες ἔδουσινἀνδρὸς ἀριστῆος· τί δ’ ἐλέγχεα ταῦτα τίθεσθε;οὗτος δὲ ξεῖνος μάλα μὲν μέγας ἠδ’ εὐπηγής,πατρὸς δ’ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ γένος εὔχεται ἔμμεναι υἱός.ἀλλ’ ἄγε οἱ δότε τόξον ἐύξοον, ὄφρα ἴδωμεν.ὧδε γὰρ ἐξερέω, τὸ δὲ καὶ τετελεσμένον ἔσται·εἴ κέ μιν ἐντανύσῃ, δώῃ δέ οἱ εὖχος Ἀπόλλων,ἕσσω μιν χλαῖνάν τε χιτῶνά τε, εἵματα καλά,δώσω δ’ ὀξὺν ἄκοντα, κυνῶν ἀλκτῆρα καὶ ἀνδρῶν,καὶ ξίφος ἄμφηκες· δώσω δ’ ὑπὸ ποσσὶ πέδιλα,πέμψω δ’ ὅππῃ μιν κραδίη θυμός τε κελεύει.Τὴν δ’ αὖ Τηλέμαχος πεπνυμένος ἀντίον ηὔδα·μῆτερ ἐμή, τόξον μὲν Ἀχαιῶν οὔ τις ἐμεῖοκρείσσων, ᾧ κ’ ἐθέλω, δόμεναί τε καὶ ἀρνήσασθαι,οὔθ’ ὅσσοι κραναὴν Ἰθάκην κάτα κοιρανέουσιν,οὔθ’ ὅσσοι νήσοισι πρὸς λιδος ἱπποβότοιο·τῶν οὔ τίς μ’ ἀέκοντα βιήσεται αἴ κ’ ἐθέλωμικαὶ καθάπαξ ξείνῳ δόμεναι τάδε τόξα φέρεσθαι.ἀλλ’ εἰς οἶκον ἰοῦσα τὰ σ’ αὐτῆς ἔργα κόμιζε,ἱστόν τ’ ἠλακάτην τε, καὶ ἀμφιπόλοισι κέλευεἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι· τόξον δ’ ἄνδρεσσι μελήσειπᾶσι, μάλιστα δ’ ἐμοί· τοῦ γὰρ κράτος ἔστ’ ἐνὶ οἴκῳ.Ἡ μὲν θαμβήσασα πάλιν οἵκόνδε βεβήκει·παιδὸς γὰρ μῦθον πεπνυμένον ἔνθετο θυμῷ.ἐς δ’ ὑπερῷ’ ἀναβᾶσα σὺν ἀμφιπόλοισι γυναιξὶκλαῖεν ἔπειτ’ Ὀδυσῆα, φίλον πόσιν, ὄφρα οἱ ὕπνονἡδὺν ἐπὶ βλεφάροισι βάλε γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.Αὐτὰρ ὁ τόξα λαβὼν φέρε καμπύλα δῖος ὑφορβός·μνηστῆρες δ’ ἄρα πάντες ὁμόκλεον ἐν μεγάροισιν·ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·πῇ δὴ καμπύλα τόξα φέρεις, ἀμέγαρτε συβῶτα,πλαγκτέ; τάχ’ αὖ σ’ ἐφ’ ὕεσσι κύνες ταχέες κατέδονταιοἷον ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων, οὓς ἔτρεφες, εἴ κεν Ἀπόλλωνἡμῖν ἱλήκῃσι καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι.Ἂς φάσαν, αὐτὰρ ὁ θῆκε φέρων αὐτῇ ἐνὶ χώρῃ,δείσας, οὕνεκα πολλοὶ ὁμόκλεον ἐν μεγάροισι.Τηλέμαχος δ’ ἑτέρωθεν ἀπειλήσας ἐγεγώνει·ἄττα, πρόσω φέρε τόξα’ τάχ’ οὐκ εὖ πᾶσι πιθήσεις·μὴ σε καὶ ὁπλότερός περ ἐὼν ἀγρόνδε δίωμαι,βάλλων χερμαδίοισι· βίηφι δὲ φέρτερός εἰμι.αἱ γὰρ πάντων τόσσον, ὅσοι κατὰ δώματ’ ἔασι,μνηστήρων χερσίν τε βίηφί τε φέρτερος εἴην·τῷ κε τάχα στυγερῶς τιν’ ἐγὼ πέμψαιμι νέεσθαιἡμετέρου ἐξ οἴκου, ἐπεὶ κακὰ μηχανόωνται.Ὣς ἔφαθ’, οἱ δ’ ἄρα πάντες ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἡδὺ γέλασσανμνηστῆρες, καὶ δὴ μέθιεν χαλεποῖο χόλοιοΤηλεμάχῳ· τὰ δὲ τόξα φέρων ἀνὰ δῶμα συβώτηςἐν χείρεσσ’ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι θῆκε παραστάς.ἐκ δὲ καλεσσάμενος προσέφη τροφὸν Εὐρύκλειαν·Τηλέμαχος κέλεταί σε, περίφρων Εὐρύκλεια,κληῖσαι μεγάροιο θύρας πυκινῶς ἀραρυίας,ἣν δέ τις ἢ στοναχῆς ἠὲ κτύπου ἔνδον ἀκούσῃἀνδρῶν ἡμετέροισιν ἐν ἕρκεσι, μή τι θύραζεπροβλώσκειν, ἀλλ’ αὐτοῦ ἀκὴν ἔμεναι παρὰ ἔργῳ.Ὃς ἄρ’ ἐφώνησεν, τῇ δ’ ἄπτερος ἔπλετο μῦθος,κλήϊσεν δὲ θύρας μεγάρων εὖ ναιεταόντων.Σιγῇ δ’ ἐξ οἴκοιο Φιλοίτιος ἄλτο θύραζε,κλήϊσεν δ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειτα θύρας εὐερκέος αὐλῆς.κεῖτο δ’ ὑπ’ αἰθούσῃ ὅπλον νεὸς ἀμφιελίσσηςβύβλινον, ᾧ ῥ’ ἐπέδησε θύρας, ἐς δ’ ἤϊεν αὐτός·ἕζετ’ ἔπειτ’ ἐπὶ δίφρον ἰών, ἔνθεν περ ἀνέστη,εἰσορόων Ὀδυσῆα. ὁ δ’ ἤδη τόξον ἐνώμαπάντῃ ἀναστρωφῶν, πειρώμενος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα,μὴ κέρα ἵπες ἔδοιεν ἀποιχομένοιο ἄνακτος.ὧδε δέ τις εἴπεσκεν ἰδὼν ἐς πλησίον ἄλλον·ἥ τις θηητὴρ καὶ ἐπίκλοπος ἔπλετο τόξων.ἤ ῥά νύ που τοιαῦτα καὶ αὐτῷ οἴκοθι κεῖται,ἢ ὅ γ’ ἐφορμᾶται ποιησέμεν, ὡς ἐνὶ χερσὶνωμᾷ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κακῶν ἔμπαιος ἀλήτης.Ἄλλος δ’ αὖ εἴπεσκε νέων ὑπερηνορεόντων·αἱ γὰρ δὴ τοσσοῦτον ὀνήσιος ἀντιάσειενὡς οὗτός ποτε τοῦτο δυνήσεται ἐντανύσασθαι.Ἃς ἄρ’ ἔφαν μνηστῆρες· ἀτὰρ πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς,αὐτίκ’ ἐπεὶ μέγα τόξον ἐβάστασε καὶ ἴδε πάντῃ,ὡς ὅτ’ ἀνὴρ φόρμιγγος ἐπιστάμενος καὶ ἀοιδῆςῥηϊδίως ἐτάνυσσε νέῳ περὶ κόλλοπι χορδήν,ἅψας ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐὐστρεφὲς ἔντερον οἷός,ὡς ἄρ’ ἄτερ σπουδῆς τάνυσεν μέγα τόξον Ὀδυσσεύς.δεξιτερῇ δ’ ἄρα χειρὶ λαβὼν πειρήσατο νευρῆς·ἡ δ’ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄεισε, χελιδόνι εἰκέλη αὐδήν.μνηστῆρσιν δ’ ἄρ’ ἄχος γένετο μέγα, πᾶσι δ’ ἄρα χρὼςἐτράπετο. Ζεὺς δὲ μεγάλ’ ἔκτυπε σήματα φαίνων·γήθησέν τ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειτα πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς,ὅττι ῥά οἱ τέρας ἧκε Κρόνου πάϊς ἀγκυλομήτεω·εἵλετο δ’ ὠκὺν ὀϊστόν, ὅ οἱ παρέκειτο τραπέζῃγυμνός· τοὶ δ’ ἄλλοι κοίλης ἔντοσθε φαρέτρηςκείατο, τῶν τάχ’ ἔμελλον Ἀχαιοὶ πειρήσεσθαι.τόν ῥ’ ἐπὶ πήχει ἑλὼν ἕλκεν νευρὴν γλυφίδας τε,αὐτόθεν ἐκ δίφροιο καθήμενος, ἧκε δ’ ὀϊστὸνἄντα τιτυσκόμενος, πελέκεων δ’ οὐκ ἤμβροτε πάντωνπρώτης στειλειῆς, διὰ δ’ ἀμπερὲς ἦλθε θύραζεἰὸς χαλκοβαρής· ὁ δὲ Τηλέμαχον προσέειπε·Τηλέμαχ’, οὔ σ’ ὁ ξεῖνος ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐλέγχειἥμενος, οὐδέ τι τοῦ σκοποῦ ἤμβροτον οὐδέ τι τόξονδὴν ἔκαμον τανύων· ἔτι μοι μένος ἔμπεδόν ἐστιν,οὐχ ὥς με μνηστῆρες ἀτιμάζοντες ὄνονται.νῦν δ’ ὥρη καὶ δόρπον Ἀχαιοῖσιν τετυκέσθαιἐν φάει, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα καὶ ἄλλως ἑψιάασθαιμολπῇ καὶ φόρμιγγι· τὰ γάρ τ’ ἀναθήματα δαιτός.Ἦ καὶ ἐπ’ ὀφρύσι νεῦσεν’· ὁ δ’ ἀμφέθετο ξίφος ὀξὺΤηλέμαχος, φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο,ἀμφὶ δὲ χεῖρα φίλην βάλεν ἔγχεϊ, ἄγχι δ’ ἄρ’ αὐτοῦπὰρ θρόνον ἑστήκει κεκορυθμένος αἴθοπι χαλκῷ.
English
Minerva now put it in Penelope’s mind to make the suitors try their skill with the bow and with the iron axes, in contest among themselves, as a means of bringing about their destruction. She went upstairs and got the store-room key, which was made of bronze and had a handle of ivory; she then went with her maidens into the store-room at the end of the house, where her husband’s treasures of gold, bronze, and wrought iron were kept, and where was also his bow, and the quiver full of deadly arrows that had been given him by a friend whom he had met in Lacedaemon—Iphitus the son of Eurytus. The two fell in with one another in Messene at the house of Ortilochus, where Ulysses was staying in order to recover a debt that was owing from the whole people; for the Messenians had carried off three hundred sheep from Ithaca, and had sailed away with them and with their shepherds. In quest of these Ulysses took a long journey while still quite young, for his father and the other chieftains sent him on a mission to recover them. Iphitus had gone there also to try and get back twelve brood mares that he had lost, and the mule foals that were running with them. These mares were the death of him in the end, for when he went to the house of Jove’s son, mighty Hercules, who performed such prodigies of valour, Hercules to his shame killed him, though he was his guest, for he feared not heaven’s vengeance, nor yet respected his own table which he had set before Iphitus, but killed him in spite of everything, and kept the mares himself. It was when claiming these that Iphitus met Ulysses, and gave him the bow which mighty Eurytus had been used to carry, and which on his death had been left by him to his son. Ulysses gave him in return a sword and a spear, and this was the beginning of a fast friendship, although they never visited at one another’s houses, for Jove’s son Hercules killed Iphitus ere they could do so. This bow, then, given him by Iphitus, had not been taken with him by Ulysses when he sailed for Troy; he had used it so long as he had been at home, but had left it behind as having been a keepsake from a valued friend.
Penelope presently reached the oak threshold of the store-room; the carpenter had planed this duly, and had drawn a line on it so as to get it quite straight; he had then set the door posts into it and hung the doors. She loosed the strap from the handle of the door, put in the key, and drove it straight home to shoot back the bolts that held the doors; these flew open with a noise like a bull bellowing in a meadow, and Penelope stepped upon the raised platform, where the chests stood in which the fair linen and clothes were laid by along with fragrant herbs: reaching thence, she took down the bow with its bow case from the peg on which it hung. She sat down with it on her knees, weeping bitterly as she took the bow out of its case, and when her tears had relieved her, she went to the cloister where the suitors were, carrying the bow and the quiver, with the many deadly arrows that were inside it. Along with her came her maidens, bearing a chest that contained much iron and bronze which her husband had won as prizes. When she reached the suitors, she stood by one of the bearing-posts supporting the roof of the cloister, holding a veil before her face, and with a maid on either side of her. Then she said:
“Listen to me you suitors, who persist in abusing the hospitality of this house because its owner has been long absent, and without other pretext than that you want to marry me; this, then, being the prize that you are contending for, I will bring out the mighty bow of Ulysses, and whomsoever of you shall string it most easily and send his arrow through each one of twelve axes, him will I follow and quit this house of my lawful husband, so goodly, and so abounding in wealth. But even so I doubt not that I shall remember it in my dreams.”
As she spoke, she told Eumaeus to set the bow and the pieces of iron before the suitors, and Eumaeus wept as he took them to do as she had bidden him. Hard by, the stockman wept also when he saw his master’s bow, but Antinous scolded them. “You country louts,” said he, “silly simpletons; why should you add to the sorrows of your mistress by crying in this way? She has enough to grieve her in the loss of her husband; sit still, therefore, and eat your dinners in silence, or go outside if you want to cry, and leave the bow behind you. We suitors shall have to contend for it with might and main, for we shall find it no light matter to string such a bow as this is. There is not a man of us all who is such another as Ulysses; for I have seen him and remember him, though I was then only a child.”
This was what he said, but all the time he was expecting to be able to string the bow and shoot through the iron, whereas in fact he was to be the first that should taste of the arrows from the hands of Ulysses, whom he was dishonouring in his own house—egging the others on to do so also.
Then Telemachus spoke. “Great heavens!” he exclaimed, “Jove must have robbed me of my senses. Here is my dear and excellent mother saying she will quit this house and marry again, yet I am laughing and enjoying myself as though there were nothing happening. But, suitors, as the contest has been agreed upon, let it go forward. It is for a woman whose peer is not to be found in Pylos, Argos, or Mycene, nor yet in Ithaca nor on the mainland. You know this as well as I do; what need have I to speak in praise of my mother? Come on, then, make no excuses for delay, but let us see whether you can string the bow or no. I too will make trial of it, for if I can string it and shoot through the iron, I shall not suffer my mother to quit this house with a stranger, not if I can win the prizes which my father won before me.”
As he spoke he sprang from his seat, threw his crimson cloak from him, and took his sword from his shoulder. First he set the axes in a row, in a long groove which he had dug for them, and had made straight by line. Then he stamped the earth tight round them, and everyone was surprised when they saw him set them up so orderly, though he had never seen anything of the kind before. This done, he went on to the pavement to make trial of the bow; thrice did he tug at it, trying with all his might to draw the string, and thrice he had to leave off, though he had hoped to string the bow and shoot through the iron. He was trying for the fourth time, and would have strung it had not Ulysses made a sign to check him in spite of all his eagerness. So he said:
“Alas! I shall either be always feeble and of no prowess, or I am too young, and have not yet reached my full strength so as to be able to hold my own if any one attacks me. You others, therefore, who are stronger than I, make trial of the bow and get this contest settled.”
On this he put the bow down, letting it lean against the door [that led into the house] with the arrow standing against the top of the bow. Then he sat down on the seat from which he had risen, and Antinous said:
“Come on each of you in his turn, going towards the right from the place at which the cupbearer begins when he is handing round the wine.”
The rest agreed, and Leiodes son of Oenops was the first to rise. He was sacrificial priest to the suitors, and sat in the corner near the mixing-bowl. He was the only man who hated their evil deeds and was indignant with the others. He was now the first to take the bow and arrow, so he went on to the pavement to make his trial, but he could not string the bow, for his hands were weak and unused to hard work, they therefore soon grew tired, and he said to the suitors, “My friends, I cannot string it; let another have it, this bow shall take the life and soul out of many a chief among us, for it is better to die than to live after having missed the prize that we have so long striven for, and which has brought us so long together. Some one of us is even now hoping and praying that he may marry Penelope, but when he has seen this bow and tried it, let him woo and make bridal offerings to some other woman, and let Penelope marry whoever makes her the best offer and whose lot it is to win her.”
On this he put the bow down, letting it lean against the door, with the arrow standing against the tip of the bow. Then he took his seat again on the seat from which he had risen; and Antinous rebuked him saying:
“Leiodes, what are you talking about? Your words are monstrous and intolerable; it makes me angry to listen to you. Shall, then, this bow take the life of many a chief among us, merely because you cannot bend it yourself? True, you were not born to be an archer, but there are others who will soon string it.”
Then he said to Melanthius the goatherd, “Look sharp, light a fire in the court, and set a seat hard by with a sheep skin on it; bring us also a large ball of lard, from what they have in the house. Let us warm the bow and grease it—we will then make trial of it again, and bring the contest to an end.”
Melanthius lit the fire, and set a seat covered with sheep skins beside it. He also brought a great ball of lard from what they had in the house, and the suitors warmed the bow and again made trial of it, but they were none of them nearly strong enough to string it. Nevertheless there still remained Antinous and Eurymachus, who were the ringleaders among the suitors and much the foremost among them all.
Then the swineherd and the stockman left the cloisters together, and Ulysses followed them. When they had got outside the gates and the outer yard, Ulysses said to them quietly:
“Stockman, and you swineherd, I have something in my mind which I am in doubt whether to say or no; but I think I will say it. What manner of men would you be to stand by Ulysses, if some god should bring him back here all of a sudden? Say which you are disposed to do—to side with the suitors, or with Ulysses?”
“Father Jove,” answered the stockman, “would indeed that you might so ordain it. If some god were but to bring Ulysses back, you should see with what might and main I would fight for him.”
In like words Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that Ulysses might return; when, therefore, he saw for certain what mind they were of, Ulysses said, “It is I, Ulysses, who am here. I have suffered much, but at last, in the twentieth year, I am come back to my own country. I find that you two alone of all my servants are glad that I should do so, for I have not heard any of the others praying for my return. To you two, therefore, will I unfold the truth as it shall be. If heaven shall deliver the suitors into my hands, I will find wives for both of you, will give you house and holding close to my own, and you shall be to me as though you were brothers and friends of Telemachus. I will now give you convincing proofs that you may know me and be assured. See, here is the scar from the boar’s tooth that ripped me when I was out hunting on Mt. Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus.”
As he spoke he drew his rags aside from the great scar, and when they had examined it thoroughly, they both of them wept about Ulysses, threw their arms round him, and kissed his head and shoulders, while Ulysses kissed their hands and faces in return. The sun would have gone down upon their mourning if Ulysses had not checked them and said:
“Cease your weeping, lest some one should come outside and see us, and tell those who are within. When you go in, do so separately, not both together; I will go first, and do you follow afterwards; let this moreover be the token between us; the suitors will all of them try to prevent me from getting hold of the bow and quiver; do you, therefore, Eumaeus, place it in my hands when you are carrying it about, and tell the women to close the doors of their apartment. If they hear any groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the house, they must not come out; they must keep quiet, and stay where they are at their work. And I charge you, Philoetius, to make fast the doors of the outer court, and to bind them securely at once.”
When he had thus spoken, he went back to the house and took the seat that he had left. Presently, his two servants followed him inside.
At this moment the bow was in the hands of Eurymachus, who was warming it by the fire, but even so he could not string it, and he was greatly grieved. He heaved a deep sigh and said, “I grieve for myself and for us all; I grieve that I shall have to forgo the marriage, but I do not care nearly so much about this, for there are plenty of other women in Ithaca and elsewhere; what I feel most is the fact of our being so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we cannot string his bow. This will disgrace us in the eyes of those who are yet unborn.”
“It shall not be so, Eurymachus,” said Antinous, “and you know it yourself. Today is the feast of Apollo throughout all the land; who can string a bow on such a day as this? Put it on one side—as for the axes they can stay where they are, for no one is likely to come to the house and take them away: let the cupbearer go round with his cups, that we may make our drink-offerings and drop this matter of the bow; we will tell Melanthius to bring us in some goats tomorrow—the best he has; we can then offer thigh bones to Apollo the mighty archer, and again make trial of the bow, so as to bring the contest to an end.”
The rest approved his words, and thereon men servants poured water over the hands of the guests, while pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and water and handed it round after giving every man his drink-offering. Then, when they had made their offerings and had drunk each as much as he desired, Ulysses craftily said:—
“Suitors of the illustrious queen, listen that I may speak even as I am minded. I appeal more especially to Eurymachus, and to Antinous who has just spoken with so much reason. Cease shooting for the present and leave the matter to the gods, but in the morning let heaven give victory to whom it will. For the moment, however, give me the bow that I may prove the power of my hands among you all, and see whether I still have as much strength as I used to have, or whether travel and neglect have made an end of it.”
This made them all very angry, for they feared he might string the bow, Antinous therefore rebuked him fiercely saying, “Wretched creature, you have not so much as a grain of sense in your whole body; you ought to think yourself lucky in being allowed to dine unharmed among your betters, without having any smaller portion served you than we others have had, and in being allowed to hear our conversation. No other beggar or stranger has been allowed to hear what we say among ourselves; the wine must have been doing you a mischief, as it does with all those who drink immoderately. It was wine that inflamed the Centaur Eurytion when he was staying with Peirithous among the Lapithae. When the wine had got into his head, he went mad and did ill deeds about the house of Peirithous; this angered the heroes who were there assembled, so they rushed at him and cut off his ears and nostrils; then they dragged him through the doorway out of the house, so he went away crazed, and bore the burden of his crime, bereft of understanding. Henceforth, therefore, there was war between mankind and the centaurs, but he brought it upon himself through his own drunkenness. In like manner I can tell you that it will go hardly with you if you string the bow: you will find no mercy from any one here, for we shall at once ship you off to king Echetus, who kills every one that comes near him: you will never get away alive, so drink and keep quiet without getting into a quarrel with men younger than yourself.”
Penelope then spoke to him. “Antinous,” said she, “it is not right that you should ill-treat any guest of Telemachus who comes to this house. If the stranger should prove strong enough to string the mighty bow of Ulysses, can you suppose that he would take me home with him and make me his wife? Even the man himself can have no such idea in his mind: none of you need let that disturb his feasting; it would be out of all reason.”
“Queen Penelope,” answered Eurymachus, “we do not suppose that this man will take you away with him; it is impossible; but we are afraid lest some of the baser sort, men or women among the Achaeans, should go gossiping about and say, ‘These suitors are a feeble folk; they are paying court to the wife of a brave man whose bow not one of them was able to string, and yet a beggarly tramp who came to the house strung it at once and sent an arrow through the iron.’ This is what will be said, and it will be a scandal against us.”
“Eurymachus,” Penelope answered, “people who persist in eating up the estate of a great chieftain and dishonouring his house must not expect others to think well of them. Why then should you mind if men talk as you think they will? This stranger is strong and well-built, he says moreover that he is of noble birth. Give him the bow, and let us see whether he can string it or no. I say—and it shall surely be—that if Apollo vouchsafes him the glory of stringing it, I will give him a cloak and shirt of good wear, with a javelin to keep off dogs and robbers, and a sharp sword. I will also give him sandals, and will see him sent safely wherever he wants to go.”
Then Telemachus said, “Mother, I am the only man either in Ithaca or in the islands that are over against Elis who has the right to let any one have the bow or to refuse it. No one shall force me one way or the other, not even though I choose to make the stranger a present of the bow outright, and let him take it away with him. Go, then, within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants. This bow is a man’s matter, and mine above all others, for it is I who am master here.”
She went wondering back into the house, and laid her son’s saying in her heart. Then going upstairs with her handmaids into her room, she mourned her dear husband till Minerva sent sweet sleep over her eyelids.
The swineherd now took up the bow and was for taking it to Ulysses, but the suitors clamoured at him from all parts of the cloisters, and one of them said, “You idiot, where are you taking the bow to? Are you out of your wits? If Apollo and the other gods will grant our prayer, your own boarhounds shall get you into some quiet little place, and worry you to death.”
Eumaeus was frightened at the outcry they all raised, so he put the bow down then and there, but Telemachus shouted out at him from the other side of the cloisters, and threatened him saying, “Father Eumaeus, bring the bow on in spite of them, or young as I am I will pelt you with stones back to the country, for I am the better man of the two. I wish I was as much stronger than all the other suitors in the house as I am than you, I would soon send some of them off sick and sorry, for they mean mischief.”
Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed heartily, which put them in a better humour with Telemachus; so Eumaeus brought the bow on and placed it in the hands of Ulysses. When he had done this, he called Euryclea apart and said to her, “Euryclea, Telemachus says you are to close the doors of the women’s apartments. If they hear any groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the house, they are not to come out, but are to keep quiet and stay where they are at their work.”
Euryclea did as she was told and closed the doors of the women’s apartments.
Meanwhile Philoetius slipped quietly out and made fast the gates of the outer court. There was a ship’s cable of byblus fibre lying in the gatehouse, so he made the gates fast with it and then came in again, resuming the seat that he had left, and keeping an eye on Ulysses, who had now got the bow in his hands, and was turning it every way about, and proving it all over to see whether the worms had been eating into its two horns during his absence. Then would one turn towards his neighbour saying, “This is some tricky old bow-fancier; either he has got one like it at home, or he wants to make one, in such workmanlike style does the old vagabond handle it.”
Another said, “I hope he may be no more successful in other things than he is likely to be in stringing this bow.”
But Ulysses, when he had taken it up and examined it all over, strung it as easily as a skilled bard strings a new peg of his lyre and makes the twisted gut fast at both ends. Then he took it in his right hand to prove the string, and it sang sweetly under his touch like the twittering of a swallow. The suitors were dismayed, and turned colour as they heard it; at that moment, moreover, Jove thundered loudly as a sign, and the heart of Ulysses rejoiced as he heard the omen that the son of scheming Saturn had sent him.
He took an arrow that was lying upon the table—for those which the Achaeans were so shortly about to taste were all inside the quiver—he laid it on the centre-piece of the bow, and drew the notch of the arrow and the string toward him, still seated on his seat. When he had taken aim he let fly, and his arrow pierced every one of the handle-holes of the axes from the first onwards till it had gone right through them, and into the outer courtyard. Then he said to Telemachus:
“Your guest has not disgraced you, Telemachus. I did not miss what I aimed at, and I was not long in stringing my bow. I am still strong, and not as the suitors twit me with being. Now, however, it is time for the Achaeans to prepare supper while there is still daylight, and then otherwise to disport themselves with song and dance which are the crowning ornaments of a banquet.”
As he spoke he made a sign with his eyebrows, and Telemachus girded on his sword, grasped his spear, and stood armed beside his father’s seat.