Book twenty four of the Odyssey by Homer. The Odyssey, Book twenty four,
The ghosts of the Suitors in Hades, Ulysses and his men go to
the house of Laertes. The people of Ithaca come out to attac Ulysses,
but Minerva concludes a piece. Then Mercury of Celini summoned the ghosts of the
suitors, and in his hand he held a fair golden wand, with which
he seals men's eyes in sleep, or wakes them just as he pleases.
With this, he roused the ghosts and led them, while they followed,
whining and gibbering behind him, as bats flies squeaming in the hollow of some
great cave when one of them has fallen out of the cluster in which they
hang. Even so did the ghosts wine and squeal as Mercury, the heater
of Sorrow, led them down into the dark abode of death. When they
had passed the waters of Oceanus and the roc the Ucas, they came to
the gates of the Sun and the land of Dreams, whereon they reached the
meadow of Asphodel, where dwell the souls and shadows of them that can labor
no more. Here they found the ghost of Achilles, son of Pelias,
with those of Petroclus, Antilochus, and Ajax, who was the finest and
handsomest man of all the Denaeans. After the son of Pelias himself, they
gathered round the ghost of the son of Pelias, and the ghost of Agamemnon
joined them, sorrowing bitterly. Round him were gathered also the ghosts of those
who had perished with him in the house of Egistus. And the ghost of
Achilles spoke, first, son of Atreus, It said, we used to
say that Jove had loved you better from first to last than any other hero.
For you were captain over many and brave men when we were all fighting
together before Troy. Yet the hand of death, which no mortal can escape,
was laid upon you all too early. Better for you had you fallen
at Troy in the heyday of your renown, for the Achaeans would have built
a mound over your ashes, and your son would have been heir to your
good name, whereas it has now been your lot to come to a most
miserable end. Happy son of Peleus, answered the ghosts of Agamemnon for having
died at Troy, far from Argos, while the bravest of the Trojans and
the Achaeans fell round you fighting for your body. There you lay in the
whirling clouds of dust, all huge and hugely heathless. Now of your chivalry,
we fought the whole of the livelong day, Nor should we ever have
left off if Jove had not sent a hurricane to stay us. Then when
we had borne you to the ships out of the fray, we laid you
on your bed and cleansed your fair skin with warm water and with ointments.
The Danaeans tore their hair and wept bitterly round about you. Your mother,
when she heard, came with her immortal nymphs from out of the sea,
and the sound of a great whaling went forth over the water, so that
the Achaeans quake for fear. They would have fled pa e strick into their
ships, had not the wise old Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest,
checked them, saying, hold our jives fly, not the sons of the
Achaeans. This is his mother, coming from the sea with her immortal nymphs
to view the body of her son. Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans
feared no more. The daughters of the old Man of the Sea stood round
you, weeping bitterly, and clothed you in immortal raiment. The nine Muses
also came and lifted up their sweet voices in lament, calling and answering one
another. There was not an argive, but wept for the pity of the
dirge. They chaunted days and nights seven and ten we mourned you, mortals
and immortals. But on the eighteenth day we gave you to the flames.
And many a fat sheep, with many an ox did we slay in sacrifice.
Around you. You were burnt in raiment of the gods, with rich
resins and with honey, while heroes horse and foot clashed their armor round the
pile, as you were burning with a tramp, as of a great multitude.
But when the flames of heaven had done their work, we gathered your
white bones at daybreak and laid them in anointments and in pure wine. Your
mother brought us a golden vase to hold them, gift of Bacchus and work
of Vulcan himself. In this we mingled your bleached bones with those of Petroclus
who had gone before you, and separate we enclosed also those of Antilochus,
who have been closer to you than any other of your comrades. Now that
Petroclus was no more over these the host of the archives built a noble tomb
on a point, shutting out over the open hellspunt, that it might be
seen from far out upon the sea by those now living, and by them
that shall be borne hereafter. Your mother begged prizes from the gods and offered
them to be contended for by the noblest of Achaeans. You must have been
present at the funeral of many a hero, when the young men gird themselves
and make ready to contend for prizes on the death of some great chieftain.
But you never saw such prizes as silver footed Thetis offered in your honor,
For the gods loved you well. Thus, even in death, your fame,
Achilles, has not been lost, and your name lives evermore among all
mankind. But as for me, what solace had I when the days of
my fighting were done? For Jove willed my destruction on my return by the
hands of Egistus and those of my wicked wife. Thus did they converse,
and presently Mercury came up to them with the ghosts of the suitors who had
been killed by Ulysses. The ghosts of Agamemnon and Achilles were astonished at seeing
them, and went up to them. At once. The ghosts of Agamemnon
recognized Amphimidon, son of Melanaeus, who lived in Ithaca and had been his
host, So it began to talk to him. Amphimidon, it said,
what has happened to all you fine young men, all of an age too,
that you are come down here under the ground. One could pick no
finer body of men from any city. Did Neptune raise his winds and waves
against you when you were at sea? Or did your enemies make an end
of you on the mainland when you were cattle lifting or sheep stealing, or
while fighting in defense of their wives and city? Answer my question, for
I have been your guest. Do you not remember how I came to your
house with Menelaus to persuade Ulysses to join us with his ships against Troy.
It was a whole month ere we could resume our voyage, for we had
hard work to persuade Ulysses to come with us, and the ghost of Amphimedon
answered, like Amemnon, son of Atreus, king of Men, I remember
everything that you have said, and will tell you fully inaccurately about the wain
which our end was brought about. Ulysses have been long gone, and we
were courting his wife, who did not say point blank that she would not
marry nor yet bring matters to an end, for she meant to compass our
destruction. This then, was the trick she played us. She set up
a great tambour frame in her room and began to work on an enormous piece
of fine needlework. Sweethearts, said she, Ulysses is indeed dead. Still,
do not press me to marry again immediately wait, for I would not
have my skill in needlework perish unrecorded till I have completed a pall for the
hero Laertes, against the time when death shall take him. He is very
rich, and the women of the place will talk if he is laid out
without a pall. This is what she said, and we assented. Whereupon
we could see her working upon her great web all day long, but at
night she would unpick the stitches again by torchlight. She fooled us in this
way for three years without our finding it out. But as time wore on,
and she was now in her or year in the waning of moons,
and many days had been accomplished, one of her mates, who knew what
she was doing, told us, and we caught her in the act of
undoing her work. So she had to finish it, whether she would or
no. And when she showed us the robe she had made after she had
had it washed, its splendor was that of the sun or moon. Then
some malicious god conveyed Ulysses to the upland farm where his swineherd lives. Thither
presently came also his son, returning from a voyage to Pylos, and the
two came to the town when they had hatched their plot for our destruction.
Telemachus came first, and then after him, accompanied by the swineherd, came
Ulysses, clad in rags and leaning on a staff, as though he were
some miserable old beggar. He came so unexpectedly that none of us knew him,
not even the older ones among us, and we reviled him and threw
things at him. He endured both being struck and insulted without a word,
though he was in his own house. But when the will of Egis bearing
Jove inspired him, he and Telemachus took the armor and hid it in an
inner chamber, bolting the doors behind them. Then he cunningly made his wife
offer his bow and a quantity of iron, to be contented for by us
ill fated suitors. And this was the beginning of our end. For not
one of us could string the bow, nor nearly do so. When it
was about to reach the hands of Ulysses, we all of us shouted out
that it should not be given to him, no matter what he might say,
But Telemachus insisted on his having it. When he had got it in
his hands, he strung it with ease and sent his arrow through the iron.
Then he stood on the floor of the cloister and poured his arrows on
the ground, glaring fiercely about him. First he killed Antonus, and then,
aiming straight before him, he let fly his deadly darts, and they
fell thick on one another. It was plain that some one of the gods
was helping him, for they fell upon us with might and main. Throughout
the cloisters, and there was a hideous sound of groaning, as our brains
were being battered in and the grounds seethed with our blood. This, Agamemnon,
is how we came by our end. And our bodies are lying still
uncared for in the house of Ulysses, for our friends at home do not
yet know what has happened, so that they cannot lay us out and wash
the black blood from our wounds, making moan over us according to the office's
due to the departed. Happy Ulysses, son of Laertes, replied the ghost
of Agamemnon, you are indeed blessed in the possession of a wife endowed with
such rare excellence of understanding, and so faithful to her wedded lord, as
Penelope, the daughter of Acarius. The fame therefore of her virtue shall never
die, and the immortal shall compose a song that shall be welcome to all
mankind in honor of the constancy of Penelope. How far otherwise was the wickedness
of the daughter of Tyndareus, who killed her lawful husband. Her a song
shall be hateful among men, for she has brought disgrace on all womankind,
even on the good ones. Thus did they converse in the house of Hades,
deep down within the bows of the earth. Meanwhile, Ulysses and the
others passed out of the town and soon reached the fair and well tilled farm
of Leetes, which she had reclaimed with infinite labor. Here was his house,
with a lean to running all round it, where the slaves who worked
for him slept and sat and ate. While inside the house there was an
old Sisil woman who looked after him in this his country farm. When Ulysses
got there, he said to his son and to the other two, go
to the house and kill the best pig that you can find for dinner.
Meanwhile, I want to see whether my father will know me or fail to
recognize me after so long an absence. He then took off his armor and
gave it to Eumaeus and Acius, who went straight on to the house,
while he turned off into the vineyard to make trial of his father. As
he went down into the great orchard, he did not see Dulius, nor
any of his sons, nor of the other bondsmen, for they were all
gathering thorns to make a fence for the vineyard. At the place where the
old man had told them. He therefore found his father alone, hoeing a
vine. He had on a dirty, old shirt, patched and very shabby.
His legs were bound round with thongs of oxhide to save him from the
brambles, and he also wore sleeves of leather. He had a goat skin
cap on his head, and was looking very woebegone. When Ulyssie saw him,
so worn, so old, and full of sorrow, he stood still
under a tall pear tree and began to weep. He doubted whether to embrace
him, kiss him, and tell him all about his having come home,
or whether he should first question him and see what he would say. In
the end, he deemed it best to be crafty with him, so in
his mind he went up to his father, who was bending down and digging
about a plant. I see, sir, said, Ulysses, that you
are an excellent gardener. What pains you take with it? To be sure,
there is not a single plant, not a fig tree, vine,
olive, pear, nor flower bed, but bears the trace of your attention.
I trust, however, that you will not be offended if I say
that you take better care of your garden than of yourself. You are old,
unsavory, and very meanly clad. It cannot be because you are idle
that your master takes such poor care of you. Indeed, your face and
figure have nothing of the slave about them, and proclaim you of noble birth.
I should have said that you were one of those who should wash well,
eat well, and lie soft at night, as old men have a
right to do. But tell me, and tell me true, whose bondman
are you? And in whose garden are you working? Tell me all about
another matter? Is this place that I have come to really Ithaca? I
met a man just now who said so. But he was a dull fellow
and had not the patience to hear my story out when I was asking him
about an old friend of mine, whether he was still living or was already
dead and in the house of Hades. Believe me when I tell you that
this man came to my house once when I was in my own country,
and never yet did any stranger come to me whom I liked better. He
said that his family came from Ithaca, and that his father was Leertes,
son of Arcesius. I received him hospitably, making him welcome to all the
abundance of my house, And when he went away, I gave him all
customary presents. I gave him seven talents of fine gold and a cup of
solid silver with flowers chased upon it. I gave him twelve light cloaks and
as many pieces of tapestry. I also gave him twelve cloaks of single fold,
twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and an equal number of shirts.
To all this, I added four good looking women, skilled in all useful
arts, and I let him take his choice. His father shed tears and
answered, sir, you have indeed come to the country that you have named,
but it has fallen into the hands of wicked people. All this wealth
of presence has been given to no purpose. If you could have found your
friend here alive in Ithaca, he would have entertained you hospitably, and would
have requited your presence amply when you left him, as would have been only
right considering what you had already given him. But tell me, and tell
me true, how many years is it since you entertained this guest? My
unhappy son, as ever was alas he has perished far from his own country.
The fishes of the sea have eaten him, or he has fallen a
prey to the birds and wild beasts of some continent. Neither his mother nor
i his father, who were his parents, could throw our arms about him
and wrap him in his shroud. Nor could his excellent and richly dowered wife,
Penelope bewail her husband as was natural upon his death bed, and close
his eyes according to the officer's due to the departed. But now tell me
truly, for I want to know who and whence are you. Tell me
of your town and parents. Where is the ship lying that has brought you
and your men to Ithaca? Or were you a passager on some other man
ship? And those who brought you here have gone on their way and left
you. I will tell you everything, answered Ulysses, quite truly. I
come from Albus, where I have a fine house. I am son of
King Aphaetus, who is the son of Polpeman. My own name is Aparatus.
Heaven drove me off my course as I was leaving Scania, and I
have been carried here against my will. As for my ship, it is
lying over yonder off the open country outside the town. And this is the
fifth year since Ulysses left my country. Poor fellow. Yet the omens were
good for him. When he left me, the birds all flew on our
right hands, and both he and I rejoiced to see them as we parted,
for we had every hope that we should have another friendly meeting and exchange
presents. A dark cloud of sorrow fell upon Laertes as he listened. He
filled both hands with the dust from off the ground and poured it over his
gray head, groaning heavily as he did so. The heart of Ulysses was
touched, and his nostrils quivered as he looked upon his father. Then he
sprang towards him, flung his arms about him, and kissed him, saying,
I am he father about whom you are asking. I have returned after
having been away for twenty years. But cease or sighing and lamentation. We
have no time to lose, for I should tell you that I have been
killing the suitors in my house to punish them for their insolence and crimes.
If you really are my son, Ulysses, replied Leertes, and have come
back again, you must give me such manifest proof of your identity as shall
convince me. First observe this scar answered, Ulysses, which I got from
a bors tusk when I was hunting on Mount Parnassus. You and my mother
had sent me to Autilicus, my mother's father, to receive the presence which
when he was over here he had promised to give me. Furthermore, I
will point out to you the trees and the vineyard which you gave me,
and I asked you all about them as I followed you round the garden.
We went over them all, and you told me their names and what they
all were. You gave me thirteen pear trees, ten apple trees, and
forty fig trees. You also said you would give me fifty rows of vines.
There was corn planet between each row, and they yield grapes of every
kind when the heat of heaven has been laid heavy upon them. Leirti's strength
failed him when he heard the convincing proofs which his son had given him.
He threw his arms about him, and Ulysses had to support him or he
would have gone off into a swoon. But as soon as he came to
and was beginning to recover his senses, he said, oh, father Jove,
then you gods are still in Olympus. After all, if the suitors
have really been punished for their insolence and folly. Nevertheless, I am much
afraid that I shall have all the townspeople of Ithaca appear directly, and they
will be sending messengers everywhere throughout the cities of the Cephalenians. Ulysses answered,
take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that. But let us go
into the house hard by your garden. I have already told Telemachus, Felicius,
and Eumaeus to go on there and get dinner ready as soon as possible.
Thus conversing, the two made their way towards the house. When they
got there, they Telemachus with the stockman and the swineherd, cutting up meat
and mixing wine with water. Then the old sisol woman took the Artes inside
and washed him and anointed him with oil. She put him on a good
cloak, and Minerva came up to him and gave him a more imposing presence,
making him taller and stouter than before. When he came back, his
son was surprised to see him looking so like an immortal, and said to
him, my dear father, some one of the gods has been making you
much taller and better looking. Artes answered would by Father, Jove, Minerva,
and Apollo, that I were the man I was when I ruled among
the Cephalenians and took Nerikum, that strong fortress on the foreland. If I
were still what I then was, and had been in our house yesterday with
my armor on, I should have been able to stand by you and help
you against the suitors. I should have killed a great many of them,
and you would have rejoiced to see it. Thus did they converse, but
the others, when they had finished their work and the feast was ready,
left off working, and took each his proper place on the benches and seats.
Then they began eating. By and by. Old Dulias and his sons
left their work and came up for their mother. The sisile woman, who
looked after Leertes, now that he was growing old, had been to fetch
them. When they saw Ulysses and were certain it was he, they stood
their lost in astonishment, but Ulysses scolded them good naturedly, and said,
sit down to your dinner, old man. Never mind about your surprise.
We have been wanting to begin for some time, and have been waiting for
you. Then Doulias put out both his hands and went up to Ulysses,
Sir, said, he seizing his master's hand and kissing it at the wrist.
We have long been wishing you home, and now Heaven has restored you
to us, after we have given up hoping. All hail therefore, and
may the gods prosper you. But tell me, does Penelope already know of
your return? Or shall we send some one to tell her? Old man
answered Ulysses, she knows already, so you need not trouble about that.
On this he took his seat, and the sons of Dulius gathered round Ulysses
to give him greeting and embrace him, one after the other. Then they
took their seats in due order near Dulius their father. While they were thus
busy getting their dinner ready, rumor went round the town and noised abroad that
terrible fate that had befallen the suitors. As soon therefore as the people heard
of it, they gathered from every quarter, groaning and hooting, before the
house of Ulysses. They took the dead away, buried every man his own,
and put the bodies of those who came from elsewhere on board the fishing
vessels, for the fishermen to take each of them to his own place.
They then met angrily in the place of assembly, and when they were got
together, Eupathes rose to speak. He was overwhelmed with grief for the death
of his son Antonus, who had been the first man killed by Ulysses.
So he said, weeping bitterly, my friends, this man has done to
the Achaeans great wrong. He took many of our best men away with him
in his fleet, and he has lost both ships and men. Now moreover,
on his return he has been killing all the foremost men among the Cephalenians.
Let us be up and doing before he can get away to Pylos or
to LUs where the Appaeian's rule, or we shall be ashamed of ourselves forever
afterwards. It will be an everlasting disgrace to us if we do not avenge
the murder of our sons and brothers. For my own part, I should
have no more pleasures in life, but had rather die at once. Let
us be up then and after them, before they can cross over to the
mainland. He wept as he spoke, and every one pitied him, But
Midan and the bard Phemius had now woke up and came to them from the
house of Ulysses. Everyone was astonished at seeing them, but they stood in
the middle of the assembly and meet, and said, hear me, men
of Ithaca, Ulysses did not do these things against the will of Heaven.
I myself saw an immortal god take the form of Mentor, and stand beside
him. This God appeared now in front of him, encouraging him, and
now going furiously about the court and attacking the suitors, whereon they fell thick
on one another. On this pale Fear laid hold of them, and old
Hellothses, son of Mastor, rose to speak, for he was the only
man among them who knew both past and future. So he spoke to them
plainly and in all honesty, saying, men of Ithaca, it is all
your own fault that things have turned out as they have. You would not
listen to me, nor yet to Mentor, when we bade you check the
folly of your sons, who were doing much wrong in the wanton of their
hearts, wasting the substance, and dishonoring the wife of a chieftain who they
thought would not return. Now, however, let it be as I say,
and do as I tell you. Do not go out against Ulysses,
or you may find that you have been drawing down evil on your own heads.
This was what he said, And more than half raised a loud shout
and at once left the assembly, But the rest stayed where they were for
the speech of heleitherss displeased them, and they sighted with Eupathes. They therefore
hurried off for their armor, And when they had armed themselves, they met
together in front of the city, and Eupathes led them on. In their
folly, he thought he was going to avenge the murder of his son,
whereas in truth he was never to return, but was himself to perish in
his attempt. Then Minerva said to Jove, father, son of Saturn,
king of Kings, answer me this question. What do you propose to do?
Will you set them fighting still further? Or will you make peace between
them? And Jove answered, my child, why should you ask me?
Was it not by your own arrangement that Ulysses came home and took his revenge
upon the suitors. Do whatever you like, but I will tell you what
I think will be the most reasonable arrangement. Now that Ulysses is revenged,
let them swear to a solemn covenant in virtue of which he shall continue to
rule, while we cause the others to forgive and forget the massacre of their
sons and brothers. Let them then all become friends as heretofore, and let
peace and plenty reign. This was what Minerva was already eager to bring about,
so down she darted from off the topmost summits of Olympus. Now,
when the aretes and the others had done dinner, Ulysses began by saying,
some of you, go out and see if they are not getting close up
to us. So one of Dolius's sons went out, as he was bid.
Standing on the threshold, he could see them all quite clear, and
said to Ulysses, here they are, Let us put on our armor at
once. They put on their armor as fast as they could, that is
to say, Ulysses, his three men and the six sons of Dolius.
Leartes also and Dolius did the same warriors by necessity, in spite of their
gray hair. When they had all put on their armor, they opened the
gate and sallied forth, Ulysses leading the way. Then Jove's daughter Minerva came
up to them, having assumed the form and voice of mentor. Ulysses was
glad when he saw her and said to his son Telemachus, Telemachus, now
that you are about to fight in an engagement which will show every man's mettle,
be sure not to disgrace your ancestors, who were eminent for their strength
and courage all the world over. You say truly, my dear father,
answered Amachus, and you shall see if you will, that I am in
no mind to disgrace your family. Leertes was delighted when he heard this.
Good Heavens, he exclaimed, what a day I am enjoying. I do
indeed rejoice at it. My son and grandson are vying with one another in
the matter of valor. On this, Minerva came close up to him and
said, son of Arcesius, best friend I have in the world, Pray
to the blue eyed damsel and to Jove her father. Then poise your spear
and hurl it. As she spoke, she infused fresh vigor into him,
and when he had prayed to her, he poised his spear and hurled it.
He hit eupathes helmet, and the spear went right through it. For
the helmet stayed at nut, and his armor rang rattling round him as he
fell heavily to the ground. Meantime, Ulysses and his son fell upon the
front line of the foe and smote them with their words and spears. Indeed,
they would have killed every one of them and prevented them from ever getting
home again. Only Minerva raised her voice aloud and made everyone pause. Men
of Ithaca, She cried, cease this dreadful war, and settle the matter
at once without further bloodshed. On this pale. Fear seized everyone. They
were so frightened that their arms dropped from their hands and fell upon the ground
at the sound of the goddess voice, and they fled back to the city
for their lives. But Ulysses gave a great cry, and, gathering himself
together, swooped down like a soaring eagle. Then the son of Saturn sent
a thunderbolt of fire that fell just in front of Minerva. So she said
to Ulysses, Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, stopped this warfare strife,
or Jove will be angry with you, Thus spoke Minerva, and Ulysses obeyed
her gladly. Then Minerva assumed the form and voice of Mentor, and presently
made a covenant of peace between the two contending parties. The end of the
Odyssey by Homer