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Book twenty four of the Odyssey by
Homer. The Odyssey, Book twenty four,

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The ghosts of the Suitors in Hades, Ulysses and his men go to

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the house of Laertes. The people
of Ithaca come out to attac Ulysses,

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but Minerva concludes a piece. Then
Mercury of Celini summoned the ghosts of the

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suitors, and in his hand he
held a fair golden wand, with which

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he seals men's eyes in sleep,
or wakes them just as he pleases.

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With this, he roused the ghosts
and led them, while they followed,

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whining and gibbering behind him, as
bats flies squeaming in the hollow of some

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great cave when one of them has
fallen out of the cluster in which they

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hang. Even so did the ghosts
wine and squeal as Mercury, the heater

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of Sorrow, led them down into
the dark abode of death. When they

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had passed the waters of Oceanus and
the roc the Ucas, they came to

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the gates of the Sun and the
land of Dreams, whereon they reached the

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meadow of Asphodel, where dwell the
souls and shadows of them that can labor

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no more. Here they found the
ghost of Achilles, son of Pelias,

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with those of Petroclus, Antilochus,
and Ajax, who was the finest and

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handsomest man of all the Denaeans.
After the son of Pelias himself, they

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gathered round the ghost of the son
of Pelias, and the ghost of Agamemnon

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joined them, sorrowing bitterly. Round
him were gathered also the ghosts of those

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who had perished with him in the
house of Egistus. And the ghost of

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Achilles spoke, first, son of
Atreus, It said, we used to

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say that Jove had loved you better
from first to last than any other hero.

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For you were captain over many and
brave men when we were all fighting

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together before Troy. Yet the hand
of death, which no mortal can escape,

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was laid upon you all too early. Better for you had you fallen

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at Troy in the heyday of your
renown, for the Achaeans would have built

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a mound over your ashes, and
your son would have been heir to your

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good name, whereas it has now
been your lot to come to a most

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miserable end. Happy son of Peleus, answered the ghosts of Agamemnon for having

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died at Troy, far from Argos, while the bravest of the Trojans and

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the Achaeans fell round you fighting for
your body. There you lay in the

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whirling clouds of dust, all huge
and hugely heathless. Now of your chivalry,

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we fought the whole of the livelong
day, Nor should we ever have

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left off if Jove had not sent
a hurricane to stay us. Then when

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we had borne you to the ships
out of the fray, we laid you

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on your bed and cleansed your fair
skin with warm water and with ointments.

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The Danaeans tore their hair and wept
bitterly round about you. Your mother,

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when she heard, came with her
immortal nymphs from out of the sea,

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and the sound of a great whaling
went forth over the water, so that

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the Achaeans quake for fear. They
would have fled pa e strick into their

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ships, had not the wise old
Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest,

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checked them, saying, hold our
jives fly, not the sons of the

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Achaeans. This is his mother,
coming from the sea with her immortal nymphs

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to view the body of her son. Thus he spoke, and the Achaeans

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feared no more. The daughters of
the old Man of the Sea stood round

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you, weeping bitterly, and clothed
you in immortal raiment. The nine Muses

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also came and lifted up their sweet
voices in lament, calling and answering one

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another. There was not an argive, but wept for the pity of the

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dirge. They chaunted days and nights
seven and ten we mourned you, mortals

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and immortals. But on the eighteenth
day we gave you to the flames.

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And many a fat sheep, with
many an ox did we slay in sacrifice.

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Around you. You were burnt in
raiment of the gods, with rich

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resins and with honey, while heroes
horse and foot clashed their armor round the

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pile, as you were burning with
a tramp, as of a great multitude.

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But when the flames of heaven had
done their work, we gathered your

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white bones at daybreak and laid them
in anointments and in pure wine. Your

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mother brought us a golden vase to
hold them, gift of Bacchus and work

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of Vulcan himself. In this we
mingled your bleached bones with those of Petroclus

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who had gone before you, and
separate we enclosed also those of Antilochus,

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who have been closer to you than
any other of your comrades. Now that

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Petroclus was no more over these the
host of the archives built a noble tomb

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on a point, shutting out over
the open hellspunt, that it might be

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seen from far out upon the sea
by those now living, and by them

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that shall be borne hereafter. Your
mother begged prizes from the gods and offered

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them to be contended for by the
noblest of Achaeans. You must have been

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present at the funeral of many a
hero, when the young men gird themselves

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and make ready to contend for prizes
on the death of some great chieftain.

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But you never saw such prizes as
silver footed Thetis offered in your honor,

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For the gods loved you well.
Thus, even in death, your fame,

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Achilles, has not been lost,
and your name lives evermore among all

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mankind. But as for me,
what solace had I when the days of

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my fighting were done? For Jove
willed my destruction on my return by the

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hands of Egistus and those of my
wicked wife. Thus did they converse,

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and presently Mercury came up to them
with the ghosts of the suitors who had

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been killed by Ulysses. The ghosts
of Agamemnon and Achilles were astonished at seeing

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them, and went up to them. At once. The ghosts of Agamemnon

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recognized Amphimidon, son of Melanaeus,
who lived in Ithaca and had been his

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host, So it began to talk
to him. Amphimidon, it said,

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what has happened to all you fine
young men, all of an age too,

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that you are come down here under
the ground. One could pick no

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finer body of men from any city. Did Neptune raise his winds and waves

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against you when you were at sea? Or did your enemies make an end

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of you on the mainland when you
were cattle lifting or sheep stealing, or

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while fighting in defense of their wives
and city? Answer my question, for

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I have been your guest. Do
you not remember how I came to your

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house with Menelaus to persuade Ulysses to
join us with his ships against Troy.

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It was a whole month ere we
could resume our voyage, for we had

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hard work to persuade Ulysses to come
with us, and the ghost of Amphimedon

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answered, like Amemnon, son of
Atreus, king of Men, I remember

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everything that you have said, and
will tell you fully inaccurately about the wain

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which our end was brought about.
Ulysses have been long gone, and we

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were courting his wife, who did
not say point blank that she would not

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marry nor yet bring matters to an
end, for she meant to compass our

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destruction. This then, was the
trick she played us. She set up

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a great tambour frame in her room
and began to work on an enormous piece

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of fine needlework. Sweethearts, said
she, Ulysses is indeed dead. Still,

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do not press me to marry again
immediately wait, for I would not

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have my skill in needlework perish unrecorded
till I have completed a pall for the

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hero Laertes, against the time when
death shall take him. He is very

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rich, and the women of the
place will talk if he is laid out

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without a pall. This is what
she said, and we assented. Whereupon

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we could see her working upon her
great web all day long, but at

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night she would unpick the stitches again
by torchlight. She fooled us in this

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way for three years without our finding
it out. But as time wore on,

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and she was now in her or
year in the waning of moons,

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and many days had been accomplished,
one of her mates, who knew what

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she was doing, told us,
and we caught her in the act of

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undoing her work. So she had
to finish it, whether she would or

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no. And when she showed us
the robe she had made after she had

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had it washed, its splendor was
that of the sun or moon. Then

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some malicious god conveyed Ulysses to the
upland farm where his swineherd lives. Thither

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presently came also his son, returning
from a voyage to Pylos, and the

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two came to the town when they
had hatched their plot for our destruction.

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Telemachus came first, and then after
him, accompanied by the swineherd, came

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Ulysses, clad in rags and leaning
on a staff, as though he were

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some miserable old beggar. He came
so unexpectedly that none of us knew him,

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not even the older ones among us, and we reviled him and threw

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things at him. He endured both
being struck and insulted without a word,

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though he was in his own house. But when the will of Egis bearing

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Jove inspired him, he and Telemachus
took the armor and hid it in an

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inner chamber, bolting the doors behind
them. Then he cunningly made his wife

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offer his bow and a quantity of
iron, to be contented for by us

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ill fated suitors. And this was
the beginning of our end. For not

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one of us could string the bow, nor nearly do so. When it

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was about to reach the hands of
Ulysses, we all of us shouted out

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that it should not be given to
him, no matter what he might say,

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But Telemachus insisted on his having it. When he had got it in

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his hands, he strung it with
ease and sent his arrow through the iron.

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Then he stood on the floor of
the cloister and poured his arrows on

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the ground, glaring fiercely about him. First he killed Antonus, and then,

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aiming straight before him, he let
fly his deadly darts, and they

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fell thick on one another. It
was plain that some one of the gods

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was helping him, for they fell
upon us with might and main. Throughout

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the cloisters, and there was a
hideous sound of groaning, as our brains

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were being battered in and the grounds
seethed with our blood. This, Agamemnon,

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is how we came by our end. And our bodies are lying still

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uncared for in the house of Ulysses, for our friends at home do not

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yet know what has happened, so
that they cannot lay us out and wash

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the black blood from our wounds,
making moan over us according to the office's

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due to the departed. Happy Ulysses, son of Laertes, replied the ghost

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of Agamemnon, you are indeed blessed
in the possession of a wife endowed with

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such rare excellence of understanding, and
so faithful to her wedded lord, as

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Penelope, the daughter of Acarius.
The fame therefore of her virtue shall never

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die, and the immortal shall compose
a song that shall be welcome to all

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mankind in honor of the constancy of
Penelope. How far otherwise was the wickedness

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of the daughter of Tyndareus, who
killed her lawful husband. Her a song

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shall be hateful among men, for
she has brought disgrace on all womankind,

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even on the good ones. Thus
did they converse in the house of Hades,

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deep down within the bows of the
earth. Meanwhile, Ulysses and the

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others passed out of the town and
soon reached the fair and well tilled farm

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of Leetes, which she had reclaimed
with infinite labor. Here was his house,

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with a lean to running all round
it, where the slaves who worked

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for him slept and sat and ate. While inside the house there was an

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old Sisil woman who looked after him
in this his country farm. When Ulysses

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got there, he said to his
son and to the other two, go

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to the house and kill the best
pig that you can find for dinner.

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Meanwhile, I want to see whether
my father will know me or fail to

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recognize me after so long an absence. He then took off his armor and

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gave it to Eumaeus and Acius,
who went straight on to the house,

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while he turned off into the vineyard
to make trial of his father. As

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he went down into the great orchard, he did not see Dulius, nor

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any of his sons, nor of
the other bondsmen, for they were all

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gathering thorns to make a fence for
the vineyard. At the place where the

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old man had told them. He
therefore found his father alone, hoeing a

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vine. He had on a dirty, old shirt, patched and very shabby.

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His legs were bound round with thongs
of oxhide to save him from the

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brambles, and he also wore sleeves
of leather. He had a goat skin

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cap on his head, and was
looking very woebegone. When Ulyssie saw him,

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so worn, so old, and
full of sorrow, he stood still

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under a tall pear tree and began
to weep. He doubted whether to embrace

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him, kiss him, and tell
him all about his having come home,

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or whether he should first question him
and see what he would say. In

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the end, he deemed it best
to be crafty with him, so in

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his mind he went up to his
father, who was bending down and digging

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about a plant. I see,
sir, said, Ulysses, that you

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are an excellent gardener. What pains
you take with it? To be sure,

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there is not a single plant,
not a fig tree, vine,

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olive, pear, nor flower bed, but bears the trace of your attention.

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I trust, however, that you
will not be offended if I say

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that you take better care of your
garden than of yourself. You are old,

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unsavory, and very meanly clad.
It cannot be because you are idle

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that your master takes such poor care
of you. Indeed, your face and

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figure have nothing of the slave about
them, and proclaim you of noble birth.

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I should have said that you were
one of those who should wash well,

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eat well, and lie soft at
night, as old men have a

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right to do. But tell me, and tell me true, whose bondman

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are you? And in whose garden
are you working? Tell me all about

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another matter? Is this place that
I have come to really Ithaca? I

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met a man just now who said
so. But he was a dull fellow

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and had not the patience to hear
my story out when I was asking him

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about an old friend of mine,
whether he was still living or was already

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dead and in the house of Hades. Believe me when I tell you that

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this man came to my house once
when I was in my own country,

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and never yet did any stranger come
to me whom I liked better. He

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said that his family came from Ithaca, and that his father was Leertes,

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son of Arcesius. I received him
hospitably, making him welcome to all the

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abundance of my house, And when
he went away, I gave him all

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customary presents. I gave him seven
talents of fine gold and a cup of

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solid silver with flowers chased upon it. I gave him twelve light cloaks and

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as many pieces of tapestry. I
also gave him twelve cloaks of single fold,

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twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles,
and an equal number of shirts.

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To all this, I added four
good looking women, skilled in all useful

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arts, and I let him take
his choice. His father shed tears and

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answered, sir, you have indeed
come to the country that you have named,

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but it has fallen into the hands
of wicked people. All this wealth

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of presence has been given to no
purpose. If you could have found your

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friend here alive in Ithaca, he
would have entertained you hospitably, and would

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have requited your presence amply when you
left him, as would have been only

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right considering what you had already given
him. But tell me, and tell

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00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:45,759
me true, how many years is
it since you entertained this guest? My

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unhappy son, as ever was alas
he has perished far from his own country.

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The fishes of the sea have eaten
him, or he has fallen a

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prey to the birds and wild beasts
of some continent. Neither his mother nor

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i his father, who were his
parents, could throw our arms about him

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and wrap him in his shroud.
Nor could his excellent and richly dowered wife,

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Penelope bewail her husband as was natural
upon his death bed, and close

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his eyes according to the officer's due
to the departed. But now tell me

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truly, for I want to know
who and whence are you. Tell me

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of your town and parents. Where
is the ship lying that has brought you

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00:16:29,519 --> 00:16:33,480
and your men to Ithaca? Or
were you a passager on some other man

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ship? And those who brought you
here have gone on their way and left

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you. I will tell you everything, answered Ulysses, quite truly. I

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come from Albus, where I have
a fine house. I am son of

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King Aphaetus, who is the son
of Polpeman. My own name is Aparatus.

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00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,279
Heaven drove me off my course as
I was leaving Scania, and I

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have been carried here against my will. As for my ship, it is

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lying over yonder off the open country
outside the town. And this is the

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fifth year since Ulysses left my country. Poor fellow. Yet the omens were

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good for him. When he left
me, the birds all flew on our

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right hands, and both he and
I rejoiced to see them as we parted,

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for we had every hope that we
should have another friendly meeting and exchange

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presents. A dark cloud of sorrow
fell upon Laertes as he listened. He

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filled both hands with the dust from
off the ground and poured it over his

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gray head, groaning heavily as he
did so. The heart of Ulysses was

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touched, and his nostrils quivered as
he looked upon his father. Then he

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sprang towards him, flung his arms
about him, and kissed him, saying,

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I am he father about whom you
are asking. I have returned after

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having been away for twenty years.
But cease or sighing and lamentation. We

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00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,559
have no time to lose, for
I should tell you that I have been

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killing the suitors in my house to
punish them for their insolence and crimes.

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If you really are my son,
Ulysses, replied Leertes, and have come

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00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:12,000
back again, you must give me
such manifest proof of your identity as shall

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convince me. First observe this scar
answered, Ulysses, which I got from

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a bors tusk when I was hunting
on Mount Parnassus. You and my mother

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had sent me to Autilicus, my
mother's father, to receive the presence which

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00:18:27,839 --> 00:18:33,079
when he was over here he had
promised to give me. Furthermore, I

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will point out to you the trees
and the vineyard which you gave me,

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and I asked you all about them
as I followed you round the garden.

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We went over them all, and
you told me their names and what they

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all were. You gave me thirteen
pear trees, ten apple trees, and

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forty fig trees. You also said
you would give me fifty rows of vines.

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There was corn planet between each row, and they yield grapes of every

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kind when the heat of heaven has
been laid heavy upon them. Leirti's strength

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failed him when he heard the convincing
proofs which his son had given him.

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00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,759
He threw his arms about him,
and Ulysses had to support him or he

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00:19:11,799 --> 00:19:15,240
would have gone off into a swoon. But as soon as he came to

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and was beginning to recover his senses, he said, oh, father Jove,

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then you gods are still in Olympus. After all, if the suitors

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have really been punished for their insolence
and folly. Nevertheless, I am much

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00:19:30,519 --> 00:19:33,720
afraid that I shall have all the
townspeople of Ithaca appear directly, and they

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00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:40,880
will be sending messengers everywhere throughout the
cities of the Cephalenians. Ulysses answered,

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00:19:41,519 --> 00:19:45,279
take heart, and do not trouble
yourself about that. But let us go

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00:19:45,319 --> 00:19:49,279
into the house hard by your garden. I have already told Telemachus, Felicius,

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and Eumaeus to go on there and
get dinner ready as soon as possible.

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00:19:55,039 --> 00:19:59,160
Thus conversing, the two made their
way towards the house. When they

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00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:03,160
got there, they Telemachus with the
stockman and the swineherd, cutting up meat

267
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:07,960
and mixing wine with water. Then
the old sisol woman took the Artes inside

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00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:11,240
and washed him and anointed him with
oil. She put him on a good

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cloak, and Minerva came up to
him and gave him a more imposing presence,

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making him taller and stouter than before. When he came back, his

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00:20:19,759 --> 00:20:23,440
son was surprised to see him looking
so like an immortal, and said to

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00:20:23,519 --> 00:20:27,599
him, my dear father, some
one of the gods has been making you

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much taller and better looking. Artes
answered would by Father, Jove, Minerva,

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00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:37,079
and Apollo, that I were the
man I was when I ruled among

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00:20:37,079 --> 00:20:44,160
the Cephalenians and took Nerikum, that
strong fortress on the foreland. If I

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00:20:44,279 --> 00:20:47,799
were still what I then was,
and had been in our house yesterday with

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00:20:47,839 --> 00:20:51,519
my armor on, I should have
been able to stand by you and help

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00:20:51,559 --> 00:20:55,279
you against the suitors. I should
have killed a great many of them,

279
00:20:55,559 --> 00:21:00,039
and you would have rejoiced to see
it. Thus did they converse, but

280
00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,920
the others, when they had finished
their work and the feast was ready,

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00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:08,480
left off working, and took each
his proper place on the benches and seats.

282
00:21:10,599 --> 00:21:14,680
Then they began eating. By and
by. Old Dulias and his sons

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00:21:14,759 --> 00:21:18,440
left their work and came up for
their mother. The sisile woman, who

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00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,000
looked after Leertes, now that he
was growing old, had been to fetch

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00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,599
them. When they saw Ulysses and
were certain it was he, they stood

286
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,119
their lost in astonishment, but Ulysses
scolded them good naturedly, and said,

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00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:34,599
sit down to your dinner, old
man. Never mind about your surprise.

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00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,519
We have been wanting to begin for
some time, and have been waiting for

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00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:44,319
you. Then Doulias put out both
his hands and went up to Ulysses,

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00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,960
Sir, said, he seizing his
master's hand and kissing it at the wrist.

291
00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,559
We have long been wishing you home, and now Heaven has restored you

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00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,920
to us, after we have given
up hoping. All hail therefore, and

293
00:21:57,039 --> 00:22:02,759
may the gods prosper you. But
tell me, does Penelope already know of

294
00:22:02,759 --> 00:22:07,720
your return? Or shall we send
some one to tell her? Old man

295
00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,680
answered Ulysses, she knows already,
so you need not trouble about that.

296
00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,920
On this he took his seat,
and the sons of Dulius gathered round Ulysses

297
00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,680
to give him greeting and embrace him, one after the other. Then they

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00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,720
took their seats in due order near
Dulius their father. While they were thus

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00:22:26,759 --> 00:22:30,400
busy getting their dinner ready, rumor
went round the town and noised abroad that

300
00:22:30,599 --> 00:22:36,759
terrible fate that had befallen the suitors. As soon therefore as the people heard

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00:22:36,759 --> 00:22:40,680
of it, they gathered from every
quarter, groaning and hooting, before the

302
00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:45,400
house of Ulysses. They took the
dead away, buried every man his own,

303
00:22:45,759 --> 00:22:48,079
and put the bodies of those who
came from elsewhere on board the fishing

304
00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:52,640
vessels, for the fishermen to take
each of them to his own place.

305
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,680
They then met angrily in the place
of assembly, and when they were got

306
00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:02,720
together, Eupathes rose to speak.
He was overwhelmed with grief for the death

307
00:23:02,759 --> 00:23:06,480
of his son Antonus, who had
been the first man killed by Ulysses.

308
00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:11,240
So he said, weeping bitterly,
my friends, this man has done to

309
00:23:11,279 --> 00:23:15,880
the Achaeans great wrong. He took
many of our best men away with him

310
00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:21,519
in his fleet, and he has
lost both ships and men. Now moreover,

311
00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:26,400
on his return he has been killing
all the foremost men among the Cephalenians.

312
00:23:26,279 --> 00:23:30,640
Let us be up and doing before
he can get away to Pylos or

313
00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,839
to LUs where the Appaeian's rule,
or we shall be ashamed of ourselves forever

314
00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,720
afterwards. It will be an everlasting
disgrace to us if we do not avenge

315
00:23:38,759 --> 00:23:44,000
the murder of our sons and brothers. For my own part, I should

316
00:23:44,039 --> 00:23:48,759
have no more pleasures in life,
but had rather die at once. Let

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00:23:48,839 --> 00:23:51,960
us be up then and after them, before they can cross over to the

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00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,920
mainland. He wept as he spoke, and every one pitied him, But

319
00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:00,079
Midan and the bard Phemius had now
woke up and came to them from the

320
00:24:00,079 --> 00:24:06,160
house of Ulysses. Everyone was astonished
at seeing them, but they stood in

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00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,599
the middle of the assembly and meet, and said, hear me, men

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00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,759
of Ithaca, Ulysses did not do
these things against the will of Heaven.

323
00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,759
I myself saw an immortal god take
the form of Mentor, and stand beside

324
00:24:18,839 --> 00:24:22,400
him. This God appeared now in
front of him, encouraging him, and

325
00:24:22,559 --> 00:24:26,839
now going furiously about the court and
attacking the suitors, whereon they fell thick

326
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:33,319
on one another. On this pale
Fear laid hold of them, and old

327
00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,559
Hellothses, son of Mastor, rose
to speak, for he was the only

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00:24:37,559 --> 00:24:41,240
man among them who knew both past
and future. So he spoke to them

329
00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:47,720
plainly and in all honesty, saying, men of Ithaca, it is all

330
00:24:47,799 --> 00:24:52,480
your own fault that things have turned
out as they have. You would not

331
00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,599
listen to me, nor yet to
Mentor, when we bade you check the

332
00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,480
folly of your sons, who were
doing much wrong in the wanton of their

333
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,240
hearts, wasting the substance, and
dishonoring the wife of a chieftain who they

334
00:25:04,279 --> 00:25:08,839
thought would not return. Now,
however, let it be as I say,

335
00:25:10,319 --> 00:25:14,039
and do as I tell you.
Do not go out against Ulysses,

336
00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,119
or you may find that you have
been drawing down evil on your own heads.

337
00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:22,279
This was what he said, And
more than half raised a loud shout

338
00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:29,160
and at once left the assembly,
But the rest stayed where they were for

339
00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:33,599
the speech of heleitherss displeased them,
and they sighted with Eupathes. They therefore

340
00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,279
hurried off for their armor, And
when they had armed themselves, they met

341
00:25:37,319 --> 00:25:41,839
together in front of the city,
and Eupathes led them on. In their

342
00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,319
folly, he thought he was going
to avenge the murder of his son,

343
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:49,359
whereas in truth he was never to
return, but was himself to perish in

344
00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:56,599
his attempt. Then Minerva said to
Jove, father, son of Saturn,

345
00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,599
king of Kings, answer me this
question. What do you propose to do?

346
00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:06,839
Will you set them fighting still further? Or will you make peace between

347
00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:11,079
them? And Jove answered, my
child, why should you ask me?

348
00:26:11,920 --> 00:26:17,400
Was it not by your own arrangement
that Ulysses came home and took his revenge

349
00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:21,720
upon the suitors. Do whatever you
like, but I will tell you what

350
00:26:21,839 --> 00:26:26,440
I think will be the most reasonable
arrangement. Now that Ulysses is revenged,

351
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,400
let them swear to a solemn covenant
in virtue of which he shall continue to

352
00:26:30,519 --> 00:26:34,599
rule, while we cause the others
to forgive and forget the massacre of their

353
00:26:34,599 --> 00:26:40,279
sons and brothers. Let them then
all become friends as heretofore, and let

354
00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:45,640
peace and plenty reign. This was
what Minerva was already eager to bring about,

355
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:51,240
so down she darted from off the
topmost summits of Olympus. Now,

356
00:26:51,319 --> 00:26:55,119
when the aretes and the others had
done dinner, Ulysses began by saying,

357
00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,160
some of you, go out and
see if they are not getting close up

358
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,200
to us. So one of Dolius's
sons went out, as he was bid.

359
00:27:03,519 --> 00:27:07,839
Standing on the threshold, he could
see them all quite clear, and

360
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,960
said to Ulysses, here they are, Let us put on our armor at

361
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,079
once. They put on their armor
as fast as they could, that is

362
00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:18,680
to say, Ulysses, his three
men and the six sons of Dolius.

363
00:27:19,559 --> 00:27:25,720
Leartes also and Dolius did the same
warriors by necessity, in spite of their

364
00:27:25,759 --> 00:27:29,799
gray hair. When they had all
put on their armor, they opened the

365
00:27:29,839 --> 00:27:34,839
gate and sallied forth, Ulysses leading
the way. Then Jove's daughter Minerva came

366
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:40,359
up to them, having assumed the
form and voice of mentor. Ulysses was

367
00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:45,359
glad when he saw her and said
to his son Telemachus, Telemachus, now

368
00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:48,480
that you are about to fight in
an engagement which will show every man's mettle,

369
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:53,240
be sure not to disgrace your ancestors, who were eminent for their strength

370
00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:59,000
and courage all the world over.
You say truly, my dear father,

371
00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,680
answered Amachus, and you shall see
if you will, that I am in

372
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,799
no mind to disgrace your family.
Leertes was delighted when he heard this.

373
00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:14,559
Good Heavens, he exclaimed, what
a day I am enjoying. I do

374
00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,319
indeed rejoice at it. My son
and grandson are vying with one another in

375
00:28:18,359 --> 00:28:23,200
the matter of valor. On this, Minerva came close up to him and

376
00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:29,119
said, son of Arcesius, best
friend I have in the world, Pray

377
00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:33,039
to the blue eyed damsel and to
Jove her father. Then poise your spear

378
00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:38,599
and hurl it. As she spoke, she infused fresh vigor into him,

379
00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,200
and when he had prayed to her, he poised his spear and hurled it.

380
00:28:44,599 --> 00:28:48,559
He hit eupathes helmet, and the
spear went right through it. For

381
00:28:48,680 --> 00:28:52,559
the helmet stayed at nut, and
his armor rang rattling round him as he

382
00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,720
fell heavily to the ground. Meantime, Ulysses and his son fell upon the

383
00:28:56,759 --> 00:29:02,359
front line of the foe and smote
them with their words and spears. Indeed,

384
00:29:02,680 --> 00:29:06,319
they would have killed every one of
them and prevented them from ever getting

385
00:29:06,319 --> 00:29:11,359
home again. Only Minerva raised her
voice aloud and made everyone pause. Men

386
00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:17,079
of Ithaca, She cried, cease
this dreadful war, and settle the matter

387
00:29:17,160 --> 00:29:22,920
at once without further bloodshed. On
this pale. Fear seized everyone. They

388
00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:26,880
were so frightened that their arms dropped
from their hands and fell upon the ground

389
00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:30,480
at the sound of the goddess voice, and they fled back to the city

390
00:29:30,519 --> 00:29:37,039
for their lives. But Ulysses gave
a great cry, and, gathering himself

391
00:29:37,079 --> 00:29:41,799
together, swooped down like a soaring
eagle. Then the son of Saturn sent

392
00:29:41,839 --> 00:29:45,000
a thunderbolt of fire that fell just
in front of Minerva. So she said

393
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:51,480
to Ulysses, Ulysses, noble son
of Laertes, stopped this warfare strife,

394
00:29:51,799 --> 00:29:56,480
or Jove will be angry with you, Thus spoke Minerva, and Ulysses obeyed

395
00:29:56,519 --> 00:30:03,000
her gladly. Then Minerva assumed the
form and voice of Mentor, and presently

396
00:30:03,279 --> 00:30:10,480
made a covenant of peace between the
two contending parties. The end of the

397
00:30:10,599 --> 00:30:11,799
Odyssey by Homer