1 00:00:00,880 --> 00:00:09,080 Book twenty of the Odyssey by Homer. The Odyssey, Book twenty. Ulysses 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:15,400 cannot sleep Penelope's prayer to Diana. The two signs from heaven, Eumaeus and 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:20,800 Felicius, arrive. The suitors dine. Tysippus throws an ox's foot at Ulysses, 4 00:00:21,519 --> 00:00:27,760 the Oclemenus fortells disaster and leaves the house. Ulysses slept in the cloister 5 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:31,879 upon an undressed bullock's hide, on the top of which he threw several skins 6 00:00:31,879 --> 00:00:36,280 of the sheep the suitors had eaten, and Urynymy threw a cloak over him. 7 00:00:36,359 --> 00:00:42,320 After he had laid himself down there. Then Ulysses lay wakefully brooding upon 8 00:00:42,359 --> 00:00:46,880 the way in which he should kill the suitors. And by and by the 9 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,960 women who had been in the habit of misconducting themselves with them, left the 10 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:55,399 house, giggling and laughing with one another. This made Ulysses very angry, 11 00:00:55,679 --> 00:00:58,840 and he doubted whether to get up and kill every single one of them then 12 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:02,439 and there, or to let them sleep one more and last time with the 13 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:07,120 suitors. His heart growled within him, and as a bitch with puppies growls 14 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:11,200 and shows her teeth when she sees a stranger. So did his heart growl 15 00:01:11,239 --> 00:01:15,200 with anger at the evil deeds that were being done. But he beat his 16 00:01:15,239 --> 00:01:19,799 breast and said, heart, be still, you had worse than this to 17 00:01:19,879 --> 00:01:25,439 bear on the day when the terrible cyclops ate your brave companions. Yet you 18 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:27,920 bore it in silence till your cunning got you safe out of the cave, 19 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:34,480 though you made sure of being killed. Thus he chided with his heart and 20 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:38,680 checked it into endurance. But he tossed about as one who turns a paunch 21 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,359 full of blood and fat in front of a hot fire, doing it first 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,959 on one side and then on the other, that he may get it cooked 23 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:49,280 as soon as possible. Even so did he turn himself about from side to 24 00:01:49,359 --> 00:01:53,799 side, thinking all the time how single handed as he was, he should 25 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:59,319 contrive to kill so large a body of men as the wicked suitors. But 26 00:01:59,439 --> 00:02:01,959 by and by Minerva came down from heaven in the likeness of a woman, 27 00:02:02,319 --> 00:02:07,000 and hovered over his head, saying, my poor, unhappy man, why 28 00:02:07,039 --> 00:02:12,039 do you lie awake in this way? This is your house. Your wife 29 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,560 is safe inside it, and so is your son, who is just such 30 00:02:15,599 --> 00:02:20,840 a young man as any father may be proud of goddess, answered Ulysses. 31 00:02:21,319 --> 00:02:24,159 All that you have said is true. But I am in some doubt as 32 00:02:24,199 --> 00:02:29,199 to how I shall be able to kill these wicked suitors single handed, seeing 33 00:02:29,199 --> 00:02:32,439 what a number of them there always are. And there is this further difficulty 34 00:02:32,719 --> 00:02:38,759 which is still more considerable. Supposing that, with joves and your assistance, 35 00:02:38,879 --> 00:02:42,960 I succeed in killing them, I must ask you to consider where I am 36 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,719 to escape to from their avengers when it is all over. For shame, 37 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:53,879 replied Minerva. Why anyone else would trust a worse ally than myself, even 38 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,319 though that ally were only immortal and less wise than I am? Am I 39 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,000 not a goddess? And have I not protected you throw out in all your 40 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,919 troubles. I tell you plainly that even though there were fifty bands of men 41 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,919 surrounding us and eager to kill us, you should take all their sheep and 42 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:15,479 cattle and drive them away with you. But go to sleep. It is 43 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:17,800 a very bad thing to lie awake all night, and you shall be out 44 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:23,879 of your troubles. Before long as she spoke, she shed sleep over his 45 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:29,199 eyes, and then went back to Olympus. While Ulysses was thus yielding himself 46 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,599 to a very deep slumber that eased the burden of his sorrows. His admirable 47 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:36,560 wife awoke, and, sitting up in her bed, began to cry. 48 00:03:37,479 --> 00:03:40,199 When she had relieved herself by weeping, she prayed to Diana, saying, 49 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:46,439 Great Goddess Diana, daughter of Jove, drive an arrow into my heart and 50 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,159 slay me, or let some whirlwinds snatch me up and bear me through paths 51 00:03:51,199 --> 00:03:55,120 of darkness till it dropped me into the mouths of overflowing oceanus as it did 52 00:03:55,159 --> 00:04:00,800 the daughters of Pandareus. The daughters of Pandareus lost their father and mother, 53 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:04,560 for the gods killed them, so they were left orphans. But Venus took 54 00:04:04,599 --> 00:04:09,120 care of them and fed them on cheese, honey, and sweet wine. 55 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:14,080 Juno taught them to excel all women in beauty, of form and understanding. 56 00:04:14,759 --> 00:04:18,600 Diana gave them an imposing presence, and Minerva endowed them with every kind of 57 00:04:18,639 --> 00:04:24,240 accomplishment. But one day, when Venus had gone up to Olympus to see 58 00:04:24,319 --> 00:04:28,319 Jove about getting them married, for well does he know both what shall happen 59 00:04:28,439 --> 00:04:32,360 and what not happen to everyone? The storm winds came and spirited them away 60 00:04:32,399 --> 00:04:36,839 to become handmaids to the dread Arnes. Even so, I wished that the 61 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:41,800 gods who live in heaven would hide me from mortal sight, or that fair 62 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:46,920 Diana might strike me, for I would fain go even beneath the sad earth, 63 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:50,240 if I might do so, still looking towards Ulysses only, and without 64 00:04:50,319 --> 00:04:55,639 having to yield myself to a worse man than he was. Besides, no 65 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,279 matter how much people may grieve by day, they can put up with it 66 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,279 so long as they can sleep at night. For when the eyes are closed 67 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:08,439 in slumber, people forget good and ill alike. Whereas my misery haunts me 68 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:13,680 even in my dreams. This very night, methought, there was one lying 69 00:05:13,759 --> 00:05:17,199 by my side who was like Ulysses as he was when he went away with 70 00:05:17,319 --> 00:05:21,439 his host. And I rejoiced, for I believe that it was no dream, 71 00:05:21,639 --> 00:05:28,319 but the very truth itself. On this the day broke, but Ulysses 72 00:05:28,319 --> 00:05:30,839 heard the sound of her weeping, and it puzzled him, for it seemed 73 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:35,439 as though she already knew him and was by his side. Then he gathered 74 00:05:35,519 --> 00:05:39,720 up the cloak and the fleeces on which he had lain, and set them 75 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,319 on a seat in the cloister, but he took the bullock's hide out into 76 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,360 the open. He lifted up his hands to heaven and prayed, saying, 77 00:05:47,319 --> 00:05:51,600 Father Jove, since you have seen fit to bring the overland and see to 78 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:56,519 my own home, after all the afflictions you have laid upon me, give 79 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,680 me a sign out of the mouth of some one or other of those who 80 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,279 are waking within the house, and let me have another sign of some kind 81 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:09,600 from outside. Thus did he pray. Jove heard his prayer, and forthwith 82 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:13,959 thundered high up among the clouds from the splendor of Olympus and Ulysses. Was 83 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,040 glad when he heard it. At the same time, within the house, 84 00:06:17,439 --> 00:06:21,360 a middlewoman from hard By in the mill room lifted up her voice and gave 85 00:06:21,439 --> 00:06:28,040 him another sign. There were twelve millerwomen whose business it was to grind wheat 86 00:06:28,079 --> 00:06:30,920 and barley, which are the staff of life. The others had ground their 87 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,759 task and had gone to take their rest. But this one had not yet 88 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:39,759 finished, for she was not so strong as they were, and when she 89 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,319 heard the thunder, she stopped grinding and gave the sign to her master. 90 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,439 Father Jove said, she, you who rule over heaven and earth. You 91 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:53,199 have thundered from a clear sky without so much as a cloud in it, 92 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:58,079 and this means something for somebody. Grant the prayer then of me, your 93 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,319 poor servant, who calls upon you, and let this be the very last 94 00:07:01,399 --> 00:07:05,480 day that the suitors dine in the house of Ulysses. They have worn me 95 00:07:05,519 --> 00:07:10,319 out with labor of grinding meal for them, and I hope they may never 96 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:15,759 have another dinner anywhere at all. Ulysses was glad when he heard the omens 97 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,959 convey to him by the woman's speech and by the thunder, for he knew 98 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:24,759 they meant that he should avenge himself on the suitors. Then the other maids 99 00:07:24,759 --> 00:07:28,800 in the house rose and lit the fire on the hearth. Telemachus also rose 100 00:07:28,839 --> 00:07:32,040 and put on his clothes. He girded his sword about his shoulder, bound 101 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,879 his sandals on to his comely feet, and took a doughty spear with a 102 00:07:35,959 --> 00:07:41,519 point of sharpened bronze. Then he went to the threshold of the cloister and 103 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:46,079 said to Eurycleia, nurse, did you make the stranger comfortable both as regards 104 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,480 bed and board, or did you let him shift for himself? For my 105 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:55,959 mother good woman, though she is, has a way of paying great attention 106 00:07:56,040 --> 00:08:00,759 to second great people, and of neglecting others who are in reality much better. 107 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:07,160 Men do not find fault, child, said Eurycleia, when there is 108 00:08:07,199 --> 00:08:11,480 no one to find fault with. The stranger sat and drank his wine as 109 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,319 long as he liked. Your mother did ask him if he would take any 110 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,199 more bread, and he said he would not. When he wanted to go 111 00:08:18,279 --> 00:08:22,920 to bed, she told the servants to make one for him, But he 112 00:08:22,959 --> 00:08:26,959 said he was such a wretched outcast that he would not sleep on a bed 113 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:31,679 and under blankets. He insisted on having an undressed bullock's hide and some sheepskins 114 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,320 put for him in the cloister, And I threw a cloak over him myself. 115 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,120 Then Telemachus went out of the court to the place where the Achaeans were 116 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,720 meeting an assembly. He had his spear in his hand, and he was 117 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,639 not alone, for his two dogs went with him. But Eurycleia called the 118 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:54,799 maids and said, come wake up, set a us, sweeping the cloisters 119 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,679 and sprinkling them with water, to lay the dust, put the covers on 120 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,600 the seats. Why down the table, some of you with a wet sponge, 121 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:05,679 clean out the mixing jugs and the cups, and go for water from 122 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:09,960 them fountain. At once. The suitors will be here directly. They will 123 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,559 be here early, for it is a feast day. Thus did she speak, 124 00:09:15,879 --> 00:09:18,240 and they did even as she had said. Twenty of them went to 125 00:09:18,279 --> 00:09:22,320 the fountain for water, and the others set themselves busily to work about the 126 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,679 house. The men who were in attendance on the suitors also came up and 127 00:09:26,799 --> 00:09:31,720 began chopping firewood. By and by the women returned from the fountain, and 128 00:09:31,799 --> 00:09:35,159 the swineherd came after them with the three best pigs he could pick out. 129 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,759 These he let feed about the premises. And then he said, good humoredly 130 00:09:41,799 --> 00:09:46,960 to Ulysses, stranger, are the suitors treating you any better now? Or 131 00:09:46,039 --> 00:09:52,279 are they as insolent as ever? May heaven? Answered Ulysses, requite to 132 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:56,840 them the wickedness with which they deal high handily in another man's house, without 133 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:03,519 any sense of shame. Thus did they converse. Meanwhile, Melanthius the goatherd 134 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:07,440 came up, for he too was bringing in his best goats for the suitor's 135 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:11,960 dinner, and he had two shepherds with him they tied the goats up under 136 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,919 the gate house, and then Melanthius began gibing at Ulysses. Are you still 137 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:22,399 here, stranger? Said he to pester people by begging about the house. 138 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:26,600 Why can you not go elsewhere? You and I shall not come to an 139 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:31,159 understanding before we have given each other a taste of our fists. You beg 140 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:35,000 without any sense of decency? Are there not feasts elsewhere among the Achaeans as 141 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:41,960 well as here? Ulysses made no answer, but bowed his head and brooded. 142 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,600 Then a third man, Felicius, joined them, who was bringing in 143 00:10:46,639 --> 00:10:50,799 a barren heifer and some goats. These were brought over by the boatmen, 144 00:10:50,919 --> 00:10:54,559 who were there to take people over when any one comes to them. So 145 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,679 Felicius made his heifer and his goats secure under the gate house, and then 146 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:03,039 went up to the swineherd, who swineherd said, he is this stranger that 147 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:07,080 is lately come here? Is he one of your men? What is his 148 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:11,720 family? Where does he come from? Poor fellow? He looks as if 149 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,440 he had been some great man. But the gods give sorrow to whom they 150 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,559 will, even to kings, if it so pleases them, as he spoke, 151 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,879 He went up to Ulysses and saluted him with his right hand. Good 152 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,559 day to you, father, Stranger, said he. You seem to be 153 00:11:28,759 --> 00:11:33,840 very poorly off now, but I hope you'll have better times by and by 154 00:11:33,879 --> 00:11:37,759 Father Jove, of all the gods, you are the most malicious. We 155 00:11:37,919 --> 00:11:43,200 are your own children, yet you show us no mercy in all our misery 156 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,639 and afflictions. A sweat came over me when I saw this man, and 157 00:11:46,759 --> 00:11:52,399 my eyes filled with tears, for he reminds me of Ulysses, who I 158 00:11:52,519 --> 00:11:56,879 fear is going about in just such rags as this man's are, if indeed 159 00:11:56,919 --> 00:12:01,279 he is still among the living, if he is already dead and in the 160 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,600 house of Hades, then alas for my good master, who made me his 161 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,279 stockmen when I was quite young among the Cephalenians, and now his cattle are 162 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,600 countless, no one could have done better with them than I have, for 163 00:12:13,799 --> 00:12:18,320 they have bread like ears of corn. Nevertheless, I have to keep bringing 164 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:22,559 them in for others to eat, who take no heed to his son, 165 00:12:22,799 --> 00:12:26,200 though he is in the house, and fear not the wrath of heaven, 166 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:31,240 but are already eager to divide ulysses property among them because he has been away 167 00:12:31,279 --> 00:12:35,799 so long, I have often thought only it would not be right while his 168 00:12:35,840 --> 00:12:39,279 son is living, of giving off with the cattle to some foreign country. 169 00:12:39,519 --> 00:12:43,279 Bad as this would be, it is still harder to stay here and be 170 00:12:43,399 --> 00:12:48,559 ill treated about other people's herds. My position is intolerable, and I should 171 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,600 long since have run away and put myself under the protection of some other chief. 172 00:12:54,159 --> 00:12:58,320 Only that I believe my poor master will yet return and send all these 173 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:03,799 suitors flying out of the house. Stockman answered, Ulysses, you seem to 174 00:13:03,799 --> 00:13:07,480 be a very well disposed person, and I can see that you are a 175 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:13,240 man of sense. Therefore I will tell you, and will confirm my words 176 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,519 with an oath by Jove, the chief of all gods, and by that 177 00:13:16,679 --> 00:13:22,240 heart of Ulysses, to which I am now come. Ulysses shall return before 178 00:13:22,279 --> 00:13:24,960 you leave this place, and if you are so minded, you shall see 179 00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:31,480 him killing the suitors who are now masters here. If Jove were to bring 180 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,279 this to pass, replied the stockman, you should see how I would do 181 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:39,360 my very utmost to help him. And in like manner, Eumaeus prayed that 182 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:46,399 Ulysses might return home. Thus did they converse. Meanwhile, the suitors were 183 00:13:46,399 --> 00:13:50,360 hatching a plot to murder Telemachus. But a bird flew near them on their 184 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:54,519 left hand, an eagle with a dove in its talents. On this, 185 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:58,600 Amphinomus said, my friends, this plot of ours to murder Telemachus will not 186 00:13:58,639 --> 00:14:05,120 succes eat. Let us go to dinner instead. The others assented, so 187 00:14:05,159 --> 00:14:09,039 they went inside and laid their cloaks on the benches and seats. They sacrificed 188 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:13,399 the sheep, goats, pigs, and the heifer, and when the inward 189 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,039 meats were cooked, they served them round. They mixed the wine in the 190 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,440 mixing bowls, and the swineherd gave every man his cup, while Felecius handed 191 00:14:20,519 --> 00:14:24,679 round the bread in the bread baskets, and Melantheus poured them out their wine. 192 00:14:26,399 --> 00:14:28,360 Then they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them. 193 00:14:30,399 --> 00:14:33,440 Telemachus purposely made Ulysses sit in the part of the cloister that was paved with 194 00:14:33,519 --> 00:14:37,879 stone. He gave him a shabby looking seat at a little table to himself, 195 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:41,720 and had his portion of the inward meats brought to him, with his 196 00:14:41,799 --> 00:14:46,720 wine in a gold cup. Sit there, said he, and drink your 197 00:14:46,759 --> 00:14:50,600 wine among the great people. I will put a stop to the jives and 198 00:14:50,679 --> 00:14:54,840 blows of the suitors, for this is no public house, but belongs to 199 00:14:54,960 --> 00:15:00,679 Ulysses, and has passed from him to me. Therefore, Suitor, keep 200 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:05,559 your hands and your tongues to yourselves, or there will be mischief. The 201 00:15:05,639 --> 00:15:09,759 suitors bit their lips and marveled at the boldness of his speech. Then Antonus 202 00:15:09,759 --> 00:15:15,120 said, we do not like such language, but we will put up with 203 00:15:15,159 --> 00:15:18,480 it, for Telemachus is threatening us in good earnest. If Jove had led 204 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:22,759 us, we should have put us stop to his brave talk. Ere Now, 205 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:28,080 thus spoke Antonus, but Telemachus heeded him not. Meanwhile, the heralds 206 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:33,240 were bringing the Holy hecatomb through the city, and the Achaeans gathered under the 207 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:37,120 shady grove of Apollo. Then they rose to the outer meet, drew it 208 00:15:37,159 --> 00:15:41,039 off the spits, gave every man his portion, and feasted to their heart's 209 00:15:41,039 --> 00:15:46,279 content. Those who waited at table gave Ulysses exactly the same portion as the 210 00:15:46,279 --> 00:15:52,320 others had, for Telemachus had told them to do so. But Minerva would 211 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:56,679 not let the suitors for one moment drop their insolence, for she wanted Ulysses 212 00:15:56,679 --> 00:16:00,240 to become still more bitter against them. Now there happened to be among them 213 00:16:00,279 --> 00:16:04,480 a ribbled fellow, whose name was Tusippus, and who came from Sammi. 214 00:16:06,279 --> 00:16:10,240 This man, confident in his great wealth, was paying court to the wife 215 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:14,759 of Ulysses, and said to the suitors, hear what I have to say. 216 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,879 The stranger has already had as large a portion as anyone else. This 217 00:16:19,039 --> 00:16:22,960 is well, but it is not right nor reasonable to ill treat any guest 218 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,559 of Telemachus who comes here. I will, however, make him a present 219 00:16:27,639 --> 00:16:32,320 on my own account, that he may have something to give the bath woman 220 00:16:32,639 --> 00:16:37,639 or to some other of ulysses servants. As he spoke, he picked up 221 00:16:37,639 --> 00:16:41,480 a heifer's foot from the meat basket in which it lay, and threw it 222 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,759 at Ulysses. But Ulysses turned his head a little aside and avoided it, 223 00:16:45,159 --> 00:16:49,559 smiling grimly Sardinian fashion as he did so, and it hit the wall, 224 00:16:49,799 --> 00:16:56,480 not him. On this Telemachus spoke fiercely to Tusippus. It is a good 225 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:59,759 thing for you, said he, that the stranger turned his head so that 226 00:17:00,039 --> 00:17:03,639 missed him. If you had hit him, I should have run you through 227 00:17:03,679 --> 00:17:07,640 with my spear and your father would have had to see about getting you buried 228 00:17:07,799 --> 00:17:11,319 rather than married in this house. So let me have no more unseemly behavior 229 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,440 from any of you, for I am grown up now to the knowledge of 230 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,559 good and evil and understand what is going on, instead of being the child 231 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,480 that I have been. Heretofore, I have long seen you killing my sheep 232 00:17:22,519 --> 00:17:26,880 and making free with my corn and wine. I have put up with this, 233 00:17:26,319 --> 00:17:30,720 for one man is no match for many. But do me no further 234 00:17:30,839 --> 00:17:34,000 violence. Still, if you wish to kill me, kill me. I 235 00:17:34,039 --> 00:17:40,079 would far rather die than see such disgraceful scenes. Day after day, guests 236 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:44,559 insulted, and men dragging the women's servants about the house in an unseemly way. 237 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:49,400 They all held their peace till at last a jealous son of Damaster said, 238 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,920 no one should take offense at what has just been said, nor gainsay 239 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:59,400 it, for it is quite reasonable. Leave off therefore, ill treating the 240 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:03,839 stranger or any one else of the servants who are about the house. I 241 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,960 would say, however, a friendly word to Telemachus and his mother, which 242 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,200 I trust may command itself to both, as long, I would say, 243 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:15,240 as you had ground for hoping that Ulysses would one day come home. No 244 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,880 one could complain of your waiting and suffering the suitors to be in your house. 245 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:23,759 It would have been better that he should have returned, but it is 246 00:18:23,799 --> 00:18:29,880 now sufficiently clear that he will never do so. Therefore, talk all this 247 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,119 quietly over with your mother, and tell her to marry the best man and 248 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:38,119 the one who makes her the most advantageous offer. Thus you will yourself be 249 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:42,599 able to manage your own inheritance and to eat and drink in peace, while 250 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:48,240 your mother will look after some other man's house, not yours. To this, 251 00:18:48,319 --> 00:18:52,200 Telemachus answered, by jove Agellius, and by the sorrows of my unhappy 252 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:56,440 father, who has either perished far from Ithaca, or as wandering in some 253 00:18:56,559 --> 00:19:00,640 distant land. I throw no obstacle in the way of my mother's marriage. 254 00:19:02,039 --> 00:19:06,240 On the contrary, I urge her to choose whomsoever she will, and I 255 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:11,440 will give her numberless gifts into the bargain. But I dare not insist point 256 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,960 blank that she shall leave the house against her own wishes. Heaven forbid that 257 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:21,599 I should do this. Minerva now made the suitors fall to laughing. Immoderately 258 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:26,240 had set their wits wandering, but they were laughing with a forest laughter. 259 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,200 Their meat became smeared with blood, their eyes filled with tears, and their 260 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:37,359 hearts were heavy with forebodings. Theoclemenus saw this and said, unhappy men, 261 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:41,160 what is it that ails you? There is a shroud of darkness drawn over 262 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,319 you from head to foot. Your cheeks are wet with tears. The air 263 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:51,200 is alive with wailing voices. The walls and roof beams drip blood. The 264 00:19:51,319 --> 00:19:55,039 gait of the cloisters, and the court beyond them are full of ghosts trooping 265 00:19:55,079 --> 00:19:57,640 down into the night of hell. The sun is blotted out of heaven, 266 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:03,799 and a blinding gloom is over all the land. Thus did he speak, 267 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:08,359 and the all of them laughed heartily. Eurymachus then said, this stranger who 268 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,839 has lately come here has lost his senses. Servants turn him out into the 269 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:19,400 streets, since he finds it so dark here. But Theoclemenus said, Eurymachus, 270 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:23,480 you need not send anyone with me. I have eyes, ears, 271 00:20:23,519 --> 00:20:27,079 and a pair of feet of my own, to say nothing of an understanding 272 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,640 mind. I will take these out of the house with me, for I 273 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:36,000 see mischief overhanging you, from which not one of you men who are insulting 274 00:20:36,039 --> 00:20:38,559 people and plotting ill deeds in the house of Ulysses, will be able to 275 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:44,519 escape. He left the house as he spoke and went back to Pireus, 276 00:20:44,519 --> 00:20:48,519 who gave him welcome. But the suitors kept looking at one another and provoking 277 00:20:48,519 --> 00:20:53,279 Telemachus by laughing at the strangers. One insolent fellow said to him, Telemachus, 278 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,759 you are not happy in your guests. First, you have this importunate 279 00:20:57,799 --> 00:21:02,839 tramp who comes begging bread and wine, and has no skill for work or 280 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,160 for hard fighting, but is perfectly useless. And now here is another fellow 281 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,640 who is setting himself up as a prophet. Let me persuade you, for 282 00:21:11,839 --> 00:21:15,039 it will be much better to put them on board ship and send them off 283 00:21:15,039 --> 00:21:19,599 to the Sisles to sell for what they will bring. Telemachus gave him no 284 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:25,480 heed, but sat silently watching his father, expecting every moment that he would 285 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:30,839 begin his attack upon the suitors. Meanwhile, the daughter of Acarious Wise, 286 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,599 Penelope, had had a rich seat placed for her, facing the court and 287 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:38,160 the cloisters, so that she could hear what everyone was saying. The dinner 288 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:42,799 indeed had been prepared amid much merriment. It had been both good and abundant, 289 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,920 for they had sacrificed many victims. But the supper was yet to come. 290 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:52,559 And nothing can be conceived more gruesome than the meal which a goddess and 291 00:21:52,599 --> 00:21:56,359 a brave man were soon to lay before them, For they had brought their 292 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:02,720 doom upon themselves. End of Book twenty