Speaker 1: The twenty second Book of the Odyssees of Homer. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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LibriVox dot org. Recording by Phil Schamp. The twenty second
Book of the Odyssees of Homer, translated by George Chapman.
The argument the woors in Minerva's sight slain by Ulysses,
all the light and lustful housewives, by his son and servants,
are to slaughter done. Another argument Kai, the end of
pride and lawless lust is wretched, tried with slaughters just
the upper rags that wise Ulysses war cast off. He
rusheth to the Great hall door with bow and quiver
full of shafts, which down he poured before his feet,
and thus made known his true state to the wars.
This strife thus hath harmless, been decided. Now for us
there rests another mark, more hard to hit, and such
as never man before has smit whose full point likewise
my hands shall say and try, if Phoebus will give
me this day, he said, and off his bitter arrow
thrust right at Antinous and struck him just as he
was lifting up the ball to show that TwixT the
cup and lip much ill may grow. Death touched not
at his thoughts at feast, for who would think that
he alone could perish so amongst so many. And he
best of all the arrow in his throat took full
his fall and thrust his head far through the other side. Down,
fell his cup, down, he down, All his pride straight
from his nostrils gushed the human gore, and as he
fell his feet far overbore the feastful table. All the
roast and bread about the house strewed. When his high
born head the rest beheld so low up rushed they all,
and ransacked every corner of the hall for shields and darts,
but all fled their far reach. Then fell they fowl
on him with terrible speech, and told him it should
prove the dearest chef that ever passed him, and that
now was saft no shift for him, but sure and
sudden death, for he had slain a man whose like
did breathe in no part of the kingdom, and that
now he should no more, for game strive with his bow,
but vultures eat him. There these threats they spent, Yet
every man believed that stern event chanced against the author's will.
O fools to think that all their rest had any
cup to drink. But what their great antennamus began, He frowning, said,
dogs see in me the man ye all held dead
at Troy my house. It is that thus ye spoil,
And thus your luxuries file with my women's rapes, in
which ye woo the wife of war one that lives.
And no thoughts show of man's fit, fear or God's,
your present fame, or any fair sense of your future name,
and therefore present an eternal death shall end your base life.
This made fresh fears breathe their former boldness. Every man
had eye on all the means, and studied ways to
fly so deep deaths imminent, But seeing none, Eurymicus began
with suppliant moan to move his pity, saying, if you
be this isle's ulysses, we must all agree and grant
of your reproof's integrity. The Greeks have done you many
a wrong at home that field as many, But of
all the sum lies here contract in death, for only
he imposed the whole ill offices that we are now
made guilty of, and not so much sought his endeavors,
or in thought did touch at any nuptials, but a
greater thing employed his forces, For to be our king
was his chief object, his sole plot. It was to
kill your son, which Jove's hand would not pass, but
set it to his own most merited end, in which
end your just anger, Nor extend your stern wreak further,
spend your royal powers in mild gruth of your people.
We are yours, And whatsoever waste of wine or food
our liberties have made, will make all good and restitutions.
Call it court, and pass a fine of twenty oxen
golden brass on every head, and raise your most rate
still till you are pleased with your confessed fill, which
if we fail to tender all your wrath, it shall
be justice in our bloods to bathe. Eurymicus said he,
if you would give all that your father's hoard to
make ye live, and all that ever you yourself possess,
or shall by any industry increase, I would not cease
from slaughter till your bloods had brought out your intemperance
in my goods. It rests out for you that you
either fight that will escape death or make your way
by flight, in whose best choice my thoughts conceive, not
one shall shun the death your first hath undergone. This
quite dissolved their needs, eurymicus, enforcing all their fears. Yet counseled, Thus,
O friends this man. Now he hath got the bow
and quiver by him, ever, will bestow his most inaccessible
hands at us, and never leave if we avoid him,
Thus till he hath strewn the pavement with us all,
And therefore join we swords and on him fall with
tables forced up and borne in opposed against his sharp shafts.
When being round and closed by all our onsets, we
shall either take his horrid person, or for safety make
his rage retire from out the hall and gates. And
then if he escape, we'll make our states known to
the city by our general cry. And thus this man
shall let his life half shaft fly that ever his
hand vaunted. Thus he drew his sharp edged sword, and
with a table flew in on Ulysses with a terrible throat,
his fierce charge urging. But Ulysses smote the board and
cleft it through from end to end, borne at his breast,
and made his shaft extend his sharp head to his liver,
his broad breast pierced at his nipple, when his hand
released forthwith his sword, that fell and kissed the ground,
with cups and vittals lying scattered round about the pavement,
amongst which's brow knocked the embruid earth. While in pains
did flow his vital spirits till his heels, shook out
his feastful life, and hurled a throne about that way,
laid death's convulsions in his feet, when from his tender
eyes the light did fleet. Then charged Enfinamus with his
drawn blade, the glorious king in purpose to have made
his feet forsake the house, But his assay the prince prevented,
and his lance gave way quite through his shoulder, at
his back, his breast the fierce pile, letting forth his
ruin pressed groans from the pavement, which his forehead struck.
Telemachus his long lance then forsook left in anfinamous, and
to his sire made fiery pass, not staying to acquire
his lance again, in doubt that while he drew the
fixed pile, some other might renew fierce charge upon him
and his unharmed head cleave with his back drawn sword,
for which he fled close to. His father bade him arm,
and he would bring him shield and javelins instantly his
own head, arming more arms laying by to serve the
swineherd and the ox herd. Valor well armed is ever
most preferred. Run, then said he, and come before the
last of these auxiliary shafts are past, for fear lest
left alone, they forced my stand. From forth he flew
and brought the hand eight darts, four shields, four helms,
his own parts. Then first put in arms, he furnished
both his men that to their king stood close. But he,
as long as he had shafts to friend, enough was
strong for all the wars, and some one man still
he made make even with the earth, till all a
hill had raised in the even floored hall, his last
shaft spent. He set his bow against the beam and
went to arm at all parts, while the other three
kept off the wars, who, unarmed could be no great assailants.
In the well built wall, a window was thrust out
at end of all the houses entry, on whose utter
side there lay away to town, and in it wide
and two leaved folds were forged that gave fit mien
for flyers out, and therefore at it. Then Ulysses placed
Eumius in close guard. One only pass op to it,
which prepared in this sort by Ulysses, gainst all pass
by Agelaus's tardy memory was in question, called, who bade
some one ascend at such a window and bring straight
to friend the city with his clamor that this man
might quickly shoot his last This no one can make
safe access to, said Melanthius, for tis too near the
hall's fair doors. Whence thus the man Afflixie. For from
thence there lies but one straight passage to it that
denies access to all. If any one man stand, being
one of courage, and will countermand our offer to it.
But I know a way to bring you arms from
where the king doth lay his whole munition. And believe
there is no other place to all the armories, both
of himself and son. This said a pair of lofty stairs.
He climbed, and to the affair twelve shields, twelve lances,
brought as men many casks with horse hair plumes, and
set to bitter tasks. Both son and sire then shrunk.
Ulysses knees and his loved heart. When thus in arms
he seized so many wars and their shaken darts. For
then the work showed as it dackts more parts to
safe performance. And he told his son that or Melanthius
or his maids had done a deed that foul war
to their hands conferred o father replied, he tis I
have aired in this caused labor ay and none but
I that left the door ope of your armory. But
some it seems hath set a sharper eye on that
important place. Eumaeus haste and shut the door, observing who
hath passed to this false action, And he made or
one that I suspect more, which is Dolius's son. While
these spake, thus Melanthius went again for more fair arms.
When the renowned swain Eumeius saw and told Ulysses straight
it was the hateful man that his conceit before suspected
who had done that ill, And being again there, asked
if he should kill if his powers served, or he
should bring the swain to him to inflict on him
a several pain for every forfeit he had made his house.
He answered, I and my Telemachus will here contain these
proud ones in despite how muchsoever these stolen arms excite
their guilty courages. While you two take possession of the
chamber the doors make sure at your back, and then,
surprising him his feet and hands bind, wrapping every limb
in pliant chains, and with a halter cast above the
windbeam at himself, made fast aloft the column, draw him
where alive he long may hang, and pains enough deprive
his vexed life before his death succeed. This charge soon heard,
as soon they put to deed stolen his stealth, and
at the further end of all the chambers saw him
busily bend his hands to more arms. When they still
at door, watched his return. At last he came and
bore in one hand a fair helm. In the other
held a broad and ancient, rusty rested shield that old
Laertes in his youth had worn, of which the cheek
bands had with agemen torn. They rushed upon him, caught
him by the hair, and dragged him in again, whom
crying out, they cast upon the pavement, wrapped about with
sure and pinching cords both foot and hand, and then,
in full act of their king's command, a pliant chain
bestowed on him, and hauled his body up the column
till he scaled the highest windbeam, where made firmly fast,
eumieus on this just infliction, passed this pleasurable cavel. Now
you may all night keep watch here, and the earliest
day discern being hung so high, to rouse from rest
your dairy cattle to the wooer's feast. There as befits
a man of means, so fair soft may you sleep
not under you but air, and so long hang you.
Thus they left him there, made fast the door, and
with Ulysses, were all armed in the instant. Then they
all stood close their minds, fire breathed in flames against
their foes, for in the entry, fighting all alone, when
from the hall charged many a mighty one. But to them,
then jove seed Minerva came, resembling Mentor, both in voice
and frame of manly person, passing well. A paid Ulysses
was and said, now Mentor aid against these odd mischiefs.
Call to memory, now my often good to thee, and
that we two of one year's life, are Thus he said,
but thought it was Minerva that had ever brought to
her side safety. On the other part the wooers threatened,
but the chief in heart was Agelaius, who to mentor
space mentor let no words of Ulysses make thy hand
a fighter on his feeble side against all us oars.
For we firm abide in this persuasion that when sire
and son our swords have slain, thy life is sure
to run one fortune with them. What strange acte hast
thou conceit to form here? Thy head must bestow the
wreek of theirs on us, And when thy powers are
taken down by these fierce steals of ours, all thy
possessions indoors and without must raise on heap with this
and all thy rout of sons and daughters in thy
turret's bleed wreak offerings to us and our towns stand
freed of all charge. With thy wife. Minerva's heart was
fired with these braves the approved dessert of her Ulysses,
chiding saying no more thy force nor fortitude, as heretofore
will gain thee glory. When nine years at Troy White wristed,
Helen's rescue did employ thy arms in wisdom still and
ever used the bloods of thousands through the field diffused
by thy vast valor, Priam's broad weighed town, by thy
grave parts, was sacked and overthrown, And now amongst thy
people and thy goods against the wooer's base and petulant bloods.
Stintst thou thy valor, rather mourning, hear thy manly fighting.
Come friend, stand we near, and note my labor that
thou mayest discern amongst thy foes, how Mentor's nerves will
earn all thy old bounties. This she spake, but stayed
her hand from giving each way, often swayed uncertain conquest
to his certain use, but still would try what self
powers would produce, both in the father and the glorious sun.
Then on the windbeam that along did ron the smoky
roof transformed minervous, sat like to a swallow, sometimes cuffing
at the swords and lances. Rushing from her seat and
up and down the troubled house, did beat her wing
at every motion. And as she had roused ulysses, so
the enemy, the master's son excited Polybus and Finnamus, and Demoptolemus,
Uryymus and Polyctorides, For these were men that of the
wooing priests, were most egregious, and the clearly best in
strength of hand of all the desperate rest that yet survived,
and now fought for their souls, which straight swift arrows
sent among the fowls. But first the master's son had
more spare breath to spend on their excitements. Ere his death,
and said that now Ulysses would forbear his dismal hand,
since Mentor's spirit was there, and blew vein vaunts about
Ulysses ears, in whose trust he would cease his massacres,
rest him, and put his friend's huge boasts in proof.
And so was he beneath the entry's roof, left with
Telemachus and the other two, at whom said he discharge
no darts, but throw all at Ulysses, rousing his faint rest,
whom if we slaughter by our interest in Jove's assistance,
all the rest may yield our powers no care. When
he strews once the field, as he then willed, they
all at random through where they supposed. He rested, and
then flew Minerva after every dart, and made some strike
the threshold, some the walls invaghed, some beat the doors,
and all acts rendered vain their grave steel offered, which
escaped again came on Ulysses, saying, oh, that we the
wooer's troop, with our joint archery, might so assail that
where their spirits dream on our deaths, first, we first
may slaughter them. Thus the much sufferer said, and all
let fly. When every man struck dead his enemy, Ulysses
slaughtered dem up Ptolemus Urioties by young Telemachus. His death encountered,
good Eumaeus slewed els, and Pheletius overthrew Pysander, all which
tore the paved floor up with their teeth. The rest
retired before their second charge to inner rooms, and then
Ulysses followed from the slaughtered men, their darts, first drawing
while which work was done, the wooers threw with huge
contention to kill them all, when with her swallowing Minerva
cuffed and made their javelins ring against the doors and
thresholds as before. Some yet did graze upon their marks.
One tore the prince's wrist, which was anthemidon the extreme
part of the skin, but touched upon Catesipus over good
Eumias's shield, his shoulders top did taint, which yet did
yield the lance free pass and gave his hurt the
ground again. Then charged the woers and girt round Ulysses
with their lances, who turned head and with his javelin
struck Eurydamus dead. Telemachus dislived, and Femidon Eumius Polybus Philetius
won Catessipus's bosom with his dart, and said, in quintance
of the jester's part, he played the neat's foot, hurling
at Ulysses. Now, great son of Polytharses, you that vow
your wit to bitter taunts, and love to wound the
heart of any with a jest, So crown'd your wit
be with a laughter, never yielding to fools in folly,
but your glory building on putting down in fooling, spitting
forth puffed words of all sorts, ceased to scoff at worth,
and leave revenge of vile words to the gods, since
their wits bear the sharper edge by odds. And in
meantime take the dart I drave for that right hospitable
foot you gave divine Ulysses begging but his own. Thus
spake the black ox herdsman, and straight down Ulysses struck
another with his dart. The master's son Telemachus, did part
just in the midst the belly of the fair. Ivnor's
son is fear pile, taking air out at his back
flat fell he on his face, his whole brows knocking,
and did mark the place, and now manslaughtering Palace took
in hand her snake fringed shield, and on that beam
took stand in her true form where swallowlike she sat,
And then in this way of the house, and that
the wooers, wounded at heart with fear fled the encounter,
as in pastures where fat herds of oxen feed about
the field, as if wild madness. There instincts impelled the
high fed bullocks fly, whom in the spring, when days
are long, gad bees or breezes. Sting Ulysses and his
son the flyers chased, as when with crooked beaks and sears,
a cast of hill bred eagles cast off at some
game that yet their strength keep but put up in flame.
The eagle stoops, from which along the field the poor
fowls make wing this and that way, yield their hard
flown pinions. Then the clouds assay for scape or shelter.
Their forlorn, dismay, all spirit, exhaling all wings strength to
carry their bodies forth and trust up to the quarry.
Their falconers ride in and rejoice to see their hawks
befom a flight so fervently so in their flight Ulysses,
with his air did stoop and cuff the wooers that
the air broke in vast size, whose heads they shot
and cleft, the pavement boiling with the souls they reft. Liodes,
running to Ulysses, took his knees, and thus did on
his name invoke Ulysses. Let me pray to thee my
place afford the reverence and to me the grace that
never did or said to any dame thy court contained
or deed or word to blame. But others so affected
I have made, I laid down their insolence. And if
the trade they kept with wickedness have made them still
despise my speech and use their wonted ill they have
their penance by the stroke of death, which their desert
divinely warranteth. But I am a priest amongst them, and
shall I that nott hath done worth death amongst them
die from thee. This proverb then will men derive good turns,
do never their mere deeds survive. He, bending his displeased foreheads, said,
if you be priest among them, as you plead, yet
you would marry and with my wife too, and have
dissent by her for all that wou wish to obtain,
which they should never do. Dame's husband's living. You must
therefore pray of force and oft in court here, that
the day of my return for him might never shine.
The death to me wished therefore shall be thine. This said,
He took a sword up that was cast from Agelaius,
having struck his last, and on the priest's midnight, he
laid a stroke that struck his head off, tumbling as
he spoke. Then did the poet Phemius, whose surname was
called Terpiades, who thither came forced by the wooers fly death.
But being near the court's great gate, he stood and
parted there into his consuls, either to remove and take
the altar of Hersian Jove, made sacred to him, with
a world of art engraved about it, where were won
to umpart lay aertes and ulysses, many a thigh of
broad browed oxen to the deity, or venture to Ulysses,
clasp his knee and pray his ruth. The last was
the decree. His choice resolved on TwixT the royal throne
and that fair table that the bull stood on with
which they sacrificed his harp. He laid along the earth
the king's knees hugged and said, Ulysses, let my prayers
obtain of thee my sacred skills, respect and ruth to me.
It will hereafter grieve THEE to have slain a poet
that doth sing to gods and men, I, of myself
am taught for God alone. All sorts of song hath
in my bosom sown, and I, as to a God,
will sing to THEE. Then do not thou deal like
the priest with me thine own love, son, Telemachus will
say that not to beg here, nor with willing way
was my access to thy high court, addressed to give
the wooers my song after feast. But being many and
so much more strong, they forced me hither and compelled
my song. This did the prince's sacred virtue here and
to the king his father said, forbear to mix the
guiltless with the guilties blood, and with him likewise that
our mercy save met on the herald that did still
behave himself with care of my good from a child,
if by Eumaeus, yet he be not killed or by Feletius,
nor your fury met while all this blood about the
houses sweat met unheard as lying hid beneath a throne,
set near half dead, with fear of death, a new
flayed ox hide as but there thrown by his serious
shroud maid. He lying there to fly, But hearing this,
he quickly left the throne. His ox hide cast as
quickly and is soon The prince's knees seized, saying, O,
my love, I am not slain, but hear alive and move.
Abstain yourself, and do not see your sire quench with
my cold blood the unmeasured fire that flames in his strength,
making spoil of me his wrath's right for the wooer's injury.
Ulysses smiled and said, be confident this man hath saved
and made thee different. To let THEE know and say
and others see good life is much more safe than villainy.
Go then sit free without from death within this much
renowned singer. From the sin of these men, likewise quit
both rest you there, while I my house purge as
it fits me here this said, They went and took
their seat without at Jove's high altar, looking round about,
expecting still their slaughter. When the king searched round the
hall to try life's hidden wing made from more death,
but all laid prostrate there in blood and gore, he
saw whole shoals they were, and lay as thick as
in a hollow creek without the white sea. When the
fishers break their many meshed draft net up there live
fish frisking on the sands, and feigned the dry wood
for the wet change. But the all seeing beam the
sun exhils hath sucked their lives from them, So one
by others sprawled the wooers there. Ulysses and his son
then bid appear the nurse Eurycleia, to let her hear
his mind in something fit for her affair. He opened
the door and called, and said, repaired grave matron, long
since born, that artars spy to all this house's servile housewifery.
My father calls thee to impart some thought that asks
thy action his word found in not her slack observance,
who straight OpEd the door and entered to him, when
himself before had left the hall. But there the king
she viewed amongst the slain, with blood and gore and brood,
and as a lion skulking all in night, far off
in pastures, and come home, all dight in jaws and
breast locks, with an ox's blood new feasted on him,
his looks full of mood, so looked Ulysses, all his
hands and feet freckled with purple. When which sight did
greet the poor old woman such works, being for eyes
of no soft temper, out she break in cries, whose vent,
though truly opened, he yet closed, called her more near.
And thus her plaints composed forbear nor shriek. Thus but
vent joys as loud. It is no piety to bemoan
the proud, though ends befall them moving neer so much.
These are the portions of the gods to such men's
own impieties, in their instant acts sustain their plagues, which
are with stay but racked. But these men, gods nor men,
had in esteem, nor good nor bad, had any sense
in them. Their lives directly ill were therefore cause that
death in these stern form so deeply draws. Recount then
to me those licentious dames that lost my honor and
their sex's shames. I'll tell you truly, she replied, There
are twice five and twenty women here that share all
work amongst them, whom I taught to spind and bear
the just bands that they suffered in. Of all which
only there were twelve that gave themselves to impudence, and
late behave nor me respecting nor herself the queen, And
for your son he hath but lately been of years
to rule, Nor would his mother bear his empire where
women's labors were. But let me go and give her
notice now of your arrival. Sure some god doth show
his hand upon her in this rest. She takes that
all these uproars bears, and never wakes, nor waker. Yet,
said he, but cause to come those twelve light women
to this utter room, She made all utmost haste to
come and go and bring the women he had summoned.
So then both his swains and son he bade go
call the women to their aid, and clear the hall
of those dead bodies, cleanse each board, and thrown with
wetted sponges, which, with fitness done, he bade take all
the strumpets TwixT the wall of his first court and
that room next the hall, in which the vessels of
the house were scoured, and in their bosoms sheathed their
every sword till all their souls were fled. And they
then felt twas but pain to sport with lawless men.
This said the women came, all drowned in moan and
weeping bitterly. But first was done the bearing, thence the dead,
all which beneath the portico they stow'd, where death on
death they heaped together. Then took all the pains ulysses
will'd his sons yet and the swains with pearing shovels
wrought the women bore their pearings forth, and all the
clotter'd gore the house. Then cleans they brought the women
out and put them in a room so walled about
that no means serve their sad estates to fly. Then
said Telemachus, these shall not die a death that lets
out any wanton blood and vince the poison that gave
luster food the body cleansing. But a death that chokes
the breath and altogether that provokes and seams as bellows
to abhorred lust, that both on my head poured the
prave's unjust and on my mother's scandaling the court with
men debauch in so abhorred a sort, this said a
halser of a ship. They cast about a cross beam
of the roof, which fo they made about their necks
in twelve parts, cut and hailed them up so high
they could not put their feet to any stay, as
which was done. Look how a mavus or a pigeon
in any grove cot with a springe or net, with
struggling pinions against the ground, doth beat her tender body,
And that then straight bed is sour to that swing
in which she was bred. So strive these taken birds
till everyone her pliant halter had enforced upon her stubborn neck,
and then aloft was hauled to wretched death. A little
space they sprawled their feet, fast moving, but were quickly still.
Then fetched they down Melanthius to fulfill the equal execution
which was done in portal of the hall, And thus
begun they first slt both his nostrils, cropped each ear,
his members tugged off, which the dogs did tear and
chopped up bleeding sweet and while red hot the vice
abhorring blood was off, smote his hands and feet, and
there that work had ended. Then wash they hands and
feet that blood had stained, and took the house again.
And then the king Euryclea, calling, bade her quickly bring
all ill, expelling brimstone and some fire, that, with perfumes
cast he might make and tire the house's first integrity
in all. And then his timely will was she should
call her queen and ladies, still yet charging her that
all the handmaids she should first confer. She said, he
spake as fitted, but before she held it fit to
change the weeds he wore, and she would others bring
him that not so his fair broad shoulders might rest
clad and show his person to his servants. Was to blame. First,
bring me fire, said he. She went and came with
fire and sulfur strait, with which the hall and of
the huge house all rooms capital he truly sweetened. Then
went nurse to call the handmaid servants. Down and up
she went to tell the news, and willed them to
present their service to their sovereign. Down they came sustaining
torches all, and poured a flame of love about their
lord with welcomes home, with huggings of his hands, with
laborsome both heads and foreheads, kisses and embraces, and plied
him so with all their loving graces that tears and
sighs took up his whole desire, for now he knew
their hearts to him entire end of the twenty second
book