Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Kurt Wong. The Odyssey
by Homer, translated by Samuel Butler, Book fifteen. But Minerva
went to the fair city of Lacedaemon to tell Ulysses's
son that he was to return at once. She found
him in Pisistitus, sleeping in the forecourt of Menelaeus's house.
Pisistitus was fast asleep, but Telemachus could get no rest
all night for thinking of his unhappy father. So Minerva
went close up to him and said, Telemachus, you should
not remain so far away from home any longer, nor
leave your property with such dangerous people in your house.
They will eat up everything you have among them, and
you will have been on a fool Errand ask Menelaeus
to send you home at once, if you wish to
find your excellent mother still there. When you get back,
her father and brothers are already urging her to marry Euymicus,
who has given more than any of the others, and
has been greatly increasing his wedding presents. I hope nothing
valuable may have been taken from the house in spite
of you. But you know what women are. They always
want to do the best they can for the man
who marries them, and never give another thought to the
children of their first husband, nor to their father, either
when he is dead and done with. Go home, therefore,
and put everything in charge of the most respectable woman
servant that you have, until it shall please Heaven to
send you a wife of your own. Let me tell
you also of another matter which you had better attend to.
The chief men among the suitors are lying in wait
for you in the strait between Ithaca and Samos, and
they mean to kill you before you can reach home.
I do not much think they will succeed. It is
more likely that some of those who are now eating
up your property will find a grave themselves. Sail night
and day, and keep your ship well away from the islands.
The god who watches over you and protects you, will
send you a fair wind as soon as you get
to Ithaca. Send your ship and men on to the town.
But yourself goes straight to the swineherd who has charged
your pigs. He's well disposed towards you stay with him
therefore for the night, and then send him to Penelope
to tell her that you have got back safe from Pelus.
Then she went back to Olympus. But Telemachus stirred Persisitus
with his heel to rouse him, and said, wake up, Pisistitus,
and yoke the horses to the chariot, for we must
set off home. But Pasistitus said, no matter what hurry
we are in, we cannot drive in the dark. It
will be morning soon. Wait till Menelaus has brought his presence,
and put them in the chariot for us, and let
him say goodbye to us in the usual way. So
long as he lives, I guess should never forget a
host who has shown him kindness. As he spoke, day
began to break, and Menelaus, who had already risen, leaving
Helen in bed, came towards them. When Telemachus saw him,
he put on his shirt as fast as he could,
threw a great cloak over his shoulders, and went out
to meet him. Menilaeus said, he let me go back
now to my own country, for I want to get home.
And Menelaeus answered Telemachus, if you insist on going, I
will not detain you. I do not like to see
a host either too fond of his guest or too
rude to him. Moderation is best in all things, and
not letting a man go when he wants to do
so is as bad as telling him to go if
he would like to stay. One should treat a guest
well as long as he is in the house, and
speed him when he wants to leave it. Wait then
till I can get your beautiful presents into your chariot,
and till you have yourself seen them, I will tell
the woman to prepare a sufficient dinner for you. Of
what their be in the house, it will be at
once more proper and cheaper for you to get your
dinner before setting out in such a long journey. If
moreover you have a fancy for making a tour of
Hellas or in the Peloponnese, I will yoke my horses
and will conduct you myself through all our principal cities.
No one will send us away empty handed. Everyone will
give us something a bronze tripod, a couple of mules,
or a gold cup. Menilaeus replied Telemachus, I want to
go home at once for when I came away, I
left my property without protection, and fear that while looking
for my father, I shall come to ruin myself or
find that something valuable has been stolen during my absence.
When Menelaeus heard this, he immediately told his wife and
servants to prepare a sufficient dinner from what there might
be in the house. At this moment, Etionius joined him,
for he lived close by and had just got up,
So Menelaeus told him to light the fire and cook
some meat, which he at once did. Then Menelaeus went
down into his fragrance storeroom, not alone, but Helen went
too with Megapenthes. When he reached a place where the
treasures of his house were kept, he selected a double
cup and told his son Megapenthes to bring also a
silver mixing bowl. Meanwhile, Helen went to the chest where
she kept the lovely dresses which she had made with
her own hands, and took out one that was the
largest and most beautifully enriched with embroidery. It glittered like
a star and lay at the very bottom of the chest.
Then they all came back through the house again until
they got to Telemachus and Meneleeus said Telemachus, may Jove,
the mighty husband of Juno, bring you safely home according
to your desire. I will now present you with the
finest and most precious piece of plate in all my house.
It is a mixing bowl of pure silver, except the rim,
which is inlaid with gold. And it is the work
of Vulcan. Fadimus, king of the Sidonians, made me a
present of it in the course of a visit that
I paid him while I was on my return home.
I should like to give it to you. With these words,
he placed the double cup in the hands of Telemachus,
while Megapenthes brought the beautiful mixing bowl and set it
before him. Hard By stood lovely Helen, with the robe
ready in her hand. I too, my son, said, she
have something for you as a keepsake from the hand
of Helen. It is for your bride to wear upon
her wedding day. Till then get your dear mother to
keep it for you. Thus may you go back rejoicing
to your own country and to your home. So saying,
she gave the robe over to him, and he received
it gladly. Then Pisistitus put the presents into the chariot
and admired them all as he did so. Presently, Menelaeus
took Telemachus and Pisisitus into the house, and they both
of them sat down to table. A maid servant brought
them water in a beautiful gold an ewer and poured
it into a silver basin for them to wash their hands,
and she drew a clean table beside them. An upper
servant brought them bread and offered them many good things
of what there was in the house. Etionius carved the
meat and gave them each their portions, while Megapenthes poured
out the wine. Then they laid their hands upon the
good things that were before them. But as soon as
they had had enough to eat and drink, Telemachus and
Pisisitus yoked the horses and took their places in the chariot.
They drove out through the inner gateway and under the
echoing gatehouse of the outer court. Amenilaeus came after them
with a golden goblet of wine in his right hand,
that they might make a drink offering. Before they set out,
he stood in front of the horses and pledged them,
saying farewell to both of you. See that you tell
nestor how I have treated you, for he was kind
to me as any father could be while we Akeenes
were fighting before Troy. We will be sure, sir, answered Telemachus,
to tell him everything as soon as we see him.
I wish I were as certain of finding Ulysses returned
when I get back to Ithaca, that I might tell
him of the very great kindness you have shown me,
and of the many beautiful presents I am taking with me.
As he was thus speaking, a bird flew on his
right hand, an eagle with a great white goose in
its talons, which it had carried off from the farm yard,
and all the men and women were running after it
and shouting. It came quite close up to them and
flew away on their right hands, in front of the horses.
When they saw it, they were glad, and their hearts
took comfort within them. Whereon Pasisitus said, tell me, Menelaus,
has Heaven sent this omen for us or for you?
Menilaeus was thinking what would be the most proper answer
for him to make, but Helen was too quick for him,
and said, I will read this matter as Heaven has
put it in my heart, and as I doubt not
that it will come to pass. The eagle came from
the mountain where it was bred and has its nest,
And in like manner, Ulysses, having traveled far and suffered much,
will return to take his revenge, if indeed he is
not back already and hatching mischief for the suitors. May
jove so grant, it replied Telemachus. If it should prove
to be so, I will make vows to you as
though you were a god, even when I am at home.
As he spoke, he lashed his horses, and they started
off at full speed through the town towards the open country.
They swayed the yoke upon their necks and traveled the
whole day long, till the sun set and darkness was
over all the land. Then they reached Fury, where Diocles lived,
who was son of Artilochus, the son of Alpheus. There
they passed the night and were treated hospitably. When the
child of morning, rosy fingered dawn appeared, they again yoked
their horses and their places in their chariot. They drove
out through the inner gateway and under the echoing gatehouse
of the outer court. Then Pisistitus lashed his horses on,
and they flew towards nothing loathe. Ere long they came
to Pilos, and then Telemachus said, Pisistitus, I hope you
will promise to do what I am going to ask you.
You know, our fathers were old friends before us. Moreover,
we are both of an age, and this journey has
brought us together still more closely. Do not, therefore take
me past my ship, but leave me there, for if
I go to your father's house, he will try to
keep me in the warmth of his good will towards me,
and I must go home at once. Pisisitus thought how
he should do what he was asked, and in the
end he deemed it best to turn his horses towards
the ship and put Menelaus's beautiful presence of gold and
raiment in the stern of the vessel. Then he said,
go on board at once, and tell your men to
do so also before I can reach home to tell
my father. I know how obstinate he is, and am
sure he will not let you go. He will come
down here to fetch you, and he will not go
back without you, but he will be very angry with this.
He drove his goodly steeds back to the city of
the Pylians, and soon reached his home. But Telemachus called
the men together and gave his orders. Now, my men,
said he get everything in order on board the ship,
and let us set out home. Thus did he speak,
and they went on board even as he had said.
But as Telemachus was thus busied praying also and sacrificing
to Minerva in the ship's stern, there came to him
a man from a distant country, a seer, who was
flying from Argos because he had killed a man. He
was descended from Malampus, who used to live in Pilos,
the land of sheep. He was rich and owned a
great house, but he was driven into exile by the
great and powerful King Nelius. Nelius seized his goods and
held them for a whole year, during which he was
a close prisoner in the house of King Philicus, and
in much distress of mind, both on account of the
daughter of Nelius and because he was haunted by a
great sorrow that dread Irinis had laid upon him. In
the end, however, he escaped with his life, drove the
cattle from Phyllis to Pelus, avenged the wrong that had
been done to him, and gave the daughter of Nelius
to his brother. Then he left the country and went
to Argus, where it was ordained that he should reign
over much people. There he married, established himself, and had
two famous sons, Antipides and Mantius. Antipides became father of
Oeclius and Oeclius of Emphioreus, who was dearly loved by
both Jove and by Apollo. But he did not live
to an old age, for he was killed in Thebes
by reasons of a woman gifts. His sons were Alcmion
and Amphilicus. Mantius, the other son of Melampus, was father
to Polyphides and Cletus. Aurora, throned in gold, carried off
Clidus for his beauty's sake, that he might dwell among
the immortals. But apollomade Polyphides the greatest seer in the
whole world. Now that Amphioaus was dead, he quarreled with
his father and went to live in Hypoasia, where he
remained and prophesied for all men. His son, Theoclemenus, it
was who now came up to Telemachus as he was
making drink offerings and praying in his ship. Friend said he,
now that I find you sacrificing in this place, I
beseech you by your sacrifices themselves, and by the God
to whom you make them. I pray you also by
your own head and by those of your followers. Tell
me the truth, and nothing but the truth. Who and
whence are you? Tell me also of your town and
para parants. Telemachus said, I will answer you quite truly.
I am from Ithaca, and my father is Ulysses, as
surely as that he ever lived, but he has come
to some miserable end. Therefore, I have taken this ship
and got my crew together to see if I can
hear any news of him, for he has been away
a long time. I too, answered theoclemenus, am an exile,
for I have killed a man of my own race.
He has many brothers and kinsmen in Argus, and they
have great power among the archives. I am flying to
escape death at their hands, and am thus doomed to
be a wanderer on the face of the earth. I
am your suppliant. Take me therefore on board your ship,
that they may not kill me, for I know that
they are in pursuit. I will not refuse you, replied Telemachus.
If you wish to join us, come therefore, and in Ithaca,
we will tr eat you hospitably according to what we
have on this he received Theoclemenus's spear and laid it
down on the deck of the ship. He went on
board and sat in the stern, bidding Theoclemenus sit beside him.
Then the men let go the hawsers. Telemachus told them
to catch hold of the ropes, and they made all
haste to do so. They set the mast in its
socket in the cross plank, raised it and made it
fast for the forestays, and they hoisted their white sails
with sheets of twisted ox hide. Minerva sent them a
fair wind that blew fresh and strong, to take the
ship on her course as fast as possible. Thus, then
they passed by Croney and Chalcis. Presently the sunset and
darkness was over all the land. The vessel made a
quick passage to Fee and thence on to Elis, where
the Apians rule. Telemachus then headed her for the Flying Islands,
wondering within himself whether he should escape death or should
be taken prisoner. Meanwhile, Ulysses and the swineherd were eating
their supper in the hut, and the men supped with them.
As soon as they had had to eat and drink.
Ulysses began trying to prove the swineherd and to see
whether he would continue to treat him kindly, and to
ask him to stay on at the station or pack
him off to the city. So he said, Eumaeus and
all of you, tomorrow, I want to go away and
begin begging about the town, so as to be no
more trouble to you or to your men. Give me
your advice therefore, and let me have a good guide
to go with me and show me the way. I
will go the round of the city, begging as I
needs must to see if any one will give me
a drink and a piece of bread. I should like
also to go to the house of Ulysses and bring
news of her husband to Queen Penelope. I could then
go about among the suitors and see if, out of
all their abundance they will get give me a dinner.
I should soon make them an excellent servant in all
sort of ways. Listen and believe when I tell you
that by the blessing of Mercury, who gives grace and
good name to the works of all men. There is
no one living who would make a more handy servant
than I should. To put fresh wood on their fire,
chopped fuel, carve, cook, pour out wine, and do all
those services that poor men have to do for their betters.
The swineherd was very much disturbed when he heard this.
Heaven help me, he exclaimed, whatever can have put such
a notion as that into your head? If you go
near the suitors, you will be undone to a certainty,
for their pride and insolence reached the very heavens. They
would never think of taking a man like you for
a servant. Their servants are all young men, well dressed,
wearing good cloaks and shirts, with well looking faces, and
their hair always tidy. The tables are kept quite clean
and are loaded with bread, meat, and wine. Stay where
you are, then you are not in anybody's way. I
do not mind your being here, no more do any
of the others. And when Telemachus comes home, he will
give you a shirt and cloak, and will send you
wherever you want to go. Ulysses answered, I hope you
may be as dear to the gods as you are
to me, for having saved me from going about and
getting into trouble. There is nothing worse than being always
on the tramp. Still, when men have once got low
down in the world, they will go through a great
deal on behalf of their miserable bellies. Since, however, you
press me to stay here and wait the return of Telemachus.
Tell about Ulysses's mother and his father, whom he left
on the threshold of old age when he set out
for Troy. Are they still living or are they already dead?
And in the house of Hades, I will tell you
all about them, replied Eumaeus. Laertes is still living, and
praise Heaven to let him depart peacefully his own house,
for he is terribly distressed about the absence of his son,
and also about the death of his wife, which grieved
him greatly and aged him more than anything else did.
She came to an unhappy end through sorrow for her son.
Made no friend or neighbor who has dealt kindly by
me come to such an end as she did. As
long as she was living, though she was always grieving,
I used to like seeing her and asking her how
she did, For she brought me up along with her
daughter Sintimmony, the youngest of her children. We were boy
and girl together, and she made little difference between us. When, however,
we both grew up. They sent Sentimidy to Sammy and
received a splendid diary for her. As for me, my
mistress gave me a good shirt and cloak with a
pair of sandals from my feet, and sent me off
to the country. But she was just as fond as me.
As ever, this is all over now. Still it has
pleased Heaven to prosper my work in the situation which
I now hold. I have enough to eat and drink,
and can find something for any respectable stranger who comes here.
But there is no getting a kind word or deed
out of my mistress, for the house has fallen into
the hands of wicked people. Servants want sometimes to see
their mistress and have a talk with her. They like
to have something to eat and drink at the house,
and something too to take back with them into the country.
This is what will keep servants in a good humor.
Ulysses answered, then you must have been a very little fellow, Eumaeus,
when you were taken so far away from your home
and parents. Tell me, and tell me true, was the
city in which your father and mother lived sacked and pillaged?
Or did some enemies carry you off when you are
alone tending sheep or cattle, ship you off here and
sell you for whatever your master gave them? Stranger replied Eumaeus.
As regards your question, sit still, make yourself comfortable, drink
your wine, and listen to me. The knights are now
at their longest. There is plenty of time for both
sleeping and sitting up talking together. You ought not to
go to bed till bedtime. Too much sleep is as
bad as too little. If any one of the other's
wishes to go to bed, let him leave us and
do so. He can then take my master's pigs out
when he has done breakfast. In the morning, we too
will sit here, eating and drinking in the hut and
telling one another's stories about Arma's fortunes. For when a
man has suffered much and been buffeted about in the world,
he takes pleasure in recalling the memory of sorrows that
have long gone by. As regards your question, then my
tail is as follows. You may have heard of an
island called Syria, that lies over above Ortigia, where the
land begins to turn round and look in another direction.
It is not very thickly peopled, but the soil is good,
with much pasture fit for cattle and sheep, and it
abounds with wine and wheat. The earth never comes there,
nor are the people plagued by any sickness, but when
they grow old, Apollo comes with Diana and kills them
with his painless shafts. It contains two communities, and the
whole country is divided between these two. My father, Setysius,
son of Vermenius, a man comparable to the gods, reigned
over both. Now to this place there came some cunning
traitors from Phoenicia. For the Phoenicians are great mariners, and
a ship which they had freighted with gagas of all kinds.
There happened to be a Phoenician woman in my father's house,
very tall and comely and an excellent servant. These scoundrels
got hold of her one day when she was washing
near their ship, seduced her and cajolder in a way
that no woman can resist, no matter how good she
may be in nature. The man who seduced her asked
her who she was and where she came from, And
on this she told him her father's name. I come
from Siddon, she said, and am daughter to Erabis, a
man rolling in wealth. One day, as I was coming
into the town from the country, some Taphian pirates seized
me and took me here over the sea, where they
sold me to the man who owns this house, and
he gave them their price for me. The man who
had seduced her then said, would you like to come
along with us to see the house of your parents?
And your parents themselves they are both alive and are
said to be well off. I will do so, gladly,
answered she, if you men will first swear me a
solemn oath that you will do me no harm. By
the way, they all swore as she told them, And
when they had completed their oath, the woman said, hush,
and if any of your men meets me in the
streets are at the well, do not let him speak
to me, for fear some one should go and tell
my master, in which case he would suspect something, he
would put me in prison and would have all of
you murdered. Keep your counsel. Therefore, buy your merchandise as
fast you can, and send me word when you have
done loading. I will bring as much gold as I
can lay my hands on. And there something else also
that I can do towards paying my fare. I am
nursed the son of the good man of the house,
a funny little fellow, just able to run about. I
will carry him off in your ship, and you will
get a great deal of money for him if you
take him in Sloman foreign parts. On this she went
back to the house. The Phoenicians stayed a whole year
till they had loaded their ship with much precious merchandise,
and then when they had got freight enough, they sent
to tell the woman. Their messenger, a very cunning fellow,
came to my father's house bringing a necklace of gold
with amber beads strung among it. And while my mother
and the servants had it in their hands, admiring it
and bargaining about it, he made a sign quietly to
the woman, and then went back to the ship, whereon
she took me by the hand and led me out
of the house. In the fore part of the house,
she saw the tables set with the cups of guests
who had been feasting with my father as being in
attendance on him. These were now all gone to a
meeting of the public assembly. So she snatched out three
cups and carried them off in the bosom of her dress,
while I followed her, for I knew no better. The
sun was now set and darkness was over all the land.
So we hurried on as fast as we could, till
we reached the harbor where the Phoenician's ship was lying.
When they had got on board, they sailed their ways
over the sea, taking us with them, and Jove sent
them a fair wind. Six days did we sail, both
night and day. But on the seventh day Diana struck
the woman, and she fell heavily down on to the
ship's hold, as though she were a seagull alighting on
the water. So they threw her overboard to the seals
and fishes, and I was left all sorrowful and alone. Presently,
the winds and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where
Laites gave sundry of his chattels for me. And thus
it was that I ever came to set eyes upon
this country. Ulysses answered Umaeus, I have heard the story
of your misfortunes with the most lively interest and pity.
But Jove has given you good as well as evil,
for in spite of everything, you have a good master
who sees that you always have enough to eat and drink,
and you lead a good life, whereas I am still
going about begging my way from city to city. Thus
did they converse, and they had only a very little
time left for sleep, for soon it was daybreak. In
the meantime, Telemachus and his crew were nearing land, so
they loosed the sails, took down the mast, and rowed
the ship into the harbor. They cast out their mooring
stones and made fast for the hawsers. They then got
out upon the sea shore, mixed their wine, and got
dinner ready. As soon as they had had enough to
eat and drink, Telemachus said, take the ship on to
the town, but leave me here, for I want to
look after the herdsman in one of my farms. In
the evening, when I have seen all I want, I
will come down to the city, and tomorrow morning, in
return for your trouble, I will give you all a
good dinner with meat and wine. Then Theoclemenus said, and
what my dear young friend is to become of me?
To whose house among all your chief men am I
to repair? Or shall I go straight to your house
and to your mother at any other time? Replied Telemachus,
I should have bidden you to go to my own house,
for you would find no want of hospitality. At the
present moment, however, you would not be comfortable there, for
I shall be away, and my mother will not see you.
She does not often show herself even to the suitors,
but sits at our loom, weaving in an upper chamber,
out of their way. But I can tell you a
man whose house you can go to. I mean Eurymicus,
the son of Polybus, who is held in the highest
estimation by every one in Ithaca. He is much the
best man and the most persistent wooer of all those
who are paying court to my mother and trying to
take Ulysses place. Jove, however, in Heaven alone knows whether
or no they will come to a bad end before
the marriage takes place. As he was speaking, a bird
flew by upon his right hand, a hawk, Apollo's messenger.
It held a dove in its talons, and the feathers
as it tore them off, fell to the ground midway
between Telemachus and the ship. On this Theoclemius called him
apart and caught him by the hand. Telemachus said, he
that bird did not fly in your right hand without
having been sent here by some god. As soon as
I saw it, I knew it was an omen. It
means that you will remain powerful, and there will be
no house in Ithaca more royal than your own. I
wish it may prove so, answered Telemachus. If it does,
I will show you so much good will and give
you so many presents that all who meet you will
congratulate you. Then he said to his friend Pirieus Perius,
son of Clytius, you havesh throughout shown yourself the most
willing to serve me of all those who have accompanied
me to Pelos. I wish you would take this stranger
to your own house and entertain him hospitably till I
can come for him. And Pirius answered Telemachus, you may
stay away as long as you please, but I will
look after him for you, and he shall find no
lack of hospitality. As he spoke, he went on board
and bade the others do so also, and loose the hawsers.
So they took their places in the ship. But Telemachus
bound on his sandals and took a long and doughty
spear with a head of sharpened bronze from the deck
of the ship. Then they loosed the hawsers, thrust the
ship off from land, and made on towards the city,
as they had been told to do, while Telemachus strode
on as fast as he could, till he reached the
homestead where his countless herds of swine were feeding, and
where dwelt the excellent swineherd who was so devoted a
servant to his master. End of Book fifteen, Recorded by
Kurt Wong, December twentieth y nine, two thousand and six,
New York,