WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:05.599 Book twenty two of the Odyssey by Homer, translated by 2 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:10.039 Samuel Butler. This LibriVox according is in the public domain. 3 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:15.640 The Odyssey Book twenty two, The Killing of the Suitors. 4 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:19.120 The maids who have misconducted themselves are made to cleanse 5 00:00:19.160 --> 00:00:23.839 the cloisters and are then hanged. Then Ulysses tore off 6 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.359 his rags and sprang on to the broad pavement with 7 00:00:26.440 --> 00:00:29.320 his bow and his quiver full of arrows. He shed 8 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:31.800 the arrows on to the ground at his feet, and said, 9 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.280 the mighty contest is at an end. I will now 10 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.799 see whether Apollo will vouchsafe it to me to hit 11 00:00:37.840 --> 00:00:41.520 another mark which no man has yet hit. On this 12 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:44.520 he aimed a deadly arrow at Antinus, who was about 13 00:00:44.520 --> 00:00:46.560 to take up a two handed gold cup to drink 14 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.840 his wine, and already had it in his hands. He 15 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:52.759 had no thought of death. Who amongst all the revelers 16 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:56.280 would think that one man, however brave, would stand alone 17 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:00.479 among so many and kill him. The arrow struck Antonus 18 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:03.560 in the throat, and the point went clean through his neck, 19 00:01:03.960 --> 00:01:06.239 so that he fell over, and the cup dropped from 20 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:09.239 his hand, while a thick stream of blood gushed from 21 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:12.480 his nostrils. He kicked the table from him and upset 22 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:14.879 the things on it, so that the bread and roasted 23 00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:17.000 meats were all soiled. As they fell over on to 24 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:20.239 the ground. The suitors were in an uproar when they 25 00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:23.079 saw that a man had been hit. They sprang in 26 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:25.599 dismay one and all of them from their seats and 27 00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:29.120 looked everywhere toward the walls. But there was neither shield 28 00:01:29.159 --> 00:01:34.519 nor spear, and they rebuked Ulysses very angrily. Stranger said they, 29 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:37.840 you shall pay for shooting people in this way. You 30 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:41.280 shall see no other contest. You are a doomed man. 31 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:44.680 Heim whom you have slain, was the foremost youth in Ithaca, 32 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:48.120 and the vulture shall devour you for having killed him. 33 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:51.599 Thus they spoke, for they thought that he had killed 34 00:01:51.640 --> 00:01:54.879 Antonus by mistake, and did not perceive that death was 35 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:57.599 hanging over the head of every one of them. But 36 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:01.599 Ulysses glared at them and said, dogs, did you think 37 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:04.280 that I should not come back from Troy. You have 38 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:07.840 wasted my substance, have forced my women servants to lie 39 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:10.280 with you, and have wooed my wife while I was 40 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:14.080 still living. You have feared neither God nor man, and 41 00:02:14.199 --> 00:02:18.319 now you shall die. They turned pale with fear as 42 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:21.319 he spoke, and every man looked round about to see 43 00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:25.039 whither he might fly for safety. But Eurymicus alone spoke. 44 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:29.680 If you are, Ulysses, said he, then what you have 45 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:32.680 said is just. We have done much wrong on your 46 00:02:32.759 --> 00:02:36.199 lands and in your house. But Antonas, who was the 47 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.680 head in front of the offending, lies low. Already it 48 00:02:39.800 --> 00:02:42.599 was all his doing. It was not that he wanted 49 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:45.840 to marry Penelope. He did not so much care about that. 50 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:49.479 What he wanted was something quite different, and Jove has 51 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:52.479 not vouchsafed it to him. He wanted to kill your 52 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.960 son and to be chief man in Ithaca. Now therefore 53 00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:58.280 that he has met the death which was his due, 54 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:01.759 spare the lives of your people. We will make everything 55 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:04.479 good among ourselves and pay you in full for all 56 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:07.199 that we have eaten and drunk. Each one of us 57 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:10.039 shall pay you a fine worth twenty oxen, and we 58 00:03:10.039 --> 00:03:12.479 will keep on giving you gold and bronze till your 59 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:15.759 heart is softened. Until we have done this, no one 60 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:20.159 can complain of your being enraged against us. Ulysses again 61 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.360 glared at him and said, though you should give me 62 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:25.599 all that you have in the world, both now and 63 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:28.240 all that you ever shall have. I will not stay 64 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:30.599 my hand till I have paid all of you in full. 65 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.719 You must fight or fly for your lives, and fly 66 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:38.719 not a man of you shall. The heart sank as 67 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:43.319 they heard him, But Eurymicus again spoke, saying, my friends, 68 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:46.639 this man will give us no quarter. He will stand 69 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:48.599 where he is and shoot us down till he has 70 00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:51.960 killed every man among us. Let us then show fight, 71 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:55.199 draw your swords, and hold up the tables to shield 72 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:57.680 you from his arrows. Let us have it him with 73 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.479 a rush to drive him from the pavement and doorway. 74 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:03.759 We can then get through into the town and raise 75 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:07.800 such an alarm as shall soon stay his shooting. As 76 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:11.159 he spoke, he drew his keen blade of brons, sharpened 77 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:15.080 on both sides, and with a loud cry, sprang towards Ulysses. 78 00:04:15.599 --> 00:04:18.759 But Ulysses instantly shot an arrow into his breast that 79 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:21.319 caught him by the nipple and fixed itself in his liver. 80 00:04:22.120 --> 00:04:25.040 He dropped his sword and fell doubled up over his table. 81 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:27.720 The cup and all the meats went over onto the 82 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.120 ground as he smote the earth with his forehead in 83 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:32.959 the agonies of death, and he kicked the stool with 84 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:37.000 his feet until his eyes were closed in darkness. Then 85 00:04:37.240 --> 00:04:40.240 Amphinimus drew his sword and made straight at Ulysses to 86 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.279 try and get him away from the door. But Telemachus 87 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:45.879 was too quick for him and struck him from behind. 88 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:49.120 The spear caught him between the shoulders and went right 89 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:52.000 through his chest, so that he fell heavily to the 90 00:04:52.040 --> 00:04:56.160 ground and struck the earth with his forehead. Then Telemachus 91 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:59.279 sprang away from him, leaving his spear still in the body, 92 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:01.839 for he feared that if he stayed to draw it out, 93 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.560 some one of the Achaeans might come up and hack 94 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:07.519 at him with his sword or knock him down. So 95 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:10.120 he set off at a run and immediately was at 96 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:14.800 his father's side. Then he said, father, let me bring 97 00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.160 you a shield, two spears, and a brass helmet for 98 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:20.560 your temples. I will arm myself as well, and will 99 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:23.360 bring other armor for the swineherd and the stockmen, for 100 00:05:23.480 --> 00:05:27.920 we had better be armed. Run and fetch them, answered Ulysses, 101 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:31.279 while my arrows hold out, or when I am alone, 102 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:34.759 they may get me away from the door. Telemachus did 103 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:37.439 as his father said, and went off to the storeroom 104 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:41.360 where the armor was kept. He chose four shields, eight spears, 105 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:44.800 and four brass helmets with horse hair plumes. He brought 106 00:05:44.839 --> 00:05:48.000 them with all speed to his father and armed himself first, 107 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:50.759 while a stockman and the swineherd also put on their 108 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:55.680 armor and took their places near Ulysses. Meanwhile, Ulysses, as 109 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:58.720 long as his arrows lasted, had been shooting the suitors. 110 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:02.319 One by one. They fell thick on one another. When 111 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:04.800 his arrows gave out, he set the boat to stand 112 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.040 against the inn wall of the house by the door post, 113 00:06:07.360 --> 00:06:10.279 and hung a shield four hides thick about his shoulders 114 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.120 on his comely head. He set his helmet, well wrought 115 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.000 with a crest of horsehair that knodded menacingly above it, 116 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.759 and he grasped two redoubtable bronze shod spears. Now there 117 00:06:21.800 --> 00:06:23.920 was a trap door on the wall, while at one 118 00:06:24.040 --> 00:06:26.000 end of the pavement there was an exit leading to 119 00:06:26.040 --> 00:06:29.120 a narrow passage, and this exit was closed by a 120 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.959 well made door. Ulysses told Felicius to stand by this 121 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:36.000 door and guard it, for only one person could attack 122 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:39.959 it at a time. But Agelaius shouted out cannot some 123 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.680 one go up to the trap door and tell the 124 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:44.560 people what is going on. Help would come at once, 125 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:46.920 and we should soon make an end of this man 126 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:51.519 and his shooting. This may not be Agelius, answered Melanthius. 127 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:54.519 The mouth of the narrow passage is dangerously near the 128 00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:58.079 entrance to the outer court. One brave man could prevent 129 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:00.920 any number from getting in. But I know what I 130 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:03.600 will do. I will bring you arms from the storeroom, 131 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:06.000 for I am sure it is there that Ulysses and 132 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:09.959 his son have put them on this the goatherd Melanthius 133 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.879 went by back passages to the storeroom of ulysses house. 134 00:07:13.560 --> 00:07:17.040 There he chose twelve shields with as many helmets and spears, 135 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.399 and brought them back as fast as he could give 136 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:22.800 them to the suitors. Ulysses heart began to fail him 137 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:25.160 when he saw the suitors putting on their armor and 138 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.759 brandishing their spears. He saw the greatness of the danger 139 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:32.399 and said to Telemachus, some one of the women inside 140 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:35.839 us helping the suitors against us, or it may be Melanthius. 141 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.519 Telemachus answered, the fault father is mine and mine only. 142 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:43.920 I left the storeroom door open, and they have kept 143 00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.600 a sharper, lookout than I have go Eumaeus, put the 144 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:50.040 door to and see whether it is one of the 145 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:52.879 women who is doing this, or whether, as I suspect, 146 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:58.560 it is Melanthius, the son of Daulius. Thus did they converse. Meanwhile, 147 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:02.000 Melanthius was again going to the storeroom to fetch more armor. 148 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:05.000 But the swineherd saw him and said to Ulysses, who 149 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:09.120 was beside him, Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, it is 150 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:12.720 that scoundrel Melanthius, just as we suspected, who is going 151 00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.519 to the storeroom. Say shall I kill him if I 152 00:08:16.560 --> 00:08:18.600 can get the better of him, or shall I bring 153 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:20.879 him here that you may take your own revenge for 154 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.199 all the many wrongs that he has done in your house? 155 00:08:24.439 --> 00:08:27.839 Ulysses answered Telemachus, and I will hold these suitors in 156 00:08:27.959 --> 00:08:31.000 check no matter what they do. Go back, both of 157 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:34.480 you and bind Melanthius's hands and feet behind him, Throw 158 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.120 him into the storeroom, and make the door fast behind you. 159 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:40.919 Then fasten a noose about his body and string him 160 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:43.360 close up to the rafters from a high bearing post, 161 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:46.879 that he may linger on in an agony. Thus did 162 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:49.000 he speak, and they did even as he had said, 163 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.519 they went to the storeroom, which they entered before Melanthius 164 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:55.000 saw them, for he was busy searching for arms in 165 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:58.120 the innermost part of the room. So the two took 166 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:00.200 their stand on either side of the door and wait 167 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.440 by and by. Melanthius came out with a helmet in 168 00:09:03.480 --> 00:09:06.039 one hand and an old, dry rotted shield in the other, 169 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:08.840 which had been borne by Laertes when he was young, 170 00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:12.039 but which had been long since thrown aside, and the 171 00:09:12.039 --> 00:09:15.639 straps had become unsown. On this the two seized him, 172 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:18.440 dragged him back by the hair, and threw him struggling 173 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:21.240 to the ground. They bent his hands and feet well 174 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:24.600 behind his back and bound them tight with a painful bond, 175 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:28.120 as Ulysses had told them. Then they fastened a noose 176 00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:30.799 about his body and strung him up from a high pillar, 177 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:33.720 till he was close up to the rafters and over him. 178 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:38.519 Did you then, vaunt o swineherd, Eumaeus saying Melanthius, you 179 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:41.399 will pass the night on a soft bed as you deserve. 180 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:44.799 You will know very well when morning comes from the 181 00:09:44.840 --> 00:09:47.679 streams of Oceanus, and it is time for you to 182 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:50.000 be driving in your goats for the suitors to feast 183 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:54.440 on there. Then they left him in very cruel bondage, 184 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:57.159 and having put on their armor, they closed the door 185 00:09:57.159 --> 00:09:59.559 behind them and went back to take their places by 186 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:03.399 the side Ulysses, whereon the four men stood in the cloister, 187 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:08.120 fierce and full of fury. Nevertheless, those who were in 188 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:10.960 the body of the court were still both brave and many. 189 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:14.720 Then Jove's daughter, Minerva came up to them, having assumed 190 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.279 the voice and form of Mentor. Ulysses was glad when 191 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.399 he saw her and said, Mentor, lend me your help, 192 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.639 and forget not your old comrade, nor the many good 193 00:10:24.679 --> 00:10:28.159 turns he has done you. Besides, you are my age mate. 194 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.519 But all the time he felt sure it was Minerva, 195 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.440 and the suitors from the other side raised an uproar 196 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.559 when they saw her. A Julius was the first to 197 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:42.679 reproach her Mentor. He cried, do not Ulysses, beguile you 198 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:45.679 to siding with him and fighting the suitors. This is 199 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.639 what we will do. When we have killed these people, 200 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.759 father and son, we will kill you too. You shall 201 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:55.120 pay for it with your head. And when we have 202 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:58.320 killed you, we will take all you have indoors or 203 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:02.279 out and bring it into high with Ulysses property. We 204 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.679 will not let your sons live in your house, nor 205 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:07.720 your daughters, nor shall your widow continue to live in 206 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:12.039 the city of Ithaca. This made me nervous still more furious, 207 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:17.799 so she scolded Ulysses very angrily. Ulysses said she, your 208 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:20.399 strength and prowess are no longer what they were when 209 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:23.120 you fought for nine long years among the Trojans about 210 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:26.320 the noble lady Helen. You killed many a man in 211 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:29.200 those days, and it was through your stratagem that Priam 212 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:32.000 City was taken. How comes it that you are so 213 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.840 lamentably less valiant now than you are in your own 214 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:37.960 ground face to face with the suitors in your own house. 215 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:42.039 Come on, my good fellow, stand by my side and 216 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:45.639 see how Mentor, son of Alcimus, shall fight your foes 217 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:50.159 and requite your kindnesses conferred upon him. But she would 218 00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:53.200 not give him full victory as yet, for she wished 219 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:55.840 still further to prove his own prowess and that of 220 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.720 his brave son. So she flew up to one of 221 00:11:58.759 --> 00:12:01.080 the rafters in the roof of the cloister and sat 222 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:05.480 upon it in the form of a swallow. Meanwhile, a Jelius, 223 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:11.399 son of Damaster, Euryinymus Amphimidon, Demaptolemus Pisander, and Polybus, son 224 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:13.720 of Polyctor, bore the brunt of the fight upon the 225 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:16.960 suitor side. Of all those who were still fighting for 226 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:20.240 their lives, they were by far the most valiant, for 227 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:24.200 the others had already fallen under the arrows of Ulysses. A. 228 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.120 Jelias shouted to them and said, my friends, he will 229 00:12:28.120 --> 00:12:31.039 soon have to leave off, for Mentor has gone away 230 00:12:31.080 --> 00:12:33.960 after having done nothing for him, but brag. They are 231 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:37.080 standing at the doors unsupported. Do not aim at him 232 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:40.000 all at once, but six of you throw your spears first, 233 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:42.879 and see if you cannot cover yourselves with glory by 234 00:12:42.960 --> 00:12:45.720 killing him. When he has fallen. We need not be 235 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:49.639 uneasy about the others. They threw their spears as he 236 00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:52.480 bade them, but Minerva made them all of no effect. 237 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.919 One hit the door post, another went against the door, 238 00:12:56.440 --> 00:13:00.159 the pointed shaft of another struck the wall. And as 239 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:02.840 soon as they had avoided all the spears of the suitors, 240 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:06.960 Ulysses said to his own men, my friends, I should say, 241 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.480 we two had better let drive into the middle of them, 242 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.720 or they will crown all the harm they have done 243 00:13:11.799 --> 00:13:15.720 us by killing us outright. They therefore aimed straight in 244 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:21.799 front of them and threw their spears. Ulysses killed Demaptolemus, Telemachus, Euriatees, 245 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:26.600 Eumaeus Iletus, and while the stockmen killed Pissander. These all 246 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:29.240 bit the dust, and as the others drew back into 247 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.639 a corner, Ulysses and his men rushed forward and regained 248 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:35.039 their spears by drawing them from the bodies of the dead. 249 00:13:36.039 --> 00:13:39.120 The suitors now aimed a second time, but again Minerva 250 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.320 made their weapons for the most part without effect. One 251 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.480 hit a bearing post of the cloister, another went against 252 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:50.200 the door, while the pointed shaft of another struck the wall. Still, 253 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:53.279 Amphimedon just took a piece of the topskin from off 254 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:57.440 Telemachus's wrist, and Dysippus managed to graze Eumaeus's shoulder above 255 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.360 his shield, but the spear went on and fell to 256 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:03.840 the ground. Then Ulysses and his men let drive into 257 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:09.480 the crowd of suitors. Ulysses hit Eurydemus, Telemachus, Amphimidon, and 258 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:14.000 Eumaeus Polybus. After this the stockman hit Tysippus in the 259 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:18.440 breast and taunted him, saying foul mouthed son of Polythses. 260 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.559 Do not be so foolish as to talk wickedly another time. 261 00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:24.919 But let Heaven direct your speech, for the gods are 262 00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:28.399 far stronger than men. I make you a present of 263 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:31.240 this advice to repay you for the foot which you 264 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:34.440 gave Ulysses when he was begging about in his own house. 265 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:38.759 Thus spoke the stockman, and Ulysses struck the son of 266 00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:43.320 Damaster with a spear in close fight, while Telemachus Hitleocritus, 267 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:45.840 son of Evanor in the belly, and the dart went 268 00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:48.720 clean through him, so that he fell forward, full on 269 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:52.320 his face upon the ground. Then Minerva, from her seat 270 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:55.120 on the rafter, held up her deadly aegis, and the 271 00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:58.279 hearts of the suitors quailed. They fled to the other 272 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:00.840 end of the court like a herd of ca maddened 273 00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:03.600 by the gadfly. In early summer, when the days are 274 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:08.039 at their longest, as eagle beaked, crooked talon vultures from 275 00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:10.720 the mountains swooped down on the smaller birds that cower 276 00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:13.159 in flocks upon the ground and kill them, for they 277 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:16.919 cannot either fight or fly, and lookers on enjoy the sport. 278 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.240 Even so did Ulysses and his men fall upon the 279 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:23.559 suitors and smite them on every side. They made a 280 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.399 horrible groaning as their brains were being battered in, and 281 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:30.279 the ground seethed with their blood. Ladies then caught the 282 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:34.240 knees of Ulysses and said, Ulysses, I beseech you have 283 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.279 mercy upon me and spare me. I have never wronged 284 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:39.559 any of the women in your house, either in word 285 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:42.960 or deed, and I tried to stop the others I 286 00:15:43.039 --> 00:15:45.799 saw them, but they would not listen. And now they 287 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:49.799 are paying for their folly. I was their sacrificing priest. 288 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:53.120 If you kill me, I shall die without having done 289 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.000 anything to deserve it, and shall have got no thanks 290 00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:59.639 for all the good that I did. Ulysses looked sternly 291 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.840 at him and answered, if you were their sacrificing priest, 292 00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:06.600 you must have prayed many a time that it might 293 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.120 be long before I got home again, and that you 294 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:12.679 might marry my wife and have children by her. Therefore 295 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:16.840 you shall die. With these words, he picked up the 296 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:19.480 sword that Agelius had dropped when he was being killed, 297 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:22.799 and which was lying upon the ground. Then he struck 298 00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.039 Ladies on the back of his neck, so that his 299 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:27.480 head fell rolling in the dust while he was yet 300 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:32.200 speaking the minstrel Femius, son of Turpies. He who had 301 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.600 been forced by the suitors to sing to them, now 302 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.759 tried to save his life. He was standing near towards 303 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:40.279 the trap door and held his lyre in his hand. 304 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.679 He did not know whether to fly out of the 305 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:44.919 cloister and sit down by the altar of Jove that 306 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:47.320 was in the outer court, and on which both the 307 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:49.919 Artes and Ulysses had offered up the thigh bones of 308 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:52.480 many an ox, or whether to go straight up to 309 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:55.600 Ulysses and embrace his knees. But in the end he 310 00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:59.159 deemed it best to embrace ulysses knees. So he laid 311 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:01.399 his lyre on the ground between the mixing bowl and 312 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.640 the silver studded seat. Then, going up to Ulysses, he 313 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:08.400 caught hold of his knees and said, Ulysses, I beseech 314 00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:11.440 you have mercy on me and spare me. You will 315 00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:14.079 be sorry for it afterwards. If you kill a bard 316 00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:17.200 who can sing both for gods and men as I can, 317 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.440 I make all my lays myself, and Heaven visits me 318 00:17:20.519 --> 00:17:23.519 with every kind of inspiration, I would sing to you 319 00:17:23.599 --> 00:17:26.240 as though you were a god. Do not therefore be 320 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.039 in such a hurry to cut my head off Your 321 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.279 own son, Telemachus will tell you that I did not 322 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:33.720 want to freaquent your house and sing to the suitors 323 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:36.599 after their meals. But they were too many and too 324 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:40.599 strong for me, so they made me. Telemachus heard him, 325 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:44.240 and at once went up to his father. Hold he cried, 326 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:47.839 the man is guiltless. Do him no hurt, and we 327 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:50.920 will spare Meaden too, who was always good to me 328 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:54.000 when I was a boy, Unless Felicius or Eumaeus has 329 00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:56.799 already killed him, or he has fallen in your way 330 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:00.279 when you are raging about the court, meet and caught 331 00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:03.200 these words of Telemachus, for he was crouching under a 332 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.119 seat beneath which he had hidden by covering himself up 333 00:18:06.119 --> 00:18:09.240 with a freshly flayed heifer's side. So he threw off 334 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:11.880 the hide, went up to Telemachus and laid hold of 335 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:15.559 his knees. Here I am, my dear sir, said he 336 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:19.400 stay your hand therefore and tell your father, or he 337 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:22.000 will kill me in his rage against the suitors for 338 00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:26.279 having wasted his substance and been so foolishly disrespectful to yourself. 339 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:31.880 Ulysses smiled at him and answered, fear not, Telemachus has 340 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:34.880 saved your life, that you may know in future and 341 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:38.480 tell other people how greatly better good deeds prosper than 342 00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:42.920 evil ones. Go therefore, outside the cloister, into the outer court, 343 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:45.680 and be out of the way of the slaughter you 344 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:49.920 and the bard, while I finish my work here inside. 345 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:52.720 The pair went into the outer court as fast as 346 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:56.240 they could, and sat down by Jove's great altar, looking 347 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:59.319 fearfully round and still expecting that they would be killed. 348 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.400 Then Ulysses searched the whole court carefully over to see 349 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.559 if any one had managed to hide himself and was 350 00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:08.160 still living. But he found them all lying in the 351 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.759 dust and weltering in their blood. They were like fishes 352 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:14.640 which fishermen had netted out of the sea and thrown 353 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:17.079 upon the beach, to lie gasping for water till the 354 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:19.920 heat of the sun makes an end of them. Even 355 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:22.799 so were the suitors lying all huddled up, one against 356 00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:28.079 the other. Then Ulysses said to Telemachus, call Nurse Euryclea, 357 00:19:28.519 --> 00:19:31.480 I have something to say to her. Telemachus went and 358 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:35.119 knocked at the door of the women's room. Make haste, 359 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:38.240 said he, you, old woman, who have been set over 360 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:41.319 all the other women in the house, Come outside. My 361 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:45.279 father wishes to speak to you. When Euryclea heard this, 362 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:48.240 she unfastened the door of the women's room and came out, 363 00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:52.960 following Telemachus. She found Ulysses among the corpses, bespattered with 364 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.440 blood and filth, like a lion that has just been 365 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:58.640 devouring an ox. And his breast and both cheeks were 366 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:02.160 all bloody, so that he is a fearful sight. Even 367 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:05.200 so was Ulysses besmirch from head to foot with gore. 368 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:08.359 When she saw all the corpses and such a quantity 369 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:11.079 of blood, she was beginning to cry out for joy, 370 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:13.839 for she saw that a great deed had been done. 371 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:19.240 But Ulysses checked her. Old woman said he rejoice in silence. 372 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:22.920 Restrain yourself, and do not make any noise about it. 373 00:20:22.920 --> 00:20:25.480 It is an unholy thing to vaunt over dead men. 374 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:29.000 Heaven's doom and their own evil deeds have brought these 375 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:32.039 men to destruction. For they respected no man in the 376 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.359 whole world, neither rich nor poor, who came near them. 377 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.680 And they have come to a bad end as a 378 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:41.880 punishment for their wickedness and folly. Now, however, tell me 379 00:20:41.960 --> 00:20:44.680 which of the women in the house have misconducted themselves, 380 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:48.680 and who are innocent. I will tell you the truth, 381 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:52.759 my son answered Eurycleia. There are fifty women in the 382 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:55.799 house whom we teach to do things such as carding, 383 00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:00.279 wool and all kinds of household work. Of these, then, 384 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:03.559 all have misbehaved and have been wanting in respect to 385 00:21:03.599 --> 00:21:08.960 me and also to Penelope. They showed no disrespect to Telemachus, 386 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:11.839 for he has only lately grown, and his mother never 387 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:15.039 permitted him to give orders to the female servants. But 388 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:17.720 let me go upstairs and tell your wife all that 389 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:21.000 has happened. For some God has been sending her to sleep. 390 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:25.640 Do not wake her yet, answered Ulysses, But tell the 391 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:30.000 women who have misconducted themselves to come to me. Eurycleia 392 00:21:30.119 --> 00:21:32.559 left the cloister to tell the women and make them 393 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:36.319 come to Ulysses. In the meantime, he called Telemachus the 394 00:21:36.359 --> 00:21:41.079 stockman and the swineherd, begin said he to remove the 395 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:44.720 dead and make the women help. You. Then get sponges 396 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:47.319 and clean water to swill down the tables and seats. 397 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:51.480 When ye have thirdly cleanse the whole cloisters, take the 398 00:21:51.559 --> 00:21:53.960 women into the space between the domed room and the 399 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.519 wall of the outer court, and run them through with 400 00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:59.799 your swords till they are quite dead and have forgotten 401 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:02.039