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<v Speaker 1>Book twenty three of the Odyssey by Homer, translated by

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<v Speaker 1>Samuel Butler. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

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<v Speaker 1>The Odyssey Book twenty three, Penelope eventually recognizes her husband.

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<v Speaker 1>Early in the morning, Ulysses, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Felicius leave

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<v Speaker 1>the town. Euryclia now went upstairs, laughing to tell her

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<v Speaker 1>mistress that her dear husband had come home. Her aged

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<v Speaker 1>niece became young again, and her feet were nimble for

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<v Speaker 1>joy as she went up to her mistress and bent

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<v Speaker 1>over her head to speak to her. Wake up, Penelope,

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<v Speaker 1>my dear child, she exclaimed, and see with your own

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<v Speaker 1>eyes something that you have been wanting this long time past.

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<v Speaker 1>Ulysses has at last indeed come home again and has

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<v Speaker 1>killed the suitors who are giving so much trouble in

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<v Speaker 1>his house, eating up his estate, and ill treating his son.

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<v Speaker 1>My good nurse answered Penelope, you must be mad. The

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<v Speaker 1>gods sometimes sends some very sensible people out of their

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<v Speaker 1>minds and make foolish people become sensible. This is what

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<v Speaker 1>they must have been doing to you, for you always

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<v Speaker 1>used to be a reasonable person. Why should you thus

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<v Speaker 1>mock me when I have troubled enough already talking such

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<v Speaker 1>nonsense and waking me up out of a sweet sleep

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<v Speaker 1>that had taken possession of my eyes and closed them.

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<v Speaker 1>I have never slept so soundly from the day my

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<v Speaker 1>poor husband went to that city with the ill omen

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<v Speaker 1>name go back again into the women's room. If it

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<v Speaker 1>had been any one else who had woke me up

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<v Speaker 1>to bring me such absurd news, I should have sent

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<v Speaker 1>her away with a severe scolding. As it is your

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<v Speaker 1>age shall protect you, my dear child, answered Eraclia, I

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<v Speaker 1>am not mocking you. It is quite true as I

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<v Speaker 1>tell you, that Ulysses is come home again. He was

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<v Speaker 1>the stranger whom they all kept on treating so badly

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<v Speaker 1>in the cloister Telemachus knew all the time that he

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<v Speaker 1>was come back, but kept his father's secret that he

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<v Speaker 1>might have his revenge and all these wicked people. Then

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<v Speaker 1>Penelope sprang up from her couch, threw her arms round Eurycleia,

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<v Speaker 1>and wept for joy. But my dear nurse said, she

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<v Speaker 1>explain this to me. If he has really come home

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<v Speaker 1>as you say, how did he manage to overcome the

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<v Speaker 1>wicked suitors single handed? Seeing what a number of them

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<v Speaker 1>there always were. I was not there, answered Eurycleia, And

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<v Speaker 1>do not know. I only heard them groaning while they

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<v Speaker 1>were being killed. We sat crouching and huddled up in

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<v Speaker 1>a corner of the women's room, with the doors closed,

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<v Speaker 1>till your son came to fetch me, because his father

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<v Speaker 1>sent him. Then I found Ulysses standing over the corpses

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<v Speaker 1>that were lying on the ground all round him, one

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<v Speaker 1>on top of the other. You would have enjoyed it

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<v Speaker 1>if you could have seen him standing there, all bespattered

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<v Speaker 1>with blood and filth, and looking just like a lion.

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<v Speaker 1>But the corpses are now all piled up in the gatehouse,

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<v Speaker 1>that is in the outer court, and Ulysses has led

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<v Speaker 1>a great fire to purify the house with sulfur. He

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<v Speaker 1>has set me to call you, so come with me,

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<v Speaker 1>that you may both be happy together after all. For now,

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<v Speaker 1>at last the desire of your heart has been fulfilled.

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<v Speaker 1>Your husband is come home to find both wife and

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<v Speaker 1>son alive and well, and to take his revenge in

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<v Speaker 1>his own house on the suitors who behaved so badly

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<v Speaker 1>to him. My dear nurse said Penelope, do not exult

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<v Speaker 1>too confidently over all this. You know how delighted every

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<v Speaker 1>one would be to see Ulysses come home, more particularly

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<v Speaker 1>myself and the son who has been born to both

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<v Speaker 1>of us. But what you tell me cannot be really true.

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<v Speaker 1>It is some God who is angry with the suitors

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<v Speaker 1>for their great wickedness, and has made an end of them.

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<v Speaker 1>For they respected no man in the whole world, neither

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<v Speaker 1>rich nor poor, who came near them, and they have

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<v Speaker 1>come to a bad end in consequence of their iniquity.

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<v Speaker 1>Ulysses is dead, far away from the Achaean land. He

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<v Speaker 1>will never return home again. Then, Nurse Heraclia said, my child,

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<v Speaker 1>what are you talking about? But you are all hard

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<v Speaker 1>of belief and have made up your mind that your

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<v Speaker 1>husband is never coming, although he is in the house

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<v Speaker 1>and by his own fireside at this very moment. Besides,

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<v Speaker 1>I can give you another proof. When I was washing him,

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<v Speaker 1>I perceived the scar which the wild boar gave him,

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<v Speaker 1>and I wanted to tell you about it, But in

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<v Speaker 1>his wisdom, he would not let me and clapped his

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<v Speaker 1>hands over my mouth. So come with me, and I

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<v Speaker 1>will make this bargain with you. If I am deceiving you,

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<v Speaker 1>you may have me killed by the most cruel death

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<v Speaker 1>you can think of my dear nurse, said Penelope, however

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<v Speaker 1>wise you may be, you can hardly fathom the counsels

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<v Speaker 1>of the gods. Nevertheless, we will go in search of

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<v Speaker 1>my son, that I may see the corpses of the

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<v Speaker 1>suitors and the man who has killed them. On this

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<v Speaker 1>she came down from her upper room, and while doing so,

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<v Speaker 1>she considered whether she should keep at a distance from

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<v Speaker 1>her husband and question him, or whether she should at

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<v Speaker 1>once go up to him and embrace him. When, however,

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<v Speaker 1>she had crossed the stone floor of the cloister, she

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<v Speaker 1>sat down opposite Ulysses by the fire, against the wall

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<v Speaker 1>at right angles to that which she had entered, while

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<v Speaker 1>Ulysses sat near one of the bearing posts, looking upon

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<v Speaker 1>the ground and waiting to see what his brave wife

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<v Speaker 1>would say to him. When she saw him. For a

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<v Speaker 1>long time, she sat silent and as one lost in amazement.

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<v Speaker 1>At one moment she looked him full in the face,

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<v Speaker 1>but then again directly she was misled by his shabby

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<v Speaker 1>clothes and failed to recognize him, till Telemachus began to

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<v Speaker 1>reproach her, and said, mother, but you are so hard

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<v Speaker 1>that I cannot call you by such a name. Why

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<v Speaker 1>do you keep away from my father in this way?

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<v Speaker 1>Why do you not sit by his side and begin

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<v Speaker 1>talking to him and asking him questions. No other woman

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<v Speaker 1>could bear to keep away from her husband when he

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<v Speaker 1>had come back to her after twenty years of absence,

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<v Speaker 1>and after having gone through so much. But your heart

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<v Speaker 1>always was as hard as a stone, Penelope answered, my son,

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<v Speaker 1>I am so lost in astonishment that I can find

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<v Speaker 1>no words in which either to ask questions or to

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<v Speaker 1>answer them. I cannot even look him straight in the face. Still,

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<v Speaker 1>if he really is Ulysses, come back to his own

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<v Speaker 1>home again, we shall get to understand one another better

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<v Speaker 1>by and by, for there are tokens with which we

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<v Speaker 1>two are alone acquainted, and which are hidden from all others.

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<v Speaker 1>Ulysses smiled at this and said to Telemachus, let your

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<v Speaker 1>mother put me to any proof she likes. She will

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<v Speaker 1>make up her mind about it. Presently she rejects me

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<v Speaker 1>for the moment, and believes me to be somebody else

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<v Speaker 1>because I am covered with dirt and have such bad

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<v Speaker 1>clothes on. Let us, however, consider what we had better

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<v Speaker 1>do next. When one man has killed another, even though

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<v Speaker 1>he was not one who would leave many friends to

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<v Speaker 1>take up his quarrel. The man who has killed him

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<v Speaker 1>must still say goodbye to his friends and fly the country,

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<v Speaker 1>whereas we have been killing the stay of a whole

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<v Speaker 1>town and all the picked youth of Ithaca. I would

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<v Speaker 1>have you consider this matter. Look to it yourself, father,

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<v Speaker 1>answered Telemachus. For they say you are the wisest counselor

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<v Speaker 1>in the world, and that there is no other mortal

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<v Speaker 1>man who can compare with you. We will follow you

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<v Speaker 1>with right good will, nor shall you find us fail you,

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<v Speaker 1>in so far as our strength holds out. I will

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<v Speaker 1>say what I think will be best, answered, Ulysses, first,

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<v Speaker 1>wash and put your shirts on. Tell the maids also

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<v Speaker 1>to go to their own room and dress. Theemius shall

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<v Speaker 1>then strike up a dance tune on his lyre, so

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<v Speaker 1>that if people outside here, or any of the neighbors,

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<v Speaker 1>or some one going along the street happens to notice it,

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<v Speaker 1>they methink there is a wedding in the house, and

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<v Speaker 1>no rumors about the death of the suitors will get

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<v Speaker 1>about in the town before we can escape to the

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<v Speaker 1>woods upon my own land. Once there we will settle

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<v Speaker 1>which of the courses Heaven vouchsafes us shall seem wisest.

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<v Speaker 1>Thus he did speak, and they did even as he

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<v Speaker 1>had said. First they washed and put their shirts on,

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<v Speaker 1>while the women got ready. Then Femius took his lyre

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<v Speaker 1>and set them all longing for sweet song and stately dance.

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<v Speaker 1>The house re echoed with the sound of men and

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<v Speaker 1>women dancing, and the people outside said, I suppose the

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<v Speaker 1>queen has been getting married at last. She ought to

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<v Speaker 1>be ashamed of herself for not continuing to protect her

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<v Speaker 1>husband's property until he comes home. This was what they said,

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<v Speaker 1>but they did not know what it was that had

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<v Speaker 1>been happening. The upper servant Eurynymy washed and anointed Ulysses

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<v Speaker 1>in his own house and gave him a shirt and cloak,

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<v Speaker 1>while Minerva made him look taller and stronger than before.

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<v Speaker 1>She also made the hair grow thick on the top

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<v Speaker 1>of his head and flow down in curls like hyacinth blossoms.

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<v Speaker 1>She glorified him about the head and shoulders, just as

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<v Speaker 1>a skillful workman who has studied art of all kinds

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<v Speaker 1>under Vulcan or Minerva, and his work is full of beauty,

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<v Speaker 1>enriches a piece of silver plate by gilding it. He

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<v Speaker 1>came from the bath looking like one of the immortals,

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<v Speaker 1>and sat down opposite his wife on the seat he

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<v Speaker 1>had left. My dear said, he, Heaven has endowed you

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<v Speaker 1>with a heart more unyielding than woman ever yet had

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<v Speaker 1>no other woman could bear to keep away from her

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<v Speaker 1>husband when he had come back to her after twenty

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<v Speaker 1>years of absence, and after having gone through so much.

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<v Speaker 1>But come, nurse, get a bed ready for me. I

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<v Speaker 1>will sleep alone, for this woman has a heart as

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<v Speaker 1>hard as iron, my dear answered Penelope. I have no

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<v Speaker 1>wish to set myself up, nor to depreciate you, but

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<v Speaker 1>I am not struck by your appearance, for I very

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<v Speaker 1>well remember what kind of a man you were when

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<v Speaker 1>you set sail from Ithaca. Nevertheless, Euryclia take his bed

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<v Speaker 1>outside the bed chamber that he himself built. Bring the

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<v Speaker 1>bed outside this room, and put bedding upon it, with fleeces,

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<v Speaker 1>good coverlets, and blankets. She said this to try him,

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<v Speaker 1>But Ulysses was very angry and said, wife, I am

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<v Speaker 1>much displeased at what you have just been saying. Who

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<v Speaker 1>has been taking my bed from the place in which

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<v Speaker 1>I left it? He must have found it a hard task,

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<v Speaker 1>no matter how skilled a workman he was unless some

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<v Speaker 1>god came and helped him to shift it. There is

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<v Speaker 1>no man living, however strong and in his prime, who

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<v Speaker 1>could move it from its place. For it is a

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<v Speaker 1>marvelous curiosity which I made with my very own hands.

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<v Speaker 1>There is a young olive growing within the precincts of

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<v Speaker 1>the house, in full vigor, and about as thick as

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<v Speaker 1>a bearing post. I built my room round this, strong

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<v Speaker 1>walls of stone and a roof to cover them, and

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<v Speaker 1>I made the door strong and well fitting. Then I

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<v Speaker 1>cut off the top boughs of the olive tree and

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<v Speaker 1>left the stump standing. This I dressed roughly from the

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<v Speaker 1>root upwards, and then worked with carpenter's tools well and skillfully,

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<v Speaker 1>straightening my work by drawing a line on the wood

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<v Speaker 1>and making it into a bed prop. I then bored

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<v Speaker 1>a hole down the middle and made it the center

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<v Speaker 1>post of my bed, at which I worked till I

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<v Speaker 1>had finished it inlaying it with gold and silver. After

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<v Speaker 1>this I stretched a hide of crimson leather from one

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<v Speaker 1>side of it to the other. So you see, I

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<v Speaker 1>know all about it, and I desire to learn whether

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<v Speaker 1>it is still there, or whether any one has been

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<v Speaker 1>removing it by cutting down the olive tree at its roots.

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<v Speaker 1>When she heard the sure proofs Ulysses now gave her,

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<v Speaker 1>she fairly broke down. She flew, weeping to his side,

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<v Speaker 1>flung her arms about his neck, and kissed him. Do

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<v Speaker 1>not be angry with me, Ulysses, she cried, you, who

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<v Speaker 1>are the risest of mankind, we have suffered, both of us.

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<v Speaker 1>Heaven has denied us the happiness of spending our youth

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<v Speaker 1>and of growing old together. Do not then be aggrieved

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<v Speaker 1>or taken amiss that I did not embrace you. Thus

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<v Speaker 1>as soon as I saw you, I have been shuddering

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<v Speaker 1>all the time through fear that some one might come

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<v Speaker 1>here and deceive me with a lying story. For there

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<v Speaker 1>are many very wicked people going about. Jove's daughter Helen

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<v Speaker 1>would never have yielded herself to a man from a

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<v Speaker 1>foreign country if she had known that the sons of

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<v Speaker 1>Achaeans would come after her and bring her back. Heaven

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<v Speaker 1>put it in her heart to do wrong, and she

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<v Speaker 1>gave no thought to that sin which has been the

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<v Speaker 1>source of all our sorrows. Now, however, that you have

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<v Speaker 1>convinced me by showing that you know all about our bed,

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<v Speaker 1>which no human being has ever seen, but you and

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<v Speaker 1>I and a single maid servant, the daughter of Actor,

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<v Speaker 1>who is given me by my father on my marriage,

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<v Speaker 1>and who keeps the doors of our room hard of belief.

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<v Speaker 1>Though I have been, I can mistrust no longer. Then Ulysses,

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<v Speaker 1>in his turn, melted and wept as he clasped his

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<v Speaker 1>dear and faithful wife to his bosom. As the sight

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<v Speaker 1>of land is welcome to men who are swimming towards

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<v Speaker 1>the shore when Neptune has wrecked their ship with the

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<v Speaker 1>fury of his winds and waves. A few alone reached

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<v Speaker 1>the land, and these covered with brine are thankful when

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<v Speaker 1>they find themselves on firm ground and out of danger.

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<v Speaker 1>Even so was her husband welcome to her as she

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<v Speaker 1>looked upon him, and she could not tear her two

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<v Speaker 1>fair arms from about his neck. Indeed, they would have

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<v Speaker 1>gone on indulging their sorrow till rosy fingered morn appeared,

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<v Speaker 1>had not Minerva determined otherwise, and held night back in

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<v Speaker 1>the far west, while she would not suffer dawn to

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<v Speaker 1>leave oceanus, nor to yoke the two steeds, Lampus and Fithan,

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<v Speaker 1>that bear her onward to break the day upon mankind.

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<v Speaker 1>At last, However, Ulysses said, wife, we have not yet

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<v Speaker 1>reached the end of our troubles. I have an unknown

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<v Speaker 1>amount of toil still to undergo. It is long and difficult,

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<v Speaker 1>but I must go through with it. For thus the

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<v Speaker 1>shade of Tyresius prophesy concerning me on the day when

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<v Speaker 1>I went down into Hades to ask about my return

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<v Speaker 1>and that of my companions. But now let us go

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<v Speaker 1>to bed, that we may lie down and enjoy the

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<v Speaker 1>blessed boon of sleep. You shall go to bed as

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<v Speaker 1>soon as you please, replied Penelope, now that the gods

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<v Speaker 1>have sent you home to your own good house and

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<v Speaker 1>to your country. But as Heaven has put it in

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<v Speaker 1>your mind to speak of it, tell me about the

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<v Speaker 1>task that lies before you. I shall have to hear

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<v Speaker 1>about it later, So it is better that I should

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<v Speaker 1>be told at once, my dear, answered Ulysses, Why should

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<v Speaker 1>you press me to tell you? Still? I will not

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<v Speaker 1>conceal it from you. Though you will not like it,

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<v Speaker 1>I do not like it myself. For Tyresius bade me

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<v Speaker 1>travel far and wide, caring in all till I came

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<v Speaker 1>to a country where the people have never heard of

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<v Speaker 1>the sea, and do not even mix salt with their food.

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<v Speaker 1>They know nothing about ships nor oars that are as

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<v Speaker 1>the wings of a ship. He gave me this certain token,

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<v Speaker 1>which I will not hide from you. He said that

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<v Speaker 1>a wayfarer should meet me and ask me whether it

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<v Speaker 1>was a winning shovel that I had on my shoulder.

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<v Speaker 1>On this I was to fix my oar in the

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<v Speaker 1>ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and a boar

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<v Speaker 1>to Neptune, after which I was to go home and

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<v Speaker 1>offer hecatombs to all the gods in heaven, one after

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<v Speaker 1>the other. As for myself, he said that death should

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<v Speaker 1>come to me from the sea, and that my life

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<v Speaker 1>should ebb away very gently when I was full of

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<v Speaker 1>years and peace of mind, and my people should bless me.

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<v Speaker 1>All this, he said, should surely come to pass. And

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<v Speaker 1>Penelope said, if the gods are going to vouchsafe you

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<v Speaker 1>a happier time in your old age, you may hope

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<v Speaker 1>then to have some respite from misfortune. Thus did they converse. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>Eurynymy and the nurse took torches and made the bed

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<v Speaker 1>ready with soft coverlets. As soon as they had laid them,

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<v Speaker 1>the nurse went back into the house to go to

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<v Speaker 1>her rest, leaving the bed chamber woman Eurynymy to show

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<v Speaker 1>Ulysses and Penelope to bed by torchlight. When she had

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<v Speaker 1>conducted them back to their room, she went back, and

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<v Speaker 1>they then came joyfully to the rights of their own

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<v Speaker 1>old bed. Telemachus, Felicius and the swineherd now left off dancing,

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<v Speaker 1>and made the women leave off also. They then laid

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<v Speaker 1>themselves down to sleep in the cloisters. When Ulysses and

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<v Speaker 1>Penelope had had their fill of love, they fell talking

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<v Speaker 1>with one another. She told him how much she had

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<v Speaker 1>had to bear in seeing the house filled with a

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<v Speaker 1>crowd of wicked suitors who had killed so many sheep

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<v Speaker 1>and oxen on her account, and had drunk so many

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<v Speaker 1>casks of wine. Ulysses, in his turn, told her what

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<v Speaker 1>he had suffered and how much trouble he had himself

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<v Speaker 1>given to a people. He told her everything, and she

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<v Speaker 1>was so delighted to listen that she never went to

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<v Speaker 1>sleep till he had ended his whole story. He began

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<v Speaker 1>with his victory over the sycons and how he thence

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00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:16.079
<v Speaker 1>reached the fertile land of the lotus eaters. He told

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<v Speaker 1>her all about the Cyclops and how he had punished

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<v Speaker 1>him for having so ruthlessly eaten his brave comrades. How

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<v Speaker 1>he then went on to Elis, who received him hospitably

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<v Speaker 1>and furthered him on his way. But even so he

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<v Speaker 1>was not to reach home, for to his great grief,

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<v Speaker 1>a hurricane carried him out to sea again. How he

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<v Speaker 1>went on to the Lestragonian city Tylipolis, where the people

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<v Speaker 1>destroyed all his ships with their crews, save himself and

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<v Speaker 1>his own ship. Only then he told of cunning Circe

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<v Speaker 1>and her craft, And how he sailed to the chill

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<v Speaker 1>house of Hades to consult the ghost of the theban

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<v Speaker 1>prophet Tyresius, And how he saw his old comrades in arms,

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<v Speaker 1>and his mother who bore him and brought him up

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<v Speaker 1>when he was a child. How he then heard the

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<v Speaker 1>wondrous singing of the sirens, and went on to the

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<v Speaker 1>wandering rocks and terrible Charybdis and Touscilla, whom to no

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<v Speaker 1>man had ever yet passed in safety. How his men

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<v Speaker 1>then ate the cattle of the sun God, And how

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<v Speaker 1>Jove therefore struck the ship with his thunderbolts, so that

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<v Speaker 1>all his men perished together, he himself alone being left alive.

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<v Speaker 1>How at last he reached the Ogygian island and the

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<v Speaker 1>nymph Calypso, who kept him there in a cave and

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<v Speaker 1>fed him, and wanted him to marry her, in which

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<v Speaker 1>case she intended making him immortal, so that he should

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<v Speaker 1>never grow old. But she could not persuade him to

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<v Speaker 1>let her do so. And how after much suffering, he

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<v Speaker 1>had found his way to the Phaeacians, who had treated

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<v Speaker 1>him as though he had been a god, and sent

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<v Speaker 1>him back in a ship to his own country, after

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<v Speaker 1>having given him gold, bronze, and raiment in great abundance.

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<v Speaker 1>This was the last thing about which he told her,

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<v Speaker 1>for here a deep sleep took hold upon him, and

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<v Speaker 1>Eve the burden of his sorrows. Then Minerva bethought her

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<v Speaker 1>of another matter. When she deemed that Ulysses had had

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<v Speaker 1>both of his wife and of repose, she bade golden

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<v Speaker 1>thrown dawn rise out of Oceanus, that she might shed

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<v Speaker 1>light upon mankind. On this. Ulysses rose from his comfortable

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<v Speaker 1>bed and said to Penelope, wife, we have both of

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<v Speaker 1>us had our full share of troubles, you here in

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<v Speaker 1>lamenting my absence, and I in being prevented from getting

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<v Speaker 1>home though I was longing all the time to do so. Now, however,

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<v Speaker 1>that we have at last come together, take care of

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<v Speaker 1>the property that is in the house. As for the

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<v Speaker 1>sheep and goats which the wicked suitors have eaten, I

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<v Speaker 1>will take many myself by force from other people, and

355
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<v Speaker 1>will compel the Achaeans to make good the rest, till

356
00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:52.519
<v Speaker 1>they shall have filled all my yards. I am now

357
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<v Speaker 1>going to the wooded lands out in the country to

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<v Speaker 1>see my father, who has so long been grieved on

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<v Speaker 1>my account. And to yourself, I will give these instructions,

360
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<v Speaker 1>though you have little need of them. At sunrise it

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<v Speaker 1>will at once get abroad that I have been killing

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<v Speaker 1>the suitors. Go upstairs therefore, and stay there with your women.

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<v Speaker 1>See nobody, and ask no questions. As he spoke, he

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<v Speaker 1>girded on his armor. Then he roused Telemachus, Felicius, and

365
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<v Speaker 1>Eumaeus and told them all to put on their armor. Also.

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<v Speaker 1>This they did, and armed themselves. When they had done so,

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<v Speaker 1>they opened the gates and sallied forth Ulysses leading the way.

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<v Speaker 1>It was now daylight, but Minerva nevertheless concealed them in

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<v Speaker 1>darkness and led them quickly out of the town end

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<v Speaker 1>of book twenty three