Speaker 1: Book twenty four of the Odyssey by Homer, translated by
Speaker 1: Samuel Butler. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
Speaker 1: The Odyssey Book twenty four The Ghosts of the Suitors
Speaker 1: in Hades, Ulysses and his men go to the house
Speaker 1: of Laertes. The people of Ithaca come out to attack Ulysses,
Speaker 1: but Minerva concludes a peace. Then Mercury of Celini some
Speaker 1: of the ghosts of the suitors, and in his hand
Speaker 1: he held a fair golden wand, with which he seals
Speaker 1: men's eyes in sleep, or wakes them just as he pleases.
Speaker 1: With this, he roused the ghosts and led them, while
Speaker 1: they followed, whining and gibbering behind him, as bats fly
Speaker 1: screening in the hollow of some great cave when one
Speaker 1: of them has fallen out of the cluster in which
Speaker 1: they hang. Even so did the ghosts whine and squeal
Speaker 1: as Mercury, the Heater of Sorrow, led them down into
Speaker 1: the dark abode of death. When they had passed the
Speaker 1: waters of Oceanus and the rock Leucus, they came to
Speaker 1: the gates of the Sun and the land of Dreams,
Speaker 1: whereon they reached the meadow of Asphodel, where dwell the
Speaker 1: souls and shadows of them that can labor no more.
Speaker 1: Here they found the ghost of Achilles, son of Pelias,
Speaker 1: with those of Patroclus, Antilochus, and Ajax, who was the
Speaker 1: finest and handsomest man of all the Denaeans. After the
Speaker 1: son of Pelias himself. They gathered round the ghost of
Speaker 1: the son of Pelias, and the ghost of Agamemnon joined them,
Speaker 1: sorrowing bitterly. Round him were gathered also the ghosts of
Speaker 1: those who had perished with him in the house of Aegisthus.
Speaker 1: And the ghost of Achilles spoke, first, son of Atreus,
Speaker 1: it said, we used to say that Jove had loved
Speaker 1: you better from first to last than any other hero,
Speaker 1: for you were captain over many and brave men when
Speaker 1: we were all fighting together before Troy. Yet the hand
Speaker 1: of death, which no mortal can escape, was laid upon
Speaker 1: you all too early, for you had you fallen at
Speaker 1: Troy in the heyday of your renown, for the Achaeans
Speaker 1: would have built a mound over your ashes, and your
Speaker 1: son would have been heir to your good name. Whereas
Speaker 1: it has now been your lot to come to a
Speaker 1: most miserable end happy son of Pelius, answered the ghosts
Speaker 1: of Agamemnon, for having died at Troy, far from Argos,
Speaker 1: while the bravest of the Trojans and the Achaeans fell
Speaker 1: round you fighting for your body. There you lay in
Speaker 1: the whirling clouds of dust, all huge and hugely heedless.
Speaker 1: Now of your chivalry, we fought the whole of the
Speaker 1: livelong day, Nor should we ever have left off if
Speaker 1: Jove had not sent a hurricane to stay us. Then,
Speaker 1: when we had borne you to the ships out of
Speaker 1: the fray, we laid you on your bed and cleansed
Speaker 1: your fair skin with warm water and with ointments. The
Speaker 1: Dnaeans tore their hair and wept bitterly round about you.
Speaker 1: Your mother, when she heard, came with her immortal nymphs
Speaker 1: from out of the sea, and the sound of a
Speaker 1: great wailing went forth over the water, so that the
Speaker 1: Achaeans quaked for fear. They would have fled, panic stricken,
Speaker 1: to their ships, had not the wise old Nestor, whose
Speaker 1: counsel was ever truest, checked them, saying, hold our jives fly,
Speaker 1: not the sons of the Achaeans. This is his mother
Speaker 1: coming from the sea. With her immortal nymphs to view
Speaker 1: the body of her son. Thus he spoke, and the
Speaker 1: Achaeans feared no more. The daughters of the old Man
Speaker 1: of the Sea stood round you, weeping bitterly, and clothed
Speaker 1: you in immortal raiment. The nine muses also came and
Speaker 1: lifted up their sweet voices in lament, calling and answering
Speaker 1: one another. There was not an argive, but wept for
Speaker 1: the pity of the dirge. They chaunted days and nights
Speaker 1: seven and ten we mourned you, mortals and immortals. But
Speaker 1: on the eighteenth day we gave you to the flames.
Speaker 1: And many a fat sheep, with many an ox did
Speaker 1: we slay in sacrifice. Around you. You were burnt in
Speaker 1: raiment of the gods, with rich resins and with honey,
Speaker 1: while heroes horse and foot clashed their armor round the pile,
Speaker 1: as you were burning with a tramp, as of a
Speaker 1: great multitude. But when the flames of heaven had done
Speaker 1: their work, we gathered your white bones at daybreak and
Speaker 1: laid them in ointments and in pure wine. Your mother
Speaker 1: brought us a golden vase to hold them. Gift of
Speaker 1: Bacchus and work of Vulcan himself. In this we mingled
Speaker 1: your bleached bones with those of Patroclus who had gone
Speaker 1: before you, and separate we enclosed also those of Antilochus,
Speaker 1: who have been closer to you than any other of
Speaker 1: your comrades. Now that Petroclus was no more over these,
Speaker 1: the host of the archives built a noble tomb on
Speaker 1: a point jutting out over the open Hellespunt, that it
Speaker 1: might be seen from far out upon the sea by
Speaker 1: those now living and by them that shall be born hereafter.
Speaker 1: Your mother begged prizes from the gods and offered them
Speaker 1: to be contended for by the noblest of a kien.
Speaker 1: You must have been present at the funeral of many
Speaker 1: a hero, when the young men gird themselves and make
Speaker 1: ready to contend for prizes on the death of some
Speaker 1: great chieftain. But you never saw such prizes as silver
Speaker 1: footed Thetis offered in your honor, For the gods loved
Speaker 1: you well. Thus, even in death, your fame, Achilles, has
Speaker 1: not been lost, and your name lives evermore among all mankind.
Speaker 1: But as for me, what solace had I when the
Speaker 1: days of my fighting were done? For Jove willed my
Speaker 1: destruction on my return by the hands of Egistus and
Speaker 1: those of my wicked wife. Thus did they converse, and
Speaker 1: presently Mercury came up to them with the ghosts of
Speaker 1: the suitors who had been killed by Ulysses. The ghosts
Speaker 1: of Agamemnon and Achilles were astonished at seeing them, and
Speaker 1: went up to them at once. The ghosts of Agamemnon
Speaker 1: recognized Amphimedon, son of Melanaeus, who lived in Ithaca and
Speaker 1: had been his home. So it began to talk to him.
Speaker 1: Amphemiedon it said, what has happened to all you fine
Speaker 1: young men, all of an age too, that you are
Speaker 1: come down here under the ground. One could pick no
Speaker 1: finer body of men from any city. Did Neptune raise
Speaker 1: his winds and waves against you when you were at sea?
Speaker 1: Or did your enemies make an end of you on
Speaker 1: the mainland when you were cattle lifting or sheep stealing,
Speaker 1: or while fighting in defense of their wives and city?
Speaker 1: Answer my question, for I have been your guest. Do
Speaker 1: you not remember how I came to your house with
Speaker 1: Menelaeus to persuade Ulysses to join us with his ships
Speaker 1: against Troy. It was a whole month ere we could
Speaker 1: resume our voyage, for we had hard work to persuade
Speaker 1: Ulysses to come with us. And the ghost of Amphimedon answered,
Speaker 1: like Amemnon, son of Atreus, king of Men, I remember
Speaker 1: everything that you have said, and will tell you fully
Speaker 1: inaccurately about the way in which are end was brought about.
Speaker 1: Ulysses have been long gone, and we were courting his wife,
Speaker 1: who did not say point blank that she would not
Speaker 1: marry nor yet bring matters to an end, for she
Speaker 1: meant to compass our destruction. This then, was the trick
Speaker 1: she played us. She set up a great tambour frame
Speaker 1: in her room and began to work on an enormous
Speaker 1: piece of fine needlework. Sweethearts, said she, Ulysses is indeed dead.
Speaker 1: Still do not press me to marry again immediately, wait,
Speaker 1: for I would not have my skill in needlework perish
Speaker 1: unrecorded till I have completed a pall for the hero Laertes,
Speaker 1: against the time when death shall take him. He is
Speaker 1: very rich, and the women of the place will talk
Speaker 1: if he is laid out without a pall. This is
Speaker 1: what she said, and we assented. Whereupon we could see
Speaker 1: her working upon her great web all day long, but
Speaker 1: at night she would unpick the stitches again by torchlight.
Speaker 1: She fooled us in this way for three years without
Speaker 1: our finding it out. But as time wore on, and
Speaker 1: she was now in her fourth year in the waning
Speaker 1: of moons, and many days had been accomplished, one of
Speaker 1: her mates, who knew what she was doing, told us,
Speaker 1: and we caught her in the act of undoing her work.
Speaker 1: So she had to finish it, whether she would or no.
Speaker 1: And when she showed us the robe she had made
Speaker 1: after she had had it washed, its splendor was that
Speaker 1: of the sun or moon. Then some malicious god conveyed
Speaker 1: Ulysses to the upland farm where his swineherd lives. Thither
Speaker 1: presently came also his son, returning from a voyage to Pylos,
Speaker 1: and the two came to the town when they had
Speaker 1: hatched their plot for our destruction. Telemachus came first, and
Speaker 1: then after him, accompanied by the swineherd, came Ulysses, clad
Speaker 1: in rags and leaning on a staff, as though he
Speaker 1: were some miserable old beggar. He came so unexpectedly that
Speaker 1: none of us knew him, not even the older ones
Speaker 1: among us. We reviled him and threw things at him.
Speaker 1: He endured both being struck and insulted without a word,
Speaker 1: though he was in his own house. But when the
Speaker 1: will of Egis bearing Jove inspired him, he and Telemachus
Speaker 1: took the armor and hid it in an inner chamber,
Speaker 1: bolting the doors behind them. Then he cunningly made his
Speaker 1: wife offer his bow and a quantity of iron, to
Speaker 1: be contended for by us ill fated suitors. And this
Speaker 1: was the beginning of our end. For not one of
Speaker 1: us could string the bow, nor nearly do so. When
Speaker 1: it was about to reach the hands of Ulysses, we
Speaker 1: ol of Us shouted out that it should not be
Speaker 1: given to him, no matter what he might say, But
Speaker 1: Telemachus insisted on his having it. When he had got
Speaker 1: it in his hands, he strung it with ease and
Speaker 1: sent his arrow through the iron. Then he stood on
Speaker 1: the floor of the cloister and poured his arrows on
Speaker 1: the ground, glaring fiercely about him. First he killed Antonus,
Speaker 1: and then, aiming straight before him, he let fly his darts,
Speaker 1: and they fell thick on one another. It was plain
Speaker 1: that some one of the gods was helping him, for
Speaker 1: they fell upon us with might and main throughout the cloisters,
Speaker 1: and there was a hideous sound of groaning, as our
Speaker 1: brains were being battered in and the grounds seethed with
Speaker 1: our blood. This, Agamemnon, is how we came by our end.
Speaker 1: And our bodies are lying still uncared for in the
Speaker 1: house of Ulysses, for our friends at home do not
Speaker 1: yet know what has happened, so that they cannot lay
Speaker 1: us out and wash the black blood from our wounds,
Speaker 1: making moan over us according to the offices due to
Speaker 1: the departed. Happy Ulysses, son of Laertes, replied the ghost
Speaker 1: of Agamemnon, you are indeed blessed in the possession of
Speaker 1: a wife endowed with such rare excellence of understanding, and
Speaker 1: so faithful to her wedded lord as Penelope, the daughter
Speaker 1: of Vicarius. The fame therefore of her virtue shall never die,
Speaker 1: and the immortal shall compose a song that shall be
Speaker 1: welcome to all men kind in honor of the constancy
Speaker 1: of Penelope. How far otherwise was the wickedness of the
Speaker 1: daughter of Tyndareus, who killed her lawful husband. Her song
Speaker 1: shall be hateful among men, for she has brought disgrace
Speaker 1: on all womankind, even on the good ones. Thus did
Speaker 1: they converse in the house of Hades, deep down within
Speaker 1: the bows of the earth. Meanwhile, Ulysses and the others
Speaker 1: passed out of the town and soon reached the fair
Speaker 1: and well tilled farm of Leertes, which she had reclaimed
Speaker 1: with infinite labor. Here was his house, with a lean
Speaker 1: to running all round it, where the slaves who worked
Speaker 1: for him slept and sat and ate. While inside the
Speaker 1: house there was an old seisel woman who looked after
Speaker 1: him in this his country farm. When Ulysses got there,
Speaker 1: he said to his son and to the other two,
Speaker 1: go to the house and kill the best pig that
Speaker 1: you can find for dinner. Meanwhile, I want to see
Speaker 1: whether my father will know me or fail to recognize
Speaker 1: me after so long an absence. He then took off
Speaker 1: his armor and gave it to Eumaeus and Felicius, who
Speaker 1: went straight on to the house, while he turned off
Speaker 1: into the vineyard to make trial of his father. As
Speaker 1: he went down into the great orchard, he did not
Speaker 1: see Dolius, nor any of his sons, nor of the
Speaker 1: other bondsmen, for they were all gathering thorns to make
Speaker 1: a fence for the vineyard at the place where the
Speaker 1: old man had told them. He therefore found his father alone,
Speaker 1: hoeing a vine. He had on a dirty, old shirt,
Speaker 1: patched and very shabby. His legs were bound round with
Speaker 1: thongs of ox hide to save him from the brambles,
Speaker 1: and he also wore sleeves of leather. He had a
Speaker 1: goat skin cap on his head, and was looking very woebegone.
Speaker 1: When ULYSSI saw him, so worn, so old, and full
Speaker 1: of sorrow. He stood still under a tall pear tree
Speaker 1: and began to weep. He doubted whether to embrace him,
Speaker 1: kiss him, and tell him all about his having come home,
Speaker 1: or whether he should first question him and see what
Speaker 1: he would say. In the end, he deemed it best
Speaker 1: to be crafty with him, so in his mind he
Speaker 1: went up to his father, who was bending down and
Speaker 1: digging about a plant. I see, sir, said, Ulysses, that
Speaker 1: you are an excellent gardener. What pains you take with it?
Speaker 1: To be sure, there is not a single plant, not
Speaker 1: a fig tree, vine, olive, pear, nor flower bed, but
Speaker 1: bears the trace of your attention. I trust, however, that
Speaker 1: you will not be offended if I say that you
Speaker 1: take better care of your garden than of yourself. You
Speaker 1: are old, unsavory, and very meanly clad. It cannot be
Speaker 1: because you are idle that your master takes such poor
Speaker 1: care of you. Indeed, your face and figure have nothing
Speaker 1: of the slave about them, and proclaim you of noble birth.
Speaker 1: I should have said that you were one of those
Speaker 1: who should wash well, eat well, and lie soft at night,
Speaker 1: as old men have a right to do. But tell me,
Speaker 1: tell me true, whose bondmen are you, and in whose
Speaker 1: garden are you working? Tell me also about another matter.
Speaker 1: Is this place that I have come to really Ithaca?
Speaker 1: I met a man just now who said so. But
Speaker 1: he was a dull fellow and had not the patience
Speaker 1: to hear my story out when I was asking him
Speaker 1: about an old friend of mine, whether he was still
Speaker 1: living or was already dead and in the house of Hades.
Speaker 1: Believe me when I tell you that this man came
Speaker 1: to my house once when I was in my own country,
Speaker 1: and never yet did any stranger come to me whom
Speaker 1: I liked better. He said that his family came from Ithaca,
Speaker 1: and that his father was Liertes, son of Arsisius. I
Speaker 1: received him hospitably, making him welcome to all the abundance
Speaker 1: of my house. And when he went away, I gave
Speaker 1: him all customary presents. I gave him seven talents of
Speaker 1: fine gold and a cup of solid silver with flowers
Speaker 1: chased upon it. I gave him twelve light cloak and
Speaker 1: as many pieces of tapestry. I also gave him twelve
Speaker 1: cloaks of single fold, twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and
Speaker 1: an equal number of shirts. To all this, I added
Speaker 1: four good looking women, skilled in all useful arts, and
Speaker 1: I let him take his choice. His father shed tears
Speaker 1: and answered, sir, you have indeed come to the country
Speaker 1: that you have named, but it has fallen into the
Speaker 1: hands of wicked people. All this wealth of presents has
Speaker 1: been given to no purpose. If you could have found
Speaker 1: your friend here alive in Ithaca, he would have entertained
Speaker 1: you hospitably, and would have requited your presence amply when
Speaker 1: you left him, as would have been only right considering
Speaker 1: what you had already given him. But tell me, and
Speaker 1: tell me true, how many years is it since you
Speaker 1: entertained this guest. My unhappy son, as ever was alas
Speaker 1: he has perished far from his own country, the fishes
Speaker 1: of the sea have eaten him, or he has fallen
Speaker 1: a prey to the birds and wild beasts of some continent.
Speaker 1: Neither his mother nor I his father, who were his parents,
Speaker 1: could throw our arms about him and wrap him in
Speaker 1: his shroud, Nor could his excellent and richly doured wife
Speaker 1: Penelope bewail her husband as was natural upon his death bed,
Speaker 1: and close his eyes according to the offices due to
Speaker 1: the departed. But now tell me truly, for I want
Speaker 1: to know who and whence are you. Tell me of
Speaker 1: your town and parents. Where is the ship lying that
Speaker 1: has brought you and your men to Ithaca? Or were
Speaker 1: you a passenger on some other manship, and those who
Speaker 1: brought you here have gone on their way and left you.
Speaker 1: I will tell you everything, answered, Ulysses, quite truly. I
Speaker 1: come from Albus, where I have a fine house. I
Speaker 1: am son of King Ephadus, who is the son of Poalopemon.
Speaker 1: My own name is a Perrotus. Heaven drove me off
Speaker 1: my course as I was leaving Secania, and I have
Speaker 1: been carried here against my will. As for my ship,
Speaker 1: it is lying over yonder off the open country outside
Speaker 1: the town. And this is the fifth year since Ulysses
Speaker 1: left my country, poor fellow, Yet the omens were good
Speaker 1: for him when he left me. The birds all flew
Speaker 1: on our right hands, and both he and I rejoiced
Speaker 1: to see them as we parted, for we had every
Speaker 1: hope that we should have another friendly meeting and exchange presents.
Speaker 1: A dark cloud of sorrow fell upon Laertes as he listened.
Speaker 1: He filled both hands with the dust from off the
Speaker 1: ground and poured it over his gray head, groaning heavily
Speaker 1: as he did so. The heart of Ulysses was touched,
Speaker 1: and his nostrils quivered as he looked upon his father.
Speaker 1: Then he sprang towards him, flung his arms about him,
Speaker 1: and kissed him, saying, I am he father about whom
Speaker 1: you are asking. I have returned after having been away
Speaker 1: for twenty years. But cease or sighing and lemonation. We
Speaker 1: have no time to lose, for I should tell you
Speaker 1: that I have been killing the suitors in my house
Speaker 1: to punish them for their insolence and crimes. If you
Speaker 1: really are my son, Ulysses, replied Liertes, and have come
Speaker 1: back again, you must give me such manifest proof of
Speaker 1: your identity as shall convince me. First observe this scar,
Speaker 1: answered Ulysses, which I got from a boer's tusk when
Speaker 1: I was hunting on Mount Parnassus. You and my mother
Speaker 1: had sent me to Autilicus, my mother's father, to receive
Speaker 1: the presents which when he was over here he had
Speaker 1: promised to give me. Furthermore, I will point out to
Speaker 1: you the trees in the vineyard which you gave me,
Speaker 1: and I asked you all about them as I followed
Speaker 1: you round the garden. We went over them all, and
Speaker 1: you told me their names and what they all were.
Speaker 1: You gave me thirteen pear trees, ten apple trees, and
Speaker 1: forty fig trees. You also said you would give me
Speaker 1: fifty rows of vines. There was corn planet between each row,
Speaker 1: and they yield grapes of every kind when the heat
Speaker 1: of heaven has been laid heavy upon them. The Airte's
Speaker 1: strength failed him when he heard the convincing proofs which
Speaker 1: his son had given him. He threw his arms about him,
Speaker 1: and Ulysses had to support him or he would have
Speaker 1: gone off into a swoon. But as soon as he
Speaker 1: came too and was beginning to recover his senses, he said, oh, father, Jove,
Speaker 1: then you gods are still in Olympus after all, if
Speaker 1: the suitors have really been punished for their insolence and folly. Nevertheless,
Speaker 1: I am much afraid that I shall have all the
Speaker 1: townspeople of Ithaca appear directly, and they will be sending
Speaker 1: messengers everywhere throughout the cities of the Cephelenians. Ulysses answered,
Speaker 1: take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that. But
Speaker 1: let us go into the house hard by your garden.
Speaker 1: I have already told Telemachus, Felicius, and Eumaeus to go
Speaker 1: on there and get dinner ready as soon as possible.
Speaker 1: Thus conversing, the two made their way towards the house.
Speaker 1: When they got there, they found Telemachus with the stockman
Speaker 1: and the swineherd, cutting up meat and mixing wine with water.
Speaker 1: Then the old Seiso woman took the Artes inside and
Speaker 1: washed him and anointed him with oil. She put him
Speaker 1: on a good cloak, and Minerva came up to him
Speaker 1: and gave him a more imposing presence, making him taller
Speaker 1: and stouter than before. When he came back, his son
Speaker 1: was surprised to see him looking so like an immortal,
Speaker 1: and said to him, my dear father, some one of
Speaker 1: the gods has been making you much taller and better looking.
Speaker 1: Leartes answered would by Father, Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that
Speaker 1: I were the man I was when I ruled among
Speaker 1: the Cephalonians and took Nerikum, that strong fortress on the foreland.
Speaker 1: If I were still what I then was, and had
Speaker 1: been in our house yesterday with my armor on, I
Speaker 1: should have been able to stand by you and help
Speaker 1: you against the suitors. I should have killed filled a
Speaker 1: great many of them, and you would have rejoiced to
Speaker 1: see it. Thus did they converse, but the others, when
Speaker 1: they had finished their work and the feast was ready,
Speaker 1: left off working, and took each his proper place on
Speaker 1: the benches and seats. Then they began eating. By and by.
Speaker 1: Old Dolius and his sons left their work and came
Speaker 1: up for their mother. The Siso, woman who looked after Leertes,
Speaker 1: now that he was growing old, had been to fetch them.
Speaker 1: When they saw Ulysses and were certain it was he,
Speaker 1: they stood there lost in astonishment. But Ulysses scolded them
Speaker 1: good naturedly, and said, sit down to your dinner, old man,
Speaker 1: Never mind about your surprise. We have been wanting to
Speaker 1: begin for some time and have been waiting for you.
Speaker 1: Then Dolius put out both his hands and went up
Speaker 1: to Ulysses. Sir, said, he seizing his master's hand and
Speaker 1: kissing it at the wrist. We have long been wishing
Speaker 1: you home, and now Heaven has restored you to us,
Speaker 1: after we have given up hoping. All hail therefore and
Speaker 1: made the gods prosper you. But tell me, does Penelope
Speaker 1: already know of your return? Or shall we send someone
Speaker 1: to tell her? Old man answered Ulysses, she knows already,
Speaker 1: so you need not trouble about that. On this he
Speaker 1: took his seat, and the sons of Dolius gathered round
Speaker 1: Ulysses to give him greeting and embrace him, one after
Speaker 1: the other. Then they took their seats in due order
Speaker 1: near Dolius their father. While they were thus busy getting
Speaker 1: their dinner ready, rumor went round the town and noised
Speaker 1: abroad the terrible fate that had befallen the suitors. As
Speaker 1: soon therefore, as the people heard of it, they gathered
Speaker 1: from every quarter, groaning and hooting, before the house of Ulysses.
Speaker 1: They took the dead away, buried every man his own,
Speaker 1: and put the bodies of those who came from elsewhere
Speaker 1: on board the fishing vessels, for the fishermen to take
Speaker 1: each of them to his own place. They met angrily
Speaker 1: in the place of assembly, and when they were got together,
Speaker 1: Eupathes rose to speak. He was overwhelmed with grief for
Speaker 1: the death of his son Antonus, who had been the
Speaker 1: first man killed by Ulysses. So he said, weeping bitterly,
Speaker 1: my friends, this man has done to the Achaeans great wrong.
Speaker 1: He took many of our best men away with him
Speaker 1: in his fleet, and he has lost both ships and men.
Speaker 1: Now moreover, on his return he has been killing all
Speaker 1: the foremost men among the Cephalenians. Let us be up
Speaker 1: and doing before he can get away to Pylos or
Speaker 1: to Ellis, where the Apaians rule, or we shall be
Speaker 1: ashamed of ourselves forever afterwards. It will be an everlasting
Speaker 1: disgrace to us if we do not avenge the murder
Speaker 1: of our sons and brothers. For my own part, I
Speaker 1: should have no more pleasures in life, but had rather
Speaker 1: die at once. Let us be up then and after them,
Speaker 1: before they can cross over to the mainland. He as
Speaker 1: he spoke, and everyone pitied him. But Meidan and the
Speaker 1: barred Femius had now woke up and came to them
Speaker 1: from the house of Ulysses. Everyone was astonished at seeing them,
Speaker 1: but they stood in the middle of the assembly and
Speaker 1: meet and said, hear me, men of Ithaca, Ulysses did
Speaker 1: not do these things against the will of Heaven. I
Speaker 1: myself saw an immortal god take the form of Mentor
Speaker 1: and stand beside him. This God appeared now in front
Speaker 1: of him, encouraging him, and now going furiously about the
Speaker 1: court and attacking the suitors, whereon they fell thick on
Speaker 1: one another. On this pale fear laid hold of them,
Speaker 1: and old Helethurses, son of Mastor, rose to speak, for
Speaker 1: he was the only man among them who knew both
Speaker 1: past and future. So he spoke to them plainly and
Speaker 1: in all honesty, saying, men of Ithaca, it is all
Speaker 1: your own fault that things have turned out as they have.
Speaker 1: You would not listen to me, nor yet to Mentor,
Speaker 1: when we bid you check the folly of your sons,
Speaker 1: who were doing much wrong in the wantonness of their hearts,
Speaker 1: wasting the substance and dishonoring the wife of a chieftain
Speaker 1: who they thought would not return. Now, however, let it
Speaker 1: be as I say, and do as I tell you.
Speaker 1: Do not go out against Ulysses, or you may find
Speaker 1: that you have been drawing down evil on your own heads.
Speaker 1: This was what he said, And more than half raised
Speaker 1: a loud shout and at once left the assembly. But
Speaker 1: the rest stayed where they were, for the speech of
Speaker 1: Helethurses displeased them, and they sided with you, Pathees. They
Speaker 1: therefore hurried off for their armor, and when they had
Speaker 1: armed themselves, they met together in front of the city,
Speaker 1: and Epathes led them on. In their folly, he thought
Speaker 1: he was going to avenge the murder of his son,
Speaker 1: whereas in truth he was never to return, but was
Speaker 1: himself to perish in his attempt. Then Minervas said to Jove, father,
Speaker 1: son of Saturn, king of Kings, answer me this question.
Speaker 1: What do you propose to do? Will you set them
Speaker 1: fighting still further? Or will you make peace between them?
Speaker 1: And Jove answered, my child, why should you ask me?
Speaker 1: Was it not by your own arrangement that Ulysses came
Speaker 1: home and took his revenge upon the suitors. Do whatever
Speaker 1: you like, but I will tell you what I think
Speaker 1: will be the most reasonable arrangement. Now that Ulysses is revenged,
Speaker 1: Let them swear to a solemn covenant in virtue of
Speaker 1: which he shall continue to rule, while we cause the
Speaker 1: others to forgive and forget the massacre of their sons
Speaker 1: and brothers. Let them then all become friends as heretofore,
Speaker 1: and let peace and plenty reign. This was what Minerva
Speaker 1: was already eager to bring about, So down she darted
Speaker 1: from off the topmost summits of Olympus. Now when they
Speaker 1: are ties and the others had done dinner, began by saying,
Speaker 1: some of you, go out and see if they are
Speaker 1: not getting close up to us. So one of Dolius's
Speaker 1: sons went out, as he was bid. Standing on the threshold,
Speaker 1: he could see them all quite clear, and said to Ulysses,
Speaker 1: here they are, Let us put on our armor at once.
Speaker 1: They put on their armor as fast as they could,
Speaker 1: that is to say, Ulysses, his three men, and the
Speaker 1: six sons of Dolius. Leertes also and Dolius did the
Speaker 1: same warriors by necessity, in spite of their gray hair.
Speaker 1: When they had all put on their armor, they opened
Speaker 1: the gate and sallied forth, Ulysses leading the way. Then
Speaker 1: Jove's daughter Minerva came up to them, having assumed the
Speaker 1: form and voice of mentor. Ulysses was glad when he
Speaker 1: saw her and said to his son Telemachus, Telemachus, now
Speaker 1: that you are about to fight in an engagement which
Speaker 1: will show every man's mettle, be sure not to disgrace
Speaker 1: your ancestors, who were eminent for their strength and courage
Speaker 1: all the world over. You say truly, my dear father,
Speaker 1: answered Telemachus, and you shall see if you will, that
Speaker 1: I am in no mind to disgrace your family. Leertes
Speaker 1: was delighted when he heard this. Good Heavens, he exclaimed,
Speaker 1: what a day I am enjoying. I do indeed rejoice
Speaker 1: at it. My son and grandson are vying with one
Speaker 1: another in the matter of valor. On this, Minerva came
Speaker 1: close up to him and said, son of Arcesius, best
Speaker 1: friend I have in the world, pray to the blue
Speaker 1: eyed damsel and to Jove her father. Then poise your
Speaker 1: spear and hurl it. As she spoke, she infused fresh
Speaker 1: vigor into him, and when he had prayed to her,
Speaker 1: he poised his spear and hurled it. He hit Eupathe's helmet,
Speaker 1: and the spear went right through it, for the helmet
Speaker 1: stayed at naught, and his armor rang rattling round him
Speaker 1: as he fell heavily to the ground. Meantime, Ulysses and
Speaker 1: his son fell upon the front line of the foe
Speaker 1: and smote them with their swords and spears. Indeed, they
Speaker 1: would have killed every one of them and prevented them
Speaker 1: from ever getting home again. Only Minerva raised her voice
Speaker 1: aloud and made every one pause. Men of Ithaca. She cried,
Speaker 1: cease this dreadful war, and settle the matter at once
Speaker 1: without further bloodshed. On this pale. Fear seized every one.
Speaker 1: They were so frightened that their arms dropped from their
Speaker 1: hands and fell upon the ground at the sound of
Speaker 1: the goddess voice, and they fled back to the city
Speaker 1: for their lives. But Ulysses gave a great cry, and,
Speaker 1: gathering himself together, swooped down like a soaring eagle. Then
Speaker 1: the son of Saturn sent a thunderbolt of fire that
Speaker 1: fell just in front of Minerva. So she said to Ulysses, Ulysses,
Speaker 1: noble son of Laertes, stop this warfare, strife, or Jove
Speaker 1: will be angry with you. Thus spoke Minerva, and Ulysses
Speaker 1: obeyed her gladly. Then Minerva assumed the form and voice
Speaker 1: of Mentor, and presently made a covenant of peace between
Speaker 1: the two contending parties. The End of the Odyssey by Homer,
Speaker 1: translated by Samuel Butler,