The Odyssey - 15

to catch hold of the ropes, and they made all haste to do so. They set
the mast in its socket in the cross plank, raised it and made it fast
with the forestays, and they hoisted their white sails with sheets of
twisted ox hide. Minerva sent them a fair wind that blew fresh and
strong to take the ship on her course as fast as possible. Thus then
they passed by Crouni and Chalcis.
Presently the sun set and darkness was over all the land. The vessel
made a quick passage to Pheae and thence on to Elis, where the Epeans
rule. Telemachus then headed her for the flying islands,132 wondering
within himself whether he should escape death or should be taken
prisoner.
Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd were eating their supper in the
hut, and the men supped with them. As soon as they had had to eat and
drink, Ulysses began trying to prove the swineherd and see whether he
would continue to treat him kindly, and ask him to stay on at the
station or pack him off to the city; so he said:
“Eumaeus, and all of you, to-morrow I want to go away and begin begging
about the town, so as to be no more trouble to you or to your men. Give
me your advice therefore, and let me have a good guide to go with me
and show me the way. I will go the round of the city begging as I needs
must, to see if any one will give me a drink and a piece of bread. I
should like also to go to the house of Ulysses and bring news of her
husband to Queen Penelope. I could then go about among the suitors and
see if out of all their abundance they will give me a dinner. I should
soon make them an excellent servant in all sorts of ways. Listen and
believe when I tell you that by the blessing of Mercury who gives grace
and good name to the works of all men, there is no one living who would
make a more handy servant than I should—to put fresh wood on the fire,
chop fuel, carve, cook, pour out wine, and do all those services that
poor men have to do for their betters.”
The swineherd was very much disturbed when he heard this. “Heaven help
me,” he exclaimed, “what ever can have put such a notion as that into
your head? If you go near the suitors you will be undone to a
certainty, for their pride and insolence reach the very heavens. They
would never think of taking a man like you for a servant. Their
servants are all young men, well dressed, wearing good cloaks and
shirts, with well looking faces and their hair always tidy, the tables
are kept quite clean and are loaded with bread, meat, and wine. Stay
where you are, then; you are not in anybody’s way; I do not mind your
being here, no more do any of the others, and when Telemachus comes
home he will give you a shirt and cloak and will send you wherever you
want to go.”
Ulysses answered, “I hope you may be as dear to the gods as you are to
me, for having saved me from going about and getting into trouble;
there is nothing worse than being always on the tramp; still, when men
have once got low down in the world they will go through a great deal
on behalf of their miserable bellies. Since, however, you press me to
stay here and await the return of Telemachus, tell me about Ulysses’
mother, and his father whom he left on the threshold of old age when he
set out for Troy. Are they still living or are they already dead and in
the house of Hades?”
“I will tell you all about them,” replied Eumaeus, “Laertes is still
living and prays heaven to let him depart peacefully in his own house,
for he is terribly distressed about the absence of his son, and also
about the death of his wife, which grieved him greatly and aged him
more than anything else did. She came to an unhappy end133 through
sorrow for her son: may no friend or neighbour who has dealt kindly by
me come to such an end as she did. As long as she was still living,
though she was always grieving, I used to like seeing her and asking
her how she did, for she brought me up along with her daughter Ctimene,
the youngest of her children; we were boy and girl together, and she
made little difference between us. When, however, we both grew up, they
sent Ctimene to Same and received a splendid dowry for her. As for me,
my mistress gave me a good shirt and cloak with a pair of sandals for
my feet, and sent me off into the country, but she was just as fond of
me as ever. This is all over now. Still it has pleased heaven to
prosper my work in the situation which I now hold. I have enough to eat
and drink, and can find something for any respectable stranger who
comes here; but there is no getting a kind word or deed out of my
mistress, for the house has fallen into the hands of wicked people.
Servants want sometimes to see their mistress and have a talk with her;
they like to have something to eat and drink at the house, and
something too to take back with them into the country. This is what
will keep servants in a good humour.”
Ulysses answered, “Then you must have been a very little fellow,
Eumaeus, when you were taken so far away from your home and parents.
Tell me, and tell me true, was the city in which your father and mother
lived sacked and pillaged, or did some enemies carry you off when you
were alone tending sheep or cattle, ship you off here, and sell you for
whatever your master gave them?”
“Stranger,” replied Eumaeus, “as regards your question: sit still, make
yourself comfortable, drink your wine, and listen to me. The nights are
now at their longest; there is plenty of time both for sleeping and
sitting up talking together; you ought not to go to bed till bed time,
too much sleep is as bad as too little; if any one of the others wishes
to go to bed let him leave us and do so; he can then take my master’s
pigs out when he has done breakfast in the morning. We too will sit
here eating and drinking in the hut, and telling one another stories
about our misfortunes; for when a man has suffered much, and been
buffeted about in the world, he takes pleasure in recalling the memory
of sorrows that have long gone by. As regards your question, then, my
tale is as follows:
“You may have heard of an island called Syra that lies over above
Ortygia,134 where the land begins to turn round and look in another
direction.135 It is not very thickly peopled, but the soil is good,
with much pasture fit for cattle and sheep, and it abounds with wine
and wheat. Dearth never comes there, nor are the people plagued by any
sickness, but when they grow old Apollo comes with Diana and kills them
with his painless shafts. It contains two communities, and the whole
country is divided between these two. My father Ctesius son of Ormenus,
a man comparable to the gods, reigned over both.
“Now to this place there came some cunning traders from Phoenicia (for
the Phoenicians are great mariners) in a ship which they had freighted
with gewgaws of all kinds. There happened to be a Phoenician woman in
my father’s house, very tall and comely, and an excellent servant;
these scoundrels got hold of her one day when she was washing near
their ship, seduced her, and cajoled her in ways that no woman can
resist, no matter how good she may be by nature. The man who had
seduced her asked her who she was and where she came from, and on this
she told him her father’s name. ‘I come from Sidon,’ said she, ‘and am
daughter to Arybas, a man rolling in wealth. One day as I was coming
into the town from the country, some Taphian pirates seized me and took
me here over the sea, where they sold me to the man who owns this
house, and he gave them their price for me.’
“The man who had seduced her then said, ‘Would you like to come along
with us to see the house of your parents and your parents themselves?
They are both alive and are said to be well off.’
“‘I will do so gladly,’ answered she, ‘if you men will first swear me a
solemn oath that you will do me no harm by the way.’
“They all swore as she told them, and when they had completed their
oath the woman said, ‘Hush; and if any of your men meets me in the
street or at the well, do not let him speak to me, for fear some one
should go and tell my master, in which case he would suspect something.
He would put me in prison, and would have all of you murdered; keep
your own counsel therefore; buy your merchandise as fast as you can,
and send me word when you have done loading. I will bring as much gold
as I can lay my hands on, and there is something else also that I can
do towards paying my fare. I am nurse to the son of the good man of the
house, a funny little fellow just able to run about. I will carry him
off in your ship, and you will get a great deal of money for him if you
take him and sell him in foreign parts.’
“On this she went back to the house. The Phoenicians stayed a whole
year till they had loaded their ship with much precious merchandise,
and then, when they had got freight enough, they sent to tell the
woman. Their messenger, a very cunning fellow, came to my father’s
house bringing a necklace of gold with amber beads strung among it; and
while my mother and the servants had it in their hands admiring it and
bargaining about it, he made a sign quietly to the woman and then went
back to the ship, whereon she took me by the hand and led me out of the
house. In the fore part of the house she saw the tables set with the
cups of guests who had been feasting with my father, as being in
attendance on him; these were now all gone to a meeting of the public
assembly, so she snatched up three cups and carried them off in the
bosom of her dress, while I followed her, for I knew no better. The sun
was now set, and darkness was over all the land, so we hurried on as
fast as we could till we reached the harbour, where the Phoenician ship
was lying. When they had got on board they sailed their ways over the
sea, taking us with them, and Jove sent then a fair wind; six days did
we sail both night and day, but on the seventh day Diana struck the
woman and she fell heavily down into the ship’s hold as though she were
a sea gull alighting on the water; so they threw her overboard to the
seals and fishes, and I was left all sorrowful and alone. Presently the
winds and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where Laertes gave sundry of
his chattels for me, and thus it was that ever I came to set eyes upon
this country.”
Ulysses answered, “Eumaeus, I have heard the story of your misfortunes
with the most lively interest and pity, but Jove has given you good as
well as evil, for in spite of everything you have a good master, who
sees that you always have enough to eat and drink; and you lead a good
life, whereas I am still going about begging my way from city to city.”
Thus did they converse, and they had only a very little time left for
sleep, for it was soon daybreak. In the mean time Telemachus and his
crew were nearing land, so they loosed the sails, took down the mast,
and rowed the ship into the harbour.136 They cast out their mooring
stones and made fast the hawsers; they then got out upon the sea shore,
mixed their wine, and got dinner ready. As soon as they had had enough
to eat and drink Telemachus said, “Take the ship on to the town, but
leave me here, for I want to look after the herdsmen on one of my
farms. In the evening, when I have seen all I want, I will come down to
the city, and to-morrow morning in return for your trouble I will give
you all a good dinner with meat and wine.” 137
Then Theoclymenus said, “And what, my dear young friend, is to become
of me? To whose house, among all your chief men, am I to repair? or
shall I go straight to your own house and to your mother?”
“At any other time,” replied Telemachus, “I should have bidden you go
to my own house, for you would find no want of hospitality; at the
present moment, however, you would not be comfortable there, for I
shall be away, and my mother will not see you; she does not often show
herself even to the suitors, but sits at her loom weaving in an upper
chamber, out of their way; but I can tell you a man whose house you can
go to—I mean Eurymachus the son of Polybus, who is held in the highest
estimation by every one in Ithaca. He is much the best man and the most
persistent wooer, of all those who are paying court to my mother and
trying to take Ulysses’ place. Jove, however, in heaven alone knows
whether or no they will come to a bad end before the marriage takes
place.”
As he was speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand—a hawk, Apollo’s
messenger. It held a dove in its talons, and the feathers, as it tore
them off,138 fell to the ground midway between Telemachus and the ship.
On this Theoclymenus called him apart and caught him by the hand.
“Telemachus,” said he, “that bird did not fly on your right hand
without having been sent there by some god. As soon as I saw it I knew
it was an omen; it means that you will remain powerful and that there
will be no house in Ithaca more royal than your own.”
“I wish it may prove so,” answered Telemachus. “If it does, I will show
you so much good will and give you so many presents that all who meet
you will congratulate you.”
Then he said to his friend Piraeus, “Piraeus, son of Clytius, you have
throughout shown yourself the most willing to serve me of all those who
have accompanied me to Pylos; I wish you would take this stranger to
your own house and entertain him hospitably till I can come for him.”
And Piraeus answered, “Telemachus, you may stay away as long as you
please, but I will look after him for you, and he shall find no lack of
hospitality.”
As he spoke he went on board, and bade the others do so also and loose
the hawsers, so they took their places in the ship. But Telemachus
bound on his sandals, and took a long and doughty spear with a head of
sharpened bronze from the deck of the ship. Then they loosed the
hawsers, thrust the ship off from land, and made on towards the city as
they had been told to do, while Telemachus strode on as fast as he
could, till he reached the homestead where his countless herds of swine
were feeding, and where dwelt the excellent swineherd, who was so
devoted a servant to his master.


BOOK XVI

ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF TO TELEMACHUS.

Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd had lit a fire in the hut and were
were getting breakfast ready at daybreak, for they had sent the men out
with the pigs. When Telemachus came up, the dogs did not bark but
fawned upon him, so Ulysses, hearing the sound of feet and noticing
that the dogs did not bark, said to Eumaeus:
“Eumaeus, I hear footsteps; I suppose one of your men or some one of
your acquaintance is coming here, for the dogs are fawning upon him and
not barking.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before his son stood at the
door. Eumaeus sprang to his feet, and the bowls in which he was mixing
wine fell from his hands, as he made towards his master. He kissed his
head and both his beautiful eyes, and wept for joy. A father could not
be more delighted at the return of an only son, the child of his old
age, after ten years’ absence in a foreign country and after having
gone through much hardship. He embraced him, kissed him all over as
though he had come back from the dead, and spoke fondly to him saying:
“So you are come, Telemachus, light of my eyes that you are. When I
heard you had gone to Pylos I made sure I was never going to see you
any more. Come in, my dear child, and sit down, that I may have a good
look at you now you are home again; it is not very often you come into
the country to see us herdsmen; you stick pretty close to the town
generally. I suppose you think it better to keep an eye on what the
suitors are doing.”
“So be it, old friend,” answered Telemachus, “but I am come now because
I want to see you, and to learn whether my mother is still at her old
home or whether some one else has married her, so that the bed of
Ulysses is without bedding and covered with cobwebs.”
“She is still at the house,” replied Eumaeus, “grieving and breaking
her heart, and doing nothing but weep, both night and day continually.”
As he spoke he took Telemachus’ spear, whereon he crossed the stone
threshold and came inside. Ulysses rose from his seat to give him place
as he entered, but Telemachus checked him; “Sit down, stranger,” said
he, “I can easily find another seat, and there is one here who will lay
it for me.”
Ulysses went back to his own place, and Eumaeus strewed some green
brushwood on the floor and threw a sheepskin on top of it for
Telemachus to sit upon. Then the swineherd brought them platters of
cold meat, the remains from what they had eaten the day before, and he
filled the bread baskets with bread as fast as he could. He mixed wine
also in bowls of ivy-wood, and took his seat facing Ulysses. Then they
laid their hands on the good things that were before them, and as soon
as they had had enough to eat and drink Telemachus said to Eumaeus,
“Old friend, where does this stranger come from? How did his crew bring
him to Ithaca, and who were they?—for assuredly he did not come here by
land.”
To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, “My son, I will tell you the
real truth. He says he is a Cretan, and that he has been a great
traveller. At this moment he is running away from a Thesprotian ship,
and has taken refuge at my station, so I will put him into your hands.
Do whatever you like with him, only remember that he is your
suppliant.”
“I am very much distressed,” said Telemachus, “by what you have just
told me. How can I take this stranger into my house? I am as yet young,
and am not strong enough to hold my own if any man attacks me. My
mother cannot make up her mind whether to stay where she is and look
after the house out of respect for public opinion and the memory of her
husband, or whether the time is now come for her to take the best man
of those who are wooing her, and the one who will make her the most
advantageous offer; still, as the stranger has come to your station I
will find him a cloak and shirt of good wear, with a sword and sandals,
and will send him wherever he wants to go. Or if you like you can keep
him here at the station, and I will send him clothes and food that he
may be no burden on you and on your men; but I will not have him go
near the suitors, for they are very insolent, and are sure to ill treat
him in a way that would greatly grieve me; no matter how valiant a man
may be he can do nothing against numbers, for they will be too strong
for him.”
Then Ulysses said, “Sir, it is right that I should say something
myself. I am much shocked about what you have said about the insolent
way in which the suitors are behaving in despite of such a man as you
are. Tell me, do you submit to such treatment tamely, or has some god
set your people against you? May you not complain of your brothers—for
it is to these that a man may look for support, however great his
quarrel may be? I wish I were as young as you are and in my present
mind; if I were son to Ulysses, or, indeed, Ulysses himself, I would
rather some one came and cut my head off, but I would go to the house
and be the bane of every one of these men.139 If they were too many for
me—I being single-handed—I would rather die fighting in my own house
than see such disgraceful sights day after day, strangers grossly
maltreated, and men dragging the women servants about the house in an
unseemly way, wine drawn recklessly, and bread wasted all to no purpose
for an end that shall never be accomplished.”
And Telemachus answered, “I will tell you truly everything. There is no
enmity between me and my people, nor can I complain of brothers, to
whom a man may look for support however great his quarrel may be. Jove
has made us a race of only sons. Laertes was the only son of Arceisius,
and Ulysses only son of Laertes. I am myself the only son of Ulysses
who left me behind him when he went away, so that I have never been of
any use to him. Hence it comes that my house is in the hands of
numberless marauders; for the chiefs from all the neighbouring islands,
Dulichium, Same, Zacynthus, as also all the principal men of Ithaca
itself, are eating up my house under the pretext of paying court to my
mother, who will neither say point blank that she will not marry, nor
yet bring matters to an end, so they are making havoc of my estate, and
before long will do so with myself into the bargain. The issue,
however, rests with heaven. But do you, old friend Eumaeus, go at once
and tell Penelope that I am safe and have returned from Pylos. Tell it
to herself alone, and then come back here without letting any one else
know, for there are many who are plotting mischief against me.”
“I understand and heed you,” replied Eumaeus; “you need instruct me no
further, only as I am going that way say whether I had not better let
poor Laertes know that you are returned. He used to superintend the
work on his farm in spite of his bitter sorrow about Ulysses, and he
would eat and drink at will along with his servants; but they tell me
that from the day on which you set out for Pylos he has neither eaten
nor drunk as he ought to do, nor does he look after his farm, but sits
weeping and wasting the flesh from off his bones.”
“More’s the pity,” answered Telemachus, “I am sorry for him, but we
must leave him to himself just now. If people could have everything
their own way, the first thing I should choose would be the return of
my father; but go, and give your message; then make haste back again,
and do not turn out of your way to tell Laertes. Tell my mother to send
one of her women secretly with the news at once, and let him hear it
from her.”
Thus did he urge the swineherd; Eumaeus, therefore, took his sandals,
bound them to his feet, and started for the town. Minerva watched him
well off the station, and then came up to it in the form of a
woman—fair, stately, and wise. She stood against the side of the entry,
and revealed herself to Ulysses, but Telemachus could not see her, and
knew not that she was there, for the gods do not let themselves be seen
by everybody. Ulysses saw her, and so did the dogs, for they did not
bark, but went scared and whining off to the other side of the yards.
She nodded her head and motioned to Ulysses with her eyebrows; whereon
he left the hut and stood before her outside the main wall of the
yards. Then she said to him:
“Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, it is now time for you to tell your
son: do not keep him in the dark any longer, but lay your plans for the
destruction of the suitors, and then make for the town. I will not be
long in joining you, for I too am eager for the fray.”
As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand. First she threw a
fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoulders; then she made him
younger and of more imposing presence; she gave him back his colour,
filled out his cheeks, and let his beard become dark again. Then she
went away and Ulysses came back inside the hut. His son was astounded
when he saw him, and turned his eyes away for fear he might be looking
upon a god.
“Stranger,” said he, “how suddenly you have changed from what you were
a moment or two ago. You are dressed differently and your colour is not
the same. Are you some one or other of the gods that live in heaven? If
so, be propitious to me till I can make you due sacrifice and offerings
of wrought gold. Have mercy upon me.”
And Ulysses said, “I am no god, why should you take me for one? I am
your father, on whose account you grieve and suffer so much at the
hands of lawless men.”
As he spoke he kissed his son, and a tear fell from his cheek on to the
ground, for he had restrained all tears till now. But Telemachus could
not yet believe that it was his father, and said:
“You are not my father, but some god is flattering me with vain hopes
that I may grieve the more hereafter; no mortal man could of himself
contrive to do as you have been doing, and make yourself old and young
at a moment’s notice, unless a god were with him. A second ago you were
old and all in rags, and now you are like some god come down from
heaven.”
Ulysses answered, “Telemachus, you ought not to be so immeasurably
astonished at my being really here. There is no other Ulysses who will
come hereafter. Such as I am, it is I, who after long wandering and
much hardship have got home in the twentieth year to my own country.
What you wonder at is the work of the redoubtable goddess Minerva, who
does with me whatever she will, for she can do what she pleases. At one
moment she makes me like a beggar, and the next I am a young man with
good clothes on my back; it is an easy matter for the gods who live in
heaven to make any man look either rich or poor.”
As he spoke he sat down, and Telemachus threw his arms about his father
and wept. They were both so much moved that they cried aloud like
eagles or vultures with crooked talons that have been robbed of their
half fledged young by peasants. Thus piteously did they weep, and the
sun would have gone down upon their mourning if Telemachus had not
suddenly said, “In what ship, my dear father, did your crew bring you
to Ithaca? Of what nation did they declare themselves to be—for you
cannot have come by land?”
“I will tell you the truth, my son,” replied Ulysses. “It was the
Phaeacians who brought me here. They are great sailors, and are in the
habit of giving escorts to any one who reaches their coasts. They took
me over the sea while I was fast asleep, and landed me in Ithaca, after
giving me many presents in bronze, gold, and raiment. These things by
heaven’s mercy are lying concealed in a cave, and I am now come here on
the suggestion of Minerva that we may consult about killing our
enemies. First, therefore, give me a list of the suitors, with their
number, that I may learn who, and how many, they are. I can then turn
the matter over in my mind, and see whether we two can fight the whole
body of them ourselves, or whether we must find others to help us.”
To this Telemachus answered, “Father, I have always heard of your
renown both in the field and in council, but the task you talk of is a
very great one: I am awed at the mere thought of it; two men cannot
stand against many and brave ones. There are not ten suitors only, nor
twice ten, but ten many times over; you shall learn their number at
once. There are fifty-two chosen youths from Dulichium, and they have
six servants; from Same there are twenty-four; twenty young Achaeans
from Zacynthus, and twelve from Ithaca itself, all of them well born.
They have with them a servant Medon, a bard, and two men who can carve
at table. If we face such numbers as this, you may have bitter cause to
rue your coming, and your revenge. See whether you cannot think of some
one who would be willing to come and help us.”
“Listen to me,” replied Ulysses, “and think whether Minerva and her
father Jove may seem sufficient, or whether I am to try and find some
one else as well.”
“Those whom you have named,” answered Telemachus, “are a couple of good
allies, for though they dwell high up among the clouds they have power
over both gods and men.”
“These two,” continued Ulysses, “will not keep long out of the fray,
when the suitors and we join fight in my house. Now, therefore, return
home early to-morrow morning, and go about among the suitors as before.
Later on the swineherd will bring me to the city disguised as a
miserable old beggar. If you see them ill treating me, steel your heart
against my sufferings; even though they drag me feet foremost out of
the house, or throw things at me, look on and do nothing beyond gently
trying to make them behave more reasonably; but they will not listen to
you, for the day of their reckoning is at hand. Furthermore I say, and
lay my saying to your heart; when Minerva shall put it in my mind, I
will nod my head to you, and on seeing me do this you must collect all
the armour that is in the house and hide it in the strong store room.
Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why you are removing it; say
that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as