THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER

S >> S. H. BUTCHER, M.A. >> THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER

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Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying: 'I
mark, I heed, all this thou speakest to one with
understanding. Do thou then go before me, and I will remain
here, for well I know what it is to be smitten and hurled
at. My heart is full of hardiness, for much evil have I
suffered in perils of waves and war; let this be added to
the tale of those. But a ravening belly may none conceal, a
thing accursed, that works much ill for men. For this cause
too the benched ships are furnished, that bear mischief to
foemen over the unharvested seas.'

Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, a hound raised up
his head and pricked his ears, even where he lay, Argos,
the hound of Odysseus, of the hardy heart, which of old
himself had bred, but had got no joy of him, for ere that,
he went to sacred Ilios. Now in time past the young men
used to lead the hound against wild goats and deer and
hares; but as then, despised he lay (his master being afar)
in the deep dung of mules and kine, whereof an ample bed
was spread before the doors, till the thralls of Odysseus
should carry it away to dung therewith his wide demesne.
There lay the dog Argos, full of vermin. Yet even now when
he was ware of Odysseus standing by, he wagged his tail and
dropped both his ears, but nearer to his master he had not
now the strength to draw. But Odysseus looked aside and
wiped away a tear that he easily hid from Eumaeus, and
straightway he asked him, saying:

'Eumaeus, verily this is a great marvel, this hound lying
here in the dung. Truly he is goodly of growth, but I know
not certainly if he have speed with this beauty, or if he
be comely only, like as are men's trencher dogs that their
lords keep for the pleasure of the eye.'

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'In very
truth this is the dog of a man that has died in a far land.
If he were what once he was in limb and in the feats of the
chase, when Odysseus left him to go to Troy, soon wouldst
thou marvel at the sight of his swiftness and his strength.
There was no beast that could flee from him in the deep
places of the wood, when he was in pursuit; for even on a
track he was the keenest hound. But now he is holden in an
evil case, and his lord hath perished far from his own
country, and the careless women take no charge of him. Nay,
thralls are no more inclined to honest service when their
masters have lost the dominion, for Zeus, of the far-borne
voice, takes away the half of a man's virtue, when the day
of slavery comes upon him.'

Therewith he passed within the fair-lying house, and went
straight to the hall, to the company of the proud wooers.
But upon Argos came the fate of black death even in the
hour that he beheld Odysseus again, in the twentieth year.

Now godlike Telemachus was far the first to behold the
swineherd as he came into the hall, and straightway then he
beckoned and called him to his side. So Eumaeus looked
about and took a settle that lay by him, where the carver
was wont to sit dividing much flesh among the wooers that
were feasting in the house. This seat he carried and set by
the table of Telemachus over against him, and there sat
down himself. And the henchman took a mess and served it
him, and wheaten bread out of the basket.

And close behind him Odysseus entered the house in the
guise of a beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on
his staff, and clothed on with sorry raiment. And he sat
down on the ashen threshold within the doorway, leaning
against a pillar of cypress wood, which the carpenter on a
time had deftly planed, and thereon made straight the line.
And Telemachus called the swineherd to him, and took a
whole loaf out of the fair basket, and of flesh so much as
his hands could hold in their grasp, saying:

'Take and give this to the stranger, and bid him go about
and beg himself of all the wooers in their turn, for shame
is an ill mate of a needy man.'

So he spake, and the swineherd went when he heard that
saying, and stood by and spake to him winged words:

'Stranger, Telemachus gives thee these and bids thee go
about and beg of all the wooers in their turn, for, he
says, "shame ill becomes a beggar man."'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said: 'King
Zeus, grant me that Telemachus may be happy among men, and
may he have all his heart's desire!'

Therewith he took the gift in both hands, and set it there
before his feet on his unsightly scrip. Then he ate meat so
long as the minstrel was singing in the halls. When he had
done supper, and the divine minstrel was ending his song,
then the wooers raised a clamour through the halls; but
Athene stood by Odysseus, son of Laertes, and moved him to
go gathering morsels of bread among the wooers, and learn
which were righteous and which unjust. Yet not even so was
she fated to redeem one man of them from an evil doom. So
he set out, beginning on the right, to ask of each man,
stretching out his hand on every side, as though he were a
beggar from of old. And they in pity gave him somewhat, and
were amazed at the man, asking one another who he was and
whence he came?

Then Melanthius, the goatherd, spake among them:

'Listen, ye wooers of the renowned queen, concerning this
stranger, for verily I have seen him before. The swineherd
truly was his guide hither, but of him I have no certain
knowledge, whence he avows him to be born.'

So spake he, but Antinous rebuked the swineherd, saying:
'Oh notorious swineherd, wherefore, I pray thee, didst thou
bring this man to the city? Have we not vagrants enough
besides, plaguy beggars, kill-joys of the feast? Dost thou
count it a light thing that they assemble here and devour
the living of thy master, but thou must needs {*} call in
this man too?'

{* [Greek] can hardly have a local meaning here. If
retained, it must be nearly equivalent to [Greek], 'it
seems,' with a touch of irony. Cf. i.348. The v. 1. [Greek]
is a simpler reading, but by no means certain.}

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Antinous,
no fair words are these of thine, noble though thou art.
For who ever himself seeks out and bids to the feast a
stranger from afar, save only one of those that are
craftsmen of the people, a prophet or a healer of ills, or
a shipwright or even a godlike minstrel, who can delight
all with his song? Nay, these are the men that are welcome
over all the wide earth. But none would call a beggar to
the banquet, to waste his substance. But thou art ever hard
above all the other wooers to the servants of Odysseus,
and, beyond all, to me; but behold, I care not, so long as
my mistress, the constant Penelope, lives in the halls and
godlike Telemachus.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Be silent,
answer him not, I pray thee, with many words, for Antinous
is wont ever to chide us shamefully with bitter speech,
yea, and urges the others thereto.'

Therewithal he spake winged words to Antinous: 'Antinous,
verily thou hast a good care for me, as it were a father
for his son, thou that biddest me drive our guest from the
hall with a harsh command. God forbid that such a thing
should be! Take somewhat and give it him: lo, I grudge it
not; nay, I charge thee to do it. And herein regard not my
mother, nor any of the thralls that are in the house of
divine Odysseus. Nay, but thou hast no such thought in thy
heart, for thou art far more fain to eat thyself than to
give to another.'

Then Antinous answered him and spake, saying: 'Telemachus,
proud of speech, and unrestrained in fury, what word hast
thou spoken? If all the wooers should vouchsafe him as much
as I, this house would keep him far enough aloof even for
three months' space.'

So he spake, and seized the footstool whereon he rested his
sleek feet as he sat at the feast, and showed it from
beneath the table where it lay. But all the others gave
somewhat and filled the wallet with bread and flesh; yea,
and even now, Odysseus as he returned to the threshold, was
like to escape scot free, making trial of the Achaeans, but
he halted by Antinous, and spake to him, saying:

'Friend, give me somewhat; for methinks thou art not the
basest of the Achaeans, but the best man of them all, for
thou art like a king. Wherefore thou shouldest give me a
portion of bread, and that a better than the others; so
would I make thee renowned over all the wide earth. For I
too, once had a house of mine own among men, a rich man
with a wealthy house, and many a time would I give to a
wanderer, what manner of man soever he might be, and in
whatsoever need he came. And I had thralls out of number,
and all else in plenty, wherewith folk live well and have a
name for riches. But Zeus, the son of Cronos, made me
desolate of all,--for surely it was his will,--who sent me
with wandering sea-robbers to go to Egypt, a far road, to
my ruin. And in the river Aegyptus I stayed my curved
ships. Then verily I bade my loved companions to abide
there by the ships, and to guard the ship, and I sent forth
scouts to range the points of outlook. Now they gave place
to wantonness, being the fools of their own force, and soon
they fell to wasting the fields of the Egyptians, exceeding
fair, and carried away their wives and infant children, and
slew the men. And the cry came quickly to the city, and the
people heard the shout and came forth at the breaking of
the day; and all the plain was filled with footmen and
horsemen and with the glitter of bronze. And Zeus, whose
joy is in the thunder, sent an evil panic upon my company,
and none durst stand and face the foe: for danger
encompassed us on every side. There they slew many of us
with the edge of the sword, and others they led up with
them alive to work for them perforce. But they gave me to a
friend who met them, to take to Cyprus, even to Dmetor son
of Iasus, who ruled mightily over Cyprus; and thence,
behold, am I now come hither in sore distress.'

Then Antinous answered, and spake, saying: 'What god hath
brought this plague hither to trouble the feast? Stand
forth thus in the midst, away from my table, lest thou come
soon to a bitter Egypt and a sad Cyprus; for a bold beggar
art thou and a shameless. Thou standest by all in turn and
recklessly they give to thee, for they hold not their hand
nor feel any ruth in giving freely of others' goods, for
that each man has plenty by him.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels drew back and answered him:
'Lo now, I see thou hast not wisdom with thy beauty! From
out of thine own house thou wouldest not give even so much
as a grain of salt to thy suppliant, thou who now even at
another's board dost sit, and canst not find it in thy
heart to take of the bread and give it me, where there is
plenty to thy hand.'

He spake, and Antinous was mightily angered at heart, and
looked fiercely on him and spake winged words:

'Henceforth, methinks, thou shalt not get thee out with
honour from the hall, seeing thou dost even rail upon me.'

Therewith he caught up the foot-stool and smote Odysseus at
the base of the right shoulder by the back. But he stood
firm as a rock, nor reeled he beneath the blow of Antinous,
but shook his head in silence, brooding evil in the deep of
his heart. Then he went back to the threshold, and sat him
there, and laid down his well-filled scrip, and spake among
the wooers:

'Hear me, ye wooers of the renowned queen, and I will say
what my spirit within me bids me. Verily there is neither
pain nor grief of heart, when a man is smitten in battle
fighting for his own possessions, whether cattle or white
sheep. But now Antinous hath stricken me for my wretched
belly's sake, a thing accursed, that works much ill for
men. Ah, if indeed there be gods and Avengers of beggars,
may the issues of death come upon Antinous before his
wedding!'

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: 'Sit and eat
thy meat in quiet, stranger, or get thee elsewhere, lest
the young men drag thee by hand or foot through the house
for thy evil words, and strip all thy flesh from off thee.'

Even so he spake, and they were all exceeding wroth at his
word. And on this wise would one of the lordly young men
speak:

'Antinous, thou didst ill to strike the hapless wanderer,
doomed man that thou art,--if indeed there be a god in
heaven. Yea and the gods, in the likeness of strangers from
far countries, put on all manner of shapes, and wander
through the cities, beholding the violence and the
righteousness of men.'

So the wooers spake, but he heeded not their words. Now
Telemachus nursed in his heart a mighty grief at the
smiting of Odysseus, yet he let no tear fall from his
eyelids to the ground, but shook his head in silence,
brooding evil in the deep of his heart.

Now when wise Penelope heard of the stranger being smitten
in the halls, she spake among her maidens, saying:

'Oh that Apollo, the famed archer, may so smite thee
thyself, Antinous!'

And the house-dame, Eurynome, answered her, saying: 'Oh
that we might win fulfilment of our prayers! So should not
one of these men come to the fair-throned Dawn.'

And wise Penelope answered her: 'Nurse, they are all
enemies, for they all devise evil continually, but of them
all Antinous is the most like to black fate. Some hapless
stranger is roaming about the house, begging alms of the
men, as his need bids him; and all the others filled his
wallet and gave him somewhat, but Antinous smote him at the
base of the right shoulder with a stool.'

So she spake among her maidens, sitting in her chamber,
while goodly Odysseus was at meat. Then she called to her
the goodly swineherd and spake, saying:

'Go thy way, goodly Eumaeus, and bid the stranger come
hither, that I may speak him a word of greeting, and ask
him if haply he has heard tidings of Odysseus of the hardy
heart, or seen him with his eyes; for he seems like one
that has wandered far.'

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Queen, oh
that the Achaeans would hold their peace! so would he charm
thy very heart, such things doth he say. For I kept him
three nights and three days I held him in the steading, for
to me he came first when he fled from the ship, yet he had
not made an end of the tale of his affliction. Even as when
a man gazes on a singer, whom the gods have taught to sing
words of yearning joy to mortals, and they have a ceaseless
desire to hear him, so long as he will sing; even so he
charmed me, sitting by me in the halls. He says that he is
a friend of Odysseus and of his house, one that dwells in
Crete, where is the race of Minos. Thence he has come
hither even now, with sorrow by the way, onward and yet
onward wandering; and he stands to it that he has heard
tidings of Odysseus nigh at hand and yet alive in the fat
land of the men of Thesprotia; and he is bringing many
treasures to his home.'

Then wise Penelope answered him, saying: 'Go, call him
hither, that he may speak to me face to face. But let these
men sit in the doorway and take their pleasure, or even
here in the house, since their heart is glad. For their own
wealth lies unspoiled at home, bread and sweet wine, and
thereon do their servants feed. But they resorting to our
house day by day sacrifice oxen and sheep and fat goats,
and keep revel and drink the dark wine recklessly; and, lo,
our great wealth is wasted, for there is no man now alive,
such as Odysseus was, to keep ruin from the house. Oh, if
Odysseus might come again to his own country; soon would he
and his son avenge the violence of these men!'

Even so she spake, and Telemachus sneezed loudly, and
around the roof rang wondrously. And Penelope laughed, and
straightway spake to Eumaeus winged words:

'Go, call me the stranger, even so, into my presence. Dost
thou not mark how my son has sneezed a blessing on all my
words? Wherefore no half-wrought doom shall befal the
wooers every one, nor shall any avoid death and the fates.
Yet another thing will I say, and do thou ponder it in thy
heart. If I shall find that he himself speaks nought but
truth, I will clothe him with a mantle and a doublet,
goodly raiment.'

So she spake, and the swineherd departed when he heard that
saying, and stood by the stranger and spake winged words:

'Father and stranger, wise Penelope, the mother of
Telemachus, is calling for thee, and her mind bids her
inquire as touching her lord, albeit she has sorrowed much
already. And if she shall find that thou dost speak nought
but truth, she will clothe thee in a mantle and a doublet,
whereof thou standest most in need. Moreover thou shalt beg
thy bread through the land and shalt fill thy belly, and
whosoever will, shall give to thee.'

Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him, saying:
'Eumaeus, soon would I tell all the truth to the daughter
of Icarius, wise Penelope, for well I know his story, and
we have borne our travail together. But I tremble before
the throng of the froward wooers, whose outrage and
violence reach even to the iron heaven. For even now, as I
was going through the house, when this man struck and
pained me sore, and that for no ill deed, neither
Telemachus nor any other kept off the blow. Wherefore now,
bid Penelope tarry in the chambers, for all her eagerness,
till the going down of the sun, and then let her ask me
concerning her lord, as touching the day of his returning,
and let her give me a seat yet nearer to the fire, for
behold, I have sorry raiment, and thou knowest it thyself,
since I made my supplication first to thee.'

Even so he spake, and the swineherd departed when he heard
that saying. And as he crossed the threshold Penelope spake
to him:

'Thou bringest him not, Eumaeus: what means the wanderer
hereby? Can it be that he fears some one out of measure, or
is he even ashamed of tarrying in the house? A shamefaced
man makes a bad beggar.'

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'He speaks
aright, and but as another would deem, in that he shuns the
outrage of overweening men. Rather would he have thee wait
till the going down of the sun. Yea, and it is far meeter
for thyself, O queen, to utter thy word to the stranger
alone, and to listen to his speech.'

Then the wise Penelope answered: 'Not witless is the
stranger; even as he deems, so it well may be. {*} For
there are no mortal men, methinks, so wanton as these, and
none that devise such infatuate deeds.'

{* Placing at colon at [Greek], and reading [Greek] (cf.
xix.312).}

So she spake, and the goodly swineherd departed into the
throng of the wooers, when he had showed her all his
message. And straightway he spake to Telemachus winged
words, holding his head close to him, that the others might
not hear:

'Friend, I am going hence to look after thy swine and the
things of the farm, thy livelihood and mine; but do thou
take charge of all that is here. Yet first look to thyself
and take heed that no evil comes nigh thee, for many of the
Achaeans have ill will against us, whom may Zeus confound
before their mischief falls on us!'

And wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Even so shall
it be, father; and do thou get thee on thy way, when thou
hast supped. And in the morning come again, and bring fair
victims for sacrifice. And all these matters will be a care
to me and to the deathless gods.'

Thus he spake, and the other sat down again on the polished
settle; and when he had satisfied his heart with meat and
drink, he went on his way to the swine, leaving the courts
and the hall full of feasters; and they were making merry
with dance and song, for already it was close on eventide.

Book XVIII

The fighting at fists of Odysseus with Irus. His
admonitions to Amphinomus. Penelope appears before the
wooers, and draws presents from them.

Then up came a common beggar, who was wont to beg through
the town of Ithaca, one that was known among all men for
ravening greed, for his endless eating and drinking, yet he
had no force or might, though he was bulky enough to look
on. Arnaeus was his name, for so had his good mother given
it him at his birth, but all the young men called him Irus,
because he ran on errands, whensoever any might bid him. So
now he came, and would have driven Odysseus from his own
house, and began reviling him, and spake winged words:

'Get thee hence, old man, from the doorway, lest thou be
even haled out soon by the foot. Seest thou not that all
are now giving me the wink, and bidding me drag thee forth?
Nevertheless, I feel shame of the task. Nay get thee up,
lest our quarrel soon pass even to blows.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him, and
spake saying: 'Sir, neither in deed nor word do I harm
thee, nor do I grudge that any should give to thee, yea
though it were a good handful. But this threshold will hold
us both, and thou hast no need to be jealous for the sake
of other men's goods. Thou seemest to me to be a wanderer,
even as I am, and the gods it is that are like to give us
gain. Only provoke me not overmuch to buffeting, lest thou
anger me, and old though I be I defile thy breast and lips
with blood. Thereby should I have the greater quiet
to-morrow, for methinks that thou shalt never again come to
the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes'.

Then the beggar Irus spake unto him in anger: 'Lo now, how
trippingly and like an old cinder-wife this glutton speaks,
on whom I will work my evil will, and smite him right and
left, and drive all the teeth from his jaws to the ground,
like the tusks of a swine that spoils the corn. Gird
thyself now, that even these men all may know our mettle in
fight. Nay, how shouldst thou do battle with a younger man
than thou?'

Thus did they whet each the other's rage right manfully
before the lofty doors upon the polished threshold. And the
mighty prince Antinous heard the twain, and sweetly he
laughed out, and spake among the wooers:

'Friends, never before has there been such a thing; such
goodly game has a god brought to this house. The stranger
yonder and Irus are bidding each other to buffets. Quick,
let us match them one against the other.'

Then all at the word leaped up laughing, and gathered round
the ragged beggars, and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake
among them saying: 'Hear me, ye lordly wooers, and I will
say somewhat. Here are goats' bellies lying at the fire,
that we laid by at supper-time and filled with fat and
blood. Now whichsoever of the twain wins, and shows himself
the better man, let him stand up and take his choice of
these puddings. And further, he shall always eat at our
feasts, nor will we suffer any other beggar to come among
us and ask for alms.'

So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then
Odysseus of many counsels spake among them craftily:

'Friends, an old man and foredone with travail may in no
wise fight with a younger. But my belly's call is urgent on
me, that evil-worker, to the end that I may be subdued with
stripes. But come now, swear me all of you a strong oath,
so that none, for the sake of shewing a favour to Irus, may
strike me a foul blow with heavy hand and subdue me by
violence to my foe.'

So he spake, and they all swore not to strike him, as he
bade them. Now when they had sworn and done that oath, the
mighty prince Telemachus once more spake among them:

'Stranger, if thy heart and lordly spirit urge thee to rid
thee of this fellow, then fear not any other of the
Achaeans, for whoso strikes thee shall have to fight with
many. Thy host am I, and the princes consent with me,
Antinous and Eurymachus, men of wisdom both.'

So spake he and they all consented thereto. Then Odysseus
girt his rags about his loins, and let his thighs be seen,
goodly and great, and his broad shoulders and breast and
mighty arms were manifest. And Athene came nigh and made
greater the limbs of the shepherd of the people. Then the
wooers were exceedingly amazed, and thus would one speak
looking to his neighbour:

'Right soon will Irus, un-Irused, have a bane of his own
bringing, such a thigh as that old man shows from out his
rags!'

So they spake, and the mind of Irus was pitifully stirred;
but even so the servants girded him and led him out
perforce in great fear, his flesh trembling on his limbs.
Then Antinous chid him, and spake and hailed him:

'Thou lubber, better for thee that thou wert not now, nor
ever hadst been born, if indeed thou tremblest before this
man, and art so terribly afraid; an old man too he is, and
foredone with the travail that is come upon him. But I will
tell thee plainly, and it shall surely be accomplished. If
this man prevail against thee and prove thy master, I will
cast thee into a black ship, and send thee to the mainland
to Echetus the king, the maimer of all mankind, who will
cut off thy nose and ears with the pitiless steel, and draw
out thy vitals and give them raw to dogs to rend.'

So he spake, and yet greater trembling gat hold of the
limbs of Irus, and they led him into the ring, and the
twain put up their hands. Then the steadfast goodly
Odysseus mused in himself whether he should smite him in
such wise that his life should leave his body, even there
where he fell, or whether he should strike him lightly, and
stretch him on the earth. And as he thought thereon, this
seemed to him the better way, to strike lightly, that the
Achaeans might not take note of him, who he was. Then the
twain put up their hands, and Irus struck at the right
shoulder, but the other smote him on his neck beneath the
ear, and crushed in the bones, and straightway the red
blood gushed up through his mouth, and with a moan he fell
in the dust, and drave together his teeth as he kicked the
ground. But the proud wooers threw up their hands, and died
outright for laughter. Then Odysseus seized him by the
foot, and dragged him forth through the doorway, till he
came to the courtyard and the gates of the gallery, and he
set him down and rested him against the courtyard wall, and
put his staff in his hands, and uttering his voice spake to
him winged words:

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