THE ODYSSEY OF HOMER

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

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30

And Menelaus of the fair hair answered her, saying: 'Verily
all this tale, lady, thou hast duly told. Ere now have I
learned the counsel and the thought of many heroes, and
travelled over many a land, but never yet have mine eyes
beheld any such man of heart as was Odysseus; such another
deed as he wrought and dared in his hardiness even in the
shapen horse, wherein sat all we chiefs of the Argives,
bearing to the Trojans death and doom. Anon thou camest
thither, and sure some god must have bidden thee, who
wished to bring glory to the Trojans. Yea and godlike
Deiphobus went with thee on thy way. Thrice thou didst go
round about the hollow ambush and handle it, calling aloud
on the chiefs of the Argives by name, and making thy voice
like the voices of the wives of all the Argives. Now I and
the son of Tydeus and goodly Odysseus sat in the midst and
heard thy call; and verily we twain had a desire to start
up and come forth or presently to answer from within; but
Odysseus stayed and held us there, despite our eagerness.
Then all the other sons of the Achaeans held their peace,
but Anticlus alone was still minded to answer thee. Howbeit
Odysseus firmly closed his mouth with strong hands, and so
saved all the Achaeans, and held him until such time as
Pallas Athene led thee back.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Menelaus, son
of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, all the
more grievous it is! for in no way did this courage ward
from him pitiful destruction, not though his heart within
him had been very iron. But come, bid us to bed, that
forthwith we may take our joy of rest beneath the spell of
sleep.'

So spake he, and Argive Helen bade her handmaids set out
bedsteads beneath the gallery, and fling on them fair
purple blankets and spread coverlets above, and thereon lay
thick mantles to be a clothing over all. So they went from
the hall with torch in hand, and spread the beds, and the
henchman led forth the guests. Thus they slept there in the
vestibule of the house, the hero Telemachus and the
splendid son of Nestor. But the son of Atreus slept, as his
custom was, in the inmost chamber of the lofty house, and
by him lay long-robed Helen, that fair lady.

Soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, Menelaus
of the loud war-shout gat him up from his bed and put on
his raiment, and cast his sharp sword about his shoulder,
and beneath his smooth feet bound his goodly sandals, and
stept forth from his chamber, in presence like a god, and
sat by Telemachus, and spake and hailed him:

'To what end hath thy need brought thee hither, hero
Telemachus, unto fair Lacedaemon, over the broad back of
the sea? Is it a matter of the common weal or of thine own?
Herein tell me the plain truth.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Menelaus, son
of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the host, I have
come if perchance thou mayest tell me some tidings of my
father. My dwelling is being devoured and my fat lands are
ruined, and of unfriendly men my house is full,--who
slaughter continually my thronging flocks, and my kine with
trailing feet and shambling gait,--none other than the
wooers of my mother, despiteful out of measure. So now am I
come hither to thy knees, if haply thou art willing to tell
me of his pitiful death, as one that saw it perchance with
thine own eyes, or heard the story from some other
wanderer; for his mother bare him to exceeding sorrow. And
speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly
how thou didst get sight of him. Ah, I pray thee, if ever
at all my father, good Odysseus, made promise to thee of
word or work and fulfilled the same in the land of the
Trojans, where ye Achaeans suffered affliction, these
things, I pray thee, now remember and tell me truth.'

Then in heavy displeasure spake to him Menelaus of the fair
hair: 'Out upon them, for truly in the bed of a
brave-hearted man were they minded to lie, very cravens as
they are! Even as when a hind hath couched her newborn
fawns unweaned in a strong lion's lair, and searcheth out
the mountain knees and grassy hollows, seeking pasture, and
afterward the lion cometh back to his bed, and sendeth
forth unsightly death upon that pair, even so shall
Odysseus send forth unsightly death upon the wooers. Would
to our father Zeus and Athene and Apollo, would that in
such might as when of old in stablished Lesbos he rose up
and wrestled a match with Philomeleides and threw him
mightily, and all the Achaeans rejoiced; would that in such
strength Odysseus might consort with the wooers: then
should they all have swift fate, and bitter wedlock! But
for that whereof thou askest and entreatest me, be sure I
will not swerve from the truth in aught that I say, nor
deceive thee; but of all that the ancient one of the sea,
whose speech is sooth, declared to me, not a word will I
hide or keep from thee.

'In the river Aegyptus, {*} though eager I was to press
onward home, the gods they stayed me, for that I had not
offered them the acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs, and the
gods ever desired that men should be mindful of their
commandments. Now there is an island in the wash of the
waves over against Aegyptus, and men call it Pharos, within
one day's voyage of a hollow ship, when shrill winds blow
fair in her wake. And therein is a good haven, whence men
launch the gallant ships into the deep when they have drawn
a store of deep black water. There the gods held me twenty
days, nor did the sea-winds ever show their breath, they
that serve to waft ships over the broad back of the sea.
And now would all our corn have been spent, and likewise
the strength of the men, except some goddess had taken pity
on me and saved me, Eidothee, daughter of mighty Proteus,
the ancient one of the sea. For most of all I moved her
heart, when she met me wandering alone apart from my
company, who were ever roaming round the isle, fishing with
bent hooks, for hunger was gnawing at their belly. So she
stood by, and spake and uttered her voice saying:

{* The only name for the Nile in Homer. Cf. Wilkinson,
Ancient Egyptians (1878), vol. i. p. 7.}

'"Art thou so very foolish, stranger, and feeble-witted, or
art thou wilfully remiss, and hast pleasure in suffering?
So long time art thou holden in the isle and canst find no
issue therefrom, while the heart of thy company faileth
within them?"

'Even so she spake, and I answered her saying: "I will
speak forth, what goddess soever thou art, and tell thee
that in no wise am I holden here by mine own will, but it
needs must be that I have sinned against the deathless
gods, who keep the wide heaven. Howbeit, do thou tell
me--for the gods know all things--which of the immortals it
is that binds me here and hath hindered me from my way, and
declare as touching my returning how I may go over the
teeming deep."

'So I spake, and straightway the fair goddess made answer:
"Yea now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. Hither
resorteth that ancient one of the sea, whose speech is
sooth, the deathless Egyptian Proteus, who knows the depths
of every sea, and is the thrall of Poseidon, and who, they
say, is my father that begat me. If thou couldst but lay an
ambush and catch him, he will surely declare to thee the
way and the measure of thy path, and will tell thee of thy
returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep. Yea,
and he will show thee, O fosterling of Zeus, if thou wilt,
what good thing and what evil hath been wrought in thy
halls, whilst thou has been faring this long and grievous
way."

'So she spake, but I answered and said unto her: "Devise
now thyself the ambush to take this ancient one divine,
lest by any chance he see me first, or know of my coming,
and avoid me. For a god is hard for mortal man to quell."

'So spake I, and straightway the fair goddess made answer:
"Yea now, sir, I will plainly tell thee all. So often as
the sun in his course stands high in mid heaven, then forth
from the brine comes the ancient one of the sea, whose
speech is sooth, before the breath of the West Wind he
comes, and the sea's dark ripple covers him. And when he is
got forth, he lies down to sleep in the hollow of the
caves. And around him the seals, the brood of the fair
daughter of the brine, sleep all in a flock, stolen forth
from the grey sea water, and bitter is the scent they
breathe of the deeps of the salt sea. There will I lead
thee at the breaking of the day, and couch you all orderly;
so do thou choose diligently three of thy company, the best
thou hast in thy decked ships. And I will tell thee all the
magic arts of that old man. First, he will number the seals
and go over them; but when he has told their tale and
beheld them, he will lay him down in the midst, as a
shepherd mid the sheep of his flock. So soon as ever ye
shall see him couched, even then mind you of your might and
strength, and hold him there, despite his eagerness and
striving to be free. And he will make assay, and take all
manner of shapes of things that creep upon the earth, of
water likewise, and of fierce fire burning. But do ye grasp
him steadfastly and press him yet the more, and at length
when he questions thee in his proper shape, as he was when
first ye saw him laid to rest, then, hero, hold thy strong
hands, and let the ancient one go free, and ask him which
of the gods is hard upon thee, and as touching thy
returning, how thou mayest go over the teeming deep."

'Therewith she dived beneath the heaving sea, but I betook
me to the ships where they stood in the sand, and my heart
was darkly troubled as I went. But after I had come down to
the ship and to the sea, and we had made ready our supper
and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us to rest
upon the sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone forth, the
rosy fingered, in that hour I walked by the shore of the
wide-wayed sea, praying instantly to the gods; and I took
with me three of my company, in whom I trusted most for
every enterprise.

'Meanwhile, so it was that she had plunged into the broad
bosom of the sea, and had brought from the deep the skins
of four sea-calves, and all were newly flayed, for she was
minded to lay a snare for her father. She scooped lairs on
the sea-sand, and sat awaiting us, and we drew very nigh
her, and she made us all lie down in order, and cast a skin
over each. There would our ambush have been most terrible,
for the deadly stench of the sea bred seals distressed us
sore: nay, who would lay him down by a beast of the sea?
But herself she wrought deliverance, and devised a great
comfort. She took ambrosia of a very sweet savour, and set
it beneath each man's nostril, and did away with the stench
of the beast. So all the morning we waited with steadfast
heart, and the seals came forth in troops from the brine,
and then they couched them all orderly by the sea-beach.
And at high day the ancient one came forth from out of the
brine, and found his fatted seals, yea and he went along
their line and told their tale; and first among the
sea-beasts he reckoned us, and guessed not that there was
guile, and afterward he too laid him down. Then we rushed
upon him with a cry, and cast our hands about him, nor did
that ancient one forget his cunning. Now behold, at the
first he turned into a bearded lion, and thereafter into a
snake, and a pard, and a huge boar; then he took the shape
of running water, and of a tall and flowering tree. We the
while held him close with steadfast heart. But when now
that ancient one of the magic arts was aweary, then at last
he questioned me and spake unto me, saying:

'"Which of the gods was it, son of Atreus, that aided thee
with his counsel, that thou mightest waylay and take me
perforce? What wouldest thou thereby?"

'Even so he spake, but I answered him saying; "Old man,
thou knowest all, wherefore dost thou question me thereof
with crooked words? For lo, I am holden long time in this
isle, neither can I find any issue therefrom, and my heart
faileth within me. Howbeit do thou tell me--for the gods
know all things--which of the immortals it is that bindeth
me here, and hath hindered me from my way; and declare as
touching my returning, how I may go over the teeming deep."

'Even so I spake, and he straightway answered me, saying:
"Nay, surely thou shouldest have done goodly sacrifice to
Zeus and the other gods ere thine embarking, that with most
speed thou mightst reach thy country, sailing over the
wine-dark deep. For it is not thy fate to see thy friends,
and come to thy stablished house and thine own country,
till thou hast passed yet again within the waters of
Aegyptus, the heaven-fed stream, and offered holy hecatombs
to the deathless gods who keep the wide heaven. So shall
the gods grant thee the path which thou desirest."

'So spake he, but my spirit within me was broken, for that
he bade me again to go to Aegyptus over the misty deep, a
long and grievous way.

'Yet even so I answered him saying: "Old man, all this will
I do, according to thy word. But come, declare me this, and
tell it all plainly. Did all those Achaeans return safe
with their ships, all whom Nestor and I left as we went
from Troy, or perished any by a shameful death aboard his
own ship, or in the arms of his friends, after he had wound
up the clew of war?"

'So spake I, and anon he answered me, saying: "Son of
Atreus, why dost thou straitly question me hereof? Nay, it
is not for thy good to know or learn my thought; for I tell
thee thou shalt not long be tearless, when thou hast heard
it all aright. For many of these were taken, and many were
left; but two only of the leaders of the mail-coated
Achaeans perished in returning; as for the battle, thou
thyself wast there. And one methinks is yet alive, and is
holden on the wide deep. Aias in truth was smitten in the
midst of his ships of the long oars. Poseidon at first
brought him nigh to Gyrae, to the mighty rocks, and
delivered him from the sea. And so he would have fled his
doom, albeit hated by Athene, had he not let a proud word
fall in the fatal darkening of his heart. He said that in
the gods' despite he had escaped the great gulf of the sea;
and Poseidon heard his loud boasting, and presently caught
up his trident into his strong hands, and smote the rock
Gyraean and cleft it in twain. And the one part abode in
his place, but the other fell into the sea, the broken
piece whereon Aias sat at the first, when his heart was
darkened. And the rock bore him down into the vast and
heaving deep; so there he perished when he had drunk of the
salt sea water. But thy brother verily escaped the fates
and avoided them in his hollow ships, for queen Hera saved
him. But now when he was like soon to reach the steep mount
of Malea, lo, the storm wind snatched him away and bore him
over the teeming deep, making great moan, to the border of
the country whereof old Thyestes dwelt, but now Aegisthus
abode there, the son of Thyestes. But when thence too there
showed a good prospect of safe returning, and the gods
changed the wind to a fair gale, and they had reached home,
then verily did Agamemnon set foot with joy upon his
country's soil, and as he touched his own land he kissed
it, and many were the hot tears he let fall, for he saw his
land and was glad. And it was so that the watchman spied
him from his tower, the watchman whom crafty Aegisthus had
led and posted there, promising him for a reward two
talents of gold. Now he kept watch for the space of a year,
lest Agamemnon should pass by him when he looked not, and
mind him of his wild prowess. So he went to the house to
bear the tidings to the shepherd of the people. And
straightway Aegisthus contrived a cunning treason. He chose
out twenty of the best men in the township, and set an
ambush, and on the further side of the hall he commanded to
prepare a feast. Then with chariot and horses he went to
bid to the feast Agamemnon, shepherd of the people; but
caitiff thoughts were in his heart. He brought him up to
his house, all unwitting of his doom, and when he had
feasted him slew him, as one slayeth an ox at the stall.
And none of the company of Atreides that were of his
following were left, nor any of the men of Aegisthus, but
they were all killed in the halls."

'So spake he, and my spirit within me was broken, and I
wept as I sat upon the sand, nor was I minded any more to
live and see the light of the sun. But when I had taken my
fill of weeping and grovelling on the ground, then spake
the ancient one of the sea, whose speech is sooth:

'"No more, son of Atreus, hold this long weeping without
cease, for we shall find no help therein. Rather with all
haste make essay that so thou mayest come to thine own
country. For either thou shalt find Aegisthus yet alive, or
it may be Orestes was beforehand with thee and slew him; so
mayest thou chance upon his funeral feast."

'So he spake, and my heart and lordly soul again were
comforted for all my sorrow, and I uttered my voice and I
spake to him winged words:

'"Their fate I now know; but tell me of the third; who is
it that is yet living and holden on the wide deep, or
perchance is dead? and fain would I hear despite my
sorrow."

'So spake I, and straightway he answered, and said: "It is
the son of Laertes, whose dwelling is in Ithaca; and I saw
him in an island shedding big tears in the halls of the
nymph Calypso, who holds him there perforce; so he may not
come to his own country, for he has by him no ships with
oars, and no companions to send him on his way over the
broad back of the sea. But thou, Menelaus, son of Zeus, art
not ordained to die and meet thy fate in Argos, the
pasture-land of horses, but the deathless gods will convey
thee to the Elysian plain and the world's end, where is
Rhadamanthus of the fair hair, where life is easiest for
men. No snow is there, nor yet great storm, nor any rain;
but always ocean sendeth forth the breeze of the shrill
West to blow cool on men; yea, for thou hast Helen to wife,
and thereby they deem thee to be son of Zeus."

'So spake he, and plunged into the heaving sea; but I
betook me to the ships with my godlike company, and my
heart was darkly troubled as I went. Now after I had come
down to the ship and to the sea, and had made ready our
supper, and immortal night had come on, then did we lay us
to rest upon the sea-beach. So soon as early Dawn shone
forth, the rosy-fingered, first of all we drew down our
ships to the fair salt sea and placed the masts and the
sails in the gallant ships, and the crew too climbed on
board, and sat upon the benches and smote the grey sea
water with their oars. Then back I went to the waters of
Aegyptus, the heaven-fed stream, and there I moored the
ships and offered the acceptable sacrifice of hecatombs. So
when I had appeased the anger of the everlasting gods, I
piled a barrow to Agamemnon, that his fame might never be
quenched. So having fulfilled all, I set out for home, and
the deathless gods gave me a fair wind, and brought me
swiftly to mine own dear country. But lo, now tarry in my
halls till it shall be the eleventh day hence or the
twelfth. Then will I send thee with all honour on thy way,
and give thee splendid gifts, three horses and a polished
car; and moreover I will give thee a goodly chalice, that
thou mayest pour forth before the deathless gods, and be
mindful of me all the days of thy life.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Son of Atreus,
nay, hold me not long time here. Yea even for a year would
I be content to sit by thee, and no desire for home or
parents would come upon me; for I take wondrous pleasure in
thy tales and talk. But already my company wearieth in fair
Pylos, and yet thou art keeping me long time here. And
whatsoever gift thou wouldest give me, let it be a thing to
treasure; but horses I will take none to Ithaca, but leave
them here to grace thine own house, for thou art lord of a
wide plain wherein is lotus great plenty, and therein is
spear-reed and wheat and rye, and white and spreading
barley. In Ithaca there are no wide courses, nor meadow
land at all. It is a pasture-land of goats, and more
pleasant in my sight than one that pastureth horses; for of
the isles that lie and lean upon the sea, none are fit for
the driving of horses, or rich in meadow land, and least of
all is Ithaca.'

So spake he, and Menelaus, of the loud war cry, smiled, and
caressed him with his hand, and spake and hailed him:

'Thou art of gentle blood, dear child, so gentle the words
thou speakest. Therefore I will make exchange of the
presents, as I may. Of the gifts, such as are treasures
stored in my house, I will give thee the goodliest and
greatest of price. I will give thee a mixing bowl
beautifully wrought; it is all of silver, and the lips
thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; and
the hero Phaedimus, the king of the Sidonians, gave it me,
when his house sheltered me on my coming thither, and to
thee now would I give it.'

Even so they spake one to another, while the guests came to
the palace of the divine king. They drave their sheep, and
brought wine that maketh glad the heart of man: and their
wives with fair tire sent them wheaten bread. Thus were
these men preparing the feast in the halls.

But the wooers meantime were before the palace of Odysseus,
taking their pleasure in casting of weights and spears, on
a levelled place, as heretofore, in their insolence. And
Antinous and god-like Eurymachus were seated there, the
chief men of the wooers, who were far the most excellent of
all. And Noemon, son of Phromius, drew nigh to them and
spake unto Antinous and questioned him, saying:

'Antinous, know we at all, or know we not, when Telemachus
will return from sandy Pylos? He hath departed with a ship
of mine, and I have need thereof, to cross over into
spacious Elis, where I have twelve brood mares with hardy
mules unbroken at the teat; I would drive off one of these
and break him in.'

So spake he, and they were amazed, for they deemed not that
Telemachus had gone to Neleian Pylos, but that he was at
home somewhere in the fields, whether among the flocks, or
with the swineherd.

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake to him in turn:
'Tell me the plain truth; when did he go, and what noble
youths went with him? Were they chosen men of Ithaca or
hirelings and thralls of his own? He was in case to bring
even that about. And tell me this in good sooth, that I may
know for a surety: did he take thy black ship from thee
perforce against thy will? or didst thou give it him of
free will at his entreaty?

Then Noemon, son of Phromius, answered him saying: 'I gave
it him myself of free will. What can any man do, when such
an one, so bestead with care, begs a favour? it were hard
to deny the gift. The youths who next to us are noblest in
the land, even these have gone with him; and I marked their
leader on board ship, Mentor, or a god who in all things
resembled Mentor. But one matter I marvel at: I saw the
goodly Mentor here yesterday toward dawn, though already he
had embarked for Pylos.'

He spake and withal departed to his father's house. And the
proud spirits of these twain were angered, and they made
the wooers sit down together and cease from their games.
And among them spake Antinous, son of Eupeithes, in
displeasure; and his black heart was wholly filled with
rage, and his eyes were like flaming fire:

'Out on him, a proud deed hath Telemachus accomplished with
a high hand, even this journey, and we thought that he
would never bring it to pass! This lad hath clean gone
without more ado, in spite of us all; his ship he hath let
haul to the sea, and chosen the noblest in the township. He
will begin to be our bane even more than heretofore; but
may Zeus destroy his might, not ours, ere he reach the
measure of manhood! But come, give me a swift ship and
twenty men, that I may lie in watch and wait even for him
on his way home, in the strait between Ithaca and rugged
Samos, that so he may have a woeful end of his cruising in
quest of his father.'

So spake he, and they all assented thereto, and bade him to
the work. And thereupon they arose and went to the house of
Odysseus.

Now it was no long time before Penelope heard of the
counsel that the wooers had devised in the deep of their
heart. For the henchman Medon told her thereof, who stood
without the court and heard their purposes, while they were
weaving their plot within. So he went on his way through
the halls to bring the news to Penelope; and as he stept
down over the threshold, Penelope spake unto him:

'Henchman, wherefore have the noble wooers sent thee forth?
Was it to tell the handmaids of divine Odysseus to cease
from their work, and prepare a banquet for them? Nay, after
thus much wooing, never again may they come together, but
here this day sup for their last and latest time; all ye
who assemble so often, and waste much livelihood, the
wealth of wise Telemachus! Long ago when ye were children,
ye marked not your fathers' telling, what manner of man was
Odysseus among them, one that wrought no iniquity toward
any man, nor spake aught unrighteous in the township, as is
the wont of divine kings. One man a king is like to hate,
another he might chance to love. But never did he do aught
at all presumptuously to any man. Nay, it is plain what
spirit ye are of, and your unseemly deeds are manifest to
all, nor is there any gratitude left for kindness done.'

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30