“Leiodes, what are you talking about? Your words 260
The Odyssey – Book XXI are monstrous and intolerable; it makes me angry to they had got outside the gates and the outer yard, listen to you. Shall, then, this bow take the life of Ulysses said to them quietly: many a chief among us, merely because you cannot
“Stockman, and you swineherd, I have something bend it yourself? True, you were not born to be an in my mind which I am in doubt whether to say or archer, but there are others who will soon string it.” no; but I think I will say it. What manner of men Then he said to Melanthius the goatherd, “Look would you be to stand by Ulysses, if some god sharp, light a fire in the court, and set a seat hard should bring him back here all of a sudden? Say by with a sheep skin on it; bring us also a large ball which you are disposed to do- to side with the suit-of lard, from what they have in the house. Let us ors, or with Ulysses?”
warm the bow and grease it we will then make trial
“Father Jove,” answered the stockman, “would in-of it again, and bring the contest to an end.” deed that you might so ordain it. If some god were Melanthius lit the fire, and set a seat covered with but to bring Ulysses back, you should see with what sheep skins beside it. He also brought a great ball of might and main I would fight for him.” lard from what they had in the house, and the suit-In like words Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that ors warmed the bow and again made trial of it, Ulysses might return; when, therefore, he saw for but they were none of them nearly strong enough to certain what mind they were of, Ulysses said, “It is string it. Nevertheless there still remained Antinous I, Ulysses, who am here. I have suffered much, but and Eurymachus, who were the ringleaders among at last, in the twentieth year, I am come back to my the suitors and much the foremost among them all.
own country. I find that you two alone of all my Then the swineherd and the stockman left the servants are glad that I should do so, for I have not cloisters together, and Ulysses followed them. When heard any of the others praying for my return. To 261
The Odyssey – Book XXI you two, therefore, will I unfold the truth as it shall this moreover be the token between us; the suitors be. If heaven shall deliver the suitors into my hands, will all of them try to prevent me from getting hold I will find wives for both of you, will give you house of the bow and quiver; do you, therefore, Eumaeus, and holding close to my own, and you shall be to place it in my hands when you are carrying it about, me as though you were brothers and friends of and tell the women to close the doors of their apart-Telemachus. I will now give you convincing proofs ment. If they hear any groaning or uproar as of men that you may know me and be assured. See, here is fighting about the house, they must not come out; the scar from the boar’s tooth that ripped me when they must keep quiet, and stay where they are at I was out hunting on Mount Parnassus with the their work. And I charge you, Philoetius, to make sons of Autolycus.”
fast the doors of the outer court, and to bind them As he spoke he drew his rags aside from the great securely at once.”
scar, and when they had examined it thoroughly, When he had thus spoken, he went back to the they both of them wept about Ulysses, threw their house and took the seat that he had left. Presently, arms round him and kissed his head and shoulders, his two servants followed him inside.
while Ulysses kissed their hands and faces in re-At this moment the bow was in the hands of turn. The sun would have gone down upon their Eurymachus, who was warming it by the fire, but mourning if Ulysses had not checked them and said: even so he could not string it, and he was greatly
“Cease your weeping, lest some one should come grieved. He heaved a deep sigh and said, “I grieve outside and see us, and tell those who a are within.
for myself and for us all; I grieve that I shall have to When you go in, do so separately, not both together; forgo the marriage, but I do not care nearly so much I will go first, and do you follow afterwards. Let about this, for there are plenty of other women in 262
The Odyssey – Book XXI Ithaca and elsewhere; what I feel most is the fact of his drink-offering. Then, when they had made their our being so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we offerings and had drunk each as much as he de-cannot string his bow. This will disgrace us in the sired, Ulysses craftily said: eyes of those who are yet unborn.”
“Suitors of the illustrious queen, listen that I may
“It shall not be so, Eurymachus,” said Antinous, speak even as I am minded. I appeal more espe-
“and you know it yourself. To-day is the feast of cially to Eurymachus, and to Antinous who has just Apollo throughout all the land; who can string a spoken with so much reason. Cease shooting for bow on such a day as this? Put it on one side—as the present and leave the matter to the gods, but in for the axes they can stay where they are, for no the morning let heaven give victory to whom it will.
one is likely to come to the house and take them For the moment, however, give me the bow that I away: let the cupbearer go round with his cups, that may prove the power of my hands among you all, we may make our drink-offerings and drop this and see whether I still have as much strength as I matter of the bow; we will tell Melanthius to bring used to have, or whether travel and neglect have us in some goats to-morrow—the best he has; we made an end of it.”
can then offer thigh bones to Apollo the mighty This made them all very angry, for they feared he archer, and again make trial of the bow, so as to might string the bow; Antinous therefore rebuked bring the contest to an end.” him fiercely saying, “Wretched creature, you have The rest approved his words, and thereon men not so much as a grain of sense in your whole body; servants poured water over the hands of the guests, you ought to think yourself lucky in being allowed while pages filled the mixing-bowls with wine and to dine unharmed among your betters, without water and handed it round after giving every man having any smaller portion served you than we oth-263
The Odyssey – Book XXI ers have had, and in being allowed to hear our con-never get away alive, so drink and keep quiet with-versation. No other beggar or stranger has been al-out getting into a quarrel with men younger than lowed to hear what we say among ourselves; the yourself.”
wine must have been doing you a mischief, as it Penelope then spoke to him. “Antinous,” said she, does with all those drink immoderately. It was wine
“it is not right that you should ill-treat any guest of that inflamed the Centaur Eurytion when he was Telemachus who comes to this house. If the stranger staying with Peirithous among the Lapithae. When should prove strong enough to string the mighty the wine had got into his head he went mad and bow of Ulysses, can you suppose that he would take did ill deeds about the house of Peirithous; this me home with him and make me his wife? Even the angered the heroes who were there assembled, so man himself can have no such idea in his mind: they rushed at him and cut off his ears and nostrils; none of you need let that disturb his feasting; it then they dragged him through the doorway out of would be out of all reason.” the house, so he went away crazed, and bore the
“Queen Penelope,” answered Eurymachus, “we burden of his crime, bereft of understanding. Hence-do not suppose that this man will take you away forth, therefore, there was war between mankind with him; it is impossible; but we are afraid lest and the centaurs, but he brought it upon himself some of the baser sort, men or women among the through his own drunkenness. In like manner I can Achaeans, should go gossiping about and say, ‘These tell you that it will go hardly with you if you string suitors are a feeble folk; they are paying court to the bow: you will find no mercy from any one here, the wife of a brave man whose bow not one of them for we shall at once ship you off to king Echetus, was able to string, and yet a beggarly tramp who who kills every one that comes near him: you will came to the house strung it at once and sent an 264
The Odyssey – Book XXI arrow through the iron.’ This is what will be said, him take it away with him. Go, then, within the and it will be a scandal against us.” house and busy yourself with your daily duties, your
“Eurymachus,” Penelope answered, “people who loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your ser-persist in eating up the estate of a great chieftain vants. This bow is a man’s matter, and mine above and dishonouring his house must not expect others all others, for it is I who am master here.” to think well of them. Why then should you mind She went wondering back into the house, and laid if men talk as you think they will? This stranger is her son’s saying in her heart. Then going upstairs strong and well-built, he says moreover that he is of with her handmaids into her room, she mourned noble birth. Give him the bow, and let us see whether her dear husband till Minerva sent sweet sleep over he can string it or no. I say—and it shall surely beher eyelids.
that if Apollo vouchsafes him the glory of stringing The swineherd now took up the bow and was for it, I will give him a cloak and shirt of good wear, taking it to Ulysses, but the suitors clamoured at with a javelin to keep off dogs and robbers, and a him from all parts of the cloisters, and one of them sharp sword. I will also give him sandals, and will said, “You idiot, where are you taking the bow to?
see him sent safely whereever he wants to go.” Are you out of your wits? If Apollo and the other Then Telemachus said, “Mother, I am the only gods will grant our prayer, your own boarhounds man either in Ithaca or in the islands that are over shall get you into some quiet little place, and worry against Elis who has the right to let any one have you to death.”
the bow or to refuse it. No one shall force me one Eumaeus was frightened at the outcry they all way or the other, not even though I choose to make raised, so he put the bow down then and there, but the stranger a present of the bow outright, and let Telemachus shouted out at him from the other side 265
The Odyssey – Book XXI of the cloisters, and threatened him saying, “Father ship’s cable of byblus fibre lying in the gatehouse, Eumaeus, bring the bow on in spite of them, or young so he made the gates fast with it and then came in as I am I will pelt you with stones back to the coun-again, resuming the seat that he had left, and keep-try, for I am the better man of the two. I wish I was ing an eye on Ulysses, who had now got the bow in as much stronger than all the other suitors in the his hands, and was turning it every way about, and house as I am than you, I would soon send some of proving it all over to see whether the worms had them off sick and sorry, for they mean mischief.” been eating into its two horns during his absence.
Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed Then would one turn towards his neighbour say-heartily, which put them in a better humour with ing, “This is some tricky old bow-fancier; either he Telemachus; so Eumaeus brought the bow on and has got one like it at home, or he wants to make placed it in the hands of Ulysses. When he had one, in such workmanlike style does the old vaga-done this, he called Euryclea apart and said to her, bond handle it.”
“Euryclea, Telemachus says you are to close the Another said, “I hope he may be no more suc-doors of the women’s apartments. If they hear any cessful in other things than he is likely to be in groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the stringing this bow.”
house, they are not to come out, but are to keep But Ulysses, when he had taken it up and exam-quiet and stay where they are at their work.” ined it all over, strung it as easily as a skilled bard Euryclea did as she was told and closed the doors strings a new peg of his lyre and makes the twisted of the women’s apartments.
gut fast at both ends. Then he took it in his right Meanwhile Philoetius slipped quietly out and hand to prove the string, and it sang sweetly under made fast the gates of the outer court. There was a his touch like the twittering of a swallow. The suit-266
The Odyssey – Book XXII ors were dismayed, and turned colour as they heard selves with song and dance which are the crowning it; at that moment, moreover, Jove thundered loudly ornaments of a banquet.”
as a sign, and the heart of Ulysses rejoiced as he As he spoke he made a sign with his eyebrows, heard the omen that the son of scheming Saturn and Telemachus girded on his sword, grasped his had sent him.
spear, and stood armed beside his father’s seat.
He took an arrow that was lying upon the table-for those which the Achaeans were so shortly about BOOK XXII
to taste were all inside the quiver—he laid it on the centre-piece of the bow, and drew the notch of the THEN ULYSSES TORE OFF HIS RAGS, and sprang on to arrow and the string toward him, still seated on his the broad pavement with his bow and his quiver seat. When he had taken aim he let fly, and his full of arrows. He shed the arrows on to the arrow pierced every one of the handle-holes of the ground at his feet and said, “The mighty contest axes from the first onwards till it had gone right is at an end. I will now see whether Apollo will through them, and into the outer courtyard. Then vouchsafe it to me to hit another mark which no he said to Telemachus:
man has yet hit.”
“Your guest has not disgraced you, Telemachus. I On this he aimed a deadly arrow at Antinous, did not miss what I aimed at, and I was not long in who was about to take up a two-handled gold cup stringing my bow. I am still strong, and not as the to drink his wine and already had it in his hands.
suitors twit me with being. Now, however, it is time He had no thought of death—who amongst all the for the Achaeans to prepare supper while there is revellers would think that one man, however brave, still daylight, and then otherwise to disport them-would stand alone among so many and kill him?
267
The Odyssey – Book XXII The arrow struck Antinous in the throat, and the
“Dogs, did you think that I should not come back point went clean through his neck, so that he fell from Troy? You have wasted my substance, have over and the cup dropped from his hand, while a forced my women servants to lie with you, and have thick stream of blood gushed from his nostrils. He wooed my wife while I was still living. You have kicked the table from him and upset the things on feared neither Cod nor man, and now you shall die.” it, so that the bread and roasted meats were all soiled They turned pale with fear as he spoke, and ev-as they fell over on to the ground. The suitors were ery man looked round about to see whither he might in an uproar when they saw that a man had been fly for safety, but Eurymachus alone spoke.
hit; they sprang in dismay one and all of them from
“If you are Ulysses,” said he, “then what you have their seats and looked everywhere towards the walls, said is just. We have done much wrong on your but there was neither shield nor spear, and they lands and in your house. But Antinous who was rebuked Ulysses very angrily. “Stranger,” said they, the head and front of the offending lies low already.
“you shall pay for shooting people in this way: om It was all his doing. It was not that he wanted to yi you shall see no other contest; you are a doomed marry Penelope; he did not so much care about that; man; he whom you have slain was the foremost what he wanted was something quite different, and youth in Ithaca, and the vultures shall devour you Jove has not vouchsafed it to him; he wanted to kill for having killed him.”
your son and to be chief man in Ithaca. Now, there-Thus they spoke, for they thought that he had fore, that he has met the death which was his due, killed Antinous by mistake, and did not perceive spare the lives of your people. We will make every-that death was hanging over the head of every one thing good among ourselves, and pay you in full for of them. But Ulysses glared at them and said: all that we have eaten and drunk. Each one of us 268
The Odyssey – Book XXII shall pay you a fine worth twenty oxen, and we will As he spoke he drew his keen blade of bronze, keep on giving you gold and bronze till your heart sharpened on both sides, and with a loud cry sprang is softened. Until we have done this no one can towards Ulysses, but Ulysses instantly shot an ar-complain of your being enraged against us.” row into his breast that caught him by the nipple Ulysses again glared at him and said, “Though and fixed itself in his liver. He dropped his sword you should give me all that you have in the world and fell doubled up over his table. The cup and all both now and all that you ever shall have, I will not the meats went over on to the ground as he smote stay my hand till I have paid all of you in full. You the earth with his forehead in the agonies of death, must fight, or fly for your lives; and fly, not a man and he kicked the stool with his feet until his eyes of you shall.”
were closed in darkness.
Their hearts sank as they heard him, but Then Amphinomus drew his sword and made Eurymachus again spoke saying: straight at Ulysses to try and get him away from
“My friends, this man will give us no quarter.
the door; but Telemachus was too quick for him, He will stand where he is and shoot us down till and struck him from behind; the spear caught him he has killed every man among us. Let us then between the shoulders and went right through his show fight; draw your swords, and hold up the chest, so that he fell heavily to the ground and struck tables to shield you from his arrows. Let us have the earth with his forehead. Then Telemachus sprang at him with a rush, to drive him from the pave-away from him, leaving his spear still in the body, ment and doorway: we can then get through into for he feared that if he stayed to draw it out, some the town, and raise such an alarm as shall soon one of the Achaeans might come up and hack at stay his shooting.”
him with his sword, or knock him down, so he set 269
The Odyssey – Book XXII off at a run, and immediately was at his father’s about his shoulders; on his comely head he set his side. Then he said:
helmet, well wrought with a crest of horse-hair that
“Father, let me bring you a shield, two spears, and nodded menacingly above it, and he grasped two a brass helmet for your temples. I will arm myself as redoubtable bronze-shod spears.
well, and will bring other armour for the swineherd Now there was a trap door on the wall, while at and the stockman, for we had better be armed.” one end of the pavement there was an exit leading
“Run and fetch them,” answered Ulysses, “while to a narrow passage, and this exit was closed by a my arrows hold out, or when I am alone they may well-made door. Ulysses told Philoetius to stand by get me away from the door.”
this door and guard it, for only one person could Telemachus did as his father said, and went off to attack it at a time. But Agelaus shouted out, “Can-the store room where the armour was kept. He chose not some one go up to the trap door and tell the four shields, eight spears, and four brass helmets people what is going on? Help would come at once, with horse-hair plumes. He brought them with all and we should soon make an end of this man and speed to his father, and armed himself first, while his shooting.”
the stockman and the swineherd also put on their
“This may not be, Agelaus,” answered Melanthius, armour, and took their places near Ulysses. Mean-
“the mouth of the narrow passage is dangerously while Ulysses, as long as his arrows lasted, had been near the entrance to the outer court. One brave man shooting the suitors one by one, and they fell thick could prevent any number from getting in. But I on one another: when his arrows gave out, he set know what I will do, I will bring you arms from the the bow to stand against the end wall of the house store room, for I am sure it is there that Ulysses by the door post, and hung a shield four hides thick and his son have put them.”
270
The Odyssey – Book XXII On this the goatherd Melanthius went by back suspected, who is going to the store room. Say, shall passages to the store room of Ulysses, house. There I kill him, if I can get the better of him, or shall I he chose twelve shields, with as many helmets and bring him here that you may take your own revenge spears, and brought them back as fast as he could for all the many wrongs that he has done in your to give them to the suitors. Ulysses’ heart began to house?”
fail him when he saw the suitors putting on their Ulysses answered, “Telemachus and I will hold armour and brandishing their spears. He saw the these suitors in check, no matter what they do; go greatness of the danger, and said to Telemachus, back both of you and bind Melanthius’ hands and
“Some one of the women inside is helping the suit-feet behind him. Throw him into the store room ors against us, or it may be Melanthius.” and make the door fast behind you; then fasten a Telemachus answered, “The fault, father, is mine, noose about his body, and string him close up to and mine only; I left the store room door open, and the rafters from a high bearing-post, that he may they have kept a sharper look out than I have. Go, linger on in an agony.”
Eumaeus, put the door to, and see whether it is one Thus did he speak, and they did even as he had of the women who is doing this, or whether, as I said; they went to the store room, which they en-suspect, it is Melanthius the son of Dolius.” tered before Melanthius saw them, for he was busy Thus did they converse. Meanwhile Melanthius searching for arms in the innermost part of the room, was again going to the store room to fetch more so the two took their stand on either side of the armour, but the swineherd saw him and said to door and waited. By and by Melanthius came out Ulysses who was beside him, “Ulysses, noble son of with a helmet in one hand, and an old dry-rotted Laertes, it is that scoundrel Melanthius, just as we shield in the other, which had been borne by Laertes 271
The Odyssey – Book XXII when he was young, but which had been long since brave and many. Then Jove’s daughter Minerva thrown aside, and the straps had become unsewn; came up to them, having assumed the voice and on this the two seized him, dragged him back by form of Mentor. Ulysses was glad when he saw her the hair, and threw him struggling to the ground.
and said, “Mentor, lend me your help, and forget They bent his hands and feet well behind his back, not your old comrade, nor the many good turns he and bound them tight with a painful bond as Ulysses has done you. Besides, you are my age-mate.” had told them; then they fastened a noose about But all the time he felt sure it was Minerva, and his body and strung him up from a high pillar till the suitors from the other side raised an uproar when he was close up to the rafters, and over him did you they saw her. Agelaus was the first to reproach her.
then vaunt, O swineherd Eumaeus, saying,
“Mentor,” he cried, “do not let Ulysses beguile you
“Melanthius, you will pass the night on a soft bed into siding with him and fighting the suitors. This as you deserve. You will know very well when mornis what we will do: when we have killed these people, ing comes from the streams of Oceanus, and it is father and son, we will kill you too. You shall pay time for you to be driving in your goats for the suit-for it with your head, and when we have killed you, ors to feast on.”
we will take all you have, in doors or out, and bring There, then, they left him in very cruel bondage, it into hotch-pot with Ulysses’ property; we will and having put on their armour they closed the door not let your sons live in your house, nor your daugh-behind them and went back to take their places by ters, nor shall your widow continue to live in the the side of Ulysses; whereon the four men stood in city of Ithaca.”
the cloister, fierce and full of fury; nevertheless, those This made Minerva still more furious, so she who were in the body of the court were still both scolded Ulysses very angrily. “Ulysses,” said she, 272
The Odyssey – Book XXII
“your strength and prowess are no longer what they valiant, for the others had already fallen under the were when you fought for nine long years among arrows of Ulysses. Agelaus shouted to them and said, the Trojans about the noble lady Helen. You killed
“My friends, he will soon have to leave off, for many a man in those days, and it was through your Mentor has gone away after having done nothing stratagem that Priam’s city was taken. How comes for him but brag. They are standing at the doors it that you are so lamentably less valiant now that unsupported. Do not aim at him all at once, but six you are on your own ground, face to face with the of you throw your spears first, and see if you can-suitors in your own house? Come on, my good fel-not cover yourselves with glory by killing him.
low, stand by my side and see how Mentor, son of When he has fallen we need not be uneasy about Alcinous shall fight your foes and requite your the others.”
kindnesses conferred upon him.” They threw their spears as he bade them, but But she would not give him full victory as yet, Minerva made them all of no effect. One hit the for she wished still further to prove his own prow-door post; another went against the door; the ess and that of his brave son, so she flew up to one pointed shaft of another struck the wall; and as soon of the rafters in the roof of the cloister and sat upon as they had avoided all the spears of the suitors it in the form of a swallow.
Ulysses said to his own men, “My friends, I should Meanwhile Agelaus son of Damastor, Eurynomus, say we too had better let drive into the middle of Amphimedon, Demoptolemus, Pisander, and them, or they will crown all the harm they have Polybus son of Polyctor bore the brunt of the fight done us by us outright.”
upon the suitors’ side; of all those who were still They therefore aimed straight in front of them and fighting for their lives they were by far the most threw their spears. Ulysses killed Demoptolemus, 273
The Odyssey – Book XXII Telemachus Euryades, Eumaeus Elatus, while the men. I make you a present of this advice to repay stockman killed Pisander. These all bit the dust, and you for the foot which you gave Ulysses when he as the others drew back into a corner Ulysses and was begging about in his own house.” his men rushed forward and regained their spears by Thus spoke the stockman, and Ulysses struck the drawing them from the bodies of the dead.
son of Damastor with a spear in close fight, while The suitors now aimed a second time, but again Telemachus hit Leocritus son of Evenor in the belly, Minerva made their weapons for the most part with-and the dart went clean through him, so that he fell out effect. One hit a bearing-post of the cloister; forward full on his face upon the ground. Then another went against the door; while the pointed Minerva from her seat on the rafter held up her shaft of another struck the wall. Still, Amphimedon deadly aegis, and the hearts of the suitors quailed.
just took a piece of the top skin from off They fled to the other end of the court like a herd Telemachus’s wrist, and Ctesippus managed to graze of cattle maddened by the gadfly in early summer Eumaeus’s shoulder above his shield; but the spear when the days are at their longest. As eagle-beaked, went on and fell to the ground. Then Ulysses and crook-taloned vultures from the mountains swoop his men let drive into the crowd of suitors. Ulysses down on the smaller birds that cower in flocks upon hit Eurydamas, Telemachus Amphimedon, and the ground, and kill them, for they cannot either Eumaeus Polybus. After this the stockman hit fight or fly, and lookers on enjoy the sport—even so Ctesippus in the breast, and taunted him saying, did Ulysses and his men fall upon the suitors and
“Foul-mouthed son of Polytherses, do not be so fool-smite them on every side. They made a horrible ish as to talk wickedly another time, but let heaven groaning as their brains were being battered in, and direct your speech, for the gods are far stronger than the ground seethed with their blood.
274
The Odyssey – Book XXII Leiodes then caught the knees of Ulysses and said, tried to save his life. He was standing near towards
“Ulysses I beseech you have mercy upon me and the trap door, and held his lyre in his hand. He did spare me. I never wronged any of the women in not know whether to fly out of the cloister and sit your house either in word or deed, and I tried to down by the altar of Jove that was in the outer court, stop the others. I saw them, but they would not and on which both Laertes and Ulysses had offered listen, and now they are paying for their folly. I was up the thigh bones of many an ox, or whether to go their sacrificing priest; if you kill me, I shall die straight up to Ulysses and embrace his knees, but without having done anything to deserve it, and in the end he deemed it best to embrace Ulysses’
shall have got no thanks for all the good that I did.” knees. So he laid his lyre on the ground the ground Ulysses lo