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11 - The Odyssey - Homer · Classic Adventure Books - Daily

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Speaker 1: Book number eleven, The Visit to the Dead. Then, when
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Speaker 1: we had got down to the sea shore, we drew
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Speaker 1: our ship into the water, and got her mast and
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Speaker 1: sails into her. We also put the sheep on board,
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Speaker 1: and took our places weeping, and in great distress of mind. Circe,
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Speaker 1: that great and cunning goddess, sent us a fair wind
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Speaker 1: that blew dead aft and stayed steadily with us, keeping
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Speaker 1: our sails all the time well filled. So we did
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Speaker 1: whatever wanted doing to the ship's gear, and let her
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Speaker 1: go as the wind and helmsman headed her all day long,
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Speaker 1: her sails were full as she held her course over
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Speaker 1: the sea. But when the sun went down and darkness
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Speaker 1: was over all the earth, we got into the deep
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Speaker 1: waters of the river Oceanus, where lie the land and
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Speaker 1: city of the Simarians, who live enshrouded in mist and darkness,
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Speaker 1: which the rays of the sun never pierce, neither at
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Speaker 1: his rising nor as he goes down again out of
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Speaker 1: the heavens, but the poor wretches live in one long
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Speaker 1: melancholy night. When we got there, we beached the ship,
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Speaker 1: took the sheep out of her, and went along by
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Speaker 1: the waters of Oceanus till we came to the place
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Speaker 1: of which Circe had told us. Here Paramedes and Eurylicus
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Speaker 1: held the victims, while I drew my sword and dug
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Speaker 1: the trench a cubit each way. I made a drink
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Speaker 1: offering to all the dead, first with honey and milk,
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Speaker 1: then with wine, and thirdly with water, and I sprinkled
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Speaker 1: white barley meal over the whole, praying earnestly to the poor,
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Speaker 1: feckless ghosts, and promising them that when I got back
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Speaker 1: to Ithaca, I would sacrifice a baron heifer for them,
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Speaker 1: the best I had, and would load the pyre with
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Speaker 1: good things. I also particularly promised that Cherysseus should have
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Speaker 1: a black sheep to himself, the best in all my flocks.
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Speaker 1: When I had prayed sufficiently to the dead, I cut
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Speaker 1: the throats of the two sheep and let the blood
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Speaker 1: run into the trench, whereon the ghosts came trooping up
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Speaker 1: from Erebus brides, young bachelors, old men worn out with toil,
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Speaker 1: maids who had been crossed in love, and brave men
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Speaker 1: who had been killed in battle, with their armor still
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Speaker 1: smirched with blood. They came from every quarter and flitted
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Speaker 1: round the trench with a strange kind of screaming sound
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Speaker 1: that made me turn pale with fear. When I saw
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Speaker 1: them coming, I told the men to be quick and
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Speaker 1: flay the carcasses of the two dead sheep and make
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Speaker 1: burnt offerings of them, and at the same time to
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Speaker 1: repeat prayers to Hades and to Proseipine. But I sat
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Speaker 1: where I was with my sword drawn, and would not
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Speaker 1: let the poor, feckless ghosts come near the blood till
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Speaker 1: Teryseus should have answered my questions. The first ghost that
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Speaker 1: came was that of my comrade Alpinor, for he had
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Speaker 1: not yet been laid beneath the earth. We had left
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Speaker 1: his body unwaked and unburied in Circe's house, for we
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Speaker 1: had had too much else to do. I was very
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Speaker 1: sorry for him and cried when I saw him. Alpinor said, I,
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Speaker 1: how did you come down here into this gloom and darkness.
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Speaker 1: You have got here on foot quicker than I have
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Speaker 1: with my ship. Sir, he answered with a groan, it
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Speaker 1: was all bad luck and my own unspeakable drunkenness. I
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Speaker 1: was lying asleep on the top of Circe's house and
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Speaker 1: never thought of coming down again. By the great staircase,
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Speaker 1: but fell right off the roof and broke my neck.
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Speaker 1: So my soul came down to the House of Hades.
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Speaker 1: And now I beseech you by all those whom you
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Speaker 1: have left behind you, though they are not here, by
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Speaker 1: your wife, by the father who brought you up when
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Speaker 1: you were a child, and by Telemachus, who is the
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Speaker 1: one hope of your house. Do what I shall now
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Speaker 1: ask you. I know that when you leave this limbo,
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Speaker 1: you will again hold your ship for the Aegean Island.
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Speaker 1: Do not go, thence leaving me unwaked and unburied behind you,
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Speaker 1: or I may bring Heaven's anger upon you. But burn
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Speaker 1: me with whatever armor I have. Build a barrow for
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Speaker 1: me on the sea shore that may tell people in
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Speaker 1: days to come what a poor, unlucky fellow I was,
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Speaker 1: And plant over my grave the ore that I used
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Speaker 1: to row with when I was yet alive, and with
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Speaker 1: my messmates. And I said, my poor fellow, I will
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Speaker 1: do all that you have asked of me. Thus then
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Speaker 1: did we sit and hold sad talk with one another.
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Speaker 1: I on the one side of the trench, with my
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Speaker 1: sword held over the blood and the ghost of my comrade,
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Speaker 1: saying all this to me from the other side. Then
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Speaker 1: came the ghost of my dead mother, Antiglia, daughter of Autolychis.
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Speaker 1: I had left her alive when I set out for Troy,
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Speaker 1: and was moved to tears when I saw her. But
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Speaker 1: even so, for all my sorrow, I would not let
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Speaker 1: her come near the blood till I had asked my
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Speaker 1: questions of Terseus. Then came all so the ghost of
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Speaker 1: theban Tyrysius, with his golden scepter in his hands. He
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Speaker 1: knew me and said, Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, why
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Speaker 1: poor man, have you left the light of day and
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Speaker 1: come down to visit the dead in this sad place?
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Speaker 1: Stand back from the trench and withdraw your sword, that
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Speaker 1: I may drink of the blood and answer your questions. Truly,
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Speaker 1: so I drew back and sheathed my sword. Whereon, when
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Speaker 1: he had drank of the blood, he began with his prophecy.
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Speaker 1: You want to know, said he, about your return home.
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Speaker 1: But Heaven will make this hard for you. I do
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Speaker 1: not think that you will escape the eye of Neptune,
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Speaker 1: who still nurses his bitter grudge against you for having
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Speaker 1: blinded his son. Still, after much suffering, you may get
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Speaker 1: home if you can restrain yourself and your companions when
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Speaker 1: your ship reaches the Threnatian Island, where you will find
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Speaker 1: the sheep and cattle belonging to the Sun, who sees
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Speaker 1: and gives ear to everything. If you leave these flocks
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Speaker 1: unharmed and think of nothing but of getting home, you
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Speaker 1: may yet, after much hardship, reach Ithaca. But if you
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Speaker 1: harm them, then I forewarn you of the destruction both
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Speaker 1: of your ship and of your men. Even though you
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Speaker 1: may yourself escape, you will return in bad plight after
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Speaker 1: losing all your men in another man's ship, and you
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Speaker 1: will find trouble in your house, which will be overrun
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Speaker 1: by high handed people who are devouring your substance under
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Speaker 1: the pretext of paying court and making presents to your wife.
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Speaker 1: When you get home, you will take your revenge on
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Speaker 1: these suitors. And after you have killed them by force
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Speaker 1: or fraud, in your own house, you must take a
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Speaker 1: well made oar and carry it on and on till
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Speaker 1: you come to a country where the people have never
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Speaker 1: heard of the sea, and do not even mix salt
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Speaker 1: with their food, nor do they know anything about ships
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Speaker 1: and oars that are as the wings of a ship.
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Speaker 1: I will give you this certain token, which cannot escape
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Speaker 1: your notice. Away Fairer will meet you and will say
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Speaker 1: it must be a winnowing shovel that you have got
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Speaker 1: upon your shoulder. On this you must fix the oar
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Speaker 1: in the ground and sacrifice a ram, a bull, and
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Speaker 1: a boar to Neptune. Then go home and offer hecatomes
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Speaker 1: to all the gods in heaven, one after the other.
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Speaker 1: As for yourself, death shall come to you from the sea,
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Speaker 1: and your life shall ebb away very gently when you
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Speaker 1: are full of years and peace of mind, and your
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Speaker 1: people shall bless you. All that I have said will
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Speaker 1: come true. This I answered, must be as it may
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Speaker 1: please Heaven. But tell me, and tell me, and tell
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Speaker 1: me true. I see my poor mother's ghost close by us.
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Speaker 1: She is sitting by the blood without saying a word.
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Speaker 1: And though I am her own son, she does not
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Speaker 1: remember me and speak to me. Tell me, sir, how
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Speaker 1: can I make her know me? That said he, I
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Speaker 1: can soon do. Any ghost that you let taste of
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Speaker 1: the blood will talk with you like a reasonable being.
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Speaker 1: But if you do not let them have any blood,
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Speaker 1: they will go away again. On this, the ghost of
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Speaker 1: Terresius went back to the house of Hades, for his
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Speaker 1: prophecyings had now been spoken. But I sat still where
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Speaker 1: I was until my mother came up and tasted the blood.
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Speaker 1: Then she knew me at once and spoke fondly to me, saying,
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Speaker 1: my son, how did you come down to this abode
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Speaker 1: of darkness? While you are still alive? It is a
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Speaker 1: hard thing for the living to see these places, For
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Speaker 1: between us and them there are great and terrible waters,
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Speaker 1: and there's oceanus, which no man can cross on foot,
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Speaker 1: but he must have a good ship to take him.
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Speaker 1: Are you all this time trying to find your way
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Speaker 1: home from Troy? And have you never yet got back
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Speaker 1: to Ithaca nor seen your wife in your own house?
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Speaker 1: Mother said I, I was forced to come here to
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Speaker 1: consult the ghost of the theban prophet Tyresius. I have
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Speaker 1: never yet been near the Cayan land, nor set foot
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Speaker 1: on my native country, and I have had nothing but
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Speaker 1: one long series of misfortunes, from the very first day
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Speaker 1: that I set out with Agamemnon for Ilias, the land
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Speaker 1: of noble steeds, to fight the Trojans. But tell me,
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Speaker 1: and tell me true, in what way did you die?
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Speaker 1: Did you have a long illness, or did Heaven vouchsafe
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Speaker 1: you a gentle easy passage to eternity. Tell me also
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Speaker 1: about my father and the son whom I left behind me.
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Speaker 1: Is my property still in their hands? Or has some
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Speaker 1: one else got hold of it who thinks that I
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Speaker 1: shall not return to claim it. Tell me again what
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Speaker 1: my wife intends doing, and in what mind she is.
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Speaker 1: Does she live with my son and guard my estate securely?
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Speaker 1: Or has she made the best match she could and
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Speaker 1: married again? My mother answered, your wife still remains in
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Speaker 1: your house, but she is in great distress of mine,
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Speaker 1: and spends her whole time in tears, both night and day.
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Speaker 1: No one as yet has got possession of your fine property,
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Speaker 1: and Telemachus still holds your lands undisturbed. He has to
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Speaker 1: entertain largely, as of course he must, considering his position
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Speaker 1: as a magistrate, and how every one invites him. Your
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Speaker 1: father remains at his old place in the country, and
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Speaker 1: never goes near the town. He has no comfortable bed
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Speaker 1: nor bedding. In the winter he sleeps on the floor
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Speaker 1: in front of the fire with the men, and goes
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Speaker 1: about all in rags. But in summer, when the warm
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Speaker 1: weather comes on again, he lies out in the vineyard
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Speaker 1: on a bed of vine leaves thrown anyhow upon the ground,
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Speaker 1: he grieves continually about your never having come home, and
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Speaker 1: suffers more and more as he grows older. As for
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Speaker 1: my own end, it was in this wise Heaven did
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Speaker 1: not take me swiftly and painlessly in my own house,
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Speaker 1: Nor was I attacked by any illness, such as those
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Speaker 1: that generally wear people out and kill them. But my
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Speaker 1: longing to know what you were doing, and the force
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Speaker 1: of my affection for you, this it was that was
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Speaker 1: the death of me. Then I tried to find some
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Speaker 1: way of embracing my poor mother's ghost. Thrice I sprang
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Speaker 1: towards her and tried to clasp her in my arms,
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Speaker 1: But each time she flitted from my embrace, as it
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Speaker 1: were a dream or phantom. And being touched to the quick,
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Speaker 1: I said to her, mother, why do you not stay
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Speaker 1: still when I would embrace you? If we could throw
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Speaker 1: our arms around one another, we might find sad comfort
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Speaker 1: in the sharing of our sorrows, even in the house
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Speaker 1: of Hades. Does Proserpine want to lay a still further
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Speaker 1: load of grief upon me by mocking me with a phantom?
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Speaker 1: Only my son, she answered, most ill fated of all mankind.
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Speaker 1: It is not Proserpine that is beguiling you. But all
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Speaker 1: people are like this. When they are dead, the sinews
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Speaker 1: no longer hold the flesh and bones together. These perish
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Speaker 1: in the fierceness of consuming fire, as soon as life
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Speaker 1: has left the body, and the soul flits away as
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Speaker 1: though it were a dream. Now, however, go back to
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Speaker 1: the light of day as soon as you can, and
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Speaker 1: note all these things, that you may tell them to
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Speaker 1: your wife hereafter, Thus we did converse, and Anon Proserpine
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Speaker 1: sent up the ghosts of the wives and daughters of
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Speaker 1: all the most famous men. They gathered in crowds about
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Speaker 1: the blood, and I considered how I might question them severally.
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Speaker 1: In the end, I deemed that it would be best
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Speaker 1: to draw the keen blade that hung by my sturdy
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Speaker 1: thigh and keep them from all drinking the blood at once.
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Speaker 1: So they came up, one after the other, and each one,
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Speaker 1: as I questioned her, told me her race and lineage.
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Speaker 1: The first I saw was Tyro. She was daughter of
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Speaker 1: Salmonius and wife of Crithius, the son of Eolus. She
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Speaker 1: fell in love with the river Anepius, who is much
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Speaker 1: the most beautiful river in the whole world. Once, when
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Speaker 1: she was taking a walk by his side as usual, Neptune,
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Speaker 1: disguised as her lover, lay with her at the mouth
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Speaker 1: of the river, and a huge blue wave arched itself
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Speaker 1: like a mountain over them, to hide both woman and God.
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Speaker 1: Whereon he loosed her virgin girdle and laid her in
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Speaker 1: a deep slumber. When the God had accomplished the deed
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Speaker 1: of love, he took her hand in his own and said, Tyro,
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Speaker 1: rejoice in all good will. The embraces of the gods
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Speaker 1: are not fruitless, and you will have fine twins about
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Speaker 1: this time twelve months. Take great care of them. I
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Speaker 1: am Neptune, So now go home, but hold your tongue
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Speaker 1: and do not tell any one. Then he dived under
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Speaker 1: the sea, and she, in due course bore Pelias and Nelius,
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Speaker 1: who both of them served Jove with all their might.
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Speaker 1: Pelias was a great breeder of sheep and lived in Iolchus,
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Speaker 1: but the other lived in Pylos. The rest of her
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Speaker 1: children were by Crithius named Eson Fairies and Amethaeon, who
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Speaker 1: was a mighty warrior and charioteer. Next to her, I
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Speaker 1: saw Antiope daughter Tuesppus, who could the ghost of having
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Speaker 1: slept in the arms of even Jove himself, and who
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Speaker 1: bore him two sons, Amphion and Zathus. These founded Thebes
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Speaker 1: with its seven gates and built a wall all round it.
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Speaker 1: For strong though they were, they could not hold Thebes
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Speaker 1: till they had walled it. Then I saw Alcmena, the
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Speaker 1: wife of Amphetrion, who also bore to Jove, indomitable Hercules,
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Speaker 1: and Megara, who was daughter to great king Creon and
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Speaker 1: married the redoubtable son of Amphetrion. I also saw fair Epicaste,
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Speaker 1: mother of King Edipoids, whose awful lot it was to
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Speaker 1: marry her own son. Without suspecting it. He married her
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Speaker 1: after having killed his father, but the gods proclaimed the
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Speaker 1: whole story to the world, whereon he remained King of
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Speaker 1: Thebes in great grief for the spite the gods had
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Speaker 1: borne him. But Epicast went to the house of the
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Speaker 1: mighty jailer Hades, having hanged herself for grief, and the
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Speaker 1: avenging spirits haunted him as for an outraged mother to
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Speaker 1: his ruing bitterly. Thereafter. Then I saw Chlorus, whom Nelius
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Speaker 1: married for her beauty, having given priceless presents for her.
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Speaker 1: She was youngest daughter to Amphion, son of Iasis and
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Speaker 1: king of Minion Orchomenus, and was queen in Pylos. She
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Speaker 1: bore Nestor, Chromius and Periclemenus. And she also bore that
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Speaker 1: marvelously lovely woman Pero, who was wooed by all the
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Speaker 1: country round. But Nelius would only give her to him.
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Speaker 1: Who should raid the cattle of Iphocles for the grazing
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Speaker 1: grounds of Phylace, And this was a hard task. The
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Speaker 1: only man who would undertake to raid them was a
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Speaker 1: certain excellent seer. But the will of Heaven was against him,
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Speaker 1: for the rangers of the cattle caught him and put
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Speaker 1: him in prison. Nevertheless, when a full year had passed
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Speaker 1: and the same season came round again, Iphocles set him
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Speaker 1: at liberty, after he had expounded all the oracles of Heaven.
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Speaker 1: Thus then was the will of Jove accomplished. And I
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Speaker 1: saw Leda, the wife of Tyndarus, who bore him. Two
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Speaker 1: famous sons, Castor, breaker of Horses, and Pollux, the mighty boxer.
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Speaker 1: Both these heroes are lying under the earth, though they
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Speaker 1: are still alive, for by a special dispensation by Jove,
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Speaker 1: they die and come to life again, each one of
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Speaker 1: them every other day throughout all time, and they have
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Speaker 1: the rank of gods after her. I saw Ethemidia, wife
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Speaker 1: of Aloeus, who boasted the embrace of Neptune. She bore
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Speaker 1: two sons, Otis and Ephialtes, but both were short lived.
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Speaker 1: They were the finest children that were ever born in
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Speaker 1: this world, and the best looking orion only excepted for
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Speaker 1: at nine years old. They were nine fathoms high and
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Speaker 1: measured nine cubits round the chest. They threatened to make
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Speaker 1: war with the gods in Olympus, and tried to set
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Speaker 1: Mount Osa on the top of Mount Olympus and Mount
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Speaker 1: Pelion on the top of Osa, that they might scale
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Speaker 1: Heaven itself. And they would have done it too if
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Speaker 1: they had been grown up. But Apollo, son of Lito,
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Speaker 1: killed both of them before they had got so much
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Speaker 1: as a sign of hair upon their cheeks or chin.
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Speaker 1: Then I saw Phedra and Procris and fair Ariadne, daughter
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Speaker 1: of the magician Minos, whom Theseus was carrying off from
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Speaker 1: Crete to Athens. But he did not enjoy her, for
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Speaker 1: before he could do so, Diana killed her in the
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Speaker 1: island of Dia on account of what Bacchus had said
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Speaker 1: against her. I also saw Mara, and Clymene, and hateful Ariphyle,
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Speaker 1: who sold her own husband for gold. But it would
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Speaker 1: take me all night if I were to name every
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Speaker 1: single one of the wives and daughters of heroes whom
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Speaker 1: I saw. And it is time for me to go
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Speaker 1: to bed, either on board ship with my crew, or
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Speaker 1: here as for my escort. Heaven and yourselves will see
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Speaker 1: to it. Here he ended, and the guests sat, all
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Speaker 1: of them enthralled and speechless, throughout the covered cloister. Then
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Speaker 1: Aretti said to them, what do you think of this man,
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Speaker 1: o phaecians? Is he not tall and good looking? And
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Speaker 1: is he not clever? True, he is my own guest,
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Speaker 1: But all of you share in the distinction. Do not
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Speaker 1: be in a hurry to send him away, nor niggardly
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Speaker 1: in the presence you'd make to one who is in
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Speaker 1: such great need, For Heaven has blessed all of you
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Speaker 1: with great abundance. Then spoke the aged hero Acinaeus, who
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Speaker 1: was one of the oldest men among them. My friends,
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Speaker 1: said he what our august queen has just said to
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Speaker 1: us is both reasonable and to the purpose. Therefore be
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Speaker 1: persuaded by it. But the decision, whether in word or deed,
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Speaker 1: rests ultimately with King Alcinous. The thing shall be done,
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Speaker 1: exclaimed Alcinous, as surely as I still live and reign
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Speaker 1: over the Phaeacians. Our guest is indeed very anxious to
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Speaker 1: get home. Still, we must persuade him to remain with
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Speaker 1: us until tomorrow, by which time I shall be able
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Speaker 1: to get together the whole sum that I mean to
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Speaker 1: give him. As regards his escort, it will be a
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Speaker 1: matter for you all, and mine above all others, as
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Speaker 1: the chief person among you. And Ulysses answered King Alcinous.
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Speaker 1: If you were to bid me to stay here for
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Speaker 1: a whole twelve months and then speed me on my way,
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Speaker 1: loaded with your noble gifts, I should obey you gladly,
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Speaker 1: and it would redound greatly to my advantage, for I
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Speaker 1: should return fuller handed to my own people, and should
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Speaker 1: thus be more respected and more beloved by all who
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Speaker 1: see me when I get back to Ithaca. Ulysses replied Alcinous,
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Speaker 1: not one of us who sees you has any idea
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Speaker 1: that you are a charlotton or a swindler. I know
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Speaker 1: there are many people going about who tell such plausible
24:06
Speaker 1: stories that it is very hard to see through them.
24:10
Speaker 1: But there is a style about your language which assures
24:13
Speaker 1: me of your good disposition. Moreover, you have told the
24:17
Speaker 1: story of your own misfortunes and those of the Argives,
24:22
Speaker 1: as though you were a practiced barred But tell me,
24:25
Speaker 1: and tell me true, whether you saw any of the
24:28
Speaker 1: mighty heroes who went to Troy at the same time
24:31
Speaker 1: with yourself and perished there. The evenings are still at
24:35
Speaker 1: their longest, and it is not yet bedtime. Go on,
24:39
Speaker 1: therefore with your divine story, for I could stay here
24:43
Speaker 1: listening till tomorrow morning, so long as you will continue
24:47
Speaker 1: to tell us of your adventures. Alcinous answered Ulysses. There
24:53
Speaker 1: is a time for making speeches and a time for
24:55
Speaker 1: going to bed. Nevertheless, since you so desire, I will
25:00
Speaker 1: not refrain from telling you the still sadder tale of
25:04
Speaker 1: those of my comrades who did not fall fighting with
25:07
Speaker 1: the Trojans, but perished on their return through the treachery
25:11
Speaker 1: of a wicked woman. When Proserpine had dismissed the female
25:16
Speaker 1: ghosts in all directions, the ghost of Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
25:21
Speaker 1: came sadly up to me surrounded by those who had
25:25
Speaker 1: perished with him in the house of Aegisthus. As soon
25:29
Speaker 1: as he had tasted the blood, he knew me, and,
25:32
Speaker 1: weeping bitterly, stretched out his arms towards me to embrace me.
25:37
Speaker 1: But he had no strength nor substance any more, and
25:40
Speaker 1: I too wept and pitied him as I beheld him.
25:44
Speaker 1: How did you come by your death, said I King Agamemnon.
25:49
Speaker 1: Did Neptune raise his winds and waves against you when
25:52
Speaker 1: you were at sea? Or did your enemies make an
25:55
Speaker 1: end of you on the mainland when you were cattle
25:57
Speaker 1: lifting or sheep stealing, or while they were fighting in
26:01
Speaker 1: defense of their wives and city ulysses? He answered, noble
26:06
Speaker 1: son of Laertes, I was not lost at sea in
26:10
Speaker 1: any storm of Neptune's raising, nor did my foes despatch
26:14
Speaker 1: me upon the mainland. But a Geesthus and my wicked
26:18
Speaker 1: wife were the death of me between them. He asked
26:22
Speaker 1: me to his house, feasted me, and then butchered me
26:26
Speaker 1: most miserably, as though I were a fat beast in
26:29
Speaker 1: a slaughter house, while all around me my comrades were
26:33
Speaker 1: slain like sheep or pigs. For the wetting breakfast or
26:37
Speaker 1: picnic or gorgeous banquet of some great noblemen. You must
26:42
Speaker 1: have seen numbers of men killed, either in a general
26:45
Speaker 1: engagement or in single combat. But you never saw anything
26:49
Speaker 1: so truly pitiable as the way in which we fell
26:52
Speaker 1: in that cloister, with the mixing bowl and the loaded
26:56
Speaker 1: tables lying all about, and the ground reeking with our bloods.
27:01
Speaker 1: I heard Priam's daughter Cassandra scream as Clytemnestra killed her
27:06
Speaker 1: close beside me. I lay dying upon the earth with
27:10
Speaker 1: the sword in my body, and raised my hands to
27:13
Speaker 1: kill the slut of a murderess, but she slipped away
27:17
Speaker 1: from me. She would not even close my lips nor
27:20
Speaker 1: my eyes when I was dying. For there is nothing
27:23
Speaker 1: in this world so cruel and so shameless as a woman,
27:28
Speaker 1: when she has fallen into such guilt as hers. Was
27:32
Speaker 1: fancy murdering her own husband. I thought I was going
27:35
Speaker 1: to be welcomed home by my children and my servants.
27:38
Speaker 1: But her abominable crime has brought disgrace on herself and
27:43
Speaker 1: all women who shall come after, even on the good ones.
27:48
Speaker 1: And I said, in truth, Jove has hated the house
27:51
Speaker 1: of Atreus from first to last in the matter of
27:55
Speaker 1: their women's counsels. See how many of us fell for
27:58
Speaker 1: Helen's sake. And now it seems that Clytemnestra hatched mischief
28:03
Speaker 1: against you too during your absence. Be sure, therefore, continued Agamemnon,
28:10
Speaker 1: and not be too friendly, even with your own wife.
28:14
Speaker 1: Do not tell her all that you know perfectly well yourself.
28:17
Speaker 1: Tell her a part only, and keep your own counsel
28:20
Speaker 1: about the rest. Not that your wife, Ulysses is likely
28:24
Speaker 1: to murder you. For Penelope is a very admirable woman,
28:29
Speaker 1: and has an excellent nature. We left her a young
28:32
Speaker 1: bride with an infant at her breast when we set
28:35
Speaker 1: out for Troy. This child, no doubt, is now grown
28:38
Speaker 1: up happily to man's estate, and he and his father
28:42
Speaker 1: will have a joyful meeting and embrace one another, as
28:46
Speaker 1: it is right they should do. Whereas my wicked wife
28:49
Speaker 1: did not even allow me the happiness of looking upon
28:53
Speaker 1: my son, but killed me ere I could do so. Furthermore,
28:57
Speaker 1: I say, and delay my safe to your heart. Do
29:01
Speaker 1: not tell people when you were bringing your ship to Ithaca,
29:05
Speaker 1: but steal a march upon them. For after all this
29:09
Speaker 1: there is no trusting women. But now tell me, and
29:12
Speaker 1: tell me true. Can you give me any news of
29:16
Speaker 1: my son Orestes. Is he in Orcomenus, or at Pylos?
29:21
Speaker 1: Or is he at Sparta with Menelaeus? For I presume
29:24
Speaker 1: that he is still living? And I said, Agamemnon, why
29:29
Speaker 1: do you ask me? I do not know whether your
29:32
Speaker 1: son is alive or dead? And it is not right
29:34
Speaker 1: to talk when one does not know. As we too
29:38
Speaker 1: sat weeping and talking thus sadly with one another, the
29:42
Speaker 1: ghost of Achilles came up to us, with Patroclus andte
29:47
Speaker 1: Lochus and Ajax, who was the finest and goodliest man
29:52
Speaker 1: of all the Danans after the son of Pelias, the
29:56
Speaker 1: fleet descendant of Aeacus, knew me and spoke piteously, saying, Ulysses,
30:03
Speaker 1: noble son of Laertes, what deed of daring will you
30:07
Speaker 1: undertake next? That you ventured down to the house of
30:10
Speaker 1: Hades among us silly dead, who are but the ghosts
30:14
Speaker 1: of them? They can labor no more? And I said, Achilles,
30:20
Speaker 1: son of Pelias, foremost champion of the Achaeans, I came
30:25
Speaker 1: to consult Yseus and see if he could advise me
30:28
Speaker 1: about my return home to Ithaca, for I have never
30:32
Speaker 1: yet been able to get near the Achaean land, nor
30:36
Speaker 1: to set foot in my own country, but have been
30:39
Speaker 1: in trouble all the time. As for you, Achilles, no
30:44
Speaker 1: one was ever yet so fortunate as you have been,
30:48
Speaker 1: nor ever will be. For you were adored by all
30:51
Speaker 1: us argives as long as you were alive, and now
30:55
Speaker 1: that you are here you are a great prince among
30:58
Speaker 1: the dead. Do not therefore take it so much to heart,
31:02
Speaker 1: even if you are dead. Say not a word, he answered,
31:08
Speaker 1: in death's favor. I would rather be a paid servant
31:11
Speaker 1: in a poor man's house and be above ground than
31:15
Speaker 1: king of kings among the dead. But give me news
31:19
Speaker 1: about my son. Is he gone to the wars? And
31:22
Speaker 1: will he be a great soldier? Or is this not so?
31:26
Speaker 1: Tell me also, if you have heard anything about my
31:29
Speaker 1: father Pelias. Does he still rule among the Myrmidans or
31:34
Speaker 1: do they show him no respect? Throw out Hellas and Phythia.
31:38
Speaker 1: Now that he is old and his limbs fail him,
31:42
Speaker 1: Could I but stand by his side in the light
31:44
Speaker 1: of day, with the same strength that I had when
31:47
Speaker 1: I killed the bravest of our foes upon the plain
31:50
Speaker 1: of Troy. Could I but be as I then was,
31:54
Speaker 1: and go even for a short time to my father's house.
31:58
Speaker 1: Any One who tried to do him violent or supersede
32:01
Speaker 1: him would soon ru it. I have heard nothing, I answered,
32:06
Speaker 1: of Pelias. But I can tell you all about your
32:09
Speaker 1: son Neoptolemus, for I took him in my own ship
32:13
Speaker 1: from Cyros with the Achaeans. In our councils of war
32:17
Speaker 1: before Troy, he was always first to speak, and his
32:21
Speaker 1: judgment was unerring. Nestor and I were the only two
32:26
Speaker 1: who could surpass him. And when it came to fighting
32:29
Speaker 1: on the plain of Troy, he would never remain with
32:31
Speaker 1: the body of his men, but would dash on far
32:35
Speaker 1: in front foremost of them all in valor. Many a
32:39
Speaker 1: man did he kill in battle. I cannot name every
32:42
Speaker 1: single one of those whom he slew while fighting on
32:46
Speaker 1: the side of the Argives, but will only say how
32:49
Speaker 1: he killed that valiant hero Eurypylus, son of Telephus, who
32:55
Speaker 1: was the handsomest man I ever saw. Except Memnon, many
33:00
Speaker 1: others also of the Seitians fell around him by reason
33:04
Speaker 1: of a woman's bribes. Moreover, when all the bravest of
33:09
Speaker 1: the Argives went inside the horse that he Pius had made,
33:13
Speaker 1: and it was left to me to settle when we
33:16
Speaker 1: should either open the door of our ambuscade or close it.
33:20
Speaker 1: Though all the other leaders and chief men among the
33:23
Speaker 1: Danans were drying their eyes and quaking in every limb,
33:27
Speaker 1: I never once saw him turn pale, nor wipe a
33:30
Speaker 1: tear from his cheek. He was all the time urging
33:33
Speaker 1: me to break out from the horse, grasping the handle
33:37
Speaker 1: of his sword and his bronze shod spear, and breathing
33:41
Speaker 1: fury against his foe. Yet when we had sacked the
33:44
Speaker 1: city of Priam, he got his handsome share of the
33:47
Speaker 1: prize money and went on board. Such is the fortune
33:51
Speaker 1: of war without a wound upon him, neither from a
33:55
Speaker 1: throne spear, nor in close combat. For the rage of
33:59
Speaker 1: Mars is a matter of great chance. When I had
34:03
Speaker 1: told him this, the ghost of Achilles strode off across
34:06
Speaker 1: a meadow full of Asphodel, exulting over what I had
34:10
Speaker 1: said concerning the prowess of his son. The ghosts of
34:15
Speaker 1: other dead men stood near me and told me each
34:18
Speaker 1: his own melancholy tale, But that of Ajax, son of
34:22
Speaker 1: Telamon alone haled aloof still angry with me for having
34:27
Speaker 1: won the cause in our dispute about the armor of Achilles.
34:32
Speaker 1: Thedus had offered it as a prize, but the Trojan
34:35
Speaker 1: prisoners and Minerva were the judges. Would that I had
34:39
Speaker 1: never gained the day in such a contest, for it
34:42
Speaker 1: cost the life of Ajax, who was foremost of all
34:46
Speaker 1: the Danans, after the son of Pelias, alike in stature
34:50
Speaker 1: and prowess. When I saw him, I tried to pacify
34:54
Speaker 1: him and said, Ajax, will you not forget and forgive
34:59
Speaker 1: even in death? But must the judgment about that hateful
35:03
Speaker 1: armor still rankle with you? It cost us argives dear
35:06
Speaker 1: enough to lose such a tower of strength as you
35:09
Speaker 1: were to us. We warned you as much as we
35:12
Speaker 1: mourned Achilles, son of peleas himself. Nor can the blame
35:16
Speaker 1: be laid on anything but on the spite which Jove
35:20
Speaker 1: bore against the Daneans. For it was this that made
35:23
Speaker 1: him counsel your destruction. Come hither, Therefore, bring your proud
35:28
Speaker 1: spirit into subjection and hear what I can tell you.
35:33
Speaker 1: He would not answer, but turned away to Erebus and
35:36
Speaker 1: to the other ghosts. Nevertheless, I should have made him
35:40
Speaker 1: talk to me in spite of his being so angry,
35:43
Speaker 1: or I should have gone on talking to him, only
35:46
Speaker 1: that there were still others among the dead whom I
35:49
Speaker 1: desired to see. Then I saw Minos, son of Jove,
35:53
Speaker 1: with his golden scepter in his hand, sitting in judgment
35:56
Speaker 1: on the dead, and the ghosts were gathered sitting in
36:00
Speaker 1: standing round him in the spacious house of Hades, to
36:04
Speaker 1: learn his sentences upon them. After him, I saw huge
36:08
Speaker 1: Orion in a meadow full of Asphodel, driving the ghosts
36:13
Speaker 1: of the wild beasts that he had killed upon the mountains.
36:16
Speaker 1: And he had a great bronze club in his hand,
36:20
Speaker 1: unbreakable forever and ever. And I saw Titius, son of Gaia,
36:26
Speaker 1: stretched upon the plain and covering some nine acres of ground.
36:31
Speaker 1: Two vultures on either side of him were digging their
36:35
Speaker 1: beaks into his liver, and he kept on trying to
36:38
Speaker 1: beat them off his hands, but could not, for he
36:41
Speaker 1: had violated Jove's mistress Lito, as she was going through
36:46
Speaker 1: Panopeus on her way to Pytho. I saw also the
36:50
Speaker 1: dreadful fate of Tantalus, who stood in a lake that
36:54
Speaker 1: reached his chin. He was dying to quench his thirst,
36:57
Speaker 1: who could never reach the water, for whenever the poor
37:00
Speaker 1: creature stooped to drink, it dried up and vanished, so
37:05
Speaker 1: that there was nothing but dry ground, parched by the
37:08
Speaker 1: spite of heaven. There were tall trees moreover that shed
37:12
Speaker 1: their fruit over his head, pears, pomegranates, apples, sweet figs,
37:18
Speaker 1: and juicy olives. But whenever the poor creature stretched out
37:22
Speaker 1: his hand to take some, the wind tossed the branches
37:26
Speaker 1: back again to the clouds. And I saw Sissyphus at
37:30
Speaker 1: his endless task, raising his prodigious stone with both his hands.
37:35
Speaker 1: With hands and feet, he tried to roll it up
37:38
Speaker 1: to the top of the hill, but always just before
37:41
Speaker 1: he could roll it over on to the other side,
37:44
Speaker 1: its weight would be too much for him, and the
37:47
Speaker 1: pitiless stone would come thundering down again on to the plain.
37:52
Speaker 1: Then he would begin trying to push it up hill again,
37:55
Speaker 1: and the sweat ran off him, and the steam rose
37:58
Speaker 1: after him, after him, I saw the mighty Hercules, but
38:03
Speaker 1: it was his phantom only, for he is feasting ever
38:06
Speaker 1: with the immortal gods and has lovely he be to wife,
38:11
Speaker 1: who is daughter of Jove, and Juno. The ghosts were
38:15
Speaker 1: screaming round him, like scared birds, flying all withers. He
38:20
Speaker 1: looked black as night, with his bare bow in his
38:23
Speaker 1: hands and his arrow on the string, glaring around as
38:27
Speaker 1: though ever on the point of taking aim. About his
38:31
Speaker 1: breast there was a wondrous golden belt adorned in the
38:34
Speaker 1: most marvelous fashion with bears, wild boars, and lions with
38:39
Speaker 1: gleaming eyes. There was also war, battle and death. The
38:45
Speaker 1: man who made that belt do what he might, would
38:48
Speaker 1: never be able to make another like it. Hercules knew
38:52
Speaker 1: me at once when he saw me, and spoke piteously, saying,
38:57
Speaker 1: my poor Ulysses, noble son of lair Tes, are you
39:01
Speaker 1: two leading the same sorry kind of life that I
39:04
Speaker 1: did when I was above ground? I was son of Jove,
39:08
Speaker 1: but I went through an infinity of suffering, for I
39:12
Speaker 1: became bondsmen to one who was far beneath me, a
39:16
Speaker 1: low fellow who set me all manner of labors. He
39:19
Speaker 1: once sent me here to fetch the hell hound, for
39:22
Speaker 1: he did not think he could find anything harder for
39:25
Speaker 1: me than this. But I got the hound out of
39:28
Speaker 1: Hades and brought him to him. For Mercury and Minerva
39:31
Speaker 1: helped me. On this, Hercules went down again into the
39:35
Speaker 1: House of Hades, but I stayed where I was, in
39:39
Speaker 1: case some other of the mighty dead should come to me,
39:43
Speaker 1: and I should have seen still other of them that
39:45
Speaker 1: are gone before, whom I would fain have seen, theseus pyrethous,
39:51
Speaker 1: glorious children of the gods. But so many thousands of
39:55
Speaker 1: ghosts came round me and uttered such appalling cries that
39:59
Speaker 1: I was panic stricken lest pro Serpine should send up
40:03
Speaker 1: from the House of Hades the head of that awful
40:06
Speaker 1: monster Gorgon. On this, I hastened back to my ship
40:10
Speaker 1: and ordered my men to go on board at once
40:13
Speaker 1: and loose the hawsers. So they embarked and took their
40:17
Speaker 1: places whereon. The ship went down the stream of the
40:20
Speaker 1: river Oceanus. We had to row at first, but presently
40:26
Speaker 1: a fair wind sprang up. End of Book eleven.