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

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Speaker 1: Book twenty four, The Ghosts of the Suitors in Hades,
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Speaker 1: Ulysses and his men go to the house of Laertes.
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Speaker 1: The people of Ithaca come out to attack Ulysses, but
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Speaker 1: Minerva concludes a peace. Then Mercury of Silen summoned the
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Speaker 1: ghosts of the suitors, and in his hand he held
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Speaker 1: the fair golden wand, with which he seals men's eyes
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Speaker 1: in sleep, or wakes them just as he pleases. With this,
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Speaker 1: he roused the ghosts and led them while they followed,
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Speaker 1: whining and gibbering behind him, as bats fly squealing in
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Speaker 1: the hollow of some great cave when one of them
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Speaker 1: has fallen out of the cluster in which they hang.
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Speaker 1: Even so did the ghosts whine and squeal as Mercury,
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Speaker 1: the Healer of sorrow, led them down to the dark
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Speaker 1: abode of death. When they had passed the waters of
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Speaker 1: Oceanus and the roc Leaulchus, they came to the gates
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Speaker 1: of the Sun and the land of Dreams, whereon they
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Speaker 1: reached the meadow of Asphodel, where dwell the souls and
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Speaker 1: shadows of them that can labor no more. Here they
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Speaker 1: found the ghost of Achilles, son of Pelias, with those
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Speaker 1: of Patroclus, Anteloclus, and Ajax, who was the finest and
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Speaker 1: handsomest man of all the Danians, after the son of
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Speaker 1: Pelias himself. They gathered round the ghost of the son
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Speaker 1: of Pelias, and the ghost of Agamemnon joined them, sorrowing bitterly.
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Speaker 1: Round him were also gathered the ghosts of those who
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Speaker 1: had perished with him in the house of Ageistus, and
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Speaker 1: the ghost of Achilles spoke first, son of Atreus, It said,
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Speaker 1: we used to say that Joe had loved you better
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Speaker 1: from the first to last than any other hero, for
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Speaker 1: you were captain over many and brave men when we
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Speaker 1: were all fighting together before Troy. Yet the hand of death,
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Speaker 1: which no mortal can escape, was laid upon you all
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Speaker 1: too early. Better for you had you fallen at Troy
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Speaker 1: in the heyday of your renown, for the Achaeans would
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Speaker 1: have built a mound over your ashes, and your son
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Speaker 1: would have been heir to your good name, whereas it
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Speaker 1: has now been your lot to come to a most
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Speaker 1: miserable end. Happy son of Pelias, answered the ghost of Agamemnon,
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Speaker 1: for having died at Troy far from Argos, while the
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Speaker 1: bravest of the Trojans, and the Achaeans fell round you,
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Speaker 1: fighting for your body. There you lay in the whirling
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Speaker 1: clouds of dust, all huge and hugely heedless. Now of
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Speaker 1: your chivalry, we fought the whole of the livelong day,
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Speaker 1: Nor should we ever have left off if Jove had
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Speaker 1: not sent a hurricane to stay us. Then when we
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Speaker 1: had borne you to the ships out of the fray,
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Speaker 1: we laid you on your bed and cleansed your fair
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Speaker 1: skin with warm water and with ointments. The Danaeans tore
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Speaker 1: their hair and wept bitterly round about you. Your mother,
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Speaker 1: when she heard, came with her immortal nymphs from out
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Speaker 1: of the sea, and the sound of a great wailing
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Speaker 1: went forth over the waters, so that the Achaeans quaked
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Speaker 1: for fear. They would have fled, panic stricken to their ships,
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Speaker 1: had not wise old Nestor, whose counsel was ever truest,
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Speaker 1: checked them, saying, hold, argives fly not, sons of the Achaeans,
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Speaker 1: This is his mother coming from the sea with her
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Speaker 1: immortal nymphs to view the body of her son. Thus
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Speaker 1: he spoke, and the Achaeans feared no more. The daughters
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Speaker 1: of the old man of the sea stood round you,
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Speaker 1: weeping bitterly, and clothed you in immortal raiment. The nine
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Speaker 1: muses also came and lifted up their sweet voices in lament,
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Speaker 1: calling and answering one another. There was not an argive,
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Speaker 1: but wept for pity of the dirge. They chanted days
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Speaker 1: and nights seven and ten we mourned you, mortals and immortals.
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Speaker 1: But on the eighteenth day we gave you to the flames.
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Speaker 1: And many a fat sheep, with many an ox did
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Speaker 1: we slay in sacrifice. Around you. You were burnt in
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Speaker 1: raiment of the gods, with rich resins and with honey,
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Speaker 1: while heroes horse and foot clashed their armor round the pile,
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Speaker 1: as you were burning with a tramp, as of a
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Speaker 1: great multitude. But when the flames of heaven had done
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Speaker 1: their work, we gathered your white bones at daybreak and
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Speaker 1: laid them in ointments and in pure wine. Your mother
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Speaker 1: brought us a golden vase to hold them, gift of
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Speaker 1: Bacchus and work of Vulcan himself. In this we mingled
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Speaker 1: your bleached bones with those of Petroclus, who had gone
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Speaker 1: before you, and separate we enclosed also those of Antilochus,
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Speaker 1: who had been closer to you than any other of
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Speaker 1: your comrades. Now that Protroclus was no more over these
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Speaker 1: the host of the archives built a noble tomb from
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Speaker 1: a point jutting out over the open Hellespont, that it
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Speaker 1: might be seen from far out upon the sea by
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Speaker 1: those now living and by them that shall be born hereafter,
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Speaker 1: your mother begged prizes from the gods and offered them
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Speaker 1: to be contended for by the noblest of the Achaeans.
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Speaker 1: You must have been present at the funeral of many
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Speaker 1: a hero, when the young men gird themselves and make
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Speaker 1: ready to contend for prizes on the death of some
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Speaker 1: great chieftain. But you never saw such prizes as silver
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Speaker 1: footed Thetis offered in your honor, For the gods loved
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Speaker 1: you well. Thus, even in death, your fame, Achilles, has
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Speaker 1: not been lost, and your name lives evermore among all mankind.
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Speaker 1: But as for me, what solace had I when the
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Speaker 1: days of my fighting were done? For Jove willed my
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Speaker 1: destruction on my return by the hands of Agisthus and
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Speaker 1: those of my wicked. Thus did they converse, and presently
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Speaker 1: Mercury came up to them with the ghosts of the
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Speaker 1: suitors who had been killed by Ulysses. The ghosts of
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Speaker 1: Agamemnon and Achilles were astonished at seeing them and went
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Speaker 1: up to them at once. The ghost of Agamemnon recognized Amphemedon,
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Speaker 1: son of Melanaeus, who lived in Ithaca and had been
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Speaker 1: his host, so it began to talk to him. Amphemedon
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Speaker 1: it said, what has happened to all you fine young men,
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Speaker 1: all of an age too? That you come down here
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Speaker 1: under the ground. One could pick no finer body of
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Speaker 1: men from any city. Did Neptune raise his winds and
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Speaker 1: waves against you when you were at sea? Or did
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Speaker 1: your enemies make an end of you on the mainland
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Speaker 1: when you were cattle lifting or sheep stealing, or while
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Speaker 1: fighting in defense of your wives and cities? Answer my question,
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Speaker 1: for I have been your guest. Do you not remember
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Speaker 1: how I came to your house with Menelaeus to persuade
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Speaker 1: Ulysses to join us with his ships against Troy. It
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Speaker 1: was a whole month ere we could resume our voyage,
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Speaker 1: for we had hard work to persuade Ulysses to come
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Speaker 1: with us. And the ghost of Amphimedon answered Agamemnon, son
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Speaker 1: of Atreus, King of Men, I remember everything that you
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Speaker 1: have said, and will tell you fully and accurately about
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Speaker 1: the way in which our end was brought about. Ulysses
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Speaker 1: had been long gone, and we were courting his wife,
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Speaker 1: who did not say point blank that she would not
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Speaker 1: marry nor yet bring matters to an end, for she
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Speaker 1: meant to compass our destruction. This, then, was the trick
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Speaker 1: she played on us. She set up a great tambour
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Speaker 1: frame in her room and began to work on an
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Speaker 1: enormous piece of fine needlework. Sweethearts, said she, Ulysses, and
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Speaker 1: indeed dead. Still, do not press me to marry again immediately, wait,
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Speaker 1: for I would not have my skill in needlework perish
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Speaker 1: unrecorded till I have completed a pall for the hero Laertes,
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Speaker 1: against the time when death shall take him. He is
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Speaker 1: very rich, and the women of the place will talk
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Speaker 1: if he is laid out without a pall. This is
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Speaker 1: what she said, and we assented. Whereupon we could see
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Speaker 1: her working upon her great web all day long, but
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Speaker 1: at night she would unpick the stitches again by torchlight.
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Speaker 1: She fooled us in this way for three years without
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Speaker 1: our finding it out. But As time wore on, and
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Speaker 1: she was now in her fourth year in the waning
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Speaker 1: of moo wounds, and many days had been accomplished. One
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Speaker 1: of her maids, who knew what she was doing, told us,
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Speaker 1: and we caught her in the act of undoing her work.
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Speaker 1: So she had to finish it, whether she would or no.
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Speaker 1: And when she showed us the robe she had made
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Speaker 1: after she had had it washed, its splendor was as
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Speaker 1: that of the sun or moon. Then some malicious god
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Speaker 1: conveyed Ulysses to the upland farm where his swineherd lives.
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Speaker 1: Thither presently came also his son, returning from a voyage
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Speaker 1: to Pylos, and the two came to the town when
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Speaker 1: they had hatched their plot for our destruction. Telemachus came first,
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Speaker 1: and then after him, accompanied by the swinnard, came Ulysses,
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Speaker 1: clad in rags and leaning on a staff, as though
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Speaker 1: he were some miserable old beggar. He came so on
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Speaker 1: a expectedly that none of us knew him, not even
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Speaker 1: the older ones among us, and we reviled him and
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Speaker 1: threw things at him. He endured both being struck and
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Speaker 1: insulted without a word, though he was in his own house.
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Speaker 1: But when the will of aegis bearing Jove inspired him,
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Speaker 1: he and Telemachus took the armor and hid it in
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Speaker 1: an inner chamber, bolting the doors behind them. Then he
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Speaker 1: cunningly made his wife offer his bow and a quantity
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Speaker 1: of iron, to be contended for by us ill fated suitors.
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Speaker 1: And this was the beginning of our end, for not
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Speaker 1: one of us could string the bow, nor nearly do so.
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Speaker 1: When it was about to reach the hands of Ulysses,
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Speaker 1: we all of us shouted out that it should not
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Speaker 1: be given him, no matter what he might say, But
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Speaker 1: Telemachus insisted on his having it. When he had got
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Speaker 1: it in his hands, he strung it with ease and
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Speaker 1: sent his arrow through the iron. Then he stood on
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Speaker 1: the floor the cloister and poured his arrows on the ground,
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Speaker 1: glaring fiercely about him. First he killed Antinus, and then,
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Speaker 1: aiming straight before him, he let fly his deadly darts,
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Speaker 1: and they fell thick on one another. It was plain
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Speaker 1: that some one of the gods was helping them, for
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Speaker 1: they fell upon us with might and main throughout the cloisters,
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Speaker 1: and there was a hideous sound of groaning, as our
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Speaker 1: brains were being battered in and the ground seethed with
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Speaker 1: our blood. This, Agamemnon, is how we came by our end.
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Speaker 1: And our bodies are lying still uncared for in the
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Speaker 1: house of Ulysses, for our friends at home do not
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Speaker 1: yet know what has happened, so that they cannot lay
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Speaker 1: us out and wash the black blood from our wounds,
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Speaker 1: making moan over us to the offices due to the departed.
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Speaker 1: Happy Ulysses, son of Laertes, replied the ghost of Agamemnon,
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Speaker 1: you are indeed blessed in the possession of a wife
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Speaker 1: endowed with such rare excellence of understanding, and so faithful
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Speaker 1: to her wedded lord as Penelope, the daughter of Ecarius.
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Speaker 1: The fame therefore of her virtue shall never die, and
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Speaker 1: the immortals shall compose a song that shall be welcome
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Speaker 1: to all mankind in honor of the constancy of Penelope.
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Speaker 1: How far otherwise was the wickedness of the daughter of Tyndareus,
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Speaker 1: who killed her lawful husband. Her song shall be hateful
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Speaker 1: among men, for she has brought disgrace on all womankind,
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Speaker 1: even on the good ones. Thus did they converse in
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Speaker 1: the house of Hades, deep down within the bowels of
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Speaker 1: the earth. Meanwhile, Ulysses and the others passed out of
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Speaker 1: the town and soon reached the fair and well tilled
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Speaker 1: farm of Laertes, which he had reclaimed with infinite labor.
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Speaker 1: Here was his house, with a lean to running all
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Speaker 1: round it, where the slaves who worked for him slept
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Speaker 1: and sat and ate. While inside the house there was
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Speaker 1: an old sy sell woman who looked after him in
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Speaker 1: this his country farm. When Ulysses got there, he said
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Speaker 1: to his son and to the other two, go to
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Speaker 1: the house and kill the best pig that you can
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Speaker 1: find for dinner. Meanwhile, I want to see whether my
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Speaker 1: father will know me or fail to recognize me after
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Speaker 1: so long an absence. He then took off his armor
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Speaker 1: and gave it to Eumaeus and Philoetius, who went straight
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Speaker 1: on to the house, while he turned off into the
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Speaker 1: vineyard to make trial of his father. As he went
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Speaker 1: down into the great orchard, he did not see Dolius,
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Speaker 1: nor any of his sons, nor of the other bondsmen,
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Speaker 1: for they were all gathering thorns to make a fence
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Speaker 1: for the vineyard at the place where the old man
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Speaker 1: had told them. He therefore found his father alone, hoeing
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Speaker 1: a vine. He had on a dirty, old shirt, patched
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Speaker 1: and very shabby. His legs were bound round with thongs
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Speaker 1: of ox hide to save him from the brambles, and
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Speaker 1: he also wore sleeves of leather. He had a goat
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Speaker 1: skin cap on his head, and was looking very well obegone.
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Speaker 1: When Ulysses saw him, so worn, so old, and full
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Speaker 1: of sorrow, he stood still under a tall pear tree
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Speaker 1: and began to weep. He doubted whether to embrace him,
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Speaker 1: kiss him, and tell him all about his having come home,
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Speaker 1: or whether he should first question him and see what
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Speaker 1: he would say. In the end, he deemed it best
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Speaker 1: to be crafty with him. So in this mind he
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Speaker 1: went up to his father, who was bending down and
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Speaker 1: digging about a plant. I see, sir, said Ulysses, that
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Speaker 1: you are an excellent gardener. What pains you take with it?
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Speaker 1: To be sure? There is not a single plant, not
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Speaker 1: a fig tree, vine, olive, pear, nor flower bed, but
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Speaker 1: bears the trace of your attention. I trust, however, that
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Speaker 1: you will not be offended if I say that you
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Speaker 1: take better care of your garden than of yourself. You
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Speaker 1: are old, unsavory, and very meanly clad. It cannot be
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Speaker 1: because you are idle that your master takes such poor
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Speaker 1: care of you. Indeed, your face and figure have nothing
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Speaker 1: of the slave about them, and proclaim you of noble birth.
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Speaker 1: I should have said that you were one of those
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Speaker 1: who should wash well, eat well, and lie soft at night,
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Speaker 1: as old men have a right to do. But tell me,
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Speaker 1: and tell me true, whose bondsman are you? And in
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Speaker 1: whose garden are you working? Tell me also about another matter.
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Speaker 1: Is this place that I have come to really Ithaca?
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Speaker 1: I met a man just now who said so. But
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Speaker 1: he was a dull fellow and had not the patience
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Speaker 1: to hear my story out when I was asking him
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Speaker 1: about an old friend of mine, whether he was still
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Speaker 1: living or was already dead, and in the house of Hades.
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Speaker 1: Believe me when I tell you that this man came
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Speaker 1: to my house once when I was in my own country,
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Speaker 1: and never did yet any stranger come to me whom
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Speaker 1: I liked better. He said that his family came from Ithaca,
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Speaker 1: and that his father was Laertes, son of Arsasius. I
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Speaker 1: received him hospitably, making him welcome to all the abundance
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Speaker 1: of my house, and when he went away, I gave
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Speaker 1: him all the customary presents. I gave him seven talents
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Speaker 1: of fine gold and a cup of solid silver with
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Speaker 1: flowers chased upon it. I gave him twelve light cloaks
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Speaker 1: and as many pieces of tapestry. I also gave him
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Speaker 1: twelve cloaks of single fold, twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles,
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Speaker 1: and an equal number of shirts. To all this, I
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Speaker 1: added four good looking women, skilled in all useful arts,
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Speaker 1: and I let him take his choice. His father shed
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Speaker 1: tears and answered, sir, you have indeed come to the
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Speaker 1: country that you have named, but it has fallen into
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Speaker 1: the hands of wicked people. All this wealth of presence
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Speaker 1: has been given to no purpose. If you could have
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Speaker 1: found your friend here alive in Ithaca, he would have
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Speaker 1: entertained you hospitably and would have requited your presence amply
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Speaker 1: when you left him, as would have been only right
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Speaker 1: considering what you had already given him. But tell me,
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Speaker 1: and tell me true, how many years is it since
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Speaker 1: you entertained this guest, my unhappy son as ever was
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Speaker 1: alas he has perished far from his own country. The
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Speaker 1: fishes of the sea have eaten him, or he has
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Speaker 1: fallen a prey to the birds and wild beasts. Of
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Speaker 1: some continent. Neither his mother nor I his father, who
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Speaker 1: were his parents, could throw our arms about him and
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Speaker 1: wrap him in his shroud. Nor could his excellent and
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Speaker 1: richly dowered wife, Penelope bewail her husband as was natural
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Speaker 1: upon his death bed, and to close his eyes according
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Speaker 1: to the offices due to the departed. But now tell me, truly,
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Speaker 1: for I want to know who and whence are you.
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Speaker 1: Tell me of your town and parents. Where is the
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Speaker 1: ship lying that has brought you and your men to Ithaca?
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Speaker 1: Or were you a passenger on some other man's ship,
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Speaker 1: and those who brought you here have gone on their
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Speaker 1: way and left you. I will tell you everything, answered Ulysses,
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Speaker 1: quite truly. I come from Alibis, where I have a
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Speaker 1: fine house. I am son of King effade Us, who
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Speaker 1: is the son of Polypemmon. My own name is Apparatus.
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Speaker 1: Heaven drove me off my course as I was leaving Psyrcania,
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Speaker 1: and I have been carried here against my will. As
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Speaker 1: for my ship, it is lying over yonder off the
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Speaker 1: open country outside the town. And this is the fifth
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Speaker 1: year since Ulysses left my country. Poor fellow, Yet the
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Speaker 1: omens were good for him when he left me. The
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Speaker 1: birds all flew on our right hands, and both he
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Speaker 1: and I rejoiced to see them as we parted, for
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Speaker 1: we had every hope that we should have another friendly
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Speaker 1: meeting and exchange presence. A dark cloud of sorrow fell
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Speaker 1: upon Laertes as he listened. He filled both hands with
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Speaker 1: dust from off the ground and poured it over his
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Speaker 1: gray head, groaning heavily as he did so. The heart
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Speaker 1: of Ulysses was touched, and his nostrils quivered as he
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Speaker 1: looked upon his father. Then he sprang towards him, flung
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Speaker 1: his arms about him, and kissed him, saying, I am
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Speaker 1: he father about whom you are asking. I have returned
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Speaker 1: after having been away for twenty years. But cease your
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Speaker 1: sighing and lamentation, for we have no time to lose.
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Speaker 1: For I should tell you that I have been killing
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Speaker 1: the suitors in my house to punish them for their
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Speaker 1: insolence and crimes. If you really are my son, Ulysses,
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Speaker 1: replied Laertes, and have come back again, you must give
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Speaker 1: me such manifest proof of your identity shall convince me.
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Speaker 1: First observe this scar, answered Ulysses, which I got from
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Speaker 1: a boar's tusk, when I was hunt on Mount Parnassus.
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Speaker 1: You and my mother had sent me to Autolaichus, my
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Speaker 1: mother's father, to receive the presence which when he was
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Speaker 1: over here he had promised to give me. Furthermore, I
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Speaker 1: will point out to you the trees and the vineyard
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Speaker 1: which you gave me, and I asked you all about
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Speaker 1: them as I followed you round the garden. We went
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Speaker 1: over them all, and you told me their names and
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Speaker 1: what they all were. You gave me thirteen pear trees,
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Speaker 1: ten apple trees, and forty fig trees. You also said
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Speaker 1: you would give me fifty rows of vines. There was
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Speaker 1: corn planted between each row, and they yield grapes of
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Speaker 1: every kind when the heat of heaven has been laid
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Speaker 1: heavy upon them. Later, tis strength failed him when he
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Speaker 1: heard the convincing proofs which his son had given him.
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Speaker 1: He threw his arms about him, and Ulysses had to
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Speaker 1: poor to him or he would have gone off into
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Speaker 1: a swoon. But as soon as he came too and
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Speaker 1: was beginning to recover his senses, he said, oh, father Jove,
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Speaker 1: then you gods are still in Olympus after all, if
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Speaker 1: the suitors have really been punished, for their insolence and folly. Nevertheless,
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Speaker 1: I am much afraid that I shall have all the
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Speaker 1: townspeople of Ithaca up here directly, and they will be
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Speaker 1: sending messengers everywhere throughout the cities of the Cephallenians. Ulysses answered,
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Speaker 1: take heart, and do not trouble yourself about that. But
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Speaker 1: let us go into the house hard by your garden.
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Speaker 1: I have already told Telemachus, Philoetius, and Eumaeus to go
24:49
Speaker 1: on there and get dinner ready as soon as possible.
24:53
Speaker 1: Thus conversing, the two made their way towards the house.
24:58
Speaker 1: When they got there, they found Telemachus, the stockman and
25:01
Speaker 1: the swinnard cutting up meat and mixing wine with water.
25:06
Speaker 1: Then the old size sell woman took Layertes inside and
25:10
Speaker 1: washed him and anointed him with oil. She put him
25:13
Speaker 1: on a good cloak, and Minerva came up to him
25:17
Speaker 1: and gave him a more imposing presence, making him taller
25:21
Speaker 1: and stouter than before. When he came back, his son
25:24
Speaker 1: was surprised to see him looking so like an immortal,
25:28
Speaker 1: and said to him, my dear father, some one of
25:32
Speaker 1: the gods has been making you much taller and better looking.
25:37
Speaker 1: Laerties answered would by Father, Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, that
25:43
Speaker 1: I were the man I was when I ruled among
25:46
Speaker 1: the Cephallenians and took Neerikum, that strong fortress on the foreland.
25:52
Speaker 1: If I were still what I then was, and had
25:55
Speaker 1: been in our house yesterday with my armor on, I
25:59
Speaker 1: should have been able to stand by you and help
26:02
Speaker 1: you against the suitors. I should have killed a great
26:06
Speaker 1: many of them, and you would have rejoiced to see it.
26:11
Speaker 1: Thus did they converse, but the others, when they had
26:14
Speaker 1: finished their work, and when the feast was ready, left
26:17
Speaker 1: off working, and took each his proper place on the
26:20
Speaker 1: benches and seats. Then they began eating, by and bye.
26:25
Speaker 1: Old Dolius and his sons left their work and came
26:29
Speaker 1: up for their mother. The Sisol, woman who looked after Laertes,
26:34
Speaker 1: now that he was growing old, had been to fetch them.
26:38
Speaker 1: When they saw Ulysses and were certain it was he,
26:42
Speaker 1: they stood there lost in astonishment. But Ulysses scolded them
26:47
Speaker 1: good naturedly, and said, sit down to your dinner, old man,
26:52
Speaker 1: and never mind about your surprise. We have been wanting
26:55
Speaker 1: to begin for some time, and have been waiting for you.
27:00
Speaker 1: Then Dolius put out both his hands and went up
27:03
Speaker 1: to Ulysses. Sir, said, he seizing his master's hand and
27:08
Speaker 1: kissing it at the wrist. We have been long wishing
27:12
Speaker 1: you home, and now Heaven has restored you to us,
27:16
Speaker 1: after we had given up hoping. All hail therefore, and
27:21
Speaker 1: may the gods prosper you. But tell me, does Penelope
27:26
Speaker 1: know of your return? Or shall we send some one
27:30
Speaker 1: to tell her? Old man answered Ulysses, she knows already,
27:36
Speaker 1: so you need not trouble about that. On this he
27:39
Speaker 1: took his seat, and the sons of Dolius gathered round
27:43
Speaker 1: Ulysses to give him greeting and embrace him, one after
27:47
Speaker 1: the other. Then they took their seats in due order
27:51
Speaker 1: near Dolius their father. While they were thus busy getting
27:56
Speaker 1: their dinner ready, rumor went round the town and noised
28:01
Speaker 1: abroad the terrible fate that had befallen the suitors. As
28:05
Speaker 1: soon therefore as the people heard of it, they gathered
28:09
Speaker 1: from every quarter, groaning and hooting, before the house of Ulysses.
28:14
Speaker 1: They took the dead away, buried every man his own,
28:18
Speaker 1: and put the bodies of those who came from elsewhere
28:21
Speaker 1: on board the fishing vessels for the fishermen to take
28:25
Speaker 1: each of them to his own place. They then met
28:29
Speaker 1: angrily in the place of assembly, and when they were
28:32
Speaker 1: got together, Eupaiethes rose to speak. He was overwhelmed with
28:38
Speaker 1: grief for the death of his son Antinous, who had
28:42
Speaker 1: been the first man killed by Ulysses. So he said,
28:47
Speaker 1: weeping bitterly, my friends, this man has done the Achaeans
28:53
Speaker 1: great wrong. He took many of our best men away
28:57
Speaker 1: with him in his fleet, and he has lost both
29:00
Speaker 1: ships and men. Now moreover, on his return he has
29:05
Speaker 1: been killing all the foremost men among the Cephelenians. Let
29:11
Speaker 1: us be up and doing before he can get away
29:14
Speaker 1: to Pylos or to Elis, where the Apeians rule, or
29:19
Speaker 1: we shall be ashamed of ourselves forever afterwards. It will
29:24
Speaker 1: be an everlasting disgrace to us if we do not
29:28
Speaker 1: avenge the murder of our sons and brothers. For my
29:33
Speaker 1: own part, I should have no more pleasure in life,
29:37
Speaker 1: but had rather die at once. Let us up then
29:43
Speaker 1: and after them, before they can cross over to the
29:47
Speaker 1: main land. He wept as he spoke, and every one
29:52
Speaker 1: pitied him, but Madawn and the barred Phemius had now
29:57
Speaker 1: woke up and came to them from the house of Ulysses.
30:02
Speaker 1: Everyone was astonished at seeing them, for they stood in
30:05
Speaker 1: the middle of the assembly, and medon, said hear me,
30:10
Speaker 1: men of Ithaca, Ulysses did not do these things against
30:15
Speaker 1: the will of Heaven. I myself saw an immortal god
30:19
Speaker 1: take the form of Mentor, and stand beside him. This
30:24
Speaker 1: God appeared now in front of him, encouraging him, and
30:28
Speaker 1: now going furiously about the court and attacking the suitors,
30:33
Speaker 1: whereon they fell thick on one another. On this pale
30:38
Speaker 1: fear laid hold of them, and old halethurses son of Mastor,
30:44
Speaker 1: rose to speak, for he was the only man among
30:47
Speaker 1: them who knew both past and future. So he spoke
30:52
Speaker 1: to them plainly and in all honesty, saying, men of Ithaca,
30:59
Speaker 1: it is all your own fault that things have turned
31:02
Speaker 1: out as they have. You would not listen to me,
31:06
Speaker 1: nor yet to Mentor, when he bade you check the
31:09
Speaker 1: folly of your sons, who were doing much wrong in
31:13
Speaker 1: the wantonness of their hearts, wasting the substance, and dishonoring
31:18
Speaker 1: the wife of a chieftain, who they thought would not return. Now, however,
31:25
Speaker 1: Let it be as I say, and do as I
31:28
Speaker 1: tell you. Do not go out against Ulysses, or you
31:33
Speaker 1: may find that you have been drawing down evil on
31:36
Speaker 1: your own heads. That was what he said, And more
31:42
Speaker 1: than half raised a loud shout and at once left
31:46
Speaker 1: the assembly, But the rest stayed where they were, for
31:51
Speaker 1: the speech of Halethurcees displeased them, and they sided with Eupaiethes.
31:57
Speaker 1: They therefore hurried off for their armor, and when they
32:01
Speaker 1: had armed themselves, they met together in front of the city,
32:05
Speaker 1: and Eupaiethes led them on. In their folly, he thought
32:09
Speaker 1: he was going to avenge the murder of his son,
32:13
Speaker 1: whereas in truth he was never to return, but was
32:17
Speaker 1: himself to perish in his attempt. Then Minerva said to Jove, father,
32:25
Speaker 1: son of Saturn, king of Kings, answer me this question.
32:30
Speaker 1: What do you propose to do? Will you set them
32:34
Speaker 1: fighting still further? Or will you make peace between them?
32:39
Speaker 1: And Jove answered, my child, why should you ask me?
32:45
Speaker 1: Was it not by your own arrangement that Ulysses came
32:48
Speaker 1: home and took his revenge upon the suitors. Do whatever
32:53
Speaker 1: you like, but I will tell you what I think
32:57
Speaker 1: will be the most reasonable arrangement. Now that Ulysses is revenged,
33:03
Speaker 1: let them swear to a solemn covenant in virtue of
33:08
Speaker 1: which he shall continue to rule, while we cause the
33:12
Speaker 1: others to forgive and forget the massacre of their sons
33:16
Speaker 1: and brothers. Let them then all become friends as heretofore,
33:22
Speaker 1: and let peace and plenty reign. This was what Minerva
33:28
Speaker 1: was already eager to bring about, so down she darted
33:32
Speaker 1: from off the topmost summits of Olympus. Now, when Laertes
33:38
Speaker 1: and the others had done dinner, Ulysses began by saying,
33:42
Speaker 1: some of you, go out and see if they are
33:45
Speaker 1: not getting close up to us. So one of Dolly's's
33:48
Speaker 1: sons went as he was bid. Standing on the threshold,
33:53
Speaker 1: he could see them all quite near, and said to Ulysses,
33:57
Speaker 1: here they are, Let us put on our armor at once.
34:02
Speaker 1: They put on their armor as fast as they could,
34:05
Speaker 1: that is to say, Ulysses, his three men and the
34:08
Speaker 1: six sons of Dolius. Laertes also and Dolius did the
34:13
Speaker 1: same warriors by necessity, in spite of their gray hair.
34:19
Speaker 1: When they had all put on their armor, they opened
34:22
Speaker 1: the gate and sallied forth Ulysses leading the way. Then
34:28
Speaker 1: Jove's daughter Minerva came up to them, having assumed the
34:31
Speaker 1: form and voice of mentor. Ulysses was glad when he
34:36
Speaker 1: saw her and said to his son Telemachus, Telemachus, now
34:41
Speaker 1: that you are about to fight in an engagement which
34:45
Speaker 1: will show every man's mettle, be sure not to disgrace
34:49
Speaker 1: your ancestors, who were imminent for their strength and courage
34:54
Speaker 1: all the world over. You say, truly, my dear father,
34:59
Speaker 1: answer Telemachus, and you shall see, if you will, that
35:04
Speaker 1: I am in no mind to disgrace your family. Laertes
35:09
Speaker 1: was delighted when he heard this. Good Heavens, he exclaimed,
35:13
Speaker 1: what a day I am enjoying. I do indeed rejoice
35:17
Speaker 1: at it. My son and grandson are vine with one
35:22
Speaker 1: another in the matter of valor. On this, Minerva came
35:28
Speaker 1: close up to him and said, son of Arcissius, best
35:32
Speaker 1: friend I have in the world. Pray to the blue
35:35
Speaker 1: eyed damsel and to Jove her father. Then poise your
35:40
Speaker 1: spear and hurl it. As she spoke, she infused fresh
35:46
Speaker 1: vigor into him, and when he had prayed to her,
35:50
Speaker 1: he poised his spear and hurled it. He hit you
35:55
Speaker 1: paieth the's helmet, and the spear went right through it,
36:00
Speaker 1: for the helmet stayed it nott and the armor rang
36:03
Speaker 1: rattling round him as he fell heavily to the ground. Meanwhile,
36:09
Speaker 1: Ulysses and his son fell upon the front line of
36:11
Speaker 1: the foe and smote them with their swords and spears. Indeed,
36:17
Speaker 1: they would have killed every one of them and prevented
36:20
Speaker 1: them from ever getting home again. Only Minerva raised her
36:24
Speaker 1: voice aloud and made everyone pause. Men of Ithaca, She cried,
36:30
Speaker 1: cease this dreadful war, and settle the matter at once
36:34
Speaker 1: without further bloodshed. On this pale. Fear seized everyone. They
36:43
Speaker 1: were so frightened that their arms dropped from their hands
36:47
Speaker 1: and fell upon the ground at the sound of the
36:50
Speaker 1: Goddess's voice, and they fled back to the city for
36:54
Speaker 1: their lives. But Ulysses gave a great cry, and, gathering
37:00
Speaker 1: himself together, swooped down like a soaring eagle. Then the
37:05
Speaker 1: son of Saturn sent a thunderbolt of fire that fell
37:10
Speaker 1: just in front of Minerva. So she said to Ulysses, Ulysses,
37:16
Speaker 1: noble son of Laertes, stop this warful strife, or Jove
37:22
Speaker 1: will be angry with you, Thus spoke Minerva, and Ulysses
37:29
Speaker 1: obeyed her gladly. Then Minerva assumed the form and voice
37:35
Speaker 1: of Mentor, and presently made a covenant of peace between
37:41
Speaker 1: the two contending parties. End of Book twenty four and
37:50
Speaker 1: end of the Odyssey by Homer, as translated by Samuel Butler.