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11 - The Odyssey - Homer · Classic Adventure Books Library

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