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

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Book eight banquet in the house of Alcinous. The games. Now,
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: when the child of Morning, Rosy finger Dawn appeared, Alcinus
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: and Ulysses both rose. Alcinus led the way to the
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: Phaeacian place of assembly, which was near the ships. When
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: they got there, they sat down side by side on
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: a seat of polished stone, while Minerva took the form
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: of one of Alcinous's servants and went round the town
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: in order to help Ulysses to get home. She went
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: up to the citizens manned by man and said, aldermen
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: and town councilors of the Phaeacians, come to the assembly,
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: all of you and listened to the stranger who has
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: just come off a long voyage to the house of
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: King Alcinous. He looks like an immortal god. With these words,
• 0:44
  Speaker 1: she made them all want to come, and they flocked
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: to the assembly till seats and standing room were a
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: light crowded. Everyone was struck with the appearance of Ulysses,
• 0:53
  Speaker 1: for Minerva had beautified him about the head and shoulders,
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: making him look taller and stouter than he really was,
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: that he might pressed the Phaeacians favorably as being a
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: very remarkable man and might come off well in the
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: many trials of skill to which they would challenge him.
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: Then when they were all to got together, Alcinous spoke
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: hear me, said he, aldermen and town counselors of the Phaeacians,
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: that I may speak even as I am minded. This stranger,
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: whoever he may be, has found his way to my
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: house from somewhere or other east or west. He wants
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: an escort and wishes to have the matter settled. Let
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: us then get one ready for him, as we have
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: done for others before him. Indeed, no one has ever
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: yet come to my house who has been able to
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: complain of me not speeding him on his way. Soon enough,
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: let us draw a ship into the sea, one that
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: has never yet made a voyage, and man her with
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: two and fifty of our smartest young sailors. Then, when
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: you have made fast the oars, each by his own seat,
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: leave the ship and come to my house to prepare
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: a feast. I will find you and everything. I am
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: giving these instructions to the young men who will form
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: the crew. For as regards you, aldermen and town councilors,
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: you will join me in entertaining our guests in the cloisters.
• 2:06
  Speaker 1: I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: to sing for us, for there was no barred like him,
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  Speaker 1: whatever he may choose to sing about. Alcinus then led
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: the way, and the others followed. After while a servant
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: went to fetch Demodocus. The fifty two picked oarsmen went
• 2:22
  Speaker 1: to the sea shore as they had been told, and
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: when they got there, they drew the ship into the water,
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: got her mast and sails inside her, bound the oars
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: to the thule pins with twisted thongs of leather, all
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: in due course, and spread the white sails aloft. They
• 2:37
  Speaker 1: moored the vessel a little way out from land, and
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: then came on shore and went to the house of
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: King Alcinous. The outhouses, yards, and all the precincts were
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: filled with crowds of men in great multitudes, both old
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: and young, and Alcinous killed them a dozen sheep, eight
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: full grown pigs, and two oxen. These were skinned and
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: dressed so as to provide a magnificent banquet. The servant
• 3:01
  Speaker 1: presently let in the famous barre Demodocus, whom the mews
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: had dearly loved, but to whom she had given both
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: good and evil, for though she had endowed him with
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: a divine gift of song, she had robbed him of
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: his eyesight. Pontanus set a seat for him among the guests,
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: leading it up against a bearing post. He hung the
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: lyre for him on a peg over his head, and
• 3:22
  Speaker 1: showed him where he was to fill for it with
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: his hands. He also set a fair table with a
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: basket of victuals by his side, and a cup of
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: wine from which he might drink whenever he was so disposed.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: The company then laid their hands upon the good things
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: that were before them. But as soon as they had
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: enough to eat and drink, the mews inspired Demodocus to
• 3:42
  Speaker 1: sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: that was in the mouths of all men, to wit,
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: the quarrel between Achilles and Ulysses, and the fierce words
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: that they heaped on one another as they sat together
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: at a banquet. But Agamemnon was glad when he heard
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: his chiefs quarreling with one another, for Apollo had foretold
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: this at Pittho, when he crossed the stone floor to
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: consult the oracle. Here was the beginning of the evil
• 4:08
  Speaker 1: that was by the will of Jove fell upon the
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: Daneans and Trojans. Thus sang the Bard, But Ulysses drew
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: his purple mantle over his head and covered his face,
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: for he was ashamed to let the Phaeacians see that
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: he was weeping. When the Bard left off singing, he
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: wiped his tears from his eyes, uncovered his face, and,
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: taking his cup, made a drink offering to the gods.
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: But when the Phaeacians pressed Demodocus to sing further, for
• 4:36
  Speaker 1: they delighted in his lays, then Ulysses again drew them
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: his mantle over his head and wept bitterly. No one
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: noticed his distress except Alcinous, who was sitting near him
• 4:47
  Speaker 1: and heard the heavy sighs that he was heaving. So
• 4:50
  Speaker 1: he at once said, aldermen and town councilors of the Phaeacians,
• 4:54
  Speaker 1: we have had enough now, both of the feast and
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: of the minstry that is its due accompaniment. Let us
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: proceed therefore to the athletic sports, so that our guests,
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: on his return home, may be able to tell his
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: friends how much we surpass all other nations as boxers, wrestlers, jumpers,
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: and runners. With these words he led the way, and
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: the others followed after. A servant hung Demodicus's lyre on
• 5:18
  Speaker 1: its peg for him and led him out of the
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: cloister and set him on the same way as that
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: along which all the chief men of the Phaeacians were
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: going to see the sports. A crowd of several thousands
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: of people followed them, and there were many excellent competitors
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  Speaker 1: for all the prizes, Acronius, Acalius, Alatrius, Nataeus, Primnius, an Chelus, Aretmius, Pontius, Proreus,
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  Speaker 1: thune Anibezius, and Amphilius son of Polonius, son of Tecton.
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: There were also Aurelius, son of Nablus, who was like
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  Speaker 1: Mars himself and was the best looking man among the
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: Phaeacians except Laudamus. Three sons of Alcinous, Laudamus, Halios and
• 6:05
  Speaker 1: Clytonius competed also. The foot races came first. The course
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: was set out for them from the starting post, and
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: they raised a dust upon the plane as they all
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: flew forward. At the same moment, Clytonius came in first
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: a long way. He left everyone else behind him by
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  Speaker 1: the length of the furrow that a couple of mules
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: can plow in a fallow field. They then turned to
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: the painful art of wrestling, and here Euryalis proved to
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: be the best man, and Phileas excelled all the others
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: in jumping, while at throwing the disc there was no
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: one who coul approach. Elatrius, Alcinous's son Laudamus, was the
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: best boxer, and he it was who presently said, when
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: they had all been diverted with the games, let us
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: ask the stranger whether he excels in any of these sports.
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: He seems very powerfully built. His thighs, calves, hands and
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  Speaker 1: neck are all of prodigious strength. Nor is he at
• 7:00
  Speaker 1: all old. But he has suffered much lately. And there
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: is nothing like the sea for making havoc with a man,
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  Speaker 1: no matter how strong he is. You're quite right, Laudamus
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: replied Eurylius. Go up to your guest and speak to
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: him about it yourself. When Laudamus heard this, he made
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: his way into the middle of the crowd and said
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: to Ulysses, I hope, sir, that you will enter yourself
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  Speaker 1: for some one or other of our competitions, if you
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  Speaker 1: are skilled in any of them. And you must have
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: gone in for many a one before. Now there is
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  Speaker 1: nothing that does anyone so much credit all his life
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  Speaker 1: long as the showing himself a proper man with his
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: hands and feet have a try. Therefore it's something, and
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: banish all sorrow from your mind. Your return home will
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: not be long delayed, for the ship is already drawn
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: into the water, and the crew is found. Ulysses answered loudamus,
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  Speaker 1: why do you taught me in this way? My mind
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: is set rather on cares than contests. I have been
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  Speaker 1: through infinite trouble, and come among you now as a supplement,
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  Speaker 1: praying your king and people to further me on my
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: return home. Then Eurylius, reviling him outright, said, I gather
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  Speaker 1: then that you are unskilled in any of the many
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: sports that men generally delight in. I suppose that you
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: are one of those grasping traders that go about in
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: ships as captains or merchants, and who think of nothing
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: but their outward freights and homeward cargoes. That does not
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: seem to be much of the athlete about you. For shame, sir,
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: answered Ulysses fiercely. You are an insolent fellow. So true,
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: is it that the gods do not grace all men
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  Speaker 1: alike in speech, person and understanding. One man may be
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: weak of presence, but Heaven has adorned this with such
• 8:38
  Speaker 1: a good conversation that he charms everyone who sees him.
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: His honeyed moderation carries his hearers with him, so that
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: he is a leader in all assemblies of his fellows.
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: Wherever he goes, he has looked upon to another. May
• 8:51
  Speaker 1: be as handsome as a god, but his good looks
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: are not crowned with discretion. This is your case. No
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: God could make a finer looking fellow than you are.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: But you are a fool. You were ill judged remarks
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: and made me exceedingly angry, And you are quite mistaken.
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  Speaker 1: For I excel in a great many athletic exercises. Indeed,
• 9:09
  Speaker 1: so long as I had youth and strength, I was
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  Speaker 1: among the first athletes of the age. Now, however, I
• 9:15
  Speaker 1: am worn out by labor and sorrow, for I have
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: gone through much, both on the field of battle and
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: by the waves of the sea. Still, in spite of
• 9:23
  Speaker 1: all this, I will compete, for your taunts have stung
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  Speaker 1: me to the quick. So he hurried up without even
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: taking his cloak off and seized the disk, larger, more massive,
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: and much heavier than those used by the Faiacians when
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: disthrowing among themselves. Then swinging it back, he threw it
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: from his brawny hand and made a humming sound in
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: the air as he did so. The Faiacians quailed beneath
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: the rushing of its flight as it sped gracefully from
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  Speaker 1: his hand and flew beyond any mark that had been made.
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: Yet Minerva, in the form of a man, came and
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: marked the place where it had been fallen a blind man.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: Sir said, she could easily tell your mark by groping
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: for it. It is so far ahead of any other.
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  Speaker 1: You may make your mind easy about this contest, for
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: no Phaeacian can come nearer to such a throw as yours.
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: Ulysses was glad when he had found a friend among
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: the onlookers, for he had begun to speak more pleasantly.
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: Young men, said, he come up to that throw if
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: you can, and I will throw another disk as heavy
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: or even heavier. If any one wants to have a
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: bout with me, let him come on, for I am
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: exceedingly angry. I will box wrestle or run. I do
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  Speaker 1: not care what it is for any man among you,
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: all except Laudamus, but not with him, because I am
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: his guest, and one cannot compete with one's own personal friend.
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: At least. I do not think it a prudent or
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: sensible thing for a guest to challenge his host's family
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: at any game, especially when he is in a foreign country.
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: He will cut the ground from under his own feet
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: if he does. But I will make no exception as
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: regards any one else, for I want to have the
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: matter out and know which is the best man. I
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: am a good hand at every kind of athletic sport
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: known among mankind. I am an excellent archer in battle.
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: I am always the first to bring a man down
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: with my arrow, no matter how many more are taking
• 11:13
  Speaker 1: aim in him alongside of me. Phyloctates was the only
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: man who could shoot better than me when we Achaeans
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: were before Troy, And in practice I far excel every
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: one else in the whole world, of those who still
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: eat bread upon the face of the earth. But I
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: should not like to shoot against the mighty deed, such
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: as Hercules or Arictus, the Okeelian men who could shoot
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: against the gods themselves. This, in fact, is how Euryctus
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: came prematurely by his end, for Apollo was angry with
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: him and killed him because he challenged him. As an archer,
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: I can throw a dart faster than any one else
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: can shoot an arrow. Running is the only point in
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: respect of which I am afraid some of the Phoenicians
• 11:52
  Speaker 1: might beat me, for I have been brought down very
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: low at sea. My provisions run short, and therefore I
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: am still weak. They all held their peace, except King Alcinous,
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: who began, Sir, we have had much pleasure in hearing
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: all that you have told us, from which I understand
• 12:10
  Speaker 1: that you are willing to show your prowess as having
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: been displeased with some of our insolent remarks that have
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: been made to you by one of our athletes, and
• 12:18
  Speaker 1: which could never have been uttered by anyone who knows
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: how to talk with propriety. I hope you will apprehend
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: my meeting, and will explain to any one of your
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: chief men, who may be dining with yourself and your
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: family when you get home, that we have an hereditary
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: aptitude for accomplishments of all kinds. We are not particularly
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: remarkable for our boxing, nor yet as wrestlers. But we
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: are singularly fleet of foot and are excellent sailors. We
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: are extremely fond of good dinners, music, and dancing. We
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: also like frequent changes of linen, warm baths, and good beds.
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: So now please, some of you, who are the best dancers,
• 12:54
  Speaker 1: set about dancing, that our guests, on his return home,
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: may be able to tell his friends how much we
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: see passed all other nations as sailors, runners, dancers and minstrels.
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Demodocus has left his liar at my house, so run
• 13:07
  Speaker 1: some one or other of you and fetch it for him.
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: On this a servant hurried off to bring the liar
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: from the king's house, and the nine men who had
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: been chosen as stewards stood forward. It was their business
• 13:18
  Speaker 1: to manage everything connected with the sports, so they made
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: the ground smoothed and marked a wide space for the dancers. Presently,
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: the servant came back with Demodicus's liar, and he took
• 13:29
  Speaker 1: his place in the midst of them, whereupon the best
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: young dancers in the town began to foot and trip
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: it so nimbly that Ulysses was delighted with the merry
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: twinkling of their feet. Meanwhile, the bard had begun to
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: sing the loves of Venus and Mars, and how they
• 13:45
  Speaker 1: first began their intrigue in the house of Vulcan. Mars
• 13:49
  Speaker 1: made Venus many presents and defiled King Vulcan's marriage bed,
• 13:53
  Speaker 1: so the son who saw what they were about told Vulcan.
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: Vulcan was very angry when he heard such dreads news,
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: so he went to his smithy, brooding mischief, got his
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: great anflm to its place, and begin to forge some
• 14:08
  Speaker 1: change which none could unloose or break, so that they
• 14:11
  Speaker 1: might stay in that place. When he had finished his snare,
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: he went off to his bedroom and festooned the bedposts
• 14:18
  Speaker 1: all over with chains like cobwebs. He also let many
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: hang down from the great beam of the ceiling. Not
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: even a god could see them, so fine and subtle
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: were they. As soon as he had spread the chains
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: all over the bed, he made as though he were
• 14:32
  Speaker 1: setting off for the fair state of Lumnos, which of
• 14:35
  Speaker 1: all places in the world, was the one he was
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: the most fond of. But Mars kept no blind lookout,
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: and as soon as he saw him start, hurried off
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: to his house burning with love for Venus. Now, Venus
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: had just come in from a visit to her father Jove,
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: and was sitting down when Mars came inside the house
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: and said, as he took her hand into his own,
• 14:56
  Speaker 1: let us go to the couch of Vulcan. He is
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: not at home, but is gone off to Lemnos among
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: the Scythians, whose speech is barbarous. She was nothing loath,
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: so they went to the couch to take their rest,
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: whereupon they were caught in the toils which cunning Vulcan
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: had spread for them, and could neither get up nor
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: stir hand or foot, but found too late that they
• 15:17
  Speaker 1: were in a trap. Then Vulcan came up to them,
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: for he had turned back before reaching Lemnos. When his scout,
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: the Son, told him what was going on, he was
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: in a furious passion and stood in the vestibule, making
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: a dreadful noise as he shouted to all the gods.
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: Father Jove, he cried, and all you other blessed gods
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: who live forever, come here and see the ridiculous and
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: disgraceful sight which I will show you. Jove's daughter Venus
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: is always dishonoring me because I am lame. She is
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: in love with Mars, who is handsome and clean built,
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: whereas I am a cripple. But my parents are to
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: blame for that, not I. They ought never to have
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: begotten me. Come and see the pair together asleep on
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: my bed. It makes me furious to look at them.
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: Are very fond of one another. But I do not
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: think that they will lie there longer than they can help,
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: nor do I think that they will sleep much there. However,
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: they will stay till her father has repaid me the
• 16:10
  Speaker 1: sum I gave him for his baggage of a daughter
• 16:13
  Speaker 1: who is fair but not honest. On this the gods
• 16:17
  Speaker 1: gathered to the house of Vulcan, earth encircling. Neptune came
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: and Mercury, the bringer of luck, and King Apollo. But
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: the goddesses stayed at home, all of them for shame. Then,
• 16:28
  Speaker 1: the giver of all good things stood in the doorway,
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: and the blessed gods roared with inextinguishable laughter as they
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: saw how cunning Vulcan had been. Whereon one would turn
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: towards his neighbors, saying ill deeds do not prosper, and
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: the weak is confound the strong. See how limping. Vulcan
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: lame as he is, has caught Mars, who is the
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: fleetest god in heaven, and now Mars will be caught
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: and cast in heavy damages. Thus did they converse, But
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: King Apollo said to Mercury, messenger, Mercury, give her of
• 17:00
  Speaker 1: good things. You would not care how strong the chains were,
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: would you, if you could sleep with Venus. King Apollo
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: answered Mercury, I only wish I might get the chance,
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: though there were three times as many chains, and you
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: might look on all of you gods and goddesses, But
• 17:17
  Speaker 1: I would sleep with her if I could. The immortal
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: gods burst out laughing as they heard him, but Neptune
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: took it all seriously and kept imploring Vulcan to set
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: Mars free again. Let him go, he cried, and I
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: will undertake as you require that he shall pay you
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: all the damages that you are held responsible among the
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: immortal gods. Do not, replied Vulcan, ask me to do this.
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: A bad man's bond is bad security. What remedy could
• 17:45
  Speaker 1: I enforce against you? If Mars should go away and
• 17:48
  Speaker 1: leave his debts behind him along with his chains, Vulcan
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: said Neptune. If Mars goes away without repaying his damages,
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: I will pay you myself, so Vulcan answered, in this case,
• 18:00
  Speaker 1: I cannot and must not refuse you. Thereon he loosed
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: the bonds that bound them, and as soon as they
• 18:07
  Speaker 1: were free, they scampered off Mars to Thrace, and the
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: laughter loving Venus to Cyprus and to Paphos, whereas her
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: grove and her altar fragrent with burnt offerings. Here the
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: graces bathed her and anointed her with oil of ambrosia,
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: such as the immortal gods make use of, and they
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: clothed her in raiment of the most enchanting beauty. Thus
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: sang the Bard, and both Ulysses and the seafaring Faations
• 18:32
  Speaker 1: were charmed as they heard him. Then Alcinus told Laudamus
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: and Helias to dance alone, for there was no one
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: to compete with them. So they took a red ball,
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: which Polybeus had made for them, and one of them
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: bent himself backwards and threw it up towards the clouds,
• 18:49
  Speaker 1: while the other jumped from off the ground and caught
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: it with ease before it came down again. When they
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: had done throwing the ball straight up into the air,
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: they begin to dance, and at the same time I
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: am kept on throwing it backwards and forwards to one another,
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: while all the young men in the ring applauded and
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: made a great stamping of their feet. Then, Ulysses said,
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: King Alcinous, you said your people were the nimblest dancers
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: in the world, and so indeed they have proved themselves
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: to be. So I am astonished even as I saw them.
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: The king was delighted at all this, and exclaimed to
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: the poetians, aldermen and town councilors, our guests seems to
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: be a person of singular judgment. Let us give him
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: proof of our hospitality, as he may reasonably expect. There
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: are twelve chief men among you, and counting myself there
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: are thirteen. Contribute each of you a clean cloak, a shirt,
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: and a talent of fine gold. Let us give him
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: all this and a lump down at once, so that
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: when he gets a supper he may do so with
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: a light heart. As for Eurelius, he will have to
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: make a farm more apology, and a present, too, for
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: he has been rude. Thus did he speak the others.
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: All of them applauded him, and sent their servants to
• 20:01
  Speaker 1: fetch the presence. Then Eurylius said, King Alcinous, I will
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: give the stranger all the satisfaction you require. He shall
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: have my sword, which is a bronze, all but the hilt,
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: which is of silver. I will also give him the scabbard,
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: which is newly sawn ivory, into which it fits. It
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: will be worth a great deal to him. As he spoke,
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: he placed the sword in the hand of Ulysses and said,
• 20:26
  Speaker 1: good luck to you, father stranger. If anything has been
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: said amiss, may the winds blow it away with that,
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: and may Heaven grant you a safe return. For I
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: understand you have been a long way away from home
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: and have gone through much hardship, to which Ulysses answered,
• 20:42
  Speaker 1: good luck to you too, my friends, and may the
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: gods grant you every happiness. I hope you will not
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: miss the sword you have given me along with your apology.
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: With these words, he girded the sword about his shoulders
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: and towards sundown. The presents began to make their appearance,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: as the servants of the donors kept bringing them to
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: the house of King Alcinus. Here as sons receive them
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: and placed them under their mother's charge. Then Alcinous led
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: the way to the house and bade his guest take
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: their seats. Wife, said he turning the queen Orete, go,
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: fetch the best chest we have, and put a clean
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: cloak and shirt in it. Also set a copper on
• 21:19
  Speaker 1: the fire, and heat some water. Our guests will take
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: a warm bath. See also to the careful packing of
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: the presents that the noble Phaeacians had made him. He
• 21:28
  Speaker 1: will thus better enjoy both his supper and the singing
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: that will follow. I shall myself give him this golden goblet,
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: which is of exquisite workmanship, that he may be reminded
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: of me for the rest of his life whenever he
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: makes a drink offering to Jove or to any of
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: the gods. Then Orete told her maids to set a
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: large tripod upon the fire as fast as they could.
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: Whereon they set a tripod full of bath water on
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: to a clear fire. They threw on sticks to make
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: a blaze, and when the water became hot, as the
• 21:57
  Speaker 1: flame played upon the belly of the tripe. Meanwhile, Erete
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: brought a magnificent chest from her own room, and inside
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: it she packed all the beautiful presents of gold, and
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: the raiment which the Phoeacians had brought. Lastly, she added
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: a cloak and a good shirt from Alcinous, and said
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: to Ulysses, see to the lid yourself, and have the
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: whole bound round at once, for fear anyone should rob
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: you by the way when you are asleep in your ship.
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: When Ulysses heard this, he put the lid on the
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: chest and made it fast with the bond that Circe
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: had taught him. He had done so before an upper
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: servant told him to come to the bath and wash himself.
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: He was very glad of a warm bath, for he
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: had no one to wait upon him ever since he
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: had left the house of Calypso, who was as long
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: as he remained with her, had taken as good of
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: care of him as though he had been a god.
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: When the servants had done washing and anointing him with oil,
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: and had given him a clean cloak and shirt, he
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: left the bathroom and joined the guests who were sitting
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: over their wine. Lovely Nausicaa stood by one of the
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: bearing posts supporting the roof of the cloister, and admire
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: him as she saw him pass farewell. Stranger said she,
• 23:06
  Speaker 1: do not forget me when you are safe at home again,
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: for it is to me first that you owe a
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: ransom for having saved your life. And Ulysses said Nausic
• 23:16
  Speaker 1: daughter the great Alcinous, may jove the mighty husband of Juno,
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: grant that I may reach my home. So I shall
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: bless you as my guardian angel all my days, for
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: it was you who saved me. When he had said this,
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: he seated himself beside Alcinous. Supper was then served, and
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: the wine was mixed for drinking. A servant led the
• 23:35
  Speaker 1: favorite barre Demodocus, and set him in the midst of
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: the company, near one of the bearing posts supporting the cloister,
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: that he may lean against it. Then Ulysses cut off
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: a piece of roast pork with plenty of fat, for
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: there was abundance left on the joint, and said to
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: a servant, take this piece of pork over to Demoticus
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: and tell him to eat it. For all the pain
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: his lays may cause me, I will salute him none
• 23:58
  Speaker 1: the less. Bards are honored and respected throughout the world,
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: for the muse teaches them their songs and loves them
• 24:06
  Speaker 1: the servant carried the pork in his fingers over to Demoicus,
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: who took it and was very much pleased. They then
• 24:12
  Speaker 1: laid their hands on all the good things that were
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: before them, and as soon as they had to eat
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: and drink, Ulysses said to Demoticus, Demoticus, there was no
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: one in the world whom I admire more than I
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: do you. You must have studied under the Muse Jove's
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: daughter and under Apollo so accurately you sing of the
• 24:32
  Speaker 1: return of the Acheans, with all of their sufferings and adventures.
• 24:37
  Speaker 1: If you were not there yourself, you must have heard
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: it all from someone who was. Now, however, change your
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: song and tell us of the wooden horse, which Epius
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: made with the assistance of Minerva, and which Ulysses got
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: by stratagem into the fort of Troy after freighting it
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: with the men, who afterwards sacked the city. If you
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: will sing this tale aright, I will tell all the
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: world how magnificent Heaven has endowed you. The bard, was
• 25:03
  Speaker 1: inspired of Heaven, took up the story at the point
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: where some of the archives set fire to their tents
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: and sailed away, while others hidden within the horse were
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: waiting with Ulysses in the Trojan place of assembly. For
• 25:15
  Speaker 1: the Trojans themselves had drawn the horse into their fortress,
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: and it stood there while they sat a council round it,
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: and they were in three mins as what they should do.
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: Some were for breaking it up then and there. Others
• 25:29
  Speaker 1: would have it dragged at the top of the rock
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: on which the fortress stood, and then thrown down the precipice,
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: while yet others were for letting it remain as an
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: offering for preditation for the gods. And this was how
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: they settled it in the end, for the city was
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: doomed when it took in that horse, within which were
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: all the bravest of the archives, waiting to bring death
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: and destruction to the Trojans. And on he sang, how
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: the sons of the Achaeans issued from the horse and
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: sacked the town, breaking out from their ampuscade. He sang
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: how the old ran the city hither and thither and
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: ravaged it, and how Ulysses went raging like Mars, along
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: with Menelaeus, to the house of Deephobis. It was there
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: that the fight raged most furiously. Nevertheless, by my nervous help,
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: he was victorious. All this, he told. But Ulysses was
• 26:19
  Speaker 1: overcome as he hurt him, and his cheeks were wet
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: with tears. He wept as a woman weeps when she
• 26:24
  Speaker 1: throws herself on the body of her husband, who has
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: fallen before his own city and people, fighting bravely in
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: defense of his home and children. She screams aloud and
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: flings her arms about him as he lies, gasping for
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: breath and dying. But her enemies beat her from behind
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: about the back and shoulders, and carry her off into slavery,
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: to a life of labor and sorrow, and the beauty
• 26:44
  Speaker 1: fades from her cheeks. Even so piteously did Ulysses weep,
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: But none of those present perceived his tears, except Alcinous,
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: who was sitting near him, and could hear the sobs
• 26:54
  Speaker 1: and sighs that he was heaving. The king therefore at
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: once rose and said Alderman and town counselors of the Phaetians,
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: let Demodicus cease his song, for there are those present
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: who do not seem to like it. From the moment
• 27:08
  Speaker 1: that we have done supper, and Demonicus began to sing,
• 27:10
  Speaker 1: our guest has been all the time, groaning and lamenting,
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: he is evidently in great trouble. So let the Bard
• 27:16
  Speaker 1: leave off that we may all enjoy ourselves, hosts and
• 27:19
  Speaker 1: guests alike, and this will be much as it should be,
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: for all these festivities, with the escort and the presence
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: that we are making with so much good will or
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: holly in his honor. And anyone with even a moderate
• 27:30
  Speaker 1: amount of right feeling knows that he ought to treat
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: a guest and a suppliant as though he were his
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: own brother. Therefore, sir, do not, on your part, affect
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: no more concealment nor reserve in the matter about which
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: I'm about to ask you. It will be more polite
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: in you to give me a plain answer. Tell me
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: the name by which your father and mother over yonder
• 27:53
  Speaker 1: used to call you, by which you are known among
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: your neighbors and fellow citizens. There is no one, neither
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: rich nor poor, or who is absolutely without any name whatever.
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: For peoples, fathers and mothers give them names as soon
• 28:05
  Speaker 1: as they are born. Tell me also your country, nation,
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: and city, that our ships may shape their purpose accordingly,
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: and take you there. For the Phaeacians have no pilots,
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: their vessels have no rudders as those of other nations have.
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: But the ships themselves understand what it is we are
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: thinking about in want. They know all the cities and
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: countries in the whole world, and can traverse the sea
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: just as well, even when it is covered with mist
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: and cloud, so there is no danger being wrecked or
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: coming to any harm. Still, I do not remember hearing
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: my fathers say that Neptune was angry with us for
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: being too easy going in the matter of giving people escorts.
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: He said that one of these days he would wreck
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: a ship of ours as it was returning from having
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: escorted someone, and bury our city under a high mountain.
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: This is what my father used to say. But whether
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: the God will carry out his threat or know is
• 28:57
  Speaker 1: a matter which he will decide for himself. And now
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: tell me, and tell me true, where have you been
• 29:03
  Speaker 1: wandering and in what countries have you traveled? Tell us
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: of the peoples themselves and of their cities, who were hostile,
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: savage and uncivilized, and who, on the other hand, hospitable
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: and humane. Tell us also why you are made so
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: unhappy on hearing about the return of the argive of
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: Danaean's in Troy, The gods arranged all this and sent
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: them their misfortunes in order that future generations might have
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: something to sing about. Did you lose some brave kinsmen
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: of your wife's when you were before Troy, a son
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: in law or father in law, which are the nearest
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: relations a man has outside his own flesh and blood.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: Or was it some brave and kindly natured comrade. For
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: a good friend is as dear to a man as
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: his own brother. End of Book eight