Book I

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In a Council of the Gods, Poseidon absent, Pallas procureth

an order for the restitution of Odysseus; and appearing to

his son Telemachus, in human shape, adviseth him to

complain of the Wooers before the Council of the people,

and then go to Pylos and Sparta to inquire about his

father.

Tell me, Muse, of that man, so ready at need, who wandered

far and wide, after he had sacked the sacred citadel of

Troy, and many were the men whose towns he saw and whose

mind he learnt, yea, and many the woes he suffered in his

heart upon the deep, striving to win his own life and the

return of his company. Nay, but even so he saved not his

company, though he desired it sore. For through the

blindness of their own hearts they perished, fools, who

devoured the oxen of Helios Hyperion: but the god took from

them their day of returning. Of these things, goddess,

daughter of Zeus, whencesoever thou hast heard thereof,

declare thou even unto us.

Now all the rest, as many as fled from sheer destruction,

were at home, and had escaped both war and sea, but

Odysseus only, craving for his wife and for his homeward

path, the lady nymph Calypso held, that fair goddess, in

her hollow caves, longing to have him for her lord. But

when now the year had come in the courses of the seasons,

wherein the gods had ordained that he should return home to

Ithaca, not even there was he quit of labours, not even

among his own; but all the gods had pity on him save

Poseidon, who raged continually against godlike Odysseus,

till be came to his own country. Howbeit Poseidon had now

departed for the distant Ethiopians, the Ethiopians that

are sundered in twain, the uttermost of men, abiding some

where Hyperion sinks and some where he rises. There he

looked to receive his hecatomb of bulls and rams, there he

made merry sitting at the feast, but the other gods were

gathered in the halls of Olympian Zeus. Then among them the

father of gods and men began to speak, for he bethought him

in his heart of noble Aegisthus, whom the son of Agamemnon,

far-famed Orestes, slew. Thinking upon him he spake out

among the Immortals:

'Lo you now, how vainly mortal men do blame the gods! For

of us they say comes evil, whereas they even of themselves,

through the blindness of their own hearts, have sorrows

beyond that which is ordained. Even as of late Aegisthus,

beyond that which was ordained, took to him the wedded wife

of the son of Atreus, and killed her lord on his return,

and that with sheer doom before his eyes, since we had

warned him by the embassy of Hermes the keen-sighted, the

slayer of Argos, that he should neither kill the man, nor

woo his wife. For the son of Atreus shall be avenged at the

hand of Orestes, so soon as he shall come to man's estate

and long for his own country. So spake Hermes, yet he

prevailed not on the heart of Aegisthus, for all his good

will; but now hath he paid one price for all.'

And the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him, saying: 'O

father, our father Cronides, throned in the highest; that

man assuredly lies in a death that is his due; so perish

likewise all who work such deeds! But my heart is rent for

wise Odysseus, that hapless one, who far from his friends

this long while suffereth affliction in a seagirt isle,

where is the navel of the sea, a woodland isle, and therein

a goddess hath her habitation, the daughter of the wizard

Atlas, who knows the depths of every sea, and himself

upholds the tall pillars which keep earth and sky asunder.

His daughter it is that holds the hapless man in sorrow:

and ever with soft and guileful tales she is wooing him to

forgetfulness of Ithaca. But Odysseus yearning to see if it

were but the smoke leap upwards from his own land, hath a

desire to die. As for thee, thine heart regardeth it not at

all, Olympian! What! did not Odysseus by the ships of the

Argives make thee free offering of sacrifice in the wide

Trojan land? Wherefore wast thou then so wroth with him, O

Zeus?'

And Zeus the cloud-gatherer answered her, and said, 'My

child, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips? Yea,

how should I forget divine Odysseus, who in understanding

is beyond mortals and beyond all men hath done sacrifice to

the deathless gods, who keep the wide heaven? Nay, but it

is Poseidon, the girdler of the earth, that hath been wroth

continually with quenchless anger for the Cyclops' sake

whom he blinded of his eye, even godlike Polyphemus whose

power is mightiest amongst all the Cyclopes. His mother was

the nymph Thoosa, daughter of Phorcys, lord of the

unharvested sea, and in the hollow caves she lay with

Poseidon. From that day forth Poseidon the earth-shaker

doth not indeed slay Odysseus, but driveth him wandering

from his own country. But come, let us here one and all

take good counsel as touching his returning, that he may be

got home; so shall Poseidon let go his displeasure, for he

will in no wise be able to strive alone against all, in

despite of all the deathless gods.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him, and said:

'O father, our father Cronides, throned in the highest, if

indeed this thing is now well pleasing to the blessed gods,

that wise Odysseus should return to his own home, let us

then speed Hermes the Messenger, the slayer of Argos, to

the island of Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare

to the lady of the braided tresses our unerring counsel,

even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may

come to his home. But as for me I will go to Ithaca that I

may rouse his son yet the more, planting might in his

heart, to call an assembly of the long-haired Achaeans and

speak out to all the wooers who slaughter continually the

sheep of his thronging flocks, and his kine with trailing

feet and shambling gait. And I will guide him to Sparta and

to sandy Pylos to seek tidings of his dear father's return,

if peradventure he may hear thereof and that so he may be

had in good report among men.'

She spake and bound beneath her feet her lovely golden

sandals that wax not old, and bare her alike over the wet

sea and over the limitless land, swift as the breath of the

wind. And she seized her doughty spear, shod with sharp

bronze, weighty and huge and strong, wherewith she quells

the ranks of heroes with whomsoever she is wroth, the

daughter of the mighty sire. Then from the heights of

Olympus she came glancing down, and she stood in the land

of Ithaca, at the entry of the gate of Odysseus, on the

threshold of the courtyard, holding in her hand the spear

of bronze, in the semblance of a stranger, Mentes the

captain of the Taphians. And there she found the lordly

wooers: now they were taking their pleasure at draughts in

front of the doors, sitting on hides of oxen, which

themselves had slain. And of the henchmen and the ready

squires, some were mixing for them wine and water in bowls,

and some again were washing the tables with porous sponges

and were setting them forth, and others were carving flesh

in plenty.

And godlike Telemachus was far the first to descry her, for

he was sitting with a heavy heart among the wooers dreaming

on his good father, if haply he might come somewhence, and

make a scattering of the wooers there throughout the

palace, and himself get honour and bear rule among his own

possessions. Thinking thereupon, as he sat among wooers, he

saw Athene--and he went straight to the outer porch, for he

thought it blame in his heart that a stranger should stand

long at the gates: and halting nigh her he clasped her

right hand and took from her the spear of bronze, and

uttered his voice and spake unto her winged words:

'Hail, stranger, with us thou shalt be kindly entreated,

and thereafter, when thou hast tasted meat, thou shalt tell

us that whereof thou hast need.'

Therewith he led the way, and Pallas Athene followed. And

when they were now within the lofty house, he set her spear

that he bore against a tall pillar, within the polished

spear-stand, where stood many spears besides, even those of

Odysseus of the hardy heart; and he led the goddess and

seated her on a goodly carven chair, and spread a linen

cloth thereunder, and beneath was a footstool for the feet.

For himself he placed an inlaid seat hard by, apart from

the company of the wooers, lest the stranger should be

disquieted by the noise and should have a loathing for the

meal, being come among overweening men, and also that he

might ask him about his father that was gone from his home.

Then a handmaid bare water for the washing of hands in a

goodly golden ewer, and poured it forth over a silver basin

to wash withal, and drew to their side a polished table.

And a grave dame bare wheaten bread and set it by them, and

laid on the board many dainties, giving freely of such

things as she had by her. And a carver lifted and placed by

them platters of divers kinds of flesh, and nigh them he

set golden bowls, and a henchman walked to and fro pouring

out to them the wine.

Then in came the lordly wooers; and they sat them down in

rows on chairs, and on high seats, and henchmen poured

water on their hands, and maidservants piled wheaten bread

by them in baskets, and pages crowned the bowls with drink;

and they stretched forth their hands upon the good cheer

spread before them. Now when the wooers had put from them

the desire of meat and drink, they minded them of other

things, even of the song and dance: for these are the crown

of the feast. And a henchman placed a beauteous lyre in the

hands of Phemius, who was minstrel to the wooers despite

his will. Yea and as he touched the lyre he lifted up his

voice in sweet songs.{*}

{* Or, according to the ordinary interpretation of [Greek]:

So he touched the chords in prelude to his sweet singing.}

But Telemachus spake unto grey-eyed Athene, holding his

head close to her that those others might not hear: 'Dear

stranger, wilt thou of a truth be wroth at the word that I

shall say? Yonder men verily care for such things as these,

the lyre and song, lightly, as they that devour the

livelihood of another without atonement, of that man whose

white bones, it may be, lie wasting in the rain upon the

mainland, or the billow rolls them in the brine. Were but

these men to see him returned to Ithaca, they all would

pray rather for greater speed of foot than for gain of gold

and raiment. But now he hath perished, even so, an evil

doom, and for us is no comfort, no, not though any of

earthly men should say that he will come again. Gone is the

day of his returning! But come declare me this, and tell me

all plainly: Who art thou of the sons of men, and whence?

Where is thy city, where are they that begat thee? Say, on

what manner of ship didst thou come, and how did sailors

bring thee to Ithaca, and who did they avow themselves to

be, for in nowise do I deem that thou camest hither by

land. And herein tell me true, that I may know for a

surety whether thou art a newcomer, or whether thou art a

guest of the house, seeing that many were the strangers

that came to our home, for that HE too had voyaged much

among men.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: 'Yea now,

I will plainly tell thee all. I avow me to be Mentes, son

of wise Anchialus, and I bear rule among the Taphians,

lovers of the oar. And now am I come to shore, as thou

seest, with ship and crew, sailing over the wine-dark sea,

unto men of strange speech, even to Temesa, {*} in quest of

copper, and my cargo is shining iron. And there my ship is

lying toward the upland, away from the city, in the harbour

of Rheithron beneath wooded Neion: and we declare ourselves

to be friends one of the other, and of houses friendly,

from of old. Nay, if thou wouldest be assured, go ask the

old man, the hero Laertes, who they say no more comes to

the city, but far away toward the upland suffers

affliction, with an ancient woman for his handmaid, who

sets by him meat and drink, whensoever weariness takes hold

of his limbs, as he creeps along the knoll of his vineyard

plot. And now am I come; for verily they said that HE, thy

father, was among his people; but lo, the gods withhold him

from his way. For goodly Odysseus hath not yet perished on

the earth; but still, methinks, he lives and is kept on the

wide deep in a seagirt isle, and hard men constrain him,

wild folk that hold him, it may be, sore against his will.

But now of a truth will I utter my word of prophecy, as the

Immortals bring it into my heart and as I deem it will be

accomplished, though no soothsayer am I, nor skilled in the

signs of birds. Henceforth indeed for no long while shall

he be far from his own dear country, not though bonds of

iron bind him; he will advise him of a way to return, for

he is a man of many devices. But come, declare me this, and

tell me all plainly, whether indeed, so tall as thou art,

thou art sprung from the loins of Odysseus. Thy head surely

and they beauteous eyes are wondrous like to his, since

full many a time have we held converse together ere he

embarked for Troy, whither the others, aye the bravest of

the Argives, went in hollow ships. From that day forth

neither have I seen Odysseus, nor he me.'

{* Tamasia, in the mountainous centre of Cyprus.}

Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: 'Yea, sir, now

will I plainly tell thee all. My mother verily saith that I

am his; for myself I know not, for never man yet knew of

himself his own descent. O that I had been the son of some

blessed man, whom old age overtook among his own

possessions! But now of him that is the most hapless of

mortal men, his son they say that I am, since thou dost

question me hereof.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake unto him, and

said: 'Surely no nameless lineage have the gods ordained

for thee in days to come, since Penelope bore thee so

goodly a man. But come, declare me this, and tell it all

plainly. What feast, nay, what rout is this? What hast thou

to do therewith? Is it a clan drinking, or a wedding feast,

for here we have no banquet where each man brings his

share? In such wise, flown with insolence, do they seem to

me to revel wantonly through the house: and well might any

man be wroth to see so many deeds of shame, whatso wise man

came among them.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: 'Sir,

forasmuch as thou questionest me of these things and

inquirest thereof, our house was once like to have been

rich and honourable, while yet that man was among his

people. But now the gods willed it otherwise, in evil

purpose, who have made him pass utterly out of sight as no

man ever before. Truly I would not even for his death make

so great sorrow, had he fallen among his fellows in the

land of the Trojans, or in the arms of his friends when he

had wound up the clew of war. Then would the whole Achaean

host have builded him a barrow, and even for his son would

he have won great glory in the after days. But now the

spirits of the storm have swept him away inglorious. He is

gone, lost to sight and hearsay, but for me hath he left

anguish and lamentation; nor henceforth is it for him alone

that I mourn and weep, since the gods have wrought for me

other sore distress. For all the noblest that are princes

in the isles, in Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus,

and as many as lord it in rocky Ithaca, all these woo my

mother and waste my house. But as for her she neither

refuseth the hated bridal, nor hath the heart to make an

end: so they devour and minish my house, and ere long will

they make havoc likewise of myself.'

Then in heavy displeasure spake unto him Pallas Athene:

'God help thee! thou art surely sore in need of Odysseus

that is afar, to stretch forth his hands upon the shameless

wooers. If he could but come now and stand at the entering

in of the gate, with helmet and shield and lances twain, as

mighty a man as when first I marked him in our house

drinking and making merry what time he came up out of

Ephyra from Ilus son of Mermerus! For even thither had

Odysseus gone on his swift ship to seek a deadly drug, that

he might have wherewithal to smear his bronze-shod arrows:

but Ilus would in nowise give it to him, for he had in awe

the everliving gods. But my father gave it him, for he bare

him wondrous love. O that Odysseus might in such strength

consort with the wooers: so should they all have swift fate

and bitter wedlock! Howbeit these things surely lie on the

knees of the gods, whether he shall return or not, and take

vengeance in his halls. But I charge thee to take counsel

how thou mayest thrust forth the wooers from the hall. Come

now, mark and take heed unto my words. On the morrow call

the Achaean lords to the assembly, and declare thy saying

to all, and take the gods to witness. As for the wooers bid

them scatter them each one to his own, and for thy mother,

if her heart is moved to marriage, let her go back to the

hall of that mighty man her father, and her kinsfolk will

furnish a wedding feast, and array the gifts of wooing

exceeding many, all that should go back with a daughter

dearly beloved. And to thyself I will give a word of wise

counsel, if perchance thou wilt hearken. Fit out a ship,

the best thou hast, with twenty oarsmen, and go to inquire

concerning thy father that is long afar, if perchance any

man shall tell thee aught, or if thou mayest hear the voice

from Zeus, which chiefly brings tidings to men. Get thee

first to Pylos and inquire of goodly Nestor, and from

thence to Sparta to Menelaus of the fair hair, for he came

home the last of the mail-coated Achaeans. If thou shalt

hear news of the life and the returning of thy father, then

verily thou mayest endure the wasting for yet a year. But

if thou shalt hear that he is dead and gone, return then to

thine own dear country and pile his mound, and over it pay

burial rites, full many as is due, and give thy mother to a

husband. But when thou hast done this and made an end,

thereafter take counsel in thy mind and heart, how thou

mayest slay the wooers in thy halls, whether by guile or

openly; for thou shouldest not carry childish thoughts,

being no longer of years thereto. Or hast thou not heard

what renown the goodly Orestes gat him among all men in

that he slew the slayer of his father, guileful Aegisthus,

who killed his famous sire? And thou, too, my friend, for I

see that thou art very comely and tall, be valiant, that

even men unborn may praise thee. But I will now go down to

the swift ship and to my men, who methinks chafe much at

tarrying for me; and do thou thyself take heed and give ear

unto my words.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'Sir, verily

thou speakest these things out of a friendly heart, as a

father to his son, and never will I forget them. But now I

pray thee abide here, though eager to be gone, to the end

that after thou hast bathed and had all thy heart's desire,

thou mayest wend to the ship joyful in spirit, with a

costly gift and very goodly, to be an heirloom of my

giving, such as dear friends give to friends.'

Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: 'Hold me

now no longer, that am eager for the way. But whatsoever

gift thine heart shall bid thee give me, when I am on my

way back let it be mine to carry home: bear from thy stores

a gift right goodly, and it shall bring thee the worth

thereof in return.'

So spake she and departed, the grey-eyed Athene, and like

an eagle of the sea she flew away, but in his spirit she

planted might and courage, and put him in mind of his

father yet more than heretofore. And he marked the thing

and was amazed, for he deemed that it was a god; and anon

he went among the wooers, a godlike man.

Now the renowned minstrel was singing to the wooers, and

they sat listening in silence; and his song was of the

pitiful return of the Achaeans, that Pallas Athene laid on

them as they came forth from Troy. And from her upper

chamber the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, caught the

glorious strain, and she went down the high stairs from her

chamber, not alone, for two of her handmaids bare her

company. Now when the fair lady had come unto the wooers,

she stood by the pillar of the well-builded roof holding up

her glistening tire before her face; and a faithful maiden

stood on either side her. Then she fell a weeping, and

spake unto the divine minstrel:

'Phemius, since thou knowest many other charms for mortals,

deeds of men and gods, which bards rehearse, some one of

these do thou sing as thou sittest by them, and let them

drink their wine in silence; but cease from this pitiful

strain, that ever wastes my heart within my breast, since

to me above all women hath come a sorrow comfortless. So

dear a head do I long for in constant memory, namely, that

man whose fame is noised abroad from Hellas to mid Argos.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, and said: 'O my mother,

why then dost thou grudge the sweet minstrel to gladden us

as his spirit moves him? It is not minstrels who are in

fault, but Zeus, methinks, is in fault, who gives to men,

that live by bread, to each one as he will. As for him it

is no blame if he sings the ill-faring of the Danaans; for

men always prize that song the most, which rings newest in

their ears. But let thy heart and mind endure to listen,

for not Odysseus only lost in Troy the day of his

returning, but many another likewise perished. Howbeit go

to thy chamber and mind thine own housewiferies, the loom

and distaff, and bid thy handmaids ply their tasks. But

speech shall be for men, for all, but for me in chief; for

mine is the lordship in the house.'

Then in amaze she went back to her chamber, for she laid up

the wise saying of her son in her heart. She ascended to

her upper chamber with the women her handmaids, and then

was bewailing Odysseus, her dear lord, till grey-eyed

Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids.

Now the wooers clamoured throughout the shadowy halls, and

each one uttered a prayer to be her bedfellow. And wise

Telemachus first spake among them:

'Wooers of my mother, men despiteful out of measure, let us

feast now and make merry and let there be no brawling; for,

lo, it is a good thing to list to a minstrel such as him,

like to the gods in voice. But in the morning let us all go

to the assembly and sit us down, that I may declare my

saying outright, to wit that ye leave these halls: and busy

yourselves with other feasts, eating your own substance,

going in turn from house to house. But if ye deem this a

likelier and a better thing, that one man's goods should

perish without atonement, then waste ye as ye will; and I

will call upon the everlasting gods, if haply Zeus may

grant that acts of recompense be made: so should ye

hereafter perish within the halls without atonement.'

So spake he, and all that heard him bit their lips and

marvelled at Telemachus, in that he spake boldly.

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered him: 'Telemachus,

in very truth the gods themselves instruct thee to be proud

of speech and boldly to harangue. Never may Cronion make

thee king in seagirt Ithaca, which thing is of inheritance

thy right!'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Antinous,

wilt thou indeed be wroth at the word that I shall say?

Yea, at the hand of Zeus would I be fain to take even this

thing upon me. Sayest thou that this is the worst hap that

can befal a man? Nay, verily, it is no ill thing to be a

king: the house of such an one quickly waxeth rich and

himself is held in greater honour. Howsoever there are many

other kings of the Achaeans in seagirt Ithaca, kings young

and old; someone of them shall surely have this kingship

since goodly Odysseus is dead. But as for me, I will be

lord of our own house and thralls, that goodly Odysseus gat

me with his spear.'

Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered him, saying:

'Telemachus, on the knees of the gods it surely lies, what

man is to be king over the Achaeans in seagirt Ithaca. But

mayest thou keep thine own possessions and be lord in thine

own house! Never may that man come, who shall wrest from

thee thy substance violently in thine own despite while

Ithaca yet stands. But I would ask thee, friend, concerning

the stranger--whence he is, and of what land he avows him

to be? Where are his kin and his native fields? Doth he

bear some tidings of thy father on his road, or cometh he

thus to speed some matter of his own? In such wise did he

start up, and lo, he was gone, nor tarried he that we

should know him;--and yet he seemed no mean man to look

upon.' {*}

{* The [Greek] explains the expression of surprise at the

sudden departure of the stranger.}

Then wise Telemachus answered him, and said: 'Eurymachus,

surely the day of my father's returning hath gone by.

Therefore no more do I put faith in tidings, whencesoever

they may come, neither have I regard unto any divination,

whereof my mother may inquire at the lips of a diviner,

when she hath bidden him to the hall. But as for that man,

he is a friend of my house from Taphos, and he avows him to

be Mentes, son of wise Anchialus, and he hath lordship

among the Taphians, lovers of the oar.'

So spake Telemachus, but in his heart he knew the deathless

goddess. Now the wooers turned them to the dance and the

delightsome song, and made merry, and waited till evening

should come on. And as they made merry, dusk evening came

upon them. Then they went each one to his own house to lie

down to rest.

But Telemachus, where his chamber was builded high up in

the fair court, in a place with wide prospect, thither

betook him to his bed, pondering many thoughts in his mind;

and with him went trusty Eurycleia, and bare for him

torches burning. She was the daughter of Ops, son of

Peisenor, and Laertes bought her on a time with his wealth,

while as yet she was in her first youth, and gave for her

the worth of twenty oxen. And he honoured her even as he

honoured his dear wife in the halls, but he never lay with

her, for he shunned the wrath of his lady. She went with

Telemachus and bare for him the burning torches: and of all

the women of the household she loved him most, and she had

nursed him when a little one. Then he opened the doors of

the well-builded chamber and sat him on the bed and took

off his soft doublet, and put it in the wise old woman's

hands. So she folded the doublet and smoothed it, and hung

it on a pin by the jointed bedstead, and went forth on her

way from the room, and pulled to the door with the silver

handle, and drew home the bar with the thong. There, all

night through, wrapped in a fleece of wool, he meditated in

his heart upon the journey that Athene had showed him.

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