Book XI

________________________________________________

Odysseus, his descent into hell, and discourses with the

ghosts of the deceased heroes.

'Now when we had gone down to the ship and to the sea,

first of all we drew the ship unto the fair salt water and

placed the mast and sails in the black ship, and took those

sheep and put them therein, and ourselves too climbed on

board, sorrowing, and shedding big tears. And in the wake

of our dark-prowed ship she sent a favouring wind that

filled the sails, a kindly escort,--even Circe of the

braided tresses, a dread goddess of human speech. And we

set in order all the gear throughout the ship and sat us

down; and the wind and the helmsman guided our barque. And

all day long her sails were stretched in her seafaring; and

the sun sank and all the ways were darkened.

'She came to the limits of the world, to the deep-flowing

Oceanus. There is the land and the city of the Cimmerians,

shrouded in mist and cloud, and never does the shining sun

look down on them with his rays, neither when he climbs up

the starry heavens, nor when again he turns earthward from

the firmament, but deadly night is outspread over miserable

mortals. Thither we came and ran the ship ashore and took

out the sheep; but for our part we held on our way along

the stream of Oceanus, till we came to the place which

Circe had declared to us.

'There Perimedes and Eurylochus held the victims, but I

drew my sharp sword from my thigh, and dug a pit, as it

were a cubit in length and breadth, and about it poured a

drink-offering to all the dead, first with mead and

thereafter with sweet wine, and for the third time with

water. And I sprinkled white meal thereon, and entreated

with many prayers the strengthless heads of the dead, and

promised that on my return to Ithaca I would offer in my

halls a barren heifer, the best I had, and fill the pyre

with treasure, and apart unto Teiresias alone sacrifice a

black ram without spot, the fairest of my flock. But when I

had besought the tribes of the dead with vows and prayers,

I took the sheep and cut their throats over the trench, and

the dark blood flowed forth, and lo, the spirits of the

dead that be departed gathered them from out of Erebus.

Brides and youths unwed, and old men of many and evil days,

and tender maidens with grief yet fresh at heart; and many

there were, wounded with bronze-shod spears, men slain in

fight with their bloody mail about them. And these many

ghosts flocked together from every side about the trench

with a wondrous cry, and pale fear gat hold on me. Then did

I speak to my company and command them to flay the sheep

that lay slain by the pitiless sword, and to consume them

with fire, and to make prayer to the gods, to mighty Hades

and to dread Persephone, and myself I drew the sharp sword

from my thigh and sat there, suffering not the strengthless

heads of the dead to draw nigh to the blood, ere I had word

of Teiresias.

'And first came the soul of Elpenor, my companion, that had

not yet been buried beneath the wide-wayed earth; for we

left the corpse behind us in the hall of Circe, unwept and

unburied, seeing that another task was instant on us. At

the sight of him I wept and had compassion on him, and

uttering my voice spake to him winged words: "Elpenor, how

hast thou come beneath the darkness and the shadow? Thou

hast come fleeter on foot than I in my black ship."

'So spake I, and with a moan he answered me, saying: "Son

of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices,

an evil doom of some god was my bane and wine out of

measure. When I laid me down on the house-top of Circe I

minded me not to descend again by the way of the tall

ladder, but fell right down from the roof, and my neck was

broken off from the bones of the spine, and my spirit went

down to the house of Hades. And now I pray thee in the name

of those whom we left, who are no more with us, thy wife,

and thy sire who cherished thee when as yet thou wert a

little one, and Telemachus, whom thou didst leave in thy

halls alone; forasmuch as I know that on thy way hence from

out the dwelling of Hades, thou wilt stay thy well-wrought

ship at the isle Aeaean, even then, my lord, I charge thee

to think on me. Leave me not unwept and unburied as thou

goest hence, nor turn thy back upon me, lest haply I bring

on thee the anger of the gods. Nay, burn me there with mine

armour, all that is mine, and pile me a barrow on the shore

of the grey sea, the grave of a luckless man, that even men

unborn may hear my story. Fulfil me this and plant upon the

barrow mine oar, wherewith I rowed in the days of my life,

while yet I was among my fellows."

'Even so he spake, and I answered him saying: "All this,

luckless man, will I perform for thee and do."

'Even so we twain were sitting holding sad discourse, I on

the one side, stretching forth my sword over the blood,

while on the other side the ghost of my friend told all his

tale.

'Anon came up the soul of my mother dead, Anticleia, the

daughter of Autolycus the great-hearted, whom I left alive

when I departed for sacred Ilios. At the sight of her I

wept, and was moved with compassion, yet even so, for all

my sore grief, I suffered her not to draw nigh to the

blood, ere I had word of Teiresias.

'Anon came the soul of Theban Teiresias, with a golden

sceptre in his hand, and he knew me and spake unto me: "Son

of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices,

what seekest thou NOW, wretched man, wherefore hast thou

left the sunlight and come hither to behold the dead and a

land desolate of joy? Nay, hold off from the ditch and draw

back thy sharp sword, that I may drink of the blood and

tell thee sooth."

'So spake he and I put up my silver-studded sword into the

sheath, and when he had drunk the dark blood, even then did

the noble seer speak unto me, saying: "Thou art asking of

thy sweet returning, great Odysseus, but that will the god

make hard for thee; for methinks thou shalt not pass

unheeded by the Shaker of the Earth, who hath laid up wrath

in his heart against thee, for rage at the blinding of his

dear son. Yet even so, through many troubles, ye may come

home, if thou wilt restrain thy spirit and the spirit of

thy men so soon as thou shalt bring thy well-wrought ship

nigh to the isle Thrinacia, fleeing the sea of violet blue,

when ye find the herds of Helios grazing and his brave

flocks, of Helios who overseeth all and overheareth all

things. If thou doest these no hurt, being heedful of thy

return, so may ye yet reach Ithaca, albeit in evil case.

But if thou hurtest them, I foreshow ruin for thy ship and

for thy men, and even though thou shalt thyself escape,

late shalt thou return in evil plight, with the loss of all

thy company, on board the ship of strangers, and thou shalt

find sorrows in thy house, even proud men that devour thy

living, while they woo thy godlike wife and offer the gifts

of wooing. Yet I tell thee, on thy coming thou shalt avenge

their violence. But when thou hast slain the wooers in thy

halls, whether by guile, or openly with the edge of the

sword, thereafter go thy way, taking with thee a shapen

oar, till thou shalt come to such men as know not the sea,

neither eat meat savoured with salt; yea, nor have they

knowledge of ships of purple cheek, nor shapen oars which

serve for wings to ships. And I will give thee a most

manifest token, which cannot escape thee. In the day when

another wayfarer shall meet thee and say that thou hast a

winnowing fan on thy stout shoulder, even then make fast

thy shapen oar in the earth and do goodly sacrifice to the

lord Poseidon, even with a ram and a bull and a boar, the

mate of swine, and depart for home and offer holy hecatombs

to the deathless gods that keep the wide heaven, to each in

order due. And from the sea shall thine own death come, the

gentlest death that may be, which shall end thee foredone

with smooth old age, and the folk shall dwell happily

around thee. This that I say is sooth."

'So spake he, and I answered him, saying: "Teiresias, all

these threads, methinks, the gods themselves have spun. But

come, declare me this and plainly tell me all. I see here

the spirit of my mother dead; lo, she sits in silence near

the blood, nor deigns to look her son in the face nor speak

to him! Tell me, prince, how may she know me again that I

am he?"

'So spake I, and anon he answered me, and said: "I will

tell thee an easy saying, and will put it in thy heart.

Whomsoever of the dead that be departed thou shalt suffer

to draw nigh to the blood, he shall tell thee sooth; but if

thou shalt grudge any, that one shall go to his own place

again." Therewith the spirit of the prince Teiresias went

back within the house of Hades, when he had told all his

oracles. But I abode there steadfastly, till my mother drew

nigh and drank the dark blood; and at once she knew me, and

bewailing herself spake to me winged words:

'"Dear child, how didst thou come beneath the darkness and

the shadow, thou that art a living man? Grievous is the

sight of these things to the living, for between us and you

are great rivers and dreadful streams; first, Oceanus,

which can no wise be crossed on foot, but only if one have

a well wrought ship. Art thou but now come hither with thy

ship and thy company in thy long wanderings from Troy? and

hast thou not yet reached Ithaca, nor seen thy wife in thy

halls?"

'Even so she spake, and I answered her, and said: "O my

mother, necessity was on me to come down to the house of

Hades to seek to the spirit of Theban Teiresias. For not

yet have I drawn near to the Achaean shore, nor yet have I

set foot on mine own country, but have been wandering

evermore in affliction, from the day that first I went with

goodly Agamemnon to Ilios of the fair steeds, to do battle

with the Trojans. But come, declare me this and plainly

tell it all. What doom overcame thee of death that lays men

at their length? Was it a slow disease, or did Artemis the

archer slay thee with the visitation of her gentle shafts?

And tell me of my father and my son, that I left behind me;

doth my honour yet abide with them, or hath another already

taken it, while they say that I shall come home no more?

And tell me of my wedded wife, of her counsel and her

purpose, doth she abide with her son and keep all secure,

or hath she already wedded the best of the Achaeans?"

'Even so I spake, and anon my lady mother answered me: "Yea

verily, she abideth with steadfast spirit in thy halls; and

wearily for her the nights wane always and the days in

shedding of tears. But the fair honour that is thine no man

hath yet taken; but Telemachus sits at peace on his

demesne, and feasts at equal banquets, whereof it is meet

that a judge partake, for all men bid him to their house.

And thy father abides there in the field, and goes not down

to the town, nor lies he on bedding or rugs or shining

blankets, but all the winter he sleeps, where sleep the

thralls in the house, in the ashes by the fire, and is clad

in sorry raiment. But when the summer comes and the rich

harvest-tide, his beds of fallen leaves are strewn lowly

all about the knoll of his vineyard plot. There he lies

sorrowing and nurses his mighty grief, for long desire of

thy return, and old age withal comes heavy upon him. Yea

and even so did I too perish and meet my doom. It was not

the archer goddess of the keen sight, who slew me in my

halls with the visitation of her gentle shafts, nor did any

sickness come upon me, such as chiefly with a sad wasting

draws the spirit from the limbs; nay, it was my sore

longing for thee, and for thy counsels, great Odysseus, and

for thy loving-kindness, that reft me of sweet life."

'So spake she, and I mused in my heart and would fain have

embraced the spirit of my mother dead. Thrice I sprang

towards her, and was minded to embrace her; thrice she

flitted from my hands as a shadow or even as a dream, and

sharp grief arose ever at my heart. And uttering my voice I

spake to her winged words:

'"Mother mine, wherefore dost thou not abide me who am

eager to clasp thee, that even in Hades we twain may cast

our arms each about the other, and have our fill of chill

lament? Is this but a phantom that the high goddess

Persephone hath sent me, to the end that I may groan for

more exceeding sorrow?"

'So spake I, and my lady mother answered me anon: "Ah me,

my child, of all men most ill-fated, Persephone, the

daughter of Zeus, doth in no wise deceive thee, but even on

this wise it is with mortals when they die. For the sinews

no more bind together the flesh and the bones, but the

great force of burning fire abolishes these, so soon as the

life hath left the white bones, and the spirit like a dream

flies forth and hovers near. But haste with all thine heart

toward the sunlight, and mark all this, that even hereafter

thou mayest tell it to thy wife."

'Thus we twain held discourse together; and lo, the women

came up, for the high goddess Persephone sent them forth,

all they that had been the wives and daughters of mighty

men. And they gathered and flocked about the black blood,

and I took counsel how I might question them each one. And

this was the counsel that showed best in my sight. I drew

my long hanger from my stalwart thigh, and suffered them

not all at one time to drink of the dark blood. So they

drew nigh one by one, and each declared her lineage, and I

made question of all.

'Then verily did I first see Tyro, sprung of a noble sire,

who said that she was the child of noble Salmoneus, and

declared herself the wife of Cretheus, son of Aeolus. She

loved a river, the divine Enipeus, far the fairest of the

floods that run upon the earth, and she would resort to the

fair streams of Enipeus. And it came to pass that the

girdler of the world, the Earth-shaker, put on the shape of

the god, and lay by the lady at the mouths of the whirling

stream. Then the dark wave stood around them like a

hill-side bowed, and hid the god and the mortal woman. And

he undid her maiden girdle, and shed a slumber over her.

Now when the god had done the work of love, he clasped her

hand and spake and hailed her:

'"Woman, be glad in our love, and when the year comes round

thou shalt give birth to glorious children,--for not weak

are the embraces of the gods,--and do thou keep and cherish

them. And now go home and hold thy peace, and tell it not:

but behold, I am Poseidon, shaker of the earth."

'Therewith he plunged beneath the heaving deep. And she

conceived and bare Pelias and Neleus, who both grew to be

mighty men, servants of Zeus. Pelias dwelt in wide Iolcos,

and was rich in flocks; and that other abode in sandy

Pylos. And the queen of women bare yet other sons to

Cretheus, even Aeson and Pheres and Amythaon, whose joy was

in chariots.

'And after her I saw Antiope, daughter of Asopus, and her

boast was that she had slept even in the arms of Zeus, and

she bare two sons, Amphion and Zethus, who founded first

the place of seven-gated Thebes, and they made of it a

fenced city, for they might not dwell in spacious Thebes

unfenced, for all their valiancy.

'Next to her I saw Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, who lay in

the arms of mighty Zeus, and bare Heracles of the

lion-heart, steadfast in the fight. And I saw Megara,

daughter of Creon, haughty of heart, whom the strong and

tireless son of Amphitryon had to wife.

'And I saw the mother of Oedipodes, fair Epicaste, who

wrought a dread deed unwittingly, being wedded to her own

son, and he that had slain his own father wedded her, and

straightway the gods made these things known to men. Yet he

abode in pain in pleasant Thebes, ruling the Cadmaeans, by

reason of the deadly counsels of the gods. But she went

down to the house of Hades, the mighty warder; yea, she

tied a noose from the high beam aloft, being fast holden in

sorrow; while for him she left pains behind full many, even

all that the Avengers of a mother bring to pass.

'And I saw lovely Chloris, whom Neleus wedded on a time for

her beauty, and brought gifts of wooing past number. She

was the youngest daughter of Amphion, son of Iasus, who

once ruled mightily in Minyan Orchomenus. And she was queen

of Pylos, and bare glorious children to her lord, Nestor

and Chromius, and princely Periclymenus, and stately Pero

too, the wonder of all men. All that dwelt around were her

wooers; but Neleus would not give her, save to him who

should drive off from Phylace the kine of mighty Iphicles,

with shambling gait and broad of brow, hard cattle to

drive. And none but the noble seer {*} took in hand to

drive them; but a grievous fate from the gods fettered him,

even hard bonds and the herdsmen of the wild. But when at

length the months and days were being fulfilled, as the

year returned upon his course, and the seasons came round,

then did mighty Iphicles set him free, when he had spoken

out all the oracles; and herein was the counsel of Zeus

being accomplished.

{* Melampus}

'And I saw Lede, the famous bed-fellow of Tyndareus, who

bare to Tyndareus two sons, hardy of heart, Castor tamer of

steeds, and Polydeuces the boxer. These twain yet live, but

the quickening earth is over them; and even in the nether

world they have honour at the hand of Zeus. And they

possess their life in turn, living one day and dying the

next, and they have gotten worship even as the gods.

'And after her I beheld Iphimedeia, bed-fellow of Aloeus,

who said that she had lain with Poseidon, and she bare

children twain, but short of life were they, godlike Otus

and far-famed Ephialtes. Now these were the tallest men

that earth, the graingiver, ever reared, and far the

goodliest after the renowned Orion. At nine seasons old

they were of breadth nine cubits, and nine fathoms in

height. They it was who threatened to raise even against

the immortals in Olympus the din of stormy war. They strove

to pile Ossa on Olympus, and on Ossa Pelion with the

trembling forest leaves, that there might be a pathway to

the sky. Yea, and they would have accomplished it, had they

reached the full measure of manhood. But the son of Zeus,

whom Leto of the fair locks bare, destroyed the twain, ere

the down had bloomed beneath their temples, and darkened

their chins with the blossom of youth.

'And Phaedra and Procris I saw, and fair Ariadne, the

daughter of wizard Minos, whom Theseus on a time was

bearing from Crete to the hill of sacred Athens, yet had he

no joy of her; for Artemis slew her ere that in sea-girt

Dia, by reason of the witness of Dionysus.

'And Maera and Clymene I saw, and hateful Eriphyle, who

took fine gold for the price of her dear lord's life. But I

cannot tell or name all the wives and daughters of the

heroes that I saw; ere that, the immortal night would wane.

Nay, it is even now time to sleep, whether I go to the

swift ship to my company or abide here: and for my convoy

you and the gods will care.'

So spake he, and dead silence fell on all, and they were

spell-bound throughout the shadowy halls. Then Arete of the

white arms first spake among them: 'Phaeacians, what think

you of this man for comeliness and stature, and within for

wisdom of heart? Moreover he is my guest, though every one

of you hath his share in this honour. Wherefore haste not

to send him hence, and stint not these your gifts for one

that stands in such sore need of them; for ye have much

treasure stored in your halls by the grace of the gods.'

Then too spake among them the old man, lord Echeneus, that

was an elder among the Phaeacians: 'Friends, behold, the

speech of our wise queen is not wide of the mark, nor far

from our deeming, so hearken ye thereto. But on Alcinous

here both word and work depend.'

Then Alcinous made answer, and spake unto him: 'Yea, the

word that she hath spoken shall hold, if indeed I am yet to

live and bear rule among the Phaeacians, masters of the

oar. Howbeit let the stranger, for all his craving to

return, nevertheless endure to abide until the morrow, till

I make up the full measure of the gift; and men shall care

for his convoy, all men, but I in chief, for mine is the

lordship in the land.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: My lord

Alcinous, most notable of all the people, if ye bade me

tarry here even for a year, and would speed my convoy and

give me splendid gifts, even that I would choose; and

better would it be for me to come with a fuller hand to

mine own dear country, so should I get more love and

worship in the eyes of all men, whoso should see me after I

was returned to Ithaca.'

And Alcinous answered him, saying: 'Odysseus, in no wise do

we deem thee, we that look on thee, to be a knave or a

cheat, even as the dark earth rears many such broadcast,

fashioning lies whence none can even see his way therein.

But beauty crowns thy words, and wisdom is within thee; and

thy tale, as when a minstrel sings, thou hast told with

skill, the weary woes of all the Argives and of thine own

self. But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all.

Didst thou see any of thy godlike company who went up at

the same time with thee to Ilios and there met their doom?

Behold, the night is of great length, unspeakable, and the

time for sleep in the hall is not yet; tell me therefore of

those wondrous deeds. I could abide even till the bright

dawn, so long as thou couldst endure to rehearse me these

woes of thine in the hall.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: 'My

lord Alcinous, most notable of all the people, there is a

time for many words and there is a time for sleep. But if

thou art eager still to listen, I would not for my part

grudge to tell thee of other things more pitiful still,

even the woes of my comrades, those that perished

afterward, for they had escaped with their lives from the

dread war-cry of the Trojans, but perished in returning by

the will of an evil woman.

'Now when holy Persephone had scattered this way and that

the spirits of the women folk, thereafter came the soul of

Agamemnon, son of Atreus, sorrowing; and round him others

were gathered, the ghosts of them who had died with him in

the house of Aegisthus and met their doom. And he knew me

straightway when he had drunk the dark blood, yea, and he

wept aloud, and shed big tears as he stretched forth his

hands in his longing to reach me. But it might not be, for

he had now no steadfast strength nor power at all in

moving, such as was aforetime in his supple limbs.

'At the sight of him I wept and was moved with compassion,

and uttering my voice, spake to him winged words: "Most

renowned son of Atreus, Agamemnon, king of men, say what

doom overcame thee of death that lays men at their length?

Did Poseidon smite thee in thy ships, raising the dolorous

blast of contrary winds, or did unfriendly men do thee hurt

upon the land, whilst thou wert cutting off their oxen and

fair flocks of sheep, or fighting to win a city and the

women thereof?"

'So spake I, and straightway he answered, and said unto me:

"Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many

devices, it was not Poseidon that smote me in my ships, and

raised the dolorous blast of contrary winds, nor did

unfriendly men do me hurt upon the land, but Aegisthus it

was that wrought me death and doom and slew me, with the

aid of my accursed wife, as one slays an ox at the stall,

after he had bidden me to his house, and entertained me at

a feast. Even so I died by a death most pitiful, and round

me my company likewise were slain without ceasing, like

swine with glittering tusks which are slaughtered in the

house of a rich and mighty man, whether at a wedding

banquet or a joint-feast or a rich clan-drinking. Ere now

hast thou been at the slaying of many a man, killed in

single fight or in strong battle, yet thou wouldst have

sorrowed the most at this sight, how we lay in the hall

round the mixing-bowl and the laden boards, and the floor

all ran with blood. And most pitiful of all that I heard

was the voice of the daughter of Priam, of Cassandra, whom

hard by me the crafty Clytemnestra slew. Then I strove to

raise my hands as I was dying upon the sword, but to earth

they fell. And that shameless one turned her back upon me,

and had not the heart to draw down my eyelids with her

fingers nor to close my mouth. So surely is there nought

more terrible and shameless than a woman who imagines such

evil in her heart, even as she too planned a foul deed,

fashioning death for her wedded lord. Verily I had thought

to come home most welcome to my children and my thralls;

but she, out of the depth of her evil knowledge, hath shed

shame on herself and on all womankind, which shall be for

ever, even on the upright."

'Even so he spake, but I answered him, saying: "Lo now, in

very sooth, hath Zeus of the far-borne voice wreaked

wondrous hatred on the seed of Atreus through the counsels

of woman from of old. For Helen's sake so many of us

perished, and now Clytemnestra hath practised treason

against thee, while yet thou wast afar off."

'Even so I spake, and anon he answered me, saying:

"Wherefore do thou too, never henceforth be soft even to

thy wife, neither show her all the counsel that thou

knowest, but a part declare and let part be hid. Yet shalt

not thou, Odysseus, find death at the hand of thy wife, for

she is very discreet and prudent in all her ways, the wise

Penelope, daughter of Icarius. Verily we left her a bride

new wed when we went to the war, and a child was at her

breast, who now, methinks, sits in the ranks of men, happy

in his lot, for his dear father shall behold him on his

coming, and he shall embrace his sire as is meet. But us

for my wife, she suffered me not so much as to have my fill

of gazing on my son; ere that she slew me, even her lord.

And yet another thing will I tell thee, and do thou ponder

it in thy heart. Put thy ship to land in secret, and not

openly, on the shore of thy dear country; for there is no

more faith in woman. But come, declare me this and plainly

tell it all, if haply ye hear of my son as yet living,

either, it may be, in Orchomenus or in sandy Pylos, or

perchance with Menelaus in wide Sparta, for goodly Orestes

hath not yet perished on the earth."

'Even so he spake, but I answered him, saying: "Son of

Atreus, wherefore dost thou ask me straitly of these

things? Nay I know not at all, whether he be alive or dead;

it is ill to speak words light as wind."

'Thus we twain stood sorrowing, holding sad discourse,

while the big tears fell fast: and therewithal came the

soul of Achilles, son of Peleus, and of Patroclus and of

noble Antilochus and of Aias, who in face and form was

goodliest of all the Danaans, after the noble son of

Peleus. And the spirit of the son of Aeacus, fleet of foot,

knew me again, and making lament spake to me winged words:

'"Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many

devices, man overbold, what new deed and hardier than this

wilt thou devise in thy heart? How durst thou come down to

the house of Hades, where dwell the senseless dead, the

phantoms of men outworn?"

'So he spake, but I answered him: "Achilles, son of Peleus,

mightiest far of the Achaeans, I am come hither to seek to

Teiresias, if he may tell me any counsel, how I may come to

rugged Ithaca. For not yet have I come nigh the Achaean

land, nor set foot on mine own soil, but am still in evil

case; while as for thee, Achilles, none other than thou

wast heretofore the most blessed of men, nor shall any be

hereafter. For of old, in the days of thy life, we Argives

gave thee one honour with the gods, and now thou art a

great prince here among the dead. Wherefore let not thy

death be any grief to thee, Achilles."

'Even so I spake, and he straightway answered me, and said:

"Nay, speak not comfortably to me of death, oh great

Odysseus. Rather would I live on ground {*} as the hireling

of another, with a landless man who had no great

livelihood, than bear sway among all the dead that be

departed. But come, tell me tidings of that lordly son of

mine--did he follow to the war to be a leader or not? And

tell me of noble Peleus, if thou hast heard aught,--is he

yet held in worship among the Myrmidons, or do they

dishonour him from Hellas to Phthia, for that old age binds

him hand and foot? For I am no longer his champion under

the sun, so mighty a man as once I was, when in wide Troy I

slew the best of the host, and succoured the Argives. Ah!

could I but come for an hour to my father's house as then I

was, so would I make my might and hands invincible, to be

hateful to many an one of those who do him despite and keep

him from his honour."

{* [Greek] seems to mean 'upon the earth,' 'above ground,'

as opposed to the dead who are below, rather than 'bound to

the soil,' in which sense most commentators take it.}

'Even so he spake, but I answered him saying: "As for noble

Peleus, verily I have heard nought of him; but concerning

thy dear son Neoptolemus, I will tell thee all the truth,

according to thy word. It was I that led him up out of

Scyros in my good hollow ship, in the wake of the

goodly-greaved Achaeans. Now oft as we took counsel around

Troy town, he was ever the first to speak, and no word

missed the mark; the godlike Nestor and I alone surpassed

him. But whensoever we Achaeans did battle on the plain of

Troy, he never tarried behind in the throng or the press of

men, but ran out far before us all, yielding to none in

that might of his. And many men he slew in warfare dread;

but I could not tell of all or name their names, even all

the host he slew in succouring the Argives; but, ah, how he

smote with the sword that son of Telephus, the hero

Eurypylus, and many Ceteians {*} of his company were slain

around him, by reason of a woman's bribe. He truly was the

comeliest man that ever I saw, next to goodly Memnon. And

again when we, the best of the Argives, were about to go

down into the horse which Epeus wrought, and the charge of

all was laid on me, both to open the door of our good

ambush and to shut the same, then did the other princes and

counsellors of the Danaans wipe away the tears, and the

limbs of each one trembled beneath him, but never once did

I see thy son's fair face wax pale, nor did he wipe the

tears from his cheeks: but he besought me often to let him

go forth from the horse, and kept handling his sword-hilt,

and his heavy bronze-shod spear, and he was set on mischief

against the Trojans. But after we had sacked the steep city

of Priam, he embarked unscathed with his share of the

spoil, and with a noble prize; he was not smitten with the

sharp spear, and got no wound in close fight: and many such

chances there be in war, for Ares rageth confusedly."

{* See Lenormant, Premieres Civilisations, vol. i. p.289.}

'So I spake, and the spirit of the son of Aeacus, fleet of

foot, passed with great strides along the mead of asphodel,

rejoicing in that I had told him of his son's renown.

'But lo, other spirits of the dead that be departed stood

sorrowing, and each one asked of those that were dear to

them. The soul of Aias, son of Telamon, alone stood apart

being still angry for the victory wherein I prevailed

against him, in the suit by the ships concerning the arms

of Achilles, that his lady mother had set for a prize; and

the sons of the Trojans made award and Pallas Athene. Would

that I had never prevailed and won such a prize! So goodly

a head hath the earth closed over, for the sake of those

arms, even over Aias, who in beauty and in feats of war was

of a mould above all the other Danaans, next to the noble

son of Peleus. To him then I spake softly, saying:

'"Aias, son of noble Telamon, so art thou not even in death

to forget thy wrath against me, by reason of those arms

accursed, which the gods set to be the bane of the Argives?

What a tower of strength fell in thy fall, and we Achaeans

cease not to sorrow for thee, even as for the life of

Achilles, son of Peleus! Nay, there is none other to blame,

but Zeus, who hath borne wondrous hate to the army of the

Danaan spearsmen, and laid on thee thy doom. Nay, come

hither, my lord, that thou mayest hear my word and my

speech; master thy wrath and thy proud spirit."

'So I spake, but he answered me not a word and passed to

Erebus after the other spirits of the dead that be

departed. Even then, despite his anger, would he have

spoken to me or I to him, but my heart within me was minded

to see the spirits of those others that were departed.

'There then I saw Minos, glorious son of Zeus, wielding a

golden sceptre, giving sentence from his throne to the

dead, while they sat and stood around the prince, asking

his dooms through the wide-gated house of Hades.

'And after him I marked the mighty Orion driving the wild

beasts together over the mead of asphodel, the very beasts

that himself had slain on the lonely hills, with a strong

mace all of bronze in his hands, {*} that is ever unbroken.

{* [Greek] in strict grammar agrees with [Greek] in 574,

but this merely by attraction, for in sense it refers not

to the living man, but to his phantom.}

'And I saw Tityos, son of renowned Earth, lying on a

levelled ground, and he covered nine roods as he lay, and

vultures twain beset him one on either side, and gnawed at

his liver, piercing even to the caul, but he drave them not

away with his hands. For he had dealt violently with Leto,

the famous bedfellow of Zeus, as she went up to Pytho

through the fair lawns of Panopeus.

'Moreover I beheld Tantalus in grievous torment, standing

in a mere and the water came nigh unto his chin. And he

stood straining as one athirst, but he might not attain to

the water to drink of it. For often as that old man stooped

down in his eagerness to drink, so often the water was

swallowed up and it vanished away, and the black earth

still showed at his feet, for some god parched it evermore.

And tall trees flowering shed their fruit overhead, pears

and pomegranates and apple trees with bright fruit, and

sweet figs and olives in their bloom, whereat when that old

man reached out his hands to clutch them, the wind would

toss them to the shadowy clouds.

'Yea and I beheld Sisyphus in strong torment, grasping a

monstrous stone with both his hands. He was pressing

thereat with hands and feet, and trying to roll the stone

upward toward the brow of the hill. But oft as he was about

to hurl it over the top, the weight would drive him back,

so once again to the plain rolled the stone, the shameless

thing. And he once more kept heaving and straining, and the

sweat the while was pouring down his limbs, and the dust

rose upwards from his head.

'And after him I descried the mighty Heracles, his phantom,

I say; but as for himself he hath joy at the banquet among

the deathless gods, and hath to wife Hebe of the fair

ankles, child of great Zeus, and of Here of the golden

sandals. And all about him there was a clamour of the dead,

as it were fowls flying every way in fear, and he like

black Night, with bow uncased, and shaft upon the string,

fiercely glancing around, like one in the act to shoot. And

about his breast was an awful belt, a baldric of gold,

whereon wondrous things were wrought, bears and wild boars

and lions with flashing eyes, and strife and battles and

slaughters and murders of men. Nay, now that he hath

fashioned this, never another may he fashion, whoso stored

in his craft the device of that belt! And anon he knew me

when his eyes beheld me, and making lament he spake unto me

winged words:

'"Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many

devices: ah! wretched one, dost thou too lead such a life

of evil doom, as I endured beneath the rays of the sun? I

was the son of Zeus Cronion, yet had I trouble beyond

measure, for I was subdued unto a man far worse than I. And

he enjoined on me hard adventures, yea and on a time he

sent me hither to bring back the hound of hell; for he

devised no harder task for me than this. I lifted the hound

and brought him forth from out of the house of Hades; and

Hermes sped me on my way and the grey-eyed Athene."

'Therewith he departed again into the house of Hades, but I

abode there still, if perchance some one of the hero folk

besides might come, who died in old time. Yea and I should

have seen the men of old, whom I was fain to look on,

Theseus and Peirithous, renowned children of the gods. But

ere that might be the myriad tribes of the dead thronged up

together with wondrous clamour: and pale fear gat hold of

me, lest the high goddess Persephone should send me the

head of the Gorgon, that dread monster, from out of Hades.

'Straightway then I went to the ship, and bade my men mount

the vessel, and loose the hawsers. So speedily they went on

board, and sat upon the benches. And the wave of the flood

bore the barque down the stream of Oceanus, we rowing

first, and afterwards the fair wind was our convoy.

Read next: Book XII

Read previous: Book X

Table of content of Odyssey


GO TO TOP OF SCREEN

Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book