Book XV

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Pallas sends home Telemachus from Lacedaemon with the

presents given him by Menelaus. Telemachus landed, goes

first to Eumaeus.

Now Pallas Athene went to the wide land of Lacedaemon, to

put the noble son of the great-hearted Odysseus in mind of

his return, and to make him hasten his coming. And she

found Telemachus, and the glorious son of Nestor, couched

at the vestibule of the house of famous Menelaus. The son

of Nestor truly was overcome with soft sleep, but sweet

sleep gat not hold of Telemachus, but, through the night

divine, careful thoughts for his father kept him wakeful.

And grey-eyed Athene stood nigh him and spake to him,

saying:

'Telemachus, it is no longer meet that thou shouldest

wander far from thy home, leaving thy substance behind

thee, and men in thy house so wanton, lest they divide and

utterly devour all thy wealth, and thou shalt have gone on

a vain journey. But come, rouse with all haste Menelaus, of

the loud war-cry, to send thee on thy way, that thou mayest

even yet find thy noble mother in her home. For even now

her father and her brethren bid her wed Eurymachus, for he

outdoes all the wooers in his presents, and hath been

greatly increasing his gifts of wooing. So shall she take

no treasure from thy house despite thy will. Thou knowest

of what sort is the heart of a woman within her; all her

desire is to increase the house of the man who takes her to

wife, but of her former children and of her own dear lord

she has no more memory once he is dead, and she asks

concerning him no more. Go then, and thyself place all thy

substance in the care of the handmaid who seems to thee the

best, till the day when the gods shall show thee a glorious

bride. Now another word will I tell thee, and do thou lay

it up in thine heart. The noblest of the wooers lie in wait

for thee of purpose, in the strait between Ithaca and

rugged Samos, eager to slay thee before thou come to thine

own country. But this, methinks, will never be; yea, sooner

shall the earth close over certain of the wooers that

devour thy livelihood. Nay, keep thy well-wrought ship far

from those isles, and sail by night as well as day, and he

of the immortals who hath thee in his keeping and

protection will send thee a fair breeze in thy wake. But

when thou hast touched the nearest shore of Ithaca, send

thy ship and all thy company forward to the city, but for

thy part seek first the swineherd who keeps thy swine,

loyal and at one with thee. There do thou rest the night,

and bid him go to the city to bear tidings of thy coming to

the wise Penelope, how that she hath got thee safe, and

thou art come up out of Pylos.'

Therewith she departed to high Olympus. But Telemachus woke

the son of Nestor out of sweet sleep, touching him with his

heel, and spake to him, saying:

'Awake, Peisistratus, son of Nestor, bring up thy horses of

solid hoof, and yoke them beneath the car, that we may get

forward on the road.'

Then Peisistratus, son of Nestor, answered him, saying:

'Telemachus, we may in no wise drive through the dark

night, how eager soever to be gone; nay, soon it will be

dawn. Tarry then, till the hero, the son of Atreus,

spear-famed Menelaus, brings gifts, and sets them on the

car, and bespeaks thee kindly, and sends thee on thy way.

For of him a guest is mindful all the days of his life,

even of the host that shows him loving-kindness.'

So spake he, and anon came the golden-throned Dawn. And

Menelaus, of the loud war cry, drew nigh to them, new risen

from his bed, by fair-haired Helen. Now when the dear son

of Odysseus marked him, he made haste and girt his shining

doublet about him, and the hero cast a great mantle over

his mighty shoulders, and went forth at the door, and

Telemachus, dear son of divine Odysseus, came up and spake

to Menelaus, saying:

'Menelaus, son of Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the

people, even now do thou speed me hence, to mine own dear

country; for even now my heart is fain to come home again.'

Then Menelaus, of the loud war cry, answered him:

'Telemachus, as for me, I will not hold thee a long time

here, that art eager to return; nay, I think it shame even

in another host, who loves overmuch or hates overmuch.

Measure is best in all things. He does equal wrong who

speeds a guest that would fain abide, and stays one who is

in haste to be gone. Men should lovingly entreat the

present guest and speed the parting. But abide till I bring

fair gifts and set them on the car and thine own eyes

behold them, and I bid the women to prepare the midday meal

in the halls, out of the good store they have within.

Honour and glory it is for us, and gain withal for thee,

that ye should have eaten well ere ye go on your way, over

vast and limitless lands. What and if thou art minded to

pass through Hellas and mid Argos? So shall I too go with

thee, and yoke thee horses and lead thee to the towns of

men, and none shall send us empty away, but will give us

some one thing to take with us, either a tripod of goodly

bronze or a cauldron, or two mules or a golden chalice.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him saying: 'Menelaus, son of

Atreus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the people, rather

would I return even now to mine own land, for I left none

behind to watch over my goods when I departed. I would not

that I myself should perish on the quest of my godlike

father, nor that any good heir-loom should be lost from my

halls.'

Now when Menelaus, of the loud war cry, heard this saying,

straightway he bade his wife and maids to prepare the

midday meal in the halls, out of the good store they had by

them. Then Eteoneus, son of Boethous, came nigh him, just

risen from his bed, for he abode not far from him. Him

Menelaus of the loud war cry bade kindle the fire and roast

of the flesh; and he hearkened and obeyed. Then the prince

went down into the fragrant treasure chamber, not alone,

for Helen went with him, and Megapenthes. Now, when they

came to the place where the treasures were stored, then

Atrides took a two-handled cup, and bade his son

Megapenthes to bear a mixing bowl of silver. And Helen

stood by the coffers, wherein were her robes of curious

needlework which she herself had wrought. Then Helen, the

fair lady, lifted one and brought it out, the widest and

most beautifully embroidered of all, and it shone like a

star, and lay far beneath the rest.

Then they went forth through the house till they came to

Telemachus; and Menelaus, of the fair hair, spake to him

saying:

'Telemachus, may Zeus the thunderer, and the lord of Here,

in very truth bring about thy return according to the

desire of thy heart. And of the gifts, such as are

treasures stored in my house, I will give thee the

goodliest and greatest of price. I will give thee a mixing

bowl beautifully wrought; it is all of silver and the lips

thereof are finished with gold, the work of Hephaestus; and

the hero Phaedimus the king of the Sidonians, gave it to me

when his house sheltered me, on my coming thither. This cup

I would give to thee.'

Therewith the hero Atrides set the two-handled cup in his

hands. And the strong Megapenthes bare the shining silver

bowl and set it before him. And Helen came up, beautiful

Helen, with the robe in her hands, and spake and hailed

him:

'Lo! I too give thee this gift, dear child, a memorial of

the hands of Helen, against the day of thy desire, even of

thy bridal, for thy bride to wear it. But meanwhile let it

lie by thy dear mother in her chamber. And may joy go with

thee to thy well-builded house, and thine own country.'

With that she put it into his hands, and he took it and was

glad. And the hero Peisistratus took the gifts and laid

them in the chest of the car, and gazed on all and

wondered. Then Menelaus of the fair hair led them to the

house. Then they twain sat them down on chairs and high

seats, and a handmaid bare water for the 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 the son of Boethous carved by the board

and divided the messes, and the son of renowned Menelaus

poured forth the wine. So they stretched forth their hands

upon the good cheer set before them. Now when they had put

from them the desire of meat and drink, then did Telemachus

and the glorious son of Nestor yoke the horses and climb

into the inlaid car. And they drave forth from the gateway

and the echoing gallery. After these Menelaus, of the fair

hair, the son of Atreus, went forth bearing in his right

hand a golden cup of honey-hearted wine, that they might

pour a drink-offering ere they departed. And he stood

before the horses and spake his greeting:

'Farewell, knightly youths, and salute in my name Nestor,

the shepherd of the people; for truly he was gentle to me

as a father, while we sons of the Achaeans warred in the

land of Troy.'

And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Yea verily, O

fosterling of Zeus, we will tell him all on our coming even

as thou sayest. Would God that when I return to Ithaca I

may find Odysseus in his home and tell him all, so surely

as now I go on my way having met with all loving-kindness

at thy hands, and take with me treasures many and goodly!'

And even as he spake a bird flew forth at his right hand,

an eagle that bare in his claws a great white goose, a tame

fowl from the yard, and men and women followed shouting.

But the bird drew near them and flew off to the right,

across the horses, and they that saw it were glad, and

their hearts were all comforted within them. And

Peisistratus, son of Nestor, first spake among them:

'Consider, Menelaus, fosterling of Zeus, leader of the

people, whether god hath showed forth this sign for us

twain, or for thee thyself.'

So spake he, and the warrior Menelaus pondered thereupon,

how he should take heed to answer, and interpret it aright.

And long-robed Helen took the word and spake, saying: 'Hear

me, and I will prophesy as the immortals put it into my

heart, and as I deem it will be accomplished. Even as

yonder eagle came down from the hill, the place of his

birth and kin, and snatched away the goose that was

fostered in the house, even so shall Odysseus return home

after much trial and long wanderings and take vengeance;

yea, or even now is he at home and sowing the seeds of evil

for all the wooers.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'Now may Zeus

ordain it so, Zeus the thunderer and the lord of Here. Then

would I do thee worship, as to a god, even in my home

afar.'

He spake and smote the horses with the lash, and they sped

quickly towards the plain, in eager course through the

city. So all day long they swayed the yoke they bore upon

their necks. And the sun sank, and all the ways were

darkened. And they came to Pherae, to the house of Diocles,

son of Orsilochus, the child begotten of Alpheus. There

they rested for the night, and by them he set the

entertainment of strangers.

Now so soon as early Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered,

they yoked the horses and mounted the inlaid car. And forth

they drave from the gateway and the echoing gallery. And he

touched the horses with the whip to start them, and the

pair flew onward nothing loth. And soon thereafter they

reached the steep hold of Pylos. Then Telemachus spake unto

the son of Nestor, saying:

'Son of Nestor, in what wise mightest thou make me a

promise and fulfil my bidding? For we claim to be friends

by reason of our fathers' friendship from of old. Moreover

we are equals in age, and this journey shall turn to our

greater love. Take me not hence past my ship, O fosterling

of Zeus, but leave me there, lest that old man keep me in

his house in my despite, out of his eager kindness, for I

must go right quickly home.'

So spake he, and the some of Nestor communed with his own

heart how he might make promise, and duly fulfil the same.

So as he thought thereon, in this wise it seemed to him

best. He turned back his horses toward the swift ship and

the sea-banks, and took forth the fair gifts and set them

in the hinder part of the ship, the raiment and the gold

which Menelaus gave him. And he called to Telemachus and

spake to him winged words:

'Now climb the ship with all haste, and bid all thy company

do likewise, ere I reach home and bring the old man word.

For well I know in my mind and heart that, being so wilful

of heart, he will not let thee go, but he himself will come

hither to bid thee to his house, and methinks that he will

not go back without thee; for very wroth will he be despite

thine excuse.'

Thus he spake, and drave the horses with the flowing manes

back to the town of the Pylians, and came quickly to the

halls. And Telemachus called to his companions and

commanded them, saying:

'Set ye the gear in order, my friends, in the black ship,

and let us climb aboard that we may make way upon our

course.'

So spake he, and they gave good heed and hearkened. Then

straightway they embarked and sat upon the benches.

Thus was he busy hereat and praying and making

burnt-offering to Athene, by the stern of the ship, when

there drew nigh him one from a far country, that had slain

his man and was fleeing from out of Argos. He was a

soothsayer, and by his lineage he came of Melampus, who of

old time abode in Pylos, mother of flocks, a rich man and

one that had an exceeding goodly house among the Pylians,

but afterward he had come to the land of strangers, fleeing

from his country and from Neleus, the great-hearted, the

proudest of living men, who kept all his goods for a full

year by force. All that time Melampus lay bound with hard

bonds in the halls of Phylacus, suffering strong pains for

the sake of the daughter of Neleus, and for the dread

blindness of soul which the goddess, the Erinnys of the

dolorous stroke, had laid on him. Howsoever he escaped his

fate, and drave away the lowing kine from Phylace to Pylos,

and avenged the foul deed upon godlike Neleus, and brought

the maiden home to his own brother to wife. As for him, he

went to a country of other men, to Argos, the pastureland

of horses; for there truly it was ordained that he should

dwell, bearing rule over many of the Argives. There he

wedded a wife, and builded him a lofty house, and begat

Antiphates and Mantius, two mighty sons. Now Antiphates

begat Oicles the great-hearted, and Oicles Amphiaraus, the

rouser of the host, whom Zeus, lord of the aegis, and

Apollo loved with all manner of love. Yet he reached not

the threshold of old age, but died in Thebes by reason of a

woman's gifts. And the sons born to him were Alcmaeon and

Amphilochus. But Mantius begat Polypheides and Cleitus; but

it came to pass that the golden-throned Dawn snatched away

Cleitus for his very beauty's sake, that he might dwell

with the Immortals.

And Apollo made the high-souled Polypheides a seer, far the

chief of human kind, Amphiaraus being now dead. He removed

his dwelling to Hypheresia, being angered with his father,

and here he abode and prophesied to all men.

This man's son it was, Theoclymenus by name, that now drew

nigh and stood by Telemachus. And he found him pouring a

drink-offering and praying by the swift black ship, and

uttering his voice he spake to him winged words:

'Friend, since I find thee making burnt-offering in this

place, I pray thee, by thine offerings and by the god, and

thereafter by thine own head, and in the name of the men of

thy company answer my question truly and hide it not. Who

art thou of the sons of men and whence? Where is thy city,

where are they that begat thee?'

And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Yea now,

stranger, I will plainly tell thee all. Of Ithaca am I by

lineage, and my father is Odysseus, if ever such an one

there was, but now hath he perished by an evil fate.

Wherefore I have taken my company and a black ship, and

have gone forth to hear word of my father that has been

long afar.'

Then godlike Theoclymenus spake to him again: 'Even so I

too have fled from my country, for the manslaying of one of

mine own kin. And many brethren and kinsmen of the slain

are in Argos, the pastureland of horses, and rule mightily

over the Achaeans. Wherefore now am I an exile to shun

death and black fate at their hands, for it is my doom yet

to wander among men. Now set me on board ship, since I

supplicate thee in my flight, lest they slay me utterly;

for methinks they follow hard after me.'

And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Surely I will

not drive thee away from our good ship, if thou art fain to

come. Follow thou with us then, and in Ithaca thou shalt be

welcome to such things as we have.'

Therewith he took from him his spear of bronze, and laid it

along the deck of the curved ship, and himself too climbed

the seafaring ship. Then he sat him down in the stern and

made Theoclymenus to sit beside him; and his company loosed

the hawsers. Then Telemachus called unto his company, and

bade them lay hands on the tackling, and speedily they

hearkened to his call. So they raised the mast of pine

tree, and set it in the hole of the cross plank and made it

fast with forestays, and hauled up the white sails with

twisted ropes of ox-hide. And grey-eyed Athene sent them a

favouring breeze, rushing violently through the clear sky

that the ship might speedily finish her course over the

salt water of the sea. So they passed by Crouni and

Chalcis, a land of fair streams.

And the sun set and all the ways were darkened. And the

vessel drew nigh to Pheae, being sped before the breeze of

Zeus, and then passed goodly Elis where the Epeans bear

rule. From thence he drave on again to the Pointed Isles,

pondering whether he should escape death or be cut off.

Now Odysseus and the goodly swineherd were supping in the

hut, and the other men sat at meat with them. So when they

had put from them the desire of meat and drink, Odysseus

spake among them, to prove the swineherd, whether he would

still entertain him diligently, and bid him abide there in

the steading or send him forward to the city:

'Listen now, Eumaeus, and all the others of the company. In

the morning I would fain be gone to the town to go a

begging, that I be not ruinous to thyself and thy fellows.

Now advise me well, and lend me a good guide by the way to

lead me thither; and through the city will I wander alone

as needs I must, if perchance one may give me a cup of

water and a morsel of bread. Moreover I would go to the

house of divine Odysseus and bear tidings to the wise

Penelope, and consort with the wanton wooers, if haply they

might grant me a meal out of the boundless store that they

have by them. Lightly might I do good service among them,

even all that they would. For lo! I will tell thee and do

thou mark and listen. By the favour of Hermes, the

messenger, who gives grace and glory to all men's work, no

mortal may vie with me in the business of a serving-man, in

piling well a fire, in cleaving dry faggots, and in carving

and roasting flesh and in pouring of wine, those offices

wherein meaner men serve their betters.'

Then didst thou speak to him in heaviness of heart,

swineherd Eumaeus: 'Ah! wherefore, stranger, hath such a

thought arisen in thine heart? Surely thou art set on

perishing utterly there, if thou wouldest indeed go into

the throng of the wooers, whose outrage and violence

reacheth even to the iron heaven! Not such as thou are

their servants; they that minister to them are young and

gaily clad in mantles and in doublets, and their heads are

anointed with oil and they are fair of face, and the

polished boards are laden with bread and flesh and wine.

Nay, abide here, for none is vexed by thy presence, neither

I nor any of my fellows that are with me. But when the dear

son of Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle

and a doublet for raiment, and will send thee whithersoever

thy heart and spirit bid thee go.'

Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: 'Oh, that

thou mayst so surely be dear to father Zeus as thou art to

me, in that thou didst make me to cease from wandering and

dread woe! For there is no other thing more mischievous to

men than roaming; yet for their cursed belly's need men

endure sore distress, to whom come wandering and

tribulation and pain. But behold now, since thou stayest me

here, and biddest me wait his coming, tell me of the mother

of divine Odysseus, and of the father whom at his departure

he left behind him on the threshold of old age; are they,

it may be, yet alive beneath the sunlight, or already dead

and within the house of Hades?'

Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: 'Yea now,

stranger, I will plainly tell thee all. Laertes yet lives,

and prays evermore to Zeus that his life may waste from out

his limbs within his halls. For he has wondrous sorrow for

his son that is far away, and for the wedded lady his wise

wife, whose death afflicted him in chief and brought him to

old age before his day. Now she died of very grief for her

son renowned, by an evil death, so may no man perish who

dwells here and is a friend to me in word and deed! So long

as she was on earth, though in much sorrow, I was glad to

ask and enquire concerning her, for that she herself had

reared me along with long-robed Ctimene, her noble

daughter, the youngest of her children. With her I was

reared, and she honoured me little less than her own. But

when we both came to the time of our desire, to the flower

of age, thereupon they sent her to Same, and got a great

bride-price; but my lady clad me in a mantle and a doublet,

raiment very fair, and gave me sandals for my feet and sent

me forth to the field, and right dear at heart she held me.

But of these things now at last am I lacking; yet the

blessed gods prosper the work of mine own hands, whereat I

abide. Of this my substance I have eaten and drunken and

given to reverend strangers. But from my lady I may hear

naught pleasant, neither word nor deed, for evil hath

fallen on her house, a plague of froward men; yet thralls

have a great desire to speak before their mistress and find

out all eat and drink, and moreover to carry off somewhat

with them to the field, such things as ever comfort the

heart of a thrall.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: "Ah,

Eumaeus, how far then didst thou wander from thine own

country and thy parents while as yet thou wast but a child!

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

wide-wayed town of men taken and sacked, wherein dwelt thy

father and thy lady mother, or did unfriendly men find thee

lonely, tending sheep or cattle, and shipped thee thence,

and sold thee into the house of thy master here, who paid

for thee a goodly price?'

Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: Stranger,

since thou askest and questionest me hereof, give heed now

in silence and make merry, and abide here drinking wine.

Lo, the nights now are of length untold. Time is there to

sleep, and time to listen and be glad; thou needest not

turn to bed before the hour; even too much sleep is

vexation of spirit. But for the rest, let him whose heart

and mind bid him, go forth and slumber, and at the dawning

of the day let him break his fast, and follow our master's

swine. But let us twain drink and feast within the

steading, and each in his neighbour's sorrows take delight,

recalling them, for even the memory of griefs is a joy to a

man who hath been sore tried and wandered far. Wherefore I

will tell thee that whereof thou askest and dost question

me.

'There is a certain isle called Syria, if haply thou hast

heard tell of it, over above Ortygia, and there are the

turning-places of the sun. It is not very great in compass,

though a goodly isle, rich in herds, rich in flocks, with

plenty of corn and wine. Dearth never enters the land, and

no hateful sickness falls on wretched mortals. But when the

tribes of men grow old in that city, then comes Apollo of

the silver bow, with Artemis, and slays them with the

visitation of his gentle shafts. In that isle are two

cities, and the whole land is divided between them, and my

father was king over the twain, Ctesius son of Ormenus, a

man like to the Immortals.

'Thither came the Phoenicians, mariners renowned, greedy

merchant men, with countless gauds in a black ship. Now in

my father's house was a Phoenician woman, tall and fair and

skilled in bright handiwork; this woman the Phoenicians

with their sleights beguiled. First as she was washing

clothes, one of them lay with her in love by the hollow

ship, for love beguiles the minds of womankind, even of the

upright. Then he asked her who she was and whence she came,

and straightway she showed him the lofty home of my father,

saying:

'"From out of Sidon I avow that I come, land rich in

bronze, and I am the daughter of Arybas, the deeply

wealthy. But Taphians, who were sea-robbers, laid hands on

me and snatched me away as I came in from the fields, and

brought me hither and sold me into the house of my master,

who paid for me a goodly price."

'Then the man who had lain with her privily, answered:

"Say, wouldst thou now return home with us, that thou mayst

look again on the lofty house of thy father and mother and

on their faces? For truly they yet live, and have a name

for wealth."

'Then the woman answered him and spake, saying: "Even this

may well be, if ye sailors will pledge me an oath to bring

me home in safety."

'So spake she, and they all swore thereto as she bade them.

Now when they had sworn and done that oath, again the woman

spake among them and answered, saying:

'"Hold your peace now, and let none of your fellows speak

to me and greet me, if they meet me in the street, or even

at the well, lest one go and tell it to the old man at

home, and he suspect somewhat and bind me in hard bonds and

devise death for all of you. But keep ye the matter in

mind, and speed the purchase of your homeward freight. And

when your ship is freighted with stores, let a message come

quickly to me at the house; for I will likewise bring gold,

all that comes under my hand. Yea and there is another

thing that I would gladly give for my fare. I am nurse to

the child of my lord in the halls, a most cunning little

boy, that runs out and abroad with me. Him would I bring on

board ship, and he should fetch you a great price,

wheresoever ye take him for sale among men of strange

speech."

'Therewith she went her way to the fair halls. But they

abode among us a whole year, and got together much wealth

in their hollow ship. And when their hollow ship was now

laden to depart, they sent a messenger to tell the tidings

to the woman. There came a man versed in craft to my

father's house, with a golden chain strung here and there

with amber beads. Now the maidens in the hall and my lady

mother were handling the chain and gazing on it, and

offering him their price; but he had signed silently to the

woman, and therewithal gat him away to the hollow ship.

Then she took me by the hand and led me forth from the

house. And at the vestibule of the house she found the cups

and the tables of the guests that had been feasting, who

were in waiting on my father. They had gone forth to the

session and the place of parley of the people. And she

straightway hid three goblets in her bosom, and bare them

away, and I followed in my innocence. Then the sun sank and

all the ways were darkened and we went quickly and came to

the good haven, where was the swift ship of the

Phoenicians. So they climbed on board and took us up with

them, and sailed over the wet ways, and Zeus sent us a

favouring wind. For six days we sailed by day and night

continually; but when Zeus, son of Cronos, added the

seventh day thereto, then Artemis, the archer, smote the

woman that she fell, as a sea-swallow falls, with a plunge

into the hold. And they cast her forth to be the prey of

seals and fishes, but I was left stricken at heart. And

wind and water bare them and brought them to Ithaca, where

Laertes bought me with his possessions. And thus it chanced

that mine eyes beheld this land.'

Then Odysseus, of the seed of Zeus, answered him saying:

'Eumaeus, verily thou hast stirred my heart within me with

the tale of all these things, of all the sorrow of heart

thou hast endured. Yet surely Zeus hath given thee good as

well as evil, since after all these adventures thou hast

come to the house of a kindly man, who is careful to give

thee meat and drink and right well thou livest. But I have

come hither still wandering through the many towns of men.'

Thus they spake one with the other. Then they laid them

down to sleep for no long while, but for a little space,

for soon came the throned Dawn. But on the shore the

company of Telemachus were striking their sails, and took

down the mast quickly and rowed the ship on to anchorage.

And they cast anchors and made fast the hawsers, and

themselves too stept forth upon the strand of the sea, and

made ready the midday meal, and mixed the dark wine. Now

when they had put from them the desire of meat and drink,

wise Telemachus first spake among them:

'Do ye now drive the black ship to the city, while I will

go to the fields and to the herdsmen, and at even I will

return to the city, when I have seen my lands. And in the

morning I will set by you the wages of the voyage, a good

feast of flesh and of sweet wine.'

Then godlike Theoclymenus answered him: 'And whither shall

I go, dear child? To what man's house shall I betake me, of

such as are lords in rocky Ithaca? Shall I get me straight

to thy mother and to thy home?'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'In other case I

would bid thee go even to our own house; for there is no

lack of cheer for strangers, but now would it be worse for

thyself, forasmuch as I shall be away nor would my mother

see thee. For she comes not often in sight of the wooers in

the house, but abides apart from them in her upper chamber,

and weaves at her web. Yet there is one whom I will tell

thee of, to whom thou mayst go, Eurymachus the glorious son

of wise Polybus, whom now the men of Ithaca look upon, even

as if he were a god. For he is far the best man of them

all, and is most eager to wed my mother and to have the

sovereignty of Odysseus. Howbeit, Olympian Zeus, that

dwells in the clear sky, knows hereof, whether or no he

will fulfill for them the evil day before their marriage.'

Now even as he spake, a bird flew out on the right, a hawk,

the swift messenger of Apollo. In his talons he held a dove

and plucked her, and shed the feathers down to the earth,

midway between the ship and Telemachus himself. Then

Theoclymenus called him apart from his fellows, and clasped

his hand and spake and hailed him:

'Telemachus, surely not without the god's will hath the

bird flown out on the right, for I knew when I saw him that

he was a bird of omen. There is no other house more kingly

than yours in the land of Ithaca; nay, ye have ever the

mastery.'

And wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Ah, stranger,

would that this word may be accomplished! Soon shouldest

thou be aware of kindness and many a gift at my hands, so

that whoso met with thee would call thee blessed.'

Then he spake to Piraeus, his trusty companion: 'Piraeus,

son of Clytius, thou that at other seasons hearkenest to me

above all my company who went with me to Pylos, even now, I

pray, lead this stranger home with thee, and give heed to

treat him lovingly and with worship in thy house till I

come.'

Then Piraeus, spearsman renowned, answered him saying:

'Telemachus, why, even if thou shouldest tarry here long,

yet will I entertain this man, and he shall have no lack of

stranger's cheer.'

Therewith he went on board, and bade his men themselves to

mount and loose the hawsers. And quickly they embarked and

sat upon the benches. And Telemachus bound his goodly

sandals beneath his feet, and seized a mighty spear, shod

with sharp bronze, from the deck of the ship and his men

loosed the hawsers. So they thrust off and sailed to the

city, as Telemachus bade them, the dear son of divine

Odysseus. But swiftly his feet bore him on his forward way,

till he came to the court, where were his swine out of

number; and among them the good swineherd slept, a man

loyal to his lords.

Read next: Book XVI

Read previous: Book XIV

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