Book XVIII

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The fighting at fists of Odysseus with Irus. His

admonitions to Amphinomus. Penelope appears before the

wooers, and draws presents from them.

Then up came a common beggar, who was wont to beg through

the town of Ithaca, one that was known among all men for

ravening greed, for his endless eating and drinking, yet he

had no force or might, though he was bulky enough to look

on. Arnaeus was his name, for so had his good mother given

it him at his birth, but all the young men called him Irus,

because he ran on errands, whensoever any might bid him. So

now he came, and would have driven Odysseus from his own

house, and began reviling him, and spake winged words:

'Get thee hence, old man, from the doorway, lest thou be

even haled out soon by the foot. Seest thou not that all

are now giving me the wink, and bidding me drag thee forth?

Nevertheless, I feel shame of the task. Nay get thee up,

lest our quarrel soon pass even to blows.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on him, and

spake saying: 'Sir, neither in deed nor word do I harm

thee, nor do I grudge that any should give to thee, yea

though it were a good handful. But this threshold will hold

us both, and thou hast no need to be jealous for the sake

of other men's goods. Thou seemest to me to be a wanderer,

even as I am, and the gods it is that are like to give us

gain. Only provoke me not overmuch to buffeting, lest thou

anger me, and old though I be I defile thy breast and lips

with blood. Thereby should I have the greater quiet

to-morrow, for methinks that thou shalt never again come to

the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes'.

Then the beggar Irus spake unto him in anger: 'Lo now, how

trippingly and like an old cinder-wife this glutton speaks,

on whom I will work my evil will, and smite him right and

left, and drive all the teeth from his jaws to the ground,

like the tusks of a swine that spoils the corn. Gird

thyself now, that even these men all may know our mettle in

fight. Nay, how shouldst thou do battle with a younger man

than thou?'

Thus did they whet each the other's rage right manfully

before the lofty doors upon the polished threshold. And the

mighty prince Antinous heard the twain, and sweetly he

laughed out, and spake among the wooers:

'Friends, never before has there been such a thing; such

goodly game has a god brought to this house. The stranger

yonder and Irus are bidding each other to buffets. Quick,

let us match them one against the other.'

Then all at the word leaped up laughing, and gathered round

the ragged beggars, and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake

among them saying: 'Hear me, ye lordly wooers, and I will

say somewhat. Here are goats' bellies lying at the fire,

that we laid by at supper-time and filled with fat and

blood. Now whichsoever of the twain wins, and shows himself

the better man, let him stand up and take his choice of

these puddings. And further, he shall always eat at our

feasts, nor will we suffer any other beggar to come among

us and ask for alms.'

So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then

Odysseus of many counsels spake among them craftily:

'Friends, an old man and foredone with travail may in no

wise fight with a younger. But my belly's call is urgent on

me, that evil-worker, to the end that I may be subdued with

stripes. But come now, swear me all of you a strong oath,

so that none, for the sake of shewing a favour to Irus, may

strike me a foul blow with heavy hand and subdue me by

violence to my foe.'

So he spake, and they all swore not to strike him, as he

bade them. Now when they had sworn and done that oath, the

mighty prince Telemachus once more spake among them:

'Stranger, if thy heart and lordly spirit urge thee to rid

thee of this fellow, then fear not any other of the

Achaeans, for whoso strikes thee shall have to fight with

many. Thy host am I, and the princes consent with me,

Antinous and Eurymachus, men of wisdom both.'

So spake he and they all consented thereto. Then Odysseus

girt his rags about his loins, and let his thighs be seen,

goodly and great, and his broad shoulders and breast and

mighty arms were manifest. And Athene came nigh and made

greater the limbs of the shepherd of the people. Then the

wooers were exceedingly amazed, and thus would one speak

looking to his neighbour:

'Right soon will Irus, un-Irused, have a bane of his own

bringing, such a thigh as that old man shows from out his

rags!'

So they spake, and the mind of Irus was pitifully stirred;

but even so the servants girded him and led him out

perforce in great fear, his flesh trembling on his limbs.

Then Antinous chid him, and spake and hailed him:

'Thou lubber, better for thee that thou wert not now, nor

ever hadst been born, if indeed thou tremblest before this

man, and art so terribly afraid; an old man too he is, and

foredone with the travail that is come upon him. But I will

tell thee plainly, and it shall surely be accomplished. If

this man prevail against thee and prove thy master, I will

cast thee into a black ship, and send thee to the mainland

to Echetus the king, the maimer of all mankind, who will

cut off thy nose and ears with the pitiless steel, and draw

out thy vitals and give them raw to dogs to rend.'

So he spake, and yet greater trembling gat hold of the

limbs of Irus, and they led him into the ring, and the

twain put up their hands. Then the steadfast goodly

Odysseus mused in himself whether he should smite him in

such wise that his life should leave his body, even there

where he fell, or whether he should strike him lightly, and

stretch him on the earth. And as he thought thereon, this

seemed to him the better way, to strike lightly, that the

Achaeans might not take note of him, who he was. Then the

twain put up their hands, and Irus struck at the right

shoulder, but the other smote him on his neck beneath the

ear, and crushed in the bones, and straightway the red

blood gushed up through his mouth, and with a moan he fell

in the dust, and drave together his teeth as he kicked the

ground. But the proud wooers threw up their hands, and died

outright for laughter. Then Odysseus seized him by the

foot, and dragged him forth through the doorway, till he

came to the courtyard and the gates of the gallery, and he

set him down and rested him against the courtyard wall, and

put his staff in his hands, and uttering his voice spake to

him winged words:

'Sit thou there now, and scare off swine and dogs, and let

not such an one as thou be lord over strangers and beggars,

pitiful as thou art, lest haply some worse thing befal

thee.'

Thus he spake, and cast about his shoulders his mean scrip

all tattered, and the cord therewith to hang it, and he gat

him back to the threshold, and sat him down there again.

Now the wooers went within laughing sweetly, and greeted

him, saying:

'May Zeus, stranger, and all the other deathless gods give

thee thy dearest wish, even all thy heart's desire, seeing

that thou hast made that insatiate one to cease from his

begging in the land! Soon will we take him over to the

mainland, to Echetus the king, the maimer of all mankind.'

So they spake, and goodly Odysseus rejoiced in the omen of

the words. And Antinous set by him the great pudding,

stuffed with fat and blood, and Amphinomus took up two

loaves from the basket, and set them by him and pledged him

in a golden cup, and spake saying:

'Father and stranger, hail! may happiness be thine in the

time to come; but as now, thou art fast holden in many

sorrows.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying:

'Amphinomus, verily thou seemest to me a prudent man

enough; for such too was the father of whom thou art

sprung, for I have heard the fair fame of him, how that

Nisus of Dulichium was a good man and a rich, and his son

they say thou art, and thou seemest a man of understanding.

Wherefore I will tell thee, and do thou mark and listen to

me. Nought feebler doth the earth nurture than man, of all

the creatures that breathe and move upon the face of the

earth. Lo, he thinks that he shall never suffer evil in

time to come, while the gods give him happiness, and his

limbs move lightly. But when again the blessed gods have

wrought for him sorrow, even so he bears it, as he must,

with a steadfast heart. For the spirit of men upon the

earth is even as their day, that comes upon them from the

father of gods and men. Yea, and I too once was like to

have been prosperous among men, but many an infatuate deed

I did, giving place to mine own hardihood and strength, and

trusting to my father and my brethren. Wherefore let no man

for ever be lawless any more, but keep quietly the gifts of

the gods, whatsoever they may give. Such infatuate deeds do

I see the wooers devising, as they waste the wealth, and

hold in no regard the wife of a man, who, methinks, will

not much longer be far from his friends and his own land;

nay he is very near. But for thee, may some god withdraw

thee hence to thy home, and mayst thou not meet him in the

day when he returns to his own dear country! For not

without blood, as I deem, will they be sundered, the wooers

and Odysseus, when once he shall have come beneath his own

roof.'

Thus he spake, and poured an offering and then drank of the

honey-sweet wine, and again set the cup in the hands of the

arrayer of the people. But the other went back through the

hall, sad at heart and bowing his head; for verily his soul

boded evil. Yet even so he avoided not his fate, for Athene

had bound him likewise to be slain outright at the hands

and by the spear of Telemachus. So he sat down again on the

high seat whence he had arisen.

Now the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, put it into the heart of

the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, to show herself to

the wooers, that she might make their heart all flutter

with hope, and that she might win yet more worship from her

lord and her son than heretofore. To she laughed an idle

laugh, and spake to the nurse, and hailed her, saying:

'Eurynome, my heart yearns, though before I had no such

desire, to show myself to the wooers, hateful as they are.

I would also say a word to my son, that will be for his

weal, namely, that he should not for ever consort with the

proud wooers, who speak friendly with their lips, but

imagine evil in the latter end.'

Then the housewife, Eurynome, spake to her saying: 'Yea my

child, all this thou hast spoken as is meet. Go then, and

declare thy word to thy son and hide it not, but first wash

thee and anoint thy face, and go not as thou art with thy

cheeks all stained with tears. Go, for it is little good to

sorrow always, and never cease. And lo, thy son is now of

an age to hear thee, he whom thou hast above all things

prayed the gods that thou mightest see with a beard upon

his chin.'

Then wise Penelope answered her, saying: 'Eurynome, speak

not thus comfortably to me, for all thy love, bidding me to

wash and be anointed with ointment. For the gods that keep

Olympus destroyed my bloom, since the day that he departed

in the hollow ships. But bid Autonoe and Hippodameia come

to me, to stand by my side in the halls. Alone I will not

go among men, for I am ashamed.'

So she spake, and the old woman passed through the chamber

to tell the maidens, and hasten their coming.

Thereon the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, had another thought.

She shed a sweet slumber over the daughter of Icarius, who

sank back in sleep, and all her joints were loosened as she

lay in the chair, and the fair goddess the while was giving

her gifts immortal, that all the Achaeans might marvel at

her. Her fair face first she steeped with beauty

imperishable, such as that wherewith the crowned Cytherea

is anointed, when she goes to the lovely dances of the

Graces. And she made her taller and greater to behold, and

made her whiter than new-sawn ivory. Now when she had

wrought thus, that fair goddess departed, and the

white-armed handmaidens came forth from the chamber and

drew nigh with a sound of voices. Then sweet sleep left

hold of Penelope, and she rubbed her cheeks with her hands,

and said:

'Surely soft slumber wrapped me round, most wretched though

I be. Oh! that pure Artemis would give me so soft a death

even now, that I might no more waste my life in sorrow of

heart, and longing for the manifold excellence of my dear

lord, for that he was foremost of the Achaeans.'

With this word she went down from the shining upper

chamber, not alone, for two handmaidens likewise bare her

company. But when the fair lady had now come to the wooers,

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

her glistening tire before her face, and on either side of

her stood a faithful handmaid. And straightway the knees of

the wooers were loosened, and their hearts were enchanted

with love, and each one uttered a prayer that he might be

her bed-fellow. But she spake to Telemachus, her dear son:

'Telemachus, thy mind and thy thoughts are no longer stable

as they were. While thou wast still a child, thou hadst a

yet quicker and more crafty wit, but now that thou art

great of growth, and art come to the measure of manhood,

and a stranger looking to thy stature and thy beauty might

say that thou must be some rich man's son, thy mind and thy

thoughts are no longer right as of old. For lo, what manner

of deed has been done in these halls, in that thou hast

suffered thy guest to be thus shamefully dealt with. How

would it be now, if the stranger sitting thus in our house,

were to come to some harm all through this evil handling?

Shame and disgrace would be thine henceforth among men.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her: 'Mother mine, as to this

matter I count it no blame that thou art angered. Yet have

I knowledge and understanding of each thing, of the good

and of the evil; but heretofore I was a child. Howbeit I

cannot devise all things according to wisdom, for these men

in their evil counsel drive me from my wits, on this side

and on that, and there is none to aid me. Howsoever this

battle between Irus and the stranger did not fall out as

the wooers would have had it, but the stranger proved the

better man. Would to Father Zeus and Athene and Apollo,

that the wooers in our halls were even now thus vanquished,

and wagging their heads, some in the court, and some within

the house, and that the limbs of each man were loosened in

such fashion as Irus yonder sits now, by the courtyard

gates wagging his head, like a drunken man, and cannot

stand upright on his feet, nor yet get him home to his own

place, seeing that his limbs are loosened!'

Thus they spake one to another. But Eurymachus spake to

Penelope, saying:

'Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, if all the Achaeans in

Iasian Argos could behold thee, even a greater press of

wooers would feast in your halls from to-morrow's dawn,

since thou dost surpass all women in beauty and stature,

and within in wisdom of mind.'

Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Eurymachus, surely my

excellence, both of face and form, the gods destroyed in

the day when the Argives embarked for Ilios, and with them

went my lord Odysseus. If but he might come and watch over

this my life, greater thus would be my fame and fairer! But

now am I in sorrow; such a host of ills some god has sent

against me. Ah, well do I remember, when he set forth and

left his own country, how he took me by the right hand at

the wrist and spake, saying:

'"Lady, methinks that all the goodly-greaved Achaeans will

not win a safe return from Troy; for the Trojans too, they

say, are good men at arms, as spearsmen, and bowmen, and

drivers of fleet horses, such as ever most swiftly

determine the great strife of equal battle. Wherefore I

know not if the gods will suffer me to return, or whether I

shall be cut off there in Troy; so do thou have a care for

all these things. Be mindful of my father and my mother in

the halls, even as now thou art, or yet more than now,

while I am far away. But when thou seest thy son a bearded

man, marry whom thou wilt and leave thine own house."

'Even so did he speak, and now all these things have an

end. The night shall come when a hateful marriage shall

find me out, me most luckless, whose good hap Zeus has

taken away. But furthermore this sore trouble has come on

my heart and soul; for this was not the manner of wooers in

time past. Whoso wish to woo a good lady and the daughter

of a rich man, and vie one with another, themselves bring

with them oxen of their own and goodly flocks, a banquet

for the friends of the bride, and they give the lady

splendid gifts, but do not devour another's livelihood

without atonement.'

Thus she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus rejoiced

because she drew from them gifts, and beguiled their souls

with soothing words, while her heart was set on other

things.

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, answered her again:

'Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, the gifts which any of

the Achaeans may choose to bring hither, do thou take; for

it were ill to withhold a gift. But we for our part will

neither go to our lands nor otherwhere, before thou art

wedded to the best man of the Achaeans.'

So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well, and

each man sent a henchman to bring his gifts. For Antinous

his henchman bare a broidered robe, great and very fair,

wherein were golden brooches, twelve in all, fitted with

well bent clasps. And the henchman straightway bare

Eurymachus a golden chain of curious work, strung with

amber beads, shining like the sun. And his squires bare for

Eurydamas a pair of ear-rings, with three drops well

wrought, and much grace shone from them. And out of the

house of Peisander the prince, the son of Polyctor, the

squire brought a necklet, a very lovely jewel. And likewise

the Achaeans brought each one some other beautiful gift.

Then the fair lady went aloft to her upper chamber, and her

attendant maidens bare for her the lovely gifts, while the

wooers turned to dancing and the delight of song, and

therein took their pleasure, and awaited the coming of

eventide. And dark evening came on them at their pastime.

Anon they set up three braziers in the halls, to give them

light, and on these they laid firewood all around, faggots

seasoned long since and sere, and new split with the axe.

And midway by the braziers they placed torches, and the

maids of Odysseus, of the hardy heart, held up the lights

in turn. Then the prince Odysseus of many counsels himself

spake among them saying:

'Ye maidens of Odysseus, the lord so long afar, get ye into

the chambers where the honoured queen abides, and twist the

yarn at her side, and gladden her heart as ye sit in the

chamber, or card the wools with your hands; but I will

minister light to all these that are here. For even if they

are minded to wait the throned Dawn, they shall not outstay

me, so long enduring am I.'

So he spake, but they laughed and looked one at the other.

And the fair Melantho chid him shamefully, Melantho that

Dolius begat, but Penelope reared, and entreated her

tenderly as she had been her own child, and gave her

playthings to her heart's desire. Yet, for all that, sorrow

for Penelope touched not her heart, but she loved

Eurymachus and was his paramour. Now she chid Odysseus with

railing words:

'Wretched guest, surely thou art some brain-struck man,

seeing that thou dost not choose to go and sleep at a

smithy, or at some place of common resort, but here thou

pratest much and boldly among many lords and hast no fear

at heart. Verily wine has got about thy wits, or perchance

thou art always of this mind, and so thou dost babble idly.

Art thou beside thyself for joy, because thou hast beaten

the beggar Irus? Take heed lest a better man than Irus rise

up presently against thee, to lay his mighty hands about

thy head and bedabble thee with blood, and send thee hence

from the house.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels looked fiercely on her, and

said: 'Yea, straight will I go yonder and tell Telemachus

hereof, thou shameless thing, for this thy speech, that

forthwith he may cut thee limb from limb.'

So he spake, and with his saying scared away the women, who

fled through the hall, and the knees of each were loosened

for fear, for they deemed that his words were true. But

Odysseus took his stand by the burning braziers, tending

the lights, and gazed on all the men: but far other matters

he pondered in his heart, things not to be unfulfilled.

Now Athene would in no wise suffer the lordly wooers to

abstain from biting scorn, that the pain might sink yet the

deeper into the heart of Odysseus, son of Laertes. So

Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to speak among them,

girding at Odysseus, and so made mirth for his friends:

'Hear me ye wooers of the queen renowned, that I may say

that which my spirit within me bids me. Not without the

gods' will has this man come to the house of Odysseus;

methinks at least that the torchlight flares forth from {*}

that head of his, for there are no hairs on it, nay never

so thin.'

{* Accepting the conjecture [Greek] = [Greek] for the MSS.

[Greek]}

He spake and withal addressed Odysseus, waster of cities:

'Stranger, wouldest thou indeed be my hireling, if I would

take thee for my man, at an upland farm, and thy wages

shall be assured thee, and there shalt thou gather stones

for walls and plant tall trees? There would I provide thee

bread continual, and clothe thee with raiment, and give

thee shoes for thy feet. Howbeit, since thou art practised

only in evil, thou wilt not care to go to the labours of

the field, but wilt choose rather to go louting through the

land, that thou mayst have wherewithal to feed thine

insatiate belly.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him and said:

'Eurymachus, would that there might be a trial of labour

between us twain, in the season of spring, when the long

days begin! In the deep grass might it be, and I should

have a crooked scythe, and thou another like it, that we

might try each the other in the matter of labour, fasting

till late eventide, and grass there should be in plenty. Or

would again, that there were oxen to drive, the best there

may be, large and tawny, both well filled with fodder, of

equal age and force to bear the yoke and of strength

untiring! And it should be a field of four ploughgates, and

the clod should yield before the ploughshare. Then

shouldest thou see me, whether or no I would cut a clean

furrow unbroken before me. Or would that this very day

Cronion might waken war whence he would, and that I had a

shield and two spears, and a helmet all of bronze, close

fitting on my temples! Then shouldest thou see me mingling

in the forefront of the battle, nor speak and taunt me with

this my belly. Nay, thou art exceeding wanton and thy heart

is hard, and thou thinkest thyself some great one and

mighty, because thou consortest with few men and feeble.

Ah, if Odysseus might but return and come to his own

country, right soon would yonder doors full wide as they

are, prove all too strait for thee in thy flight through

the doorway!'

Thus he spake, and Eurymachus waxed yet the more wroth at

heart, and looking fiercely on him spake to him winged

words:

'Ah, wretch that thou art, right soon will I work thee

mischief, so boldly thou pratest among many lords, and hast

no fear at heart. Verily wine has got about thy wits, or

perchance thou art always of this mind, and so thou dost

babble idly. Art thou beside thyself for joy, because thou

hast beaten the beggar Irus?'

Therewith he caught up a footstool, but Odysseus sat him

down at the knees of Amphinomus of Dulichium, in dread of

Eurymachus. And Eurymachus cast and smote the cup-bearer on

the right hand, and the ladle cup dropped to the ground

with a clang, while the young man groaned and fell

backwards in the dust. Then the wooers clamoured through

the shadowy halls, and thus one would say looking to his

neighbour:

'Would that our wandering guest had perished otherwhere, or

ever he came hither; so should he never have made all this

tumult in our midst! But now we are all at strife about

beggars, and there will be no more joy of the good feast,

for worse things have their way.'

Then the mighty prince Telemachus spake among them:

'Sirs, ye are mad; now doth your mood betray that ye have

eaten and drunken; some one of the gods is surely moving

you. Nay, now that ye have feasted well, go home and lay

you to rest, since your spirit so bids; for as for me, I

drive no man hence.'

Thus he spake, and they all bit their lips and marvelled at

Telemachus, in that he spake boldly. Then Amphinomus made

harangue, and spake among them, Amphinomus, the famous son

of Nisus the prince, the son of Aretias:

'Friends, when a righteous word has been spoken, none

surely would rebuke another with hard speech and be angry.

Misuse ye not this stranger, neither any of the thralls

that are in the house of godlike Odysseus. But come, let

the wine-bearer pour for libation into each cup in turn,

that after the drink-offering we may get us home to bed.

But the stranger let us leave in the halls of Odysseus for

a charge to Telemachus: for to his home has he come.'

Thus he spake, and his word was well-pleasing to them all.

Then the lord Mulius mixed for them the bowl, the henchman

out of Dulichium, who was squire of Amphinomus. And he

stood by all and served it to them in their turn; and they

poured forth before the blessed gods, and drank the

honey-sweet wine. Now when they had poured forth and had

drunken to their hearts' content, they departed to lie

down, each one to his own house.

Read next: Book XIX

Read previous: Book XVII

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