Book XXI

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Penelope bringeth forth her husband's bow, which the

suitors could not bend, but was bent by Odysseus.

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

the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, to set the bow and

the axes of grey iron, for the wooers in the halls of

Odysseus, to be the weapons of the contest, and the

beginning of death. So she descended the tall staircase of

her chamber, and took the well-bent key in her strong hand,

a goodly key of bronze, whereon was a handle of ivory. And

she betook her, with her handmaidens, to the

treasure-chamber in the uttermost part of the house, where

lay the treasures of her lord, bronze and gold and

well-wrought iron. And there lay the back-bent bow and the

quiver for the arrows, and many shafts were therein, winged

for death, gifts of a friend of Odysseus, that met with him

in Lacedaemon, Iphitus son of Eurytus, a man like to the

gods. These twain fell in with one another in Messene, in

the house of wise Ortilochus. Now Odysseus had gone thither

to recover somewhat that was owing to him from all the

people, for the men of Messene had lifted three hundred

sheep in benched ships from out of Ithaca, with the

shepherds of the flock. In quest of these it was that

Odysseus went on a far embassy, being yet a lad; for his

father and the other elders sent him forth. Moreover,

Iphitus came thither in his search for twelve brood mares,

which he had lost, with sturdy mules at the teat. These

same it was that brought him death and destiny in the

latter end, when he came to the child of Zeus, hardy of

heart, the man Heracles, that had knowledge of great

adventures, who smote Iphitus though his guest in his

house, in his frowardness, and had no regard for the

vengeance of the gods, nor for the table which he spread

before him; for after the meal he slew him, his guest

though he was, and kept for himself in the halls the horses

strong of hoof. After these was Iphitus asking, when he met

with Odysseus, and he gave him the bow, which of old great

Eurytus bare and had left at his death to his son in his

lofty house. And Odysseus gave Iphitus a sharp sword and a

mighty spear, for the beginning of a loving friendship; but

never had they acquaintance one of another at the board;

ere that might be, the son of Zeus slew Iphitus son of

Eurytus, a man like to the immortals, the same that gave

Odysseus the bow. But goodly Odysseus would never take it

with him on the black ships, as he went to the wars, but

the bow was laid by at home in the halls as a memorial of a

dear guest, and he carried it on his own land.

Now when the fair lady had come even to the

treasure-chamber, and had stept upon the threshold of oak,

which the carpenter had on a time planed cunningly, and

over it had made straight the line,--doorposts also had he

fitted thereby, whereon he set shining doors,--anon she

quickly loosed the strap from the handle of the door, and

thrust in the key, and with a straight aim shot back the

bolts. And even as a bull roars that is grazing in a

meadow, so mightily roared the fair doors smitten by the

key; and speedily they flew open before her. Then she stept

on to the high floor, where the coffers stood, wherein the

fragrant raiment was stored. Thence she stretched forth her

hand, and took the bow from off the pin, all in the bright

case which sheathed it around. And there she sat down, and

set the case upon her knees, and cried aloud and wept, and

took out the bow of her lord. Now when she had her fill of

tearful lament, she set forth to go to the hall to the

company of the proud wooers, with the back-bent bow in her

hands, and the quiver for the arrows, and many shafts were

therein winged for death. And her maidens along with her

bare a chest, wherein lay much store of iron and bronze,

the gear of combat of their lord. Now when the fair lady

had come unto the wooers, she stood by the pillar of the

well-builded roof, holding up her glistening tire before

her face; and a faithful maiden stood on either side of

her, and straightway she spake out among the wooers and

declared her word, saying:

'Hear me, ye lordly wooers, who have vexed this house, that

ye might eat and drink here evermore, forasmuch as the

master is long gone, nor could ye find any other mark {*}

for your speech, but all your desire was to wed me and take

me to wife. Nay come now, ye wooers, seeing that this is

the prize that is put before you. I will set forth for you

the great bow of divine Odysseus, and whoso shall most

easily string the bow in his hands, and shoot through all

twelve axes, with him will I go and forsake this house,

this house of my wedlock, so fair and filled with all

livelihood, which methinks I shall yet remember, aye, in a

dream.'

{* The accepted interpretation of [Greek] (a word which

occurs only here) is 'pretext'; but this does not agree

with any of the meanings of the verb from which the noun is

derived. The usage of [Greek] in Od. xix. 71, xxii. 75, of

[Greek] in Il. xvii. 465, and of [Greek] in Od. xxii. 15,

suggests rather for [Greek] the idea of 'aiming at a

mark.'}

So spake she, and commanded Eumaeus, the goodly swineherd,

to set the bow for the wooers and the axes of grey iron.

And Eumaeus took them with tears, and laid them down; and

otherwhere the neatherd wept, when he beheld the bow of his

lord. Then Antinous rebuked them, and spake and hailed

them:

'Foolish boors, whose thoughts look not beyond the day, ah,

wretched pair, wherefore now do ye shed tears, and stir the

soul of the lady within her, when her heart already lies

low in pain, for that she has lost her dear lord? Nay sit,

and feast in silence, or else get ye forth and weep, and

leave the bow here behind, to be a terrible contest for the

wooers, for methinks that this polished bow does not

lightly yield itself to be strung. For there is no man

among all these present such as Odysseus was, and I myself

saw him, yea I remember it well, though I was still but a

child.'

So spake he, but his heart within him hoped that he would

string the bow, and shoot through the iron. Yet verily, he

was to be the first that should taste the arrow at the

hands of the noble Odysseus, whom but late he was

dishonouring as he sat in the halls, and was inciting all

his fellows to do likewise.

Then the mighty prince Telemachus spake among them, saying:

'Lo now, in very truth, Cronion has robbed me of my wits!

My dear mother, wise as she is, declares that she will go

with a stranger and forsake this house; yet I laugh and in

my silly heart I am glad. Nay come now, ye wooers, seeing

that this is the prize which is set before you, a lady, the

like of whom there is not now in the Achaean land, neither

in sacred Pylos, nor in Argos, nor in Mycenae, nor yet in

Ithaca, nor in the dark mainland. Nay but ye know all this

yourselves,--why need I praise my mother? Come therefore,

delay not the issue with excuses, nor hold much longer

aloof from the drawing of the bow, that we may see the

thing that is to be. Yea and I myself would make trial of

this bow. If I shall string it, and shoot through the iron,

then should I not sorrow if my lady mother were to quit

these halls and go with a stranger, seeing that I should be

left behind, well able now to lift my father's goodly gear

of combat.'

Therewith he cast from off his neck his cloak of scarlet,

and sprang to his full height, and put away the sword from

his shoulders. First he dug a good trench and set up the

axes, one long trench for them all, and over it he made

straight the line and round about stamped in the earth. And

amazement fell on all that beheld how orderly he set the

axes, though never before had he seen it so. Then he went

and stood by the threshold and began to prove the bow.

Thrice he made it to tremble in his great desire to draw

it, and thrice he rested from his effort, though still he

hoped in his heart to string the bow, and shoot through the

iron. And now at last he might have strung it, mightily

straining thereat for the fourth time, but Odysseus nodded

frowning and stayed him, for all his eagerness. Then the

strong prince Telemachus spake among them again:

'Lo you now, even to the end of my days I shall be a coward

and a weakling, or it may be I am too young, and have as

yet no trust in my hands to defend me from such an one as

does violence without a cause. But come now, ye who are

mightier men than I, essay the bow and let us make an end

of the contest.'

Therewith he put the bow from him on the ground, leaning it

against the smooth and well-compacted doors, and the swift

shaft he propped hard by against the fair bow-tip, and then

he sat down once more on the high seat, whence he had

risen.

Then Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spake among them, saying:

'Rise up in order, all my friends, beginning from the left,

even from the place whence the wine is poured.'

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

first stood up Leiodes, son of Oenops, who was their

soothsayer and ever sat by the fair mixing bowl at the

extremity of the hall; he alone hated their infatuate deeds

and was indignant with all the wooers. He now first took

the bow and the swift shaft, and he went and stood by the

threshold, and began to prove the bow; but he could not

bend it; or ever that might be, his hands grew weary with

the straining, his unworn, delicate hands; so he spake

among the wooers, saying:

'Friends, of a truth I cannot bend it, let some other take

it. Ah, many of our bravest shall this bow rob of spirit

and of life, since truly it is far better for us to die,

than to live on and to fail of that for which we assemble

evermore in this place, day by day expecting the prize.

Many there be even now that hope in their hearts and desire

to wed Penelope, the bedfellow of Odysseus: but when such

an one shall make trial of the bow and see the issue,

thereafter let him woo some other fair-robed Achaean woman

with his bridal gifts and seek to win her. So may our lady

wed the man that gives most gifts, and comes as the chosen

of fate.'

So he spake, and put from him the bow leaning it against

the smooth and well-compacted doors, and the swift shaft he

propped hard by against the fair bow-tip, and then he sat

down once more on the high seat, whence he had risen.

But Antinous rebuked him, and spake and hailed him:

'Leiodes, what word hath escaped the door of thy lips; a

hard word, and a grievous? Nay, it angers me to hear it,

and to think that a bow such as this shall rob our bravest

of spirit and of life, and all because thou canst not draw

it. For I tell thee that thy lady mother bare thee not of

such might as to draw a bow and shoot arrows: but there be

others of the proud wooers that shall draw it soon.'

So he spake, and commanded Melanthius, the goatherd,

saying: 'Up now, light a fire in the halls, Melanthius; and

place a great settle by the fire and a fleece thereon, and

bring forth a great ball of lard that is within, that we

young men may warm and anoint the bow therewith and prove

it, and make an end of the contest.'

So he spake, and Melanthius soon kindled the never-resting

fire, and drew up a settle and placed it near, and put a

fleece thereon, and he brought forth a great ball of lard

that was within. Therewith the young men warmed the bow,

and made essay, but could not string it, for they were

greatly lacking of such might. And Antinous still held to

the task and godlike Eurymachus, chief men among the

wooers, who were far the most excellent of all.

But those other twain went forth both together from the

house, the neatherd and the swineherd of godlike Odysseus;

and Odysseus passed out after them. But when they were now

gotten without the gates and the courtyard, he uttered his

voice and spake to them in gentle words:

'Neatherd and thou swineherd, shall I say somewhat or keep

it to myself? Nay, my spirit bids me declare it. What

manner of men would ye be to help Odysseus, if he should

come thus suddenly, I know not whence, and some god were to

bring him? Would ye stand on the side of the wooers or of

Odysseus? Tell me even as your heart and spirit bid you.'

Then the neatherd answered him, saying: 'Father Zeus, if

but thou wouldst fulfil this wish: {*}--oh, that that man

might come, and some god lead him hither! So shouldest thou

know what my might is, and how my hands follow to obey.'

{* Placing a colon at [Greek]}

In like manner Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that wise

Odysseus might return to his own home.

Now when he knew for a surety what spirit they were of,

once more he answered and spake to them, saying:

'Behold, home am I come, even I; after much travail and

sore am I come in the twentieth year to mine own country.

And I know how that my coming is desired by you alone of

all my thralls, for from none besides have I heard a prayer

that I might return once more to my home. And now I will

tell you all the truth, even as it shall come to pass. If

the god shall subdue the proud wooers to my hands, I will

bring you each one a wife, and will give you a heritage of

your own and a house builded near to me, and ye twain shall

be thereafter in mine eyes as the brethren and companions

of Telemachus. But behold, I will likewise show you a most

manifest token, that ye may know me well and be certified

in heart, even the wound that the boar dealt me with his

white tusk long ago, when I went to Parnassus with the sons

of Autolycus.'

Therewith he drew aside the rags from the great scar. And

when the twain had beheld it and marked it well, they cast

their arms about the wise Odysseus, and fell a weeping; and

kissed him lovingly on head and shoulders. And in like

manner Odysseus too kissed their heads and hands. And now

would the sunlight have gone down upon their sorrowing, had

not Odysseus himself stayed them saying:

'Cease ye from weeping and lamentation, lest some one come

forth from the hall and see us, and tell it likewise in the

house. Nay, go ye within one by one and not both together,

I first and you following, and let this be the token

between us. All the rest, as many as are proud wooers, will

not suffer that I should be given the bow and quiver; do

thou then, goodly Eumaeus, as thou bearest the bow through

the hall, set it in my hands and speak to the women that

they bar the well-fitting doors of their chamber. And if

any of them hear the sound of groaning or the din of men

within our walls, let them not run forth but abide where

they are in silence at their work. But on thee, goodly

Philoetius, I lay this charge, to bolt and bar the outer

gate of the court and swiftly to tie the knot.'

Therewith he passed within the fair-lying halls, and went

and sat upon the settle whence he had risen. And likewise

the two thralls of divine Odysseus went within.

And now Eurymachus was handling the bow, warming it on this

side and on that at the light of the fire; yet even so he

could not string it, and in his great heart he groaned

mightily; and in heaviness of spirit he spake and called

aloud, saying:

'Lo you now, truly am I grieved for myself and for you all!

Not for the marriage do I mourn so greatly, afflicted

though I be; there are many Achaean women besides, some in

sea-begirt Ithaca itself and some in other cities. Nay, but

I grieve, if indeed we are so far worse than godlike

Odysseus in might, seeing that we cannot bend the bow. It

will be a shame even for men unborn to hear thereof.'

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

this shall not be so, and thou thyself too knowest it. For

to-day the feast of the archer god is held in the land, a

holy feast. Who at such a time would be bending bows? Nay,

set it quietly by; what and if we should let the axes all

stand as they are? None methinks will come to the hall of

Odysseus, son of Laertes, and carry them away. Go to now,

let the wine-bearer pour for libation into each cup in

turn, that after the drink-offering we may set down the

curved bow. And in the morning bid Melanthius, the

goatherd, to lead hither the very best goats in all his

herds, that we may lay pieces of the thighs on the altar of

Apollo the archer, and assay the bow and make an end of the

contest.'

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

the henchmen poured water on their hands, and pages crowned

the mixing-bowls with drink, and served out the wine to

all, when they had poured for libation into each cup in

turn. But when they had poured forth and had drunken to

their hearts' desire, Odysseus of many counsels spake among

them out of a crafty heart, saying:

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

that which my heart within me bids. And mainly to

Eurymachus I make my prayer and to the godlike Antinous,

forasmuch as he has spoken even this word aright, namely,

that for this present ye cease from your archery and leave

the issue to the gods; and in the morning the god will give

the victory to whomsoever he will. Come therefore, give me

the polished bow, that in your presence I may prove my

hands and strength, whether I have yet any force such as

once was in my supple limbs, or whether my wanderings and

needy fare have even now destroyed it.'

So spake he and they all were exceeding wroth, for fear

lest he should string the polished bow. And Antinous

rebuked him, and spake and hailed him:

'Wretched stranger, thou hast no wit, nay never so little.

Art thou not content to feast at ease in our high company,

and to lack not thy share of the banquet, but to listen to

our speech and our discourse, while no guest and beggar

beside thee hears our speech? Wine it is that wounds thee,

honey sweet wine, that is the bane of others too, even of

all who take great draughts and drink out of measure. Wine

it was that darkened the mind even of the Centaur, renowned

Eurytion, in the hall of high-hearted Peirithous, when he

went to the Lapithae; and after that his heart was darkened

with wine, he wrought foul deeds in his frenzy, in the

house of Peirithous. Then wrath fell on all the heroes, and

they leaped up and dragged him forth through the porch,

when they had shorn off his ears and nostrils with the

pitiless sword, and then with darkened mind he bare about

with him the burden of his sin in foolishness of heart.

Thence was the feud begun between the Centaurs and mankind;

but first for himself gat he hurt, being heavy with wine.

And even so I declare great mischief unto thee if thou

shalt string the bow, for thou shalt find no courtesy at

the hand of anyone in our land, and anon we will send thee

in a black ship to Echetus, the maimer of all men, and

thence thou shalt not be saved alive. Nay then, drink at

thine ease, and strive not still with men that are younger

than thou.'

Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Antinous, truly it is not

fair nor just to rob the guests of Telemachus of their due,

whosoever he may be that comes to this house. Dost thou

think if yonder stranger strings the great bow of Odysseus,

in the pride of his might and of his strength of arm, that

he will lead me to his home and make me his wife? Nay he

himself, methinks, has no such hope in his breast; so, as

for that, let not any of you fret himself while feasting in

this place; that were indeed unmeet.'

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

'Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, it is not that we deem

that he will lead thee to his home,--far be such a thought

from us,--but we dread the speech of men and women, lest

some day one of the baser sort among the Achaeans say:

"Truly men far too mean are wooing the wife of one that is

noble, nor can they string the polished bow. But a stranger

and a beggar came in his wanderings, and lightly strung the

bow, and shot through the iron." Thus will they speak, and

this will turn to our reproach.'

Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Eurymachus, never can

there be fair fame in the land for those that devour and

dishonour the house of a prince, but why make ye this thing

into a reproach? But, behold, our guest is great of growth

and well-knit, and avows him to be born the son of a good

father. Come then, give ye him the polished bow, that we

may see that which is to be. For thus will I declare my

saying, and it shall surely come to pass. If he shall

string the bow and Apollo grant him renown, I will clothe

him in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment, and I will

give him a sharp javelin to defend him against dogs and

men, and a two-edged sword and sandals to bind beneath his

feet, and I will send him whithersoever his heart and

spirit bid him go.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'My mother, as

for the bow, no Achaean is mightier than I to give or to

deny it to whomso I will, neither as many as are lords in

rocky Ithaca nor in the isles on the side of Elis, the

pastureland of horses. Not one of these shall force me in

mine own despite, if I choose to give this bow, yea once

and for all, to the stranger to bear away with him. But do

thou go to thine own chamber and mind thine own

housewiferies, the loom and distaff, and bid thine

handmaids ply their tasks. But the bow shall be for men,

for all, but for me in chief, for mine is the lordship in

the house.'

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

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

her upper chamber with the women her handmaids, and then

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

Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids.

Now the goodly swineherd had taken the curved bow, and was

bearing it, when the wooers all cried out upon him in the

halls. And thus some one of the haughty youths would speak:

'Whither now art thou bearing the curved bow, thou wretched

swineherd, crazed in thy wits? Lo, soon shall the swift

hounds of thine own breeding eat thee hard by thy swine,

alone and away from men, if Apollo will be gracious to us

and the other deathless gods.'

Even so they spake, and he took and set down the bow in

that very place, being affrighted because many cried out on

him in the halls. Then Telemachus from the other side spake

threateningly, and called aloud:

'Father, bring hither the bow, soon shalt thou rue it that

thou servest many masters. Take heed, lest I that am

younger than thou pursue thee to the field, and pelt thee

with stones, for in might I am the better. If only I were

so much mightier in strength of arm than all the wooers

that are in the halls, soon would I send many an one forth

on a woeful way from out our house, for they imagine

mischief against us.'

So he spake, and all the wooers laughed sweetly at him, and

ceased now from their cruel anger toward Telemachus. Then

the swineherd bare the bow through the hall, and went up to

wise Odysseus, and set it in his hands. And he called forth

the nurse Eurycleia from the chamber and spake to her:

'Wise Eurycleia, Telemachus bids thee bar the well-fitting

doors of thy chamber, and if any of the women hear the

sound of groaning or the din of men within our walls, let

them not go forth, but abide where they are in silence at

their work.'

So he spake, and wingless her speech remained, and she

barred the doors of the fair-lying chambers.

Then Philoetius hasted forth silently from the house, and

barred the outer gates of the fenced court. Now there lay

beneath the gallery the cable of a curved ship, fashioned

of the byblus plant, wherewith he made fast the gates, and

then himself passed within. Then he went and sat on the

settle whence he had risen, and gazed upon Odysseus. He

already was handling the bow, turning it every way about,

and proving it on this side and on that, lest the worms

might have eaten the horns when the lord of the bow was

away. And thus men spake looking each one to his neighbour:

'Verily he has a good eye, and a shrewd turn for a bow!

Either, methinks, he himself has such a bow lying by at

home or else he is set on making one, in such wise does he

turn it hither and thither in his hands, this evil-witted

beggar.'

And another again of the haughty youths would say: 'Would

that the fellow may have profit thereof, just so surely as

he shall ever prevail to bend this bow!'

So spake the wooers, but Odysseus of many counsels had

lifted the great bow and viewed it on every side, and even

as when a man that is skilled in the lyre and in

minstrelsy, easily stretches a cord about a new peg, after

tying at either end the twisted sheep-gut, even so Odysseus

straightway bent the great bow, all without effort, and

took it in his right hand and proved the bow-string, which

rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow. Then

great grief came upon the wooers, and the colour of their

countenance was changed, and Zeus thundered loud showing

forth his tokens. And the steadfast goodly Odysseus was

glad thereat, in that the son of deep-counselling Cronos

had sent him a sign. Then he caught up a swift arrow which

lay by his table, bare, but the other shafts were stored

within the hollow quiver, those whereof the Achaeans were

soon to taste. He took and laid it on the bridge of the

bow, and held the notch and drew the string, even from the

settle whereon he sat, and with straight aim shot the shaft

and missed not one of the axes, beginning from the first

axe-handle, and the bronze-weighted shaft passed clean

through and out at the last. Then he spake to Telemachus,

saying:

'Telemachus, thy guest that sits in the halls does thee no

shame. In nowise did I miss my mark, nor was I wearied with

long bending of the bow. Still is my might steadfast--not

as the wooers say scornfully to slight me. But now is it

time that supper too be got ready for the Achaeans, while

it is yet light, and thereafter must we make other sport

with the dance and the lyre, for these are the crown of the

feast.'

Therewith he nodded with bent brows, and Telemachus, the

dear son of divine Odysseus, girt his sharp sword about him

and took the spear in his grasp, and stood by his high seat

at his father's side, armed with the gleaming bronze.

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