Book XXIV

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The Ithacans bury the wooers, and sitting in council

resolve on revenge. And coming near the house of Laertes,

are met by Odysseus, and Laertes with Telemachus and

servants, the whole number twelve, and are overcome, and

submit.

Now Cyllenian Hermes called forth from the halls the souls

of the wooers, and he held in his hand his wand that is

fair and golden, wherewith he lulls the eyes of men, of

whomso he will, while others again he even wakens out of

sleep. Herewith he roused and led the souls who followed

gibbering. And even as bats flit gibbering in the secret

place of a wondrous cave, when one has fallen down from the

cluster on the rock, where they cling each to each up

aloft, even so the souls gibbered as they fared together,

and Hermes, the helper, led them down the dank ways. Past

the streams of Oceanus and the White Rock, past the gates

of the Sun they sped and the land of dreams, and soon they

came to the mead of asphodel, where dwell the souls, the

phantoms of men outworn. There they found the soul of

Achilles son of Peleus, and the souls 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.

So these were flocking round Achilles, and the spirit of

Agamemnon, son of Atreus, drew nigh sorrowful; and about

him were gathered all the other shades, as many as perished

with him in the house of Aegisthus, and met their doom.

Now the soul of the son of Peleus spake to him first,

saying:

'Son of Atreus, verily we deemed that thou above all other

heroes wast evermore dear to Zeus, whose joy is in the

thunder, seeing that thou wast lord over warriors, many and

mighty men, in the land of the Trojans where we Achaeans

suffered affliction. But lo, thee too was deadly doom to

visit early, {*} the doom that none avoids of all men born.

Ah, would that in the fulness of thy princely honour, thou

hadst met death and fate in the land of the Trojans! So

would all the Achaean host have builded thee a barrow, yea

and for thy son thou wouldst have won great glory in the

aftertime. But now it has been decreed for thee to perish

by a most pitiful death.'

{* Reading [Greek]}

Then the soul of the son of Atreus answered, and spake:

'Happy art thou son of Peleus, godlike Achilles, that didst

die in Troy-land far from Argos, and about thee fell

others, the best of the sons of Trojans and Achaeans,

fighting for thy body; but thou in the whirl of dust layest

mighty and mightily fallen, forgetful of thy chivalry. And

we strove the livelong day, nor would we ever have ceased

from the fight, if Zeus had not stayed us with a tempest.

Anon when we had borne thee to the ships from out of the

battle, we laid thee on a bier and washed thy fair flesh

clean with warm water and unguents, and around thee the

Danaans shed many a hot tear and shore their hair. And

forth from the sea came thy mother with the deathless

maidens of the waters, when they heard the tidings; and a

wonderful wailing rose over the deep, and trembling fell on

the limbs of all the Achaeans. Yea, and they would have

sprung up and departed to the hollow ships, had not one

held them back that knew much lore from of old, Nestor,

whose counsel proved heretofore the best. Out of his good

will he made harangue, and spake among them:

'"Hold, ye Argives, flee not, young lords of the Achaeans.

Lo, his mother from the sea is she that comes, with the

deathless maidens of the waters, to behold the face of her

dead son."

'So he spake, and the high-hearted Achaeans ceased from

their flight. Then round thee stood the daughters of the

ancient one of the sea, holding a pitiful lament, and they

clad thee about in raiment incorruptible. And all the nine

Muses one to the other replying with sweet voices began the

dirge; there thou wouldest not have seen an Argive but

wept, so mightily rose up the clear chant. Thus for

seventeen days and nights continually did we all bewail

thee, immortal gods and mortal men. On the eighteenth day

we gave thy body to the flames, and many well-fatted sheep

we slew around thee, and kine of shambling gait. So thou

wert burned in the garments of the gods, and in much

unguents and in sweet honey, and many heroes of the

Achaeans moved mail-clad around the pyre when thou wast

burning, both footmen and horse, and great was the noise

that arose. But when the flame of Hephaestus had utterly

abolished thee, lo, in the morning we gathered together thy

white bones, Achilles, and bestowed them in unmixed wine

and in unguents. Thy mother gave a twy-handled golden urn,

and said that it was the gift of Dionysus, and the

workmanship of renowned Hephaestus. Therein lie thy white

bones, great Achilles, and mingled therewith the bones of

Patroclus son of Menoetias, that is dead, but apart is the

dust of Antilochus, whom thou didst honour above all thy

other companions, after Patroclus that was dead. Then over

them did we pile a great and goodly tomb, we the holy host

of Argive warriors, high on a jutting headland over wide

Hellespont, that it might be far seen from off the sea by

men that now are, and by those that shall be hereafter.

Then thy mother asked the gods for glorious prizes in the

games, and set them in the midst of the lists for the

champions of the Achaeans. In days past thou hast been at

the funeral games of many a hero, whenso, after some king's

death, the young men gird themselves and make them ready

for the meed of victory; but couldst thou have seen these

gifts thou wouldst most have marvelled in spirit, such

glorious prizes did the goddess set there to honour thee,

even Thetis, the silver-footed; for very dear wert thou to

the gods. Thus not even in death hast thou lost thy name,

but to thee shall be a fair renown for ever among all men,

Achilles. But what joy have I now herein, that I have wound

up the clew of war, for on my return Zeus devised for me an

evil end at the hands of Aegisthus and my wife accursed?'

So they spake one to the other. And nigh them came the

Messenger, the slayer of Argos, leading down the ghosts of

the wooers by Odysseus slain, and the two heroes were

amazed at the sight and went straight toward them. And the

soul of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, knew the dear son of

Melaneus, renowned Amphimedon, who had been his host,

having his dwelling in Ithaca. The soul of the son of

Atreus spake to him first, saying:

'Amphimedon, what hath befallen you, that ye have come

beneath the darkness of earth, all of you picked men and of

like age? it is even as though one should choose out and

gather together the best warriors in a city. Did Poseidon

smite you in your ships and rouse up contrary winds and the

long waves? Or did unfriendly men, perchance, do you hurt

upon the land as ye were cutting off their oxen and fair

flocks of sheep, or while they fought to defend their city

and the women thereof? Answer and tell me, for I avow me a

friend of thy house. Rememberest thou not the day when I

came to your house in Ithaca with godlike Menelaus, to urge

Odysseus to follow with me to Ilios on the decked ships?

And it was a full month ere we had sailed all across the

wide sea, for scarce could we win to our cause Odysseus,

waster of cities.'

Then the ghost of Amphimedon answered him, and spake: 'Most

famous son of Atreus, king of men, Agamemnon, I remember

all these things, O fosterling of Zeus, as thou declarest

them, and I in turn will tell thee all the tale well and

truly, even our death and evil end, on what wise it befell.

We wooed the wife of Odysseus that was long afar, and she

neither refused the hated bridal nor was minded to make an

end, devising for us death and black fate. Also this other

wile she contrived in her heart. She set up in her halls a

mighty web, fine of woof and very wide, whereat she would

weave, and anon she spake among us:

'"Ye princely youths, my wooers, now that goodly Odysseus

is dead, do ye abide patiently, how eager soever to speed

on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe. I would

not that the threads perish to no avail, even this shroud

for the hero Laertes, against the day when the ruinous doom

shall bring him low, of death that lays men at their

length. So shall none of the Achaean women in the land

count it blame in me, as well might be, were he to lie

without a winding-sheet, a man that had gotten great

possessions."

'So spake she, and our high hearts consented thereto. So

then in the daytime she would weave the mighty web, and in

the night unravel the same, when she had let place the

torches by her. Thus for the space of three years she hid

the thing by guile and won the minds of the Achaeans; but

when the fourth year arrived and the seasons came round, as

the months waned and many days were accomplished, then it

was that one of her women who knew all declared it, and we

found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished

it perforce and sore against her will. Now when she brought

the robe to light, after she had woven the great web and

washed it, and it shone even as sun or moon, at that very

hour some evil god led Odysseus, I know not whence, to the

upland farm, where the swineherd abode in his dwelling.

Thither too came the dear son of divine Odysseus out of

sandy Pylos, voyaging with his black ship. These twain

framed an evil death for the wooers, and came to the

renowned town. Odysseus verily came the later, and

Telemachus went before and led the way. Now the swineherd

brought Odysseus clad in vile raiment, in the likeness of a

beggar, a wretched man and an old, leaning on a staff, and

behold, he was clad about in sorry raiment. And none of us,

not even the elders, could know him for that he was, on

this his sudden appearing, but with evil words we assailed

him and hurled things at him. Yet for a while he hardened

his heart to endure both the hurlings and the evil words in

his own halls; but at the last, when the spirit of Zeus,

lord of the aegis, aroused him, by the help of Telemachus

he took up all the goodly weapons, and laid them by in the

inner chamber and drew the bolts. Next in his great craft

he bade his wife to offer his bow and store of grey iron to

the wooers to be the weapons of our contest, luckless that

we were, and the beginning of death. Now not one of us

could stretch the string of the strong bow; far short we

fell of that might. But when the great bow came to the

hands of Odysseus, then we all clamoured and forbade to

give him the bow, how much soever he might speak, but

Telemachus alone was instant with him and commanded him to

take it. Then he took the bow into his hands, the steadfast

goodly Odysseus, and lightly he strung it, and sent the

arrow through the iron. Then straight he went to the

threshold and there took his stand, and poured forth the

swift arrows, glancing terribly around, and smote the king

Antinous. Thereafter on the others he let fly his bolts,

winged for death, with straight aim, and the wooers fell

thick one upon another. Then was it known how that some god

was their helper, for pressing on as their passion drave

them, they slew the men right and left through the halls,

and thence there arose a hideous moaning, as heads were

smitten and the floor all ran with blood. So we perished,

Agamemnon, and even now our bodies lie uncared for in the

halls of Odysseus, for the friends of each one at home as

yet know nought, even they who might wash the black-clotted

blood out of our wounds, and lay out the bodies and wail

the dirge, for that is the due of the dead.'

Then the ghost of the son of Atreus answered him: 'Ah,

happy son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, yea, for a

wife most excellent hast thou gotten, so good was the

wisdom of constant Penelope, daughter of Icarius, that was

duly mindful of Odysseus, her wedded lord. Wherefore the

fame of her virtue shall never perish, but the immortals

will make a gracious song in the ears of men on earth to

the fame of constant Penelope. In far other wise did the

daughter of Tyndareus devise ill deeds, and slay her wedded

lord, and hateful shall the song of her be among men, and

an evil repute hath she brought upon all womankind, even on

the upright.'

Even so these twain spake one to the other, standing in the

house of Hades, beneath the secret places of the earth.

Now when those others had gone down from the city, quickly

they came to the rich and well-ordered farm land of

Laertes, that he had won for himself of old, as the prize

of great toil in war. There was his house, and all about it

ran the huts wherein the thralls were wont to eat and dwell

and sleep, bondsmen that worked his will. And in the house

there was an old Sicilian woman, who diligently cared for

the old man, in the upland far from the city. There

Odysseus spake to his thralls and to his son, saying:

'Do ye now get you within the well-builded house, and

quickly sacrifice the best of the swine for the midday

meal, but I will make trial of my father, whether he will

know me again and be aware of me when he sees me, or know

me not, so long have I been away,'

Therewith he gave the thralls his weapons of war. Then they

went speedily to the house, while Odysseus drew near to the

fruitful vineyard to make trial of his father. Now he found

not Dolius there, as he went down into the great garden,

nor any of the thralls nor of their sons. It chanced that

they had all gone to gather stones for a garden fence, and

the old man at their head. So he found his father alone in

the terraced vineyard, digging about a plant. He was

clothed in a filthy doublet, patched and unseemly, with

clouted leggings of oxhide bound about his legs, against

the scratches of the thorns, and long sleeves over his

hands by reason of the brambles, and on his head he wore a

goatskin cap, and so he nursed his sorrow. Now when the

steadfast goodly Odysseus saw his father thus wasted with

age and in great grief of heart, he stood still beneath a

tall pear tree and let fall a tear. Then he communed with

his heart and soul, whether he should fall on his father's

neck and kiss him, and tell him all, how he had returned

and come to his own country, or whether he should first

question him and prove him in every word. And as he thought

within himself, this seemed to him the better way, namely,

first to prove his father and speak to him sharply. So with

this intent the goodly Odysseus went up to him. Now he was

holding his head down and kept digging about the plant,

while his renowned son stood by him and spake, saying:

'Old man, thou hast no lack of skill in tending a garden;

lo, thou carest well for all, {*} nor is there aught

whatsoever, either plant or fig-tree, or vine, yea, or

olive, or pear, or garden-bed in all the close, that is not

well seen to. Yet another thing will I tell thee and lay

not up wrath thereat in thy heart. Thyself art scarce so

well cared for, but a pitiful old age is on thee, and

withal thou art withered and unkempt, and clad unseemly. It

cannot be to punish thy sloth that thy master cares not for

thee; there shows nothing of the slave about thy face and

stature, for thou art like a kingly man, even like one who

should lie soft, when he has washed and eaten well, as is

the manner of the aged. But come declare me this and

plainly tell it all. Whose thrall art thou, and whose

garden dost thou tend? Tell me moreover truly, that I may

surely know, if it be indeed to Ithaca that I am now come,

as one yonder told me who met with me but now on the way

hither. He was but of little understanding, for he deigned

not to tell me all nor to heed my saying, when I questioned

him concerning my friend, whether indeed he is yet alive or

is even now dead and within the house of Hades. For I will

declare it and do thou mark and listen: once did I kindly

entreat a man in mine own dear country, who came to our

home, and never yet has any mortal been dearer of all the

strangers that have drawn to my house from afar. He

declared him to be by lineage from out of Ithaca, and said

that his own father was Laertes son of Arceisius. So I led

him to our halls and gave him good entertainment, with all

loving-kindness, out of the plenty that was within. Such

gifts too I gave him as are the due of guests; of well

wrought gold I gave him seven talents, and a mixing bowl of

flowered work, all of silver, and twelve cloaks of single

fold, and as many coverlets, and as many goodly mantles and

doublets to boot, and besides all these, four women skilled

in all fair works and most comely, the women of his

choice.'

{* Supplying [Greek] from the preceding clause as object to

[Greek]. Other constructions are possible.}

Then his father answered him, weeping: 'Stranger, thou art

verily come to that country whereof thou askest, but

outrageous men and froward hold it. And these thy gifts,

thy countless gifts, thou didst bestow in vain. For if thou

hadst found that man yet living in the land of Ithaca he

would have sent thee on thy way with good return of thy

presents, and with all hospitality, as is due to the man

that begins the kindness. But come, declare me this and

plainly tell me all; how many years are passed since thou

didst entertain him, thy guest ill-fated and my child,--if

ever such an one there was,--hapless man, whom far from his

friends and his country's soil, the fishes, it may be, have

devoured in the deep sea, or on the shore he has fallen the

prey of birds and beasts. His mother wept not over him nor

clad him for burial, nor his father, we that begat him. Nor

did his bride, whom men sought with rich gifts, the

constant Penelope, bewail her lord upon the bier, as was

meet, nor closed his eyes, as is the due of the departed.

Moreover, tell me this truly, that I may surely know, who

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

and where are they that begat thee? Where now is thy swift

ship moored, that brought thee thither with thy godlike

company? Hast thou come as a passenger on another's ship,

while they set thee ashore and went away?

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him, saying: 'Yea

now, I will tell thee all most plainly. From out of Alybas

I come, where I dwell in a house renowned, and am the son

of Apheidas the son of Polypemon, the prince, and my own

name is Eperitus. But some god drave me wandering hither

from Sicania against my will, and yonder my ship is moored

toward the upland away from the city. But for Odysseus,

this is now the fifth year since he went thence and

departed out of my country. Ill-fated was he, and yet he

had birds of good omen when he fared away, birds on the

right; wherefore I sped him gladly on his road, and gladly

he departed, and the heart of us twain hoped yet to meet in

friendship on a day and to give splendid gifts.'

So he spake, and on the old man fell a black cloud of

sorrow. With both his hands he clutched the dust and ashes

and showered them on his gray head, with ceaseless

groaning. Then the heart of Odysseus was moved, and up

through his nostrils throbbed anon the keen sting of sorrow

at the sight of his dear father. And he sprang towards him

and fell on his neck and kissed him, saying:

'Behold, I here, even I, my father, am the man of whom thou

askest; in the twentieth year am I come to mine own

country. But stay thy weeping and tearful lamentation, for

I will tell thee all clearly, though great need there is of

haste. I have slain the wooers in our halls and avenged

their bitter scorn and evil deeds.'

Then Laertes answered him and spake, saying: 'If thou art

indeed Odysseus, mine own child, that art come hither, show

me now a manifest token, that I may be assured.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Look

first on this scar and consider it, that the boar dealt me

with his white tusk on Parnassus, whither I had gone, and

thou didst send me forth, thou and my lady mother, to

Autolycus my mother's father, to get the gifts which when

he came hither he promised and covenanted to give me. But

come, and I will even tell thee the trees through all the

terraced garden, which thou gavest me once for mine own,

and I was begging of thee this and that, being but a little

child, and following thee through the garden. Through these

very trees we were going, and thou didst tell me the names

of each of them. Pear-trees thirteen thou gavest me and ten

apple-trees and figs two-score, and, as we went, thou didst

name the fifty rows of vines thou wouldest give me, whereof

each one ripened at divers times, with all manner of

clusters on their boughs, when the seasons of Zeus wrought

mightily on them from on high.'

So he spake, and straightway his knees were loosened, and

his heart melted within him, as he knew the sure tokens

that Odysseus showed him. About his dear son he cast his

arms, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus caught him fainting

to his breast. Now when he had got breath and his spirit

came to him again, once more he answered and spake, saying:

'Father Zeus, verily ye gods yet bear sway on high Olympus,

if indeed the wooers have paid for their infatuate pride!

But now my heart is terribly afraid, lest straightway all

the men of Ithaca come up against us here, and haste to

send messengers everywhere to the cities of the

Cephallenians.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Take

courage, and let not thy heart be careful about these

matters. But come, let us go to the house that lies near

the garden, for thither I sent forward Telemachus and the

neatherd and the swineherd to get ready the meal as

speedily as may be.'

After these words the twain set out to the goodly halls.

Now when they had come to the fair-lying house, they found

Telemachus and the neatherd and the swineherd carving much

flesh, and mixing the dark wine. Meanwhile the Sicilian

handmaid bathed high-hearted Laertes in his house, and

anointed him with olive-oil, and cast a fair mantle about

him. Then Athene drew nigh, and made greater the limbs of

the shepherd of the people, taller she made him than before

and mightier to behold. Then he went forth from the bath,

and his dear son marvelled at him, beholding him like to

the deathless gods in presence. And uttering his voice he

spake to him winged words:

'Father, surely one of the gods that are from everlasting

hath made thee goodlier and greater to behold.'

Then wise Laertes answered him, saying: 'Ah, would to

father Zeus and Athene and Apollo, that such as I was when

I took Nericus, the stablished castle on the foreland of

the continent, being then the prince of the Cephallenians,

would that in such might, and with mail about my shoulders,

I had stood to aid thee yesterday in our house, and to beat

back the wooers; so should I have loosened the knees of

many an one of them in the halls, and thou shouldest have

been gladdened in thine inmost heart!'

So they spake each with the other. But when the others had

ceased from their task and made ready the feast, they sat

down all orderly on chairs and on high seats. Then they

began to put forth their hands on the meat, and the old man

Dolius drew nigh, and the old man's sons withal came tired

from their labour in the fields, for their mother, the aged

Sicilian woman, had gone forth and called them, she that

saw to their living and diligently cared for the old man,

now that old age had laid hold on him. So soon as they

looked on Odysseus and took knowledge of him, they stood

still in the halls in great amazement. But Odysseus

addressed them in gentle words, saying:

'Old man, sit down to meat and do ye forget your

marvelling, for long have we been eager to put forth our

hands on the food, as we abode in the hall alway expecting

your coming.'

So he spake, and Dolius ran straight toward him stretching

forth both his hands, and he grasped the hand of Odysseus

and kissed it on the wrist, and uttering his voice spake to

him winged words:

'Beloved, forasmuch as thou hast come back to us who sore

desired thee, and no longer thought to see thee, and the

gods have led thee home again;--hail to thee and welcome

manifold, and may the gods give thee all good fortune!

Moreover tell me this truly, that I may be assured, whether

wise Penelope yet knows well that thou hast come back

hither, or whether we shall dispatch a messenger.'

Then Odysseus of many counsels answered saying: 'Old man,

already she knows all; what need to busy thyself herewith?'

Thereon the other sat him down again on his polished

settle. And in like wise the sons of Dolius gathered about

the renowned Odysseus, and greeted him well and clasped his

hands, and then sat down all orderly by Dolius their

father.

So they were busy with the meal in the halls. Now Rumour

the messenger went swiftly all about the city, telling the

tale of the dire death and fate of the wooers. And the

people heard it, and all at once gathered together from

every side with sighing and groaning before the house of

Odysseus. And each brought forth his dead from the halls,

and buried them; but those that came out of other cities

they placed on swift ships and sent with fisherfolk, each

to be carried to his own home. As for them they all fared

together to the assembly-place, in sorrow of heart. When

they were all gathered and come together, Eupeithes arose

and spake among them, for a comfortless grief lay heavy on

his heart for his son Antinous, the first man that goodly

Odysseus had slain. Weeping for him he made harangue and

spake among them:

'Friends, a great deed truly hath this man devised against

the Achaeans. Some with his ships he led away, many men,

and noble, and his hollow ships hath he lost, and utterly

lost of his company, and others again, and those far the

best of the Cephallenians he hath slain on his coming home.

Up now, before ever he gets him swiftly either to Pylos or

to fair Elis, where the Epeians bear sway, let us go forth;

else even hereafter shall we have shame of face for ever.

For a scorn this is even for the ears of men unborn to

hear, if we avenge not ourselves on the slayers of our sons

and of our brethren. Life would no more be sweet to me, but

rather would I die straightway and be with the departed.

Up, let us be going, lest these fellows be beforehand with

us and get them over the sea.'

Thus he spake weeping, and pity fell on all the Achaeans.

Then came near to them Medon and the divine minstrel, forth

from the halls of Odysseus, for that sleep had let them go.

They stood in the midst of the gathering, and amazement

seized every man. Then Medon, wise of heart, spake among

them, saying:

'Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, for surely Odysseus

planned not these deeds without the will of the gods. Nay I

myself beheld a god immortal, who stood hard by Odysseus,

in the perfect semblance of Mentor; now as a deathless god

was he manifest in front of Odysseus, cheering him, and yet

again scaring the wooers he stormed through the hall, and

they fell thick one on another.'

Thus he spake, and pale fear gat hold of the limbs of all.

Then the old man, the lord Halitherses, spake among them,

the son of Mastor, for he alone saw before and after. Out

of his good will be made harangue and spake among them,

saying:

'Hearken to me now, ye men of Ithaca, to the word that I

will say. Through your own cowardice, my friends, have

these deeds come to pass. For ye obeyed not me, nor Mentor,

the shepherd of the people, to make your sons cease from

their foolish ways. A great villainy they wrought in their

evil infatuation, wasting the wealth and holding in no

regard the wife of a prince, while they deemed that he

would never more come home. And now let things be on this

wise, and obey my counsel. Let us not go forth against him,

lest haply some may find a bane of their own bringing.'

So he spake, but they leapt up with a great cry, the more

part of them, while the rest abode there together; for his

counsel was not to the mind of the more part, but they gave

ear to Eupeithes, and swiftly thereafter they rushed for

their armour. So when they had arrayed them in shining

mail, they assembled together in front of the spacious

town. And Eupeithes led them in his witlessness, for he

thought to avenge the slaying of his son, yet himself was

never to return, but then and there to meet his doom.

Now Athene spake to Zeus, the son of Cronos, saying: 'O

Father, our father Cronides, throned in the highest, answer

and tell me what is now the hidden counsel of thy heart?

Wilt thou yet further rouse up evil war and the terrible

din of battle, or art thou minded to set them at one again

in friendship?'

Then Zeus, the gatherer of the clouds, answered her saying:

'My child, why dost thou thus straitly question me, and ask

me this? Nay didst not thou thyself devise this very

thought, namely, that Odysseus should indeed take vengeance

on these men at his coming? Do as thou wilt, but I will

tell thee of the better way. Now that goodly Odysseus hath

wreaked vengeance on the wooers, let them make a firm

covenant together with sacrifice, and let him be king all

his days, and let us bring about oblivion of the slaying of

their children and their brethren; so may both sides love

one another as of old, and let peace and wealth abundant be

their portion.'

Therewith he roused Athene to yet greater eagerness, and

from the peaks of Olympus she came glancing down.

Now when they had put from them the desire of honey-sweet

food, the steadfast goodly Odysseus began to speak among

them, saying:

'Let one go forth and see, lest the people be already

drawing near against us.'

So he spake, and the son of Dolius went forth at his

bidding, and stood on the outer threshold and saw them all

close at hand. Then straightway he spake to Odysseus winged

words:

'Here they be, close upon us! Quick, let us to arms!'

Thereon they rose up and arrayed them in their harness,

Odysseus and his men being four, and the six sons of

Dolius, and likewise Laertes and Dolius did on their

armour, grey-headed as they were, warriors through stress

of need. Now when they had clad them in shining mail, they

opened the gates and went forth and Odysseus led them.

Then Athene, daughter of Zeus, drew near them in the

likeness of Mentor, in fashion and in voice. And the

steadfast goodly Odysseus beheld her and was glad, and

straightway he spake to Telemachus his dear son:

'Telemachus, soon shalt thou learn this, when thou thyself

art got to the place of the battle where the best men try

the issue,--namely, not to bring shame on thy father's

house, on us who in time past have been eminent for might

and hardihood over all the world.'

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying: 'Thou shalt see

me, if thou wilt, dear father, in this my mood no whit

disgracing thy line, according to thy word.'

So spake he, and Laertes was glad and spake, saying: 'What

a day has dawned for me, kind gods; yea, a glad man am I!

My son and my son's son are vying with one another in

valour.'

Then grey-eyed Athene stood beside Laertes, and spake to

him: 'O son of Arceisius that art far the dearest of all my

friends, pray first to the grey-eyed maid and to father

Zeus, then swing thy long spear aloft and hurl its

straightway.'

Therewith Pallas Athene breathed into him great strength.

Then he prayed to the daughter of mighty Zeus, and

straightway swung his long spear aloft and hurled it, and

smote Eupeithes through his casque with the cheek-piece of

bronze. The armour kept not out the spear that went clean

through, and he fell with a crash, and his arms rattled

about his body. Then Odysseus and his renowned son fell on

the fore-fighters, and smote them with swords and

two-headed spears. And now would they have slain them all

and cut off their return, had not Athene called aloud, the

daughter of Zeus lord of the aegis, and stayed all the host

of the enemy, saying:

'Hold your hands from fierce fighting, ye men of Ithaca,

that so ye may be parted quickly, without bloodshed.'

So spake Athene, and pale fear gat hold of them all. The

arms flew from their hands in their terror and fell all

upon the ground, as the goddess uttered her voice. To the

city they turned their steps, as men fain of life, and the

steadfast goodly Odysseus with a terrible cry gathered

himself together and hurled in on them, like an eagle of

lofty flight. Then in that hour the son of Cronos cast

forth a flaming bolt, and it fell at the feet of the

grey-eyed goddess, the daughter of the mighty Sire. Then

grey-eyed Athene spake to Odysseus, saying:

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

devices, refrain thee now and stay the strife of

even-handed war, lest perchance the son of Cronos be angry

with thee, even Zeus of the far-borne voice.'

So spake Athene, and he obeyed and was glad at heart. And

thereafter Pallas Athene set a covenant between them with

sacrifice, she, the daughter of Zeus lord of the aegis, in

the likeness of Mentor, both in fashion and in voice.

Homer, thy song men liken to the sea,

With every note of music in his tone,

With tides that wash the dim dominion

Of Hades, and light waves that laugh in glee

Around the isles enchanted: nay, to me

Thy verse seems as the River of source unknown

That glasses Egypt's temples overthrown,

In his sky-nurtur'd stream, eternally.

No wiser we than men of heretofore

To find thy mystic fountains guarded fast;

Enough--thy flood makes green our human shore

As Nilus, Egypt, rolling down his vast,

His fertile waters, murmuring evermore

Of gods dethroned, and empires of the Past.

A. L.

-The End-
"The Odyssey", by Homer

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