The Odysseys of Homer, together with the shorter poems · Homer
ANOTHER ARGUMENT
Compos’d of injury! Plotter of mischief! Though reports that fly Amongst our Ithacensian people say That thou, of all that glory in their sway, Art best in words and counsels, th’ art not so. Fond, busy fellow, why plott’st thou the woe And slaughter of my son, and dost not fear The presidents of suppliants, when the ear Of Jove stoops to them? ’Tis unjust to do Slaughter for slaughter, or pay woe for woe, Mischief for kindness. Death for life sought, then, Is an injustice to be loath’d of men. Serves not thy knowledge to remember when Thy father fled to us? Who (mov’d to wrath Against the Taphian thieves) pursued with scathe The guiltless Thesprots; in whose people’s fear, Pursuing him for wreak, he landed here, They after him, professing both their prize Of all his chiefly-valued faculties, And more priz’d life. Of all whose bloodiest ends Ulysses curb’d them, though they were his friends. Yet thou, like one that no law will allow The least true honour, eat’st his house up now That fed thy father; woo’st for love his wife, Whom thus thou griev’st and seek’st her sole son’s life!
Cease, I command thee, and command the rest To see all thought of these foul fashions ceas’d.” Eurymachus replied: “Be confident, Thou all-of-wit-made, the most fam’d descent Of king Icarius. Free thy spirits of fear. There lives not anyone, nor shall live here Now, nor hereafter, while my life gives heat And light to me on earth, that dares intreat With any ill touch thy well-lovéd son, But here I vow, and here will see it done, His life shall stain my lance. If on his knees The city-racer, Laertiades, Hath made me sit, put in my hand his food, And held his red wine to me, shall the blood Of his Telemachus on my hand lay The least pollution, that my life can stay? No! I have ever charg’d him not to fear Death’s threat from any.
And, for that most dear Love of his father, he shall ever be Much the most lov’d of all that live to me. _Who kills a guiltless man from man may fly, From God his searches all escapes deny.”_ Thus cheer’d his words, but his affections still Fear’d not to cherish foul intent to kill Ev’n him whose life to all lives he preferr’d. The queen went up, and to her love appear’d Her lord so freshly, that she wept, till sleep (By Pallas forc’d on her) her eyes did steep In his sweet humour. When the even was come, The God-like herdsman reach’d the whole way home. Ulysses and his son for supper drest A year-old swine, and ere their host and guest Had got their presence, Pallas had put by With her fair rod Ulysses’ royalty, And render’d him an aged man again, With all his vile integuments, lest his swain Should know him in his trim, and tell his queen, In these deep secrets being not deeply seen. He seen, to him the prince these words did use: “Welcome divine Eumæus! Now what news Employs the city? Are the Wooers come Back from their scout dismay’d? Or here at home Will they again attempt me?” He replied: “These touch not my care.
I was satisfied To do, with most speed, what I went to do; My message done, return. And yet, not so Came my news first; a herald (met with there) Forestall’d my tale, and told how safe you were. Besides which merely necessary thing, What in my way chanc’d I may over-bring, Being what I know, and witness’d with mine eyes. Where the Hermæan sepulchre doth rise Above the city, I beheld take port A ship, and in her many a man of sort; Her freight was shields and lances; and, methought, They were the Wooers; but, of knowledge, nought Can therein tell you.” The prince smil’d, and knew They were the Wooers, casting secret view Upon his father. But what they intended Fled far the herdsman; whose swain’s labours ended, They dress’d the supper, which, past want, was eat. When all desire suffic’d of wine and meat, Of other human wants they took supplies At Sleep’s soft hand, who sweetly clos’d their eyes. THE END OF THE SIXTEENTH BOOK OF HOMER’S ODYSSEYS. [1] _’Αΐδηλον ὅμιλον, ἀΐδηλος of ἀΐδης, orcus,_ and signifies properly _tenebricosus,_ or _infernalis,_ so that _perniciosus_ (which is the Latin translation) is not so fit as damned for that crew of dissolute Wooers. The phrase being now used to all so licentious. [2] Intending his father, whose return though he were far from knowing, or fully expecting, yet he desired to order all things as he were present. [3] Intending to Laertes all that Eumæus would have told. [4] _ϕπεσὶ ἀγαθῃ̑σιν, bonis mentibus,_ the plural number used ever by Homer. Telemachus, return’d to town, Makes to his curious mother known, In part, his travels. After whom Ulysses to the court doth come, In good Eumæus’ guide, and prest To witness of the Wooers’ feast; Whom, though twice ten years did bestow In far-off parts, his dog doth know.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.