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The goats he tethered beneath the echoing colonnade,
then addressed Odysseus abusively, saying: "Stranger,
won't you ever stop making yourself a nuisance in this house,
begging alms from the men here? Can't you get out and stay out?
I'm pretty sure that we two won't part company until
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we've sampled each other's fists, since your begging isn't done
in the proper way. And besides, there are other Achaian feasts."
So he spoke. Resourceful Odysseus made him no answer,
but shook his head in silence, mind brooding on trouble.
The third to arrive beside these was Philoitios, leader of men,
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driving up for the suitors a barren heifer and she-goats
brought over by ferrymen, who also convey others,
travelers, whoever approaches them for passage.
The beasts he tethered with care in the echoing colonnade,
and then went up to the swineherd, and addressed him, saying:
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"Who is this stranger, swineherd, who's recently arrived
here in our house? From what men does he claim descent?
Where is his family? What is the country of his birth?
Illfated, yes, but he still has the mien of a lord, a king--
though the gods do afflict men who wander far and wide,
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spinning a wretched fate for them, princes though they be."
With that he turned to Odysseus, hand outstretched in greeting,
and addressed him with winged words, saying: "Stranger, father,
all hail to you! May prosperity be your lot hereafter,
though now you're weighed down by plentiful misfortunes!
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Zeus, Father, no other god's more lethal than you are:
once you've created men, you show them no pity for
the hardship and miserable suffering they must endure!
I broke sweat at the sight of you, my eyes are full of tears
as I remember Odysseus, for I fancy he too must be
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clothed in just such rags as he wanders among men--
that is, if he's still living, and sees the light of the sun!
But if he's already dead, down in Hades' realm, then woe
is me for peerless Odysseus, who put me in charge
of his cattle, when I was a boy still, in Kephallenian country.
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By now they've bred past counting: no other way
could you get a better harvest of broad-browed cattle!
But others now order me to drive these cows in for them
to eat! They pay no attention to the son of the house,
nor does the gods' wrath scare them: these days they're bent
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on sharing out the possessions of their long-absent lord!
Here is a problem that the heart in my breast turns over
endlessly: it would be wrong, while the son's still alive,
to take off, cattle and all, to the district of others,
to alien folk: yet it's worse to stay on here, and suffer
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misery tending steers now claimed by somebody else!
Long since, indeed, I'd have fled to some other strong prince,
since life here's no longer endurable; but I still think
of that unfortunate man, who might yet come back
from wherever, and scatter the suitors throughout his house."
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To him resourceful Odysseus responded, saying: "Cowherd,
since you seem neither ill-intentioned nor witless, and I
can recognize for myself the good sense of your mind,
I will speak out, and swear a great oath in confirmation:
Zeus, first of gods, be my witness, and this guest-friendly board,
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and the hearth of peerless Odysseus, to which I have come,
that indeed while you are here Odysseus shall come home,
and with your own eyes you shall see, if you're so minded,
the slaughter of the suitors, now lording it here."
To him
then responded the herder of cattle, saying: "How I wish,
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stranger, that Kronos' son would fulfill these words of yours--
Then you'd discover my strength, and how my hands enforce it!"
In like manner Eumaios now prayed to all the gods
that quick-witted Odysseus might come back to his own home.
Such was the conversation they had with one another.
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Meanwhile the suitors were busy plotting death and doom
for Telemachos, when a bird came close to them on the left,
a high-flighted eagle, clutching a tremulous dove. At this
Amphinomos addressed them, saying: "This plan of ours,
to murder Telemachos, will not, I fear, end well
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for us, my friends: let us rather be busy with our feasting."
So Amphinomos spoke, and his words were pleasing to them.
They made their way to the house of godlike Odysseus,
took off their cloaks, laid them down on the chairs and benches,
and began the slaughter for sacrifice of large sheep,
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plump goats, and fattened hogs, with a heifer from the herd.
They roasted the innards and served them, and mixed the wine
in bowls, and the swineherd passed drinking cups around,
while Philoitios, leader of men, served them with bread
in beautiful baskets, and Melanthios poured their wine.
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So they reached out their hands to the good things ready for them.
Now Telemachos seated Odysseus--exploiting his advantage--
in the well-built hall, but close to the stone threshold,
set a mean stool for him, beside a little table,
laid a helping of innards beside him, poured him wine
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in a golden cup, and then addressed him, saying:
"Sit here among these men now, and drink your wine:
I myself will protect you from the mockery and the blows
of all the suitors, since this is no public resort
but the house of Odysseus--his legacy to me!
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And you suitors, restrain your urge to utter insults
or use your fists, lest strife--and a fight--arise between us."
So he said. Every one of them bit his lip and marveled
at Telemachos, because of his bold outspoken manner;
and Antinoos, son of Eupeithes, now addressed them, saying:
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"Hard though it is, Achaians, we must now accept this speech
of Telemachos, however boldly his words threaten us--although
had Kronos' son Zeus not forbidden it, we should by now
have stopped him short in his halls, clear speaker though he is."
So Antinoos spoke; Telemachos paid no heed to what he said.
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Heralds meanwhile were leading beasts through the city
for a lavish sacrifice, and the long-haired Achaians gathered
beneath a shady grove of Apollo, the deadly archer.
When they'd roasted the outer meat and drawn it off the spits
they shared out the portions and enjoyed a splendid feast;
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and beside Odysseus the servers set a portion equal
to that which they got themselves: such was the command
of Telemachos, own dear son of godlike Odysseus.
Athene, however, would not let these haughty suitors back off
at all from their grievous conduct: she wanted its pain to sink
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still deeper into the heart of Laertes' son Odysseus.
There was among the suitors a man bred in lawlessness,
Ktesippos by name, who had his home on Same.
He, confident in his possession of prodigious wealth,
was courting the wife of the long-absent Odysseus.
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Now he addressed himself to the arrogant suitors, saying:
"Give ear, you proud suitors: I've something to say to you.
His portion the stranger's long had, as is right and proper--
an equal one: it's neither decent nor just to short-change
any guest of Telemachos who may come to this house!
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I too, then, will give him a present, so that he in turn
may offer it as a prize to the foot washer or some other
servant here in the house of godlike Odysseus."
So saying,
he hurled with strong hand the hoof of an ox, that he seized
from the basket where it was lying; but Odysseus dodged it,
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quickly ducking his head, and masked his inner anger
with a bitter grimace. The ox hoof struck the solid wall.
Telemachos addressed Ktesippos in harsh words, saying:
"Ktesippos, this business only let you escape with your life
since you didn't in fact hit the stranger: he dodged your missile!
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Otherwise I'd have run my sharp spear through your body,
and instead of a wedding your father would have been busy
fixing your tomb! So let no man be seen misbehaving
here in my house: I now note all, and grasp each detail,
good or bad, where, before, I was only a child. Yet still
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we are forced to endure the spectacle of such actions
as the slaughter of sheep, the endless consumption of wine
and food, since it's hard for one man to hold back many.
Come then, harm me no further in your ill-will--though even
should you be determined to murder me with the bronze,
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that too I'd rather choose: it would be far preferable
to die than to go on witnessing these unseemly actions--
strangers maltreated, women servants forcibly dragged
and manhandled everywhere in this beautiful building."
So he spoke, and they all were hushed in silence. At last
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Agelaos, son of Damastor, addressed them, saying: "Friends,
in response to what has been fairly and justly spoken
no man should take offense, make a hostile retort.
So don't treat this stranger roughly, or indeed any
of the servants here in the house of godlike Odysseus!
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To Telemachos and his mother I'd like to say a word
as a friend, that might just appeal to them both at heart:
So long as you in your breasts still nursed the hope
that quick-witted Odysseus might yet return to his home,
there could be no objection to your holding on, and keeping
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the suitors at bay in your house, since this was the better course
were Odysseus to return, back as lord in his own domain;
but it's clear enough now that he's never going to return--
so, Telemachos, sit by your mother and tell her this:
she should wed the best of these men, who offers her most:
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that way you'll enjoy your inheritance undiminished,
eating and drinking, while she can keep house for someone else."
Sagacious Telemachos then responded to him, saying:
"No, Agelaos, by Zeus, and by the sufferings of my father.
who may have died, or be wandering yet, far from Ithake,
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no way am I delaying my mother's marriage--I've told her
to wed any man she wants to: I'll give them countless presents!
But I'd be ashamed, were she unwilling, to force her
out of this house--may no god ever bring such a thing to pass!"
So Telemachos spoke. But Pallas Athene now stirred in
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the suitors laughter unquenchable, sent their wits astray:2
the jaws from which laughter issued seemed not their own,
and the meat they were eating bloodstained, while their eyes
were brimming with tears, and their minds imagined wailing.
Then godlike Theoklymenos spoke up among them, saying:
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"Wretched men! What's this horror you're suffering? Your heads
and faces, your knees beneath them, are shrouded in night--
lamentation's afire, all dabbled with tears your cheeks,
blood-bespattered the walls and elegant panels;
crowded with ghosts is the forecourt, crowded the yard,
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all flocking in darkness to Erebos, for now the sun
has perished from heaven, a foul fog's swept over all."
So he spoke; but all of them crowed with laughter at him,
and Eurymachos, Polybos' son, made the first comment, saying:
"He's out of his mind, is this stranger just come from elsewhere!
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Quick, boys, out of the house with him, have him go down
to the marketplace, since he finds it dark as night in here."
To him godlike Theoklymenos then responded, saying:
"Eurymachos, I'm not asking you to provide me with guides!
I still have my own eyes and ears and both my feet,
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and a mind in my breast in no way wrongly fashioned.
Using them I shall quit this house, for I sense trouble coming
upon you that none of the suitors may escape or avoid
who here in the house of godlike Odysseus abuse
other men with violence, commit acts of reckless folly."
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So saying, he walked out of that pleasantly sited house,
and went to Peiraios, who gave him a friendly welcome.
Now all the suitors, glancing at one another, tried
to provoke Telemachos by mocking his guests. And thus
would one of these haughty youths harangue him, saying:
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"Telemachos, no one has worse luck than you with his guests!
Like this vagrant here, brought in, whom you maintain--
always wanting food and wine, no good at work,
no strength, nothing but a mere burden on the earth!
And now this other fellow, who stood up and prophesied!
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If you took my advice, you'd do far better to let us
throw these strangers aboard a ship of many rowlocks
and send them off to the Sikels:3 they'd fetch you a good price."
So spoke the suitors. Telemachos paid no heed to what they said,
but sat silently watching his father, always ready
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for the moment when he'd lay hands on the shameless suitors.
Ikarios' prudent daughter Penelope had set down
her elegant chair so it faced them: she could now hear
what each man was saying, there in the hall. For while
they were laughing, they'd also been readying their dinner--
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sweet and satisfying, since they'd slaughtered so many beasts.
Yet no more unpleasant supper could there have been
than the one that a goddess and a powerful man
would soon serve to those who'd started such vile misdeeds.
Book 21
The goddess, grey-eyed Athene, now put it into the mind
of Ikarios' daughter, prudent Penelope, to bring out
and set before the suitors the bow and the grey iron
in Odysseus' halls: a contest, and the start of the slaughter.
She climbed the high ladder that led to her own chamber,
5
and with her strong hand picked