Ulysses’ Revenge
Ulysses quickly arose. Girding up his rags he threw the arrows to the
ground before him and sprang to the doorway, drawing the bow. “Now I
will choose a different mark,” he cried. “Let us see whether Apollo will
now grant me his favor!” With this the death shaft sped through
Antinous’ neck, just as he had taken up the golden cup to drink. The
blood gushed from his mouth as he fell convulsed to the ground,
overturning the table with the food and wine. Immediately the hall was
in an uproar. The suitors vainly sought their weapons, crying: “Woe to
thee, madman! Now thine hour is come and vultures shall feast upon thy
flesh!”
The fools! They supposed that the hero had hit Antinous by chance. But
he soon undeceived them, crying in thunder tones which caused their
hearts and knees to tremble: “Ha! ye dogs! Ye thought that I should
ne’er return and therefore have ye squandered my substance, maltreated
my servants, and insulted my poor wife for these long years with
unprecedented insolence. Ye have feared neither the punishment of the
gods nor the disapproval of mankind, but now the day of reckoning has
come!”
Horror seized the suitors, while Ulysses again raised the bow and
pierced the breast of Eurymachus with his shaft ere he could draw his
sword and rush upon him. Telemachus with his spear stood by his father’s
side to protect him, while he sent arrow after arrow into the crowd and
one after another was struck down into the dust.
Telemachus fetched helmets, shields, and spears for both the herdsmen,
and they quickly armed themselves. Melantheus, the goatherd, who had
more presence of mind than the rest, managed to slip out of the side
door unobserved and bring down some of the weapons which Ulysses and
Telemachus had wisely hidden in the upper chambers. Ulysses suddenly
discovered that half of the front row of men were armed and spears began
to hurtle past him.
“What is this?” he cried in dismay to Telemachus. “One of the maids or
Melantheus must have brought them weapons. See how they defend
themselves.”
“Ye gods, it is all my fault,” said Telemachus. “I left the door of the
armory ajar and the crafty goatherd has taken advantage of it.”
“See, there he is sneaking out to fetch another spear,” cried Ulysses.
“Eumæus! Philœtius! Follow him! Bind him! Hang him up, while my son and
I fight on!”
When the suitors saw that Ulysses and Telemachus were left alone they
took fresh courage, and it would have gone hard with the two against the
combined onset of their foes, had not Athene in Mentor’s form entered at
the critical moment armed from head to foot and thrown back the nearest
ones with a powerful blow of her shield.
“Mentor, cursed old man,” screamed all the suitors, “do not dare to help
these two men, for when we shall have conquered them, then woe to thee
and thy house! Flee, while there is yet time!”
This angered Pallas Athene, and she spurred Ulysses on with encouraging
words. He felt the presence of the goddess and renewed his superhuman
efforts. The two herdsmen now returned with a fresh supply of lances,
and Mentor saw that the rest of the task could be left to the brave men.
At last the greater part of the suitors had fallen. Some had already
breathed their last. Most of them were writhing on the spears with which
they had been pierced and lay bathed in their own blood. It was a
horrible sight. As the four heroes prepared to give the death blow to
the few survivors, Leiodes sprang suddenly from behind a column, and
clasping Ulysses’ knees, called loudly for mercy. “Give me my life,” he
prayed. “I took no part in the evil deeds of the suitors, for I was
their priest and only carried out the holy customs when they sacrificed
thy steers.”
“If thou hast been their sacrificial priest and prophet, thou must
surely have foretold many evil things concerning me and have called down
misfortunes upon my head in thy prayers. And for this thou shalt die a
well-deserved death,” replied the king with dark looks. He raised his
sword and with a quick stroke severed the head of the still-kneeling
priest, so that it rolled in the dust.
He searched all the hiding places, but did not find another living soul,
and contemplated with astonishment and horror the frightful work of his
hands. Then at last he laid down his sword and lifted the bronze helmet
from his perspiring brow. “Be quick, Telemachus, and call my old nurse
Euryclea, that I may question her,” he said.
Telemachus brought the old woman. She raised her hands and began to
rejoice. But Ulysses stopped her and said reprovingly: “Hush, dame! At
heart thou mayest exult that justice has been done and punishment meted
out, but it is a sin to triumph over fallen men. They have their reward,
but it is the gods who through me have accomplished their will. Now tell
me of the women in the house, both those who have betrayed me and those
who have served faithfully.”
“Gladly I obey thee,” answered the old nurse. “Fifty women serve in the
palace. Twelve have proved unfaithful and left the paths of virtue,
neither obeying me, nor even the noble Penelope. But let me slip
upstairs and wake the queen. She knows not of thy return, for a divinity
has closed her eyes in a leaden sleep. How surprised she will be!”
“Nay, mother, do not wake her yet. First command the twelve refractory
women hither.” The old woman hastened to obey.
“When they come,” continued Ulysses to his son and the two herdsmen,
“they shall first help us clean the dwelling, and when that is done,
take them out to the outer courtyard, drive them all into the narrow
passageway, and strike them down with your swords, so that their souls
may join the shades of the insolent suitors.”
While he was speaking the women entered, frightened at the sight that
met their eyes and trembling for their own lives. “Drag out the dead,”
commanded Ulysses. “Lay them outside in the gallery.”
They took hold reluctantly, assisted by the herdsmen, and Ulysses saw
that all was properly done and set in order, and then Telemachus and the
herdsmen conducted the women to their doom. After this they sought out
Melantheus and prepared a terrible death for this base wretch.
The work of slaughter was now complete. The herdsmen washed their hands
and feet and went back to the hall. Here Ulysses ordered Euryclea to
make a fire, fetch sulphur, and with its fumes to turn away the curse
from this house of slaughter. The old servants now came crowding about
their master to kiss him joyfully. This touched his heart and he pressed
their hands in hearty greeting.