Odysseus, sleeping, is set ashore at Ithaca by the Phaeacians, and
waking knows it not. Pallas, in the form of a shepherd, helps to hide
his treasure. The ship that conveyed him is turned into a rock, and
Odysseus by Pallas is instructed what to do, and transformed into an
old beggarman.
So spake he, and dead silence fell on all, and they were spell-bound
throughout the shadowy halls. Thereupon Alcinous answered him, and
spake, saying:
“Odysseus, now that thou hast come to my high house with floor of
bronze, never, methinks, shalt thou be driven from thy way ere thou
returnest, though thou hast been sore afflicted. And for each man among
you, that in these halls of mine drink evermore the dark wine of the
elders, and hearken to the minstrel, this is my word and command.
Garments for the stranger are already laid up in a polished coffer,
with gold curiously wrought, and all other such gifts as the
counsellors of the Phaeacians bare hither. Come now, let us each of us
give him a great tripod and a cauldron, and we in turn will gather
goods among the people and get us recompense; for it were hard that one
man should give without repayment.”
So spake Alcinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then they went
each one to his house to lay him down to rest; but so soon as early
Dawn shone forth, the rosy-fingered, they hasted to the ship and bare
the bronze, the joy of men. And the mighty king Alcinous himself went
about the ship and diligently bestowed the gifts beneath the benches,
that they might not hinder any of the crew in their rowing, when they
laboured at their oars. Then they betook them to the house of Alcinous
and fell to feasting. And the mighty king Alcinous sacrificed before
them an ox to Zeus, the son of Cronos, that dwells in the dark clouds,
who is lord of all. And when they had burnt the pieces of the thighs,
they shared the glorious feast and made merry, and among them harped
the divine minstrel Demodocus, whom the people honoured. But Odysseus
would ever turn his head toward the splendour of the sun, as one fain
to hasten his setting: for verily he was most eager to return. And as
when a man longs for his supper, for whom all day long two dark oxen
drag through the fallow field the jointed plough, yea and welcome to
such an one the sunlight sinketh, that so he may get him to supper, for
his knees wax faint by the way, even so welcome was the sinking of the
sunlight to Odysseus. Then straight he spake among the Phaeacians,
masters of the oar, and to Alcinous in chief he made known his word,
saying:
“My lord Alcinous, most notable of all the people, pour ye the drink
offering, and send me safe upon my way, and as for you, fare ye well.
For now have I all that my heart desired, an escort and loving gifts.
May the gods of heaven give me good fortune with them, and may I find
my noble wife in my home with my friends unharmed, while ye, for your
part, abide here and make glad your wedded wives and children; and may
the gods vouchsafe all manner of good, and may no evil come nigh the
people!”
So spake he, and they all consented thereto and bade send the stranger
on his way, in that he had spoken aright. Then the mighty Alcinous
spake to the henchman: “Pontonous, mix the bowl and serve out the wine
to all in the hall, that we may pray to Father Zeus, and send the
stranger on his way to his own country.”
So spake he, and Pontonous mixed the honey-hearted wine, and served it
to all in turn. And they poured forth before the blessed gods that keep
wide heaven, even there as they sat. Then goodly Odysseus uprose, and
placed in Arete’s hand the two-handled cup, and uttering his voice
spake to her winged words:
“Fare thee well, O queen, all the days of thy life, till old age come
and death, that visit all mankind. But I go homeward, and do thou in
this thy house rejoice in thy children and thy people and Alcinous the
king.”
Therewith goodly Odysseus stept over the threshold. And with him the
mighty Alcinous sent forth a henchman to guide him to the swift ship
and the sea-banks. And Arete sent in this train certain maidens of her
household, one bearing a fresh robe and a doublet, and another she
joined to them to carry the strong coffer, and yet another bare bread
and red wine. Now when they had come down to the ship and to the sea,
straightway the good men of the escort took these things and laid them
by in the hollow ship, even all the meat and drink. Then they strewed
for Odysseus a rug and a sheet of linen, on the decks of the hollow
ship, in the hinder part thereof, that he might sleep sound. Then he
too climbed aboard and laid him down in silence, while they sat upon
the benches, every man in order, and unbound the hawser from the
pierced stone. So soon as they leant backwards and tossed the sea water
with the oar blade, a deep sleep fell upon his eyelids, a sound sleep,
very sweet, and next akin to death. And even as on a plain a yoke of
four stallions comes springing all together beneath the lash, leaping
high and speedily accomplishing the way, so leaped the stern of that
ship, and the dark wave of the sounding sea rushed mightily in the
wake, and she ran ever surely on her way, nor could a circling hawk
keep pace with her, of winged things the swiftest. Even thus she
lightly sped and cleft the waves of the sea, bearing a man whose
counsel was as the counsel of the gods, one that erewhile had suffered
much sorrow of heart, in passing through the wars of men, and the
grievous waves; but for that time he slept in peace, forgetful of all
that he had suffered.
So when the star came up, that is brightest of all, and goes ever
heralding the light of early Dawn, even then did the seafaring ship
draw nigh the island. There is in the land of Ithaca a certain haven of
Phorcys, the ancient one of the sea, and thereby are two headlands of
sheer cliff, which slope to the sea on the haven’s side and break the
mighty wave that ill winds roll without, but within, the decked ships
ride unmoored when once they have reached the place of anchorage. Now
at the harbour’s head is a long-leaved olive tree, and hard by is a
pleasant cave and shadowy, sacred to the nymphs, that are called the
Naiads. And therein are mixing bowls and jars of stone, and there
moreover do bees hive. And there are great looms of stone, whereon the
nymphs weave raiment of purple stain, a marvel to behold, and therein
are waters welling evermore. Two gates there are to the cave, the one
set toward the North Wind whereby men may go down, but the portals
toward the South pertain rather to the gods, whereby men may not enter:
it is the way of the immortals.
Thither they, as having knowledge of that place, let drive their ship;
and now the vessel in full course ran ashore, half her keel’s length
high; so well was she sped by the hands of the oarsmen. Then they
alighted from the benched ship upon the land, and first they lifted
Odysseus from out the hollow ship, all as he was in the sheet of linen
and the bright rug, and laid him yet heavy with slumber on the sand.
And they took forth the goods which the lordly Phaeacians had given him
on his homeward way by grace of the great-hearted Athene. These they
set in a heap by the trunk of the olive tree, a little aside from the
road, lest some wayfaring man, before Odysseus awakened, should come
and spoil them. Then themselves departed homeward again. But the shaker
of the earth forgat not the threats, wherewith at the first he had
threatened god like Odysseus, and he inquired into the counsel of Zeus,
saying:
“Father Zeus, I for one shall no longer be of worship among the
deathless gods, when mortal men hold me in no regard, even Phaeacians,
who moreover are of mine own lineage. Lo, now I said that after much
affliction Odysseus should come home, for I had no mind to rob him
utterly of his return, when once thou hadst promised it and given
assent; but behold, in his sleep they have borne him in a swift ship
over the sea, and set him down in Ithaca, and given him gifts out of
measure, bronze and gold in plenty and woven raiment, much store, such
as never would Odysseus have won for himself out of Troy; yea, though
he had returned unhurt with the share of the spoil that fell to him.”
And Zeus, the cloud gatherer, answered him saying: “Lo, now, shaker of
the earth, of widest power, what a word hast thou spoken! The gods
nowise dishonour thee; hard would it be to assail with dishonour our
eldest and our best. But if any man, giving place to his own hardihood
and strength, holds thee not in worship, thou hast always thy revenge
for the same, even in the time to come. Do thou as thou wilt, and as
seems thee good.”
Then Poseidon, shaker of the earth, answered him: “Straightway would I
do even as thou sayest, O god of the dark clouds; but thy wrath I
always hold in awe and avoid. Howbeit, now I fain would smite a fair
ship of the Phaeacians, as she comes home from a convoy on the misty
deep, that thereby they may learn to hold their hands, and cease from
giving escort to men; and I would overshadow their city with a great
mountain.”
And Zeus the gatherer of the clouds, answered him, saying: “Friend,
learn now what seems best in my sight. At an hour when the folk are all
looking forth from the city at the ship upon her way, smite her into a
stone hard by the land; a stone in the likeness of a swift ship, that
all mankind may marvel, and do thou overshadow their city with a great
mountain.”
Now when Poseidon, shaker of the earth, heard this saying, he went on
his way to Scheria, where the Phaeacians dwell. There he abode awhile;
and lo, she drew near, the seafaring ship, lightly sped upon her way.
Then nigh her came the shaker of the earth, and he smote her into a
stone, and rooted her far below with the down-stroke of his hand; and
he departed thence again.
Then one to the other they spake winged words, the Phaeacians of the
long oars, mariners renowned. And thus would they speak, looking each
man to his neighbour:
“Ah me! who is this that fettered our swift ship on the deep as she
drave homewards? Even now she stood full in sight.”
Even so they would speak; but they knew not how these things were
ordained. And Alcinous made harangue and spake among them:
“Lo now, in very truth the ancient oracles of my father have come home
to me. He was wont to say that Poseidon was jealous of us, for that we
give safe escort to all men. He said that the day would come when the
god would smite a fair ship of the Phaeacians, as she came home from a
convoy on the misty deep, and overshadow our city with a great
mountain. Thus that ancient one would speak; and lo, all these things
now have an end. But come, let us all give ear and do according to my
word. Cease ye from the convoy of mortals, whensoever any shall come
unto our town, and let us sacrifice to Poseidon twelve choice bulls, if
perchance he may take pity, neither overshadow our city with a great
mountain.”
So spake he, and they were dismayed and got ready the bulls. Thus were
they praying to the lord Poseidon, the princes and counsellors of the
land of the Phaeacians, as they stood about the altar.
Even then the goodly Odysseus awoke where he slept on his native land;
nor knew he the same again, having now been long afar, for around him
the goddess had shed a mist, even Pallas Athene, daughter of Zeus, to
the end that she might make him undiscovered for that he was, and might
expound to him all things, that so his wife should not know him neither
his townsmen and kinsfolk, ere the wooers had paid for all their
transgressions. Wherefore each thing showed strange to the lord of the
land, the long paths and the sheltering havens and the steep rocks and
the trees in their bloom. So he started up, and stood and looked upon
his native land, and then he made moan withal, and smote on both his
thighs with the down-stroke of his hands, and making lament, he spake,
saying:
“Oh, woe is me, unto what mortals’ land am I now come? Say, are they
froward, and wild, and unjust, or hospitable and of a god-fearing mind?
Whither do I bear all this treasure? Yea, where am I wandering myself?
Oh that the treasure had remained with the Phaeacians where it was, so
had I come to some other of the mighty princes, who would have
entreated me kindly and sent me on my way. But now I know not where to
bestow these things, nor yet will I leave them here behind, lest haply
other men make spoil of them. Ah then, they are not wholly wise or
just, the princes and counsellors of the Phaeacians, who carried me to
a strange land. Verily they promised to bring me to clear-seen Ithaca,
but they performed it not. May Zeus requite them, the god of
suppliants, seeing that he watches over all men and punishes the
transgressor! But come, I will reckon up these goods and look to them,
lest the men be gone, and have taken aught away upon their hollow
ship.”
Therewith he set to number the fair tripods and the cauldrons and the
gold and the goodly woven raiment; and of all these he lacked not
aught, but he bewailed him for his own country, as he walked downcast
by the shore of the sounding sea, and made sore lament. Then Athene
came nigh him in the guise of a young man, the herdsman of a flock, a
young man most delicate, such as are the sons of kings. And she had a
well-wrought mantle that fell in two folds about her shoulders, and
beneath her smooth feet she had sandals bound, and a javelin in her
hands. And Odysseus rejoiced as he saw her, and came over against her,
and uttering his voice spake to her winged words:
“Friend, since thou art the first that I have chanced on in this land,
hail to thee, and with no ill-will mayest thou meet me! Nay, save this
my substance and save me too, for to thee as to a god I make prayer,
and to thy dear knees have I come. And herein tell me true, that I may
surely know. What land, what people is this? what men dwell therein?
Surely, methinks, it is some clear seen isle, or a shore of the rich
mainland that lies and leans upon the deep.”
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Thou art
witless, stranger, or thou art come from afar, if indeed thou askest of
this land; nay, it is not so very nameless but that many men know it,
both all those who dwell toward the dawning and the sun, and they that
abide over against the light toward the shadowy west. Verily it is
rough and not fit for the driving of horses, yet is it not a very sorry
isle, though narrow withal. For herein is corn past telling, and herein
too wine is found, and the rain is on it evermore, and the fresh dew.
And it is good for feeding goats and feeding kine; all manner of wood
is here, and watering-places unfailing are herein. Wherefore, stranger,
the name of Ithaca hath reached even unto Troy-land, which men say is
far from this Achaean shore.”
So spake she, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad, and had joy
in his own country, according to the word of Pallas Athene, daughter of
Zeus, lord of the aegis. And he uttered his voice and spake unto her
winged words; yet he did not speak the truth, but took back the word
that was on his lips, for quick and crafty was his wit within his
breast:
“Of Ithaca have I heard tell, even in broad Crete, far over the seas;
and now have I come hither myself with these my goods. And I left as
much again to my children, when I turned outlaw for the slaying of the
dear son of Idomeneus, Orsilochus, swift of foot, who in wide Crete was
the swiftest of all men that live by bread. Now he would have despoiled
me of all that booty of Troy, for the which I had endured pain of
heart, in passing through the wars of men, and the grievous waves of
the sea, for this cause that I would not do a favour to his father, and
make me his squire in the land of the Trojans, but commanded other
fellowship of mine own. So I smote him with a bronze-shod spear as he
came home from the field, lying in ambush for him by the wayside, with
one of my companions. And dark midnight held the heavens, and no man
marked us, but privily I took his life away. Now after I had slain him
with the sharp spear, straightway I went to a ship and besought the
lordly Phoenicians, and gave them spoil to their hearts’ desire. I
charged them to take me on board, and land me at Pylos or at goodly
Elis where the Epeans bear rule. Howbeit of a truth, the might of the
wind drave them out of their course, sore against their will, nor did
they wilfully play me false. Thence we were driven wandering, and came
hither by night. And with much ado we rowed onward into harbour, nor
took we any thought of supper, though we stood sore in need thereof,
but even as we were we stept ashore and all lay down. Then over me
there came sweet slumber in my weariness, but they took forth my goods
from the hollow ship, and set them by me where I myself lay upon the
sands. Then they went on board, and departed for the fair-lying land of
Sidon; while as for me I was left stricken at heart.”
So spake he and the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, smiled, and caressed him
with her hand; and straightway she changed to the semblance of a woman,
fair and tall, and skilled in splendid handiwork. And uttering her
voice she spake unto him winged words:
“Crafty must he be, and knavish, who would outdo thee in all manner of
guile, even if it were a god encountered thee. Hardy man, subtle of
wit, of guile insatiate, so thou wast not even in thine own country to
cease from thy sleights and knavish words, which thou lovest from the
bottom of thine heart! But come, no more let us tell of these things,
being both of us practised in deceits, for that thou art of all men far
the first in counsel and in discourse, and I in the company of all the
gods win renown for my wit and wile. Yet thou knewest not me, Pallas
Athene, daughter of Zeus, who am always by thee and guard thee in all
adventures. Yea, and I made thee to be beloved of all the Phaeacians.
And now am I come hither to contrive a plot with thee and to hide away
the goods, that by my counsel and design the noble Phaeacians gave thee
on thy homeward way. And I would tell thee how great a measure of
trouble thou art ordained to fulfil within thy well-builded house. But
do thou harden thy heart, for so it must be, and tell none neither man
nor woman of all the folk, that thou hast indeed returned from
wandering, but in silence endure much sorrow, submitting thee to the
despite of men.”
And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Hard is it,
goddess, for a mortal man that meets thee to discern thee, howsoever
wise he be; for thou takest upon thee every shape. But this I know
well, that of old thou wast kindly to me, so long as we sons of the
Achaeans made war in Troy. But so soon as we had sacked the steep city
of Priam and had gone on board our ships, and the god had scattered the
Achaeans, thereafter I have never beheld thee, daughter of Zeus, nor
seen thee coming on board my ship, to ward off sorrow from me—but I
wandered evermore with a stricken heart, till the gods delivered me
from my evil case—even till the day when, within the fat land of the
men of Phaeacia, thou didst comfort me with thy words, and thyself
didst lead me to their city. And now I beseech thee in thy father’s
name to tell me: for I deem not that I am come to clear-seen Ithaca,
but I roam over some other land, and methinks that thou speakest thus
to mock me and beguile my mind. Tell me whether in very deed I am come
to mine own dear country.”
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Yea, such a thought
as this is ever in thy breast. Wherefore I may in no wise leave thee in
thy grief, so courteous art thou, so ready of wit and so prudent. Right
gladly would any other man on his return from wandering have hasted to
behold his children and his wife in his halls; but thou hast no will to
learn or to hear aught, till thou hast furthermore made trial of thy
wife, who sits as ever in her halls, and wearily for her the nights
wane always and the days, in shedding of tears. But of this I never
doubted, but ever knew it in my heart that thou wouldest come home with
the loss of all thy company. Yet, I tell thee, I had no mind to be at
strife with Poseidon, my own father’s brother, who laid up wrath in his
heart against thee, being angered at the blinding of his dear son. But
come, and I will show thee the place of the dwelling of Ithaca, that
thou mayst be assured. Lo, here is the haven of Phorcys, the ancient
one of the sea, and here at the haven’s head is the olive tree with
spreading leaves, and hard by it is the pleasant cave and shadowy,
sacred to the nymphs that are called the Naiads. Yonder, behold, is the
roofed cavern, where thou offeredst many an acceptable sacrifice of
hecatombs to the nymphs; and lo, this hill is Neriton, all clothed in
forest.”
Therewith the goddess scattered the mist, and the land appeared. Then
the steadfast goodly Odysseus was glad rejoicing in his own land, and
he kissed the earth, the grain-giver. And anon he prayed to the nymphs,
and lifted up his hands, saying:
“Ye Naiad nymphs, daughters of Zeus, never did I think to look on you
again, but now be ye greeted in my loving prayers: yea, and gifts as
aforetime I will give, if the daughter of Zeus, driver of the spoil,
suffer me of her grace myself to live, and bring my dear son to
manhood.”
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, spake to him again: “Be of good
courage, and let not thy heart be careful about these things. But come,
let us straightway set thy goods in the secret place of the wondrous
cave, that there they may abide for thee safe. And let us for ourselves
advise us how all may be for the very best.”
Therewith the goddess plunged into the shadowy cave, searching out the
chambers of the cavern. Meanwhile Odysseus brought up his treasure, the
gold and the unyielding bronze and fair woven raiment, which the
Phaeacians gave him. And these things he laid by with care, and Pallas
Athene, daughter of Zeus, lord of the aegis, set a stone against the
door of the cave. Then they twain sat down by the trunk of the sacred
olive tree, and devised death for the froward wooers. And the goddess,
grey-eyed Athene, spake first, saying:
“Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, advise
thee how thou mayest stretch forth thine hands upon the shameless
wooers, who now these three years lord it through thy halls, as they
woo thy godlike wife and proffer the gifts of wooing. And she, that is
ever bewailing her for thy return, gives hope to all and makes promises
to every man and sends them messages, but her mind is set on other
things.”
And Odysseus of many counsels answered her, saying:
“Lo now, in very truth I was like to have perished in my halls by the
evil doom of Agamemnon, son of Atreus, hadst not thou, goddess,
declared me each thing aright. Come then, weave some counsel whereby I
may requite them; and thyself stand by me, and put great boldness of
spirit within me, even as in the day when we loosed the shining coronal
of Troy. If but thou wouldest stand by me with such eagerness, thou
grey-eyed goddess, I would war even with three hundred men, with thee
my lady and goddess, if thou of thy grace didst succour me the while.”
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Yea, verily I will
be near thee nor will I forget thee, whensoever we come to this toil:
and methinks that certain of the wooers that devour thy livelihood
shall bespatter the boundless earth with blood and brains. But come, I
will make thee such-like that no man shall know thee. Thy fair skin I
will wither on thy supple limbs, and make waste thy yellow hair from
off thy head, and wrap thee in a foul garment, such that one would
shudder to see a man therein.[24] And I will dim thy two eyes, erewhile
so fair, in such wise that thou mayest be unseemly in the sight of all
the wooers and of thy wife and son, whom thou didst leave in thy halls.
And do thou thyself first of all go unto the swineherd, who tends thy
swine, loyal and at one with thee, and loves thy son and constant
Penelope. Him shalt thou find sitting by the swine, as they are feeding
near the rock of Corax and the spring Arethusa, and there they eat
abundance of acorns and drink the black water, things whereby swine
grow fat and well-liking. There do thou abide and sit by the swine, and
find out all, till I have gone to Sparta, the land of fair women, to
call Telemachus thy dear son, Odysseus, who hath betaken himself to
spacious Lacedaemon, to the house of Menelaus to seek tidings of thee,
whether haply thou are yet alive.”
[24] Reading ἄνθρωπον, not ἄνθρωπος.
And Odysseus of many counsels answered her saying: “Nay, wherefore then
didst thou not tell him, seeing thou hast knowledge of all? Was it,
perchance, that he too may wander in sorrow over the unharvested seas,
and that others may consume his livelihood?”
Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, answered him: “Nay, let him not be
heavy on thy heart. I myself was his guide, that by going thither he
might win a good report. Lo, he knows no toil, but he sits in peace in
the palace of the son of Atreus, and has boundless store about him.
Truly the young men with their black ship they lie in wait, and are
eager to slay him ere he come to his own country. But this, methinks,
shall never be. Yea, sooner shall the earth close over certain of the
wooers that devour thy livelihood.”
Therewith Athene touched him with her wand. His fair flesh she withered
on his supple limbs, and made waste his yellow hair from off his head,
and over all his limbs she cast the skin of an old man, and dimmed his
two eyes, erewhile so fair. And she changed his raiment to a vile wrap
and a doublet, torn garments and filthy, stained with foul smoke. And
over all she clad him with the great bald hide of a swift stag, and she
gave him a staff and a mean tattered scrip, and a cord therewith to
hang it.
And after they twain had taken this counsel together, they parted; and
she now went to goodly Lacedaemon to fetch the son of Odysseus.