CHAPTER I

Produced by Liz Hanks, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks

and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.

THE STORY OF THE ODYSSEY

BY THE REV. ALFRED J. CHURCH, M.A.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE ODYSSEY:

I. THE COUNSEL OF ATHENE

II. THE ASSEMBLY

III. NESTOR'S TALE

IV. IN SPARTA

V. MENELAUS'S TALE

VI. ULYSSES ON HIS RAFT

VII. NAUSICAA

VIII. ALCINOUS

IX. THE PHAEACIANS

X. THE CYCLOPS

XI. AEOLUS; THE LAESTRYGONS; CIRCE

XII. THE DWELLINGS OF THE DEAD

XIII. THE SIRENS; SCYLLA; THE OXEN OF THE SUN

XIV. ITHACA

XV. EUMAEUS, THE SWINEHERD

XVI. THE RETURN OF TELEMACHUS

XVII. ULYSSES AND TELEMACHUS

XVIII. ULYSSES IN HIS HOME

XIX. ULYSSES IN HIS HOME (_continued_)

XX. ULYSSES IS DISCOVERED BY HIS NURSE

XXI. THE TRIAL OF THE BOW

XXII. THE SLAYING OF THE SUITORS

XXIII. THE END OF THE WANDERING

XXIV. THE TRIUMPH OF ULYSSES

PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES

INTRODUCTION

Three thousand years ago the world was still young. The western

continent was a huge wilderness, and the greater part of Europe

was inhabited by savage and wandering tribes. Only a few nations

at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and in the neighbouring

parts of Asia had learned to dwell in cities, to use a written

language, to make laws for themselves, and to live in a more

orderly fashion. Of these nations the most brilliant was that of

the Greeks, who were destined in war, in learning, in government,

and in the arts, to play a great part in the world, and to be the

real founders of our modern civilization. While they were still a

rude people, they had noble ideals of beauty and bravery, of duty

and justice. Even before they had a written language, their

singers had made songs about their heroes and their great deeds;

and later these songs, which fathers had taught to children, and

these children to their children, were brought together into two

long and wonderful poems, which have ever since been the delight

of the world, the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_.

The _Iliad_ is the story of the siege of Ilium, or Troy, on

the western coast of Asia Minor. Paris, son of the king of Troy,

had enticed Helen, the most beautiful of Grecian women, and the

wife of a Grecian king, to leave her husband's home with him; and

the kings and princes of the Greeks had gathered an army and a

fleet and sailed across the Aegean Sea to rescue her. For ten

years they strove to capture the city. According to the fine old

legends, the gods themselves took a part in the war, some siding

with the Greeks, and some with the Trojans. It was finally through

Ulysses, a famous Greek warrior, brave and fierce as well as wise

and crafty, that the Greeks captured the city.

The second poem, the _Odyssey_, tells what befell Ulysses, or

Odysseus, as the Greeks called him, on his homeward way. Sailing

from Troy with his little fleet of ships, which were so small that

they used oars as well as sails, he was destined to wander for ten

years longer before he could return to his rocky island of Ithaca,

on the west shore of Greece, and to his faithful wife, Penelope.

He had marvellous adventures, for the gods who had opposed the

Greeks at Troy had plotted to bring him ill-fortune. Just as his

ships were safely rounding the southern cape of Greece, a fierce

storm took them out of their course, and bore them to many strange

lands--lands of giants, man-eating monsters, and wondrous

enchantments of which you will delight to read. Through countless

perils the resolute wanderer forced his way, losing ship after

ship from his little fleet, and companion after companion from his

own band, until he reached home friendless and alone, and found

his palace, his property, and his family all in the power of a

band of greedy princes. These he overcame by his cunning and his

strength, and his long trials were ended.

As you read these ancient tales, you must forget what knowledge

you have of the world, and think of it as the Greeks did. It was

only a little part of the world that they knew at all,--the

eastern end of the Mediterranean,--but even that seemed to them a

great and marvellous region. Beyond its borders were strange and

mysterious lands, in which wonders of all kinds were found, and

round all ran the great world-river, the encircling stream of

Ocean.

In the mountains of Olympus, to the northward, lived the gods.

There was Zeus, greatest of all, the god of thunder and the wide

heavens; Hera, his wife; Apollo, the archer god; Athene, the wise

and clever goddess; Poseidon, who ruled the sea; Aphrodite, the

goddess of love; Hephaestus, the cunning workman; Ares, the god of

war; Hermes, the swift messenger; and others still, whom you will

learn to know as you read. All these were worshipped by men with

prayer and sacrifice; and, as in the early legends of many races,

the gods often took the shape of men and women; they had their

favourites and those whom they hated; and they ruled the fate of

mortals as they chose.

If you let yourselves be beguiled into this old, simple way of

regarding earth and heaven, you will not only love these ancient

tales yourself, but you will see why, for century after century,

they have been the longest loved and the best loved of all tales--

beloved by old and young, by men and women and children. For they

are hero-tales,--tales of war and adventure, tales of bravery and

nobility, tales of the heroes that mankind, almost since the

beginning of time, have looked to as ideals of wisdom and strength

and beauty.

THE ODYSSEY

CHAPTER I

THE COUNSEL [Footnote: counsel, advice.] OF

ATHENE [Footnote: A-the'-ne.]

When the great city of Troy had been taken, all the chiefs who had

fought against it set sail for their homes. But there was wrath in

heaven against them, so that they did not find a safe and happy

return. For one was shipwrecked, and another was shamefully slain

by his false wife in his palace, and others found all things at

home troubled and changed, and were driven to seek new dwellings

elsewhere; and some were driven far and wide about the world

before they saw their native land again. Of all, the wise Ulysses

[Footnote: U-lys'-ses.] was he that wandered farthest and suffered

most, for when ten years had well-nigh passed, he was still far

away from Ithaca [Footnote: Ith'-a-ca.], his kingdom.

The gods were gathered in council in the hall of Olympus [Footnote: O-

lym'-pus.], all but Poseidon, [Footnote: Po-sei'-don.] the god of the

sea, for he had gone to feast with the Ethiopians. Now Poseidon was he

who most hated Ulysses, and kept him from his home.

Then spake Athene among the immortal gods: "My heart is rent for

Ulysses. Sore affliction doth he suffer in an island of the sea,

where the daughter of Atlas keepeth him, seeking to make him

forget his native land. And he yearns to see even the smoke rising

up from the land of his birth, and is fain [Footnote: is fain,

wishes to] to die. And thou regardest it not at all. Did he not

offer thee many sacrifices in the land of Troy? Wherefore hast

thou such wrath against him?" To her Zeus, the father of the gods,

made reply: "What is this that thou sayest, my daughter? It is

Poseidon that hath great wrath against Ulysses, because he blinded

his son Polyphemus [Footnote: Pol-y-phe'-mus.] the Cyclops.

[Footnote: Cy'-clops.] But come, let us take counsel together that

he may return to his home, for Poseidon will not be able to contend

against us all."

Then said Athene: "If this be thy will, then let us speed Hermes

[Footnote: Her'-mes.] the messenger to the island of Calypso

[Footnote: Ca-lyp'-so.], and let him declare to the goddess our

purpose that Ulysses shall return to his home. And I will go to

Ithaca, and stir up the spirit of his son Telemachus [Footnote:

Te-lem'-a-chus.], that first he speak out his mind to the suitors

of his mother who waste his substance, [Footnote: substance,

property.] and next that he go to Sparta and to Pylos [Footnote:

Py'-los.], seeking tidings of his father. So shall the youth win

good report among men."

So she went to Ithaca, and there she took upon her the form of

Mentes [Footnote: Men'-tes.], who was chief of the Taphians.

[Footnote: Ta'-phi-ans.]

Now there were gathered in the house of Ulysses many princes from

the islands, suitors of the Queen Penelope [Footnote: Pe-nel'-o-

pe.], for they said that Ulysses was dead, and that she should

choose another husband. These were gathered together, and were

sitting playing draughts [Footnote: draughts, checkers.] and

feasting. And Telemachus sat among them, vexed at heart, for they

wasted his substance; neither was he master in his house. But when

he saw the guest at the door, he rose from his place, and welcomed

him, and made him sit down, and commanded that they should give

him food and wine. And when he had ended his meal, Telemachus

asked him his business.

Thereupon the false Mentes said: "My name is Mentes, and I am King

of the Taphians, and I am sailing to Cyprus for copper, taking

iron in exchange. Now I have been long time the friend of this

house, of thy father and thy father's father, and I came trusting

to see thy father, for they told me that he was here. But now I

see that some god hath hindered his return, for that he is yet

alive I know full well. But tell me, who are these that I see? Is

this the gathering of a clan, or a wedding feast?"

Telemachus made answer: "O sir, while my father was yet alive, our

house was rich and honoured; but now that he is gone, things are

not well with me. I would not grieve so much had he fallen in

battle before Troy; for then the Greeks would have builded a great

burial mound for him, and he would thus have won great renown,

even for his son. But now the storms of the sea have swept him

away, and I am left in sore distress. For these whom thou seest

are the princes of the islands that come here to woo my mother.

She neither refuseth nor accepteth; and meanwhile they sit here,

and waste my substance."

Then said the false Mentes: "Now may the gods help thee! Thou art

indeed in sore need of Ulysses. But now hearken to my counsel.

First call an assembly of the people. Bid the suitors go back,

each man to his home; and as for thy mother, if she be moved to

wed, let her return to her father's house, that her kinsfolk may

furnish a wedding feast, and prepare gifts such as a well-beloved

daughter should have. Afterwards do thou fit up a ship with twenty

oars, and go, inquire concerning thy father; perhaps some man may

give thee tidings of him; or, may be, thou wilt hear a voice from

Zeus concerning him. Go to Pylos first, and afterwards to Sparta,

where Menelaus [Footnote: Me-ne-la'-us.] dwelleth, who of all the

Greeks came back the last to his home. If thou shouldest hear that

he is dead, then come back hither, and raise a mound for him, and

give thy mother to a husband. And when thou hast made an end of

all these things, then plan how thou mayest slay the suitors by

force or craft, for it is time for thee to have the thoughts of a

man."

Then said Telemachus: "Thou speakest these things out of a

friendly heart, as a father might speak to his son, nor will I

ever forget them. But now, I pray thee, abide here for a space,

that I may give thee a goodly gift, such as friends give to

friends, to be an heirloom in thy house."

But the false Mentes said, "Keep me no longer, for I am eager to

depart; give me thy gift when I shall return."

So the goddess departed; like to an eagle of the sea was she as

she flew. And Telemachus knew her to be a goddess as she went.

Meanwhile Phemius [Footnote: Phe'-mi-us.] the minstrel sang to the

suitors, and his song was of the unhappy return of the Greeks from

Troy.

When Penelope heard the song, she came down from the upper chamber

where she sat, and two handmaids bare her company. And when she

came to where the suitors sat, she stood by the gate of the hall,

holding her shining veil before her face. Then spake she to the

minstrel, weeping, and said: "Phemius, thou knowest many songs

concerning the deeds of gods and men; sing, therefore, one of

these, and let the guests drink the wine in silence. But stay this

pitiful strain, for it breaketh my heart to hear it. Surely, of

all women I am the most unhappy, so famous was the husband for

whom I mourn."

But Telemachus made reply: "Why dost thou grudge the minstrel, my

mother, to make us glad in such fashion as his spirit biddeth him?

It is no blame to him that he singeth of the unhappy return of the

Greeks, for men most prize the song that soundeth newest in their

ears. Endure, therefore, to listen, for not Ulysses only missed

his return, but many a famous chief besides. Go, then, to thy

chamber, and mind thy household affairs, and bid thy handmaids ply

their tasks. Speech belongeth unto men, and chiefly to me that am

the master in this house."

Then went she back to her chamber, for she was amazed at her son,

with such authority did he speak. Then she bewailed her lord, till

Athene sent down sleep upon her eyes.

When she was gone, Telemachus spake to the suitors, saying: "Let

us now feast and be merry, and let there be no brawling among us.

It is a good thing to listen to a minstrel that hath a voice as

the voice of a god. But in the morning let us go to the assembly,

that I may declare my purpose, to wit, that ye leave this hall,

and eat your own substance. But if ye deem it a better thing that

ye should waste another man's goods, and make no recompense, then

work your will. But certainly Zeus shall repay you."

So he spake, and they all marvelled that he used such boldness.

And Antinous [Footnote: An-ti'-no-us.] answered: "Surely,

Telemachus, it is by the bidding of the gods that thou speakest so

boldly. Therefore I pray that Zeus may never make thee King in

Ithaca."

Then said Telemachus: "It is no ill thing to be a king, for his

house groweth rich, and he himself is honoured. But there are

others in Ithaca, young and old, who may have the kingship, now

that Ulysses is dead. Yet know that I will be lord of my own house

and of the slaves which Ulysses won for himself with his own

spear."

Thereupon spake Eurymachus [Footnote: Eu-rym'-a-chus.], saying:

"It is with the gods to say who shall be King in Ithaca; but no

man can deny that thou shouldest keep thine own goods and be lord

in thine own house. Tell me, who is this stranger that came but

just now to thy house? Did he bring tidings of thy father? Or came

he on some matter of his own? In strange fashion did he depart,

nor did he tarry that we might know him."

Telemachus made answer: "Verily, Eurymachus, the day of my

father's return hath gone by forever. As for this stranger, he

said that he was Mentes, King of the Taphians."

So spake Telemachus, but in his heart he knew that the stranger

was Athene. Then the suitors turned them to the dance and to the

song, making merry till the darkness fell. Then went they each to

his own house to sleep.

But Telemachus went to his chamber, pondering many things in his

heart. And Eurycleia, [Footnote: Eu-ry-clei'-a] who had nursed him

when he was little, went with him, bearing torches in her hands.

He opened the door of the chamber, and took off his doublet, and

put it in the wise woman's hands. She folded it, and smoothed it,

and hung it on a pin, and went forth from the room, and pulled to

the door, and made it fast. And all the night Telemachus thought

in his heart of the journey which Athene had showed him.