THE ADVENTURES OF ODYSSEUS IN HADES
"With a heavy heart we sailed from Circè's island bound for the gloomy
Hades. As the wind was favorable, we soon reached the place of which
the goddess had told us. There we left the ship and did those things
which Circè had counselled us to do. As soon as the dark blood of
the sheep began to flow into the trench countless souls came flocking
from Hades and begged to taste of the blood, that their mortal minds
might be restored to them.
"Young wives and girls, old men and young warriors who had fallen
in battle, airy forms, ghosts of all kinds of people, flitted like
bats around me in that dark place with fearful cries, and I turned
pale with fear. I drew my sword and waved them back until I should
question the soul of Tiresias.
"But first came the soul of Elpenor, one of my companions who had
gone with me to the palace of Circè. We had left him dead in the halls
of the goddess, since we had no time to bury him. Now, when I saw
him a great pity stirred my heart, and I shed tears and said to him:
'Elpenor, how didst thou come into these dread regions of darkness?
Thou hast come more quickly on foot than I in my quick ship.'
"The phantom knew me, for, being as yet unburied, he was not one of
the shades, and had not lost his memory or voice, nor did he need
to drink of the blood. He moaned and replied: 'Noble Odysseus, it
was an evil fate which the gods had decreed for me. I drank too much
wine and that caused my death. I lay down to sleep on the roof of
Circè's palace and could not remember the way to the stairs when thou
didst call us to the ships. In my haste I fell from the roof and broke
my neck, and my soul came down to Hades.
"'I pray thee now by all those whom thou dost love--thy wife, thy
father, and thy son--that thou leave not my body unburied in the palace
halls, lest I bring on thee the anger of the gods. But on thy return
to Circè's isle burn my body, together with my armor, and pile up
a mound of earth over my ashes. Plant my oar upon my tomb--the oar
with which I used to row while I was living.'
"I made the promise, but at this moment the soul of my mother, whom
I had left hale and strong among the living when I went to the war,
approached and tried to get at the trench. I wept to see her, but
with a heavy heart I forbade her coming nearer until I had spoken
with Tiresias. At this moment troops of souls came flocking out of
Hades, and from the countless throng the Theban seer came leaning
on a golden staff, and he ordered me to lay aside my sword and permit
him to drink of the blood.
"When he had drunk, he spoke to me and said: 'Odysseus, man of many
woes, why dost thou leave the light of the sun and come down among
the dead? Doubtless thy heart's desire is to return safely home. But
much suffering is in store for thee. Poseidon will not permit it,
because thou hast blinded his son, Polyphemus. Still, thou mayest
overcome all difficulties and see Ithaca at last, if thou dost not
harm the cattle and fat sheep of the Sun on the island of Trinacria.
"'But if thou dost kill them and eat of their flesh, I warn thee that
nothing will save thy comrades or thy ships. Even then thou mayest
be saved, but it will be on a strange ship, alone, and after dreadful
sufferings. And at home thou wilt find other misfortunes awaiting
thee.
"'There will be a mob of lawless men rioting in thy house, squandering
thy riches, and trying to get thy wife to marry one of them. Thou
shalt kill these violent men in thy halls by craft or in open fight.
After that thou shalt reach a good and prosperous old age, and find
a peaceful death far away from the sea. All that I tell thee shall
surely happen.'"