ODYSSEUS RETURNS TO ITHACA
The small island of Ithaca, of which Odysseus was king, lay on the
western shore of Greece. His subjects deemed that their king was dead,
for ten years had passed since Troy had been destroyed, and yet he had
not come home.
But Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, would not believe that her lord was
dead; she clung to the hope that he would yet return. Princes came to
the palace to beg the queen to wed, but in vain did each one urge his
suit, for hope whispered in the heart of Penelope, ‘My lord is still
alive.’
Laertes, the father of Odysseus, was too old, her little son Telemachus
was too young, to help the queen, when the princes rudely insisted on
living in the palace and in wasting the goods of Odysseus. Again and
again they entreated her to wed one among them. But the queen grew
angry and rebuked them for their insolence in living in the palace.
From day to day, from week to week, from month to month, even from year
to year, Penelope mocked at the impatience of her suitors.
For she set up in the hall of the palace a large loom and began to
weave a beautiful robe. ‘Ye princely youths, my wooers,’ she said, ‘now
that Odysseus is dead, as ye declare, do ye abide patiently, how eager
soever on this marriage of mine, till I finish the robe.’
The princes agreed to wait until the robe was finished, but little did
they dream how long the queen would take to her task.
Day after day, day after day, they watched as Penelope sat at her web
weaving, ever weaving. But night after night, night after night, when
the insolent princes had gone to bed, the queen carefully unravelled
the work they had seen her do by day.
For three long years did Penelope mock her suitors in this way, but
when the fourth year came, and the robe was still incomplete, one of
the queen’s serving-maids betrayed her secret to the princes.
Then the queen could no longer refuse to wed, yet still she tried to
put off the day as long as might be. So she promised to marry him who
could most easily bend the great bow of Odysseus, and hit the mark on
which she should decide. There was now but a little while until the day
would dawn on which the trial of strength and skill was to take place.
Telemachus meanwhile had grown into a tall lad, and, guided by Athene,
he left the palace where the princes wasted his wealth to go in search
of his father. It might be that Odysseus was a captive in some distant
land.
But Odysseus was on his way to Ithaca, sailing in the ship of a king
who had befriended him.
As the vessel glided into the harbour of the little island, Odysseus
lay asleep on the deck. So the sailors lifted him in a rug on which he
lay and put him down in his own kingdom by the side of the road.
When he awoke Odysseus did not at first know where he was, for Athene
had covered the land with a thick mist.
‘O woe is me now, unto what mortals’ land am I now come?’ cried the
king, well-nigh in tears with desire for his own country.
Even as he spoke, Athene stood by his side disguised as a young man.
‘What land is this?’ asked Odysseus, not yet knowing that it was the
goddess to whom he spoke, but thinking that it was one of the country
folk.
‘Thou art witless, stranger, or thou art come from afar, if indeed
thou askest of this land,’ said Athene. ‘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 Troyland.’
Then Odysseus knew that it was the grey-eyed goddess Athene who spoke
to him, and he answered, ‘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?’
The goddess did not answer, but silently she scattered the mist that
the king might see that he was indeed in his own kingdom.
Then Odysseus was glad and stooped to kiss the earth, knowing that at
last his weary wanderings were at an end.