MINERVA SUMMONS TELEMACHUS FROM LACEDAEMON—HE MEETS WITH THEOCLYMENUS

AT PYLOS AND BRINGS HIM TO ITHACA—ON LANDING HE GOES TO THE HUT OF

EUMAEUS.





But Minerva went to the fair city of Lacedaemon to tell Ulysses’ son

that he was to return at once. She found him and Pisistratus sleeping

in the forecourt of Menelaus’s house; Pisistratus was fast asleep, but

Telemachus could get no rest all night for thinking of his unhappy

father, so Minerva went close up to him and said:



“Telemachus, you should not remain so far away from home any longer,

nor leave your property with such dangerous people in your house; they

will eat up everything you have among them, and you will have been on a

fool’s errand. Ask Menelaus to send you home at once if you wish to

find your excellent mother still there when you get back. Her father

and brothers are already urging her to marry Eurymachus, who has given

her more than any of the others, and has been greatly increasing his

wedding presents. I hope nothing valuable may have been taken from the

house in spite of you, but you know what women are—they always want to

do the best they can for the man who marries them, and never give

another thought to the children of their first husband, nor to their

father either when he is dead and done with. Go home, therefore, and

put everything in charge of the most respectable woman servant that you

have, until it shall please heaven to send you a wife of your own. Let

me tell you also of another matter which you had better attend to. The

chief men among the suitors are lying in wait for you in the Strait128

between Ithaca and Samos, and they mean to kill you before you can

reach home. I do not much think they will succeed; it is more likely

that some of those who are now eating up your property will find a

grave themselves. Sail night and day, and keep your ship well away from

the islands; the god who watches over you and protects you will send

you a fair wind. As soon as you get to Ithaca send your ship and men on

to the town, but yourself go straight to the swineherd who has charge

of your pigs; he is well disposed towards you, stay with him,

therefore, for the night, and then send him to Penelope to tell her

that you have got back safe from Pylos.”



Then she went back to Olympus; but Telemachus stirred Pisistratus with

his heel to rouse him, and said, “Wake up Pisistratus, and yoke the

horses to the chariot, for we must set off home.”129



But Pisistratus said, “No matter what hurry we are in we cannot drive

in the dark. It will be morning soon; wait till Menelaus has brought

his presents and put them in the chariot for us; and let him say good

bye to us in the usual way. So long as he lives a guest should never

forget a host who has shown him kindness.”



As he spoke day began to break, and Menelaus, who had already risen,

leaving Helen in bed, came towards them. When Telemachus saw him he put

on his shirt as fast as he could, threw a great cloak over his

shoulders, and went out to meet him. “Menelaus,” said he, “let me go

back now to my own country, for I want to get home.”



And Menelaus answered, “Telemachus, if you insist on going I will not

detain you. I do not like to see a host either too fond of his guest or

too rude to him. Moderation is best in all things, and not letting a

man go when he wants to do so is as bad as telling him to go if he

would like to stay. One should treat a guest well as long as he is in

the house and speed him when he wants to leave it. Wait, then, till I

can get your beautiful presents into your chariot, and till you have

yourself seen them. I will tell the women to prepare a sufficient

dinner for you of what there may be in the house; it will be at once

more proper and cheaper for you to get your dinner before setting out

on such a long journey. If, moreover, you have a fancy for making a

tour in Hellas or in the Peloponnese, I will yoke my horses, and will

conduct you myself through all our principal cities. No one will send

us away empty handed; every one will give us something—a bronze tripod,

a couple of mules, or a gold cup.”



“Menelaus,” replied Telemachus, “I want to go home at once, for when I

came away I left my property without protection, and fear that while

looking for my father I shall come to ruin myself, or find that

something valuable has been stolen during my absence.”



When Menelaus heard this he immediately told his wife and servants to

prepare a sufficient dinner from what there might be in the house. At

this moment Eteoneus joined him, for he lived close by and had just got

up; so Menelaus told him to light the fire and cook some meat, which he

at once did. Then Menelaus went down into his fragrant store room,130

not alone, but Helen went too, with Megapenthes. When he reached the

place where the treasures of his house were kept, he selected a double

cup, and told his son Megapenthes to bring also a silver mixing bowl.

Meanwhile Helen went to the chest where she kept the lovely dresses

which she had made with her own hands, and took out one that was

largest and most beautifully enriched with embroidery; it glittered

like a star, and lay at the very bottom of the chest. 131 Then they all

came back through the house again till they got to Telemachus, and

Menelaus said, “Telemachus, may Jove, the mighty husband of Juno, bring

you safely home according to your desire. I will now present you with

the finest and most precious piece of plate in all my house. It is a

mixing bowl of pure silver, except the rim, which is inlaid with gold,

and it is the work of Vulcan. Phaedimus king of the Sidonians made me a

present of it in the course of a visit that I paid him while I was on

my return home. I should like to give it to you.”



With these words he placed the double cup in the hands of Telemachus,

while Megapenthes brought the beautiful mixing bowl and set it before

him. Hard by stood lovely Helen with the robe ready in her hand.



“I too, my son,” said she, “have something for you as a keepsake from

the hand of Helen; it is for your bride to wear upon her wedding day.

Till then, get your dear mother to keep it for you; thus may you go

back rejoicing to your own country and to your home.”



So saying she gave the robe over to him and he received it gladly. Then

Pisistratus put the presents into the chariot, and admired them all as

he did so. Presently Menelaus took Telemachus and Pisistratus into the

house, and they both of them sat down to table. A maid servant brought

them water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver

basin for them to wash their hands, and she drew a clean table beside

them; an upper servant brought them bread and offered them many good

things of what there was in the house. Eteoneus carved the meat and

gave them each their portions, while Megapenthes poured out the wine.

Then they laid their hands upon the good things that were before them,

but as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Telemachus and

Pisistratus yoked the horses, and took their places in the chariot.

They drove out through the inner gateway and under the echoing

gatehouse of the outer court, and Menelaus came after them with a

golden goblet of wine in his right hand that they might make a

drink-offering before they set out. He stood in front of the horses and

pledged them, saying, “Farewell to both of you; see that you tell

Nestor how I have treated you, for he was as kind to me as any father

could be while we Achaeans were fighting before Troy.”



“We will be sure, sir,” answered Telemachus, “to tell him everything as

soon as we see him. I wish I were as certain of finding Ulysses

returned when I get back to Ithaca, that I might tell him of the very

great kindness you have shown me and of the many beautiful presents I

am taking with me.”



As he was thus speaking a bird flew on his right hand—an eagle with a

great white goose in its talons which it had carried off from the farm

yard—and all the men and women were running after it and shouting. It

came quite close up to them and flew away on their right hands in front

of the horses. When they saw it they were glad, and their hearts took

comfort within them, whereon Pisistratus said, “Tell me, Menelaus, has

heaven sent this omen for us or for you?”



Menelaus was thinking what would be the most proper answer for him to

make, but Helen was too quick for him and said, “I will read this

matter as heaven has put it in my heart, and as I doubt not that it

will come to pass. The eagle came from the mountain where it was bred

and has its nest, and in like manner Ulysses, after having travelled

far and suffered much, will return to take his revenge—if indeed he is

not back already and hatching mischief for the suitors.”



“May Jove so grant it,” replied Telemachus, “if it should prove to be

so, I will make vows to you as though you were a god, even when I am at

home.”



As he spoke he lashed his horses and they started off at full speed

through the town towards the open country. They swayed the yoke upon

their necks and travelled the whole day long till the sun set and

darkness was over all the land. Then they reached Pherae, where Diocles

lived who was son of Ortilochus, the son of Alpheus. There they passed

the night and were treated hospitably. When the child of morning,

rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared, they again yoked their horses and their

places in the chariot. They drove out through the inner gateway and

under the echoing gatehouse of the outer court. Then Pisistratus lashed

his horses on and they flew forward nothing loath; ere long they came

to Pylos, and then Telemachus said:



“Pisistratus, I hope you will promise to do what I am going to ask you.

You know our fathers were old friends before us; moreover, we are both

of an age, and this journey has brought us together still more closely;

do not, therefore, take me past my ship, but leave me there, for if I

go to your father’s house he will try to keep me in the warmth of his

good will towards me, and I must go home at once.”



Pisistratus thought how he should do as he was asked, and in the end he

deemed it best to turn his horses towards the ship, and put Menelaus’s

beautiful presents of gold and raiment in the stern of the vessel. Then

he said, “Go on board at once and tell your men to do so also before I

can reach home to tell my father. I know how obstinate he is, and am

sure he will not let you go; he will come down here to fetch you, and

he will not go back without you. But he will be very angry.”



With this he drove his goodly steeds back to the city of the Pylians

and soon reached his home, but Telemachus called the men together and

gave his orders. “Now, my men,” said he, “get everything in order on

board the ship, and let us set out home.”



Thus did he speak, and they went on board even as he had said. But as

Telemachus was thus busied, praying also and sacrificing to Minerva in

the ship’s stern, there came to him a man from a distant country, a

seer, who was flying from Argos because he had killed a man. He was

descended from Melampus, who used to live in Pylos, the land of sheep;

he was rich and owned a great house, but he was driven into exile by

the great and powerful king Neleus. Neleus seized his goods and held

them for a whole year, during which he was a close prisoner in the

house of king Phylacus, and in much distress of mind both on account of

the daughter of Neleus and because he was haunted by a great sorrow

that dread Erinys had laid upon him. In the end, however, he escaped

with his life, drove the cattle from Phylace to Pylos, avenged the

wrong that had been done him, and gave the daughter of Neleus to his

brother. Then he left the country and went to Argos, where it was

ordained that he should reign over much people. There he married,

established himself, and had two famous sons Antiphates and Mantius.

Antiphates became father of Oicleus, and Oicleus of Amphiaraus, who was

dearly loved both by Jove and by Apollo, but he did not live to old

age, for he was killed in Thebes by reason of a woman’s gifts. His sons

were Alcmaeon and Amphilochus. Mantius, the other son of Melampus, was

father to Polypheides and Cleitus. Aurora, throned in gold, carried off

Cleitus for his beauty’s sake, that he might dwell among the immortals,

but Apollo made Polypheides the greatest seer in the whole world now

that Amphiaraus was dead. He quarrelled with his father and went to

live in Hyperesia, where he remained and prophesied for all men.



His son, Theoclymenus, it was who now came up to Telemachus as he was

making drink-offerings and praying in his ship. “Friend,” said he, “now

that I find you sacrificing in this place, I beseech you by your

sacrifices themselves, and by the god to whom you make them, I pray you

also by your own head and by those of your followers tell me the truth

and nothing but the truth. Who and whence are you? Tell me also of your

town and parents.”



Telemachus said, “I will answer you quite truly. I am from Ithaca, and

my father is Ulysses, as surely as that he ever lived. But he has come

to some miserable end. Therefore I have taken this ship and got my crew

together to see if I can hear any news of him, for he has been away a

long time.”



“I too,” answered Theoclymenus, “am an exile, for I have killed a man

of my own race. He has many brothers and kinsmen in Argos, and they

have great power among the Argives. I am flying to escape death at

their hands, and am thus doomed to be a wanderer on the face of the

earth. I am your suppliant; take me, therefore, on board your ship that

they may not kill me, for I know they are in pursuit.”



“I will not refuse you,” replied Telemachus, “if you wish to join us.

Come, therefore, and in Ithaca we will treat you hospitably according

to what we have.”



On this he received Theoclymenus’ spear and laid it down on the deck of

the ship. He went on board and sat in the stern, bidding Theoclymenus

sit beside him; then the men let go the hawsers. Telemachus told them

to catch hold of the ropes, and they made all haste to do so. They set

the mast in its socket in the cross plank, raised it and made it fast

with the forestays, and they hoisted their white sails with sheets of

twisted ox hide. Minerva sent them a fair wind that blew fresh and

strong to take the ship on her course as fast as possible. Thus then

they passed by Crouni and Chalcis.



Presently the sun set and darkness was over all the land. The vessel

made a quick passage to Pheae and thence on to Elis, where the Epeans

rule. Telemachus then headed her for the flying islands,132 wondering

within himself whether he should escape death or should be taken

prisoner.



Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd were eating their supper in the

hut, and the men supped with them. As soon as they had had to eat and

drink, Ulysses began trying to prove the swineherd and see whether he

would continue to treat him kindly, and ask him to stay on at the

station or pack him off to the city; so he said:



“Eumaeus, and all of you, to-morrow I want to go away and begin begging

about the town, so as to be no more trouble to you or to your men. Give

me your advice therefore, and let me have a good guide to go with me

and show me the way. I will go the round of the city begging as I needs

must, to see if any one will give me a drink and a piece of bread. I

should like also to go to the house of Ulysses and bring news of her

husband to Queen Penelope. I could then go about among the suitors and

see if out of all their abundance they will give me a dinner. I should

soon make them an excellent servant in all sorts of ways. Listen and

believe when I tell you that by the blessing of Mercury who gives grace

and good name to the works of all men, there is no one living who would

make a more handy servant than I should—to put fresh wood on the fire,

chop fuel, carve, cook, pour out wine, and do all those services that

poor men have to do for their betters.”



The swineherd was very much disturbed when he heard this. “Heaven help

me,” he exclaimed, “what ever can have put such a notion as that into

your head? If you go near the suitors you will be undone to a

certainty, for their pride and insolence reach the very heavens. They

would never think of taking a man like you for a servant. Their

servants are all young men, well dressed, wearing good cloaks and

shirts, with well looking faces and their hair always tidy, the tables

are kept quite clean and are loaded with bread, meat, and wine. Stay

where you are, then; you are not in anybody’s way; I do not mind your

being here, no more do any of the others, and when Telemachus comes

home he will give you a shirt and cloak and will send you wherever you

want to go.”



Ulysses answered, “I hope you may be as dear to the gods as you are to

me, for having saved me from going about and getting into trouble;

there is nothing worse than being always on the tramp; still, when men

have once got low down in the world they will go through a great deal

on behalf of their miserable bellies. Since, however, you press me to

stay here and await the return of Telemachus, tell me about Ulysses’

mother, and his father whom he left on the threshold of old age when he

set out for Troy. Are they still living or are they already dead and in

the house of Hades?”



“I will tell you all about them,” replied Eumaeus, “Laertes is still

living and prays heaven to let him depart peacefully in his own house,

for he is terribly distressed about the absence of his son, and also

about the death of his wife, which grieved him greatly and aged him

more than anything else did. She came to an unhappy end133 through

sorrow for her son: may no friend or neighbour who has dealt kindly by

me come to such an end as she did. As long as she was still living,

though she was always grieving, I used to like seeing her and asking

her how she did, for she brought me up along with her daughter Ctimene,

the youngest of her children; we were boy and girl together, and she

made little difference between us. When, however, we both grew up, they

sent Ctimene to Same and received a splendid dowry for her. As for me,

my mistress gave me a good shirt and cloak with a pair of sandals for

my feet, and sent me off into the country, but she was just as fond of

me as ever. This is all over now. Still it has pleased heaven to

prosper my work in the situation which I now hold. I have enough to eat

and drink, and can find something for any respectable stranger who

comes here; but there is no getting a kind word or deed out of my

mistress, for the house has fallen into the hands of wicked people.

Servants want sometimes to see their mistress and have a talk with her;

they like to have something to eat and drink at the house, and

something too to take back with them into the country. This is what

will keep servants in a good humour.”



Ulysses answered, “Then you must have been a very little fellow,

Eumaeus, when you were taken so far away from your home and parents.

Tell me, and tell me true, was the city in which your father and mother

lived sacked and pillaged, or did some enemies carry you off when you

were alone tending sheep or cattle, ship you off here, and sell you for

whatever your master gave them?”



“Stranger,” replied Eumaeus, “as regards your question: sit still, make

yourself comfortable, drink your wine, and listen to me. The nights are

now at their longest; there is plenty of time both for sleeping and

sitting up talking together; you ought not to go to bed till bed time,

too much sleep is as bad as too little; if any one of the others wishes

to go to bed let him leave us and do so; he can then take my master’s

pigs out when he has done breakfast in the morning. We too will sit

here eating and drinking in the hut, and telling one another stories

about our misfortunes; for when a man has suffered much, and been

buffeted about in the world, he takes pleasure in recalling the memory

of sorrows that have long gone by. As regards your question, then, my

tale is as follows:



“You may have heard of an island called Syra that lies over above

Ortygia,134 where the land begins to turn round and look in another

direction.135 It is not very thickly peopled, but the soil is good,

with much pasture fit for cattle and sheep, and it abounds with wine

and wheat. Dearth never comes there, nor are the people plagued by any

sickness, but when they grow old Apollo comes with Diana and kills them

with his painless shafts. It contains two communities, and the whole

country is divided between these two. My father Ctesius son of Ormenus,

a man comparable to the gods, reigned over both.



“Now to this place there came some cunning traders from Phoenicia (for

the Phoenicians are great mariners) in a ship which they had freighted

with gewgaws of all kinds. There happened to be a Phoenician woman in

my father’s house, very tall and comely, and an excellent servant;

these scoundrels got hold of her one day when she was washing near

their ship, seduced her, and cajoled her in ways that no woman can

resist, no matter how good she may be by nature. The man who had

seduced her asked her who she was and where she came from, and on this

she told him her father’s name. ‘I come from Sidon,’ said she, ‘and am

daughter to Arybas, a man rolling in wealth. One day as I was coming

into the town from the country, some Taphian pirates seized me and took

me here over the sea, where they sold me to the man who owns this

house, and he gave them their price for me.’



“The man who had seduced her then said, ‘Would you like to come along

with us to see the house of your parents and your parents themselves?

They are both alive and are said to be well off.’



“‘I will do so gladly,’ answered she, ‘if you men will first swear me a

solemn oath that you will do me no harm by the way.’



“They all swore as she told them, and when they had completed their

oath the woman said, ‘Hush; and if any of your men meets me in the

street or at the well, do not let him speak to me, for fear some one

should go and tell my master, in which case he would suspect something.

He would put me in prison, and would have all of you murdered; keep

your own counsel therefore; buy your merchandise as fast as you can,

and send me word when you have done loading. I will bring as much gold

as I can lay my hands on, and there is something else also that I can

do towards paying my fare. I am nurse to the son of the good man of the

house, a funny little fellow just able to run about. I will carry him

off in your ship, and you will get a great deal of money for him if you

take him and sell him in foreign parts.’



“On this she went back to the house. The Phoenicians stayed a whole

year till they had loaded their ship with much precious merchandise,

and then, when they had got freight enough, they sent to tell the

woman. Their messenger, a very cunning fellow, came to my father’s

house bringing a necklace of gold with amber beads strung among it; and

while my mother and the servants had it in their hands admiring it and

bargaining about it, he made a sign quietly to the woman and then went

back to the ship, whereon she took me by the hand and led me out of the

house. In the fore part of the house she saw the tables set with the

cups of guests who had been feasting with my father, as being in

attendance on him; these were now all gone to a meeting of the public

assembly, so she snatched up three cups and carried them off in the

bosom of her dress, while I followed her, for I knew no better. The sun

was now set, and darkness was over all the land, so we hurried on as

fast as we could till we reached the harbour, where the Phoenician ship

was lying. When they had got on board they sailed their ways over the

sea, taking us with them, and Jove sent then a fair wind; six days did

we sail both night and day, but on the seventh day Diana struck the

woman and she fell heavily down into the ship’s hold as though she were

a sea gull alighting on the water; so they threw her overboard to the

seals and fishes, and I was left all sorrowful and alone. Presently the

winds and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where Laertes gave sundry of

his chattels for me, and thus it was that ever I came to set eyes upon

this country.”



Ulysses answered, “Eumaeus, I have heard the story of your misfortunes

with the most lively interest and pity, but Jove has given you good as

well as evil, for in spite of everything you have a good master, who

sees that you always have enough to eat and drink; and you lead a good

life, whereas I am still going about begging my way from city to city.”



Thus did they converse, and they had only a very little time left for

sleep, for it was soon daybreak. In the mean time Telemachus and his

crew were nearing land, so they loosed the sails, took down the mast,

and rowed the ship into the harbour.136 They cast out their mooring

stones and made fast the hawsers; they then got out upon the sea shore,

mixed their wine, and got dinner ready. As soon as they had had enough

to eat and drink Telemachus said, “Take the ship on to the town, but

leave me here, for I want to look after the herdsmen on one of my

farms. In the evening, when I have seen all I want, I will come down to

the city, and to-morrow morning in return for your trouble I will give

you all a good dinner with meat and wine.” 137



Then Theoclymenus said, “And what, my dear young friend, is to become

of me? To whose house, among all your chief men, am I to repair? or

shall I go straight to your own house and to your mother?”



“At any other time,” replied Telemachus, “I should have bidden you go

to my own house, for you would find no want of hospitality; at the

present moment, however, you would not be comfortable there, for I

shall be away, and my mother will not see you; she does not often show

herself even to the suitors, but sits at her loom weaving in an upper

chamber, out of their way; but I can tell you a man whose house you can

go to—I mean Eurymachus the son of Polybus, who is held in the highest

estimation by every one in Ithaca. He is much the best man and the most

persistent wooer, of all those who are paying court to my mother and

trying to take Ulysses’ place. Jove, however, in heaven alone knows

whether or no they will come to a bad end before the marriage takes

place.”



As he was speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand—a hawk, Apollo’s

messenger. It held a dove in its talons, and the feathers, as it tore

them off,138 fell to the ground midway between Telemachus and the ship.

On this Theoclymenus called him apart and caught him by the hand.

“Telemachus,” said he, “that bird did not fly on your right hand

without having been sent there by some god. As soon as I saw it I knew

it was an omen; it means that you will remain powerful and that there

will be no house in Ithaca more royal than your own.”



“I wish it may prove so,” answered Telemachus. “If it does, I will show

you so much good will and give you so many presents that all who meet

you will congratulate you.”



Then he said to his friend Piraeus, “Piraeus, son of Clytius, you have

throughout shown yourself the most willing to serve me of all those who

have accompanied me to Pylos; I wish you would take this stranger to

your own house and entertain him hospitably till I can come for him.”



And Piraeus answered, “Telemachus, you may stay away as long as you

please, but I will look after him for you, and he shall find no lack of

hospitality.”



As he spoke he went on board, and bade the others do so also and loose

the hawsers, so they took their places in the ship. But Telemachus

bound on his sandals, and took a long and doughty spear with a head of

sharpened bronze from the deck of the ship. Then they loosed the

hawsers, thrust the ship off from land, and made on towards the city as

they had been told to do, while Telemachus strode on as fast as he

could, till he reached the homestead where his countless herds of swine

were feeding, and where dwelt the excellent swineherd, who was so

devoted a servant to his master.