Father and Son
At dawn the swineherd and Odysseus
made breakfast, lit the fire, and sent the herdsmen out with the pigs that they had rounded up.
The dogs, that as a rule would bark at strangers, were quiet when they saw Telemachus;
they panted at him. When Odysseus
saw how they acted, and heard footsteps coming, he said,
“Eumaeus, someone must be coming— a friend or somebody you know—the dogs
are friendly, with no barking. I can hear 10
footsteps.”
He hardly finished, when his son, his own dear son, was there inside the gate.
Amazed, the swineherd jumped up, letting fall the cups in which he had been mixing wine;
it spilled. He ran towards his master, kissed his face and shining eyes and both his hands, and wept. Just as a father, when he sees
his own dear son, his only son, his dear
most precious boy, returned from foreign lands after ten years of grieving for his loss, 20
welcomes him; so the swineherd wrapped his arms around godlike Telemachus and kissed him,
as if he were returning from the dead. With tears still in his eyes he said,
“Sweet light!
You have come back, Telemachus. I thought that I would never see you anymore,
after you sailed to Pylos. My dear child, come in, let me enjoy the sight of you
now you are back. Come in! You do not often
come to the countryside to see us herders; 30
you stay in town to watch that evil horde of suitors.”
And Telemachus replied warily, “Grandpa, yes, I will come in.
I came to see you here with my own eyes, and hear if Mother still stays in the house, or if some other man has married her already, and Odysseus’ bed
is empty, full of ugly spiderwebs.”
The swineherd, the commander, said, “Indeed, her heart is loyal. She is in your house, 40
weeping by night and sad by day.”
He took
Telemachus’ sword; the boy came in,
crossing the stony threshold, and his father offered his seat. Telemachus refused, saying, “You sit there, stranger. I can find
a chair around my hut. The slave can help.”
Odysseus went back and sat back down.
The swineherd spread fresh brushwood and a fleece on top, so that Telemachus could sit. 50
He set the bread in baskets and brought meat, left over from the meal the day before.
He mixed some wine up in a wooden bowl, and sat down opposite Odysseus.
They reached to take the good things set before them.
When they were satisfied, Telemachus turned to the noble swineherd.
“Tell me, Grandpa, where did this stranger come from? By what route
did sailors bring him here? And who were they? He surely did not walk to Ithaca!” 60
Eumaeus answered, “I will tell you, child.
He is from Crete. He says he wandered, lost through many towns—so some god spun his fate.
Now he has run away from the Thesprotians who brought him, and arrived here on my farm. He is all yours, your suppliant, to treat however you desire.”
Telemachus
said anxiously, “This news of yours, Eumaeus, is very worrying to me. How can I
invite him to my house? I am too young 70
to fight back with my fists if someone picks a fight with me. My mother is unsure
if she should stay with me and show respect towards her husband’s bed and public gossip, and keep on taking care of things at home,
or marry one of them, whichever suitor asserts himself, and brings most lavish gifts.
But since this man has come here, to your house, I will dress him in fine clothes, cloak and tunic,
and sandals for his feet, and give a sword, 80
and help him on his way. If you are willing, keep him here in the farmhouse; care for him. I will send you some clothes and all his food, so he will be no bother to these men
or you. I will not let him go to meet the suitors; they are much too violent.
I would be mortified if they abused him. It would be difficult for one man, even a strong one, to do anything to them.
They are too many.”
Then Odysseus, 90
frustrated, said, “My friend, it is my duty
to speak out when I hear the dreadful things those suitors have been doing in your house, against your will; it breaks my heart. You are
a good man. Tell me, did you choose to let them bully you? Have the Ithacans been turned against you by some god? Or do you blame your brothers, who should be a man’s supporters when conflict comes? If only I had youth
to match my will! I wish I were the son 100
of great Odysseus—or that I were
the man himself come home from wandering.
We can still hope. Let someone chop my head off, if I would not destroy them when I came
inside the palace of Odysseus!
And if I lost—since I am only one against so many—I would rather die
in my own house, than watch such crimes committed! Strangers dishonored! Slave girls dragged around,
raped in my lovely home! Men wasting wine 110
and bread—for nothing! For this waiting game!”
Telemachus said soberly, “I will explain the situation to you, stranger. The Ithacans are not my enemies,
and I do not have brothers I can blame. Zeus gave my family a single line:
Arcesius had just one son, Laertes, who had Odysseus, his only son,
and he had me, his only son, whom he
left back at home; he had no joy of me. 120
And now there are so many cruel invaders, since all the toughest men from all the islands— from Same and Dulichium and wooded Zacynthus, and all those who hold command
in rocky Ithaca, have come to court
my mother, wasting all my wealth. She does not refuse the awful prospect of remarriage,
nor can she end the courtship. They keep eating, consuming my whole house, and soon they may
destroy me too. These things lie with the gods. 130
Now Grandpa, you must hurry to the queen, and tell her I am safe back home from Pylos. I will stay here while you tell her—just her; do not let any others hear the news,
since many people want to plot my death.”
Eumaeus, you replied, “I understand.
But tell me, on this same trip, should I go and tell poor old Laertes? For a while
he used to watch the fields and join the slaves
for dinner at the house, when in the mood, 140
despite his grief for lost Odysseus.
But since your ship set sail away to Pylos, they say he has stopped eating, will not drink, and does not go to check the fields. He sits, weeping and sobbing, worn to skin and bone.”
Telemachus said calmly, “That is sad; distressing news. But no, leave him alone.
If human wishes could come true, my first would be to have my father come back home.
Take her your message, hurry back, and do not 150
trail round the countryside to look for him. Tell Mother she should send a girl in secret to run to old Laertes with the news.”
At that, the swineherd tied his sandals on, and started off towards the town. Athena noticed him leaving from the yard, and stood beside him as a woman, tall and skillful,
and beautiful. Odysseus could see her, standing beside the entrance to the cottage.
Telemachus could not; the gods are not 160
equally visible to everyone.
The dogs could see her but they did not bark. They whimpered and slunk back across the room in fear. She raised her eyebrows, with a nod;
he understood and came out, past the wall, and stood beside her. Then Athena told him,
“Odysseus, great strategist, it is
time for your son to know the truth; together you have to plan how you will kill the suitors.
Then both of you go into town. I will 170
join you there soon myself; indeed I am itching to fight.”
And then Athena touched him, using a golden wand, and dressed him up
in fine clean cloak and tunic, and she made him taller and younger-looking. He became
tanned, and his cheeks filled out, and on his chin the beard grew dark. And so her work was done, and off she flew. Odysseus went in.
His son was startled and looked down, afraid
in case it was a god. His words flew out. 180
“Stranger, you look so different from before. Your clothes, your skin—I think that you must be some god who has descended from the sky.
Be kind to us, and we will sacrifice, and give you golden treasures. Pity us!”
Long-suffering Odysseus replied,
“I am no god. Why would you think such things? I am your father, that same man you mourn.
It is because of me these brutal men are hurting you so badly.”
Then he kissed 190
his son and cried, tears pouring down his cheeks; he had been holding back till then. The boy
did not yet trust it really was his father, and said,
“No, you are not Odysseus, my father; some god must have cast a spell, to cause me further pain. No mortal man could manage such a thing by his own wits, becoming old and young again—unless some god appeared and did it all with ease.
You certainly were old just now, and wearing 200
those dirty rags. Now you look like a god.”
Artful Odysseus said sharply, “No, Telemachus, you should not be surprised to see your father. It is me; no other
is on his way. I am Odysseus.
I suffered terribly, and I was lost,
but after twenty years, I have come home. As for the way I look—Athena did it.
The goddess can transform me as she likes;
sometimes a homeless beggar, then she makes me 210
look like a young man, wearing princely clothes.
For heavenly gods it is not difficult to make a mortal beautiful or ugly.”
With that, he sat back down. Telemachus hurled his arms round his father, and he wept. They both felt deep desire for lamentation,
and wailed with cries as shrill as birds, like eagles or vultures, when the hunters have deprived them of fledglings who have not yet learned to fly.
That was how bitterly they wept. Their grieving 220
would have continued till the sun went down, but suddenly Telemachus said,
“Father, by what route did the sailors bring you here, to Ithaca? And who were they? I know
you did not walk.”
Odysseus replied, “Son, I will tell you everything. Phaeacians, famous for navigation, brought me here.
They always help their guests travel onward. I slept as their ship sped across the ocean;
they set me down on Ithaca, still sleeping. 230
They brought me marvelous gifts of gold and bronze and clothing, which are lying in a cave,
since gods have willed it so. Athena told me to come here and make plans with you to kill our enemies. How many suitors are there?
What kind of men are they? I am well-known for my intelligence, and I will plot
to work out if we two alone can fight them, or if we might need others helping us.”
Telemachus considered, then said, “Father, 240
I always heard how excellent you are,
at fighting with a spear, and making plans. But what you said just now—it is too much.
We cannot fight, the two of us, against
such strong men, and so many—there are dozens, not just a handful. Let me tell you quickly
the number of the suitors. Fifty-two
came from Dulichium, all top-notch fighters,
who brought six henchmen. Twenty-four men came from Same, twenty more from Zacynthus, 250
and from right here on Ithaca came twelve,
all strong young men. They have a house boy with them, named Medon, and a poet, and two slaves
well trained in carving meat. If we attack when all those men are crowded in the house,
I am afraid you will be paying back their violence at all too high a price.
Think harder: can we find some kind of helper, willing to fight for us?”
Odysseus
said, “Do you think Athena and her father, 260
Zeus, would be strong enough to keep us safe? Would any other help be necessary?”
Telemachus replied, “The ones you mention are good defenders. They sit high among
the clouds, and they control both men and gods.”
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The veteran Odysseus replied, “Those two will quickly join the heat of battle when we begin to grapple with the suitors, when in my house the god of war is testing |
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our fighting force and theirs. Go back at dawn, |
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and join those overconfident young men. |
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The swineherd will escort me into town. |
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I will again be looking like a beggar. |
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If they abuse me and you see me suffer, |
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you must restrain yourself, repress your feelings, |
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even if they are pelting me with weapons, |
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and even if they grab me by the foot |
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to hurl me out. Just watch, and keep your temper. |
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Politely tell them they should stop this folly. |
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They will ignore you. Truly now their day |
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of doom is near at hand. Now listen hard. |
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Athena, my best co-conspirator, |
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will nudge my heart, and I will nod to you. |
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Then you must find all weapons in the house |
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that could be used for fighting; go and hide them |
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away inside the upstairs storage room. |
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And when the suitors ask where they have gone, |
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fob them off, saying, ‘They were near the fire, |
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so I removed them from the breath of smoke, |
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since they were getting damaged; they were losing |
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the luster that they used to have, before |
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Odysseus went off to Troy. Praise Zeus! |
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I thought of something even more important: |
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if you get drunk you may start quarreling, |
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and hurt each other. Then your lovely dinners |
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and courtship will be ruined. Arms themselves |
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can prompt a man to use them.’ Tell them that. |
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Leave out two swords, two spears, and two thick shields for you and me to grab before we rush
to ambush them. Athena will bewitch them, 300
helped by sharp-witted Zeus. And one more thing: if you are my true son, of my own blood,
let no one know that I am in the house. Laertes and the swineherd must not know, nor any of the slave girls, and not even Penelope, until we have determined
the women’s attitude. We also must
test the male slaves, and see who has respect and fears me in his heart, and who does not,
and who looks up to you as you deserve.” 310
His glowing son said, “Father, you will see my courage in the moment. I am tough.
But it would take too long to go around
and test each man like that, and all the while, the suitors would be sitting in your house, wasting your wealth with heedless partying.
So reconsider. I agree you should
find out about the women—which of them are innocent, and which dishonor you.
However, I have no desire to traipse 320
around to test the men; we can do that later, if Zeus reveals a sign to you.”
Such was their conversation. Then the ship in which Telemachus had gone to Pylos docked in the bay of Ithaca’s main town.
They disembarked and dragged the ship onto shore. The slaves brought out the splendid gifts and weapons and took them to the house of Clytius.
A messenger was sent to tell the queen Telemachus was back in Ithaca, 330
and that he said that they must come to town, dragging the ship, in case she had been weeping in her anxiety about her son.
The swineherd and this messenger met up, on the same mission, to inform the queen.
When both of them arrived, the slave girls clustered around the messenger. He said,
your dear son has come home!”
“Great queen,
And then the swineherd
took her aside and told her what her son
had ordered him to say. When he was done, 340
he walked out through the hall and out the courtyard, leaving the palace hall to join his pigs.
The suitors were upset and down at heart.
Eurymachus the son of Polybus
said, “Friends, the journey of this upstart boy succeeded! We were sure that he would fail.
We must launch our best ship, equipped with rowers, to speed across the ocean to the others
and tell them to come home at once.”
His words were hardly finished when Amphinomus 350
spotted a ship inside the harbor, pointed away from land; the sails were being furled, the men were carrying the oars. He laughed triumphantly and said,
“No need to send a messenger! They are already back!
Some god has told them, or they saw his ship approaching, but could not catch up with it.”
So leaping up, they went down to the seashore, and dragged the black ship up onto dry land,
and servants proudly brought the weapons out. 360
They all went crowding to the marketplace, together, and banned any other men
from joining them, both young and old. And then Antinous addressed them.
“How amazing!
The gods have saved this man from death! For days our scouts took turns to watch from windy cliffs.
And when the sun went down, we never spent a night on shore, but sailed to wait till Dawn at sea in ambush for Telemachus,
to make sure we would catch him. Now some god 370
has brought him home. We need to make new plans to murder him. He must not get away.
He will obstruct our courtship if he lives, since he is wise to us, and he will plot,
and now the people will be turned against us.
Telemachus will gather them; he must be furious, and he will not postpone
action. He will stand up and tell them how
we planned to murder him, but failed to do so.
When they hear of our crimes, they will condemn us. 380
We may get hurt or driven from our land, to foreign territories; we must stop it!
Catch him out in the countryside, away from town, or on the road. Let us rob him,
and share his wealth and property among us— and let his mother, and whichever man marries her, keep the house. But if you think it would be better if we let him live,
and keep his father’s riches for himself,
we should stop flocking here to waste the wealth 390
inside his house. We should each go and court her from home, by sending gifts. One day, the lady will marry, and the lucky man will be
the one who sends the most gifts.”
They were silent.
But then Amphinomus, the famous son
of Nisus, spoke. He had come from the wheat fields and pastures of Dulichium, with others.
He was intelligent; Penelope
preferred his speeches over other men’s. Wisely he said,
“My friends, I for my part 400
have no desire to kill Telemachus.
It is a dreadful thing to kill a person
of royal blood. So first we must discover the gods’ intentions. If great Zeus decrees it,
I will kill him myself, and urge you all to join me. If the gods do not approve, I say we must not do it.”
So he spoke,
and they agreed with what he said. They stood, and went back to Odysseus’ house,
and sat on polished chairs.
Penelope 410
decided she must show herself to these ungentlemanly suitors, since she had found out about the plot to kill her son—
Medon had heard their plans, and he told her. Her women at her side, she went downstairs, into the hall, approached them and then stopped, standing beside the doorpost with a veil
across her face. She told Antinous,
“You are a brute! A sneak! A criminal!
The people say you are the smartest boy 420
of all those your own age on Ithaca.
It is not true. You are insane! How could you devise a plan to kill Telemachus?
Do you have no respect for ties created
by supplication, which Zeus watches over? Have you forgotten that your father came here, running in terror from the Ithacans,
who were enraged because he joined the pirates of Taphos, and was hounding the Thesprotians, our allies? So the Ithacans were eager 430
to kill him, rip his heart out, and devour his wealth. Odysseus protected him!
Now you consume your benefactor’s wealth, and court his wife, and try to kill his son, and you are hurting me! I tell you, stop!
And make the other suitors stop as well.”
He said, “Penelope, you need not worry.
Put all this from your mind. There is no man and never will be, who can harm your boy
while I am still alive upon this earth. 440
I swear to you, if someone tries, my sword will spill his blood! Your city-sacking husband often would take me on his lap, and give me tidbits of meat with his own hands, and sips
of red wine. So Telemachus is now
the man I love the most in all the world. The boy is in no danger, not from us—
there is no help for death brought by the gods.”
He spoke to mollify her; all the while
he was devising plans to kill her son. 450
She went up to her light and airy bedroom, and wept for dear Odysseus, her husband, until Athena gave her eyes sweet sleep.
As evening fell, the swineherd came back home to find Odysseus. He and his son
had killed a year-old pig and made a meal.
Athena came beside Odysseus
and touched him with her wand again to make him ragged and old, to make sure when the swineherd
came in, he would not recognize his master, 460
in case he told Penelope the secret.
He came inside. Telemachus spoke first. “Eumaeus, you are back! What is the news
in town? Are those proud suitors in my house, back from the ambush, or still lurking there
to catch me on my way back home?”
Eumaeus answered, “I did not want to trek through town asking that question. I preferred to share
my news as fast as possible and then
come back. One of your own men went with me, 470
a messenger; he told your mother first.
I saw one more thing: as I passed the hill of Hermes, right above the town I saw
a ship draw into harbor, full of men
and loaded up with shields and spears. I thought it could be them, but I cannot be sure.”
Then Prince Telemachus began to smile and met his father’s eyes; he did not let
Eumaeus see. When they were finished cooking, they shared the dinner equally, and all 480
had plenty, then they took the gift of sleep.
