The Odyssey 1732 Studios

Ancient Greek · The Homecoming

Ὀδυσσείας π

Book 16. Father and Son: Odysseus Reveals Himself to Telemachus

Telemachus reaches the hut. Athena restores Odysseus to his own shape, and father and son meet after twenty years. They plan the suitors' deaths.

480 lines · 49 notes

Tap a line to open its words. The mark beside it plays it.

  1. 1

    Now the two of them, Odysseus and the noble swineherd, in the hut

    Metre

    τὼthe twoὁ · nominative dual masculine pronounsubject

    Dual number: exactly two people (Odysseus + swineherd), a form English lost.

    δandδέ · particlesentence particle
    αὖτagainαὖτε · adverbsentence particle
    ἐνinἐν · prepositionpreposition
    κλισίῃhutκλισία · dative singular feminine nounadverbial to ἐν
    ὈδυσεὺςOdysseusὈδυσσεύς · nominative singular masculine nounsubject
    καὶandκαί · conjunctioncoordinating word
    δῖοςnobleδῖος · nominative singular masculine adjectivemodifies ὑφορβὸς

    δῖος 'noble/divine' is a stock Homeric epithet for heroes, formulaic filler for the meter.

    ὑφορβὸςswineherdὑφορβός · nominative singular masculine nounsubject
  2. 2

    were making ready their breakfast at daybreak, having kindled a fire,

  3. 3

    and they sent out the herdsmen with the gathered swine;

  4. 4

    but the loud-baying dogs fawned around Telemachus

  5. 5

    and did not bark at him as he came up. And noble Odysseus noticed

  6. 6

    the dogs fawning, and the sound of footsteps came to him.

  7. 7

    At once he spoke winged words to Eumaeus:

  8. 8

    "Eumaeus, surely some companion of yours is coming here,

  9. 9

    or someone else you know, since the dogs are not barking

  10. 10

    but fawning around him; and I hear the thud of footsteps."

  11. 11

    The word was not yet fully spoken when his own dear son

  12. 12

    stood in the doorway. The swineherd sprang up in amazement,

  13. 13

    and from his hands the vessels fell with which he was busy,

  14. 14

    mixing the gleaming wine. He went to meet his master,

  15. 15

    and kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes

  16. 16

    and both his hands, and a swelling tear fell from him.

  17. 17

    As a father lovingly welcomes his own son

  18. 18

    come home from a far country in the tenth year,

  19. 19

    an only son, late-born, for whom he has suffered many sorrows,

  20. 20

    so then the noble swineherd kissed godlike Telemachus

  21. 21

    all over, clinging to him, as one escaped from death;

  22. 22

    and weeping he spoke winged words to him:

  23. 23

    "You have come, Telemachus, sweet light. I no longer

  24. 24

    thought I would see you, once you had sailed to Pylos.

  25. 25

    But come now, enter, dear child, so that in my heart

  26. 26

    I may take joy in looking at you, just come home from abroad.

  27. 27

    For you do not often visit the farm and the herdsmen,

  28. 28

    but stay in town; so it has pleased your heart,

  29. 29

    to keep watch on the ruinous crowd of the suitors."

  30. 30

    Then wise Telemachus answered him in turn:

  31. 31

    "So it shall be, old friend; but it is for your sake I have come here,

  32. 32

    so that I may see you with my own eyes and hear your word,

  33. 33

    whether my mother still waits in the halls, or whether by now

  34. 34

    some other man has married her, and Odysseus' bed

  35. 35

    for want of sleepers lies covered with foul cobwebs."

  36. 36

    Then the swineherd, leader of men, answered him:

  37. 37

    "Indeed she still waits, with an enduring heart,

  38. 38

    in your halls; but always her wretched

  39. 39

    nights and days waste away as she sheds tears."

  40. 40

    So speaking he took from him the bronze spear;

  41. 41

    and Telemachus went inside and crossed the stone threshold.

  42. 42

    As he came up, his father Odysseus made to yield his seat to him;

  43. 43

    but Telemachus stopped him from the other side and spoke:

  44. 44

    "Sit, stranger; we shall find a seat elsewhere

  45. 45

    at our station; and here is a man who will set one out."

  46. 46

    So he spoke, and Odysseus went back and sat down; and for Telemachus the swineherd

  47. 47

    spread out green brushwood beneath, and a fleece on top;

  48. 48

    and there the dear son of Odysseus sat down.

  49. 49

    Then the swineherd set beside them platters of meat,

  50. 50

    roasted, which they had left from their eating the day before,

  51. 51

    and quickly he heaped up bread in baskets,

  52. 52

    and in an ivy-wood bowl he mixed the honey-sweet wine;

  53. 53

    and he himself sat down facing godlike Odysseus.

  54. 54

    Then they reached out their hands to the good food set ready before them.

  55. 55

    But when they had put away their desire for drink and food,

  56. 56

    then indeed Telemachus spoke to the noble swineherd:

  57. 57

    "Old friend, where did this stranger come from? How did sailors

  58. 58

    bring him to Ithaca? Who did they claim to be?

  59. 59

    For I do not think he came here on foot."

  60. 60

    Then you answered him, Eumaeus the swineherd:

  61. 61

    "Then I will tell you, child, the whole truth.

  62. 62

    He claims his lineage is from broad Crete,

  63. 63

    and he says he has wandered through many cities of mortals,

  64. 64

    drifting on; for so a god spun this fate for him.

  65. 65

    Now, having run off from a ship of the Thesprotian men,

  66. 66

    he has come to my station; and I hand him over to you.

  67. 67

    Do as you wish; he claims to be your suppliant."

  68. 68

    Then wise Telemachus answered him in turn:

  69. 69

    "Eumaeus, truly you have spoken a word that grieves my heart.

  70. 70

    For how am I to receive this stranger in my house?

  71. 71

    I myself am young, and do not yet trust my hands

  72. 72

    to fend off a man, whenever someone provokes me first;

  73. 73

    and my mother's heart wavers two ways within her,

  74. 74

    whether to stay here beside me and keep the house,

  75. 75

    honoring her husband's bed and the talk of the people,

  76. 76

    or whether now to follow whoever is best of the Achaeans

  77. 77

    who woos her in the halls and offers the most.

  78. 78

    But as for this stranger, since he has come to your home,

  79. 79

    I will clothe him in a cloak and tunic, fine garments,

  80. 80

    and give him a double-edged sword and sandals for his feet,

  81. 81

    and send him wherever his heart and spirit bid him go.

  82. 82

    Or if you wish, keep him and tend him here at the station;

  83. 83

    and I will send clothing here and all the food

  84. 84

    for him to eat, so he does not wear down you and your men.

  85. 85

    But I would not let him go over there, among the suitors,

  86. 86

    for they have far too reckless an insolence;

  87. 87

    they might mock him, and that would be dread grief for me.

  88. 88

    It is hard for a man, even a strong one, to accomplish anything

  89. 89

    when he is among a greater number, for they are far stronger."

  90. 90

    Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:

  91. 91

    "Friend, since it is surely right for me to answer too,

  92. 92

    truly my heart is torn within me as I listen,

  93. 93

    to the reckless deeds you say the suitors are contriving

  94. 94

    in the halls, against your will, you being such a man.

  95. 95

    Tell me, do you submit willingly, or do the people

  96. 96

    hate you throughout the land, following the voice of some god?

  97. 97

    Or do you have some grievance against brothers, in whom a man

  98. 98

    trusts when they fight, even if a great quarrel arises?

  99. 99

    If only I were as young as I am in spirit now,

  100. 100

    either the son of blameless Odysseus, or Odysseus himself!

  101. 102

    Then at once let a stranger's hand cut my head from me,

  102. 103

    if I did not become a bane to all those men,

  103. 104

    going to the hall of Odysseus, son of Laertes.

  104. 105

    And even if their numbers overcame me, alone as I am,

  105. 106

    I would rather, struck down in my own halls,

  106. 107

    be dead, than always look upon these shameful deeds:

  107. 108

    strangers being beaten, and the serving women

  108. 109

    dragged about disgracefully through the fine halls,

  109. 110

    and wine drawn off, and the food devoured

  110. 111

    recklessly, to no end, for a labor that can never be brought to completion.

  111. 112

    Then wise Telemachus answered him in turn:

  112. 113

    "Well then, stranger, I will tell you the exact truth.

  113. 114

    It is not that the whole people hates me and is harsh toward me,

  114. 115

    nor do I have any complaint against brothers, the ones in whom a man

  115. 116

    puts his trust when they fight at his side, even if a great quarrel arises.

  116. 117

    For thus the son of Cronus has made our line single in each generation:

  117. 118

    Arceisius fathered Laertes as his only son,

  118. 119

    and his father in turn fathered Odysseus alone; then Odysseus

  119. 120

    fathered me alone in the halls and left, with no profit from me.

  120. 121

    And so now enemies past counting are within the house.

  121. 122

    For all the nobles who hold sway over the islands,

  122. 123

    Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus,

  123. 124

    and all who lord it over rugged Ithaca,

  124. 125

    all of these are courting my mother and wearing down the house.

  125. 126

    And she neither refuses the hateful marriage nor is able

  126. 127

    to bring it to an end; meanwhile they devour and waste

  127. 128

    my house; and soon they will tear me to pieces as well.

  128. 129

    But truly these things lie on the knees of the gods.

  129. 130

    Old friend, you go quickly, and to prudent Penelope

  130. 131

    say that I am safe and have come back from Pylos.

  131. 132

    But I myself will stay here, and you return back this way,

  132. 133

    having told her alone; let no other of the Achaeans

  133. 134

    find out, for many are devising evil against me."

  134. 135

    Then you answered him, Eumaeus the swineherd:

  135. 136

    "I understand, I take your meaning; you command one who already grasps it.

  136. 137

    But come, tell me this and recount it exactly:

  137. 138

    shall I go on the same road as a messenger to Laertes too,

  138. 139

    the ill-fated man, who up to now, grieving deeply for Odysseus,

  139. 140

    would oversee the work and, among his servants in the house,

  140. 141

    would eat and drink whenever the spirit in his breast urged him;

  141. 142

    but now, ever since you went off in the ship to Pylos,

  142. 143

    they say he no longer eats or drinks as before,

  143. 144

    nor looks to the work, but with groaning and lament

  144. 145

    he sits mourning, and the flesh withers about his bones."

  145. 146

    Then wise Telemachus answered him in turn:

  146. 147

    "It is the harder grief, but even so we will leave him be, sorry as we are.

  147. 148

    For if all things could be had for the choosing by mortals,

  148. 149

    the first thing we would choose is my father's day of homecoming.

  149. 150

    But you, when you have given the message, come back, and do not

  150. 151

    wander through the fields after him; but tell my mother

  151. 152

    to send the housekeeper, a maidservant, as quickly as possible

  152. 153

    in secret; for she could carry the news to the old man."

  153. 154

    So he spoke, and roused the swineherd; he took his sandals in his hands,

  154. 155

    bound them under his feet, and went to the town. Nor did Athena

  155. 156

    fail to notice Eumaeus the swineherd leaving the steading,

  156. 157

    but she herself came near; in form she was like a woman,

  157. 158

    fair and tall and skilled in glorious handiwork.

  158. 159

    She stood at the door of the hut, showing herself to Odysseus;

  159. 160

    but Telemachus did not see her before him, nor perceive her,

  160. 161

    for the gods do not appear in plain sight to everyone,

  161. 162

    but Odysseus and the dogs saw her, and they did not bark

  162. 163

    but whimpering they shrank away to the other side of the steading.

  163. 164

    She signaled with her brows; noble Odysseus understood,

  164. 165

    and came out of the hall, past the great wall of the courtyard,

  165. 166

    and stood before her; then Athena spoke to him:

  166. 167

    "Zeus-born son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices,

  167. 168

    now at last speak the word to your son, and do not hide it,

  168. 169

    so that, having fixed death and doom for the suitors,

  169. 170

    the two of you may go to the famous town; and I myself

  170. 171

    will not be far from you two for long, eager as I am to fight."

  171. 172

    She spoke, and touched him with her golden wand.

  172. 173

    First a well-washed cloak and a tunic

  173. 174

    she set about his chest, and increased his stature and his youth.

  174. 175

    Again he grew dark of skin, and his cheeks filled out,

  175. 176

    and dark grew the beard about his chin.

  176. 177

    When she had done this she went back again; but Odysseus

  177. 178

    went into the hut; and his dear son was amazed at him,

  178. 179

    and in fear turned his eyes aside, lest he be a god,

  179. 180

    and speaking to him he uttered winged words:

  180. 181

    "You look different to me, stranger, than a moment before;

  181. 182

    you wear other clothing, and your skin is no longer the same.

  182. 183

    Surely you are some god, one of those who hold the wide heaven.

  183. 184

    Be gracious, then, that we may give you pleasing offerings

  184. 185

    and gifts of wrought gold; and have mercy on us."

  185. 186

    Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:

  186. 187

    "I am no god for you; why do you liken me to the immortals?

  187. 188

    I am your father, for whose sake you, groaning,

  188. 189

    suffer many pains, enduring the violence of men."

  189. 190

    So speaking he kissed his son, and down his cheeks

  190. 191

    he let a tear fall to the ground; before he had held it back without ceasing.

  191. 192

    But Telemachus, since he did not yet believe him to be his father,

  192. 193

    answered him once more with these words and said:

  193. 194

    "You are not Odysseus, my father, but some divine power

  194. 195

    is bewitching me, so that I may grieve and groan still more.

  195. 196

    For no mortal man could contrive such things

  196. 197

    by his own wit, unless a god himself coming near

  197. 198

    should easily, by his will, make him young or old.

  198. 199

    For just now you were old and dressed in rags;

  199. 200

    but now you are like the gods who hold the wide heaven."

  200. 201

    Then Odysseus of many counsels answered him:

  201. 202

    "Telemachus, it is not fitting, when your dear father is within,

  202. 203

    to wonder so excessively or to be astonished;

  203. 204

    for no other Odysseus will come here to you,

  204. 205

    but I, here, am that man: having suffered evils, and wandered much,

  205. 206

    I have come in the twentieth year to my native land.

  206. 207

    And this is the work of Athena, driver of the spoil,

  207. 208

    who has made me such as she wishes, for she has the power,

  208. 209

    at one time like a beggar, and at another time

  209. 210

    like a young man with fine clothes about his body.

  210. 211

    It is easy for the gods, who hold the wide heaven,

  211. 212

    both to glorify a mortal man and to bring him low."

  212. 213

    So speaking he sat down, and Telemachus,

  213. 214

    flinging his arms about his noble father, wept, shedding tears.

  214. 215

    And in both of them the longing for lament arose;

  215. 216

    they wailed shrilly, more thickly than birds,

  216. 217

    sea-eagles or vultures with crooked talons, whose young

  217. 218

    the country folk have stolen before they were fledged;

  218. 219

    so piteously did they let the tears fall from beneath their brows.

  219. 220

    And now the light of the sun would have set upon their weeping,

  220. 221

    had not Telemachus suddenly spoken to his father:

  221. 222

    "In what ship, dear father, did the sailors bring you here

  222. 223

    to Ithaca? Who did they claim to be?

  223. 224

    For I do not suppose you reached this place on foot."

  224. 225

    Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:

  225. 226

    "Then I will tell you the truth, my child.

  226. 227

    The Phaeacians, famed for ships, brought me; they who also escort

  227. 228

    other men, whoever comes to them.

  228. 229

    And as I slept they carried me over the sea in their swift ship

  229. 230

    and set me down in Ithaca, and gave me splendid gifts,

  230. 231

    bronze and gold in plenty, and woven clothing.

  231. 232

    These things lie in a cave by the will of the gods,

  232. 233

    and now I have come here at the prompting of Athena,

  233. 234

    so that we may plan the slaughter of our enemies.

  234. 235

    But come, count the suitors for me and tell their number,

  235. 236

    that I may know how many and what kind of men they are.

  236. 237

    Then, having weighed it in my faultless heart,

  237. 238

    I will consider whether the two of us can stand against them

  238. 239

    alone, without others, or whether we must seek out more."

  239. 240

    Then wise Telemachus answered him:

  240. 241

    "Father, I have always heard of your great fame,

  241. 242

    that you are a spearman of strong hands and shrewd in counsel.

  242. 243

    But this is far too great a thing you say; amazement holds me. There is no way

  243. 244

    for two men to fight against many and strong ones.

  244. 245

    Of the suitors there is not just one full ten, nor two,

  245. 246

    but far more; you will soon learn their number here.

  246. 247

    From Dulichium there are fifty-two

  247. 248

    chosen young men, and six servants attend them;

  248. 249

    from Same there are twenty-four men,

  249. 250

    from Zacynthus there are twenty young Achaeans,

  250. 251

    and from Ithaca itself twelve, all the best,

  251. 252

    and with them is Medon the herald and the divine singer

  252. 253

    and two attendants, skilled in carving meat.

  253. 254

    If we meet all these while they are within,

  254. 255

    I fear you may pay a bitter and terrible price for your violence when you come.

  255. 256

    But you, if you can think of some helper,

  256. 257

    consider who might defend us two with a willing heart."

  257. 258

    Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:

  258. 259

    "Then I will tell you; mark it well and hear me.

  259. 260

    Consider whether Athena, together with father Zeus,

  260. 261

    will be enough for us two, or whether I should think of some other helper."

  261. 262

    Then wise Telemachus answered him:

  262. 263

    "Truly these are noble defenders that you name,

  263. 264

    though they sit high among the clouds; they who also rule over

  264. 265

    both other men and the immortal gods."

  265. 266

    Then much-enduring noble Odysseus answered him:

  266. 267

    "Those two will not for long stand apart

  267. 268

    from the mighty battle-din, when between the suitors and us

  268. 269

    in my halls the fury of Ares is decided.

  269. 270

    But go now at the showing of Dawn

  270. 271

    home, and mingle with the arrogant suitors;

  271. 272

    and the swineherd will bring me to the city later,

  272. 273

    looking like a wretched beggar and an old man.

  273. 274

    And if they dishonor me throughout the house, let your own dear heart

  274. 275

    endure within your breast while I am badly treated,

  275. 276

    even if they drag me by the feet through the house to the door

  276. 277

    or pelt me with missiles; but you, looking on, hold yourself in check.

  277. 278

    Still, urge them to cease from their folly,

  278. 279

    speaking them fair with gentle words; yet they will not

  279. 280

    obey you, for now their day of doom stands near.

  280. 281

    And another thing I will tell you; lay it to your heart.

  281. 282

    When Athena of many counsels puts it in my mind,

  282. 283

    I will nod my head to you, and then, when you notice it,

  283. 284

    all the weapons of war that lie in the halls,

  284. 285

    take them up and lay them away in a corner of the high chamber,

  285. 286

    every one; and the suitors, with soft words,

  286. 287

    win over, when they ask after them, missing them:

  287. 288

    'I put them out of the smoke, since they no longer looked like

  288. 289

    what they were when Odysseus left them on going to Troy,

  289. 290

    but are tarnished, as far as the fire's breath reached them.'

  290. 291

    And besides, the son of Cronos put this greater thought in my mind:

  291. 292

    lest somehow, made drunk and starting a quarrel among yourselves,

  292. 293

    you wound one another and bring shame upon the feast

  293. 294

    and the wooing; for iron of itself draws a man on.

  294. 295

    But for us two alone leave two swords and two spears

  295. 296

    and two oxhide shields to take up in our hands,

  296. 297

    so that we may rush in and seize them; and those men afterward

  297. 298

    Pallas Athena and Zeus the counselor will bewitch.

  298. 299

    And another thing I will tell you; lay it to your heart.

  299. 300

    If you are truly mine and of our blood,

  300. 301

    let no one then hear that Odysseus is within,

  301. 302

    let neither Laertes know it nor the swineherd

  302. 303

    nor any of the household nor Penelope herself,

  303. 304

    but only you and I; let us learn the women's leanings,

  304. 305

    and we might also test some of the menservants,

  305. 306

    to see where any man honors us and fears us in his heart,

  306. 307

    and who pays no heed and dishonors you, such a man as you are."

  307. 308

    Then his glorious son answered him:

  308. 309

    "Father, you will come to know my spirit hereafter, I think;

  309. 310

    no foolishness holds me at all.

  310. 311

    But I do not think this plan will turn to profit

  311. 312

    for the two of us; I urge you to consider it.

  312. 313

    For you would waste a long time testing each man,

  313. 314

    going round the farms, while they at ease in the halls

  314. 315

    devour your goods recklessly, and there is no sparing.

  315. 316

    But I do urge you to find out about the women,

  316. 317

    which of them dishonor you and which are guiltless.

  317. 318

    As for the men, I would not be willing to go round the farms

  318. 319

    to test them; let us see to that later,

  319. 320

    if you really know some sign from Zeus who bears the aegis."

  320. 321

    So they spoke such things to one another,

  321. 322

    and meanwhile the well-built ship was putting in to Ithaca,

  322. 323

    the one that had brought Telemachus from Pylos and all his comrades.

  323. 324

    And when they had come inside the deep harbor,

  324. 325

    they hauled the black ship up onto the dry land,

  325. 326

    and the proud attendants carried off their gear,

  326. 327

    and at once bore the lovely gifts to the house of Clytius.

  327. 328

    Then they sent a herald to the house of Odysseus

  328. 329

    to give a message to wise Penelope,

  329. 330

    that Telemachus was in the country, but had ordered the ship

  330. 331

    should sail back to the town, so that the queen would not, afraid in her heart,

  331. 332

    the noble queen, let a tender tear fall down her cheek.

  332. 333

    And the two met, the herald and the noble swineherd,

  333. 334

    on the same errand, to deliver word to the woman.

  334. 335

    But when they reached the house of the godlike king,

  335. 336

    the herald spoke out in the midst of the serving women:

  336. 337

    "Your dear son, my queen, has already come home."

  337. 338

    But the swineherd stood close to Penelope and told her

  338. 339

    all that her dear son had bidden him say.

  339. 340

    Then, when he had delivered the whole charge laid on him,

  340. 341

    he set off to go back to his pigs, leaving the courtyards and the hall.

  341. 342

    But the suitors were grieved and downcast in their hearts,

  342. 343

    and they came out of the hall, past the great wall of the courtyard,

  343. 344

    and there, right in front of the gates, they sat down.

  344. 345

    Among them Eurymachus, son of Polybus, began to speak:

  345. 346

    "My friends, truly a great deed has been brought off, in arrogant style,

  346. 347

    this journey of Telemachus; we said it would never come to pass.

  347. 348

    But come, let us drag down a black ship, the best there is,

  348. 349

    and gather sea-rowers, who as quickly as possible

  349. 350

    may tell those men to hurry back home."

  350. 351

    Not all had been said when Amphinomus caught sight of the ship,

  351. 352

    turning round from where he sat, inside the deep harbor,

  352. 353

    as the men furled the sails and held the oars in their hands.

  353. 354

    Laughing sweetly, he spoke out among his companions:

  354. 355

    "Let us no longer rouse any message; these men are home.

  355. 356

    Either some god told them this, or they themselves saw

  356. 357

    the ship as it passed by, and could not overtake it."

  357. 358

    So he spoke, and they rose and went to the shore of the sea,

  358. 359

    and at once they drew the black ship up onto the dry land,

  359. 360

    and their high-spirited attendants carried off their gear.

  360. 361

    They themselves went in a body to the place of assembly, and no one else,

  361. 362

    young or old, did they allow to sit among them.

  362. 363

    And among them Antinous spoke, the son of Eupeithes:

  363. 364

    "For shame, how the gods have freed this man from ruin!

  364. 365

    By day our scouts sat on the windy headlands,

  365. 366

    always one after another; and when the sun went down

  366. 367

    we never spent the night on land, but out on the sea,

  367. 368

    sailing in our swift ship, we waited for the bright Dawn,

  368. 369

    lying in wait for Telemachus, to seize and kill

  369. 370

    the man himself; but meanwhile a god has brought him home.

  370. 371

    Now let us here plan a grim destruction

  371. 372

    for Telemachus, and let him not slip away from us; for I do not think

  372. 373

    that, while he lives, this business of ours will be accomplished.

  373. 374

    For he himself is shrewd in counsel and in mind,

  374. 375

    and the people no longer favor us at all.

  375. 376

    But come, before that man gathers the Achaeans

  376. 377

    into assembly — for I do not think he will let it go,

  377. 378

    but he will rage on, and standing up among them all will declare

  378. 379

    how we stitched together his sheer murder and failed to catch him;

  379. 380

    and they will not approve when they hear of these foul deeds.

  380. 381

    Beware lest they do us some harm and drive us out

  381. 382

    of our own land, and we go off to the country of strangers.

  382. 383

    Rather let us seize him first, out in the fields away from the city,

  383. 384

    or on the road; and let us keep his livelihood and his goods for ourselves,

  384. 385

    dividing them fairly among us; but the house, in turn,

  385. 386

    let us give to his mother to keep, and to whoever marries her.

  386. 387

    But if this plan does not please you, and you would rather

  387. 388

    have him live and hold all his father's possessions,

  388. 389

    then let us no longer eat up his store of pleasant goods,

  389. 390

    gathering here, but let each man from his own hall

  390. 391

    woo her with bridal gifts, seeking her; and she would then

  391. 392

    marry the one who offers the most and comes as the man fated for her."

  392. 393

    So he spoke, and they all fell silent and still.

  393. 394

    Then Amphinomus addressed them and spoke among them,

  394. 395

    the glorious son of Nisus, lord Aretias' son,

  395. 396

    who from Dulichium, rich in wheat and grass,

  396. 397

    led the suitors, and most of all to Penelope

  397. 398

    was pleasing in his words; for he was endowed with good sense.

  398. 399

    With good will toward them he spoke and declared among them:

  399. 400

    "My friends, I for one would not be willing to kill

  400. 401

    Telemachus; it is a fearful thing to kill one of royal

  401. 402

    stock. But first let us inquire into the counsels of the gods.

  402. 403

    If the ordinances of great Zeus approve it,

  403. 404

    I myself will kill him and urge on all the rest;

  404. 405

    but if the gods turn us away from it, I bid you hold off."

  405. 406

    So spoke Amphinomus, and his words pleased them.

  406. 407

    At once then they rose and went to the house of Odysseus,

  407. 408

    and on arriving they sat down on the polished chairs.

  408. 409

    But wise Penelope thought of something else:

  409. 410

    to show herself to the suitors in their overweening insolence.

  410. 411

    For she had learned of the plot against her son in the halls;

  411. 412

    for the herald Medon, who had overheard their plans, had told her.

  412. 413

    She went on her way to the hall with her attendant women.

  413. 414

    But when she, noblest of women, reached the suitors,

  414. 415

    she stood by the doorpost of the strongly built roof,

  415. 416

    holding her shining veil before her cheeks,

  416. 417

    and she rebuked Antinous, spoke a word, and called him by name:

  417. 418

    "Antinous, full of insolence, contriver of evil — and yet they say

  418. 419

    that in the land of Ithaca you are the best of your age

  419. 420

    in counsel and in speech; but you were no such man, it seems.

  420. 421

    You madman, why do you stitch death and doom

  421. 422

    for Telemachus, and care nothing for suppliants, whose witness is Zeus

  422. 423

    himself? It is not holy to stitch evil against one another.

  423. 424

    Do you not know how once your father came here in flight,

  424. 425

    in dread of the people? For they were greatly enraged,

  425. 426

    because, following Taphian pirates,

  426. 427

    he had harmed the Thesprotians, who were our allies;

  427. 428

    they wanted to destroy him and tear out his very heart

  428. 429

    and devour his great and pleasing wealth;

  429. 430

    but Odysseus held them back and restrained them, eager though they were.

  430. 431

    Now you devour his house unpaid for, and woo his wife,

  431. 432

    and try to kill his son, and you grieve me greatly.

  432. 433

    But I bid you stop, and order the others to stop as well."

  433. 434

    Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered her:

  434. 435

    "Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope,

  435. 436

    take heart; let none of these things trouble your mind.

  436. 437

    There is no such man, nor will there be, nor shall be born,

  437. 438

    who shall lay hands on your son Telemachus,

  438. 439

    while I am alive and looking out upon the earth.

  439. 440

    For thus I declare, and it shall surely be brought to pass:

  440. 441

    Soon his dark blood will gush around the spear,

  441. 442

    my own spear — for in truth Odysseus, sacker of cities,

  442. 443

    often set me on his knees and put roasted meat

  443. 444

    into my hands, and held the red wine to my lips.

  444. 445

    For this reason Telemachus is by far the dearest to me of all

  445. 446

    men, and I bid him have no fear of death

  446. 447

    at the suitors' hands; but from the gods there is no escaping it.

  447. 448

    So he spoke, reassuring her, but he himself was preparing his doom.

  448. 449

    She then went up into her gleaming upper chamber

  449. 450

    and wept there for Odysseus, her dear husband, until sweet sleep

  450. 451

    was cast upon her eyelids by gray-eyed Athena.

  451. 452

    At evening the noble swineherd came to Odysseus

  452. 453

    and his son; and they were busily preparing supper,

  453. 454

    having sacrificed a year-old pig. But Athena,

  454. 455

    drawing near and standing close, struck Odysseus, son of Laertes,

  455. 456

    with her wand and made him an old man once more,

  456. 457

    and clothed his body in shabby rags, lest the swineherd

  457. 458

    recognize him face to face and go to prudent Penelope

  458. 459

    carrying the news, and not keep it locked in his heart.

  459. 460

    Telemachus was the first to speak to him:

  460. 461

    "You are back, noble Eumaeus. What is the news through the town?

  461. 462

    Are the proud suitors now back inside,

  462. 463

    from their ambush, or are they still watching for me to come home?"

  463. 464

    Then you answered him, Eumaeus the swineherd:

  464. 465

    "It was not on my mind to ask about that or inquire,

  465. 466

    roaming through the town; my heart urged me

  466. 467

    to deliver my message and come back here as quickly as I could.

  467. 468

    A swift messenger from your companions fell in with me,

  468. 469

    a herald, who was the first to tell your mother the news.

  469. 470

    But this one thing I do know, for I saw it with my own eyes.

  470. 471

    Already above the city, where the hill of Hermes is,

  471. 472

    I was on my way when I saw a swift ship coming down

  472. 473

    into our harbor; and there were many men aboard her,

  473. 474

    and she was laden with shields and double-pointed spears;

  474. 475

    and I thought it was they, but I cannot be sure."

  475. 476

    So he spoke, and the sacred might of Telemachus smiled,

  476. 477

    glancing at his father with his eyes, but avoiding the swineherd's gaze.

  477. 478

    When they had finished their work and made ready the meal,

  478. 479

    they feasted, and their hearts lacked nothing of the equal feast.

  479. 480

    But when they had put away their desire for drink and food,

  480. 481

    they turned their thoughts to bed and took the gift of sleep.

The particulars

The text
Ὀδύσσεια, Homer. The Homecoming.
Translation
Public-domain Greek (Homer, ancient; text via the Perseus Digital Library). English translation © 2026 1732 Studios, LLC.
Reading aloud
Digital narration in reconstructed pronunciation, shaped to the hexameter. The complete audiobook.
The app
The same text on your phone, your place kept, the audio offline. Book 1 free, the rest $4.99.
App StoreGoogle Play
Words
Every word of the text, by letter.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.