Book 16 Excerpts
"You've come, Telemachus, you sweet light. I thought I'd never see you any more, once you went off in that ship to Pylos. Come in now, dear boy, so that my heart can rejoice to see you here in my home, now you've just returned from distant places. You don't often visit farm and herdsmen-- your life is in the city. Your heart, I think, 30 must like to watch that hateful bunch of suitors." To start with, she placed a well-washed cloak around his body, then made him taller and restored his youthful looks. His skin grew dark once more, his countenance filled out, 220 and the beard around his chin turned black again. Telemachus, it's not appropriate for you to be overly surprised your father is back home or to be too astonished. You can rest assured—no other Odysseus will ever be arriving. I am here. I've endured a lot in many wanderings, and now, in the twentieth year, I've come back to my native land. This present business, you should know, is forager Athena's work. 260 She's made me look like this—it's what she wants, and she has power—in one moment, like a beggar, and in another one, a young man with fine clothes around his body. [210] It's easy for the gods who hold wide heaven to glorify or else debase a man Once he'd said this, he sat down, and Telemachus embraced his noble father, cried out, and shed tears. A desire to lament arose in both of them-- they wailed aloud, as insistently as birds, 270 like sea eagles or hawks with curving talons whose young have been carried off by country folk before they're fully fledged. That's how both men then let tears of pity fall from underneath their eyelids. And now light from the sun would've gone down on them, [220] |
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Chapter 17 Excerpts
"Old friend, I'm leaving for the city, so my mother can observe me. I don't think her dreadful grieving and her sorry tears will stop until she sees me for herself. So I'm telling you to do as follows— 10 take this wretched stranger to the city. [10] Once there, he can beg food from anyone who'll offer him some bread and cups of water. I can't take on the weight of everyone, not when I have these sorrows in my heart. As for the stranger, if he's very angry, things will be worse for him. Those are the facts, and I do like to speak the truth. Telemachus finished. Penelope was quiet—no winged words flew from her. She bathed herself and took fresh clothing for her body. Then she promised she'd offer perfect sacrifice to all the gods, if Zeus would somehow bring about those actions which would give them retribution. [60] Telemachus walked through the hall, gripping his spear. 80 Two swift dogs went with him. Athena poured on him such marvelous grace that, as he moved along all people gazed at him. The arrogant suitors thronged around him, making gentle conversation, but deep in their hearts they were planning trouble. He avoided the main crowd of them and took a seat where Mentor and Antiphus and Halitherses sat, companions of his father's from many years ago. companions of his father's from many years ago. [70] They asked him all kinds of questions. Then Peiraeus, the well-known spearman, approached, leading the stranger 90 through the city to the place where they assembled.* "Now here we have a truly filthy man leading on another filthy scoundrel. As always, god matches like with like. You miserable swineherd, where are you going with this disgusting pig, this beggar man, a tedious bore who'll interrupt our feasts? He'll scratch his shoulders on many doorposts, begging scraps—no need for sword or cauldron.* If you'd let me have him guard my farmyard, clean out the pens, and carry tender shoots to my young goats, then he could drink down whey and put some muscle on those thighs of his. But since he's picked up his thieving habits, he won't want to get too close to real work. No. He'd rather creep around the country and beg food to fill his bottomless gut. 290 I'll tell you something—and this will happen-- if he reaches godlike Odysseus' home, many a footstool hurled by real men will hit his ribs and all parts of his head, as he's tossed around throughout the house." And so these two men [290] talked to each other about these things. Then a dog lying there raised its head and pricked up its ears. It was Argus, brave Odysseus' hunting dog, whom he himself had brought up many years ago. But before he could enjoy being with his dog, he left for sacred Troy. In earlier days, young men would take the dog to hunt wild goats, deer, and rabbits, 380 but now, with his master gone, he lay neglected in the piles of dung left there by mules and cattle, heaped up before the doors until Odysseus' servants took it as manure for some large field. Argus lay there, [300] covered in fleas. Then, when he saw Odysseus, who was coming closer, Argus wagged his tail and dropped his ears. But he no longer had the strength to approach his master. Odysseus looked away and brushed aside a tear—he did so casually to hide it from Eumaeus. 390 | Chapter 17 Explanations
Telemachus goes back to his home, so he could see his mom. He doesn't think that his tears will stop until she sees her son. Take Odysseus to the city so he can beg food from anyone who will give him food and water. Telemachus can't take care of everyone while he has to deal with his mother. If he's angry then things won't work for him.
He finished explaining his journey. Penelope takes a bath and then gets ready to offer a perfect sacrifice for all the gods, so that Zeus could fix the problems going on through their family. Athena gave Telemachus a certain glow, that everyone stared at him. The suitors talked to him, but also planned an evil plan. He sat by a smaller crowd, by people who were friends of his father. They asked him questions about his journey. Odysseus and Eumaes are walking together. He then insults Odysseus and the way he is dressed. He will be so boring that it will interrupt the feast. He'll go to many places, looking for food and water that he needs no sword in his life. If he lived in a farm, then he could clean out the pens and do all the dirty work and get more muscle. Now that he is a thief, he won't be able to do any real work, but instead, walk around the country, begging for food. If he goes to Odysseus' home, then he will be beaten up by all of the suitors. Argus was Odysseus' dog, who had raised him to be a hunting dog. Before Odysseus could be with his dog, he had to leave to fight in the Trojan War. Years ago, men would take Argus hunting for goats, deer, and rabbits. Now, he lay alone, neglected in piles of dung, until the servants took it for manure for the fields. The dog layed there, covered in fleas. He saw Odysseus coming closer, so he wagged his tail and dropped his ears, no longer having the strength to stand. Odysseus looked away and shed a tear for his dog. |