The Odyssey, Page 33

  Where am I supposed to be taking all this wealth? Where indeed

  am I wandering to myself? I should have stayed put there with

  the Phaiakians! Then I'd have met some other mighty king

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  who'd have befriended me, helped me with my homecoming!

  Now I've no idea where to store this stuff-- I can't leave it here,

  lest it might become, to my cost, the spoil of others.

  Not quite so intelligent or right-thinking, then, I reckon,

  were those leaders and counselors of the Phaiakians who

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  dumped me in some strange country, when indeed they'd said

  they would bring me to sunny Ithake. They failed to do so.

  May Zeus, the protector of suppliants, requite them,

  he who watches over mankind, who punishes each wrongdoer!

  So I'll count up the items here, examine them well, and see

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  if they took anything with them in their hollow ship when they left."

  That said, he set about counting the surpassingly fine tripods

  and cauldrons, the gold, the exquisite woven garments.

  Of these he found nothing missing. But he mourned for his own land

  as he slouched along its shore by the noisy, many-voiced sea,

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  with much lamentation. Athene now approached him,

  in the likeness of a young man, a herder of sheep,

  one delicately nurtured, as are the sons of princes:

  round her shoulders she wore, double-folded, a well-made wrap,

  on her sleek feet she had sandals, in her hands a hunting spear.

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  Odysseus saw her, rejoiced, went up and confronted her,

  and addressed her with winged words, saying: "Good friend,

  since you're the first person I've encountered in this country,

  greetings, and may it be with no evil intent you meet me!

  No, rather rescue these presents, and rescue me, for to you

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  I pray now as to a god, I come suppliant to your knees.

  And tell me this truthfully, so that I can be certain of it:

  What land, what region is this? What people dwell here?

  Is it one of the sunny islands, or some promontory, sloping

  down to the salty deep from the rich-soiled mainland?"

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  Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, responded to him, saying:

  "You're an ignoramus, stranger, or you must come from far away

  to be asking about this country. It's very far from being

  as nameless as all that! Indeed, many people know it,

  both those who dwell nearer to the dawn and the sun,

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  and those further behind, out toward the murky darkness.

  It's rough terrain, not fit for the driving of horses,

  Yet not wholly worthless, even if lacking broad plains.

  Grain grows there abundantly, wine too is a product,

  there's always rain and dew to keep it fertile, it's good

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  pasture for goats and cattle, there's also fine ground cover

  of every sort, together with all-year watering-places.

  Thus, stranger, the name of Ithake has spread even to Troy,

  which, they say, is far distant from the country of Achaia."

  So she spoke. Noble much-enduring Odysseus was glad,

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  taking joy in the land of his fathers as he heard the words

  of Pallas Athene, the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus;

  and he spoke, addressed her with winged words, yet did not

  tell her the truth, held back his actual story,

  making up as he went a plausible tale in his mind:

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  "I did hear tell of Ithake, even when in broad Krete,

  far away over the deep, and now I myself have come here

  bringing these goods of mine. I left as much more with my sons,

  and I'm on the run, after killing a son of Idomeneus--

  swift-footed Orsilochos, who in broad Krete surpassed

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  for fleetness of foot all bread-earning men--because

  he meant to deprive me of the plunder I'd won from Troy,

  (to get which I'd suffered much agony, battling through

  both the wars of men and the high seas), because I'd refused

  to do his father a favor by serving as his henchman

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  in the land of Troy, while commanding other troops of my own.

  So I ran him through with my bronze-tipped spear as he came

  back from the fields. I lay in wait for him at the roadside

  with one companion. A dark night obscured the sky:

  nobody saw us. Unperceived, I robbed him of life.

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  But when I'd dispatched him with the sharp bronze, I went

  at once to the lordly Phoenicians' ship, besought them--

  giving them plunder enough to satisfy their desire--

  to take me on board as a passenger, land me at Pylos,

  or noble Elis, where the Epeians hold power.

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  But gale-force winds forced them away from there, though much

  against their will: they had no plan to deceive me.

  So, beaten off course by weather, we arrived here at night,

  and quickly rowed into the harbor, nor did any among us

  think at all about supper, though we needed it badly,

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  but just as we were, after landing, we all lay down, and sweet

  sleep descended upon me in my exhaustion. But they

  removed all my goods from the hollow ship, and put them

  close to where I was lying, there on the sand, and then

  themselves went aboard and departed for populous Sidon,

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  while I was left behind here, grieving at heart."

  So he spoke.

  The goddess, grey-eyed Athene, smiled and stroked him

  with one hand, and changed her appearance into the likeness

  of a tall and beautiful woman, one skilled in fine handiwork,

  and spoke, and addressed him with winged words, saying: "Sharp

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  and guileful he'd need to be, the man who'd outsmart you

  in every trick, were it even a god who met you! Perverse,

  devious-minded, obsessed with deceit, won't you ever,

  even in your own country, abandon your deceptions

  and the lying tales you adore from the very ground up? But let's

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  speak no more of these things--we're experts both

  in craftiness: you are the best of all living mortals

  for counsel and storytelling, while I among all the gods

  am famed for contrivance and sharpness. You failed to recognize

  Zeus' daughter Pallas Athene--I who always stand

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  at your side, I who guard you in all your tough endeavors--

  and made sure that you were befriended by all the Phaiakians!

  Now I have come once more to weave a new plan with you,

  to hide all these treasures which the lordly Phaiakians

  gave you for your homecoming--by my plan and urging!--

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  and to tell you all the troubles it's your destiny to endure

  in your well-built home. And endure them you must, not reveal

  to anyone, man or woman, that in fact it's you,

  come back from your wanderings, but silently endure

  a host of indignities, submit to men's violent acts."

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  Then resourceful Odysseus responded to her, saying:

  "It's hard for a mortal, goddess, to recognize you on meeting,

  however clever he is: you can assume any likeness!

&n
bsp; But this I know well, you were kindly disposed toward me

  back when we sons of Achaians were fighting at Troy.

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  But after we'd sacked the steep citadel of Priam,

  and left in our ships, and some god then scattered the Achaians,

  never since then, Zeus' daughter, have I seen you, or observed

  you boarding my ship, to ward off some trouble from me!

  It was indeed burdened with a torn heart in my breast

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  that I kept wandering on, until the gods rescued me

  from my troubles--until, indeed, in the Phaiakians' rich land

  you cheered me with your words, yourself led me to their city!

  Now in your father's name I entreat you--for I don't

  think it's to sunny Ithake I've come, but some other

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  country I find myself in, and that this assertion of yours

  was spoken in mockery, to deceive my mind--please tell me

  whether in fact or not it's my native land I've come to."

  Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, responded to him, saying:

  "You always have some such idea in your head! That's why

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  I cannot abandon you in your unhappiness. Besides,

  you're courteous, sharp-witted, discreet. Any other man

  would gladly, on getting back after his wanderings,

  have hurried home to see his wife and children; but you

  aren't willing to ascertain anything or to make enquiries

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  until you've made trial of your wife, who, now as always,

  sits in your halls, while for her the long nights and days

  waste away slowly in sorrow with the tears she sheds.

  But this I never doubted, and in my heart knew well--

  that you'd make it home after losing all your comrades.

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  Still, I wasn't ready to quarrel on your behalf with Poseidon,

  my father's brother, who nursed a grudge in his heart

  against you, enraged because you blinded his dear son.

  But come now, I'll show you the realm of Ithake, convince you!

  This is the harbor of Phorkys, the Old Man of the Sea,

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  and here, at the head of the harbor, is the long-leafed olive tree,

  and close to it the cave, very pleasant and well-shaded,

  the sacred terrain of those nymphs who are known as Naiads.

  This is the high-roofed cave where you used to honor

  those nymphs with so many rich sacrifices; and yonder

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  forest-clad mountain is Neriton."

  That said, the goddess

  dispersed the mist, and the landscape stood out clearly.

  Then glad indeed was long-suffering noble Odysseus,

  and rejoiced in his country, and kissed the grain-giving earth,

  and at once, raising up his hands, made a prayer to the nymphs:

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  "You Naiad nymphs, Zeus' daughters, never once did I

  think that I'd see you again! But now with friendly prayers

  I greet you--and gifts I shall give you, as I used to do,

  should Zeus' daughter, leader of hosts, be willing to let me

  live on myself, and to bring my own dear son to manhood."

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  Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene responded to him, saying:

  "Be confident, don't let these matters bother your mind! And now

  let's store your goods right away in the furthest recess

  of the sacred cave, where they'll always be safe for you,

  and ourselves plan how all may turn out for the best."

  So saying,

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  the goddess made her way into the shadowy cave,

  searching through it for hiding places, while Odysseus

  brought all his treasures inside--the gold, the unworn bronze,

  and the finely made clothing that the Phaiakians gave him.

  These things he stowed well away, and Pallas Athene,

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  daughter of Zeus of the aegis, set a stone at the entrance.

  Then they both sat down by the trunk of the sacred olive,

  and discussed how to wreak destruction on the arrogant suitors.

  The goddess, grey-eyed Athene, began the discussion, saying:

  "Scion of Zeus, Laertes' son, resourceful Odysseus,

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  take thought how to lay hands on these shameless suitors

  who for three years now have been lording it in your halls--

  courting your godlike wife, pressing wooers' gifts upon her,

  while she, heart yearning sadly for your return, gives hope

  to all, making promises to every last man of them,

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  and sending them messages. But her mind is on other things."

  Then resourceful Odysseus responded to her, saying:

  "Indeed, I was like to have met the same evil fate

  in my halls as did Agamemnon, son of Atreus,

  had you not told me, goddess, the whole truth of the matter!

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  So come now, weave me a scheme of revenge upon these men,

  and yourself stand by my side, fill me with strength

  and daring, as when we undid the bright diadem of Troy!

  Were you, grey-eyed goddess, beside me, hot to fight,

  I'd take on, with you, three hundred warriors, O my

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  sovereign goddess, given your free and ready support."

  The goddess, grey-eyed Athene, responded to him, saying:

  "Assuredly I shall stand by you: you will not go unnoticed

  when we are about this business: your broad floor, I think,

  will be splashed with the blood and brains of more than one

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  of those suitors who are now devouring your livelihood!

  First, let me make you unrecognizable to any mortal:

  I'll shrivel the healthy flesh on your supple limbs,

  destroy the fair hair on your head,7 wrap you in rags so foul

  as to make the mere sight of a man who's clad in them disgusting;

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  and I'll dim your eyes, that before were so attractive,

  to make you look really shabby to all these suitors--

  and to your wife, and the son you left behind in your halls.

  Now what you must do first of all is seek out the swineherd--

  he looks after your pigs, but also is well disposed toward you,

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  and loves your son, and discreet Penelope. Him you'll find

  stationed along with his pigs. These are out at pasture

  close to the Raven's Rock and the spring of Arethousa,

  feeding on plentiful acorns and drinking dark spring water,

  those things that nourish the abundant fat of swine.

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  Stay there, and sitting by him, ask all your questions.

  I meanwhile shall go to Sparta, land of fair women,

  and summon Telemachos--your dear son, Odysseus--

  who went to broad Lakedaimon to visit Menelaos

  and enquire about you, find out if you were still alive."

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  Then resourceful Odysseus responded to her, saying:

  "Why didn't you tell him, you whose mind is all-knowing?

  Was it so he too might suffer hardships traversing

  the unharvested sea, while others devour his livelihood?"

  Then the goddess, grey-eyed Athene, responded to him, saying:

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  "Don't let him be too heavy a weight upon your mind!

  It was I who directed him, so he'd get a good reputation

  by going there! He's suffered no hardship, he's relaxing

  in the house of Atreus' son, enjoys his limitless bounty.

  There
are young men lying in wait for him in their black ship,

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  eager to kill him before he gets back to his native land;

  but I don't see it happening. Before that the earth will cover

  one or more of the suitors now devouring your livelihood."