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The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart., (London: Bohn, 1839-45). 11 vols. Vol. 10.

Author: Homer
Translator: Thomas Hobbes
Editor: Sir William Molesworth

Part of: The English Works of Thomas Hobbes, 11 vols.

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LIB. XVIII.

The fighting at fists of Ulysses with Irus. His admonition to Amphinomus. Penelope appears before the wooers, and draws presents from them.

Then came a beggar to Ulysses’ gate.
The man to see to was both great and tall,
Though but a lither fellow. Down he sate
Boldly within the porch before the hall.
5He had a greedy gut, and named was

At first Arnæus, then Irus; for he went
On errands oft, whenever there was cause.
The wooers’ favour made him insolent;
This beggar thought to drive Ulysses thence.
10Dost see those princes how they wink at me,

And by the heels would have me pluck thee hence?
Though to do that I should ashamed be.
Go from the door, old man, lest I should do it.
Up therefore quickly, and be gone; arise,
15Before that with my fists I force you to it.

Ulysses frowning, answer’d in this wise:
Strange man, I neither do thee harm, nor say
Thee any ill. Here’s room for thee and me.
I do not envy you the meat which they
20Shall give you here, how much soe’er it be.

Envy not other men; I think you are
As well as I, a beggar; but forbear
To threaten me too much. You’re best beware,
Old as I am, lest I your lips besmear
25And breast with blood, and so have better room.

For to Ulysses’ house I’m confident
Thou never wilt be able more to come.
This made the beggar more impatient;
O, says he, how the rascal prates! ’Twere well
30To beat the rascal’s teeth out, while his tongue

Thus runs on wheels, till to the ground they fell.
Let these see fight the old man with the young.
Whilst in great heat they quarrell’d at the door,
They by Antinous observed were,
35Who, laughing, said: There never came before

Such sport to th’ house. The beggars standing there
Will go to cuffs; I pray let’s hold them to it.
Then up they start, and round about them stand.
There are o’ th’ fire good puddings full of suet,
40Of these, let him that conquers lay his hand

On which he will; (so said Antinous);
And have the privilege, and none but he,
To beg within the porch before the house,
And of our talk at meat a hearer be.
45The motion pleas’d; and then Ulysses spake:

The match is hard, an old man ’gainst a younger;
Yet this my belly bids me undertake.
And I’m acquainted more with blows than hunger.
But I must first entreat you all to swear
50Not to help Irus, nor a heavy hand

To lay on me, but both of us forbear,
And justly ’twixt us both as neuters stand.
When all had sworn, then said Telemachus,
Stranger, if thou dare combat with this man

The fighting at fists of Ulysses with Irus.

55None else shall do thee hurt. Antinous,

Eurymachus, and I, defend you can.
This said, Ulysses cover’d kept his gear,
But shew’d his shoulders wide, and his strong thighs.
His large breast and his brawny arms appear;
60And Pallas standing by, enlarg’d his size.

At which the suitors greatly wondered,
And one unto another softly said,
Irus has pull’d an old house on his head.
And Irus then was mightily afraid;
65But yet by force the servants brought him out,

His flesh still trembling on his limbs with fear.
Show not thyself a coward and a lout,
Nor fear a man worn out with many a year;
For if he get the better, thou shalt go
70Unto king Takim, and there by his law

Thy nose and ears, and privy parts also,
Shall be cut off, and dogs shall eat them raw.
This made him quake more yet. Into the lists
They brought him so. Both ready were to fight.
75Ulysses then thought how to use his fists,

Whether to beat him down or kill him quite;
But not t’offend the suitors, thought it best
To strike him gently. And when they were near
Irus did hit Ulysses on the breast;
80Ulysses Irus struck just under th’ear.

He broke the bones, at ’s mouth the blood gush’d out.
He fell, squeak’d, shed his teeth. The suitors were
With laughter almost dead, that stood about.
Ulysses dragg’d him to the utter gate,
85And set him to the hedge, as ’twere a sign,

And put a staff in’s hand. As there he sate,
Ulysses bade him keep out dogs and swine.
Think not thyself, quoth he, of beggars king
(That art a very wretch) and wandering souls.
90This said, o’er ’s head he threw the twisted string

By which his scrip hung, ragg’d and full of holes.
Then sat him down i’ th’ porch. The suitors enter
All laughing in, and as they passed by
Greatly congratulated his adventure.
95Stranger, said they, Jove and the Gods on high,

Grant thee whatever thou shalt most desire,
That hast relieved us from the rascal there.
We’ll send him to king Takim in Epire.
And glad Ulysses was his praise to hear.
100Antinous a haggas brought, filled up

With fat and blood, and to’t Amphinomus
Two loaves of bread, and with’t a gilded cup
Of lusty wine, and said unto him thus:
Hail, father, stranger, rich and happy be

His admonition to Amphinomus.

105As ere you were; though many miseries

Oppress you now. He answer’d him: I see
Amphinomus, you prudent are and wise;
So was your father. Nisus was his name,
Prince of Dulichium, both rich and wise.
110You are his son, as I am told by fame;

Therefore I will a little you advise.
There’s not a weaker creature lives o’th’ ground,
Or goes, or creeps upon it, than a man;
Who whilst he’s strong, and all his limbs are sound,
115He makes account that fail he never can;

But when the Gods shall have decreed him woe,
He less endures it than another can.
Such is the nature Jove has assign’d to
This weak and short-liv’d creature called man.
120For I myself was rich, and lived in

Great plenty, and was very insolent;
Bold on my strength, my father, and my kin,
Therefore let no man be too confident,
But rather quietly God’s gifts enjoy.
125These suitors here bring this into my mind,

Who of an absent man the goods destroy,
And that at last unto their cost they’ll find.
For this I tell you (mark well what I say),
That he will soon, nay, very quickly come;
130And that will be to some a heavy day.

Pray God that at his coming you keep home.
This said, he drank, and to Amphinomus
Returned the cup, who shook his head in vain;
For not long after by Telemachus
135Amongst the rest of the wooers he was slain.

Then Pallas puts Penelope in mind
T’ appear unto the wooers, that she might
Before her son and husband honour find,
And further bring the suitors’ thoughts to light.
140Penelope then laugh’d, not knowing why.

Eurynome, said she, my mind says, go
And show yourself before the company;
Which heretofore I never thought to do.
I hate them, yet I mean to go to th’ door,
145And bid my son their company to shun,

And mix himself with those ill men no more.
Dear child, said the old woman, ’tis well done.
Go tell him whatsoever you think fit,
But wash away the tears first from your eyes,
150And ’noint your cheeks; they must sometimes remit

And hide their grief, that will be counted wise.
You have your wish, your son now is a man.
Penelope then answered her again;
Restored be my beauty never can:

Penelope appears before the wooers.

155’Nointing and washing now are all in vain.

The Gods, Eurynome, then took away
All beauty from me when Ulysses went
With Agamemnon to the siege of Troy;
Such words afford me now but small content.
160Call Hippodamia and Autonoe;

For why, I am asham’d myself alone
Amongst so many men in sight to be:
They shall go with me, on each side me one.
But when th’ old woman was gone out, and staid,
165Then Pallas pour’d sweet sleep upon her eyes,

And on her face a greater beauty laid,
And also made her limbs of larger size,
And whiter than the purest ivory.
Having so done, the Goddess rose to th’ skies.
170Her maidens coming made a noise, and she

Awak’d, and with her hand she strok’d her eyes.
I’ve had, said she, a very gentle sleep;
O that Diana such a gentle death
Would send me presently, nor let me weep
175My life out, nor with sorrow give me breath;

Sorrow for my dear husband, best of all
The Grecian princes: and that said, then down
She goes to th’ porch before the door of th’ hall
With her two maids; she would not go alone;
180And so stood at the door within their sight,

But with her scarf her cheeks a little shaded.
A maid stood at her left hand and her right.
When she appear’d Love all their hearts invaded.
Her speech then to Telemachus she address’d:
185Telemachus, said she, your wit’s less now

Than when you were a boy. ’Twas then at best;
And backward more and more it seems to grow.
You now are tall, and come to man’s estate,
And counted are the best men’s sons among.
190Of your discretion you begin t’ abate;

Why else d’ye let your stranger suffer wrong?
If you your guests thus treat, what think you, can
Men say of you that’s good or honourable?
You’ll be reproach’d and scorn’d of every man,
195And taken for a man unhospitable.

Mother, said he, you well may angry be;
And yet I better know what’s good and ill
Than heretofore. But these men hinder me;
I cannot without help do all I will.
200The quarrel ’twixt my guest and Irus was

None of the suitors’ act; by chance it rose,
As they sate begging, from some other cause,
And Irus only bare away the blows.
O Jupiter, I wish, and all the Gods,

Penelope draws presents from the wooers.

205That all your suitors were in Irus’ case,

(Who yonder sits, like one that’s drunk, and nods)
Either here right, or in some other place,
Unable to go home. Penelope
And her lov’d son so talk’d. And then
210Eurymachus: If all the lords, said he,

Which now through Argos bear rule over men
Should see you now, more suitors you’d have here
(For you do far all woman-kind surpass)
And come betime to taste of your good cheer;
215None such for fair and prudent ever was.

No, no, said she; for when Ulysses went
With th’ Argive princes to the war of Troy,
The immortal Gods took from me my content,
And with it all these ornaments away;
220Were he come home that took a care of me,

I should more honour have and beauty so.
But now I lead my life in misery;
The Gods some evil on me daily throw.
My husband, when he parted hence to fight
225For Agamemnon ’gainst the Trojans, laid

At taking leave on my left hand his right,
And all those words of counsel to me said:
Expect you cannot, wife, that we that go
Over the sea unto the siege of Troy
230Shall all come safe away. The Trojans know

How t’ use the dart and bow too, as men say,
And are good horsemen also, and can see
All their advantages in ranged field;
Therefore I know not what my luck will be,
235Either to come again, or to be kill’d.

My father and my mother I therefore
To you commend, to see them cherished,
As they are now, or (in my absence) more;
And when Telemachus is grown, then wed:
240Take whom yourself like best, and leave this house.

This said, he parts. Ay me, the time is come
I must embrace a marriage odious,
And I must leave this my most blessed home.
Suitors were wont, when they a woman woo’d
245Of noble parentage, to please her all

They could, and strive who most should do her good;
Mine daily eat and drink me up in th’ hall.
This said, Ulysses was well pleas’d to see
His wife draw presents from them, and was glad,
250And th’ wooers by her over-reach’d to be

With her fine words, when other thoughts she had.
Then said Antinous: Penelope,
Fair and wise daughter of Icarius,
Receive whate’er by us shall offer’d be;
255It is not good, good presents to refuse;

Yet, till you choose some one whom you think best
To be your husband, we resolve to stay,
And be each one of us your constant guest,
And never absent from your house a day.
260And with Antinous they all agree,

Who her presented with a fair, large, rich
And divers colour’d robe, with four times three
Buckles of pure and beaten gold, and which
As many clasps of gold had joined fit.
265Eurymachus his present was a chain

Of gold and amber-beads alternate; it
Shin’d bright as is the sun-shine after rain.
Eurydamas two pendants gave, of which
Each had three gems, and polish’d very bright,
270And both for art and workmanship were rich,

Reflecting to the eye a lovely light.
Pysandrus, son of Polycterides,
Gave her a costly necklace. All the rest
With some good gift endeavoured to please
275The fair and wise Penelope the best.

This done, unto her chamber up she went
With her two maids, that did her presents carry.
Th’ woo’rs with dancing and with merriment,
(Their wonted pastime) for the ev’ning tarry.
280The ev’ning came, and then the lamps were lighted,

And torches, and the fir-staves long lain dry,
Which to that purpose had with tools been fitted,
And ready lay to light the company.
The lights the maids took up by turns and bore them.
285Then said Ulysses, Maidens, if you please,

To save your pains, I’ll bear the light before them;
I’m us’d to labour, and can do’t with ease,
Though they should stay and sit up till to-morrow:
You may go up unto the queen, and there
290Sit and spin with her, and divert her sorrow.

At this the wenches ’gan to laugh and jeer;
And one of them, Melantho, him revil’d
With bitter words. Her father Dolius hight.
Penelope did treat her as her child,
295And in her company did take delight;

But yet she could not put away her grief.
The wench was fair, and too familiar was
With prince Eurymachus, one of the chief
Of all her suitors. And this woman ’twas.
300And thus she said: Sure, stranger, thou art mad,

That wilt not here nor elsewhere go to bed;
Is it because thou too much wine hast had?
Or is’t a humour in thy nature bred,
To prate so boldly in such company?
305Thy victory o’er Irus may perhaps

Have made thee wild; a better man than he
May chance to send thee hence with bloody chaps.
Ulysses, looking sourly, answered,
You bitch, Telemachus shall straightway know
310These words; he’ll cause thee to be tortured.

They, fearing he would do’t, away they go.
Ulysses ready stood to take in hand
A torch when bidden; casting in his mind
How he might safely carry on the grand
315Mischief against the woo’rs he had design’d.

And Pallas yet not suffer’d them to keep
Themselves in any bounds of modesty,
But fix Ulysses’ anger yet more deep.
Eurymachus then said to th’ standers by,
320To make them laugh, Ulysses to disgrace,

Hear, sirs, I pray, what now comes in my thought.
The man comes opportunely to this place;
’Tis sure some God that him has hither brought
To give us greater light; for from his head
325Methinks I see arise another flame

Besides the flame the torch gives, and so spread
Upon his bald pate doubled has the same.
Then says t’ Ulysses, Man, wilt thou serve me,
To pluck up thorns and briars, and trees to plant?
330Thou shalt have meat enough, and clothes, and fee,

And shoes, and whatsoever thou shalt want.
But, since thou hast been us’d to idleness,
I doubt thou ne’er wilt labour any more,
But rather feed thy carcass labourless,
335And wand’ring choose to beg from door to door.

This said, Ulysses answer’d him again:
Eurymachus, if we two were to try
Our labour, in a large green meadow, when
The days are long, the weather hot and dry,
340With equal scythes from morning unto night;

Or with two equal oxen fed and strong
Were fasting put to plough, to try our might
Which of us labour could endure most long;
Or if an enemy to-day should land,
345And I a helmet had fit for my head,

And target, and two fit spears for my hand,
Then you should see whether I fought or fled,
And not reproach m’ of sloth or poverty.
You are too cruel, and you do me wrong,
350And think yourself a man of might to be,

Because they weaker are you live among.
But should Ulysses come and find you here,
You’d think the door, though it be very wide,
As you are running out, too narrow were,
355So glad you’ld be your heads to save or hide.

To this Eurymachus with bended brow,
And furious eye, answer’d, Wretch that thou art,
And dar’st so saucily to prate. How now!
’Twill not be long before I make thee smart.
360Is it because thou too much wine hast had?

Or is’t thy nature always to be bold?
Or is’t t’ have beaten Irus makes thee mad?
This said, upon a footstool he laid hold,
And threw it at him, but it hit him not.
365Ulysses sunk on’s knees, the stool flew o’er

His head, and a cup-bearer next him smote
On the right hand, and down he falls o’ th’ floor.
Much the disorder then was in the room,
And one unto another next him said,
370I would this beggar hither had not come,

But somewhere else before had perished.
For what ado about a beggar’s here!
The pleasure of our dinner all is lost.
Then, said Telemachus, Can you not bear,
375Madmen, your wine and cheer both boil’d and roast?

When fill’d, why do you not go home and sleep?
Go when you will, I drive you not away.
The suitors at this boldness bit the lip,
And thought it strange, but yet did nothing say.
380Then, said Amphinomus, Let’s not fall out

With any man for speaking truth, nor be
Rude and unkind. Cup-bearers, bear about
To every man the cup of charity;
And so go each man home, for now ’tis late
385(Leaving the stranger with Telemachus,

Whose guest he is), and ourselves recreate
With gentle sleep, each one in his own house.
Then Meleus to each man presents a cup,
Whereof unto the Gods they offer’d part.
390When this was done each one his wine drank up,

And then unto their houses they depart.

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LIB. XVIII. - Homer, The English Works, vol. X (Iliad and Odyssey) [1839]

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LIB. XVIII.