Home

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.

About Liberty Fund:

Liberty Fund, Inc. is a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of a society of free and responsible individuals.

Copyright information:

The text is in the public domain.

Fair use statement:

This material is put online to further the educational goals of Liberty Fund, Inc. Unless otherwise stated in the Copyright Information section above, this material may be used freely for educational and academic purposes. It may not be used in any way for profit.

LIB. XX.

Pallas and Ulysses consult of the killing of the wooers.

Ulysses in the court lay out adoors
On a cow-hide; and on him skins of sheep
New kill’d and sacrificed by the woo’rs.
There lay he, but he could not fall asleep.
5Eurynome a rug laid on him too.

Out came the maids that wont were to commit
With the proud wooers, giggling and laughing so,
And pleasing one another with their wit,
As made Ulysses in his mind to cast
10Whether to start up quick and kill them all,

Or let them now go on and take their last
Farewell of those they had to do withal;
As when a bitch stands by her whelps, and spies
A stranger coming near, will bark and grin,
15So at this sight of their debaucheries

Ulysses’ heart, provoked, bark’d within.
Hold, heart, said he; when Cyclops eat my men,
Thou didst endure till counsel set thee free;
The danger now is less. Hold out again.
20And so it did, though he lay restlessly.

As one that has raw flesh upon the fire,
And hungry is, is ever turning it;
So turneth he himself, with great desire
’Gainst th’ wooers to devise some mischief fit.
25Then Pallas came, and standing at his head

In woman’s shape, O wretched man, said she,
What makes you toss and turn so in your bed?
The house is yours, your wife and son here be.
Then said Ulysses, I was casting how
30I might alone these suitors insolent,

That always here are many, overthrow;
And if I kill them, then again invent
How to escape and save myself by flight.
To this the Goddess answered, and said,
35Another man would trust a meaner wight,

Though mortal, and rely upon his aid:
But I a God immortal am, and say,
Though fifty bands of men should us oppose,
You should their herds of cattle drive away.
40Enjoy securely, therefore, your repose;

A torment ’tis to watch all night, to one
That is already drench’d in misery.
Sleep then. This said, sweet sleep she threw upon
His eyes, and from him mounted to the sky.
45And now Penelope awak’d, and sat

On her bed weeping. Having wept her fill,
She to Diana pray’d, and said, O that
You would now shoot your arrow and me kill;
Or that some great wind me away might bear,
50And o’er a rock throw me into the main,

Ne’er to be heard of, or as th’ daughters were
Of Pandareus, whose parents both were slain
By th’ Gods; but Venus the orphans nourished
With butter, and with honey, and with wine.
55Juno with form and wit them furnished;

Diana gave them stature; artifice divine
Pallas them taught; then Venus went to Jove
To get them husbands; for best knoweth he
The issue of conjunctions in love,
60Whether for better or for worse they be,

While Venus absent was on that affair,
By harpies foul away they carried be,
And giv’n for slaves to th’ furies in the air.
Oh that the Gods would so dispose of me;
65Or else Diana send me under ground,

That I may with Ulysses be, and not
To please another meaner man be bound.
Grief all day long is but a woeful lot,
And sleep is some amends; but unto me
70It evil dreams along with it doth bring.

This night, my husband seem’d i’ th’ bed to be;
No dream I thought it, but a real thing.
This said, the morning fringed had the sky;
Ulysses, musing, lay upon his bed
75With closed eyes, and thought she certainly

Knew who he was, and stood at his bed’s head.
Then rose he, and his sheep skins bare away,
And rug into the house; but the cow-hide
He carried out, and then to Jove did pray:
80Hear, Jupiter, with lifted hands he cried;

O Jove and Gods, if by your will divine,
Toss’d both at sea and land, I hither came;
By fatal word within, without by sign,
To me now presently confirm the same.
85Jove heard his pray’r, and straight it thundered.

This made Ulysses glad. Then spake a maid
The fatal word. Twelve maids, to furnish bread,
Were to grind wheat continually employ’d:
Eleven their work had done and went to bed;
90The weakest still staid grinding, and thus pray’d:

Jove, who without a cloud hast thundered,
Grant me poor maid my wish, and then she said,
O Jove, that father art of Gods and men,
Let never more these wicked suitors taste
95Meat in this house, nor ever come agen,

That pain me thus. This supper be their last.
Ulysses with this word, and with the thunder,
Well pleased was, and thought assuredly
With Pallas’ help the suitors to bring under,
100And many though they were, to make them die.

Then th’ other maids came in and made a fire
Within the hall. And then too from his bed
Telemachus rose, puts on his attire,
And sword and shoes; his spear with brazen head
105He took into his hand, and stood i’ th’ door,

And to the nurse, Euryclea, he spake:
What meat, what lodging, had this stranger poor?
Or was there none that care of him did take?
My mother’s nature, wise as she is, is such
110Highly to honour men of less desert;

But for this stranger perhaps cares not much.
Then said Euryclea, She has done her part;
Wine he has had as much as he thought fit,
She ask’d him if he had a mind to eat;
115He answered that he had no appetite

To bread at present, nor to any meat.
She bade her maids set up a standing bed;
But he, as one in love with misery,
Would none of that, nor bed, nor coverled,
120But on the ground resolved was to lie,

And make his scrip the bolster for his head,
And for a bed to take a raw cow-hide,
And sheep skins with the wool for coverled
Without the door; and we the rug applied.
125This said, Telemachus with spear in hand

To council goes, and his dogs follow’d him.
Then Euryclea gives the maids command
The rooms of th’ house to dress up and make trim.
Rise, maids, said she, sprinkle and sweep the hall,
130Lay cushions on the chairs, with sponges make

The tables clean, the temp’rer and cups all;
And see of water that there be no lack.
Go to the spring and fetch fair water thence
Quickly. You know to-day is holiday;
135The suitors will not now be long from hence.

So said the nurse. The women her obey;
For water to the fountain went twice ten;
The rest did diligently work within.
The maids that went for water came agen;
140And the proud woo’rs by that time were come in.

nd then came in the master of the swine,
Eumæus: three swine frank’d and fat he brought,
There to be ready ’gainst the suitors dine;
In all his swine-sties better there were not.
145And he unto Ulysses kindly spake:

Stranger, how fare you ’mongst the wooers here?
Do they more pity now upon you take
Than formerly; or still deride you there?
O, said Ulysses, that the Gods would give
150These men what to their insolence is due,

Who in a house not theirs so lewdly live,
As if no modesty at all they knew.
Then came Melanthus from a place hard by;
He had the charge o’ th’ goats, and brought the best,
155And spake unto Ulysses spitefully:

Art thou here still, to beg and to molest
The company? D’ye mean before you go
To taste my fingers? Is there no good cheer
In other places ’mongst the Greeks, and so
160You mean to dwell continually here?

Then came a third, that charge had of the kine;
Philœtius by name, with him he brought
A heifer and more goats, on which to dine,
Over the water, in the ferry-boat.
165Philœtius ask’d Eumæus in his ear,

Who’s this, that’s new come hither, and from whence?
What countryman, and what his parents were?
For, for his person he may be a prince;
God can make princes go from land to land
170And beg, when he will give them misery.

This said, he took Ulysses by the hand,
And spake unto him kind and lovingly:
Father, I wish you as much happiness
As ever you enjoy’d before; but now
175I see you are in very great distress.

O Jove! what God so cruel is as thou?
Though born thou wert, yet pitiest not to see
The torments of mankind. To think upon
Ulysses makes me weep. It may be he
180Thus begs somewhere, with such apparel on,

Or else he’s dead. O then I am undone.
He set me o’er his herds when but a boy;
But infinite they’re grown since he is gone,
Or man would quickly all cow-kind destroy;
185But mine the suitors force me to bring in

For them to eat, and ne’er regard his son;
The goods to share already they begin
Of th’ owner, that so long now has been gone.
And I devising was what I should do,
190To take my cattle with me and be gone,

And one or other prince to give them to;
But that, I thought, would be unjustly done,
For they Telemachus his cattle were.
Again, I thought it labour very sour
195To stay and keep my master’s cattle here,

For others in his absence to devour.
So here abide I, and myself I flatter
With hope to see Ulysses one day come
Back to his house, and the proud suitors scatter.
200Thus said the master of the kine. To whom

Ulysses said: Honest you seem, and wise;
I therefore will a secret to you swear,
By Jove on high, you shall see with your eyes
Ulysses, if you wish to see him, here,
205And all these domineering suitors slay.

Then, O, said he, that Jove would have it so;
For I should let you see in such a fray
Quickly how much these hands of mine can do.
Eumæus also did like prayer make
210To see Ulysses there. So ended they.

While they discours’d, the suitors counsel take
How they might make Telemachus away.
Then o’er their heads an eagle flew on high,
Sinister, with a fearful dove in’s foot.
215Then said Amphinomus, Let’s lay this by,

And think of supper, for we cannot do’t.
The suitors all approv’d of what he said,
And in they went, and there on bench and seat
Within Ulysses’ house their coats they laid,
220And set themselves to kill and dress their meat.

Then from the herd they sacrificed a cow,
And many well-grown sheep, and goats well fed,
And many a very fat and pamper’d sow;
Th’ entrails they roasted and distributed.
225Eumæus gave out cups, Philœtius bread,

Melanthus from the temp’rer fill’d out wine;
The suitors on the meat before them fed
With stomachs good, and drank the blood o’ th’ vine.
Telemachus Ulysses in the hall
230Hard by the threshold sets, (and there he sat

On an ill-favour’d stool at table small),
And gave him his just share of th’ entrails fat,
And for him fill’d a great gold cup with wine.
Sit here, said he, and fare like other men;
235Fear neither blows nor scoffs; the house is mine;

Ulysses is the owner of it. When
He first possessed it, he gave it me.
And you, my mother’s suitors, mock no more,
But keep the peace as long as here you be;
240For else perhaps arise may trouble sore.

At first the suitors knew not how to take
Telemachus his words, and silent were,
Admiring that such threat’ning words he spake,
So many men provoking without fear.
245But by and by Antinous said thus:

Since Jove appeared has in his defence,
Let’s put these threats up of Telemachus,
Else we should quickly spoil his eloquence.
So said Antinous. But Telemachus
250Car’d not at all for anything he said.

When peace within doors was concluded thus,
In other rites o’ th’ feast they were employ’d;
The hecatomb they bear throughout the town
Into Apollo’s shady grove divine.
255The upper joints in messes they divide,

So fill’d their tables and sat down to dine.
The portion of Ulysses was no less
Than other suitors had, nor more; for why,
Telemachus had order’d every mess
260Should equal be, and men serv’d equally.

Amongst the suitors was a very knave,
Ctesippus was his name, a rich man’s son,
And therefore hop’d Penelope to have.
This man to th’ wooers made a motion:
265Hear me, you suitors of Penelope,

This stranger here is equal made to us,
And therefore reason ’tis that also we
Should love the strangers of Telemachus.
Lo, here’s a gift I’ll give him, that he may
270Bestow it, if’t please him, on him or her

That empts the chamber-pots, or giv’t away
To any of Ulysses’ bondmen here.
With that he hurled at Ulysses’ head
A cow’s foot, but he turn’d his head the while,
275And from the stroke himself delivered.

Then smil’d Ulysses a sardonic smile;
Telemachus his anger could not hide.
’Tis well, said he, you did not hurt him here,
For else, believe it, you had surely died
280O’ th’ place, run through the body with my spear,

And never found a wife here, but a grave.
Therefore give over this behaviour wild;
Of good and bad I now some knowledge have,
And do not always take me for a child.
285What’s past I bear, the havoc of my cattle,

My corn and wine consumed lavishly;
’Tis hard for one with many t’ enter battle.
Use me no longer as an enemy;
For fighting to be slain I’d rather chuse,
290Than see my guests or servants harshly used;

My women, as they pass about the house,
To be so basely tugg’d, touz’d, and abus’d.
This said, awhile the suitors silent were;
But not long after, Agelaus spake.
295Let’s not, said he, against a truth so clear

Struggle, and what is said in ill part take;
Nor harshly use the stranger any more,
Nor any servant of Telemachus;
But yet I have a silly word in store
300For him, and for his mother, and for us.

Whilst there was hope Ulysses might come home,
The suitors had done best at home to stay,
Expecting him, and not have hither come;
But since there’s none, to’s mother he should say,
305Take one of them for husband, which you please,

And most shall give you; so shall he enjoy
His father’s means, and eat and drink at ease,
And she with her new husband go her way.
To this Telemachus replying says,
310By Jove, and by my father’s misery,

Who now is lost and dead, or somewhere strays
Far off from Ithaca, it is not I
That do my mother keep from marrying
Whom she thinks good. I do advise her still
315To take the man that shall most treasure bring;

But I’ll not make her do’t against her will.
So ended he. Then on the suitors’ faces
Pallas sets up a laughter not their own,
Nor to be stopp’d; their senses she displaces,
320Their meat was bloody, and their hearts were down.

What is’t, poor men, said Theoclymenus,
Your heads and faces are wrapt up in night;
You weep and groan; the walls and beams of th’ house
To me seem bloody; and left there is no light;
325The hall and porch, methinks are full of sprites

Ready to go to hell; the sun has lost
His place in heaven, nor are there any lights;
And dismal darkness hath the house engross’d:
At this they laugh’d. Then, said Eurymachus,
330This stranger is not very well, let him

By those that wait be guided from the house
To th’ market-place; for all within is dim.
I am, said Theoclymenus, not blind,
I can go the market-place alone.
335I have both eyes and ears, and feet and mind:

With these I can go hence. Guide need I none,
And go I will; for evil is hard by,
Which none of you the suitors shall escape
That have so much abused the family.
340This said, he parts, and left the woo’rs to gape

On one another, and with insipid jests
To vex Telemachus, and themselves please,
And all upon Telemachus his guests.
The words that one of them then said were these:
345Telemachus, of all men you’re least able

To make an entertainment or a feast.
For first you for this beggar set a table,
Who eats and drinks as stoutly as the best,
But can no work do, nor has any force;
350A very burthen to the earth. And this

A prophet would be, and loves to discourse
Of ill to come. My counsel therefore is,
That you would put these strangers both aboard
Some ship, and send them into Sicily.
355They that way may some profit you afford.

Thus said the woo’rs, but little cared he,
But silently the sign expecting stood
His father should have giv’n of falling on.
Penelope meanwhile sat where she could
360Hear plainly what was said by every one.

And now the suitors merry supper made,
And laughing sat, and fed on much good cheer:
But after supper worse none ever had,
For of the wrongs themselves beginners were.

Home

The Forum

Econlib

The Library

Other Sites

The Library

Return to Title Page for The English Works, vol. X (Iliad and Odyssey)

The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

Search this Title:

Also in the Library:

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

Edition used:

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

About Liberty Fund:

Copyright information:

Fair use statement:

LIB. XX.