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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. XXII.

The killing of the wooers.

Ulysses then himself delivereth
Of his foul rags, and leaps up to the sill,
With bow in hand and arrows tipt with death,
And spake to th’ wooers boasting of his skill.
5Suitors, said he, this match is at an end;

Jove speed me now. Another mark have at,
Which none ere shot at yet. Apollo send
Me luck to hit. As he was saying that,
T’ Antinous the shaft he did address,
10Who had the cup in’s hand about to drink;

Than of his death he thought of nothing less.
For one amongst so many who would think,
How strong soever, durst do such a thing?
The arrow pierc’d his neck from throat to poll.
15The wound receiv’d, he turns round staggering;

The blood stream’d out; away he threw the bowl;
And overturn’d the table with his feet;
Both bread and meat lay scatter’d in the hall.
The suitors bustle and in clusters meet,
20Of this great man amazed at the fall.

Then one of them unto Ulysses said:
Stranger, this was ill shot; thou killed hast
The greatest man in Ithaca. Thou’st plaid
Thy last prize. To the crows thou shalt be cast.
25But yet they held their hands; for why, they thought

’Twas done by misadventure, not contriv’d;
For, proud and foolish, they perceived not
The fatal hour was to them all arriv’d.
Then said Ulysses, with a sullen eye,
30Dogs, dead you thought me, and spent my estate;

With you my woman you compell’d to lie;
And would have wedded, whilst I liv’d, my mate.
No fear you had neither of Gods on high,
Nor of revenge from any mortal man;
35But now a vengeance to you all is nigh.

At this they frighted were, and looked wan;
And each one peep’d about what way to take
To save his own life, if he could, by flight.
None but Eurymachus t’ Ulysses spake:
40If you Ulysses be, you say but right;

Much harm is done you both in house and field;
But this Antinous author was of ’t all;
He set us on, and here lies justly killed.
For wedding of your wife his care was small.
45His care was how to make himself here king

(Which Jove not suffer’d him to bring to pass);
And to destruction how your son to bring,
He chiefly thinking and designing was.
And since that he deservedly is slain,
50Spare your own people; we’ll repair what’s done,

And what is spent we will make up again,
And recompense with twenty cows each one;
And brass and gold till you be satisfied;
If not, there’s no man can your anger blame.
55To this Ulysses with a sour look replied:

Your whole estates, and added to the same
How much soever you can elsewhere get,
Too little is to bind me to desist,
Until the suitors shall have paid their debt.
60Two ways before you lie, take which you list,

To fight or fly, if you will death avoid;
But fly, I think you cannot. So said he.
Eurymachus then to the suitors said:
The man will not lay down his bow you see;
65But since ’tis in his hand, and arrows by,

And stands upon the threshold of the door,
His shafts will fly at us continually,
And till we are all slain will not give o’er:
Let’s therefore take up tables for defence
70Against his shafts, and, sword, in hand, run all

Unto the door at once and drive him thence,
And people of the town together call.
This said, his sword with double edge he drew,
And thundered him with words; but howsoever,
75A deadly shaft first from Ulysses flew

That enter’d at his breast and stuck in’s liver.
Down fell his sword, he turns himself quite round,
And throws his blood about him every way;
Kicks down the table, meat and cup, to th’ ground,
80And with his brow beating the floor he lay;

And sprawling made the seat shake with his feet,
And endless darkness lay upon his eye.
Then rose Amphinomus and death did meet,
He thought from thence to make Ulysses fly,
85But by Telemachus prevented was,

That slew him with his spear upon the place.
From back to breast the well-thrown spear did pass;
Down with a thump he falls upon his face.
Telemachus i’ th’ body left the spear.
90For why, he had good reason to mistrust

Amongst so many swords, if he staid there,
He might be killed by some blow or thrust.
Then to his father, as he by him stood,
To fetch down arms, said he, ’Twill do no harm,
95Two spears, a buckler, and a helmet good,

And both Philœtius and Eumæus arm.
Run quickly, said Ulysses, while there be
Arrows remaining, lest they force me should
To quit the door. Then quickly up ran he
100Unto the room wherein the armour stood.

Eight spears, four bucklers, and four helmets good
He took, and to his father came again.
And first he arm’d himself, and ready stood;
The two good servants themselves armed then.
105Ulysses’ arrows, till they all were gone,

Kill’d each his man, and one by one they fall;
But when they all were spent and left was none,
He sets his bow to lean against the wall.
Over his shoulder he his buckler cast,
110And puts his well-made helmet on his head.

The two spears with his hand he griped fast,
And then his posture he considered.
There was i’ th’ wall a certain window high,
By th’ sill whereof a way lay to the street,
115To which he bade Eumæus have an eye,

And near it stand. But one way was to it.
Then Angelaus to the suitors said,
Why does not some man to that window haste,
And to the people cry aloud for aid,
120That so this shooter may have shot his last?

Then, said Melantheus, No, no, ’tis in vain;
The street-door and the court-gate stand so close,
That one good man the place may well maintain
Against how many s’ever them oppose.
125But well, I’ll fetch you armour to put on,

And weapons I will bring you out of hand;
For where they by Ulysses and his son
Were laid, I know the room and where they stand.
Then up he went; twelve bucklers he brings thence,
130As many spears, as many helmets too.

The suitors then prepared for their defence.
And now Ulysses knew not what to do;
But to Telemachus he turn’d and said,
Th’ill women sure, or else Melantheus has
135For th’ wooers gotten arms, and us betray’d.

No, father, answered he, my fault it was;
The door I left unlock’d, and but put to,
Which somebody observ’d. Eumæus, now
Go lock it fast. Withal consider who,
140The women or Melantheus serv’d us so.

Whilst thus they talk, Melantheus went once more
To fetch down arms; Eumæus saw him then,
And told Ulysses: Him we thought before
To be the man, is thither gone agen.
145Shall I go now and kill him (if so be

I can) or bring him hither to you, to endure
What you think fit for all his villainy?
Then said Ulysses, We two will be sure,
Telemachus and I, to keep these men
150From going out, and therefore, go you two

And bind his hands and feet together; then
Betwixt his body and his legs put through
A rope, and at his back tie boards, and so
Close to a pillar hoise him up on high
155Unto the beams of th’ house, that he may know

His fault, and feel his pain before he die.
Then up they went, and stood without the door,
On each side one. Melantheus was within,
At the far end, looking for armour more;
160And after there he long enough had been,

Out with an helmet in one hand he came,
A buckler in the other, great, but torn;
Laertes in his youth had borne the same,
But now with lying it was mouldy worn.
165As he came out, they seiz’d him suddenly,

And in again they dragg’d him by the hair,
And then his hands unto his feet they tie,
And up they hoise him, as they bidden were.
This done, Eumæus said unto him jeering,
170In that soft bed, Melantheus, easily

You will observe the morning’s first appearing,
That for the woo’rs your goats may ready be.
Then armed both, and locking up the door,
And breathing courage, to Ulysses come;
175So that on the threshold there were four;

But many were the suitors in the room.
Then down unto Ulysses Pallas came,
In Mentor’s shape, to whom Ulysses said,
You are my friend, and our age is the same;
180For old acquaintance let me have your aid.

Though thus he said, he thought it Pallas still.
The suitors clamour’d; Agelaus spake:
Mentor, beware, the course you take is ill,
Against us all Ulysses’ part to take;
185For ’tis our purpose when these two are slain,

Father and son, that you the next shall be,
And of your rashness suffer shall the pain,
And with his substance your own mix will we;
Nor shall your sons, daughters, or wife live here.
190Pallas was angry at these words of his,

And chid Ulysses then, and ask’d him where
His courage was. And what, said she, is this
The man that bravely fought nine years at Troy,
And kill’d in fight so many gallant men,
195And he whose prudence did the town destroy,

And whines so at his coming home again?
Come hither, milksop, says she, stand by me,
And how your old friend Mentor shall requite
The kindness you have shown him, you shall see.
200Yet presently she would not end the fight;

For further yet she would the courage try
Both of Ulysses and Telemachus,
And in a swallow’s shape she up did fly,
And sat upon a black beam of the house.
205Meanwhile the suitors by Agelaus,

Amphimedon and Demoptolemus,
Eurynomus, Pisandrus, Polybus,
The best of all the suitors in the house,
(For many had been killed with the bow)
210Encourag’d were: Friends, said he, let’s be bold,

And at them all our good spears let us throw;
So shall we make the man his hands to hold;
Mentor with theirs his fortune will not mix,
He and those hopes are gone; upon the sill
215There are but four; Let’s throw at once but six,

That if Jove please, we may Ulysses kill.
When he is gone, the rest we need not fear.
The suitors all approved this advice,
And then they lanced ev’ry man his spear;
220But Pallas made it fall out otherwise;

For from the beam she soon blew here and there
The flying staves, whereof one hit the door;
The two side-posts and the walls wounded were.
When of the spears the danger was past o’er,
225Then said Ulysses, Now our turn it is

To cast our spears at this unruly rout,
That, not content with former injuries,
Do what they can to take our lives to boot.
This said, and taking aim, their spears they threw.
230Ulysses killed Demoptolemus.

Telemachus Euryades then slew;
Eumæus with his spear kill’d Elatus;
Pisandrus by Philœtius was slain.
The suitors then to the room’s end retreat,
235And to the four gave time to take again

The spears that in the wounds were sticking yet.
Again they lanced ev’ry man his spear.
The swallow on the beam still puts them by,
And by the door, walls, posts, receiv’d they were.
240Telemachus and Eumæus only

Had little scratches; one upon his wrist;
Eumæus on the shoulder: but the skin
Scarce broken was; and both the other mist.
And then the four amongst the throng threw in
245Their spears again; and then Ulysses slew

Eurydamus; and by Telemachus
Was slain Amphimedon; Eumæus threw,
And killed Polybus; Philœtius
Then smote Cressipus, and through pierc’d his breast,
250And over him insulting thus he said:

Bold Prætor, that in love art with thy jest,
And to say anything art not afraid,
For the cow’s-foot t’ Ulysses thrown, take that.
Ulysses kill’d too Damastorides;
255Telemachus Leiocrates laid flat

With spear in hand. When they had killed these,
Pallas aloft held forth her frightful shield;
And then, as cattle, stung with a gad-fly,
In heat of summer run about the field,
260So round about the hall the suitors fly;

As when the vultures stoop down from the hill
Upon the fowl, these couch close to the plain,
Threatened with heavy clouds, they slay and kill,
These cannot fly away, nor turn again,
265So they upon the suitors fiercely fall,

And winding with them, as they shift their ground,
They killing went; all gore-blood was the hall,
And made with thumps and groans a dismal sound.
Leiodes then kneel’d at Ulysses’ feet
270To beg his life. I came, said he, as priest,

And told them their behaviour was unmeet,
And always gave them counsel to desist;
But nothing that I said would they obey,
And of their own destruction authors are.
275There’s not a woman in the house can say

I did amiss. Must I like these men fare?
To this Ulysses with a sour look said,
Did you come with the suitors as their priest?
Then surely for them you have also pray’d,
280That of my coming home I should have miss’d,

That with these men you daily might here board
Yourself, your wife, and children. Therefore die.
With that he took up Agelaus’ sword,
Which, when he died, fell from him and lay by.
285And with it at a stroke cut off his head.

But Phemius, the minstrel, ’scaped free,
For thither he came not for meat or bread:
The suitors forced him of necessity.
He had his fiddle in his hand, and stood
290Within the door, and studied what to do,

Whether unto Ulysses go he should,
Or out a door unto the altar go
I’th’ court, whereon with many a fat beast
Ulysses oft devoutly had serv’d Jove;
295And having paus’d, at last he thought it best

To go t’ Ulysses and his mercy prove.
Then down he laid his fiddle on the floor,
Between the temp’rer and a studded chair,
Then went and fell upon his knees before
300Ulysses, and thus to him made his prayer:

Save me, Ulysses, and consider that
If you me slay, it after you will grieve.
I am a singer, but was never taught;
For song to me the Gods did freely give.
305I sing to Gods and men, and have the skill

To sing to you as to a God; therefore,
Of cutting off my head lay by the will.
Besides, Telemachus can tell you more;
I was not hither drawn with smell of roast,
310But many men and strong brought me by force.

Telemachus, that knew this was no boast,
Cried out, Hold father, ’tis not our best course
To slay the innocent, and I would fain
Save Medon too, that lov’d me from a boy,
315And took care of me, if he be not slain

By coming in your or your servants’ way.
Under a seat Medon himself had laid,
And wrapp’d himself up in a raw cow-hide,
And hearing what Telemachus had said,
320Skipp’d nimbly out, his cow-skin cast aside,

And falling at Telemachus his knee,
He to him said, O friend, lo here I stand;
Forbear, I pray, and to your father be
A means that also he may hold his hand;
325For whilst his anger ’gainst the suitors staid,

That wasted have his goods, and him despis’d,
Killing each way about him, I’m afraid
He might perhaps kill me too unadvis’d.
Ulysses hearing, answered thus agen:
330Take courage, man, there is no danger nigh,

And this remember, and tell other men,
That justice better thrives than knavery.
Go now into the court, and stay without,
Both you and Phemius, that I may do
335The bus’ness in the house I am about.

Then out into the court away they go,
And on the altar of the God they sat,
Looking about, still fearing to be slain.
Ulysses, to be sure that none remain
340Alive, and under seats or tables squat,

Search’d well the hall, and found they all were dead,
As fishes on the shore lie out, and by
The heat of Phaethon be murdered,
So did the woo’rs one on another lie.
345Then to Telemachus Ulysses said,

Tell Euryclea I would speak with her.
Telemachus his father straight obey’d,
And scraped at the door that she might hear.
Nurse, says he, mother of the maids, come out,
350My father to you somewhat has to say.

She heard him well, and presently, without
More words, the door she open’d with her key;
And found Ulysses standing ’mongst the dead,
Besmear’d with blood, as when a lion has
355Upon a cow at pasture newly fed,

With goary breast and chaps, so dight he was.
Th’ old woman there beholding so much blood,
And carcases so many lying dead,
At such a mighty work amazed stood,
360And was about to whoop, but hindered

Was by Ulysses. Hold, said he, within
Your joy, and let it not appear in vain;
To glory over dead men is a sin.
These men the Gods and their own sins have slain.
365For neither from above they fear’d the Gods,

Nor men respected good or bad beneath,
And therefore now have felt the heav’nly rods,
And brought upon themselves untimely death.
But tell me, nurse, how many women be
370That me dishonour and do wickedness.

Fifty, says she, do serve Penelope,
And learn to work and wait, no more nor less;
Of these there twelve be that are impudent,
And care not for me, nor Penelope;
375Telemachus was young: the government

To him of maids might not well trusted be.
But now I’ll to my lady’s chamber go,
Where she’s asleep, some God has closed her eyes,
To tell her you are here. But he said, No;
380First call those women who do me despise,

And have behav’d themselves dishonestly.
Euryclea obeys, and goes her way,
And call’d those women. Come away, said she,
Telemachus i’ th’ hall does for you stay.
385Meanwhile Ulysses call’d Telemachus

Unto him, and his faithful servants two,
Trusty Eumæus and Philœtius.
Hear me, said he, what I would have you do,
Make these lewd woman carry hence the dead,
390The chairs and tables in the hall make clean,

And when that bus’ness they have finished,
Into the court make them go forth again,
Into that narrow place ’twixt th’ house and hedge;
Till they forget the suitors’ venery,
395Make them of your sharp swords to feel the edge,

And for their stol’n unclean delight to die.
Then came the women down into the hall
Wailing, and tears abundantly they shed,
And presently unto their work they fall.
400Into the porch they carry out the dead.

Ulysses giving order standeth by.
Telemachus then and Philœtius,
Also Eumæus, do with shovels ply
The pavement daub’d with blood, and cleanse the house
405Scraping together dust and blood; and that

The women also carry out a door.
But when this bus’ness now an end was at,
There rested for them yet one bus’ness more.
They brought them thence into the narrow place,
410From whence there was no hope at all to fly.

You, said Telemachus, for the disgrace
Done to me and my mother, must not die
An honest death. This having said, he stretch’d
Between two pillars high a great strong rope,
415That with their feet the ground could not be reach’d;

Hung there, they sprawl’d awhile, but could not drop.
Then down they dragg’d Melantheus, and his nose
And ears with cruel steel from ’s head they tear,
And brake his arms and legs with many blows,
420And to the dogs to eat they throw his gear.

Their work now done, they wash’d their hands and feet,
And to Ulysses in the hall they went,
Who having found the place not very sweet,
For brimstone called to take away the scent.
425Euryclea, said he, fetch brimstone hither,

And fire, and also wake Penelope,
And bid her maids come to me altogether,
But hasten them to come. Then answer’d she,
Dear child, ’tis well said. But first let me go
430And bring you better clothes, a coat and vest.

These rags become you not. Then said he, No.
Bring me fire first, and after do the rest.
The fire she brought and brimstone presently,
Wherewith he aired both the court and hall,
435The nurse then up goes to the rooms on high

To call the maids. T’ Ulysses they came all.
They weep and sob, and all embrace Ulysses,
And kiss his head and shoulders, shake his hand;
And he again saluteth them with kisses.
440Weeping for joy, they all about him stand.

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

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

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LIB. XXII.