Book 18 Recognition - Anagnorisis

1
Book 18 Recognition - Anagnorisis
2
Odysseus as BeggarArnaeus/Irus 15 Are you
possessed? I do not harm you in deed or word, nor
do I begrudge what any man should give you, even
if the portion he gave you were a large one.
This threshold will hold us both, and you have no
need to be jealous for the goods of other folk.
You seem to me to be a vagrant, even as I am and
as for happy fortune, it is the gods who give us
that. 20 But with your fists do not provoke me
too much . . .Antinous contrary minded son of
Eupeithes good at persuasion Friends, never
before has such a thing come to pass, that a god
has brought sport like this to this house. Yon
stranger and Irus are provoking one another to
blows. Come, let us quickly set them on.If
this fellow conquers you and proves the better
man, I will fling you into a black ship and send
you to the mainland 85 to King Echetus, the
maimer of all men, who will cut off your nose and
ears with the pitiless bronze, and will draw
forth your vitals and give them raw to dogs to
rend. 105 Sit there now, and scare off
swine and dogs, and do not be lord of strangers
and beggars, miserable as you are, so that you
dont meet with some worse thing yet.
3
130 Nothing feebler does earth nurture than a
human (anthropos), of all things that on earth
are breathing and moving. For he thinks that he
will never suffer evil in time to come, so long
as the gods give him prosperity and his knees are
quick but when again the blessed gods decree him
sorrow, 135 this too he bears in sore despite
with steadfast heart for the spirit of men upon
the earth is even such as the day which the
father of gods and men brings upon them. For I,
too, was once like to be prosperous among men,
but many reckless deeds I wrought, yielding to my
might and my strength, 140 and trusting in my
father and my brethren. Wherefore let no man at
all be lawless at any time, but let him keep in
silence whatever gifts the gods give.
4
Then the goddess, flashing-eyed Athena, put it in
the heart of the daughter of Icarius, wise
Penelope, 160 to show herself to the wooers, so
that she might set their hearts a-flutter and win
greater honor from her husband and her son than
before.
5
Penelope raises the stakesNow when the fair
lady reached the wooers she stood by the doorpost
of the well-built hall, 210 holding before her
face her shining veil and a faithful handmaid
stood on either side of her. Straightway then the
knees of the wooers were loosened and their
hearts enchanted with love, and they all prayed,
each that he might lie by her side. But herein
has bitter grief come upon my heart and soul,
275 for such as yours was never the way of
wooers before. They who want to woo a lady of
worth and the daughter of a rich man and vie with
one another, these bring of themselves cattle and
goodly flocks, a banquet for the friends of the
bride, and give to her glorious gifts 280 but
they do not devour the livelihood of another
without atonement. So she spoke, and the
much-enduring, goodly Odysseus was glad, because
she drew from them gifts, and beguiled their
souls with gentle words, but her mind was set on
other things.
6
Melantho320 So he spoke, and the maids broke
into a laugh, and glanced at one another. And
fair-cheeked Melantho rated him shamefully,
Melantho, whom Dolius begot, but whom Penelope
had reared and cherished as her own child, and
gave her playthings to her heart's desire. Yet
even so she had at heart no sorrow for Penelope,
325 but she loved Eurymachus and was accustomed
to lie with him. Telemachus 405 Strange
sirs, you are mad, and no longer hide that you
have eaten and drunk some god surely is moving
you. Nay, now that you have well feasted, go to
your homes and take your rest, when your spirits
bid you. Yet do I drive no man forth.