The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the originalHomer
General
The Odyssey: Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original
Homer
Epic poetry, Greek -- Translations into English; Homer -- Translations into English; Odysseus, King of Ithaca (Mythological character)
On these words the old woman covered her face with her hands; she began
to weep and made lamentation saying, “My dear child, I cannot think
whatever I am to do with you. I am certain no one was ever more
god-fearing than yourself, and yet Jove hates you. No one in the whole
world ever burned him more thigh bones, nor gave him finer hecatombs
when you prayed you might come to a green old age yourself and see your
son grow up to take after you: yet see how he has prevented you alone
from ever getting back to your own home. I have no doubt the women in
some foreign palace which Ulysses has got to are gibing at him as all
these sluts here have been gibing at you. I do not wonder at your not
choosing to let them wash you after the manner in which they have
insulted you; I will wash your feet myself gladly enough, as Penelope
has said that I am to do so; I will wash them both for Penelope’s sake
and for your own, for you have raised the most lively feelings of
compassion in my mind; and let me say this moreover, which pray attend
to; we have had all kinds of strangers in distress come here before
now, but I make bold to say that no one ever yet came who was so like
Ulysses in figure, voice, and feet as you are.”
“Those who have seen us both,” answered Ulysses, “have always said we
were wonderfully like each other, and now you have noticed it too.”
Then the old woman took the cauldron in which she was going to wash his
feet, and poured plenty of cold water into it, adding hot till the bath
was warm enough. Ulysses sat by the fire, but ere long he turned away
from the light, for it occurred to him that when the old woman had hold
of his leg she would recognise a certain scar which it bore, whereon
the whole truth would come out. And indeed as soon as she began washing
her master, she at once knew the scar as one that had been given him by
a wild boar when he was hunting on Mt. Parnassus with his excellent
grandfather Autolycus—who was the most accomplished thief and perjurer
in the whole world—and with the sons of Autolycus. Mercury himself had
endowed him with this gift, for he used to burn the thigh bones of
goats and kids to him, so he took pleasure in his companionship. It
happened once that Autolycus had gone to Ithaca and had found the child
of his daughter just born. As soon as he had done supper Euryclea set
the infant upon his knees and said, “Autolycus, you must find a name
for your grandson; you greatly wished that you might have one.”
“Son-in-law and daughter,” replied Autolycus, “call the child thus: I
am highly displeased with a large number of people in one place and
another, both men and women; so name the child ‘Ulysses,’ or the child
of anger. When he grows up and comes to visit his mother’s family on
Mt. Parnassus, where my possessions lie, I will make him a present and
will send him on his way rejoicing.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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