The Odyssey eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 457 pages of information about The Odyssey.
Related Topics

The Odyssey eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 457 pages of information about The Odyssey.

“Hear me,” said he, “aldermen and town councillors of the Phaeacians, that I may speak even as I am minded.  This stranger, whoever he may be, has found his way to my house from somewhere or other either East or West.  He wants an escort and wishes to have the matter settled.  Let us then get one ready for him, as we have done for others before him; indeed, no one who ever yet came to my house has been able to complain of me for not speeding on his way soon enough.  Let us draw a ship into the sea—­one that has never yet made a voyage—­and man her with two and fifty of our smartest young sailors.  Then when you have made fast your oars each by his own seat, leave the ship and come to my house to prepare a feast. {65} I will find you in everything.  I am giving these instructions to the young men who will form the crew, for as regards you aldermen and town councillors, you will join me in entertaining our guest in the cloisters.  I can take no excuses, and we will have Demodocus to sing to us; for there is no bard like him whatever he may choose to sing about.”

Alcinous then led the way, and the others followed after, while a servant went to fetch Demodocus.  The fifty-two picked oarsmen went to the sea shore as they had been told, and when they got there they drew the ship into the water, got her mast and sails inside her, bound the oars to the thole-pins with twisted thongs of leather, all in due course, and spread the white sails aloft.  They moored the vessel a little way out from land, and then came on shore and went to the house of King Alcinous.  The out houses, {66} yards, and all the precincts were filled with crowds of men in great multitudes both old and young; and Alcinous killed them a dozen sheep, eight full grown pigs, and two oxen.  These they skinned and dressed so as to provide a magnificent banquet.

A servant presently led in the famous bard Demodocus, whom the muse had dearly loved, but to whom she had given both good and evil, for though she had endowed him with a divine gift of song, she had robbed him of his eyesight.  Pontonous set a seat for him among the guests, leaning it up against a bearing-post.  He hung the lyre for him on a peg over his head, and showed him where he was to feel for it with his hands.  He also set a fair table with a basket of victuals by his side, and a cup of wine from which he might drink whenever he was so disposed.

The company then laid their hands upon the good things that were before them, but as soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, the muse inspired Demodocus to sing the feats of heroes, and more especially a matter that was then in the mouths of all men, to wit, the quarrel between Ulysses and Achilles, and the fierce words that they heaped on one another as they sat together at a banquet.  But Agamemnon was glad when he heard his chieftains quarrelling with one another, for Apollo had foretold him this at Pytho when he crossed the stone floor to consult the oracle.  Here was the beginning of the evil that by the will of Jove fell both upon Danaans and Trojans.

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Odyssey from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.