And Halitherses, Hero old, the son
Of Mastor, who alone among them all
Knew past, and future, prudent, thus began.
Attentive hear! by your own fault, my friends,
This deed hath been perform’d; for when myself
And noble Mentor counsell’d you to check
The sin and folly of your sons, ye would not.
Great was their wickedness and flagrant wrong
They wrought, the wealth devouring and the wife
Dishonouring of an illustrious Chief
Whom they deem’d destined never to return.
But hear my counsel. Go not, lest ye draw
Disaster down and woe on your own heads.
Part kept their seats) upsprang the multitude,
For Halitherses pleased them not, they chose
Eupithes’ counsel rather; all at once
To arms they flew, and clad in dazzling brass,
Before the city form’d their dense array.
Leader infatuate at their head appear’d
Eupithes, hoping to avenge his son
Antinoüs, but was himself ordain’d
To meet his doom, and to return no more.
Then thus Minerva to Saturnian Jove.
Declare the purpose hidden in thy breast.
Wilt thou that his hostility proceed,
Or wilt thou grant them amity again?
Why asks my daughter? didst thou not design
Thyself, that brave Ulysses coming home
Should slay those profligates? act as thou wilt,
But thus I counsel, since the nobel Chief
Hath slain the suitors, now let peace ensue
Oath-bound, and reign Ulysses evermore!
The slaughter of their brethren and their sons
To strike from their remembrance, shall be ours.
Let mutual amity, as at the first
Unite them, and let wealth and peace abound.
Minerva prompt before, and from the heights
Olympian down to Ithaca she flew.
Meantime Ulysses (for their hunger now
And thirst were sated) thus address’d his hinds.
He said, and at his word, forth went a son
Of Dolius; at the gate he stood, and thence
Beholding all that multitude at hand,
In accents wing’d thus to Ulysses spake.
Then, all arising, put their armour on,
Ulysses with his three, and the six sons
Of Dolius; Dolius also with the rest,
Arm’d and Laertes, although silver-hair’d,
Warriors perforce. When all were clad alike
In radiant armour, throwing wide the gates
They sallied, and Ulysses led the way.
Then Jove’s own daughter Pallas, in the form
And with the voice of Mentor, came in view,
Whom seeing Laertiades rejoiced,
And thus Telemachus, his son, bespake.
By me, where fight the bravest. Oh shame not
Thine ancestry, who have in all the earth
Proof given of valour in all ages past.
My father! if thou wish that spectacle,
Thou shalt behold thy son, as thou hast said,
In nought dishonouring his noble race.
What sun hath ris’n to-day? oh blessed Gods!
My son and grandson emulous dispute
The prize of glory, and my soul exults.
To the old King, thus counsell’d him. Oh friend
Whom most I love, son of Arcesias! pray’r
Preferring to the virgin azure-eyed,
And to her father Jove, delay not, shake
Thy lance in air, and give it instant flight.
He sought in pray’r the daughter dread of Jove,
And, brandishing it, hurl’d his lance; it struck
Eupithes, pierced his helmet brazen-cheek’d
That stay’d it not, but forth it sprang beyond,
And with loud clangor of his arms he fell.
Then flew Ulysses and his noble son
With faulchion and with spear of double edge
To the assault, and of them all had left
None living, none had to his home return’d,
But that Jove’s virgin daughter with a voice
Of loud authority thus quell’d them all.
Peace, O ye men of Ithaca! while yet
The field remains undeluged with your blood.
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