| 24.1. Ἑρμῆς δὲ ψυχὰς Κυλλήνιος ἐξεκαλεῖτο 24.2. ἀνδρῶν μνηστήρων· ἔχε δὲ ῥάβδον μετὰ χερσὶν 24.3. καλὴν χρυσείην, τῇ τʼ ἀνδρῶν ὄμματα θέλγει 24.4. ὧν ἐθέλει, τοὺς δʼ αὖτε καὶ ὑπνώοντας ἐγείρει· 24.5. τῇ ῥʼ ἄγε κινήσας, ταὶ δὲ τρίζουσαι ἕποντο. 24.6. ὡς δʼ ὅτε νυκτερίδες μυχῷ ἄντρου θεσπεσίοιο 24.7. τρίζουσαι ποτέονται, ἐπεί κέ τις ἀποπέσῃσιν 24.8. ὁρμαθοῦ ἐκ πέτρης, ἀνά τʼ ἀλλήλῃσιν ἔχονται, 24.9. ὣς αἱ τετριγυῖαι ἅμʼ ἤϊσαν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρα σφιν 24.10. Ἑρμείας ἀκάκητα κατʼ εὐρώεντα κέλευθα. 24.11. πὰρ δʼ ἴσαν Ὠκεανοῦ τε ῥοὰς καὶ Λευκάδα πέτρην, 24.12. ἠδὲ παρʼ Ἠελίοιο πύλας καὶ δῆμον ὀνείρων 24.13. ἤϊσαν· αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο κατʼ ἀσφοδελὸν λειμῶνα, 24.14. ἔνθα τε ναίουσι ψυχαί, εἴδωλα καμόντων. 24.15. εὗρον δὲ ψυχὴν Πηληϊάδεω Ἀχιλῆος 24.16. καὶ Πατροκλῆος καὶ ἀμύμονος Ἀντιλόχοιο 24.17. Αἴαντός θʼ, ὃς ἄριστος ἔην εἶδός τε δέμας τε 24.18. τῶν ἄλλων Δαναῶν μετʼ ἀμύμονα Πηλεΐδαο 24.19. ὣς οἱ μὲν περὶ κεῖνον ὁμίλεον· ἀγχίμολον δὲ 24.20. ἤλυθʼ ἔπι ψυχὴ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο 24.21. ἀχνυμένη· περὶ δʼ ἄλλαι ἀγηγέραθʼ, ὅσσαι ἅμʼ αὐτῷ 24.22. οἴκῳ ἐν Αἰγίσθοιο θάνον καὶ πότμον ἐπέσπον. 24.23. τὸν προτέρη ψυχὴ προσεφώνεε Πηλεΐωνος· 24.24. Ἀτρεΐδη, περὶ μέν σʼ ἔφαμεν Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ 24.25. ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων φίλον ἔμμεναι ἤματα πάντα, 24.26. οὕνεκα πολλοῖσίν τε καὶ ἰφθίμοισιν ἄνασσες 24.27. δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων, ὅθι πάσχομεν ἄλγεʼ Ἀχαιοί. 24.28. ἦ τʼ ἄρα καὶ σοὶ πρῶϊ παραστήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν 24.29. μοῖρʼ ὀλοή, τὴν οὔ τις ἀλεύεται ὅς κε γένηται. 24.30. ὡς ὄφελες τιμῆς ἀπονήμενος, ἧς περ ἄνασσες, 24.31. δήμῳ ἔνι Τρώων θάνατον καὶ πότμον ἐπισπεῖν· 24.32. τῷ κέν τοι τύμβον μὲν ἐποίησαν Παναχαιοί, 24.33. ἠδέ κε καὶ σῷ παιδὶ μέγα κλέος ἤραʼ ὀπίσσω· 24.34. νῦν δʼ ἄρα σʼ οἰκτίστῳ θανάτῳ εἵμαρτο ἁλῶναι. 24.35. τὸν δʼ αὖτε ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀτρείδαο· 24.36. ὄλβιε Πηλέος υἱέ, θεοῖς ἐπιείκελʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ, 24.37. ὃς θάνες ἐν Τροίῃ ἑκὰς Ἄργεος· ἀμφὶ δέ σʼ ἄλλοι 24.38. κτείνοντο Τρώων καὶ Ἀχαιῶν υἷες ἄριστοι, 24.39. μαρνάμενοι περὶ σεῖο· σὺ δʼ ἐν στροφάλιγγι κονίης 24.40. κεῖσο μέγας μεγαλωστί, λελασμένος ἱπποσυνάων. 24.41. ἡμεῖς δὲ πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐμαρνάμεθʼ· οὐδέ κε πάμπαν 24.42. παυσάμεθα πτολέμου, εἰ μὴ Ζεὺς λαίλαπι παῦσεν. 24.43. αὐτὰρ ἐπεί σʼ ἐπὶ νῆας ἐνείκαμεν ἐκ πολέμοιο, 24.44. κάτθεμεν ἐν λεχέεσσι, καθήραντες χρόα καλὸν 24.45. ὕδατί τε λιαρῷ καὶ ἀλείφατι· πολλὰ δέ σʼ ἀμφὶ 24.46. δάκρυα θερμὰ χέον Δαναοὶ κείροντό τε χαίτας. 24.47. μήτηρ δʼ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἦλθε σὺν ἀθανάτῃς ἁλίῃσιν 24.48. ἀγγελίης ἀΐουσα· βοὴ δʼ ἐπὶ πόντον ὀρώρει 24.49. θεσπεσίη, ὑπὸ δὲ τρόμος ἔλλαβε πάντας Ἀχαιούς· 24.50. καί νύ κʼ ἀναΐξαντες ἔβαν κοίλας ἐπὶ νῆας, 24.51. εἰ μὴ ἀνὴρ κατέρυκε παλαιά τε πολλά τε εἰδώς, 24.52. Νέστωρ, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή· 24.53. ὅ σφιν ἐϋφρονέων ἀγορήσατο καὶ μετέειπεν· 24.54. ἴσχεσθʼ, Ἀργεῖοι, μὴ φεύγετε, κοῦροι Ἀχαιῶν· 24.55. μήτηρ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἥδε σὺν ἀθανάτῃς ἁλίῃσιν 24.56. ἔρχεται, οὗ παιδὸς τεθνηότος ἀντιόωσα. 24.57. ὣς ἔφαθʼ, οἱ δʼ ἔσχοντο φόβου μεγάθυμοι Ἀχαιοί· 24.58. ἀμφὶ δέ σʼ ἔστησαν κοῦραι ἁλίοιο γέροντος 24.59. οἴκτρʼ ὀλοφυρόμεναι, περὶ δʼ ἄμβροτα εἵματα ἕσσαν. 24.60. Μοῦσαι δʼ ἐννέα πᾶσαι ἀμειβόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ 24.61. θρήνεον· ἔνθα κεν οὔ τινʼ ἀδάκρυτόν γʼ ἐνόησας 24.62. Ἀργείων· τοῖον γὰρ ὑπώρορε Μοῦσα λίγεια. 24.63. ἑπτὰ δὲ καὶ δέκα μέν σε ὁμῶς νύκτας τε καὶ ἦμαρ 24.64. κλαίομεν ἀθάνατοί τε θεοὶ θνητοί τʼ ἄνθρωποι· 24.65. ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῃ δʼ ἔδομεν πυρί, πολλὰ δέ σʼ ἀμφὶ 24.66. μῆλα κατεκτάνομεν μάλα πίονα καὶ ἕλικας βοῦς. 24.67. καίεο δʼ ἔν τʼ ἐσθῆτι θεῶν καὶ ἀλείφατι πολλῷ 24.68. καὶ μέλιτι γλυκερῷ· πολλοὶ δʼ ἥρωες Ἀχαιοὶ 24.69. τεύχεσιν ἐρρώσαντο πυρὴν πέρι καιομένοιο, 24.70. πεζοί θʼ ἱππῆές τε· πολὺς δʼ ὀρυμαγδὸς ὀρώρει 24.71. αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δή σε φλὸξ ἤνυσεν Ἡφαίστοιο, 24.72. ἠῶθεν δή τοι λέγομεν λεύκʼ ὀστέʼ, Ἀχιλλεῦ, 24.73. οἴνῳ ἐν ἀκρήτῳ καὶ ἀλείφατι· δῶκε δὲ μήτηρ 24.74. χρύσεον ἀμφιφορῆα· Διωνύσοιο δὲ δῶρον 24.75. φάσκʼ ἔμεναι, ἔργον δὲ περικλυτοῦ Ἡφαίστοιο. 24.76. ἐν τῷ τοι κεῖται λεύκʼ ὀστέα, φαίδιμʼ Ἀχιλλεῦ, 24.77. μίγδα δὲ Πατρόκλοιο Μενοιτιάδαο θανόντος, 24.78. χωρὶς δʼ Ἀντιλόχοιο, τὸν ἔξοχα τῖες ἁπάντων 24.79. τῶν ἄλλων ἑτάρων, μετὰ Πάτροκλόν γε θανόντα. 24.80. ἀμφʼ αὐτοῖσι δʼ ἔπειτα μέγαν καὶ ἀμύμονα τύμβον 24.81. χεύαμεν Ἀργείων ἱερὸς στρατὸς αἰχμητάων 24.82. ἀκτῇ ἔπι προὐχούσῃ, ἐπὶ πλατεῖ Ἑλλησπόντῳ, 24.83. ὥς κεν τηλεφανὴς ἐκ ποντόφιν ἀνδράσιν εἴη 24.84. τοῖς οἳ νῦν γεγάασι καὶ οἳ μετόπισθεν ἔσονται. 24.85. μήτηρ δʼ αἰτήσασα θεοὺς περικαλλέʼ ἄεθλα 24.86. θῆκε μέσῳ ἐν ἀγῶνι ἀριστήεσσιν Ἀχαιῶν. 24.87. ἤδη μὲν πολέων τάφῳ ἀνδρῶν ἀντεβόλησας 24.88. ἡρώων, ὅτε κέν ποτʼ ἀποφθιμένου βασιλῆος 24.89. ζώννυνταί τε νέοι καὶ ἐπεντύνονται ἄεθλα· 24.90. ἀλλά κε κεῖνα μάλιστα ἰδὼν θηήσαο θυμῷ, 24.91. οἷʼ ἐπὶ σοὶ κατέθηκε θεὰ περικαλλέʼ ἄεθλα, 24.92. ἀργυρόπεζα Θέτις· μάλα γὰρ φίλος ἦσθα θεοῖσιν. 24.93. ὣς σὺ μὲν οὐδὲ θανὼν ὄνομʼ ὤλεσας, ἀλλά τοι αἰεὶ 24.94. πάντας ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους κλέος ἔσσεται ἐσθλόν, Ἀχιλλεῦ, 24.95. αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τί τόδʼ ἦδος, ἐπεὶ πόλεμον τολύπευσα; 24.96. ἐν νόστῳ γάρ μοι Ζεὺς μήσατο λυγρὸν ὄλεθρον 24.97. Αἰγίσθου ὑπὸ χερσὶ καὶ οὐλομένης ἀλόχοιο. 24.98. ὣς οἱ μὲν τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγόρευον, 24.99. ἀγχίμολον δέ σφʼ ἦλθε διάκτορος ἀργεϊφόντης, 24.100. ψυχὰς μνηστήρων κατάγων Ὀδυσῆϊ δαμέντων, 24.101. τὼ δʼ ἄρα θαμβήσαντʼ ἰθὺς κίον, ὡς ἐσιδέσθην. 24.102. ἔγνω δὲ ψυχὴ Ἀγαμέμνονος Ἀτρεΐδαο 24.103. παῖδα φίλον Μελανῆος, ἀγακλυτὸν Ἀμφιμέδοντα· 24.104. ξεῖνος γάρ οἱ ἔην Ἰθάκῃ ἔνι οἰκία ναίων. 24.105. τὸν προτέρη ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀτρεΐδαο· 24.106. Ἀμφίμεδον, τί παθόντες ἐρεμνὴν γαῖαν ἔδυτε 24.107. πάντες κεκριμένοι καὶ ὁμήλικες; οὐδέ κεν ἄλλως 24.108. κρινάμενος λέξαιτο κατὰ πτόλιν ἄνδρας ἀρίστους. 24.109. ἦ ὔμμʼ ἐν νήεσσι Ποσειδάων ἐδάμασσεν, 24.110. ὄρσας ἀργαλέους ἀνέμους καὶ κύματα μακρά; 24.111. ἦ που ἀνάρσιοι ἄνδρες ἐδηλήσαντʼ ἐπὶ χέρσου 24.112. βοῦς περιταμνομένους ἠδʼ οἰῶν πώεα καλά, 24.113. ἠὲ περὶ πτόλιος μαχεούμενοι ἠδὲ γυναικῶν; 24.114. εἰπέ μοι εἰρομένῳ· ξεῖνος δέ τοι εὔχομαι εἶναι. 24.115. ἦ οὐ μέμνῃ ὅτε κεῖσε κατήλυθον ὑμέτερον δῶ, 24.116. ὀτρυνέων Ὀδυσῆα σὺν ἀντιθέῳ Μενελάῳ 24.117. Ἴλιον εἰς ἅμʼ ἕπεσθαι ἐϋσσέλμων ἐπὶ νηῶν; 24.118. μηνὶ δʼ ἄρʼ οὔλῳ πάντα περήσαμεν εὐρέα πόντον, 24.119. σπουδῇ παρπεπιθόντες Ὀδυσσῆα πτολίπορθον. 24.120. τὸν δʼ αὖτε ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀμφιμέδοντος· 24.121. Ἀτρεΐδη κύδιστε, ἄναξ ἀνδρῶν Ἀγάμεμνον, 24.122. μέμνημαι τάδε πάντα, διοτρεφές, ὡς ἀγορεύεις· 24.123. σοὶ δʼ ἐγὼ εὖ μάλα πάντα καὶ ἀτρεκέως καταλέξω, 24.124. ἡμετέρου θανάτοιο κακὸν τέλος, οἷον ἐτύχθη. 24.125. μνώμεθʼ Ὀδυσσῆος δὴν οἰχομένοιο δάμαρτα· 24.126. ἡ δʼ οὔτʼ ἠρνεῖτο στυγερὸν γάμον οὔτʼ ἐτελεύτα, 24.127. ἡμῖν φραζομένη θάνατον καὶ κῆρα μέλαιναν, 24.128. ἀλλὰ δόλον τόνδʼ ἄλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ μερμήριξε· 24.129. στησαμένη μέγαν ἱστὸν ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ὕφαινε, 24.130. λεπτὸν καὶ περίμετρον· ἄφαρ δʼ ἡμῖν μετέειπε· 24.131. κοῦροι ἐμοὶ μνηστῆρες, ἐπεὶ θάνε δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, 24.132. μίμνετʼ ἐπειγόμενοι τὸν ἐμὸν γάμον, εἰς ὅ κε φᾶρος 24.133. ἐκτελέσω, μή μοι μεταμώνια νήματʼ ὄληται, 24.134. Λαέρτῃ ἥρωϊ ταφήϊον, εἰς ὅτε κέν μιν 24.135. μοῖρʼ ὀλοὴ καθέλῃσι τανηλεγέος θανάτοιο, 24.136. μή τίς μοι κατὰ δῆμον Ἀχαιϊάδων νεμεσήσῃ, 24.137. αἴ κεν ἄτερ σπείρου κεῖται πολλὰ κτεατίσσας. 24.138. ὣς ἔφαθʼ, ἡμῖν δʼ αὖτʼ ἐπεπείθετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ. 24.139. ἔνθα καὶ ἠματίη μὲν ὑφαίνεσκεν μέγαν ἱστόν, 24.140. νύκτας δʼ ἀλλύεσκεν, ἐπεὶ δαΐδας παραθεῖτο. 24.141. ὣς τρίετες μὲν ἔληθε δόλῳ καὶ ἔπειθεν Ἀχαιούς· 24.142. ἀλλʼ ὅτε τέτρατον ἦλθεν ἔτος καὶ ἐπήλυθον ὧραι, 24.143. μηνῶν φθινόντων, περὶ δʼ ἤματα πόλλʼ ἐτελέσθη, 24.144. καὶ τότε δή τις ἔειπε γυναικῶν, ἣ σάφα ᾔδη, 24.145. καὶ τήν γʼ ἀλλύουσαν ἐφεύρομεν ἀγλαὸν ἱστόν. 24.146. ὣς τὸ μὲν ἐξετέλεσσε καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλουσʼ, ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης. 24.147. εὖθʼ ἡ φᾶρος ἔδειξεν, ὑφήνασα μέγαν ἱστόν, 24.148. πλύνασʼ, ἠελίῳ ἐναλίγκιον ἠὲ σελήνῃ, 24.149. καὶ τότε δή ῥʼ Ὀδυσῆα κακός ποθεν ἤγαγε δαίμων 24.150. ἀγροῦ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιήν, ὅθι δώματα ναῖε συβώτης. 24.151. ἔνθʼ ἦλθεν φίλος υἱὸς Ὀδυσσῆος θείοιο, 24.152. ἐκ Πύλου ἠμαθόεντος ἰὼν σὺν νηῒ μελαίνῃ· 24.153. τὼ δὲ μνηστῆρσιν θάνατον κακὸν ἀρτύναντε 24.154. ἵκοντο προτὶ ἄστυ περικλυτόν, ἦ τοι Ὀδυσσεὺς 24.155. ὕστερος, αὐτὰρ Τηλέμαχος πρόσθʼ ἡγεμόνευε. 24.156. τὸν δὲ συβώτης ἦγε κακὰ χροῒ εἵματʼ ἔχοντα, 24.157. πτωχῷ λευγαλέῳ ἐναλίγκιον ἠδὲ γέροντι 24.158. σκηπτόμενον· τὰ δὲ λυγρὰ περὶ χροῒ εἵματα ἕστο· 24.159. οὐδέ τις ἡμείων δύνατο γνῶναι τὸν ἐόντα 24.160. ἐξαπίνης προφανέντʼ, οὐδʼ οἳ προγενέστεροι ἦσαν, 24.161. ἀλλʼ ἔπεσίν τε κακοῖσιν ἐνίσσομεν ἠδὲ βολῇσιν. 24.162. αὐτὰρ ὁ τῆος ἐτόλμα ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἑοῖσι 24.163. βαλλόμενος καὶ ἐνισσόμενος τετληότι θυμῷ· 24.164. ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν ἔγειρε Διὸς νοός αἰγιόχοιο, 24.165. σὺν μὲν Τηλεμάχῳ περικαλλέα τεύχεʼ ἀείρας 24.166. ἐς θάλαμον κατέθηκε καὶ ἐκλήϊσεν ὀχῆας, 24.167. αὐτὰρ ὁ ἣν ἄλοχον πολυκερδείῃσιν ἄνωγε 24.168. τόξον μνηστήρεσσι θέμεν πολιόν τε σίδηρον, 24.169. ἡμῖν αἰνομόροισιν ἀέθλια καὶ φόνου ἀρχήν. 24.170. οὐδέ τις ἡμείων δύνατο κρατεροῖο βιοῖο 24.171. νευρὴν ἐντανύσαι, πολλὸν δʼ ἐπιδευέες ἦμεν. 24.172. ἀλλʼ ὅτε χεῖρας ἵκανεν Ὀδυσσῆος μέγα τόξον, 24.173. ἔνθʼ ἡμεῖς μὲν πάντες ὁμοκλέομεν ἐπέεσσι 24.174. τόξον μὴ δόμεναι, μηδʼ εἰ μάλα πολλʼ ἀγορεύοι· 24.175. Τηλέμαχος δέ μιν οἶος ἐποτρύνων ἐκέλευσεν. 24.176. αὐτὰρ ὁ δέξατο χειρὶ πολύτλας δῖος Ὀδυσσεύς, 24.177. ῥηϊδίως δʼ ἐτάνυσσε βιόν, διὰ δʼ ἧκε σιδήρου, 24.178. στῆ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἰών, ταχέας δʼ ἐκχεύατʼ ὀϊστοὺς 24.179. δεινὸν παπταίνων, βάλε δʼ Ἀντίνοον βασιλῆα. 24.180. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτʼ ἄλλοις ἐφίει βέλεα στονόεντα, 24.181. ἄντα τιτυσκόμενος· τοὶ δʼ ἀγχιστῖνοι ἔπιπτον. 24.182. γνωτὸν δʼ ἦν ὅ ῥά τίς σφι θεῶν ἐπιτάρροθος ἦεν· 24.183. αὐτίκα γὰρ κατὰ δώματʼ ἐπισπόμενοι μένεϊ σφῷ 24.184. κτεῖνον ἐπιστροφάδην, τῶν δὲ στόνος ὤρνυτʼ ἀεικὴς 24.185. κράτων τυπτομένων, δάπεδον δʼ ἅπαν αἵματι θῦεν. 24.186. ὣς ἡμεῖς, Ἀγάμεμνον, ἀπωλόμεθʼ, ὧν ἔτι καὶ νῦν 24.187. σώματʼ ἀκηδέα κεῖται ἐνὶ μεγάροις Ὀδυσῆος· 24.188. οὐ γάρ πω ἴσασι φίλοι κατὰ δώμαθʼ ἑκάστου, 24.189. οἵ κʼ ἀπονίψαντες μέλανα βρότον ἐξ ὠτειλέων 24.190. κατθέμενοι γοάοιεν· ὃ γὰρ γέρας ἐστὶ θανόντων. 24.191. τὸν δʼ αὖτε ψυχὴ προσεφώνεεν Ἀτρεΐδαο· 24.192. ὄλβιε Λαέρταο πάϊ, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ, 24.193. ἦ ἄρα σὺν μεγάλῃ ἀρετῇ ἐκτήσω ἄκοιτιν. 24.194. ὡς ἀγαθαὶ φρένες ἦσαν ἀμύμονι Πηνελοπείῃ, 24.195. κούρῃ Ἰκαρίου· ὡς εὖ μέμνητʼ Ὀδυσῆος, 24.196. ἀνδρὸς κουριδίου· τῷ οἱ κλέος οὔ ποτʼ ὀλεῖται 24.197. ἧς ἀρετῆς, τεύξουσι δʼ ἐπιχθονίοισιν ἀοιδὴν 24.198. ἀθάνατοι χαρίεσσαν ἐχέφρονι Πηνελοπείῃ, 24.199. οὐχ ὡς Τυνδαρέου κούρη κακὰ μήσατο ἔργα, 24.200. κουρίδιον κτείνασα πόσιν, στυγερὴ δέ τʼ ἀοιδὴ 24.201. ἔσσετʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους, χαλεπὴν δέ τε φῆμιν ὀπάσσει 24.202. θηλυτέρῃσι γυναιξί, καὶ ἥ κʼ εὐεργὸς ἔῃσιν. | 24.1. BOOK 24 Cyllenian Hermes called out the men's souls, the suitors' souls. He held in his hands a beautiful golden wand, with which he enchants the eyes of men, of those he wants to, and again wakes up the sleeping, too. 24.5. With a wave of it he led them, and, gibbering, they followed. As when bats, in a corner of an enormous cave, fly about gibbering, after one has fallen off their chain, from the rock on which they hold on to each other, so they went with him, squeaking. 24.10. Hermes Akaketa [gracious?] led them down the moldy ways. They went, past the streams of Ocean, and the White Rock [Leukada], and past the gates of the Sun, and the kingdom of dreams, they went. They came down quickly to an asphodel meadow, where souls, phantoms of those who've toiled, abide. 24.15. They found the soul of Peleides Achilles, and of Patroclus, and of noble Antilochus, and of Ajax, who was best in form and figure of the rest of the Danaans, after noble Peleion. So while they thronged about Achilles, the soul 24.20. of Atreides Agamemnon came near, in grief. Others gathered around him, all who'd died with him and met their fate in Aegisthus' house. Peleion's soul was the first to speak to him: “Atreides, we supposed that you, beyond all hero men, 24.25. were dear to Zeus, the Lightning-hurler, all your days, because you ruled the many and the mighty in Troy's kingdom, when we Achaeans suffered sorrows. Yes, baneful doom was going to stand beside you, too, too early, that no one can avoid who would be born. 24.30. How I wish you'd enjoyed the honor of which you were the master and met your death and fate in the kingdom of the Trojans. Then the Panachaeans would have made a grave mound for you, and you'd have won great fame for your son, too, in the future. It was your lot, now, to be taken by a most contemptible death.” 24.35. Atreides' soul said back to him: “Happy son of Peleus, one like the gods, Achilles, who died in Troy, far from Argos, and others died about you, the best sons of the Trojans and Achaeans, fighting around you, as you lay in a whirl of dust, 24.40. mightily mighty, no longer caring for horsemanship. We would have fought all day, and not completely ceased from war, had Zeus not stopped us with a storm. Then after we brought you from the warfare to the ships, we laid you down on a litter and cleansed your beautiful body 24.45. with warm water and oil. The Danaans about you shed many hot tears and cut their hair. Your mother, with immortal sea nymphs, came from the sea when she heard the news, then an awful cry arose upon the sea, and trembling took hold of all Achaeans. 24.50. And they would now have jumped up and gone to their hollow ships if a man hadn't restrained them, one who knew things old and many, Nestor, whose counsel had also seemed the best before. With good intent, he spoke and said among them: 'Hold on, Argives, don't flee, young men of the Achaeans! 24.55. This is his mother, who, with immortal sea nymphs, comes from the sea, coming to meet her son who's died.' So said he, and the great-hearted Achaeans held back from panic. The daughters of the old man of the sea stood about you, piteously wailing, and dressed immortal clothes around you. 24.60. The Muses, nine in all, answering themselves in a beautiful voice, sang dirges. You wouldn't then have noticed any Argivewithout tears, for the clear-toned Muse moved them so much. For seventeen days and nights alike, we wept for you, both us mortal men and the immortal gods. 24.65. On the eighteenth, we gave you to the fire, and killed about you many sheep, very fat ones, and curved-horned cattle. You were burned in the clothing of gods, and much oil and sweet honey, and many Achaean heroes rushed in armor around the pyre as you burned, 24.70. both foot and horse fighters, and a great din arose. Then after Hephaestus' flame made an end of you, at dawn, we lay your white bones, Achilles, to rest in unmixed wine and oil. Your mother gave a golden amphora. She said it was a gift 24.75. from Dionysus and a work of far-famed Hephaestus. In this your white bones lie, brilliant Achilles, mixed with those of the dead Patroclus Menoetiades, but separate from those of Antilochus, whom you valued far above all other comrades after Patroclus died. 24.80. We then piled about them a great and noble grave mound, we, the sacred army of Achaean spearmen, on a jutting headland, by the broad Hellespont, so it would be visible from afar, from the sea, for men, for those now born and those who'll be hereafter. 24.85. Your mother asked the gods for gorgeous prizes and set them in the middle of the assembly, for the best of the Achaeans. You've by now been present at the funeral of many men, of heroes, when at some time or other a king died, and young men gird themselves and get ready for contests, 24.90. but had you seen these in particular you'd have been amazed at heart, how gorgeous were the prizes the goddess, silver-footed Thetis, set there for you, for you were very dear to the gods. So, not even in dying, did you lose your name, but your fame, to all mankind, will be forever good, Achilles. 24.95. But what pleasure is this for me, since I wound up the war? For Zeus contrived, on my return, wretched destruction for me, by Aegisthus' hands, and those of my ruinous wife.” So as they said such things to each other, the runner, Argeiphontes, came near them, 24.100. as he led down the souls of the suitors tamed by Odysseus. The two, in wonder, went straight to them when they saw them. The soul of Atreides Agamemnon recognized the dear son of Melaneus, renowned Amphimedon, for he was his guest when he lived at home in Ithaca. 24.105. The soul of Atreides spoke to him first: “Amphimedon, what happened to you, that you enter the murky earth, all of you, chosen ones and of the same age? One wouldn't even choose otherwise in picking the best men throughout the city. Did Poseidon tame you in your ships, 24.110. raising grievous winds and high waves? Or, perhaps, did hostile men harm you on the mainland, as you cut out their cattle and fine flocks of sheep, or battled over their city and women? Tell me what I ask. I claim to be your guest-friend. 24.115. Don't you recall when I came there to your home, with godlike Menelaus, to urge Odysseusto go with us on well-benched ships to Ilium? In a whole month, we crossed the whole wide sea barely persuading Odysseus, the sacker of cities.” 24.120. Amphimedon's soul said back to him: “Most glorious Atreides, lord of men Agamemnon, I recall all these things, Zeus-nurtured one, as you say. I'll recount quite all of it to you, carefully and exactly, the evil event of our death, how it was brought to pass. 24.125. We wooed the wife of long-gone Odysseus, and she neither refused nor brought about a hateful marriage, as she contrived black doom and death for us, but in her mind she devised this other trick. She set up a great web in the palace, delicate and long-threaded, 24.130. tarted to weave, then soon said among us: 'Young men, my suitors, since Odysseus has died, wait, though eager for my wedding, until I can complete this cloth, lest my weaving be ruined and in vain, a burial cloth for hero Laertes, for the time when 24.135. baneful doom, of death that brings long woe, takes him down, lest any any Achaean woman throughout the kingdom resent me should he who won many things lie without a shroud.' So said she, and our manly spirit yielded in turn. Then by day she wove her great web 24.140. but at night, when she had torches placed beside it, she unraveled it. Three years she went unnoticed in her trick, and so persuaded the Achaeans, but when a fourth year came, and seasons came round, and many days passed excessively as the months waned, right at that time one of her women, who knew it clearly, told us, 24.145. and we discovered her unraveling the splendid web. So, she finished it, albeit unwillingly, under compulsion. When she showed the cloth, and had woven the great web and washed it, one like the sun or moon, right then an evil divinity brought Odysseus from somewhere 24.150. to the border of his farmland where a swineherd had a home. Then divine Odysseus' beloved son, coming with a black ship, came from sandy Pylos. The two of them planned an evil death for the suitors and came to the far-famed city. Yes indeed, Odysseus was later, 24.155. but Telemachus led the way before him. The swineherd brought him, with foul clothes upon his flesh, looking like a sordid beggar and old man, propping himself up, and wretched were the things he wore as clothes around his flesh. And none of us, not even those who were older, could know 24.160. that it was him, when he suddenly appeared, but we assaulted him, with both evil words and blows. But he endured it for a while, being struck and assaulted in his own palace, with a resolute heart. But when the mind of Aegis-bearer Zeus aroused him, 24.165. with Telemachus' help he took the gorgeous battle gear into a chamber, and stored it, and shot the bolts, then ordered his wife, with great shrewdness, to set before the suitors the bow and gray iron, the contest things and the beginning of murder, for grimly-doomed us. 24.170. And none of us could stretch the mighty bow's string but we were far too weak. But when the great bow came to Odysseus' hands, we then all yelled out together not to give him the bow, even if he argued very hard, 24.175. and only Telemachus urged and ordered him. Then long-suffering divine Odysseus took it with his hand, easily strung the bow, and shot through the iron. He went and stood upon the threshold, poured out swift arrows, glared terribly about, and shot Antinous, a king. 24.180. Then after that he shot arrows that cause groaning at the others, aiming straight at them, and they fell in heaps. It was known then that they had some god as a helper, for they at once chased us throughout the house in their fury and killed us one after another, then a shameful groaning rose 24.185. from those whose heads were hit, and the whole floor ran with blood. So we perished, Agamemnon, we whose bodies, still even now, lie uncared for in the palace of Odysseus. For they don't know it yet, the loved ones in each of our homes, who'd wash the black gore from our wounds, 24.190. lay us out, and bewail us, for that's the gift of honor for the dead.” Atreides' soul said back to him: “Happy son of Laertes, resourceful Odysseus, yes, you've won a wife, one with great virtue, so good were her wits for noble Penelope, 24.195. Icarius' daughter, so well she remembered Odysseus, her wedded husband. Therefore, her virtue's fame will never perish, and immortals will make a song for those upon the earth, a graceful one, to discreet Penelope. Not so, Tyndareus' daughter devised evil deed 24.200. and killed her wedded husband, and her song will be loathesome to mankind, and she'll make a hard reputation for females, for women, even one who may be honorable.” So they said such things to each other, standing in the house of Hades, beneath the depths of the earth. |
