from The Odyssey, Part 2: The Return of Odysseus Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald ANCHOR TEXT | EPIC POEM De Agostini Picture Lib./A. Dagli Orti/akg-images Agostini Picture Lib./A. De This version of the selection alternates original text Having finished listening to Odysseus’ story, the Phaeacians agree to sail him home to with summarized passages. Ithaca. It has been 20 years since he last set foot on his island. Athena appears to inform Dotted lines appear next to him of the current situation on Ithaca. Suitors have taken residence in Odysseus’ home. the summarized passages. They think Odysseus has died and want to marry his wife, Penelope. They are also plotting to kill Odysseus’ son, Telemachus.1 NOTES Athena2 disguises Odysseus as a beggar and directs him to the hut of Eumaeus,3 who is Odysseus’ friend and works on his estate herding livestock. Telemachus arrives at the hut. Athena reappears and lifts the spell that had disguised Odysseus. She makes him appear young and strong and wearing fresh clothes. Then Lord Odysseus reappeared—and his son was thunderstruck. Fear in his eyes, he looked down and away As though it were a god, and whispered: “Stranger, you are no longer what you were just now! Your cloak is new; even your skin! You are one of the gods who rule the sweep of heaven! Be kind to us, we’ll make you fair oblation4 and gifts of hammered gold. Have mercy on us!” The noble and enduring man replied: “No god. Why take me for a god? No, no. I am that father whom your boyhood lacked and suffered pain for lack of. I am he.” Telemachus is overcome with emotion. He questions how Odysseus could magically appear and change from old to young. He fears he is being tricked. Odysseus responds that a good son should not challenge the appearance of his father. He explains that Athena is powerful and has taken favor on him. Crying, Telemachus embraces his father. Both men weep together. Telemachus asks Odysseus who brought him back to Ithaca. Great seafarers, the Phaeacians, gave me passage as they give other wanderers. By night over the open ocean, while I slept, 1. Telemachus (tuh LEHM uh kuhs) son of Odysseus and Penelope. 2. Athena (uh THEE nuh) goddess of wisdom, skills, and warfare. 3. Eumaeus (yoo MAY uhs) friend and swineherd of Odysseus. 4. oblation (uh BLAY shuhn) n. offering to a god. All rights reserved. Inc. Education, © Pearson GRADE 9 • UNIT 5 • Accessible Leveled Text • from The Odyssey, Part 2 1 they brought me in their cutter,5 set me down NOTES on Ithaca, with gifts of bronze and gold and stores of woven things. By the gods’ will these lie all hidden in a cave. I came to this wild place, directed by Athena, so that we might lay plans to kill our enemies. Count up the suitors for me, let me know what men at arms are there, how many men. I must put all my mind to it, to see if we two by ourselves can take them on or if we should look round for help.” As Tiresias foretold in Part 1, Telemachus tells Odysseus that there are many, many suitors. Telemachus doubts whether they will be able to fight them all. Odysseus assures Telemachus that, though they are only two men, they will have the gods Zeus and Athena fighting by their sides. Odysseus outlines his plan for revenge. He will appear as a beggar to the suitors. While the suitors mock him, Athena will give a sign to Odysseus when the time is right to attack. Telemachus will hide the house’s weapons from the suitors, saving a pair of swords for him and his father. Odysseus asks Telemachus to tell no one on Ithaca that he has returned. Eumaeus and Odysseus head toward town together. Outside the palace, they see Odysseus’ old dog, Argus. Argus has been neglected since Odysseus left, and he is now lying on manure while flies bite him. Seeing Argus, Odysseus secretly sheds a tear. Eumaeus tells Odysseus that Argus was once a proud and talented hunting dog and that it was only because of the mistreatment from the suitors that he came to such a miserable state. Having seen his master for the first time in 20 years, Argus closes his eyes and dies. Still disguised as a beggar, Odysseus enters his home. The arrogant suitor, Antinous,6 immediately approaches him. “God! What evil wind blew in this pest? Get over, stand in the passage! Nudge my table, will you? Egyptian whips are sweet to what you’ll come to here, you nosing rat, making your pitch to everyone! These men have bread to throw away on you because it is not theirs. Who cares? Who spares another’s food, when he has more than plenty?” With guile Odysseus drew away, then said: “A pity that you have more looks than heart. You’d grudge a pinch of salt from your own larder to your own handyman. You sit here, fat 5. cutter n. small, swift ship or boat carried aboard a large ship to transport personnel or supplies. 6. Antinous (an TIHN uhs) wicked leader among the suitors. © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Inc. Education, © Pearson GRADE 9 • UNIT 5 • Accessible Leveled Text • from The Odyssey, Part 2 2 on others’ meat, and cannot bring yourself NOTES to rummage out a crust of bread for me!” Furious, Antinous throws a stool that hits Odysseus’ shoulder. Odysseus does not react. He takes a seat and speaks to the suitors. He reminds the suitors that sometimes gods may appear as poor men and says that it is cowardly of Antinous to attack someone just for being hungry. Antinous’ son, Eupeithes, tells Odysseus to be quiet and threatens to hurt the beggar. The rest of the suitors object to the treatment of Odysseus. Telemachus hangs his head and tries to contain his anger. Penelope had heard the argument from the second floor and knows that Antinous struck the beggar. She says she wishes the gods would strike out at Antinous. She speaks with her housekeeper and maid, who agree that the suitors are trouble and that Antinous is the worst of them. She calls for Eumaeus and asks him to bring the beggar to her. Penelope hopes the traveler might have heard news of Odysseus while on the road. The beggar arrives, and Penelope questions him. “Friend, let me ask you first of all: who are you, where do you come from, of what nation and parents were you born?” And he replied: “My lady, never a man in the wide world should have a fault to find with you. Your name has gone out under heaven like the sweet honor of some god-fearing king, who rules in equity over the strong: his black lands bear both wheat and barley, fruit trees laden bright, new lambs at lambing time—and the deep sea gives great hauls of fish by his good strategy, so that his folk fare well.” Odysseus says that he prefers not to talk about his background because it is too painful. Instead, Penelope tells her story. She has not been happy since Odysseus left for war 20 years ago. She does not wish to marry any of the suitors, but her manners prevent her from asking them to leave. So, she has been tricking the suitors in order to delay her marriage. … I said, that day: ‘Young men—my suitors, now my lord is dead, let me finish my weaving before I marry, or else my thread will have been spun in vain. It is a shroud I weave for Lord Laertes When cold Death comes to lay him on his bier. The country wives would hold me in dishonor if he, with all his fortune, lay unshrouded.’ I reached their hearts that way, and they agreed. So every day I wove on the great loom, but every night by torchlight I unwove it; and so for three years I deceived the Achaeans. © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Inc. Education, © Pearson GRADE 9 • UNIT 5 • Accessible Leveled Text • from The Odyssey, Part 2 3 But when the seasons brought a fourth year on, NOTES as long months waned, and the long days were spent, through impudent7 folly in the slinking maids they caught me—clamored up to me at night; I had no choice then but to finish it. Penelope says she has lost the strength to hold out any longer and will soon be married. She again asks the beggar to tell his tale. Odysseus invents a story and mentions that he has reason to believe Odysseus will soon return. Later, Penelope arranges a challenge to determine which of the suitors she will marry. Whoever can string Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through the sockets of twelve ax handles will have her hand in marriage. The suitors try but cannot do it. Then, Odysseus, disguised as the beggar, attempts the test. As he inspects the bow, the suitors tease him. But the skillful Odysseus ignores them and gets ready. … Odysseus in one motion strung the bow. Then slid his right hand down the cord and plucked it, so the taut gut vibrating hummed and sang a swallow’s note. In the hushed hall it smote the suitors and all their faces changed. Then Zeus thundered overhead, one loud crack for a sign. And Odysseus laughed within him that the son of crooked-minded Cronus8 had flung that omen down.