22 Odysseus revealed But Odysseus of many wiles (polymetis)stripped off his rags and sprang

to the great threshold with the bow and the quiver full of arrows, and poured forth the swift arrows right there before his feet, and spoke

among the wooers: [5] “Now at last has this decisive contest (athlos) has come to an end; and now as for another mark, which till now no man has ever smitten, I

will see if I may strike it, and Apollo grant me glory.”

[35] “You yellow dogs, you thought that I would never more come home from the land of the Trojans. You wasted my house, and lay with

the maidservants by force, and while yet I lived dared woo my wife, having no fear of the gods, who hold broad heaven, [40] nor of the

indignation of men, that is to be hereafter. Now over you one and all have the cords of destruction been made fast.”

Antinous

(65) “No, Eurymachus, not even if you should give me in requital all that your fathers left you, even all that you now have, and should add other wealth to it from whatever you could, not even so would I stay my hands from slaying until the wooers had paid the full price of all their transgression.

Telemachus, Eumaeus, Philoetius, Melanthius, Mentor

Leodes [320] Then with an angry glance from beneath his brows Odysseus of many wiles answered him: “If you really declare yourself the soothsayer among these men, often, I suppose, must you have prayed in the halls that far from me the issue of a joyous return might be removed, and that it might be with you that my dear wife should go and bear you children; [325] therefore you will not escape grievous death.” So saying, he seized in his strong hand a sword that lay near, which Agelaus had let fall to the ground when he was slain, and with this he smote him full upon the neck. And even while he was yet speaking his head was mingled with the dust.Phemius [330] Now the son of Terpes, the minstrel, was still seeking to escape black fate, even Phemius, who sang under duress among the suitors. ... “By your knees I beseech you, Odysseus, and respect me and have pity; [345] on yourself shall sorrow come hereafter, if you slay the minstrel, even me, who sing to gods and men. Self-taught am I, and the god has planted in my heart all manner of songs, and worthy am I to sing to you as to a god; therefore do not be eager to cut my throat.”

Odysseus to Eurycleia: “In your heart rejoice, old woman, but restrain yourself and do not cry out: an unholy thing is it to boast over slain men. These men here has the fate of the gods destroyed and their own reckless deeds, for they honored no one of men upon the earth, [415] were he evil or good, whosoever came among them; therefore by their recklessness they brought on themselves a shameful death. But come, name for me the women in the halls, which ones dishonour me and which are guiltless.”

[440] But when you have set all the house in order, lead the women forth from the well-built hall to a place between the dome and the goodly fence of the court, and there strike them down with your long swords, until you take away the life from them all, and they forget the love [445] which they had at the bidding of the wooers, when they lay with them in secret.”

24 Endings Achilles and AgamemnonSon of Atreus, we deemed that you [25] above all other heroes were all your days dear to Zeus, who hurls the thunderbolt, because you were lord over many mighty men in the land of the Trojans, where we Achaeans suffered woes. But truly on you too was deadly doom to come all too early, the doom that not one avoids of those who are born. [30] Ah, would that in the pride of that honour of which you were master you had met death and fate in the land of the Trojans. Then would the whole host of the Achaeans have made you a tomb, and for your son too would you have won great glory in days to come; but now, as it seems, it has been decreed that you be cut off by a most piteous death.

Thus not even in death did you lose your name, but ever shall you have fair renown among all men, Achilles. [95] But, as for me, what pleasure have I now in this, that I wound up the skein of war? For on my return Zeus devised for me a woeful doom at the hands of Aegisthus and my accursed wife.”

The Suitors’ Apology [125] We wooed the wife of Odysseus, that had long been gone, and she neither refused the hateful marriage, nor would she ever make an end, devising for us death and black fate. Nay, she contrived in her heart this guileful thing also: she set up in her halls a great web, and fell to weaving — [130] fine of thread was the web and very wide; and straightway she spoke among us: “‘Young men, my wooers, since goodly Odysseus is dead, be patient, though eager for my marriage, until I finish this robe — I would not that my spinning should come to naught — a shroud for the lord Laertes against the time when [135] the fell fate of grievous death shall strike him down; lest any of the Achaean women in the land should be angry at me, if he were to lie without a shroud, who had won great possessions.’

“Happy son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, truly full of all excellence was the wife you won, so good of understanding was peerless Penelope, [195] daughter of Icarius, in that she was loyally mindful of Odysseus, her wedded husband. Therefore the fame of her virtue shall never perish, but the immortals shall make among men on earth a pleasant song in honor of constant Penelope. Not in this way did the daughter of Tyndareus devise evil deeds [200] and slay her wedded husband, and hateful shall the song regarding her be among men, and evil repute did she bring upon all womankind, even upon her that does rightly.”

Odysseus and Laertes [345] So he spoke, and his father's knees were loosened where he stood, and his heart melted, as he knew the sure tokens which Odysseus told him. About his dear son he flung both his arms, and the much-enduring, goodly Odysseus drew him to himself as he fainted. But when he revived, and his spirit returned again into his breast, [350] once more he made answer, and spoke, saying: “Father Zeus, truly you gods yet hold sway on high Olympus, if indeed the wooers have paid the price for their reckless hubris.”

Friends, a monstrous deed has this man of a truth devised against the Achaeans. Some he led forth in his ships, many men and goodly, and he has lost his hollow ships and utterly lost his men; and others again has he slain on his return, and these by far the best of the Cephallenians. [430] Nay then, come, before the fellow goes swiftly to Pylos or to goodly Elis, where the Epeans hold sway, let us go forth; verily even in days to come shall we be disgraced forever. For a shame is this even for men that are yet to be to hear of, if we shall not [435] take vengeance on the slayers of our sons and our brothers.

Now that goodly Odysseus has taken vengeance on the wooers, let them swear a solemn oath, and let him be king all his days, and let us on our part [485] bring about a forgetting (eklesis) of the slaying of their sons

and brothers; and let them love one another as before, and let wealth and peace abound.

Mê mnêsikakein - not to remember evils

“What a day is this for me, kind gods! [515] Truly glad am I: my son and my son's son are vying with one another in valor.”

“Refrain, men of Ithaca, from grievous war, that with all speed you may part, and that without bloodshed.”

So spoke Athena, and pale fear seized them. Then in their terror the arms flew from their hands [535] and fell one and all to the ground, as the goddess uttered her voice, and they

turned toward the city, eager to save their lives. Terribly then shouted the much-enduring, goodly Odysseus, and

gathering himself together he swooped upon them like an eagle of lofty flight, and at that moment the son of Cronos

cast a flaming thunderbolt, [540] and down it fell before the flashing-eyed daughter of the mighty sire.