Book XIV


Odysseus, in the form of a beggar, goes to Eumaeus, the
master of his swine, where he is well used and tells a
feigned story, and informs himself of the behaviour of the
wooers.

But Odysseus fared forth from the haven by the rough track,
up the wooded country and through the heights, where Athene
had showed him that he should find the goodly swineherd,
who cared most for his substance of all the thralls that
goodly Odysseus had gotten.

Now he found him sitting at the vestibule of the house,
where his courtyard was builded high, in a place with wide
prospect; a great court it was and a fair, with free range
round it. This the swineherd had builded by himself for the
swine of his lord who was afar, and his mistress and the
old man Laertes knew not of it. With stones from the quarry
had he builded it, and coped it with a fence of white
thorn, and he had split an oak to the dark core, and
without he had driven stakes the whole length thereof on
either side, set thick and close; and within the courtyard
he made twelve styes hard by one another to be beds for the
swine, and in each stye fifty grovelling swine were penned,
brood swine; but the boars slept without. Now these were
far fewer in number, the godlike wooers minishing them at
their feasts, for the swineherd ever sent in the best of
all the fatted hogs. And their tale was three hundred and
three-score. And by them always slept four dogs, as fierce
as wild beasts, which the swineherd had bred, a master of
men. Now he was fitting sandals to his feet, cutting a good
brown oxhide, while the rest of his fellows, three in all,
were abroad this way and that, with the droves of swine;
while the fourth he had sent to the city to take a boar to
the proud wooers, as needs he must, that they might
sacrifice it and satisfy their soul with flesh.

And of a sudden the baying dogs saw Odysseus, and they ran
at him yelping, but Odysseus in his wariness sat him down,
and let the staff fall from his hand. There by his own
homestead would he have suffered foul hurt, but the
swineherd with quick feet hasted after them, and sped
through the outer door, and let the skin fall from his
hand. And the hounds he chid and drave them this way and
that, with a shower of stones, and he spake unto his lord,
saying:

'Old man, truly the dogs went nigh to be the death of thee
all of a sudden, so shouldest thou have brought shame on
me. Yea, and the gods have given me other pains and griefs
enough. Here I sit, mourning and sorrowing for my godlike
lord, and foster the fat swine for others to eat, while he
craving, perchance, for food, wanders over some land and
city of men of a strange speech, if haply he yet lives and
beholds the sunlight. But come with me, let us to the inner
steading, old man, that when thy heart is satisfied with
bread and wine, thou too mayest tell thy tale and declare
whence thou art, and how many woes thou hast endured.'

Therewith the goodly swineherd led him to the steading, and
took him in and set him down, and strewed beneath him thick
brushwood, and spread thereon the hide of a shaggy wild
goat, wide and soft, which served himself for a mattress.
And Odysseus rejoiced that he had given him such welcome,
and spake and hailed him:

'May Zeus, O stranger, and all the other deathless gods
grant thee thy dearest wish, since thou hast received me
heartily!'

Then, O swineherd Eumaeus, didst thou answer him, saying:
'Guest of mine, it were an impious thing for me to slight a
stranger, even if there came a meaner man than thou; for
from Zeus are all strangers and beggars; and a little gift
from such as we, is dear; for this is the way with thralls,
who are ever in fear when young lords like ours bear rule
over them. For surely the gods have stayed the returning of
my master, who would have loved me diligently, and given me
somewhat of my own, a house and a parcel of ground, and a
comely {*} wife, such as a kind lord gives to his man, who
hath laboured much for him and the work of whose hands God
hath likewise increased, even as he increaseth this work of
mine whereat I abide. Therefore would my lord have rewarded
me greatly, had he grown old at home. But he hath perished,
as I would that all the stock of Helen had perished
utterly, forasmuch as she hath caused the loosening of many
a man's knees. For he too departed to Ilios of the goodly
steeds, to get atonement for Agamemnon, that so he might
war with the Trojans.'

{* Reading [Greek]}

Therewith he quickly bound up his doublet with his girdle,
and went his way to the styes, where the tribes of the
swine were penned. Thence he took and brought forth two,
and sacrificed them both, and singed them and cut them
small, and spitted them. And when he had roasted all, he
bare and set it by Odysseus, all hot as it was upon the
spits, and he sprinkled thereupon white barley-meal. Then
in a bowl of ivywood he mixed the honey-sweet wine, and
himself sat over against him and bade him fall to:

'Eat now, stranger, such fare as thralls have to hand, even
flesh of sucking pigs; but the fatted hogs the wooers
devour, for they know not the wrath of the gods nor any
pity. Verily the blessed gods love not froward deeds, but
they reverence justice and the righteous acts of men. Yet
even foes and men unfriendly, that land on a strange coast,
and Zeus grants them a prey, and they have laden their
ships and depart for home; yea, even on their hearts falls
strong fear of the wrath of the gods. But lo you, these men
know somewhat,--for they have heard an utterance of a god
--, even the tidings of our lord's evil end, seeing that
they are not minded justly to woo, nor to go back to their
own, but at ease they devour our wealth with insolence, and
now there is no sparing. For every day and every night that
comes from Zeus, they make sacrifice not of one victim
only, nor of two, and wine they draw and waste it
riotously. For surely his livelihood was great past
telling, no lord in the dark mainland had so much, nor any
in Ithaca itself; nay, not twenty men together have wealth
so great, and I will tell thee the sum thereof. Twelve
herds of kine upon the mainland, as many flocks of sheep,
as many droves of swine, as many ranging herds of goats,
that his own shepherds and strangers pasture. And ranging
herds of goats, eleven in all, graze here by the extremity
of the island with trusty men to watch them. And day by day
each man of these ever drives one of the flock to the
wooers, whichsoever seems the best of the fatted goats. But
as for me I guard and keep these swine and I choose out for
them, as well as I may, the best of the swine and send it
hence.'

So spake he, but Odysseus ceased not to eat flesh and drink
wine right eagerly and in silence, and the while was sowing
the seeds of evil for the wooers. Now when he had well
eaten and comforted his heart with food, then the herdsman
filled him the bowl out of which he was wont himself to
drink, and he gave it him brimming with wine, and he took
it and was glad at heart, and uttering his voice spake to
him winged words:

'My friend, who was it then that bought thee with his
wealth, a man so exceedingly rich and mighty as thou
declarest? Thou saidest that he perished to get atonement
for Agamemnon; tell me, if perchance I may know him, being
such an one as thou sayest. For Zeus, methinks, and the
other deathless gods know whether I may bring tidings of
having seen him; for I have wandered far.'

Then the swineherd, a master of men, answered him: 'Old
man, no wanderer who may come hither and bring tidings of
him can win the ear of his wife and his dear son; but
lightly do vagrants lie when they need entertainment, and
care not to tell truth. Whosoever comes straying to the
land of Ithaca, goes to my mistress and speaks words of
guile. And she receives him kindly and lovingly and
inquires of all things, and the tears fall from her eyelids
for weeping, as is meet for a woman when her lord hath died
afar. And quickly enough wouldst thou too, old man, forge a
tale, if any would but give thee a mantle and a doublet for
raiment. But as for him, dogs and swift fowls are like
already to have torn his skin from the bones, and his
spirit hath left him. Or the fishes have eaten him in the
deep, and there lie his bones swathed in sand-drift on the
shore. Yonder then hath he perished, but for his friends
nought is ordained but care, for all, but for me in chief.
For never again shall I find a lord so gentle, how far
soever I may go, not though again I attain unto the house
of my father and my mother, where at first I was born, and
they nourished me themselves and with their own hands they
reared me. Nor henceforth it is not for these that I sorrow
so much, though I long to behold them with mine eyes in
mine own country, but desire comes over me for Odysseus who
is afar. His name, stranger, even though he is not here, it
shameth me to speak, for he loved me exceedingly, and cared
for me at heart; nay, I call him "worshipful," albeit he is
far hence.'

Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus spake to him again: 'My
friend, forasmuch as thou gainsayest utterly, and sayest
that henceforth he will not come again, and thine heart is
ever slow to believe, therefore will I tell thee not
lightly but with an oath, that Odysseus shall return. And
let me have the wages of good tidings as soon as ever he in
his journeying shall come hither to his home. Then clothe
me in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment. But ere that,
albeit I am sore in need I will not take aught, for hateful
to me even as the gates of hell, is that man, who under
stress of poverty speaks words of guile. Now be Zeus my
witness before any god, and the hospitable board and the
hearth of noble Odysseus whereunto I am come, that all
these things shall surely be accomplished even as I tell
thee. In this same year Odysseus shall come hither; as the
old moon wanes and the new is born shall he return to his
home, and shall take vengeance on all who here dishonour
his wife and noble son.'

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Old man,
it is not I then, that shall ever pay thee these wages of
good tidings, nor henceforth shall Odysseus ever come to
his home. Nay drink in peace, and let us turn our thoughts
to other matters, and bring not these to my remembrance,
for surely my heart within me is sorrowful whenever any man
puts me in mind of my true lord. But as for thine oath, we
will let it go by; yet, oh that Odysseus may come according
to my desire, and the desire of Penelope and of that old
man Laertes and godlike Telemachus! But now I make a
comfortless lament for the boy begotten of Odysseus, even
for Telemachus. When the gods had reared him like a young
sapling, and I thought that he would be no worse man among
men than his dear father, glorious in form and face, some
god or some man marred his good wits within him, and he
went to fair Pylos after tidings of his sire. And now the
lordly wooers lie in wait for him on his way home, that the
race of godlike Arceisius may perish nameless out of
Ithaca. Howbeit, no more of him now, whether he shall be
taken or whether he shall escape, and Cronion stretch out
his hand to shield him. But come, old man, do thou tell me
of thine own troubles. And herein tell me true, that I may
surely know. Who art thou of the sons of men, and whence?
Where is thy city, where are they that begat thee? Say on
what manner of ship didst thou come, and how did sailors
bring thee to Ithaca, and who did they avow them to be? For
in nowise do I deem that thou camest hither by land.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Yea
now, I will tell thee all most plainly. Might we have food
and sweet wine enough to last for long, while we abide
within thy hut to feast thereon in quiet, and others betake
them to their work; then could I easily speak for a whole
year, nor yet make a full end of telling all the troubles
of my spirit, all the travail I have wrought by the will of
the gods.

'I avow that I come by lineage from wide Crete, and am the
son of a wealthy man. And many other sons he had born and
bred in the halls, lawful born of a wedded wife; but the
mother that bare me was a concubine bought with a price.
Yet Castor son of Hylax, of whose blood I avow me to be,
gave me no less honour than his lawful sons. Now he at the
time got worship even as a god from the Cretans in the
land, for wealth and riches and sons renowned. Howbeit the
fates of death bare him away to the house of Hades, and his
gallant sons divided among them his living and cast lots
for it. But to me they gave a very small gift and assigned
me a dwelling, and I took unto me a wife, the daughter of
men that had wide lands, by reason of my valour, for that I
was no weakling nor a dastard; but now all my might has
failed me, yet even so I deem that thou mightest guess from
seeing the stubble what the grain has been, for of trouble
I have plenty and to spare. But then verily did Ares and
Athene give me boldness and courage to hurl through the
press of men, whensoever I chose the best warriors for an
ambush, sowing the seeds of evil for my foes; no boding of
death was ever in my lordly heart, but I would leap out the
foremost and slay with the spear whoso of my foes was less
fleet of foot than I. Such an one was I in war, but the
labour of the field I never loved, nor home-keeping thrift,
that breeds brave children, but galleys with their oars
were dear to me, and wars and polished shafts and darts--
baneful things whereat others use to shudder. But that,
methinks, was dear to me which the god put in my heart, for
divers men take delight in divers deeds. For ere ever the
sons of the Achaeans had set foot on the land of Troy, I
had nine times been a leader of men and of swift-faring
ships against a strange people, and wealth fell ever to my
hands. Of the booty I would choose out for me all that I
craved, and much thereafter I won by lot. So my house got
increase speedily, and thus I waxed dread and honourable
among the Cretans. But when Zeus, of the far-borne voice,
devised at the last that hateful path which loosened the
knees of many a man in death, then the people called on me
and on renowned Idomeneus to lead the ships to Ilios, nor
was there any way whereby to refuse, for the people's voice
bore hard upon us. There we sons of the Achaeans warred for
nine whole years, and then in the tenth year we sacked the
city of Priam, and departed homeward with our ships, and a
god scattered the Achaeans. But Zeus, the counsellor,
devised mischief against me, wretched man that I was! For
one month only I abode and had joy in my children and my
wedded wife, and all that I had; and thereafter my spirit
bade me fit out ships in the best manner and sail to Egypt
with my godlike company. Nine ships I fitted out and the
host was gathered quickly; and then for six days my dear
company feasted, and I gave them many victims that they
might sacrifice to the gods and prepare a feast for
themselves. But on the seventh day we set sail from wide
Crete, with a North Wind fresh and fair, and lightly we ran
as it were down stream, yea and no harm came to any ship of
mine, but we sat safe and hale, while the wind and the
pilots guided the barques. And on the fifth day we came to
the fair-flowing Aegyptus, and in the river Aegyptus I
stayed my curved ships. Then verily I bade my dear
companions to abide there by the ships and to guard them,
and I sent forth scouts to range the points of outlook. But
my men gave place to wantonness, being the fools of their
own force, and soon they fell to wasting the fields of the
Egyptians, exceeding fair, and led away their wives and
infant children and slew the men. And the cry came quickly
to the city, and the people hearing the shout came forth at
the breaking of the day, and all the plain was filled with
footmen and chariots and with the glitter of bronze. And
Zeus, whose joy is in the thunder, sent an evil panic upon
my company, and none durst stand and face the foe, for
danger encompassed us on every side. There they slew many
of us with the edge of the sword, and others they led up
with them alive to work for them perforce. But as for me,
Zeus himself put a thought into my heart; would to God that
I had rather died, and met my fate there in Egypt, for
sorrow was still mine host! Straightway I put off my
well-wrought helmet from my head, and the shield from off
my shoulders, and I cast away my spear from my hand, and I
came over against the chariots of the king, and clasped and
kissed his knees, and he saved me and delivered me, and
setting me on his own chariot took me weeping to his home.
Truly many an one made at me with their ashen spears, eager
to slay me, for verily they were sore angered. But the king
kept them off and had respect unto the wrath of Zeus, the
god of strangers, who chiefly hath displeasure at evil
deeds. So for seven whole years I abode with their king,
and gathered much substance among the Egyptians, for they
all gave me gifts. But when the eighth year came in due
season, there arrived a Phoenician practised in deceit, a
greedy knave, who had already done much mischief among men.
He wrought on me with his cunning, and took me with him
until he came to Phoenicia, where was his house and where
his treasures lay. There I abode with him for the space of
a full year. But when now the months and days were
fulfilled, as the year came round and the seasons returned,
he set me aboard a seafaring ship for Libya, under colour
as though I was to convey a cargo thither with him, but his
purpose was to sell me in Libya, and get a great price. So
I went with him on board, perforce, yet boding evil. And
the ship ran before a North Wind fresh and fair, through
the mid sea over above Crete, and Zeus contrived the
destruction of the crew. But when we left Crete, and no
land showed in sight but sky and sea only, even then the
son of Cronos stayed a dark cloud over the hollow ship, and
the deep grew dark beneath it. And in the same moment Zeus
thundered and smote his bolt into the ship, and she reeled
all over being stricken by the bolt of Zeus, and was filled
with fire and brimstone, and all the crew fell overboard.
And like sea-gulls they were borne hither and thither on
the waves about the black ship, and the god cut off their
return. But in this hour of my affliction Zeus himself put
into my hands the huge mast of the dark-prowed ship, that
even yet I might escape from harm. So I clung round the
mast and was borne by the ruinous winds. For nine days was
I borne, and on the tenth black night the great rolling
wave brought me nigh to the land of the Thesprotians. There
the king of the Thesprotians, the lord Pheidon, took me in
freely, for his dear son lighted on me and raised me by the
hand and led me to his house, foredone with toil and the
keen air, till he came to his father's palace. And he
clothed me in a mantle and a doublet for raiment.

'There I heard tidings of Odysseus, for the king told me
that he had entertained him, and kindly entreated him on
his way to his own country; and he showed me all the wealth
that Odysseus had gathered, bronze and gold and
well-wrought iron; yea it would suffice for his children
after him even to the tenth generation, so great were the
treasures he had stored in the chambers of the king. He had
gone, he said, to Dodona to hear the counsel of Zeus, from
the high leafy oak tree of the god, how he should return to
the fat land of Ithaca after long absence, whether openly
or by stealth. Moreover, he sware, in mine own presence, as
he poured the drink offering in his house, that the ship
was drawn down to the sea and his company were ready, who
were to convey him to his own dear country. But ere that,
he sent me off, for it chanced that a ship of the
Thesprotians was starting for Dulichium, a land rich in
grain. Thither he bade them bring me with all diligence to
the king Acastus. But an evil counsel concerning me found
favour in their sight, that even yet I might reach the
extremity of sorrow. When the seafaring ship had sailed a
great way from the land, anon they sought how they might
compass for me the day of slavery. They stript me of my
garments, my mantle and a doublet, and changed my raiment
to a vile wrap and doublet, tattered garments, even those
thou seest now before thee; and in the evening they reached
the fields of clear-seen Ithaca. There in the decked ship
they bound me closely with a twisted rope, and themselves
went ashore, and hasted to take supper by the sea-banks.
Meanwhile the gods themselves lightly unclasped my bands,
and muffling my head with the wrap I slid down the smooth
lading-plank, and set my breast to the sea and rowed hard
with both hands as I swam, and very soon I was out of the
water and beyond their reach. Then I went up where there
was a thicket, a wood in full leaf, and lay there
crouching. And they went hither and thither making great
moan; but when now it seemed to them little avail to go
further on their quest, they departed back again aboard
their hollow ship. And the gods themselves hid me easily
and brought me nigh to the homestead of a wise man; for
still, methinks, I am ordained to live on.'

Then didst thou make answer to him, swineherd Eumaeus: 'Ah!
wretched guest, verily thou hast stirred my heart with the
tale of all these things, of thy sufferings and thy
wanderings. Yet herein, methinks, thou speakest not aright,
and never shalt thou persuade me with the tale about
Odysseus; why should one in thy plight lie vainly? Well I
know of mine own self, as touching my lord's return, that
he was utterly hated by all the gods, in that they smote
him not among the Trojans nor in the arms of his friends,
when he had wound up the clew of war. So should the whole
Achaean host have builded him a barrow; yea and for his son
would he have won great glory in the after days; but now
all ingloriously the spirits of the storm have snatched him
away. But as for me I dwell apart by the swine and go not
to the city, unless perchance wise Penelope summons me
thither, when tidings of my master are brought I know not
whence. Now all the people sit round and straitly question
the news-bearer, both such as grieve for their lord that is
long gone, and such as rejoice in devouring his living
without atonement. But I have no care to ask or to inquire,
since the day that an Aetolian cheated me with his story,
one who had slain his man and wandered over wide lands and
came to my steading, and I dealt lovingly with him. He said
that he had seen my master among the Cretans at the house
of Idomeneus, mending his ships which the storms had
broken. And he said that he would come home either by the
summer or the harvest-tide, bringing much wealth with the
godlike men of his company. And thou too, old man of many
sorrows, seeing that some god hath brought thee to me, seek
not my grace with lies, nor give me any such comfort; not
for this will I have respect to thee or hold thee dear, but
only for the fear of Zeus, the god of strangers, and for
pity of thyself.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: 'Verily
thy heart within thee is slow to believe, seeing that even
with an oath I have not won thee, nor find credence with
thee. But come now, let us make a covenant; and we will
each one have for witnesses the gods above, who hold
Olympus. If thy lord shall return to this house, put on me
a mantle and doublet for raiment, and send me on my way to
Dulichium, whither I had a desire to go. But if thy lord
return not according to my word, set thy thralls upon me,
and cast me down from a mighty rock, that another beggar in
his turn may beware of deceiving.'

And the goodly swineherd answered him, saying: 'Yea
stranger, even so should I get much honour and good luck
among men both now and ever hereafter, if after bringing
thee to my hut and giving thee a stranger's cheer, I should
turn again and slay thee and take away thy dear life. Eager
indeed thereafter should I be to make a prayer to Zeus the
son of Cronos! But now it is supper-time, and would that my
fellows may speedily be at home, that we may make ready a
dainty supper within the hut.'

Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, the swine and the
swineherds drew nigh. And the swine they shut up to sleep
in their lairs, and a mighty din arose as the swine were
being stalled. Then the goodly swineherd called to his
fellows, saying:

'Bring the best of the swine, that I may sacrifice it for a
guest of mine from a far land: and we too will have good
cheer therewith, for we have long suffered and toiled by
reason of the white-tusked swine, while others devour the
fruit of our labour without atonement.'

Therewithal he cleft logs with the pitiless axe, and the
others brought in a well-fatted boar of five years old; and
they set him by the hearth nor did the swineherd forget the
deathless gods, for he was of an understanding heart. But
for a beginning of sacrifice he cast bristles from the head
of the white-tusked boar upon the fire, and prayed to all
the gods that wise Odysseus might return to his own house.
Then he stood erect, and smote the boar with a billet of
oak which he had left in the cleaving, and the boar yielded
up his life. Then they cut the throat and singed the
carcass and quickly cut it up, and the swineherd took a
first portion from all the limbs, and laid the raw flesh on
the rich fat. And some pieces he cast into the fire after
sprinkling them with bruised barley-meal, and they cut the
rest up small, and pierced it, and spitted and roasted it
carefully, and drew it all off from the spits, and put the
whole mess together on trenchers. Then the swineherd stood
up to carve, for well he knew what was fair, and he cut up
the whole and divided it into seven portions. One, when he
had prayed, he set aside for the nymphs and for Hermes son
of Maia, and the rest he distributed to each. And he gave
Odysseus the portion of honour, the long back of the
white-tusked boar, and the soul of his lord rejoiced at
this renown, and Odysseus of many counsels hailed him
saying:

'Eumaeus, oh that thou mayest so surely be dear to father
Zeus, as thou art to me, seeing that thou honourest me with
a good portion, such an one as I am!'

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus:

'Eat, luckless stranger, and make merry with such fare as
is here. And one thing the god will give and another
withhold, even as he will, for with him all things are
possible.'

So he spake, and made burnt offering of the hallowed parts
to the everlasting gods, and poured the dark wine for a
drink offering, and set the cup in the hands of Odysseus,
the waster of cities, and sat down by his own mess. And
Mesaulius bare them wheaten bread, a thrall that the
swineherd had gotten all alone, while his lord was away,
without the knowledge of his mistress and the old Laertes:
yea he had bought him of the Taphians with his own
substance. So they stretched forth their hands upon the
good cheer spread before them. Now after they had put from
them the desire of meat and drink, Mesaulius cleared away
the bread, and they, now that they had eaten enough of
bread and flesh, were moved to go to rest.

Now it was so that night came on foul with a blind moon,
and Zeus rained the whole night through, and still the
great West Wind, the rainy wind, was blowing. Then Odysseus
spake among them that he might make trial of the swineherd,
and see whether he would take off his own mantle and give
it to him or bid one of his company strip, since he cared
for him so greatly:

'Listen now, Eumaeus, and all of you his companions, with a
prayer will I utter my word; so bids me witless wine, which
drives even the wisest to sing and to laugh softly, and
rouses him to dance, yea and makes him to speak out a word
which were better unspoken. Howbeit, now that I have broken
into speech, I will not hide aught. Oh that I were young,
and my might were steadfast, as in the day when we arrayed
our ambush and led it beneath Troy town! And Odysseus, and
Menelaus son of Atreus, were leaders and with them I was a
third in command; for so they bade me. Now when we had come
to the city and the steep wall, we lay about the citadel in
the thick brushwood, crouching under our arms among the
reeds and the marsh land, and behold, the night came on
foul, with frost, as the North Wind went down, while the
snow fell from above, and crusted like rime, bitter cold,
and the ice set thick about our shields. Now the others all
had mantles and doublets, and slept in peace with their
shields buckled close about their shoulders; but I as I
went forth had left my mantle behind with my men, in my
folly, thinking that even so I should not be cold: so I
came with only my shield and bright leathern apron. But
when it was now the third watch of the night and the stars
had passed the zenith, in that hour I spake unto Odysseus
who was nigh me, and thrust him with my elbow, and he
listened straightway:

'"Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many
devices, verily I shall cease from among living men, for
this wintry cold is slaying me, seeing that I have no
mantle. Some god beguiled me to wear a doublet only, and
henceforth is no way of escape."

'So I spake, and he apprehended a thought in his heart,
such an one as he was in counsel and in fight. So he
whispered and spake to me, saying:

'"Be silent now, lest some other Achaeans hear thee."
Therewith he raised his head upon his elbow, and spake,
saying: "Listen, friends, a vision from a god came to me in
my sleep. Lo, we have come very far from the ships; I would
there were one to tell it to Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
shepherd of the host, if perchance he may send us hither a
greater company from the ships."

'So spake he, and Thoas, son of Andraemon, rose up quickly
and cast off his purple mantle. And he started to run unto
the ships, but I lay gladly in his garment, and the
golden-throned Dawn showed her light. Oh! that I were young
as then and my might steadfast! Then should some of the
swineherds in the homestead give me a mantle, alike for
love's sake and for pity of a good warrior. But now they
scorn me for that sorry raiment is about my body.'

Then didst thou make answer, O swineherd Eumaeus: 'Old man,
the tale that thou hast told in his praise is very good,
and so far thou hast not misspoken aught, nor uttered a
word unprofitably. Wherefore for this night thou shalt lack
neither raiment nor aught else that is the due of a hapless
suppliant, when he has met them that can befriend him. But
in the morning thou shalt go shuffling in thine own rags,
for there are not many mantles here or changes of doublet;
for each man hath but one coat. But when the dear son of
Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle and
doublet for raiment, and send thee whithersoever thy heart
and spirit bid.'

With that he sprang up and set a bed for Odysseus near the
fire, and thereon he cast skins of sheep and goats. There
Odysseus laid him down and Eumaeus cast a great thick
mantle over him, which he had ever by him for a change of
covering, when any terrible storm should arise.

So there Odysseus slept, and the young men slept beside
him. But the swineherd had no mind to lie there in a bed
away from the boars. So he made him ready to go forth and
Odysseus was glad, because he had a great care for his
master's substance while he was afar. First he cast his
sharp sword about his strong shoulders, then he clad him in
a very thick mantle, to keep the wind away; and he caught
up the fleece of a great and well-fed goat, and seized his
sharp javelin, to defend him against dogs and men. Then he
went to lay him down even where the white-tusked boars were
sleeping, beneath the hollow of the rock, in a place of
shelter from the North Wind.