"And I said, ‘In truth Zeus
has hated the house of Atreus from first to last in the matter of
their women's counsels. See how many of us fell for Helen's
sake, and now it seems that Clytemnestra hatched mischief against you
too during your absence.’
"‘Be sure, therefore,’
continued Agamemnon, ‘and not be too friendly even with your own
wife. Do not tell her all that you know perfectly well yourself. Tell
her a part only, and keep your own counsel about the rest. Not that
your wife, Odysseus, is likely to murder you, for Penelope is a very
admirable woman, and has an excellent nature. We left her a young
bride with an infant at her breast when we set out for Troy. This
child no doubt is now grown up happily [olbios] to
man's estate, and he and his father will have a joyful meeting
and embrace one another as it is right they should do, whereas my
wicked wife did not even allow me the happiness of looking upon my
son, but killed me ere I could do so. Furthermore I say - and lay my
saying to your heart - do not tell people when you are bringing your
ship to Ithaca, but steal a march upon them, for after all this there
is no trusting women. But now tell me, and tell me true, can you give
me any news of my son Orestes? Is he in Orkhomenos, or at Pylos, or
is he at Sparta with Menelaos - for I presume that he is still
living.’
"And I said, ‘Agamemnon, why
do you ask me? I do not know whether your son is alive or dead, and
it is not right to talk when one does not know.’
"As we two sat weeping and
talking thus sadly with one another the ghost
[psukhê] of Achilles came up to us with
Patroklos, Antilokhos, and Ajax who was the finest and goodliest man
of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus. The psukhê
of the fleet descendant of Aiakos knew me and spoke piteously,
saying, ‘Odysseus, noble son of Laertes, what deed of daring
will you undertake next, that you venture down to the house of Hades
among us silly dead, who are but the ghosts of them that can labor no
more?’
Homer. The Odyssey. Rendered into English prose for the use of those who cannot read the original. Samuel Butler. Based on public domain edition, revised by Timothy Power and Gregory Nagy. A. C. Fifield, London. 1900 (?).
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