The Iliads and Odysses of Homer translated out of Greek into English by Tho. Hobbes of Malmsbury ; with a large preface concerning the vertues of an heroick poem, written by the translator.

LIB. XXI.

PEnel••pe the Suiters strength to try Who soon'st could bend her Noble Husbands Bowe, And through the Axes make his Arrow fly, And whom she was to marry, now to know, To a high Chamber up the stairs she went, Wherein Ulysses precious goods did stand. There hu••g upon a Pin the Bowe unbent; The well made Key she carri'd in her hand, This Bowe was given him by Iphitus At Spar••••. But Ulysses with him met First at Messena. For it sell out thus. Ulysses then was the••e about a debt. Messena-men their ships had put ashore At Ithara, and thence had ta'ne a P••ty Of sheep, which was in number fifteen ••core, And with the Shepherds carri••d them away. This was the cause Ulysses thither went. 'Twas a long way, and he scarce past a Boy. But by his Father and the Lords was sent T'ask reparation for this annoy. But Iph••••us twelve Ma••es had lost. Each one A young ••ule had that follow'd her••••o ehind (Which of his death were the occasion) And at M••ssena these he thought to find. Bu•• as he was returning back again, And came unto the house of Hercu••es, That mighty man first did him entertain, And a••ter, k••lling him his Mares did seize. This was the man that to Ulysses gave The Bewe. And from him had a Sword and Spear.

But Hercules had sent him to his Grave, Erc they had tasted one anothers chear. This Bowe he carried not to Ilium, Nor ever had made use of it in fray. But often had it in his hand at home. For only as a Monument it lay. Penelop: now standing at the doo••, Quickly the Bolt strook back with her great Key. The Valves fly open suddenly and roar; As when a great Bull roars, so roared they. Penelope w••nt in, and up she stept Upon a board where on were standing Chests, In which ••mongst odours sweet the clothes were kept, The costly Garments, Robes, and Coats and Vests. Thence to the Bowe she reacht, and from the ••in She took it as it hung the••e in the Case. And fitting down, her lap she laid it in. Aloud she wep••, and tears ran down apace. And when she long enough had weeping been, The Bowe she did unto the Suiters bear, And Quiver with it full of Arrows keen. The Axes by her women carri'd were. Then with her Scarf she shaded both her cheeks, Having a Waiting woman on each hand. Unto her Gallant Suiters thus she speaks: Hear me you lusty Suiters that here stand Using this House not yours, continually To eat and drink in at anothers cost; And for it do pretend no reason why, But as contenders who shall love me most. Lo here; to him I make my self a prize, Who this good Bowe with greatest ease shall bend, And whose aim'd Arrow through these Axes fl••es, With him from this most blessed house I'll wend. This said, Eumaeus th'Axes and the Bowe By her command unto the Suiters be••rs; And as he went, his eyes for grief o'reflow. Nor could Philoetius abstain from tears. For which Antinous gave them th••s reproof: You foolish Clowns, what alls you to shed tears?

Has she not for her Husband grief enough? That you must adde your sorrow unto hers. Sit silently, eat and drink quietly. Or if you needs must weep, go weep without. Leave the Bowe here, the Suiters strength to try, And that it may be carried round about. Not that I think there's any man among Us all can bend it as Ulysses could. (For I remember him though I were young) So said he, though he thought he bend it should, And also shoot through th'Axes every one, Though he were only the first to be shot. For he the other Suiters had set on, And was the first contriver of the Plot. Telamachus then to the Suiters spake, Sure Jove said he, bereav'd me has of sense. My Mother tells me she'll a Husband take, And leaving me depart with him from hence; And I here merry am that should be sad. But be't as 'twill, the Game must now begin, For such a wise as ne're Achaia had, Nor in Mysen' or Argos was e're seen, Nor Pyle, nor Ithaca, nor in Epire. But what need I set forth my Mothers praise? You know't your selves: Therefore I you desire To put off all excuses and delays. And I my self will be the first to try This mighty Bowe, whether I can or no, And through the Axes make the Arrow fly. 'Twill grieve me less to let my Mother go; Since I have strength to bend my Fathers Bowe, VVhy should I doubt of governing his State? And from him presently his Coat did throw And Sword, and then fell to delineate The ground whereon the Axes were to stand. On one long line he set them all upright. The VVoo'rs admir'd the justness of his hand; For why, the like was ne'r done in his sight. Then went he to the Sill to try the Bowe. Thrice he essaid it and was near it still,

And thrice again relenting let it go. Once more had done it. But 'twas not his will. For then his Father checkt him with a wink. Alas, then said Telemachus, must this Be all my strength? Too young I am I think. Come, let one take the Bowe that elder is. This said, the Bowe and Arrow he laid by, And to the Seat went where he sat before. Then said Antinous, The Bowe let's try In order as we sit. Let him therefore Try first, whose Table next the Cupboard is, And so to the right hand up one by one. The other Suiters all approved this. Leiodes was the first; so he begun; His place was low'st. He to the threshold went To try his force. But to his tender hand And feeble arms the Bowe would not relent. Then down he laid it there, and lets it stand; And to the Suiters spake: This Bowe, saies he, I cannot bend, some other tak't in hand. It's like of many Lords the death to be, When by the strongest it comes to be man'd. For better 'tis to die than live and miss The hopes you hither come for ev'ry day. And what is't any of you hope but this, That you Ulysses Consort marry may? But when he shall this Bowe have understood, Let him some other Lady wooe at case Amongst th' Achaeans whom he shall think good, And let Penelope take whom she please. This said, the Bowe and Arrow he set by, And to the Seat went where he sat before, And by Antinous was angerly Assoon as he had spoke, rebuk'd therefore. What say you? That this Bowe the death shall be Of many Lords? Why so? 'Cause you have not The strength to bend it? Others have, you'll see, But you for bending Bowes were not begot. Then to Melantheus he turn'd and said, Let fire be made, and a great Chair set by't,

And let upon it Cushions be laid. And let us have good store of Tallow white T'anoint and warm and supple make the Bowe, And try if we perhaps may bend it then. Fire, Chair and Cushions came, and greace enough, But to no purpose; too weak were the men. Antinous yet and Eurymachus Gave it not over; these two were the best Of all the Suiters that came to the house. No hope at all remained for the rest. Eumaeus and Philaetius then went cut Together; after them Ulysses went, And when they were the Gate and Court without, Himself unto them to discover meant. And fair he spake them: Master of the Kine, And you Eumaeus, Master of the Swine, Shall I keep in, or speak a thought of mine? To speak it out my heart does me encline. What if Ulysses should come suddenly Brought by some God, and stand be ore this rout, On whose side, his or theirs would you then be? What your mind prompts you to speak freely out. Then answer'd him the Master of the Kine, O that the Gods above would have i•• so. You'ld see the vertue of these hands of mine. The Master of the Swine then said so too. When now the hearts of both of them he knew, He spake again and said, 'Tis I am he, That after twenty years return to you; And know you longed have this day to see. Of all my Servants I find only you That wish me here. If therefore it shall please The Gods by me the Suiters to subdue. I'll give you wealth enough to live at ease, And Houses near me, and shall wedded live, And Brothers of Telemachus shall be. And that you may assuredly believe Ulysses speaks it, you a sig e shall see. With that he pull'd hi Rags beside his Thigh, And lets them see the place the Boar had rent.

Then when upon Parnassus Mountain high He with his Unkles Sons a hunting went. And then they fling their arms about Ulysses, And kiss his hand and shoulders, weeping sore; And he again embraced them with kisses, Nor had till Sun-set weeping given o're But that Ulysses hinder'd it. Give o're, said he, Your weeping, lest that some one come out hither, And tell within what here without they see. Go in, but one by one, not all together. First I'll go in, and then come you. Now mark. I'll pray the Suiters I the Bowe may try. If to my motion they refuse to hark, Give it into my hand as you pass by. And you Eumaeus bid the Women shut The House-doors all, nor suffer any one O'th' men without the House his head to put. And though within they hap to hear men grone, That they stir not, but ply their business. The utter-Gate Philoetius lock you fast, That to the House there may be no access. This said, into the Hall again he past, And after him his Servants. Now the Bowe Was in Eurymachus his hand by th'fire. He warm'd and ru••'d, and did what he could do. But for to bend it he was ne're the nigher. At this he vext, and took it heinously, And, O, said he, 'tis not for my own part I troubled am, but for the Company. 'Tis chiefly that, I take so much to heart. Nor is it for a Wife that I complain; For in Achaia Ladies be enough, But that we hope Penelope to gain, Although we cannot bend Ulysses Bowe. Then said Antinous, 'T will not be so. This day unto Apollo sacred is, And not a day for bending of the Bowe, Therefore to lay it by is not amiss. And let the Axes stand still as they do; (For 'tis not like they will be stoln away)

And so go in and offer Wine unto The God. The Bowe may till to morrow stay. And bid Melanthus in the morning bring Goats of the fattest, and whereof the savour May from Apollo of all Archers King, For bending of the Bowe procure us favour. They all agree. Into the house they went. The Officers for hands the water hold; The Waiters fill the Cups, and them present. And when they drunk had each man what he would, Then spake Ulysses to the Suiters thus: Hear me, ye Suiters, what I have to say, Antinous, and you Eurymachus, For to you two 'tis chiefly that I pray. Since you the bending of the Bowe remit To th' Gods to give to whom they please; and they To morrow doubtless will determine it, Let me now of the Bowe make an essay. That I may know whether my strength be spent, And what I could before now cannot do. Whether I still be firm or do relent With hardship, and with want of looking to. These words of his made all the Suiters mad With fear that he indeed would bend the Bowe. Antinous gave him language very bad. Thou wretched Stranger, is it not enough That of our Feast thou hast an equal part, And that of our discourse (and none but thou Stranger and Beggar) made a hearer art? 'Tis wine that makes thee not thy self to know. For wine serves all men so that drink too much. Wine hurt Burytion the Centaur great. His carriage in Perithous house was such Among the Lapithae sitting at meat, That angry with't they were and all arose, And with sharp iron cut off both his ears, And with the same they pared off his nose. A way the cause of his own harm he bears. From that day on, Centaurs and men are foes. Themselves men hurt by wine immoderate.

So if you bend the Bowe, your ears you'll lose. For you'll find here no prating Advocace. But to King Takim forthwith you shall go, And he will of you make a cruel end. Therefore sit still, and let alone the Bowe; Nor with men younger than your self contend. Then said Penelope, I'd have you know, Antinous, that you did very ill To wrong Telemachus his Guest. What though He bend the Bowe, d'ye think I take him will For Husband? I am sure you think not so. Let none of you be sad with fear of that. Then to her said Eurymachus, No, no; That's not the thing that we be troubled at. 'Tis of our Honour that we jealous be. For how will men and women, think you, prate; But that such Suiters wooe Penelope As could not bend Ulysses Bowe, but that A Beggar that past by by chance could bend it? Which unto us will be no little shame. Who (said she) live on others means and spend it, Should not stand much on Honour and on Fame. Besides, this Stranger is well made and tall, And of a great man says he is the Son. Give him the Bowe to try his strength withal. For this I'll promise him, and see it done. If he do bend it, I'll on him bestow Good Cloathing and a handsome Coat and Vest, Shooes to his seet, Dart, Sword with edges two, And send him to such place as he thinks best. Then spake to her Telemachus her Son: Mother, to give the Bowe or to deny't, Is in my pow'r, and hinder me can none In Elis, or Achaia, or here right From giving it unto this Stranger here, If I think fit. But Mother, pray go now Up to your Chamber, and look to your work, And leave to us to dispute of the Bowe. She mused on, and thought his counsel wise; And being in her Chamber sore did wee••p.

For th'absence of her Husband, till he•• eyes By th' Goddess Pallas closed were with sleep. Eumaeus now had brought the Bowe about, And come it was to where Ulysses sar. The Suiters all at once then cried our, Swineherd, Rogue, Lout, what meanest thou by that? If the Gods please to favour our designe, Thou shalt be slain and carried out of sight, And there devoured be by thy own Swine. This put Eumaeus into a great fright Telemachus then roar'd on th'other part, Bear on the Bowe (t'obey all is not best) I'll pelt thee (though that thou my elder art) With stones home to thy Hogsties like a beast. For I the stronger am. O that I were But so much stronger than these Suiters all, I soon of some of them the house should clear. They laught at this, and bated of their gad. Eumaeus then took up the Bowe agen, And gave it to Ulysses in his hand. This done, Euryclea he called then. It is, said he, Telemachus command To lock the doors all; and that if you hear Noise in the house of blows, or groaning men, Let none go forth, but at their work stay there. This said, Euryclea went in agen, And lockt the doors. Philoetius likewi••e Went silently and shut the utter-Ga••e, And with a Ship-rope that lay by, it ties, And coming back sits where before he sate; And lookt upon Ulysses, who to know What work the worms had in his absence made, This way and that way turning was the Bowe. At this the Suiters one t'another said, This Beggar surely has no little skill In Bowes or in Bowe-stealing, or of's own He has one like's, or make one like it will, He doth examine it so up and down. Another said, As he shall bend the Bowe, So let him find, as he is begging, Alms.

So mockt they. When he view'd it had enough, And holden it a while had in his palms, He bent it. As a Fidler does not spend. Very much labour the sheeps gut to strain; So he, Ulysses his strong Bowe to bend Did put himself to very little pain. Then with his lest hand he the string essaid, It sounded like the singing of a Swallow. The Suiters then began to be afraid, And mighty claps of Thunder straightway follow. Jove's Token very welcome was t'Ulysses. Then to the Bowe he set a Shaft, and there Sitting, shot through the Axes, not one misses. The rest of th'Arrows in the Quiver were. Then turning to Telemachus, he said, I have not sham'd you, nor have miss'd one Axe, Nor long a bending of the Bowe I staid. You see then that the Woo'rs me falsly tax. But now 'tis time for After-uppering Fire day be done, and raking such delights, As Cups. Discourse, and pleasant Musique bring; For these of Feasting are the common rites. Then to his Son, with's eye he beckoned. Telemachus that well him understood, With Spear in hand and Helmer on his head, Came unto him, and close by his Chair stood.