thing about which he told her； for here a deep sleep took hold upon
him and eased the burden of his sorrows。
Then Minerva bethought her of another matter。 When she deemed that
Ulysses had had both of his wife and of repose； she bade
gold…enthroned Dawn rise out of Oceanus that she might shed light upon
mankind。 On this； Ulysses rose from his comfortable bed and said to
Penelope； 〃Wife； we have both of us had our full share of troubles；
you； here； in lamenting my absence； and I in being prevented from
getting home though I was longing all the time to do so。 Now； however；
that we have at last come together； take care of the property that
is in the house。 As for the sheep and goats which the wicked suitors
have eaten； I will take many myself by force from other people； and
will compel the Achaeans to make good the rest till they shall have
filled all my yards。 I am now going to the wooded lands out in the
country to see my father who has so long been grieved on my account；
and to yourself I will give these instructions； though you have little
need of them。 At sunrise it will at once get abroad that I have been
killing the suitors； go upstairs； therefore； and stay there with
your women。 See nobody and ask no questions。〃
As he spoke he girded on his armour。 Then he roused Telemachus；
Philoetius； and Eumaeus； and told them all to put on their armour
also。 This they did； and armed themselves。 When they had done so； they
opened the gates and sallied forth； Ulysses leading the way。 It was
now daylight； but Minerva nevertheless concealed them in darkness
and led them quickly out of the town。
BOOK XXIV。
THEN Mercury of Cyllene summoned the ghosts of the suitors； and in
his hand he held the fair golden wand with which he seals men's eyes
in sleep or wakes them just as he pleases； with this he roused the
ghosts and led them； while they followed whining and gibbering
behind him。 As bats fly squealing in the hollow of some great cave；
when one of them has fallen out of the cluster in which they hang；
even so did the ghosts whine and squeal as Mercury the healer of
sorrow led them down into the dark abode of death。 When they had
passed the waters of Oceanus and the rock Leucas； they came to the
gates of the sun and the land of dreams； whereon they reached the
meadow of asphodel where dwell the souls and shadows of them that
can labour no more。
Here they found the ghost of Achilles son of Peleus； with those of
Patroclus； Antilochus； and Ajax； who was the finest and handsomest man
of all the Danaans after the son of Peleus himself。
They gathered round the ghost of the son of Peleus； and the ghost of
Agamemnon joined them； sorrowing bitterly。 Round him were gathered
also the ghosts of those who had perished with him in the house of
Aeisthus； and the ghost of Achilles spoke first。
〃Son of Atreus；〃 it said； 〃we used to say that Jove had loved you
better from first to last than any other hero； for you were captain
over many and brave men； when we were all fighting together before
Troy； yet the hand of death； which no mortal can escape； was laid upon
you all too early。 Better for you had you fallen at Troy in the
hey…day of your renown； for the Achaeans would have built a mound over
your ashes； and your son would have been heir to your good name；
whereas it has now been your lot to come to a most miserable end。〃
〃Happy son of Peleus；〃 answered the ghost of Agamemnon； 〃for
having died at Troy far from Argos； while the bravest of the Trojans
and the Achaeans fell round you fighting for your body。 There you
lay in the whirling clouds of dust； all huge and hugely； heedless
now of your chivalry。 We fought the whole of the livelong day； nor
should we ever have left off if Jove had not sent a hurricane to
stay us。 Then； when we had borne you to the ships out of the fray；
we laid you on your bed and cleansed your fair skin with warm water
and with ointments。 The Danaans tore their hair and wept bitterly
round about you。 Your mother； when she heard； came with her immortal
nymphs from out of the sea； and the sound of a great wailing went
forth over the waters so that the Achaeans quaked for fear。 They would
have fled panic…stricken to their ships had not wise old Nestor
whose counsel was ever truest checked them saying； 'Hold； Argives； fly
not sons of the Achaeans； this is his mother coming from the sea
with her immortal nymphs to view the body of her son。'
〃Thus he spoke； and the Achaeans feared no more。 The daughters of
the old man of the sea stood round you weeping bitterly； and clothed
you in immortal raiment。 The nine muses also came and lifted up
their sweet voices in lament… calling and answering one another； there
was not an Argive but wept for pity of the dirge they chaunted。 Days
and nights seven and ten we mourned you； mortals and immortals； but on
the eighteenth day we gave you to the flames； and many a fat sheep
with many an ox did we slay in sacrifice around you。 You were burnt in
raiment of the gods； with rich resins and with honey； while heroes；
horse and foot； clashed their armour round the pile as you were
burning； with the tramp as of a great multitude。 But when the flames
of heaven had done their work； we gathered your white bones at
daybreak and laid them in ointments and in pure wine。 Your mother
brought us a golden vase to hold them… gift of Bacchus； and work of
Vulcan himself； in this we mingled your bleached bones with those of
Patroclus who had gone before you； and separate we enclosed also those
of Antilochus； who had been closer to you than any other of your
comrades now that Patroclus was no more。
〃Over these the host of the Argives built a noble tomb； on a point
jutting out over the open Hellespont； that it might be seen from far
out upon the sea by those now living and by them that shall be born
hereafter。 Your mother begged prizes from the gods； and offered them
to be contended for by the noblest of the Achaeans。 You must have been
present at the funeral of many a hero； when the young men gird
themselves and make ready to contend for prizes on the death of some
great chieftain； but you never saw such prizes as silver…footed Thetis
offered in your honour； for the gods loved you well。 Thus even in
death your fame； Achilles； has not been lost； and your name lives
evermore among all mankind。 But as for me； what solace had I when
the days of my fighting were done？ For Jove willed my destruction on
my return； by the hands of Aegisthus and those of my wicked wife。〃
Thus did they converse； and presently Mercury came up to them with
the ghosts of the suitors who had been killed by Ulysses。 The ghosts
of Agamemnon and Achilles were astonished at seeing them； and went
up to them at once。 The ghost of Agamemnon recognized Amphimedon son
of Melaneus； who lived in Ithaca and had been his host； so it began to
talk to him。
〃Amphimedon；〃 it said； 〃what has happened to all you fine young men…
all of an age too… that you are come down here under the ground？ One
could pick no finer body of men from any city。 Did Neptune raise his
winds and waves against you when you were at sea； or did your
enemies make an end of you on the mainland when you were
cattle…lifting or sheep…stealing； or while fighting in defence of
their wives and city？ Answer my question； for I have been your
guest。 Do you not remember how I came to your house with Menelaus；
to persuade Ulysses to join us with his ships against Troy？ It was a
whole month ere we could resume our voyage； for we had hard work to
persuade Ulysses to come with us。〃
And the ghost of Amphimedon answered； 〃Agamemnon； son of Atreus；
king of men； I remember everything that you have said； and will tell
you fully and accurately about the way in which our end was brought
about。 Ulysses had been long gone； and we were courting his wife；
who did not say point blank that she would not marry； nor yet bring
matters to an end； for she meant to compass our destruction： this；
then； was the trick she played us。 She set up a great tambour frame in
her room and began to work on an enormous piece of fine needlework。
'Sweethearts；' said she； 'Ulysses is indeed dead； still； do not
press me to marry again immediately； wait… for I would not have my
skill in needlework perish unrecorded… till I have completed a pall
for the hero Laertes； against the time when death shall take him。 He
is very rich； and the women of the place will talk if he is laid out
without a pall。' This is what she said； and we assented； whereupon
we could see her working upon her great web all day long； but at night
she would unpick the stitches again by torchlight。 She fooled us in
this way for three years without our finding it out； but as time
wore on and she was now in her fourth year； in the waning of moons and
many days had been accomplished； one of her maids who knew what she
was doing told us； and we caught her in the act of undoing her work；
so she had to finish it whether she would or no； and when she showed
us the robe she had made； after she had had it washed； its splendour
was as that of the sun or moon。
〃Then some malicious god conveyed Ulysses to the upland farm where