💡 This is a chapter from The Wanderings of Odysseus, by C. Witt & F. Younghusband ← Go there to read the full book free online; it is also available in paperback and Kindle editions.
The next morning, Telemachus sent heralds through the streets to summon the people to assemble in the marketplace. The citizens were astonished, for it was long since there had been any such summons, and they came in great numbers to the place of meeting. Telemachus, with a spear in his hand and accompanied by two favorite dogs, appeared among the rest and seated himself on a great stone bench in the form of a semicircle, which was reserved for the most distinguished persons. Here his father had in old times been accustomed to sit, and the other men willingly made room for him.
The first to rise was an old man whose son had gone with Odysseus to the war, and who was still waiting and watching for the return of this much-loved son, not knowing that he had been devoured by the cyclops Polyphemus. He said to the citizens, “By whom, I would ask, has this assembly been summoned? It is now many years since we have thus met together. Is it perchance that some news has been received of our friends who sailed away with Odysseus? Or is there one of the citizens who desires to confer about some matter that concerns us all? I praise him for calling this assembly, and may Zeus prosper him in his purpose!”
Telemachus rejoiced at hearing this good wish and said, “It is I who have called the citizens together. Of our friends, alas!, I have heard nothing, but I wish to speak of our own affairs. Citizens, ye know, all of you, what a heavy grief to me is the loss of my noble father — and besides this, another trouble weighs upon me, of which also ye are not ignorant. Ye know how many suitors there are who importune my mother; instead of going to her father to sue for her, they come to our house. Every day they come and they kill cattle, sheep, and swine for their feasts, and drink their fill of wine — thus consuming our goods. Now I entreat you, take this matter into your hands and free me from these suitors, lest haply the gods should punish their evil deeds by bringing some calamity upon the city.” As he spoke, the tears burst from his eyes, and he dashed his spear to the ground with violence.
The citizens felt that Telemachus was right, and that it was their duty to put an end to the scandal, but nevertheless they remained silent, for they were afraid of the suitors and their noble relatives, and left it to Antinoiis, one of the most forward of the suitors, to reply.
“It is not we who are in fault,” he said insolently, “but thy mother. For four years she has kept us waiting and will not choose one of us for her husband. This advice only we give thee — to send thy mother away out of thy house. So long as she is there, will we come every day and feast at thy expense.”
“How shall I, against her will, send away my mother,” answered Telemachus, “who has taken care of me all through my childhood? The gods would punish me, and my name would become a byword. If then, instead of going from one house to another among yourselves to hold your feasts, ye persist in coming every day unasked to consume my goods, continue to do so. But I call upon Zeus to punish you, and I pray that in the house where ye now riot, ye may soon meet with your destruction.”
He had hardly spoken when two eagles were seen flying towards the spot from the neighboring mountains. At first, they flew peacefully side by side, but, when they were just above the assembly, they suddenly became savage and attacked one another violently, pecking and tearing with bills and claws; then they disappeared and flew away from the city towards the right. In those days, the flight and actions of birds were carefully observed, as it was believed that by this means the will of the gods could be discovered; and on this occasion, everyone in the assembly was struck with awe and watched the birds with rapt attention, thinking that their quarrel must have some special signification.
The silence was broken by the aged Halitherses, who said, “What we have just seen is a token sent by the gods. Listen to me, ye citizens, and above all, ye suitors, for a great calamity is hanging over your heads. Odysseus will not much longer remain away from his home; already perchance he is near and planning revenge upon the suitors. For this reason, it is not well that ye others should look on quietly while the suitors outrage the house of Odysseus; for you also evil days may be at hand. Long ago, when Odysseus went to the war, I foretold that in the twentieth year he would return, after many sufferings and having lost all his companions, alone, and unknown to all. This is now the twentieth year, and these things will shortly come to pass.”
The suitors were unwilling to believe this prophecy, and Eurymachus spoke roughly to the aged seer. “If thou must prophesy,” he cried, “do it at home, amongst thy children, to whom thy foolish words can do no harm. It is not every bird that flies across the heaven which brings a message from the gods. Odysseus has perished long ago, and I would thou hadst shared his fate, then wouldst thou not have been here to stir up Telemachus against us, in the hope of getting a present from him. But I tell thee that, if thou shouldst do this a second time, it will be the worse for thee, and not light will be the consequences. We fear no man, and we are resolved to consume the goods of Telemachus until his mother shall choose a husband from among us.”
There was also in the assembly a man greatly esteemed by the citizens, Mentor by name; he was an old friend of Odysseus, and to him Odysseus at his departure had confided the care of his property. Mentor would not allow himself to be intimidated by the threats of the suitors from reproaching the citizens for their apathy. “In future,” he said, “no king will be kind and friendly towards his people, but harsh and severe; for which of you gives any sign of remembering the fatherly rule of Odysseus? With the suitors I do not find fault, for, if they plunder the house of Odysseus, at least they do so at the risk of their lives. But you I blame, in that ye remain quiet while these things take place, for ye are the many, and the few ye could easily control if ye would.”
At this, a third suitor stepped forward, who said, “What folly is this that thou speakest? Knowest thou not that, when it is a question of eating and drinking, one man can defend himself against many? Even if Odysseus were to return and attempt to drive the suitors from his house, he would certainly perish in the struggle.”
By this time it was evident to Telemachus that no assistance was to be looked for from the people, and he therefore requested that they would give him a ship and twenty rowers to enable him to go to Sparta and Pylos to seek for tidings of Odysseus. This plan did not by any means commend itself to the suitors, for they were afraid that he might obtain reinforcements from these powerful friends of his father, or at all events be encouraged to make some further attempt to get rid of them. They did not, however, wish to oppose him openly in the matter, so they cut short the discussion by saying in a scornful tone that Halitherses and Mentor could surely provide him with a ship, and proceeded to break up the assembly, the people being afraid to offer any resistance to their wishes.