The Adventures of Odysseus and The Tales of Troy | Page 7

are many, and if he should strive with those who outnumber him, why
then, let his doom be on his own head. And now, men of the council, scatter yourselves
and go each to his own home, and let Mentor and Halitherses help Telemachus to get a
ship and a crew.'
Leocritus said that knowing that Mentor and Halitherses were old and had few friends,
and that they could do nothing to help Telemachus to get a ship. The council broke up
and those who were in it scattered. But the wooers went together back to the house of
Odysseus.

V
Telemachus went apart, and, going by himself, came to the shore of the sea. He dipped
his hands into the sea-water and prayed, saying, 'O Goddess Athene, you who did come
to my father's hall yesterday, I have tried to do as you bade me. But still the wooers of my
mother hinder me from taking ship to seek tidings of my father.'
He spoke in prayer and then he saw one who had the likeness of the old man Mentor

coming towards him. But by the grey, clear, wonderfully-shining eyes he knew that the
figure was none other than the goddess Athene.
[Illustration]
'Telemachus,' said she, 'if you have indeed one drop of your father's blood in you or one
portion of his spirit, if you are as he was--one ready to fulfil both word and work, your
voyage shall not be in vain. If you are different from what he was, I have no hope that
you will accomplish your desire. But I have seen in you something of the wisdom and the
courage of Odysseus. Hear my counsel then, and do as I direct you. Go back to your
father's house and be with the wooers for a time. And get together corn and barley-flour
and wine in jars. And while you are doing all this I will gather together a crew for your
ship. There are many ships in sea-girt Ithaka and I shall choose the best for you and we
will rig her quickly and launch her on the wide deep.'
When Telemachus heard her counsel he tarried no more but went back to the house and
stood amongst the wooers, and when he had spoken with them he went down into the
treasure-vault. It was a spacious room filled with gold and bronze and chests of raiment
and casks of wine. The doors of that vault were closed night and day and Eurycleia, the
dame who had been the nurse of Telemachus when he was little, guarded the place. She
came to him, and he spoke to her:
'My nurse,' said he, 'none but yourself must know what I would do now, and you must
swear not to speak of it to my lady-mother until twelve days from this. Fill twelve jars
with wine for me now, and pour twelve measures of barley-meal into well-sewn skins.
Leave them all together for me, and when my mother goes into the upper chamber, I shall
have them carried away. Lo, nurse, I go to Pylos and to Sparta to seek tidings from
Nestor and Menelaus of Odysseus, my father.'
When she heard him say this, the nurse Eurycleia lamented. 'Ah, wherefore, dear child,'
she cried, 'has such a thought risen in your mind? How could you fare over wide seas and
through strange lands, you who were never from your home? Stay here where you are
well beloved. As for your father, he has long since perished amongst strangers why
should you put yourself in danger to find out that he is no more? Nay, do not go,
Telemachus, my fosterling, but stay in your own house and in your own well-beloved
country.'
Telemachus said: 'Dear nurse, it has been shown to me that I should go by a goddess. Is
not that enough for you and for me? Now make all ready for me as I have asked you, and
swear to me that you will say nothing of it to my mother until twelve days from this, or
until she shall miss me herself.'
Having sworn as he asked her, the nurse Eurycleia drew the wine into jars and put the
barley-meal into the well-sewn skins. Telemachus left the vault and went back again into
the hall. He sat with the wooers and listened to the minstrel Phemius sing about the going
forth of Odysseus to the wars of Troy.
And while these things were happening the goddess Athene went through the town in the

likeness of Telemachus. She went to this youth and that youth and told them of the
voyage and asked them to make ready and go down to the beach where the boat would be.
And then she went to