Classic Adventure Books - Daily
07 - The Odyssey - Homer
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- Duration:
- 21m
- Broadcast on:
- 08 Aug 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
[MUSIC PLAYING] Welcome to "SoulGood Media," where your journey into a world of endless audio possibilities begins. Imagine a place where you can discover thousands of captivating audio books, immerse yourself in tranquil sounds for sleep and meditation, and explore timeless stories and lectures that expand your mind and enrich your soul. At SogadMedia.com, we believe in the power of stories to transform lives. Whether you're a lifelong learner, a parent seeking bedtime stories for your children, or someone looking to unwind after a long day, we have something just for you. We invite you to try all good media free for one month. Explore our extensive collection and find the perfect audio content that resonates with you. Join our community of passionate listeners and unlock a world of knowledge, relaxation, and inspiration. Visit soulgoodmedia.com today and start your free trial. That's s-o-l-g-o-d-m-e-d-i-a.com. [MUSIC PLAYING] Hey there, listeners. Are you ready to unlock a world of captivating stories, soothing sounds, and enlightening lectures? At SogadMedia, we believe in the power of audio to enrich your life. And now we're offering you a chance to experience it all for free. For a limited time, you can get a one month free trial to our premium, ad-free service. Imagine having unlimited access to over 500 audiobooks, meditative sounds, and exclusive shows all at your fingertips. Just head over to SogadMedia.com and sign up to start your free trial today. No ads, no interruptions, just pure, immersive audio content. Don't miss out. Transform your listening experience with SogadMedia. Visit SogadMedia.com and start your free trial now. We can't wait for you to join our audio community. Happy listening. Book 7, reception of Ulysses at the Palace of King Alsomis. Thus then did Ulysses wait and pray, but the girl drove on to the town. When she reached her father's house, she drew up at the gateway. And her brothers, calmly as the gods, gathered round her, took the mules out of the wagon, and carried the clothes into the house while she went to her own room, where an old servant, Yuri Medusa of Aperia, lit the fire for her. This old woman had been brought by sea from Aperia and had been chosen as a prize for Alsomis because he was king over the Phaetians, and the people obeyed him as though he were a god. She had been nursed to Nausica and had now lit the fire for her and brought her supper for her in her own room. Presently, Ulysses got up to go towards town, and Minerva shed a thick mist all round him to hide him in case of the proud Phaetians, who met him should be rude to him or ask him who he was. Then, as he was just entering the town, she came towards him in the likeness of a little girl carrying a picture. She stood right in front of him, and Ulysses said, "My dear, will you be so kind as to show me the house of King Alsomis?" "I am an unfortunate foreigner in distress and do not know one in your town and country." Then Minerva said, "Yes, Father Stranger, I will show you the house you want for Alsomis lives quite close to my own father. I will go before you and show you the way, but say not a word as you go and do not look at any man, nor ask him questions, for the people here cannot abide strangers and do not like men who come from some other place. They are a seafaring folk and sail the seas by the grace of Neptune in ships that glide along, like thought, or as a bird in the air." On this, she led the way, and Ulysses followed in her steps, but not one of the Phaetians could see him as he passed through the city in the midst of them, for the great goddess Minerva, in her good will towards him, had hidden him in a thick cloud of darkness. He admired their harbors, ships, places of assembly, and lofty walls of the city which, with the palisade on top of them, were very striking, and when they reached the king's house, Minerva said, "This is the house, Father Stranger, which you would have me show you. You will find a number of great people sitting at table, but do not be afraid, go straight in. For the bolder a man is the more likely he is to carry his point, even though he is a stranger. First, find the queen, her name is Arete. And she comes of the same family as her husband, Alsinus. They both descend originally from Neptune, who was father, to Nausitus, by Periboeia, a woman of great beauty. Periboeia was the youngest daughter of Eurimadon, who, at one time, reigned over all the giants, but he ruined his ill-fated people and lost his own life to boot. Neptune, however, lay with his daughter, and she had a son by him, the great Nausitus, who reigned over the fascians. Nausitus had two sons, Rechsenor and Alsinus. Apollo killed the first of them while he was still a bridegroom and without male issue, but he left a daughter Arete, whom Alsinus married, and honors as no other woman is honored of all those that keep house along with their husbands. Thus she both was, and Stilea is respected beyond measure, by her children, by Alsinus himself, and by the whole people who look upon her as a goddess, and greet her wherever she goes about the city for she is a thoroughly good woman, both in head and heart. And when any woman or friends of hers, she will help their husbands so to settle their disputes. If you can gain her goodwill, you may have every hope of seeing your friends again and getting safely back to your home and country. Then Minerva left Cheria and went away over the sea. She went to Marathon and to the spacious streets of Athens, where she entered the abode of Erechthius. But Ulysses went on to the house of Alsinus, and he pondered much as he paused awhile before reaching the threshold of bronze, for the splendor of the palace was like that of the sun or moon. The walls on either side were of bronze from end to end, and the cornice was a blue enamel. The doors were gold and hung on pillars of silver that rose from the floor of bronze, while the lintel was silver and the hook of the door was gold. On either side, there stood gold and silver mastiffs which Vulcan, with his consummate skill, had fashioned expressly to keep watch over the palace of King Alsinus. So they were immortal and could never grow old. Seats were ranged all along the wall, here and there from one end to the other, with coverings of fine woven work, which the woman of the house had made. Here the chief persons of the Phaetians used to sit and eat and drink, for there was abundance at all seasons, and there were golden figures of young men with lighted torches in their hands, raised on pedestals to give light by night to those who were at table. There are 50 maid servants in the house, some of whom are always grinding rich yellow grain at the mill, while others work at the loom or sit and spin, and their shuttles go backwards and forwards like the fluttering of Aspen leaves, while the linen is so closely woven that it will turn oil. As the Phaetians are the best sailors in the world, so their women excel, all others in weaving, from Minerva has taught them all manner of useful arts, and they are very intelligent. Outside the gate of the outer court, there is a large garden of about four acres with a wall all round it. It is full of beautiful trees, pears, pomegranates, and the most delicious apples. There are luscious figs also, and olives in full growth. The fruits never rot nor fail all year round, neither winter nor summer, for the air is so soft that a new crop ripens before the old has dropped. Pear grows on pear, apple on apple, and fig on fig, and so also with the grapes for there is an excellent vineyard. On the level ground of a part of this, the grapes are being made into raisins, in another part they are being gathered. Some are being trodden in the wine tubs, others further on have shed their blossom and are beginning to show fruit. Others again are just changing color. In the furthest part of the ground, there are beautifully arranged beds of flowers that are in bloom all year round. Two streams go through it, the one turned and ducked throughout the whole garden, while the other is carried under a ground of the outer court of the house itself, and the town's people draw water from it. Such then were the splendors with which the gods had endowed the house of King Elsonus. So here Ulysses stood for a while and looked about him, but when he looked long enough, he crossed the threshold and went within the precincts of the house. There he found all the chief people among the fasions making their drink offerings to Mercury, which they always did last thing before going away for the night. He went straight through the court, still hidden by the cloak of darkness in which Minerva had enveloped him, till he reached Arete and King Elsonus. Then he laid his hands upon the knees of the queen, and at the moment the miraculous darkness fell away from him, and he became visible. Everyone was speechless with surprise at seeing a man there, but Ulysses began at once with his petition. Queen Arete, he exclaimed, daughter of great rexenor, in my distress I humbly pray you, as also your husband and these your guests, whom may heaven prosper with long life and happiness, and may they leave their possessions to their children, and all the honors conferred upon them by the state. To help me home to my own country as soon as possible, for I have been long in trouble and away from my friends. Then he sat down on the hearth among the ashes, and they all held their peace till presently the old hero, Echinus, who was an excellent speaker and an elder among the facians plainly, and in all honesty addressed them thus. Elsonus, he said, "It is not creditable to you "that a stranger should be seen "sitting among the ashes of your hearth. "Everyone is waiting to hear what you are about to say. "Tell him then to rise and take a seat on a stool "inlaid with silver, and bid your servants "mix some wine and water that we may drink "and offering to jove the Lord of thunder, "who takes all well disposed suppleants under his protection, "and let the housekeeper give him some supper "of whatever there may be in the house. "When Elsonus heard this he took Ulysses by the hand, "raised him from the hearth, "and bade him take the seat of Laodomus, "who had been sitting beside him and was his favorite son. "A maid-servant then brought him water "in a beautiful golden yore, "and poured it in a silver basin for him to wash his hands, "and she drew a clean table beside him. "An upper servant brought him bread "and offered him many good things of what there was in the house "and Ulysses ate and drank. "Then Elsonus said to one of the servants, "Pontinus mix a cup of wine and hand it round "that we may drink offerings to jove the Lord of thunder, "who is the protector of all well-disposed suppleants. "Pontinus then mixed wine and water "and handed it round after giving every man "his drinking offering. "Then they made their offerings and drunk each as much "as he was minded." Elsonus said, "Aldermen and town councilors "of the fations hear my words. "You have had your supper, so now go home to bed. "Tomorrow morning I shall invite a still larger number "of alderman, and will give a sacrificial banquet "in honor of our guest. "We can then discuss the question of his escort "and consider how we may at once sent him back "rejoicing to his own country without trouble "or inconvenience to himself. "No matter how distant it may be, "we must see that he comes to no harm "while on his homework journey. "But when he is once at home, "he will have to take the luck he was born with "for better or for worse, like other people. "It is possible, however, "that the stranger is one of the immortals "who has come down from heaven to visit us. "But in this case, the gods are departing "from their usual practice for hitherto "they have made themselves perfectly clear to us "when we have been offering them hecatomes. "They common sit at our feast just like one of ourselves, "and if any solitary wafer happens to stumble upon "some or other of them, they affect no concealment "for we are as near of kin to the gods "as the cyclopses and the savage giants are." Then you lissey said, "Pray alsonus, "do not take any such notion into your head. "I have nothing of the immortal about me "neither in my body nor mind, "and most resemble those among you "who are the most afflicted. "Indeed, were I to tell you all that heaven "has seen fit to lay upon me, "you would say that I was still worse off than they are. "Nevertheless, let me sup in spite of sorrow, "for an empty stomach is very inopportune thing, "and thrust itself on a man's notice "no matter how dire is his distress. "I am in great trouble, "yet it insists that I shall eat and drink, "bids me lay aside all memory of my sorrows "and dwell only on the dew replenishing of itself. "As for yourselves, do as you propose, "and at break of day set about helping me to get home. "I shall be content to die if I may first once more "behold my property, my bondsman, "and all the greatness of my house. "Thus did he speak. "Everyone approved his saying "and agreed that he should have his escort "in as much as he had spoken reasonably. "Then when they made their drink offerings "and had drunk each as much as he was minded, "they went home to bed every man in his own abode, "leaving you lissies in the cloister "with Arete and Alsinus, "while the servants were taking the things away after supper. "Arete was the first to speak, "for she recognized the shirt, cloak, "and good clothes that Ulysses was wearing "as the work of herself and of her maids. "So she said, 'Stranger, before we go any further, "'there is a question I should like to ask you. "'Who and whence are you, and who gave you those clothes? "'Did you not say you had come from beyond the sea?' "And Ulysses answered, "'It would be a long story, Madam, were I to relate "'and full the tale of my misfortunes, "'for the hand of heaven has been laid heavy upon me. "'But as regards your question, "'there is an island far away in the sea, "'which is called the Augigian. "'Here dwells the cunning and powerful goddess, "'colypso, daughter of Atlas. "'She lives by herself, far from all neighbors, "'human or divine. "'Fortun, however, brought me to her hearth, "'all desolate and alone, for Joe struck my ship "'with his thunderbolts and broke it up in mid-ocean. "'My brave comrades were drowned, every man of them, "'but I stuck to the keel and was carried hither "'and thither for the space of nine days, "'till it last during the darkness of the tenth night "'the gods brought me to the Augigian island "'where the great goddess, Calypso, lives. "'She took me in and treated me with the utmost kindness. "Indeed, she wanted to make me immortal "that I might never grow old, "but she could not persuade me to let her do so. "I stayed with Calypso seven years straight on end "and watered the good clothes she gave me "with my tears during the whole time, "but at last when the eighth year came round, "she bade me to part of her own free will, "either because Joe had told her she must "or because she had changed her mind. "She sent me from her island on a raft, "which she provisioned with abundance of bread and wine. "Moreover, she gave me good stout clothing "and sent me a wind that blew warm and fair. "Days seven and ten did I sail over the sea, "and on the eighteenth I caught sight "of the first outlines of the mountains upon your coast, "and glad indeed was I to set eyes upon them. "Nevertheless, there was still much trouble in store for me, "for at this point Neptune would let me go no further "and raised a great storm against me. "The sea was so terribly high "that I could no longer keep my raft, "which went to pieces under the fury of the gale, "and I had to swim for it till wind and current "brought me to your shores. "There I tried to land, but could not, "for it was a bad place and the waves dashed me "against the rocks. "So I again took to the sea and swam on "til I came to a river that seemed the most likely "landing place, for there were no rocks "and it was sheltered from the wind. "Here then I got out of the water "and gathered my senses together again. "Night was coming on, so I left the river "and went into a thicket where I covered myself "all over with leaves, and presently heaven sent me off "into a very deep sleep. "Sick and sorry I was, I slept among the leaves all night, "and through the next day till afternoon, "when I woke as the sun was westering. "And saw your daughters maids, servants playing upon the beach, "and your daughter among them looking like a goddess. "I besought her aid, and she proved to be "of excellent disposition, much more so than could be expected "from so young a person, for young people are apt "to be thoughtless. "She gave me plenty of bread and wine, "and when she had me washed in the river, "she also gave me the clothes in which you see me. "Now therefore, though it has pain me to do so, "I have told you the whole truth." Then Alsonus said, "Stranger, it was very wrong "of my daughter, not to bring you on at once "to my house along with the maids, "seeing that she was the first person who's aid you as. "Pray do not scold her," replied Ulysses. "She's not to blame. "She did tell me to follow along with the maids, "but I was ashamed and afraid, "for I thought you might perhaps be displeased if you saw me. "Every human being is sometimes a little suspicious and irritable. "Stranger," replied Alsonus, "I am not the kind of man to get angry about nothing. "It is always better to be reasonable, "but by Father Joe, Minerva, and Apollo, "now that I see what kind of person you are "and how much you think as I do, "I wish you would stay here, marry my daughter, "and become my son-in-law. "If you will stay, I will give you a house and an estate, "but no one, heaven forbid, shall keep you here "against your own wish. "And that you may be sure of this, "I will attend tomorrow to the matter of your escort. "You can sleep during the whole voyage, if you like, "and the men shall sail you over smooth waters, "either to your own home or wherever you please, "even though it may be a long way further off than you boya, "which those of my people who saw it, "when they took yellow-haired Redomantis "to see Taitius, the son of Gaia, "tell me is the furthest of any place. "And yet they did the whole voyage in a single day "without distressing themselves "and came back again afterwards. "You will thus see how much my ships excel, "all others, and what magnificent orsmen my sailors are. "Then Ulysses was glad and prayed aloud, "saying Father, Jove, Grant, "that Alsinus may do all that he has said, "for he so will win an imperishable name among mankind, "and at the same time I shall return to my country. "Thus did they converse. "Then Arete told her maids to set a bed in the room "that was in the gatehouse and make it with good red rugs "and to spread coverlets on the top of them "with woolen cloaks for Ulysses to wear. "The maids thereon went out with torches in their hands, "and when they had made their bed, "they came up to Ulysses and said, "Rise, sir stranger, and come with us, "for your bed is ready. "And glad indeed was he to go to his rest. "So Ulysses slept in a bed, "placed in a room over the echoing gateway, "but Alsinus lay in the inner part of the house "with the queen, his wife by his side. "And of Ulysses' book, Seven." - Hey there, it's Solomon from Solgood Media. A lot of our listeners have asked how to get ad-free access to our podcasts. You asked and we answered, we're offering an exclusive one month free trial to our ad-free streaming platform, packed with over 500 audio books, meditation sounds, and engaging podcasts. No strings attached, just pure listening pleasure. 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