The Odyssey: Book 16 Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCADEAFBFDGHFDFIJKJ LBFMNODFPQRSTJQUVEQW PXDJGYZBBJDJJJDJBA2A 2JBB2SIQQFSFBBVVJC2J JITJD2QQJDJB2B2D2B2B BBBE2JF2JB2IQQJTJDJD TDJFG2H2TSTDBI2BQJDT F2BSZDNJBSJQDQJJJJJQ J2BIK2JJL2B2JJM2D2QN JQJJN2JJDJB2O2JJQJBB P2BDMJBJQJDJBJJJJQ2R 2IJJS2DJJZB2JIJG2DJJ JJJJT2DU2V2JDDJW2DJN 2JD2DB2BIDV2JJB2QBV2 JNJJBBJBQJIJBJQDDIJB BX2QMJN2DDDJJJBJQB2J N2DJB2JJB2JU2DJJJDJD Y2JDJJBQ2B2JJQJJNDDD JDDJJDBFJJBDD2U2Z2JF JJD2DUJT2K2JQJB2B2DD NJJBA3JDQH2DV2B3DXJD BJV2JDSDJJO2

Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd had lit a fire in the hut and	A
were were getting breakfast ready at daybreak for they had sent the	B
men out with the pigs When Telemachus came up the dogs did not bark	C
but fawned upon him so Ulysses hearing the sound of feet and	A
noticing that the dogs did not bark said to Eumaeus	D
Eumaeus I hear footsteps I suppose one of your men or some one of	E
your acquaintance is coming here for the dogs are fawning urn him and	A
not barking	F
The words were hardly out of his mouth before his son stood at the	B
door Eumaeus sprang to his feet and the bowls in which he was mixing	F
wine fell from his hands as he made towards his master He kissed his	D
head and both his beautiful eyes and wept for joy A father could not	G
be more delighted at the return of an only son the child of his old	H
age after ten years' absence in a foreign country and after having	F
gone through much hardship He embraced him kissed him all over as	D
though he had come back from the dead and spoke fondly to him saying	F
So you are come Telemachus light of my eyes that you are When	I
I heard you had gone to Pylos I made sure I was never going to see you	J
any more Come in my dear child and sit down that I may have a good	K
look at you now you are home again it is not very often you come into	J
the country to see us herdsmen you stick pretty close to the town	L
generally I suppose you think it better to keep an eye on what the	B
suitors are doing	F
So be it old friend answered Telemachus but I am come now	M
because I want to see you and to learn whether my mother is still	N
at her old home or whether some one else has married her so that	O
the bed of Ulysses is without bedding and covered with cobwebs	D
She is still at the house replied Eumaeus grieving and breaking	F
her heart and doing nothing but weep both night and day	P
continually	Q
As spoke he took Telemachus' spear whereon he crossed the stone	R
threshold and came inside Ulysses rose from his seat to give him	S
place as he entered but Telemachus checked him Sit down stranger	T
said he I can easily find another seat and there is one here who	J
will lay it for me	Q
Ulysses went back to his own place and Eumaeus strewed some green	U
brushwood on the floor and threw a sheepskin on top of it for	V
Telemachus to sit upon Then the swineherd brought them platters of	E
cold meat the remains from what they had eaten the day before and he	Q
filled the bread baskets with bread as fast as he could He mixed wine	W
also in bowls of ivy wood and took his seat facing Ulysses Then they	P
laid their hands on the good things that were before them and as soon	X
as they had had enough to eat and drink Telemachus said to Eumaeus	D
Old friend where does this stranger come from How did his crew	J
bring him to Ithaca and who were they for assuredly he did not	G
come here by land '	Y
To this you answered O swineherd Eumaeus My son I will tell	Z
you the real truth He says he is a Cretan and that he has been a	B
great traveller At this moment he is running away from a	B
Thesprotian ship and has refuge at my station so I will put him into	J
your hands Do whatever you like with him only remember that he is	D
your suppliant	J
I am very much distressed said Telemachus by what you have just	J
told me How can I take this stranger into my house I am as yet	J
young and am not strong enough to hold my own if any man attacks	D
me My mother cannot make up her mind whether to stay where she is and	J
look after the house out of respect for public opinion and the	B
memory of her husband or whether the time is now come for her to take	A2
the best man of those who are wooing her and the one who will make	A2
her the most advantageous offer still as the stranger has come to	J
your station I will find him a cloak and shirt of good wear with a	B
sword and sandals and will send him wherever he wants to go Or if	B2
you like you can keep him here at the station and I will send him	S
clothes and food that he may be no burden on you and on your men	I
but I will not have him go near the suitors for they are very	Q
insolent and are sure to ill treat him in a way that would greatly	Q
grieve me no matter how valiant a man may be he can do nothing	F
against numbers for they will be too strong for him	S
Then Ulysses said Sir it is right that I should say something	F
myself I am much shocked about what you have said about the	B
insolent way in which the suitors are behaving in despite of such a	B
man as you are Tell me do you submit to such treatment tamely or	V
has some god set your people against you May you not complain of your	V
brothers for it is to these that a man may look for support	J
however great his quarrel may be I wish I were as young as you are	C2
and in my present mind if I were son to Ulysses or indeed	J
Ulysses himself I would rather some one came and cut my head off but	J
I would go to the house and be the bane of every one of these men	I
If they were too many for me I being single handed I would rather	T
die fighting in my own house than see such disgraceful sights day	J
after day strangers grossly maltreated and men dragging the women	D2
servants about the house in an unseemly way wine drawn recklessly	Q
and bread wasted all to no purpose for an end that shall never be	Q
accomplished	J
And Telemachus answered I will tell you truly everything There is	D
no emnity between me and my people nor can I complain of brothers to	J
whom a man may look for support however great his quarrel may be Jove	B2
has made us a race of only sons Laertes was the only son of	B2
Arceisius and Ulysses only son of Laertes I am myself the only son	D2
of Ulysses who left me behind him when he went away so that I have	B2
never been of any use to him Hence it comes that my house is in the	B
hands of numberless marauders for the chiefs from all the	B
neighbouring islands Dulichium Same Zacynthus as also all the	B
principal men of Ithaca itself are eating up my house under the	B
pretext of paying court to my mother who will neither say point blank	E2
that she will not marry nor yet bring matters to an end so they	J
are making havoc of my estate and before long will do so with	F2
myself into the bargain The issue however rests with heaven But do	J
you old friend Eumaeus go at once and tell Penelope that I am safe	B2
and have returned from Pylos Tell it to herself alone and then	I
come back here without letting any one else know for there are many	Q
who are plotting mischief against me	Q
I understand and heed you replied Eumaeus you need instruct	J
me no further only I am going that way say whether I had not better	T
let poor Laertes know that you are returned He used to superintend	J
the work on his farm in spite of his bitter sorrow about Ulysses	D
and he would eat and drink at will along with his servants but they	J
tell me that from the day on which you set out for Pylos he has	D
neither eaten nor drunk as he ought to do nor does he look after	T
his farm but sits weeping and wasting the flesh from off his bones	D
More's the pity answered Telemachus I am sorry for him but	J
we must leave him to himself just now If people could have everything	F
their own way the first thing I should choose would be the return	G2
of my father but go and give your message then make haste back	H2
again and do not turn out of your way to tell Laertes Tell my mother	T
to send one of her women secretly with the news at once and let him	S
hear it from her	T
Thus did he urge the swineherd Eumaeus therefore took his	D
sandals bound them to his feet and started for the town Minerva	B
watched him well off the station and then came up to it in the form	I2
of a woman fair stately and wise She stood against the side of the	B
entry and revealed herself to Ulysses but Telemachus could not see	Q
her and knew not that she was there for the gods do not let	J
themselves be seen by everybody Ulysses saw her and so did the dogs	D
for they did not bark but went scared and whining off to the other	T
side of the yards She nodded her head and motioned to Ulysses with	F2
her eyebrows whereon he left the hut and stood before her outside the	B
main wall of the yards Then she said to him	S
Ulysses noble son of Laertes it is now time for you to tell	Z
your son do not keep him in the dark any longer but lay your plans	D
for the destruction of the suitors and then make for the town I will	N
not be long in joining you for I too am eager for the fray	J
As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand First she threw a	B
fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoulders then she made him	S
younger and of more imposing presence she gave him back his colour	J
filled out his cheeks and let his beard become dark again Then she	Q
went away and Ulysses came back inside the hut His son was	D
astounded when he saw him and turned his eyes away for fear he	Q
might be looking upon a god	J
Stranger said he how suddenly you have changed from what you	J
were a moment or two ago You are dressed differently and your	J
colour is not the same Are you some one or other of the gods that	J
live in heaven If so be propitious to me till I can make you due	J
sacrifice and offerings of wrought gold Have mercy upon me	Q
And Ulysses said I am no god why should you take me for one I am	J2
your father on whose account you grieve and suffer so much at the	B
hands of lawless men	I
As he spoke he kissed his son and a tear fell from his cheek on	K2
to the ground for he had restrained all tears till now but	J
Telemachus could not yet believe that it was his father and said	J
You are not my father but some god is flattering me with vain	L2
hopes that I may grieve the more hereafter no mortal man could of	B2
himself contrive to do as you have been doing and make yourself old	J
and young at a moment's notice unless a god were with him A second	J
ago you were old and all in rags and now you are like some god come	M2
down from heaven	D2
Ulysses answered Telemachus you ought not to be so immeasurably	Q
astonished at my being really here There is no other Ulysses who will	N
come hereafter Such as I am it is I who after long wandering and	J
much hardship have got home in the twentieth year to my own country	Q
What you wonder at is the work of the redoubtable goddess Minerva who	J
does with me whatever she will for she can do what she pleases At	J
one moment she makes me like a beggar and the next I am a young man	N2
with good clothes on my back it is an easy matter for the gods who	J
live in heaven to make any man look either rich or poor	J
As he spoke he sat down and Telemachus threw his arms about his	D
father and wept They were both so much moved that they cried aloud	J
like eagles or vultures with crooked talons that have been robbed of	B2
their half fledged young by peasants Thus piteously did they weep	O2
and the sun would have gone down upon their mourning if Telemachus had	J
not suddenly said In what ship my dear father did your crew	J
bring you to Ithaca Of what nation did they declare themselves to be	Q
for you cannot have come by land	J
I will tell you the truth my son replied Ulysses It was the	B
Phaeacians who brought me here They are great sailors and are in the	B
habit of giving escorts to any one who reaches their coasts They took	P2
me over the sea while I was fast asleep and landed me in Ithaca	B
after giving me many presents in bronze gold and raiment These	D
things by heaven's mercy are lying concealed in a cave and I am now	M
come here on the suggestion of Minerva that we may consult about	J
killing our enemies First therefore give me a list of the	B
suitors with their number that I may learn who and how many they	J
are I can then turn the matter over in my mind and see whether we	Q
two can fight the whole body of them ourselves or whether we must	J
find others to help us	D
To this Telemachus answered Father I have always heard of your	J
renown both in the field and in council but the task you talk of is a	B
very great one I am awed at the mere thought of it two men cannot	J
stand against many and brave ones There are not ten suitors only nor	J
twice ten but ten many times over you shall learn their number at	J
once There are fifty two chosen youths from Dulichium and they	J
have six servants from Same there are twenty four twenty young	Q2
Achaeans from Zacynthus and twelve from Ithaca itself all of them	R2
well born They have with them a servant Medon a bard and two men	I
who can carve at table If we face such numbers as this you may	J
have bitter cause to rue your coming and your revenge See whether	J
you cannot think of some one who would be willing to come and help	S2
us	D
Listen to me replied Ulysses and think whether Minerva and	J
her father Jove may seem sufficient or whether I am to try and find	J
some one else as well	Z
Those whom you have named answered Telemachus are a couple of	B2
good allies for though they dwell high up among the clouds they	J
have power over both gods and men	I
These two continued Ulysses will not keep long out of the fray	J
when the suitors and we join fight in my house Now therefore return	G2
home early to morrow morning and go about among the suitors as	D
before Later on the swineherd will bring me to the city disguised	J
as a miserable old beggar If you see them ill treating me steel your	J
heart against my sufferings even though they drag me feet foremost	J
out of the house or throw things at me look on and do nothing beyond	J
gently trying to make them behave more reasonably but they will not	J
listen to you for the day of their reckoning is at hand	J
Furthermore I say and lay my saying to your heart when Minerva shall	T2
put it in my mind I will nod my head to you and on seeing me do this	D
you must collect all the armour that is in the house and hide it in	U2
the strong store room Make some excuse when the suitors ask you why	V2
you are removing it say that you have taken it to be out of the way	J
of the smoke inasmuch as it is no longer what it was when Ulysses	D
went away but has become soiled and begrimed with soot Add to this	D
more particularly that you are afraid Jove may set them on to	J
quarrel over their wine and that they may do each other some harm	W2
which may disgrace both banquet and wooing for the sight of arms	D
sometimes tempts people to use them But leave a sword and a spear	J
apiece for yourself and me and a couple oxhide shields so that we can	N2
snatch them up at any moment Jove and Minerva will then soon quiet	J
these people There is also another matter if you are indeed my son	D2
and my blood runs in your veins let no one know that Ulysses is	D
within the house neither Laertes nor yet the swineherd nor any of	B2
the servants nor even Penelope herself Let you and me exploit the	B
women alone and let us also make trial of some other of the men	I
servants to see who is on our side and whose hand is against us	D
Father replied Telemachus you will come to know me by and by	V2
and when you do you will find that I can keep your counsel I do not	J
think however the plan you propose will turn out well for either	J
of us Think it over It will take us a long time to go the round of	B2
the farms and exploit the men and all the time the suitors will be	Q
wasting your estate with impunity and without compunction Prove the	B
women by all means to see who are disloyal and who guiltless but I	V2
am not in favour of going round and trying the men We can attend to	J
that later on if you really have some sign from Jove that he will	N
support you	J
Thus did they converse and meanwhile the ship which had brought	J
Telemachus and his crew from Pylos had reached the town of Ithaca	B
When they had come inside the harbour they drew the ship on to the	B
land their servants came and took their armour from them and they	J
left all the presents at the house of Clytius Then they sent a	B
servant to tell Penelope that Telemachus had gone into the country	Q
but had sent the ship to the town to prevent her from being alarmed	J
and made unhappy This servant and Eumaeus happened to meet when	I
they were both on the same errand of going to tell Penelope When they	J
reached the House the servant stood up and said to the queen in the	B
presence of the waiting women Your son Madam is now returned	J
from Pylos but Eumaeus went close up to Penelope and said privately	Q
that her son had given bidden him tell her When he had given his	D
message he left the house with its outbuildings and went back to his	D
pigs again	I
The suitors were surprised and angry at what had happened so they	J
went outside the great wall that ran round the outer court and held a	B
council near the main entrance Eurymachus son of Polybus was the	B
first to speak	X2
My friends said he this voyage of Telemachus's is a very	Q
serious matter we had made sure that it would come to nothing Now	M
however let us draw a ship into the water and get a crew together to	J
send after the others and tell them to come back as fast as they can	N2
He had hardly done speaking when Amphinomus turned in his place	D
and saw the ship inside the harbour with the crew lowering her sails	D
and putting by their oars so he laughed and said to the others	D
We need not send them any message for they are here Some god must	J
have told them or else they saw the ship go by and could not	J
overtake her	J
On this they rose and went to the water side The crew then drew the	B
ship on shore their servants took their armour from them and they	J
went up in a body to the place of assembly but they would not let any	Q
one old or young sit along with them and Antinous son of	B2
Eupeithes spoke first	J
Good heavens said he see how the gods have saved this man	N2
from destruction We kept a succession of scouts upon the headlands	D
all day long and when the sun was down we never went on shore to	J
sleep but waited in the ship all night till morning in the hope of	B2
capturing and killing him but some god has conveyed him home in spite	J
of us Let us consider how we can make an end of him He must not	J
escape us our affair is never likely to come off while is alive	B2
for he is very shrewd and public feeling is by no means all on our	J
side We must make haste before he can call the Achaeans in	U2
assembly he will lose no time in doing so for he will be furious	D
with us and will tell all the world how we plotted to kill him but	J
failed to take him The people will not like this when they come to	J
know of it we must see that they do us no hurt nor drive us from our	J
own country into exile Let us try and lay hold of him either on his	D
farm away from the town or on the road hither Then we can divide	J
up his property amongst us and let his mother and the man who marries	D
her have the house If this does not please you and you wish	Y2
Telemachus to live on and hold his father's property then we must not	J
gather here and eat up his goods in this way but must make our offers	D
to Penelope each from his own house and she can marry the man who	J
will give the most for her and whose lot it is to win her	J
They all held their peace until Amphinomus rose to speak He was the	B
son of Nisus who was son to king Aretias and he was foremost among	Q2
all the suitors from the wheat growing and well grassed island of	B2
Dulichium his conversation moreover was more agreeable to	J
Penelope than that of any of the other for he was a man of good	J
natural disposition My friends said he speaking to them plainly	Q
and in all honestly I am not in favour of killing Telemachus It	J
is a heinous thing to kill one who is of noble blood Let us first	J
take counsel of the gods and if the oracles of Jove advise it I will	N
both help to kill him myself and will urge everyone else to do so	D
but if they dissuade us I would have you hold your hands	D
Thus did he speak and his words pleased them well so they rose	D
forthwith and went to the house of Ulysses where they took their	J
accustomed seats	D
Then Penelope resolved that she would show herself to the suitors	D
She knew of the plot against Telemachus for the servant Medon had	J
overheard their counsels and had told her she went down therefore	J
to the court attended by her maidens and when she reached the suitors	D
she stood by one of the bearing posts supporting the roof of the	B
cloister holding a veil before her face and rebuked Antinous saying	F
Antinous insolent and wicked schemer they say you are the best	J
speaker and counsellor of any man your own age in Ithaca but you	J
are nothing of the kind Madman why should you try to compass the	B
death of Telemachus and take no heed of suppliants whose witness	D
is Jove himself It is not right for you to plot thus against one	D2
another Do you not remember how your father fled to this house in	U2
fear of the people who were enraged against him for having gone	Z2
with some Taphian pirates and plundered the Thesprotians who were at	J
peace with us They wanted to tear him in pieces and eat up everything	F
he had but Ulysses stayed their hands although they were	J
infuriated and now you devour his property without paying for it and	J
break my heart by his wooing his wife and trying to kill his son	D2
Leave off doing so and stop the others also	D
To this Eurymachus son of Polybus answered Take heart Queen	U
Penelope daughter of Icarius and do not trouble yourself about	J
these matters The man is not yet born nor never will be who shall	T2
lay hands upon your son Telemachus while I yet live to look upon	K2
the face of the earth I say and it shall surely be that my spear	J
shall be reddened with his blood for many a time has Ulysses taken me	Q
on his knees held wine up to my lips to drink and put pieces of meat	J
into my hands Therefore Telemachus is much the dearest friend I have	B2
and has nothing to fear from the hands of us suitors Of course if	B2
death comes to him from the gods he cannot escape it He said this	D
to quiet her but in reality he was plotting against Telemachus	D
Then Penelope went upstairs again and mourned her husband till	N
Minerva shed sleep over her eyes In the evening Eumaeus got back to	J
Ulysses and his son who had just sacrificed a young pig of a year old	J
and were ready helping one another to get supper ready Minerva	B
therefore came up to Ulysses turned him into an old man with a stroke	A3
of her wand and clad him in his old clothes again for fear that	J
the swineherd might recognize him and not keep the secret but go	D
and tell Penelope	Q
Telemachus was the first to speak So you have got back	H2
Eumaeus said he What is the news of the town Have the suitors	D
returned or are they still waiting over yonder to take me on my	V2
way home	B3
I did not think of asking about that replied Eumaeus when I was	D
in the town I thought I would give my message and come back as soon	X
as I could I met a man sent by those who had gone with you to	J
Pylos and he was the first to tell the new your mother but I can say	D
what I saw with my own eyes I had just got on to the crest of the	B
hill of Mercury above the town when I saw a ship coming into harbour	J
with a number of men in her They had many shields and spears and I	V2
thought it was the suitors but I cannot be sure	J
On hearing this Telemachus smiled to his father but so that Eumaeus	D
could not see him	S
Then when they had finished their work and the meal was ready they	D
ate it and every man had his full share so that all were satisfied	J
As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink they laid down to	J
rest and enjoyed the boon of sleep	O2

Homer

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