Odysseus名字來源

當時，奶媽Eurycleia抱著剛出生的Odysseus，請他的外公Antolycus幫忙取名字，外公的回應是:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D19%3Acard%3D405

γαμβρὸς ἐμὸς θυγάτηρ τε, τίθεσθ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ ὅττι κεν εἴπω:

πολλοῖσιν γὰρ ἐγώ γε ὀδυσσάμενος τόδ᾽ ἱκάνω,

ἀνδράσιν ἠδὲ γυναιξὶν ἀνὰ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν:

τῷ δ᾽ Ὀδυσεὺς ὄνομ᾽ ἔστω ἐπώνυμον: αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε,

ὁππότ᾽ ἂν ἡβήσας μητρώϊον ἐς μέγα δῶμα

ἔλθῃ Παρνησόνδ᾽, ὅθι πού μοι κτήματ᾽ ἔασι,

τῶν οἱ ἐγὼ δώσω καί μιν χαίροντ᾽ ἀποπέμψω. (Odyssey 19. 406-412)

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/odyssey19.htm

My son-in-law and daughter, give the boy

whatever name I say. Since I’ve come here

as one who’s been enraged at many people,

men and women, on this all-nourishing earth,

let him be called Odysseus, a man of rage.

As for me, when he’s become a full-grown man

and comes to see his mother’s family home

at Parnassus, where I keep my property,

I’ll give him some of it and send him off.

He’ll be delighted.

因為Antolycus來到Ithaca時，似乎不太滿意這兒稠密的國土，新中滿滿的怨氣(ὀδυσσάμενος)，所以就把這嬰兒取名Odysseus，意思是憤怒的人。第14.145-147行則提到 Odysseus名字隱藏的意義: Man of Pain。Odysseus與ὀδύρομαι同源，意思是悲傷，悲哀。兩層意義的總結是悲憤的一生?

   不過，他的外公預告，等Odysseus長大，到母親Parnassus娘家，他會餽贈一些資產給他，讓他可以快樂一些。照此說法，Odysseus的父親Laertes家似乎貧困一點，他的母親系出Hermes之後代，也是重要的神譜成員。此外，這裡還說明「母系」家產的傳承。

*ὀδύσσομαι or *ὀδυίομαι , Ep. Verb, only used in aor. 1 Med. ὀδύσασθαι (aor. Pass. A. [select] “ὀδυσθῆναι” Hsch.), and once in pf. Pass. ὀδώδυσται, Od.5.423 :—to be wroth against, hate, c. dat. pers., “τῷ μὲν ἔπειτ᾽ ὀδύσαντο θεοί” Il.6.138 ; esp. as the mythic origin of the name Ὀδυσσεύς, as hated by gods and men, τί νύ οἱ τόσον ὠδύσαο, Ζεῦ; Od.1.62 ; τίπτε τοι ὧδε Ποσειδάων . . ὠδύσατ᾽ ἐκπάγλως ; 5.340 ; “πολλοῖσιν γὰρ ἔγωγε ὀδυσσάμενος . . ἱκάνω . . : τῷ δ᾽ Ὀδυσεὺς ὄνομ᾽ ἔστω ἐπώνυμον” 19.407-9, cf. S.Fr.965 ; also “Βριάρεῳ . . πατὴρ ὠδύσσατο θυμῷ” Hes.Th.617 : abs., “ὀδυσσαμένοιο τεοῖο” Il.8.37 : later, c. acc., “ὠδύσατο Ζῆνα” Hom. Epigr.6.8 ; τί . . ἐμὴν ὠδύσσαο νηδύν ; AP9.117.—Ep. Verb, borrowed once by Sophocles in reference to Odysseus.

Odyssey 19.361-475 洗腳?

洗腳? 老奶媽答應Penelope，幫眼前這位可憐的乞丐洗腳，一個簡單的工作，一個小小的動作，卻拉出許多前因後果，幾分鐘的洗腳，拉長，打開幾十年的故事。

   一出場我們就見證老奶媽慈悲的心，願意幫一位歷經風霜的乞丐洗腳，但，老奶媽似乎在乞丐的容貌中瞥見主人Odysseus的影子:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D19%3Acard%3D361

πολλοὶ δὴ ξεῖνοι ταλαπείριοι ἐνθάδ᾽ ἵκοντο,

ἀλλ᾽ οὔ πώ τινά φημι ἐοικότα ὧδε ἰδέσθαι

ὡς σὺ δέμας φωνήν τε πόδας τ᾽ Ὀδυσῆϊ ἔοικας. (Odyssey 19. 279-81)

Many worn-out strangers

have come here, but none of them, I tell you,

 was so like him to look at—your stature,

voice, and feet are all just like Odysseus.

《奧德賽》多次用ταλαπείριος (one who has suffered much, much-suffering)修飾Odysseus，這兒有修飾乞丐，似乎也是一種共通點，更巧的是，乞丐的身材、聲音、與腳都和Odysseus十分相像。當然，聰明的Odysseus為了不被識破，說道，看過他們「兩個」的人，都說他們長得很像。這一關勉強通過!

   當老奶媽拿出盆子，注入水，就要開始幫他洗腳，Odysseus有不祥的預感，因為他腳上的疤痕(οὐλή)，一個無法掩飾的符號，將洩漏他的真實身分:

ὣς ἄρ᾽ ἔφη, γρηῢς δὲ λέβηθ᾽ ἕλε παμφανόωντα

τοῦ πόδας ἐξαπένιζεν, ὕδωρ δ᾽ ἐνεχεύατο πουλὺ

ψυχρόν, ἔπειτα δὲ θερμὸν ἐπήφυσεν. αὐτὰρ Ὀδυσσεὺς

ἷζεν ἐπ᾽ ἐσχαρόφιν, ποτὶ δὲ σκότον ἐτράπετ᾽ αἶψα:

αὐτίκα γὰρ κατὰ θυμὸν ὀΐσατο, μή ἑ λαβοῦσα

οὐλὴν ἀμφράσσαιτο καὶ ἀμφαδὰ ἔργα γένοιτο.

νίζε δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἆσσον ἰοῦσα ἄναχθ᾽ ἑόν: αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἔγνω

οὐλήν, τήν ποτέ μιν σῦς ἤλασε λευκῷ ὀδόντι

Παρνησόνδ᾽ ἐλθόντα μετ᾽ Αὐτόλυκόν τε καὶ υἷας,

μητρὸς ἑῆς πάτερ᾽ ἐσθλόν, ὃς ἀνθρώπους ἐκέκαστο

κλεπτοσύνῃ θ᾽ ὅρκῳ τε (Odyssey 19. 386-96)

After these words from Odysseus,

the old woman took the shining bowl to wash his feet.

She poured in plenty of cold water and added

warmer water to it. Odysseus then sat down

some distance from the hearth and quickly turned around

towards the darkness. For suddenly in his heart

he was afraid that, when she touched him, she might see 

a scar he had, and then the truth would be revealed.

She came up and began to wash her master.

She recognized the scar immediately, a wound

a boar’s white tusk had given him many years ago,

when he’d gone to Parnassus, making a visit

to Autolycus, his mother's splendid father,

and his sons. That man could surpass all others

in thievery and swearing.

這幾行傷疤 (οὐλή)就出現兩次，第一次是 Odysseus心中猜想，第二次是老奶媽明亮的雙眼注視的焦距。如果拍攝電影，特寫可以放在這野豬的白齒咬傷的痕跡，然侯鏡頭慢慢拉長，時空拉到Odysseus小時候到外公家玩的場景。

以下圖片與資料出處: http://www.utexas.edu/courses/mythmoore/imagefiles19/eurycleia.html

Detail of an Attic Red-figure skyphos, 440 BC, from Chiusi, by the Penelope Painter. Washing of Odysseus' feet.

Odyssey 19. 53-99 Penelope的象牙椅

Odyssey 19. 53-99

Penelope prepares to question the Stranger

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D19%3Acard%3D47

ἡ δ᾽ ἴεν ἐκ θαλάμοιο περίφρων Πηνελόπεια,

Ἀρτέμιδι ἰκέλη ἠὲ χρυσέῃ Ἀφροδίτῃ.

τῇ παρὰ μὲν κλισίην πυρὶ κάτθεσαν, ἔνθ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐφῖζε,

δινωτὴν ἐλέφαντι καὶ ἀργύρῳ: ἥν ποτε τέκτων

ποίησ᾽ Ἰκμάλιος, καὶ ὑπὸ θρῆνυν ποσὶν ἧκε

προσφυέ᾽ ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὅθ᾽ ἐπὶ μέγα βάλλετο κῶας.

ἔνθα καθέζετ᾽ ἔπειτα περίφρων Πηνελόπεια.

ἦλθον δὲ δμῳαὶ λευκώλενοι ἐκ μεγάροιο.

αἱ δ᾽ ἀπὸ μὲν σῖτον πολὺν ᾕρεον ἠδὲ τραπέζας

καὶ δέπα, ἔνθεν ἄρ᾽ ἄνδρες ὑπερμενέοντες ἔπινον:

πῦρ δ᾽ ἀπὸ λαμπτήρων χαμάδις βάλον, ἄλλα δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῶν

νήησαν ξύλα πολλά, φόως ἔμεν ἠδὲ θέρεσθαι.  (Odyssey 19. 53-64)

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/odyssey19.htm

Then wise Penelope emerged out of her room,

looking like Artemis or golden Aphrodite.

Beside the fire where she used to sit, they placed

a chair for her, inlaid with ivory and silver.

Imalcius (Icmalius), a craftsman, had made it years ago.  

He’d fixed a footstool underneath, part of the chair,

on which they usually threw a large sheep fleece.

Here wise Penelope sat, while white-armed servants

came from the women’s hall and started to remove

the lavish amounts of food, the tables, and the cups

high-spirited suitors had been drinking from.

The embers in the braziers they threw on the floor,

then filled them up with plenty of fresh wood

for warmth and light.

Penelope再次出場，她想利用夜深人靜時，向這位「陌生人」詢問丈夫Odysseus的下落。和Odyssey 17. 36-37一樣，Penelope的描述是如Artemis，又像Aphrodite。她坐在火驢旁一張象牙與銀打造的椅子，而且史詩還提到這是有名的工匠Icmalius (Ἰκμάλιος)所打造的。這名字中有ἴκμη，是橡樹等植物中汁，可以做為黏象牙的膠水，也表示當時已具有製作家具等相關技藝。腳下還有腳凳，椅子上再鋪羊毛。

θρῆνυς footstool

κῶας fleece


這一幕，十八世紀的畫家Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein畫了一幅有名的畫 Ulysses and Penelope，參考下面這幾張圖，有些差異:

圖片資料來源: http://www.myartprints.co.uk/a/tischbein-joh-heinrich-wi/ulysses-and-penelope.html

圖片資料來源: http://louisecharente.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/the-odyssey-books-seventeen-to-twenty-four/  ODYSSEUS AND PENELOPE;COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

圖片資料來源: HTTP://WWW.CATHERINESVEHLA.COM/MY_WEBLOG/2013/11/ODYSSEY-BOOK-19-QUEEN-PENELOPE-AND-THE-BEGGAR-PART-1-OF-2.HTML

一群女僕開始收拾與整理那群追求者留下的狼藉杯盤，這時女僕Melantho進來大廳，大罵還在此逗留的老乞丐，殊不知這位老兄可是她家的主人Odysseus。Melantho， 伶牙俐齒:

 

‘ξεῖν᾽, ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἐνθάδ᾽ ἀνιήσεις διὰ νύκτα

δινεύων κατὰ οἶκον, ὀπιπεύσεις δὲ γυναῖκας; (Odyssey 19. 66-67)

Stranger, are you still going to pester us
even now, all through the night in here,
roaming around the house, spying on women?

ἀνιάω grieve, distress,

這位女僕顯然嫌這位登門乞討的老人，第70-88行，Odysseus也來個機會教育，馬上教訓這位高傲的女僕。Odysseus開口稱呼這女僕δαιμονίη，雖然王煥生的翻譯，「你這惡婦」，但是希臘文δαιμονίη，神聖的女子 (god-like woman)，也許是反諷的口氣，但再一次說明隱藏的觀點，每一張臉，每一個生命，即使是高傲可惡的人，都仍是神聖的，這是平等的倫理美學，不輕視任何人。在 Odysseus的訓話裏頭，也是說明不應該因為一個乞丐衣著破爛，就歧視他。古希臘的傳統給乞丐、流浪的吟唱詩人、流亡的人留餘地，給他們一些溫飽的食物與衣服，這是待客之道。

Penelope罵一頓這個不懂待客之道的女僕，並說明她還要請問眼前作客的異鄉人，打聽主人Odysseus的消息，旋即，請女管家Eurynome端一張椅子，鋪層羊毛，請這位客人上座，她要請教客人問題了。這裡說的椅子是δίφρος chariot-board, a seat, chair, stool。應該和Penelope坐的象牙椅子不同，但是也表示Penelope非常尊敬這位衣衫襤褸卻彬彬有禮的異鄉人。

Odyssey 19 開場

Odyssey 19

Odysseus with Penelope and Eurycleia

資料來源: http://mkatz.web.wesleyan.edu/cciv110x/odyssey/cciv110.Penelope.html

A Roman wall-painting from the first century ce, showing Penelope contemplating the stranger and pondering, while Eurycleia looks on from the doorway (upper left). Penelope's pose here is similar to that on the fragmentary terracotta relief of the footwashing shown above.

                 

Bk XIX:1-52 Odysseus and Telemachus hide the weapons

Bk XIX:53-99 Penelope prepares to question the Stranger

Bk XIX:100-163 Penelope and Odysseus converse

Bk XIX:164-219 Odysseus tells a false tale

Bk XIX:220-307 Odysseus prophesies his own return

Bk XIX:308-360 Penelope offers hospitality

Bk XIX:361-475 Eurycleia recognises Odysseus

Bk XIX:476-507 Odysseus tells Eurycleia to conceal his identity

Bk XIX:508-553 Penelope’s dream

Bk XIX:554-604 Penelope proposes a challenge for the Suitors

Odyssey 19. 1-52

Odysseus and Telemachus hide the weapons

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D19%3Acard%3D1

ὦ πάτερ, ἦ μέγα θαῦμα τόδ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ὁρῶμαι.

ἔμπης μοι τοῖχοι μεγάρων καλαί τε μεσόδμαι,

εἰλάτιναί τε δοκοί, καὶ κίονες ὑψόσ᾽ ἔχοντες

φαίνοντ᾽ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὡς εἰ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο.

ἦ μάλα τις θεὸς ἔνδον, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι.’

τὸν δ᾽ ἀπαμειβόμενος προσέφη πολύμητις Ὀδυσσεύς:

‘σίγα καὶ κατὰ σὸν νόον ἴσχανε μηδ᾽ ἐρέεινε:

αὕτη τοι δίκη ἐστὶ θεῶν, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν.

ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν κατάλεξαι, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὑπολείψομαι αὐτοῦ,

ὄφρα κ᾽ ἔτι δμῳὰς καὶ μητέρα σὴν ἐρεθίζω:

ἡ δέ μ᾽ ὀδυρομένη εἰρήσεται ἀμφὶς ἕκαστα.  (Odyssey 19. 36-46)

“Father, what my eyes are witnessing

is an enormous wonder. In this room

the walls and beautiful pedestals,

the fir beams and high supporting pillars

are glowing in my eyes, as if lit up    

by blazing fire. Some god must be inside,

one of those who hold wide heaven.”  

Resourceful Odysseus

then answered him and said:    “Keep quiet.

Check those ideas and ask no questions.

This is how gods who hold Olympus work.

You should go and get some rest. I’ll stay here,

so I can agitate the servants even more—

and your mother. As she laments, she’ll ask

for each and every detail.”

第十九卷的佈局與結構較嚴謹，Odysseus和Penelope越來越接近，還有奶媽認出主人這一幕，也是千古佳話。

一開始，父子倆展開行動，移走大廳所有武器。一開場，Odysseus正在想下一步棋，彷彿Athena也在場協助，這是史詩特殊之處，神的參與，神的顯身，眾神像是來去自如的角色，但有時又像一旁的觀眾。

Odysseus吩咐Telemachus，這一段和Odyssey 16. 281-98重複。學者提到，這房子可能像Yugoslav House，天花板留一口，但沒有煙囪，所以室內東西很容易被煙燻黑。

Telemachus馬上請奶媽Eurycleia把所有的女僕隔離在房內，因為他要整理大廳裡的武器。顯然，Telemachus只相信奶媽，其他女僕因為和那群追求者廝混久了，並不可信。

Eurycleia很高興眼前的小主人長到了，會關心家裡的事，並且主動提出保護家業 (think about

caring for this house, guarding all its wealth... Odyssey 19. 22-23)。但是，Eurycleia問到需不需要留一人幫忙點燈?

Telemachus回答，眼前這位乞丐，有受到他的恩惠，可以幫忙提燈:

‘ξεῖνος ὅδ᾽: οὐ γὰρ ἀεργὸν ἀνέξομαι ὅς κεν ἐμῆς γε

χοίνικος ἅπτηται, καὶ τηλόθεν εἰληλουθώς. (Odyssey 19.27-28)

“This stranger will.
I won’t let anyone who’s touched my food
rest idle, not even if he’s come here
from somewhere far away.” (Odyssey 19.27-28)

這位客人可以替代，他既然在我家裡吃飯，

儘管室外鄉客，我也不能讓他不幹活。

Telemachus說，吃過他的食物(χοῖνιξ)，就不能閒著。χοῖνιξ, choenix, a dry measure, esp. for corn, Hdt.1.192, etc.; the choenix of corn was one man's daily allowance，每日的乾糧。這個說法，也說明「待客之道」(hospitality)，客人回報主人的基本禮儀。

大廳就剩父子二人，點著金火炬 (golden lamp)，齊心搬走所有盾、槍、矛等武器。此刻，Telemachus在金碧輝煌的大廳，屋頂桁架，屋樑，和堂柱，似乎看見神的存在。這裡我想分享幾個看法： 第一，如果這些武器永遠藏住，不再使用，可以避免之後的血腥屠殺與沒完沒了的冤冤相報。一般文學史中，視Odysseus為西方文學中的一個「完人」(complete man, not perfect man)，敢愛敢恨，Odysseus有很多過人之處，但也有他致命的缺點。我有另一種讀法，我覺得Odysseus有一些「陰柔」之美，但也有「陽剛」之氣。和史詩那些好戰的勇士不同，Odysseus常常以退為進，運用柔性的智慧解決很多問題，但是，他總是在最後一刻，還是動用他的「拳頭」，他的力氣，他的權力，然後，導致更多的毀滅與悲劇。如果，Odysseus甘於做Nobody，甘心用他的智慧，而不是「力」處理他面對的問題，他的奇幻之旅就不會是一串串屠殺與死亡。另外，回到Ithaca，這群追求者固然令人討厭，但是有必要用弓箭把他們一一射死嗎? 史詩並沒有高頌這種用武力解決問題的模式，相反地，史詩一次又一次強調，Odysseus心中想的這種報復計畫是邪惡的(evil)，會種下更多毀滅的種子。

第二，這裡描述在美好的大廳堂 (μεγάρων καλαί)中看見神性的光輝，一些學者提到這意味Athena真得在場，我看到的是這個家庭中的美好，當那群異類分子離去，當所有武器挪開，當父子安安靜靜相聚，瞬間，這空間的莊嚴與肅穆，溫馨與明亮，就是一種不可取代的神聖。

這裡的屋樑用的是fir，並非王煥生譯本中提到的松木。可能是Grecian Fir，希臘冷杉，ἐλάτη，Abies cephalonica。

τοῖχος wall of a house

μέγαρον large room, hall

μεσόδμη tie-beam

ἐλάτινος of the fir

完成藏武器的工作後，Odysseus要Telemachus先回房間睡一下。

  圖片資料: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/image?img=Perseus:image:1998.01.0134  Relief with Eurykleia, Odysseus, and Penelope; From Svoronos 1903-12, pl. 134; Athens, NM 1914

Odyssey 18. 340-428 勞心勞力的奧德修斯

日期: 2014年5月 30日

Odyssey 18. 340-428

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D18%3Acard%3D337

ἦ ῥ᾽, ἅμα τε προσέειπεν Ὀδυσσῆα πτολίπορθον:

‘ξεῖν᾽, ἦ ἄρ κ᾽ ἐθέλοις θητευέμεν, εἴ σ᾽ ἀνελοίμην,

ἀγροῦ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχατιῆς—μισθὸς δέ τοι ἄρκιος ἔσται—

αἱμασιάς τε λέγων καὶ δένδρεα μακρὰ φυτεύων;

ἔνθα κ᾽ ἐγὼ σῖτον μὲν ἐπηετανὸν παρέχοιμι,

εἵματα δ᾽ ἀμφιέσαιμι ποσίν θ᾽ ὑποδήματα δοίην.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὖν δὴ ἔργα κάκ᾽ ἔμμαθες, οὐκ ἐθελήσεις

ἔργον ἐποίχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πτώσσειν κατὰ δῆμον

βούλεαι, ὄφρ᾽ ἄν ἔχῃς βόσκειν σὴν γαστέρ᾽ ἄναλτον. (Odyssey 18. 356-364)

 

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/odyssey18.htm

“Stranger, how’d you like to work?

What if I hired you for some distant farm—

I guarantee I’d pay you—gathering stones  

to build up walls and planting lofty trees?

I’d bring some food there for you all year round,     

clothe you, and get some sandals for your feet.

But since you’ve only learned to misbehave,

you won’t want to acquaint yourself with work.

No. You’d prefer to beg throughout the land,

collecting food for your voracious gut.”

這一卷也將終了，漫漫長夜，杯盤狼藉，一片混亂，想必不論是Odysseus、Telemachus與現場的所有人內心都多麼的不安，無法平靜地入睡?

此刻，Polybus的兒子Eurymachus開始嘲笑揶揄老乞丐Odysseus，雖然Odysseus常常被標示著「攻略城市的人」(sacker of the city，πτολίπορθον)，但是，當人得意時就忘形，不會收斂與尊重周圍的人。Eurymachus還提出工作機會給老乞丐，工作內容是砌圍牆和種樹，待遇優渥，可以一年到頭衣食無缺，而且有鞋穿。想想，一個飢寒交迫的人在眼前，一個有錢人，不伸出援手，反而是開一些空頭支票，多麼可惡啊!

足智多謀的Odysseus也不是省有的燈，馬上回嗆，相信若有適當機會，他是可以當強壯的農夫，也可以當英勇的武士。老乞丐再次警告，要這些人不要高傲自大，Odysseus就要回來了。374-375行提到，只要給我四分田地，你倒是看看我犁的田是不是完美無瑕。可見Odysseus絕非那種好吃懶做的紈褲子弟，而是勞心勞力的人。

τετράγυος containing four
αὖλαξ furrow
διηνεκής continuous, unbroken,


又是一陣唇槍舌戰，最後Telemachus出面，大家喝最後一潯酒，各自回去睡覺。

Odyssey 18. 206-283 待客之道與求婚之禮數

日期: 2014年5月 24日

Odyssey 18. 206-283

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0135%3Abook%3D18%3Acard%3D206

Τηλέμαχ᾽, οὐκέτι τοι φρένες ἔμπεδοι οὐδὲ νόημα:

παῖς ἔτ᾽ ἐὼν καὶ μᾶλλον ἐνὶ φρεσὶ κέρδε᾽ ἐνώμας:

νῦν δ᾽, ὅτε δὴ μέγας ἐσσὶ καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἱκάνεις,

καί κέν τις φαίη γόνον ἔμμεναι ὀλβίου ἀνδρός,

ἐς μέγεθος καὶ κάλλος ὁρώμενος, ἀλλότριος φώς,

οὐκέτι τοι φρένες εἰσὶν ἐναίσιμοι οὐδὲ νόημα.

οἷον δὴ τόδε ἔργον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἐτύχθη,

ὃς τὸν ξεῖνον ἔασας ἀεικισθήμεναι οὕτως.

πῶς νῦν, εἴ τι ξεῖνος ἐν ἡμετέροισι δόμοισιν

ἥμενος ὧδε πάθοι ῥυστακτύος ἐξ ἀλεγεινῆς;

σοί κ᾽ αἶσχος λώβη τε μετ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι πέλοιτο.  (Odyssey 18. 215-225)

http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/homer/odyssey18.htm

“Telemachus, your wit and understanding

are not as steady as they used to be.

While still a child, the way you used to think

was more astute. But now you’re fully grown,

on the verge of being a man, and anyone

from somewhere far away who looked at you

and only saw your beauty and your size

might well observe that you’re a rich man’s son.

Yet your mind and thoughts are no longer wise. 

What sort of actions are going on in here,

in this house, when you allow a stranger

to be mistreated in this way? And now,

what if this stranger, sitting in our home,

should suffer harm from such severe abuse?

You’d be disgraced among all men and shamed.” (Odyssey 18. 215-225)

Penelope下樓，兩位侍女相隨，如仙女下凡，走到追求者中間；雖然Penelope繫著頭巾，罩住臉頰，但在場的追求者顯然都心動不已。然而，Penelope一開就是管教小孩，因為Telemachus這一天毛毛躁躁，失去昔日有的智慧與風度。Telemachus也快成年，英俊瀟灑，但應該持有大戶人家的氣質。這種大家風範是甚麼? 就是「待客之道」(hospitality)，就是善待每一位來訪的客人，不可以讓任人陌生來客受到傷害，這非常的失禮。言下之意，就是指責剛剛兩個乞丐公然鬧事的事件。

ἀεικίζω treat unseemly, injure

ῥυστακτύος: drag about

Telemachus卻頂嘴，說道，母親心中不滿，他可以理解。但是，他已經是大人，可以明辨是非。又埋怨這群人處處阻撓他，所以剛剛這位老乞丐也算是他出口氣，他希望這一群人都和Irus一樣，被痛打一頓，打到他們腿軟。雖然，Telemachus知道乞丐其實是父親Odysseus，但是從他這番談吐，仍可發現他年少氣盛。

母子談話之間，Eurymachus插嘴，說道明天還有更多人仰慕Penelope美貌，也要加入求婚者行列。但是Penelope 沒被甜言蜜語沖昏頭，她知道自己在等待的消磨中老去，而且悲傷催人老。
重要的時刻，Penelope即將宣布如何決定嫁給誰。首先，她已經把Telemachus扶養長大成人生鬍鬚 (γενειάω grow a beard, get a beard)，所以她也進該盡的責任。但是，古希臘的求婚習俗，是要送肥壯的牛羊，宴請女方的親友，贈送珍貴的聘禮(ἀγλαὰ δῶρα διδοῦσι)。在一旁聽到此話的Odysseus竊喜，因為他知道Penelope向他們索取禮物，其實心中立有打算。他們究竟盤算甚麼?

維基百科列出Penelope的追求者名單: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suitors_of_Penelope 1.        Agelaus, son of Damastor. Was killed by Odysseus.[3] 2.        Amphimedon, son of Melaneus. Was killed by Telemachus.[4] 3.        Amphinomus. Shows courtesy towards the disguised Odysseus, who warns him against staying;[5] the warning goes unheeded, though, and he is killed along with the other suitors, though by Telemachus and not Odysseus. 4.        Antinous, son of Eupeithes. One of the leaders of the suitors, he helps instigate the plot to kill Telemachus as he returns from the mainland,[6] and helps spur the fight between Odysseus (as the beggar) and Irus, a notorious beggar.[7] 5.        Ctesippus of Same, son of Polytherses. A "ribald fellow" of great wealth who gives Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, a "present" by throwing a heifer's foot at him; Telemachus threatens him in response, and says that he would have killed him if he had not missed.[8] After killing him, the stockman says that his death is a present in return for the one he gave to Odysseus.[9] 6.        Demoptolemus, killed by Odysseus.[10] 7.        Elatus, killed by Eumaeus.[11] 8.        Euryades, killed by Telemachus.[12] 9.        Eurydamas. Offered a pair of earrings as a gift to Penelope.[13] Was eventually killed by Odysseus.[14] 10.    Eurymachus, son of Polybus. One of the leaders of the suitors, noted for being smooth and deceitful. He blames everything on Antinous after he is killed by Odysseus, saying that the suitors are sorry for what they have done and will repay Odysseus. His pleas do not persuade Odysseus, so he tells the suitors they will have to fight if they wish to live, and he is shot with an arrow while charging Odysseus.[15] 11.    Eurynomus, son of Aegyptius. His brother Antiphus accompanied Odysseus to the Trojan War and was devoured by Polyphemus on the way back.[16] 12.    Leiocritus, son of Evenor. Was killed by Telemachus.[17] 13.    Leiodes, son of Oenops. The sacrificial priest to the suitors, he hated the evil deeds of the suitors and was indignant with the others.[18] While Odysseus is killing the suitors, he begs for mercy, saying that he tried to stop the others and they were paying for not listening to him. Odysseus hears him out but says that as priest, he must have prayed for Odysseus to not come home, so he kills him anyway.[19] 14.    Peisander, son of Polyctor. Offered a necklace as a gift to Penelope.[20] Was killed by Philoeteus.[21] 15.    Polybus, son of Polyctor and father of Eurymachus.