XI. The Beaten Beggarman.
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FROM THE ODYSSEY—Book XVIII. 1– 116.
I
There came the public beggarman, who all throughout the town
Of Ithaca, upon his quest for alms, begged up and down;
Huge was his stomach, without cease for meat and drink craved he:
No strength, no force his body had, though vast it was to see.
II
He got as name from parent dame, Arnæus, at his birth,
But Irus was the nickname given by gallants in their mirth;
For he, where'er they chose to send, their speedy errands bore,
And now he thought to drive away Odysseus from his door.
III
“Depart, old man! and quit the porch,” he cried with insult coarse,
“Else quickly by the foot thou shalt be dragged away by force:
Dost thou not see, how here on me, their eyes are turned by all,
In sign to bid me stay no more, but fling thee from the hall?
IV
“Tis only shame that holds me back; so get thee up and go!
Or ready stand with hostile hand to combat blow for blow.”
Odysseus said, as stern he looked with angry glance, “My friend,
Nothing of wrong in deed or tongue do I to thee intend.
V
“I grudge not whatsoe'er is given, how great may be the dole,
The threshold is full large for both; be not of envious soul.
It seems 'tis thine, as well as mine, a wanderer's life to live,
And to the gods alone belongs, a store of wealth to give.
VI
“But do not dare me to the blow, nor rouse my angry mood;—
Old as I am, thy breast and lips might stain my hands with blood.
To-morrow free I then from thee the day in peace would spend,
For never more to gain these walls thy beaten limbs would bend.”
VII
“Heavens! how this glutton glibly talks,” the vagrant Irus cried;
“Just as an old wife loves to prate, smoked at the chimney side.
If I should smite him, from his mouth the shattered teeth were torn,
As from the jaws of plundering swine, caught rooting up the corn.
VIII
“Come, gird thee for the fight, that they our contest may behold.
If thou'lt expose to younger arms thy body frail and old.”
So in debate engaged they sate upon the threshold stone,
Before Odysseus' lofty gate wrangling in angry tone.
IX
Antinous marked, and with a laugh the suitors he addressed:
“Never, I ween, our gates have seen so gay a cause of jest;
Some god, intent on sport, has sent this stranger to our hall,
And he and Irus mean to fight: so set we on the brawl.”
X
Gay laughed the guests, and straight arose, on frolic errand bound,
About the ragged beggarmen a ring they made around.
Antinous cries, “A fitting prize for the combat I require,
Paunches of goat you see are here now lying on the fire;
XI
‘This dainty food all full of blood, and fat of savory taste,
Intended for our evening's meal, there to be cooked we placed.
Which ever of these champions bold may chance to win the day,
Be he allowed which paunch he will to choose and bear away.
And he shall at our board henceforth partake our genial cheer,
No other beggarman allowed the table to come near.”
XII
They all agreed, and then upspoke the chief of many a wile:
“Hard is it when ye match with youth age overrun with toil;
The belly, counseller of ill, constrains me now to go,
Sure to be beaten in the fight with many a heavy blow.
XIII
“But plight your troth with solemn oath, that none will raise his hand
My foe to help with aid unfair, while I before him stand.”
They took the covenant it had pleased Odysseus to propose;
And his word to plight the sacred might of Telemachus arose.
XIV
“If,” he exclaimed, “thy spirit bold, and thy courageous heart
Should urge thee from the palace gate to force this man to part,
Thou needst not fear that any here will strike a fraudful blow;
Who thus would dare his hand to rear must fight with many a foe.
XV
“Upon me falls within these halls the stranger's help to be;
Antinous and Eurymachus, both wise, will join with me.”
All gave assent, and round his loins his rags Odysseus tied:
Then was displayed each shoulder-blade of ample form and wide.
XVI
His shapely thighs of massive size were all to sight confessed,
So were his arms of muscle strong, so was his brawny breast;
Athene close at hand each limb to nobler stature swelled;
In much amaze did the suitors gaze, when they his form beheld.
XVII
“Irus un-Irused now,” they said, “will catch his sought-for wo,
Judge by the hips which from his rags this old man stripped can show.”
And Irus trembled in his soul; but soon the servants came,
Girt him by force, and to the fight dragged on his quivering frame.
XVIII
There as he shook in every limb, Antinous spoke in scorn:
“'Twere better, bullying boaster, far, that thou hadst ne'er been born,
If thus thou quake and trembling shake, o'ercome with coward fear,
Of meeting with this aged man, worn down with toil severe.
XIX
“I warn thee thus, and shall perform full surely what I say,
If, conqueror in the fight, his arm shall chance to win the day,
Epirus-ward thou hence shalt sail, in sable bark, consigned
To charge of Echetus the king, terror of all mankind.
XX
“He'll soon deface all manly trace with unrelenting steel,
And make thy sliced-off nose and ears for hungry dogs a meal.”
He spoke, and with those threatening words filled Irus with fresh dread;
And trembling more in every limb, he to the midst was led.
XXI
Both raised their hands, and then a doubt passed through Odysseus' brain
Should he strike him so, that a single blow would lay him with the slain,
Or stretch him with a gentler touch prostrate upon the ground;
On pondering well, this latter course the wiser one he found.
XXII
For if his strength was fully shown, he knew that all men's eyes
The powerful hero would detect, despite his mean disguise.
Irus the king's right shoulder hit; then he with smashing stroke
Returned a blow beneath the ear, and every bone was broke.
XXIII
Burst from his mouth the gushing blood; down to the dust he dashed,
With bellowing howl, and in the fall his teeth to pieces crashed.
There lay he, kicking on the earth; meanwhile, the suitors proud,
Lifting their hands as fit to die, shouted in laughter loud.
XXIV
Odysseus seized him by the foot, and dragged him through the hall,
To porch and gate, and left him laid against the boundary wall.
He placed a wand within his hand, and said, “The task is thine,
There seated with this staff, to drive away the dogs and swine;
XXV
“But on the stranger and the poor never again presume
To act as lord, else, villain base, thine may be heavier doom.”
So saying, o'er his back he flung his cloak, to tatters rent,
Then bound it with a twisted rope, and back to his seat he went,
XXVI
Back to the threshold, while within uprose the laughter gay.
And with kind words was hailed the man who conquered in the fray.
“May Zeus and all the other gods, O stranger! grant thee still
Whate'er to thee most choice may be, whatever suits thy will.
XXVII
“Thy hand has checked the beggar bold, ne'er to return again
To Ithaca, for straight shall he be sped across the main,
Epirus-ward, to Echetus, terror of all mankind,”
So spoke they, and the king received the omen glad of mind.
