August 15, 2014

Day 15, Book 15

Poor Telemachus – remember him? – has been detained at Menelaus' court since Book 4! At least he has two prophecies to encourage him.

Helen offers the first (191–200):

"Listen to me and I will be your prophet,
sure as the gods have flashed it in my mind
and it will come to pass, I know it will.
Just as the eagle swooped down from the crags
where it was born and bred, just as it snatched
that goose fattened up for the kill inside the house,
just so, after many trials and roving long and hard,
Odysseus will descend on his house and take revenge –
Unless he's home already, sowing seeds of ruin
for that whole crowd of suitors!"

The second comes from the fugitive Theoclymenus, after the return to Ithaca (594–98):

"Look, Telemachus,
the will of god just winged that bird on your right!
Why, the moment I saw it, here before my eyes,
I knew it was a sign. No line more kingly than yours
in all of Ithaca – yours will reign forever!"