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Chalcis, a land of fair streams.

And the sun set and all the ways were darkened. And the
vessel drew nigh to Pheae, being sped before the breeze of
Zeus, and then passed goodly Elis where the Epeans bear
rule. From thence he drave on again to the Pointed Isles,
pondering whether he should escape death or be cut off.

Now Odysseus and the goodly swineherd were supping in the
hut, and the other men sat at meat with them. So when they
had put from them the desire of meat and drink, Odysseus
spake among them, to prove the swineherd, whether he would
still entertain him diligently, and bid him abide there in
the steading or send him forward to the city:

'Listen now, Eumaeus, and all the others of the company. In
the morning I would fain be gone to the town to go a
begging, that I be not ruinous to thyself and thy fellows.
Now advise me well, and lend me a good guide by the way to
lead me thither; and through the city will I wander alone
as needs I must, if perchance one may give me a cup of
water and a morsel of bread. Moreover I would go to the
house of divine Odysseus and bear tidings to the wise
Penelope, and consort with the wanton wooers, if haply they
might grant me a meal out of the boundless store that they
have by them. Lightly might I do good service among them,
even all that they would. For lo! I will tell thee and do
thou mark and listen. By the favour of Hermes, the
messenger, who gives grace and glory to all men's work, no
mortal may vie with me in the business of a serving-man, in
piling well a fire, in cleaving dry faggots, and in carving
and roasting flesh and in pouring of wine, those offices
wherein meaner men serve their betters.'

Then didst thou speak to him in heaviness of heart,
swineherd Eumaeus: 'Ah! wherefore, stranger, hath such a
thought arisen in thine heart? Surely thou art set on
perishing utterly there, if thou wouldest indeed go into
the throng of the wooers, whose outrage and violence
reacheth even to the iron heaven! Not such as thou are
their servants; they that minister to them are young and
gaily clad in mantles and in doublets, and their heads are
anointed with oil and they are fair of face, and the
polished boards are laden with bread and flesh and wine.
Nay, abide here, for none is vexed by thy presence, neither
I nor any of my fellows that are with me. But when the dear
son of Odysseus comes, he himself will give thee a mantle
and a doublet for raiment, and will send thee whithersoever
thy heart and spirit bid thee go.'

Then the steadfast goodly Odysseus answered him: 'Oh, that
thou mayst so surely be dear to father Zeus as thou art to
me, in that thou didst make me to cease from wandering and
dread woe! For there is no other thing more mischievous to
men than roaming; yet for their cursed belly's need men
endure sore distress, to whom come wandering and
tribulation and pain. But behold now, since thou stayest me
here, and biddest me wait his coming, tell me of the mother
of divine Odysseus, and of the father whom at his departure
he left behind him on the threshold of old age; are they,
it may be, yet alive beneath the sunlight, or already dead
and within the house of Hades?'

Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: 'Yea now,
stranger, I will plainly tell thee all. Laertes yet lives,
and prays evermore to Zeus that his life may waste from out
his limbs within his halls. For he has wondrous sorrow for
his son that is far away, and for the wedded lady his wise
wife, whose death afflicted him in chief and brought him to
old age before his day. Now she died of very grief for her
son renowned, by an evil death, so may no man perish who
dwells here and is a friend to me in word and deed! So long
as she was on earth, though in much sorrow, I was glad to
ask and enquire concerning her, for that she herself had
reared me along with long-robed Ctimene, her noble
daughter, the youngest of her children. With her I was
reared, and she honoured me little less than her own. But
when we both came to the time of our desire, to the flower
of age, thereupon they sent her to Same, and got a great
bride-price; but my lady clad me in a mantle and a doublet,
raiment very fair, and gave me sandals for my feet and sent
me forth to the field, and right dear at heart she held me.
But of these things now at last am I lacking; yet the
blessed gods prosper the work of mine own hands, whereat I
abide. Of this my substance I have eaten and drunken and
given to reverend strangers. But from my lady I may hear
naught pleasant, neither word nor deed, for evil hath
fallen on her house, a plague of froward men; yet thralls
have a great desire to speak before their mistress and find
out all eat and drink, and moreover to carry off somewhat
with them to the field, such things as ever comfort the
heart of a thrall.'

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying: "Ah,
Eumaeus, how far then didst thou wander from thine own
country and thy parents while as yet thou wast but a child!
But come, declare me this and plainly tell it all. Was a
wide-wayed town of men taken and sacked, wherein dwelt thy
father and thy lady mother, or did unfriendly men find thee
lonely, tending sheep or cattle, and shipped thee thence,
and sold thee into the house of thy master here, who paid
for thee a goodly price?'

Then spake to him the swineherd, a master of men: Stranger,
since thou askest and questionest me hereof, give heed now
in silence and make merry, and abide here drinking wine.
Lo, the nights now are of length untold. Time is there to
sleep, and time to listen and be glad; thou needest not
turn to bed before the hour; even too much sleep is
vexation of spirit. But for the rest, let him whose heart
and mind bid him, go forth and slumber, and at the dawning
of the day let him break his fast, and follow our master's
swine. But let us twain drink and feast within the
steading, and each in his neighbour's sorrows take delight,
recalling them, for even the memory of griefs is a joy to a
man who hath been sore tried and wandered far. Wherefore I
will tell thee that whereof thou askest and dost question
me.

'There is a certain isle called Syria, if haply thou hast
heard tell of it, over above Ortygia, and there are the