



Produced by Ron Swanson





[Frontispiece: ODYSSEUS AS A YOUTH AT HOME WITH HIS MOTHER]




ODYSSEUS
THE HERO OF ITHACA

ADAPTED FROM THE THIRD BOOK OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOLS OF ATHENS, GREECE


BY

MARY E. BURT

_Author of "Literary Landmarks," "Stories from Plato," "Story of the
German Iliad," "The Child-Life Reading Study"; Editor of "Little
Nature Studies"; Teacher in the John A. Browning School, New York
City_

AND

ZENAIDE A. RAGOZIN

_Author of "The Story of Chaldea," "The Story of Assyria," "The Story
of Media, Babylon, and Persia," "The Story of Vedic India"; Member
of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, of the
American Oriental Society, of the Societe Ethnologique of Paris,
etc._




CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS
NEW YORK   CHICAGO   BOSTON




COPYRIGHT, 1898, BY
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

Printed in the United States of America




                         To
                    THE TEACHER
       WHOSE INTEGRITY AND PEDAGOGICAL SPIRIT
    HAVE CREATED A SCHOOL WHEREIN THE IDEAL MAY
             PROVE ITSELF THE PRACTICAL
                         AND
             THOSE ENTHUSIASTIC PUPILS
    WHO LOVE THE LOYALTY AND BRAVERY OF ODYSSEUS
              THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED




CONTENTS

                                                                 PAGE
INTRODUCTION.......................... xiii


PART I
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LIFE OF THE HERO, ODYSSEUS

CHAPTER                                                          PAGE
      I. About Troy and the Journey of Paris to Greece.....    3

     II. The Flight of Helen..................    6

    III. The Greeks Sail for Troy ...............   10

     IV. The Fall of Troy ...................   13


PART II
THE RETURN OF ODYSSEUS TO HIS OWN COUNTRY

CHAPTER                                                          PAGE
      V. Odysseus on the Island of Calypso...........   21

     VI. Odysseus Constructs a Raft and Leaves the Island ...   25

    VII. Odysseus is Saved on the Island of Scheria ......   29

   VIII. Nausicaa is Sent to the River by Athena........   31

     IX. Odysseus Arrives at the Palace of Alkinoos ......   38

      X. Odysseus in the Halls of Alkinoos...........   42

     XI. The Banquet in Honor of Odysseus ...........   47

    XII. Odysseus Relates His Adventures............   54

   XIII. The Lotus-Eaters and the Cyclops ...........   57

    XIV. The Cave of the Cyclops................   60

     XV. The Blinding of the Cyclops..............   64

    XVI. Odysseus and His Companions Leave the Land of the
           Cyclops.......................   67

   XVII. The Adventures of Odysseus on the Island of AEolus ..   72

  XVIII. Odysseus at the Home of Circe.............   75

    XIX. Circe Instructs Odysseus Concerning His Descent to
           Hades........................   78

     XX. The Adventures of Odysseus in Hades..........   84

    XXI. Odysseus Converses with His Mother and Agamemnon ...   87

   XXII. Conversation with Achilles and Other Heroes......   90

  XXIII. The Return of Odysseus to the Island of Circe.....   94

   XXIV. Odysseus Meets the Sirens, Skylla, and Charybdis ...   98

    XXV. Odysseus on the Island of Helios ...........  101

   XXVI. The Departure of Odysseus from the Island of Scheria .  105

  XXVII. Odysseus Arrives at Ithaca ..............  108

 XXVIII. Odysseus Seeks the Swineherd .............  113


PART III
THE TRIUMPH OF ODYSSEUS

CHAPTER                                                          PAGE
   XXIX. Athena Advises Telemachos...............  123

    XXX. Telemachos Astonishes the Wooers ...........  128

   XXXI. Penelope's Web ....................  130

  XXXII. The Journey of Telemachos...............  135

 XXXIII. Telemachos in Pylos..................  138

  XXXIV. Telemachos in Sparta .................  141

   XXXV. Menelaos Relates His Adventures............  147

  XXXVI. The Conspiracy of the Suitors.............  151

 XXXVII. Telemachos Returns to Ithaca .............  155

XXXVIII. Telemachos and the Swineherd .............  158

  XXXIX. Telemachos Recognizes Odysseus ............  161

     XL. Telemachos Returns to the Palace ...........  165

    XLI. Odysseus is Recognized by His Dog...........  169

   XLII. Odysseus Comes, a Beggar, to His Own House ......  172

  XLIII. Conversation of Odysseus and Penelope.........  176

   XLIV. Eurycleia Recognizes Odysseus.............  180

    XLV. Penelope's Dream ...................  183

   XLVI. Athena Encourages Odysseus ..............  185

  XLVII. The Last Banquet of the Suitors............  188

 XLVIII. Odysseus Bends the Bow ................  194

   XLIX. Death of the Suitors .................  201

      L. Eurycleia Announces the Return of Odysseus to Penelope   203

     LI. Odysseus Visits His Father ..............  209

         Vocabulary and Notes .................  215




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS


ODYSSEUS AS A YOUTH AT HOME WITH HIS MOTHER ...... Frontispiece

                                                          FACING PAGE
THE SILVER-FOOTED THETIS RISING FROM THE WAVES.........   10

ODYSSEUS AND MENELAOS PERSUADING AGAMEMNON TO SACRIFICE
           IPHIGENEIA .....................   12

ALPHEUS AND ARETHUSA......................  113

THE SWINEHERD TELLING HIS STORY TO ODYSSEUS ..........  119

ODYSSEUS FEIGNS MADNESS ....................  146




INTRODUCTION


It has long been the opinion of many of the more progressive teachers
of the United States that, next to Herakles, Odysseus is the hero
closest to child-life, and that the stories from the "Odyssey" are
the most suitable for reading-lessons. These conclusions have been
reached through independent experiments not related to educational
work in foreign countries.

While sojourning in Athens I had the pleasure of visiting the best
schools, both public and private, and found the reading especially
spirited. I examined the books in use and found the regular
reading-books to consist of the classic tales of the country, the
stories of Herakles, Theseus, Perseus, and so forth, in the reader
succeeding the primer, and the stories of Odysseus, or Ulysses, as
we commonly call him, following as a third book, answering to our
second or third reader. This book I brought home with me and had a
careful, literal translation made. I submitted this translation to
that notable scholar, Zenaide A. Ragozin, with whom I faithfully
traversed the ground, word by word and sentence by sentence. This
version I have carefully compared with Bryant and rewritten, making
the language as simple as could be consistent with the dignity of
the subject-matter.

The introduction to the original book as I found it in Greece contains
many interesting points, since it shows that educators in foreign
countries, notably in Germany, had come to the same conclusion with
our best American teachers. The editor of the little Greek
reading-book says:

"In editing this work we have made use not only of Homer's 'Odyssey,'
_but also of that excellent reader which is used in the public schools
of Germany_, Willman's 'Lesebuch aus Homer.' We have divided the
little volume into three parts, the first of which gives a short
_resume_ of the war against Troy and the destruction of that city,
the second the wanderings of Odysseus till his arrival in Ithaca,
the third his arrival and the killing of the wooers. We have no apology
to make in presenting this book to the public as a school-book, since
many people superior to us have shown the need of such books in
school-work. The new public schools, as is well known, have a mission
of the highest importance. They do not aim, as formerly, at absolute
knowledge pounded into the heads of children in a mechanical way.
Their aim is the mental and ethical development of the pupils. Reading
and writing lead but half way to this goal. With all nations the
readers used in the public schools are a collection of the noblest
thoughts of their authors."

The Greek editor had never read the inane rat and cat stories of
American school "readers" when he wrote that. He continues:

"Happily the Greek nation, more than any other, abounds in literary
masterpieces. Nearly all of the Greek writings contain an abundance
of practical wisdom and virtue. Their worth is so great that even
the most advanced European nations do not hesitate to introduce them
into their schools. The Germans do this, although their habits and
customs are so different from ours. They especially admire Homer's
works. These books, above all others, afford pleasure to the young,
and the reason for it is clearly set forth by the eminent educator
Herbart:

"'The little boy is grieved when told that he is little. Nor does
he enjoy the stories of little children. This is because his
imagination reaches out and beyond his environments. I find the
stories from Homer to be more suitable reading for young children
than the mass of juvenile books, because they contain grand truths.'

"Therefore these stories are held in as high esteem by the German
children as by the Greek. In no other works do children find the grand
and noble traits in human life so faithfully and charmingly depicted
as in Homer. Here all the domestic, civic, and religious virtues of
the people are marvellously brought to light and the national feeling
is exalted. The Homeric poetry, and especially the 'Odyssey,' is
adapted to very young children, not only because it satisfies so well
the needs which lead to mental development, but also for another
reason. As with the people of olden times bravery was considered the
greatest virtue, so with boys of this age and all ages. No other
ethical idea has such predominance as that of prowess. Strength of
body and a firm will characterize those whom boys choose as their
leaders. Hence the pleasure they derive from the accounts of
celebrated heroes of yore whose bravery, courage, and prudence they
admire."

The editor further extols the advantages arising from the study of
Homer, it making the youthful students acquainted with the earliest
periods of Greek history, the manners and customs of the people, and
he ends by quoting from Herbart:

"Boys must first get acquainted with the noisy market-place of Ithaca
and then be led to the Athens of Miltiades and Themistokles."

With equal truth the American can say that the child whose patriotism
is kindled by the Homeric fire will the more gladly respond to the
ideals set forth in the history of a Columbus or a Washington.

MARY E. BURT.




PART I
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE LIFE OF THE HERO, ODYSSEUS




CHAPTER I
ABOUT TROY AND THE JOURNEY OF PARIS TO GREECE


On the northern shore of Asia Minor there lies a plateau watered by
many small rivers and surrounded on all sides by mountains, only on
the north it <DW72>s gently to the sea. On this plateau, between the
Simois and Scamandros rivers, in the oldest times there stood a very
rich and powerful city, whose name was Troy. It was the capital of
a large and fertile district, known as the Troad.

There, about 1200 B.C., reigned a king by the name of Priam, possessed
of great power and boundless wealth. He had many sons and daughters.
It was said, indeed, that he had fifty sons who were all married and
living in their own homes, which they had built by the king's wish
around the royal palace.

They were all handsome and heroic young men. One of the youngest,
Paris, also named Alexandros, surpassed the others in beauty. He was
a restless youth and not fond of his home, as were the others. He
had set his heart on travelling and seeing strange countries and
cities. King Priam was extremely fond of his large family, and took
pride in having all his children about him, so that at first he was
greatly opposed to the wishes of Paris.

But the youth was so persistent and unhappy that the king at last
consented to let him go. Without delay, Paris called together a few
friends with tastes as adventurous as his own. They embarked in a
new ship well provided with all that travellers need, and set sail
for the famous land on the shores of the AEgean Sea, of which they
had heard so many wonderful things, and which was called Hellas.

Nearly in the middle of the plain which forms the southern part of
Hellas was the city of Sparta. It was on the river Eurotas, and was
the capital of a large district called Lacedaemon, and it was to this
city that Paris came.

Now, there was a mysterious reason for this strange desire of
Paris--his passionate longing to travel. In his early youth, while
he was still minding his herds on the rich pastures of Mount Ida,
he received a visit from the three greatest goddesses of Olympos.

Hera, the queen of Heaven and consort of Zeus--Athena, the goddess
of wisdom, and Zeus's favorite daughter--and Aphrodite, the goddess
of love and beauty, had a dispute among themselves.

Each thought herself the most beautiful of the three, and they would
have come to high words about it had not Athena proposed that they
should ask the handsomest man in the world to settle the question.
This happened to be the young royal shepherd, Paris. So the three
goddesses floated down to the <DW72> of Mount Ida on a snowy cloud
and placed the question before him, each promising to reward him
royally if he gave his verdict in her favor.

Paris, as might have been expected, decided in favor of Aphrodite,
who had promised him that the fairest woman living in the whole world
should be his wife. This promise had to be kept, being given by a
goddess, but it was the source of endless misfortune, for Paris had
a young and lovely wife who was tenderly attached to him, while the
fairest of living