The slaughter of the suitors (Book XXII)

 

After getting rid of his rags, the beggar-Odysseus (Ulysses) fired an arrow into the throat of Antinoos who died immediately. Then he revealed his identity to the suitors green with terror.

Then Eurymachos accused Antinoos of being solely responsible for the Achaeans’ crimes. He did not seek marriage but wanted only to rule Ithaca after killing Telemachus. He offered to compensate Odysseus (Ulysses) largely in exchange for their lives, but the latter left them only the choice to perish with arms in their hands. Eurymachos then wanted to organize the defence, but an arrow of the hero punctured his liver and he gave up his soul.

Telemachus killed Amphinomos and went to the treasure room to fetch helmets, spikes and shields for himself, his father, the swineherd Eumaeus and for the cattleman Philotios.

Meanwhile, Odysseus (Ulysses) shot the suitors until his arrows were exhausted. Then he put on his armour and seized two spikes.

Melantheus went to the treasure room and returned loaded with twelve helmets, twelve shields and twelve spears, which he distributed to the suitors. When he saw them armed, Odysseus (Ulysses) failed. Telemachus accused himself of having not properly locked the door of the treasure room. Both suspected that Melantheus, the master goatherd, had taken the arms. As the latter returned to the treasury again, Odysseus (Ulysses) sent the two servants with orders to tie him up and hang him from the ceiling so that he would endure much suffering before he died, which was done.

Athena introduced herself to Odysseus (Ulysses) under the appearance of Mentor, son of Alcinous, but the hero recognized the goddess. The suitor Agelaos, son of Damastor, tried to discourage Mentor. Then Athena-Mentor vilified Odysseus (Ulysses) to stimulate him into battle. But the goddess left the battle undecided because she wanted Odysseus (Ulysses) and his son to prove their strength and courage. She turned into a swallow and came to land on a high beam.

Agelaos urged the most valiant of the surviving suitors to fight: Eurynomos, Amphimedon, Demoptolemus, Pisander of the race of Polyctor and the wise Polybus.

Six of them threw their javelins, but Athena deflected them.

In turn, the four heroes threw their javelins: that of Odysseus (Ulysses) reached Demoptolemus, that of Telemachus Euryades, that of Eumaeus Elatos and that of Philotios Pisander. Then all four went to remove the weapons from the corpses.

The suitors threw other javelins, but Athena turned them away from their target, so that Telemachus was barely scratched on the hand by the one of Amphimedon and Eumaeus on the shoulder by the one of Ctesippus.

Odysseus (Ulysses) killed Eurydamas, Telemachus shot Amphimedon, the swineherd Eumaeus killed Polybus, and the cattleman Philotios killed Ctesippus, son of Polytherses.

Then Odysseus (Ulysses) killed Agelaos, son of Damastor. Telemachus killed Leocritus, son of Evenor.

Then Athena, on the ceiling, spread her aegis, sowing panic among the surviving suitors which the heroes massacred.

Liodes the haruspex begged for the mercy of Odysseus (Ulysses), but he killed him with Agelaos’ sword which fell to the ground.

The bard Phemius, son of Terpes, also pleaded for his life, arguing that he had sung for the suitors under duress. Telemachus supported him and asked his father to spare also the herald Medon who always had taken care of him during his childhood. The herald, who had hidden under an armchair, heard him and came to Telemachus’ knees to implore him to intercede on his behalf with Odysseus (Ulysses). The latter spared them both, but asked them to leave the room. They were the only survivors of the massacre.

Odysseus (Ulysses) then sent his son to look for the nanny Euryclia. When she saw the suitors dead, she wanted to shout her joy, but Odysseus (Ulysses) held her back, asking her to respect the dead. He asked her to tell which maids betrayed him. Euryclia mentioned twelve of the fifty she had trained in domestic work. Odysseus (Ulysses) asked her to make these twelve felons available to his son, Eumaeus, and the cattleman to clean the room, and ordered to kill them once the work was finished. Telemachus refused them a dignified death and they were horribly hanged.

Then Melantheus was taken off the ceiling. His nose, ears, sex, hands and feet were cut off, leaving him dying.

Thus, the work was accomplished.

Odysseus (Ulysses) purified the whole house and the court by burning brimstone and then sent Euryclia to look for Penelope and the women who remained faithful to him. The latter went down first. They surrounded Odysseus (Ulysses), whom they covered with kisses, and the hero recognized them all.

First of all, it is the realization of transparency, which bridges the gap between mind and matter, that puts an end to the two main obstacles.

“Wisdom” was the first realisation given up, struck by surprise and at the symbolic spot of expression (Antinoos was mortally shot in the neck while drinking his wine).

The seeker understands how the realisations of the ancient yoga were opposed to the goal only when transparency was completed (the suitors pale in terror when they understood who was the stranger).

In him, the “great warrior” whom we have identified with “holiness” blames mental “wisdom” that ruled yoga for the error of orient