330 THE MYTHS OF CREATION: THE GODS
But I remained steadfast where I was until my mother came up and drank
the dark blood. Immediately then she knew me and in her sorrow spoke winged
words: "My son, how have you come, while still alive, below to this gloomy
realm which is difficult for the living to behold? For great rivers and terrible wa-
ters lie between, first Oceanus which, if one does not have a sturdy ship, he can-
not in any way cross on foot."Anticlea and Odysseus continue their conversation, questioning each other.
Finally she reveals to her son that it was heartache and longing for him that
brought her life to an end. At this Odysseus cannot restrain himself (204-234):¥
Troubled in spirit I wished to embrace the soul of my dead mother; three times
I made the attempt, as desire compelled me, three times she slipped through my
hands like a shadow or a dream. Sharp pain welled up from the depths of my
heart, and speaking I addressed her with winged words: "O my mother, why
do you not stay for me so eager to embrace you, so that we both may throw our
arms about each other, even in Hades' realm, and take comfort in chill lamen-
tation? Or has august Persephone conjured up this phantom for me so that I
may groan still more in my grief?"
Thus I spoke, and she, my lady mother, answered at once: "O my poor child,
ill-fated beyond all men; Persephone, daughter of Zeus, does not trick you at
all; but this is the doom of mortals when they die, for no longer do sinews hold
bones and flesh together, but the mighty power of blazing fire consumes all, as
soon as the life breath leaves our white bones and the soul like a dream flutters
and flies away. But as quickly as possible make your way back to the light, but
understand all these things so that you may in the future tell them to your wife."
Thus we two exchanged words; then women came up (for august Persephone
compelled them), all of whom were the wives or daughters of noble men. And
they gathered all together about the dark blood. But I deliberated how I might
speak to each one individually, and upon reflection this seemed to me the best
plan. I drew my sharp sword from my sturdy side and did not allow them to
drink the dark blood all at the same time. And they came up one by one and
each explained her lineage and I questioned them all.The parade of beautiful women that follows is packed with mythological
and genealogical information that has little meaning for us in this context. At
the end, Persephone drives away the souls of these illustrious ladies. A lengthy
interview follows between Odysseus and Agamemnon, who tells bitterly of his
murder at the hands of his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus, and re-
mains suspicious and hostile toward all women. Then the souls of Achilles and
Patroclus and the greater Ajax appear. The soul of Achilles addresses Odysseus
next (Patroclus does not speak). We must excerpt two portions of their conver-
sation to establish more completely the tone and humanity of Homer's concep-
tion. The first reveals Achilles' despair (473-491):¥
"Royal son of Laertes, clever and indomitable Odysseus, what still greater ex-
ploit have you ingeniously devised? How have you dared to come down to