The Odyssey Melanthius Quotes

"Look!" he sneered, "one scum nosing another scum along,
dirt finds dirt by the will of the gods, it never fails!
Wretched pig-boy, where do you take your filthy swine,
this sickening beggar who licks the pots at feasts?
Hanging round the doorposts, rubbing his back,
scavenging after scraps,
no hero’s swords and cauldrons, not for him.
Hand him over to me – I’ll teach him to work a farm,
muck out my stalls, pitch feed to the young goats,
whey to drink will put some muscle on his hams!
Oh no, he’s learned his lazy ways too well,
he’s got no itch to stick to good hard work,
he’d rather go scrounging round the countryside,
begging for crusts to stuff his greedy gut!
Let me tell you – so help me it’s the truth –
if he sets foot in King Odysseus’ royal palace,
salvos of footstools flung at his head by all the lords
will crack his ribs as he runs the line of fire through the house!"

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 17, lines 236-253. As Odysseus-the-beggar and Eumaeus walk into town, Odysseus’ disloyal goatherd Melanthius, who serves and cooks for the suitors, hurls insults at them. Melanthius is the antithesus of loyal swineherd Eumaeus. He berates Eumaeus for keeping company with a sickening beggar who licks pots at feasts and scavenges after scraps. No hero’s sword or cauldron for this man, he says with heavy irony. Melanthius doesn’t realize that he is speaking of the famous warrior Odysseus who has received many gifts and carried a hero’s sword. It is Melanthius, a man of little means and servant, who will never receive a sword or cauldron. There is also irony in the goatherd accusing Odysseus-the-beggar of having a "greedy gut." For the ones most guilty of greed are those that Melanthius serves – the suitors!

Odysseus was torn…
should he wheel with his staff and beat the scoundrel senseless? –
or hoist him by the midriff, split his skull on the rocks?
He steeled himself instead, his mind in full control.

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 17, lines 257-260. A furious Odysseus, disguised as a beggar and pretending not to be a king, wonders if should retaliate and split goatherd Melanthius’ skull over his taunts. When confronted by such disrespect, Odysseus’ instinct for vengeance kicks in. However, though his pride is wounded, he decides that self-restraint is the best course and doesn’t react to the goatherd’s provocations. Cunning Odysseus wants to maintain his disguise and keep his true identity from people.

"O nymphs of the fountain, daughters of Zeus –
if Odysseus ever burned you the long thighs
of lambs or kids, covered with rich fat,
now bring my prayer to pass!
Let that man come back – some god guide him now!
He’d toss to the winds the flashy show you make,
Melanthius, so cocksure – always strutting round the town
while worthless fieldhands leave your flocks a shambles!"

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 17, lines 263-270. In a prayer for divine help, Eumaeus appeals to the fountain nymphs for Odysseus to return. He says that Odysseus would throw to the winds the cocksure Melanthius. The goatherd has been insulting Odysseus-the-beggar and also kicks him as he walks. This passage contains dramatic irony, because Eumaeus doesn’t know that the beggar he is with is Odysseus.

"My fault, father," the cool clear prince replied,
"the blame’s all mine. That snug door to the vault,
I left it ajar – they’ve kept a better watch than I.
Go, Eumaeus, shut the door to the storeroom,
check and see if it’s one of the women’s tricks
or Dolius’ son Melanthius. He’s our man, I’d say."

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 22, lines 162-164. In the battle with the suitors, Telemachus admits to forgetting to lock the door to Odysseus’ storeroom of weapons. With the help of the goatherd Melanthius the suitors were able get a hold of weapons as a result. Telemachus displays maturity and a sense of honor when he owns up to his mistake.

"You two wrench Melanthius’ arms and legs behind him,
fling him down in the storeroom – lash his back to a plank
and strap a twisted cable fast to the scoundrel’s body,
hoist him up a column until he hits the rafters
let him dangle in agony, still alive,
for a good long time!"

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 22, lines 181-186. Some of the worst punishment is reserved for Odysseus’ disloyal goatherd Melanthius, when he returns to the storeroom for more weapons. Odysseus orders Philoetius and Eumaeus to string Melanthius up painfully by the rafters – the pair later take him outside and gruesomely torture and kill him.
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