Then the women came, sent by Persephone — wives and daughters of great men. I would not let them drink all at once. They approached in turn. I saw Tyro, who loved Enipeus the river and whom Poseidon took in his likeness among the swirling waters; she bore Pelias and Neleus. I saw Antiope, who bore Amphion and Zethus to Zeus; they founded Thebes of the seven gates.
“That was how she herself had died. Not by Artemis’s gentle arrows, nor by long disease, but by longing for me. That longing had robbed her of honey-sweet life. Three times I sprang to hold her; three times she slipped through my arms like a shadow or a dream.”
I saw Alcmene, Amphitryon’s wife, who bore Heracles to Zeus; and Megara, daughter of Creon, whom that same Heracles son of Amphitryon married. I saw Epicaste, mother of Oedipus, who in ignorance did a monstrous thing and married her own son after he killed his father. The gods made it known among men, and she hanged herself, leaving him the pains the Avengers of a mother bring.
I saw Chloris, youngest daughter of Amphion, whom Neleus married for her beauty. She bore Nestor and Chromius and Periclymenus, and noble Pero, for whom all the neighboring men paid court. I saw Leda, who bore Castor the horse-tamer and Polydeuces the boxer. Both live though the grain-giving earth holds them. Zeus granted them honor even under the earth, living and dead on alternate days.
“I saw Tyro, who bore Pelias and Neleus to Poseidon. Antiope, who bore Amphion and Zethus to Zeus. Alcmene, who bore Heracles. Epicaste, mother of Oedipus, who in ignorance married her own son. Leda, who bore Castor and Polydeuces. And hateful Eriphyle, who sold her husband for gold.”
I saw Iphimedeia, who said she lay with Poseidon and bore Otus and Ephialtes, the tallest men the grain-land ever reared after Orion. Nine fathoms tall at nine years, and nine cubits broad. Who threatened war on the Olympians and would have piled Ossa on Olympus and Pelion on Ossa to climb heaven, if they had reached full manhood. Apollo killed them first. I saw Phaedra and Procris and fair Ariadne, whom Theseus once meant to bring to Athens; Artemis shot her on Dia at Dionysus’s word. I saw Maera and Clymene and hateful Eriphyle, who sold her own husband for gold.
I could not name every wife and daughter I saw; the night would end first. But that was the time when I stopped and the Phaeacians sat rapt and silent in the shadowy hall. Arete said the stranger was handsome and clever, and her guest, but they all shared the duty of gifts. Old Echeneus agreed the queen had spoken well; Alcinous must decide. The king swore the guest would have full escort and more gifts at dawn. Odysseus said he would gladly stay a year if it meant richer cargo for his return — more honor and a warmer welcome in Ithaca. Alcinous pressed him to go on with the tale of his dead friends, and whether he saw any of the comrades who fell at Troy.