Odyssey: A Daily Odyssey through Homer’s The Odyssey
Aug 19, 2026 · 21 min · 7 segments
Even the mightiest hero leaves only a shadow behind. And at last, the dead grow too many to face. In *The Odyssey*, Book 11, Odysseus beholds the phantom of Heracles — fearsome even in death…
Landon SolanoHost
And after him I descried the mighty Heracles, his phantom, I say; but as for myself, he hath joy at the banquet among the deathless gods, and hath wife Thebe, of the fair ankles, child of great Zeus, and of Hera of the golden sandals.
And all about him there was a clamour of the dead, as it were fowls flying every way in fear; and he like black night, with bow encased and shaft upon the string, fiercely glancing around, like one in the act to shoot.
And about his breast was an awful belt, a baldric of gold, whereon wondrous things were wrought, bears and wild boars and lions with flashing eyes, and strife and battles and slaughters and murders of men.
Nay, now that he hath fashioned this, never another may he fashion, whoso stored in his craft the device of that belt.
And anon he knew me when his eyes beheld me, and making lament he spake unto me winged words: "Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, ah, wretched one, dost thou too lead such a life of evil doom, as I endured beneath the rays of the sun? I was the son of Zeus Cronion, yet I had trouble beyond measure, for I was subdued unto a man far worse than I, and he enjoyed on me hard adventures.
Yea, and on a time he sent me hither to bring back the Hound of Hell, for he devised no harder task for me than this.
I lifted the hound and brought him forth from out of the house of Hades, and Hermes sped me on my way and the gray-eyed Athena.
Therewith he departed again into the house of Hades, but I abode there still, if perchance some one of the hero-folk beside might come, who died in old time.
But ere that might be the myriad tribes of the dead thronged up together with wondrous clamour, and the pale fear gat hold of me, lest the high goddess Persephone should send me the head of the Gorgon, that dread monster, from out of Hades.
Straightway then I went to the ship, and bade my men mount the vessel and loose the hawsers.
So speedily they went on board and sat upon the benches, and the wave of the flood bore the bark down on the stream of Oceanus, we rowing first, and afterwards the fair wind was our convoy." Well, thus concludes our little vacation in the underworld, the house of Hades.
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And after him I descried the mighty Heracles, his phantom, I say; but as for myself, he hath joy at the banquet among the deathless gods, and hath wife Thebe, of the fair ankles, child of great Zeus, and of Hera of the golden sandals.
And all about him there was a clamour of the dead, as it were fowls flying every way in fear; and he like black night, with bow encased and shaft upon the string, fiercely glancing around, like one in the act to shoot.
And about his breast was an awful belt, a baldric of gold, whereon wondrous things were wrought, bears and wild boars and lions with flashing eyes, and strife and battles and slaughters and murders of men.
Nay, now that he hath fashioned this, never another may he fashion, whoso stored in his craft the device of that belt.
And anon he knew me when his eyes beheld me, and making lament he spake unto me winged words: "Son of Laertes, of the seed of Zeus, Odysseus of many devices, ah, wretched one, dost thou too lead such a life of evil doom, as I endured beneath the rays of the sun? I was the son of Zeus Cronion, yet I had trouble beyond measure, for I was subdued unto a man far worse than I, and he enjoyed on me hard adventures.
Yea, and on a time he sent me hither to bring back the Hound of Hell, for he devised no harder task for me than this.
I lifted the hound and brought him forth from out of the house of Hades, and Hermes sped me on my way and the gray-eyed Athena.
Therewith he departed again into the house of Hades, but I abode there still, if perchance some one of the hero-folk beside might come, who died in old time.
But ere that might be the myriad tribes of the dead thronged up together with wondrous clamour, and the pale fear gat hold of me, lest the high goddess Persephone should send me the head of the Gorgon, that dread monster, from out of Hades.
Straightway then I went to the ship, and bade my men mount the vessel and loose the hawsers.
So speedily they went on board and sat upon the benches, and the wave of the flood bore the bark down on the stream of Oceanus, we rowing first, and afterwards the fair wind was our convoy." Well, thus concludes our little vacation in the underworld, the house of Hades.
