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Book 18

THE FIGHT WITH IRUS—ULYSSES WARNS AMPHINOMUS—PENELOPE GETS PRESENTS FROM THE SUITORS—THE BRAZIERS—ULYSSES REBUKES EURYMACHUS.

41 passages49 observations · 12 observed placesSHA f9689ced7ae5

Passage 1

Lines 45

Canonical text · read-only

Source text

Now there came a certain common tramp who used to go begging all over the city of Ithaca, and was notorious as an incorrigible glutton and drunkard. This man had no strength nor stay in him, but he was a great hulking fellow to look at; his real name, the one his mother gave him, was Arnaeus, but the young men of the place called him Irus, {148} because he used to run errands for any one who would send him. As soon as he came he began to insult Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house.

Claims for this passage

3
Arnaeus·Character·Direct

Arnaeus is a hulking but weak common tramp, notorious for gluttony and drunkenness, nicknamed Irus for running errands, and he tries to drive Ulysses away.

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a certain common tramp who used to go begging all over the city of Ithaca, and was notorious as an incorrigible glutton and drunkard. This man had no strength nor stay in him, but he was a great hulking fellow to look at; his real name, the one his mother gave him, was Arnaeus, but the young men of the place called him Irus, {148} because he used to run errands for any one who would send him. As soon as he came he began to insult Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house
mother of Arnaeus·Character·Direct

Arnaeus bears the real name given to him by his mother.

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his real name, the one his mother gave him,
Ulysses·Character·Disguised

Ulysses, in his beggar disguise, is insulted by Irus and challenged for his place in the house.

See evidence text
As soon as he came he began to insult Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house

Published summary

Arnaeus, a hulking but weak Ithacan tramp nicknamed Irus because he runs errands, arrives, insults Ulysses, and tries to drive him from his own house.

Passage preview

Book 18 · Passage 1

Now there came a certain common tramp who used to go begging all over the city of Ithaca, and was notorious as an incorrigible glutton and drunkard. This man had no strength nor stay in him, but he was a great hulking fellow to look at; his real name, the one his mother gave him, was Arnaeus, but the young men of the place called him Irus, {148} because he used to run errands for any one who would send him. As soon as he came he began to insult Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house.