Original subtitles

Let's go, from left to right, starting from you, Leod.

[Narrator: Leod, to him the deeds of the pretenders..]

[..were abominate, even if he was with them. Leod loved Penelope..]

[..and he hoped all the time, that Penelope, if Odysseus..]

[..didnn't return, she would go with him and born him sons.]

Veil!

[But now, testing the bow, he realised that his arms were weak..]

[..and his hands were soft and tender.]

[From that moment, he should go for another Achean woman.]

[He understood that Penelope isn't his anymore, and he didn't know that..]

[..Odysseus will soon cut off his head.]

This bow will break the heart of many young men.

It's better to die, when you fail your life's purpose!

It's better to die!

Don't say that noone will fail only because you failed.

Obviously, your mother didn't raise you for archer.

But the other pretender will string it.

Now you.

If you help me now to commit justice, you'll live by my side as my own sons.

Tell the servants to remain in their quarters, no matter they hear

and then Eumeus and you block the entrance into the court room so no one escapes.

Go on!

[Narrator: They were full of hope, but they failed to string the bow.]

[They can not. The goddess Athena made him solid.]

Eurimachus's turn has come.

He wants to try,too and his heart moans a lot.

..He don't know that the bow was spelled.

You lost your hope for the wedding gift, Eurimachus.

I lost, but let's see what you'll do.

Friends! Tomorrow is a holiday in the glory of Apollo, the archer!

Lets postpone the competition!

He'll give us the needed strength.

You've all tried, noble lords, now let me try.

God will tomorrow give victory to whom he wants, but in the mean time..

..allow me to test what remains from my previous strength.

What has fallen on your mind? Are you getting mad, or what?

You are mad, old man.

You'll never succeed but even you do, take care, don't expect to leave Ithaca alive!

Why do you threat him, Antino�s?

What are you afraid of? That the stranger will win and take me away?

- That's impossible Penelope! - So why shouldn't he try?

Why? You ask why!?

Just think what people will say if a beggar wins this competition:

To succeed where the princes failed!

Eumeus, give the bow to our guest!

The lords may continue tomorrow. Till tomorrow, I still command in this house.

*Femius:* On the flame he warms it, one side than another..

..he touches it, looked if worms have attack the horns.

Truly, he is an expert or maker of bows in his country.

I tell you, young princes, who despise him:

If I just have such luck..

he would win the competition!

*the string was made from ox guts,

*It was stinged on the bow only prior to use because otherwise it would overstretch.

*Femius:*As we, the bards. strenghten the string of the lyre..

..so this man, easily strungs the giant bow..

..and it gives a sound who seems to be of a swallow.

He is mad!

Quickly!

You dogs!

You who never believed I'll ever return from Troy!

You who want to steal my wife and my kingdom, to kill my son..

..without any fear of wrath from the gods or the indignation of the people!

All it's come to an end for you because I'll kill you all as if you were dogs!

Telemachus!

And don't expect to spare anyone!

No one of you shall come out alive!

*Femius:* The moment of vengeance and horror had arrived.

Like scared calfs, they will try to find an escape from death.

But the fence is closed.. ..and I am scared too!

If you are really Odysseus who returned to Ithaca, then the things you say are fair

But listen to me. But the causer lies here killed by your own hand.

Antino�s personally prepared this wedding with another purpose!

He wanted to rule Ithaca, after he killed Telemachus.

Antino�s is now dead, and we shall repay you everything we wasted.

And what would you repay me Eurimachus?

..- Twenty cattles each, bronze, gold, all that you want, Odysseus. - Your life Eurimachus..

Your life is all what I want and the lives of all the others!

Get back, servants. You can't get out of here, Odysseus order!

Back servants! You betrayed this home with pretenders!

Shameless bitches, you want to escape the wrath of a king!

You can't save yourself!

Open the doors. Let us out! Open!

I'll exterminate you all!

Get out, get out all!

That's your last arrow Odysseus, stop!

Cry. There's no shelter, nor salvation to anyone..

..because Athena mercilessly sealed their hearts.

They are flying all around like birds scared by a cloud and then they fell on the ground

and hawks suddenly descended on them, and you see them terrified, expecting death.

Filetius, come quick!

C'mon dogs!

Zeus!

[Narrator: Like a bride weeping over a dying groom ..]

[..and loosing him with great sighs, till her heart melts down.]

[Odysseus stopped. The event is owerwhelming.]

Telemachus stop. It's enough.

[Now, here is Mentor, the friend of his father.]

So, Odysseus.You don't have the strength and courage you had when you fought for Helen under the walls of Troy.

That wasn't Mentor speaking sharply, but Athena.who took his appearance..

Now when you take back your home, what are you doing? Cry?

You got to do it Odysseus,you got to do it!

Yes, I must. Eumeus, Filoteus, get out. Let's finish them!

Quickly!

How many times heaven himself warned you..

..to obey loyalty and dignity of men.To respect their hope.

You understood that too late, how are payed the offences.

Blind and deaf you claim proudly

..that the misfortunes are given by the gods,

but there are due to them, to their unforgivable crimes.

The things we saw mustn't frighten us

..who's holding justice, knows that sometimes pity..

..and her clean eyes can be eclipsed by blood.

Now it was done what the gods decided to fulfill.

Open it! Euriclea,open it! You can open it again!

[Narrator: Odysseus looked around if there is anyone alive,..]

[..but they all lay down washed in blood, like fishes..]

[..which fisherman draws ashore, away from the blue sea..]

[..and they wish for the sea, laying aligned on the sand..]

[..till the sun slowly quenched their lives.]

No. Not him. Spare him!

I saw your wrath Odysseus. My song will tell it forever.

You can kill me now, but later you'll be sorry.

You will sing about what happened so everybody will know what's good and what's evil among them..

Go, you are free.

Telemachus, what I told you, that happened. We had to kill these young men, the most nobles of the island...

We didn't have another choice.

Everyone of these misfortunes have brothers and fathers whom we'll face, but not now...

We must get some time.

I'm too tired to face the anger of these families.

We got to do something. Telemachus, gather singers..

..let them believe in the city that there is still a party.

Here are unfaithful servants. They alone told us all.

Stop! Euriclea says that only those were faithful to the pretenders

..but we'll give example to others!

On your knees. Odysseus, do you want them dead? -Not yet!

Let them first clean the room and carry away the corpses.

Filetius, clean the room with sulphur. *ceremonial cleaning*

Go to Penelope and tell her what happened. Wait!

Fire. First bring fire.

Penelope, your husband has returned. Odysseus has returned!

Don't you hear me Penelope? I told you that your husband is here!

Ulisse is back!

Am I changed?

I got to prepare.

Help me!

Don't be afraid. C'mon girls, your fidelity shall be rewarded.

Hear these sounds? I still see light in the court.

That's wedding song. Maybe the queen chose her husband.

She couldn't wait any longer for Odysseus' return.

Last night I recognized him, but he stopped my mouth.

If I spoke, he would have probably killed me.

Real man! Know to hide whats on his mind:

..wise and dangerous, he trusts no one.

*Chorus*: Like someone awakening from a nightmare..

..in a clear morning, and then he forgets everything.

Go!

You are saved! You are saved, my son!

Mother, why you don't throw him in your arms?

- To that stranger? - Why are you saying like that mother?

I don't know this man. My son, yesterday he was different man,..

..a beggar,and one moment I thought I recognized Odysseus.

But he told me: I'm Eton from Crete.

I saw in front of me a man I was waiting for twenty years.

He lied to me, like he didn't trust me, like I could have betrayed him.

Me, who I am his wife.

Why?

I dind't say anything, not even to you.

Odysseus' wife must remain strong.

But how hard is to swallow all those tears of joy after so many years of waiting!

What did you want from me?

The proof that I didn't change?

You have it. But I want one proof for myself.

And proof is something which belongs only to me and him.

You'll prove me that you didn't change,..

..if you remember those few years of happiness we had together..

.. when you didn't doubted me..

..that I'm on your side. - Allow them to prepare me the bed.

Please, I'm very tired, queen.

My bed.

Prepare Odysseus' bed and bring him here.

That bed cannot be moved.

All knows that its built around an olive tree,

but not even you, Telemachus, don't know why, and what that means for us.

That olive tree was alvays dear to your mother, since she was a girl..

She wished that I build our matrimonial bed between its branches

..all the walls around, cut the brances, make the roof and the entrance..

..and that the whole house would be around that tree. We were still young.

You wasn't even born.

[Narrator:As the desired land, which the shipwrecked has seen]

[and whom solid ship Poseidon smashed,]

[overwhelmed by the winds and huge waves,..]

[thus yearned was for her to look at her husband.]

[He couldn't let his arms off her.]

Odysseus, don't let your job be unfinished.

One more person waited for you all these years. Your father.

Go to him. He retreats on an old estate with some servants..

..and he doesn't comes to the court anymore. Use the night..

..till the families come to ask for the dead.

Wait here for me.

*Mother:* Your father has grown old and without strength waiting for you.

He doesn't come to a city anymore, but rested with the servants on the fields.

Now he lives as a savage, sleeps near the fire at winter..

..and on a heap of leafs in the summer.

Where the night falls, he lays and sighs for you.

Come on!

How many memories. I was a kid when my father planted these.

How much time has passed!

Already. But if it was needed, I would cut them.

- My lord, there isn't anyone here. - I know where he is.

Father! - My son!

So it's true. Come on, get up.

No!

My son, you finally returned.

It hurts me, father, to see you like that.

I was a king, and only privileged I wished to retain ..

..is not to hurt my fingers with thorns.

But I also preserved one more privilege. Look!

It's still good, and its only one I had.

It was usefull to me to clear our fields.. from the rocks so that I can cultivate it.

I believe you'll use it for more important things.

I've been on the court, and I killed all pretenders of my wife. All.

There is power in Olympus, if you had made justice!

[Narrator: The servants' sons e the servant who cared the old king prepared a bath for Laertes.]

[The water was brought from far away,

while Telemachus, Eumeus and Filetius guarded the house armed.]

And so you want live here as a servant.

-Yes, I live with the servants and as them. A pile of straw is my bed,..

..and bread and cheese is my food, which I made.. ..with my own hands working from morning to dusk,..

..but still, I'm not a servant At the court I should have been!.

Yes, I understand what you are trying to say. I abandoned everyone.

I left there Penelope and your son still little..

to defend themselves against the violence of those who wanted to take your place..

But I am not a king anymore for a long time, my son.

I wasn't king anymore since I gave you the commandof this island and of the house.

You were still a kid, but you already were strong and mature.

You were clever like a fox, and you liked power. On the contrary, I didn't.

This is why I abandoned my throne for you, my son.

Not long after that, you went for Troy.

We waited ten years for you.

People cared for and respected Penelope.

His loyalty guarded Telemachus also. Many years of silence passed.

Your mother died expecting you,

and as all the others, I thought that I lost you forever. How would I had the strenght to fight?

My master, now everthing is ready for your son can see you

..as he thinked about you all these years.

Dolius was wery kind to me:

he helped me to find this estate, in quietness

..a small piece of happiness which the gods gave to me.

Father, you preserved a royal garment.

Dress it, since we must combat yet .

An evil spirit brought him, noone knows from where

Be cursed Penelope, who deceived them giving them false hope!

Otherwise, they wouldn't be in that house, our children!

The servants said that he came to the most distant part of the island, where the swineherd lives,

and then the son who arrived from Pylos..

went exactly to the same place, as he would have known!

Then they went to the court. Odysseus dressed in rags.

Like a beggar, holding on a cane. No one recognized him.

The sons were making jokes with him like with any other beggar,..

..someone kicked him, but his iron heart endured everything.

Finally, he decided when and how, and with his son he hid the weapons who were in the court.

Than Penelope, hypocrat, offered a wedding competition to the boys:

..to string Odysseus bow and shoot an arrow through holes.

The plot was Odysseus work. No one of the kids couldn string the bow,..

..only he did it, shooting through holes, then jump,..

..throwing arrows on the ground, looked around, and hit Antino�s in the chest.

Then, aiming accurately he shot the others, and they fell one over the other.

A massacre.

The death screams echoed.

The ground was smoked from the warm blood.

Not even one...

Not even one..escaped.

Antino�s, my son. Antino�s!

After they paid them respect, the fathers and brothers will avenge them.

Antino�s!

They were so young and rich. - They had plenty of stuff, but it wasn't enough...

Close yourself in the house. Blood will run through the island.

Why do we care, when we have nothing with it!

Let's go father, before the news reaches the other islands.

Relatives of the killed may get help from other places.

It's better that we receive them first, before that happened and costs our lives.

Today it will be decided who'll rule Ithaca.

How much longer will this competition last?

My son, listen to me. Don't get me wrong. I'm not afraid, you know that well .

What pleasure it will be to give an old man the opportunity to fight..

..and what death is more glorious than the heroes, but you,..

..who alone committed justice, what use you'll have..

..if you don't fulfill justice?

The gods protected you till now, but now around you is only silence.

Master, let's not commit injustice..

..and spill the blood first!

You defended the honor of your home, now it's on them to revenge with the arms

..their sons and brothers we killed.

Offer them honourable pacts.

If they don't accept, we'll fight!

Lets wait for them here, and show them we want peace.

Maybe god will prevent a new massacre,

maybe they'll admit the justice you have done, and your royal rights.

No! Without a combat there will never be peace,

if we don't want to be defeated forever!

You must commit justice, Ithacans. Your sons were killed,..

..killed by a wild boar, man without honor!

Too young he became a ruler, and this is what became of his realm!

The young boys he didn't take with him in war, he slaughtered in their land!

And from two generations of nobility, no one survives on Ithaca!

He returned, but our sons won't ever return. Where did he leave the ships?

- Where did he loose his army? - Gather the servants you have!

Give them armor. Send a war cry to all our neighbouring nobles..

..whose children are savagely slaughtered as ours!

Let the army strike on him!

His house and property will burn. He will learn to be afraid of the people as him!

[Narrator: Haliters, son of Mastor, speak to them:]

[Only he saw the past and the future.]

[Thus, wisely thinking, I speak. Hear me Ithacans.]

[It was your cowardice who caused these events. You didn't listen to me,..]

[..and not even to Mentor, who tried to stop the madness of your sons.]

[Serious mistakes do stupidity and pride..]

[..which grasped the wealth and dishonoured wife of a great hero.]

[Now, you do this: listen to me!]

[Lets not go, so no one gets hurt from more evil.]

You evildoer, false prophet, so we don't avenge our sons?

Acheans! Your duty is to punish Odysseus. What are you waiting for?

Maybe he fled to Pylos or Sparta where he has mighty allies.

No, he is still on Ithaca, I saw him.

He went before dawn, with his son and two servants to an old estate, where is his father's house.

If its true what you are saying, lets face him till he is still alone!

Don't loose another time! This is a sign from the gods!

[Narrator: Athena tells to her father Zeus:]

[What are you thinking, king?

[..You wish to continue this war or you'll settle peace between the two sides?]

[The father answered: My daughter, why are you asking me that?]

[Didn't you alone arrange Odysseus's return?]

[Lets give them oblivion, says Athena.]

[Lets give them peace and oblivion, says father.]

Stop Laertes! It's futile to have another massacre. No more blood is needed.

I say to you: No more blood is needed!

Let be peace! No more blood is needed.

Offer to the hurted side some fee and live in peace.

Live in peace.

Live in peace.

[Narrator: Goddess Athena thought one more thing]

[To Icarius daughter, a sweet dream she sent. Stretched on her back..]

[..with fatique in her legs, with oil of ambrosia..]

[..the goddes cleared her face and made her even more beautiful in face,..]

[..whiter than ivory.]

Strange. I feel we won't have nights like these any more.

I feel that, but I'm not sad.

How many nights I imagined to speak with you.

I asked the gods, and they answered me many things hard to explain...

Your love would have give the answer

Every time you wished your bed will be ready.

Don't be afraid to tell me what you think..

..or what the god lay on your mind. I am here.

Soon, I'll have to sail again,

Tiresias told me.

He told me that I won't find peace till I'll find a place where people don't know the sea,

and don't salt their food, and don't know neither the ships, nor rower's fatique.

There the knowledge comes to the people without the need of searching it

There I'll stick my oar in ground,..

..and offer sacrifices to Poseidon, and then return.

Death will be easy, and it will come from the sea, and find me here,..

..in calm oldness, surrounded by blessed people.

Thus Tiresia prophesied. That must fulfill entirely.

Our fate is in the hands of the gods..

..and when it is fulfilled, we can do nothing else..

..but to watch and listen..

..like we are going or coming back..

..born or die.

[Narrator: Thus she said and the goddess heard her. Then she flew on the Olympus...]

[..on which, they say, weather to the gods is always fair.]

[The winds never blow, there is no rain, there is no snow,..]

[the sky has no clouds.]

[and a clear light is shining.]