The Odyssey Pisistratus Quotes

The women shrilled their cry,
…Then, hoisting up
the victim’s head from the trampled earth, they held her fast
as the captain of men Pisistratus slashed her throat.
Dark blood gushed forth, life ebbed from her limbs.

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 3, lines 506, 508-511. This describes the slaughtering and sacrifice of the heifer in honor of Athena by King Nestor and his people. The animal’s horns have been covered in gold by a goldsmith. The slaughter is carried out by Nestor’s son Pisistratus.

"Right you are" – Pisistratus stepped in quickly –
"son of Atreus, King Menelaus, captain of armies:
here is the son of that great hero, as you say.
But the man is modest, he would be ashamed
to make a show of himself, his first time here,
and interrupt you. We delight in your voice
as if some god were speaking!"

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 4, lines 171-177. Helen and Menelaus have been talking about how Telemachus looks like the son of Odysseus. While Telemachus remains silent, Pisistratus in this passage confirms that he is son of the hero. He explains that Telemachus is much too modest and humble to barge into King Menelaus’ conversation and interrupt him. If Odysseus sometimes has too much pride, Telemachus seems to suffer a deficit of it.

"With that man’s overbearing spirit – I know it,
know it all too well – he’ll never let you go,
he’ll come down here and summon you himself.
He won’t return without you, believe me –
in any case he’ll fly into a rage."

– Homer

The Odyssey, Book 15, lines 234-238. When Telemachus insists that Pisistratus drop him at his ship, because he doesn’t have the time to visit Nestor again, Pisistratus says that his father will fly into a rage. He urges Telemachus to set sail fast for Ithaca, adding that when his dominating father learns of Telemachus’ arrival in Pylos he will be demand that he stay.
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