All 46 Uses of
herald
in
The Odyssey
- While heralds and brisk attendants bustled round them,
some at the mixing-bowls, mulling wine and water,
others wiping the tables down with sopping sponges,
setting them out in place, still other servants
jointed and carved the great sides of meat.†p. 81.2
- Heralds poured water over their hands for rinsing,
serving maids brought bread heaped high in trays
and the young men brimmed the mixing-bowls with wine.†p. 82.4
- A herald placed an ornate lyre in Phemius' hands,
the bard who always performed among them there;
they forced the man to sing.†p. 82.6
- At once he ordered heralds to cry out loud and clear
and summon the flowing-haired Achaeans to full assembly.†p. 93.4
- The herald Pisenor, skilled in custom's ways,
put the staff in his hand, and then the prince,
addressing old Aegyptius first, led off with, "Sir,
that man is not far off—you'll soon see for yourself-
I was the one who called us all together.†p. 94.7
- Heralds sprinkled water over their hands for rinsing,
the young men brimmed the mixing bowls with wine,
they tipped first drops for the god in every cup
then poured full rounds for all.†p. 118.3
- The herald led the two guests on and so they slept
outside the palace under the forecourt's colonnade,
young Prince Telemachus and Nestor's shining son.†p. 134.1
- The herald Medon told her.†
p. 146.1
- He rushed the news through the halls to tell the queen
who greeted him as he crossed her chamber's threshold:
"Herald, why have the young blades sent you now?†p. 146.2
- At last she found some words to make reply:
"Oh herald, why has my child gone and left me?†p. 147.1
- Come, raise him up and seat the stranger now,
in a silver-studded chair,
and tell the heralds to mix more wine for all
so we can pour out cups to Zeus who loves the lightning,
champion of suppliants—suppliants' rights are sacred.†p. 184.9
- As long-suffering great Odysseus ate and drank,
the hallowed King Alcinous called his herald:
"Come, Pontonous!†p. 185.4
- Both men sat down
on the polished stone benches side-by-side
as Athena started roaming up and down the town,
in build and voice the wise Alcinous' herald,
furthering plans for Odysseus' journey home,
and stopped beside each citizen, urged them all,
"Come this way, you lords and captains of Phaeacia,
come to the meeting grounds and learn about the stranger!†p. 191.6
- With those commands Alcinous led the way
and a file of sceptered princes took his lead
while the herald went to find the gifted bard.†p. 193.1
- In came the herald now,
leading along the faithful bard the Muse adored
above all others, true, but her gifts were mixed
with good and evil both: she stripped him of sight
but gave the man the power of stirring, rapturous song.†p. 193.6
- And the herald placed a table by his side
with a basket full of bread and cup of wine
for him to sip when his spirit craved refreshment.†p. 193.8
- The herald hung the ringing lyre back on its peg
and taking Demodocus by the hand, led him from the palace,
guiding him down the same path the island lords
had just pursued, keen to watch the contests.†p. 194.9
- At the king's word the herald sprang to his feet
and ran to fetch the vibrant lyre from the house.†p. 199.7 *
- The herald returned and placed the ringing lyre now
in Demodocus' hands, and the bard moved toward the center,
flanked by boys in the flush of youth, skilled dancers
who stamped the ground with marvelous pulsing steps
as Odysseus gazed at their flying, flashing feet,
his heart aglow with wonder.†p. 199.9
- As the sun sank, his glittering gifts arrived
and proud heralds bore them into the hall
where sons of King Alcinous took them over,
spread them out before their noble mother's feet-
a grand array of gifts.†p. 204.9
- By now they were serving out the portions, mixing wine,
and the herald soon approached, leading the faithful bard
Demodocus, prized by all the people—seated him in a chair
amid the feasters, leaning it against a central column.†p. 206.7
- At once alert Odysseus carved a strip of loin,
rich and crisp with fat, from the white-tusked boar
that still had much meat left, and called the herald over:
"Here, herald, take this choice cut to Demodocus
so he can eat his fill—with warm regards
from a man who knows what suffering is ...
From all who walk the earth our bards deserve
esteem and awe, for the Muse herself has taught them
paths of song.†p. 206.9
- At once alert Odysseus carved a strip of loin,
rich and crisp with fat, from the white-tusked boar
that still had much meat left, and called the herald over:
"Here, herald, take this choice cut to Demodocus
so he can eat his fill—with warm regards
from a man who knows what suffering is ...
From all who walk the earth our bards deserve
esteem and awe, for the Muse herself has taught them
paths of song.†p. 206.9 *
- The herald placed the gift in Demodocus' hands
and the famous blind bard received it, overjoyed.†p. 207.1
- Once we'd had our fill of food and drink
I took a shipmate along with me, a herald too,
and approached King Aeolus' famous halls and here
we found him feasting beside his wife and many children.†p. 232.5
- Hallowed King Alcinous briskly called his herald:
"Come, Pontonous!†p. 288.2
- And King Alcinous sent the herald off with the guest
to lead him down to the swift ship and foaming surf.†p. 288.7
- And then, that hour the star rose up,
the clearest, brightest star, that always heralds
the newborn light of day, the deep-sea-going ship
made landfall on the island ...Ithaca, at last.†p. 289.6
- At his last words a bird flew past on the right,
a hawk, Apollo's wind-swift herald—tight in his claws
a struggling dove, and he ripped its feathers out
and they drifted down to earth between the ship
and the young prince himself ...
The prophet called him aside, clear of his men,
and grasped his hand, exclaiming, "Look, Telemachus,
the will of god just winged that bird on your right!†p. 336.3
- Medon the herald's with them, a gifted bard,
and two henchmen, skilled to carve their meat.†p. 346.7
- But they sent a herald on to Odysseus' halls at once
to give the news to thoughtful, cautious Penelope
that Telemachus was home—just up-country now
but he'd told his mates to sail across to port-
so the noble queen would not be seized with fright
and break down in tears.†p. 348.9
- And now those two men met,
herald and swineherd, both out on the same errand,
to give the queen the news.†p. 349.1
- But once they reached
the house of the royal king the herald strode up,
into the serving-women's midst, and burst out,
"Your beloved son, my queen, is home at last!"†p. 349.1
- The herald Medon told her—he'd overheard their schemes.†
p. 351.5
- But I met up with a fast runner there,
sent by your crew, a herald,
first to tell your mother all the news.†p. 353.4
- When the dinner-hour approached
and sheep came home from pastures near and far,
driven in by familiar drovers,
Medon called them all, their favorite herald,
always present at their meals: "My young lords,
now you've played your games to your hearts' content,
come back to the halls so we can fix your supper.†p. 360.0
- And gallant Mulius, a herald of Dulichion,
a friend-in-arms of lord Amphinomus too,
mixed the men a bowl and, hovering closely,
poured full rounds for all.†p. 389.8
- So I pay no heed to strangers, suppliants at my door,
not even heralds out on their public errands here—
I yearn for Odysseus, always, my heart pines away.†p. 394.9
- He kept a herald
beside him, a man a little older than himself.†p. 398.5
- And now through the streets
the heralds passed, leading the beasts marked out
for sacrifice on Apollo's grand festal day,
and the islanders with their long hair were filing
into the god's shady grove—the distant deadly Archer.†p. 419.5
- Heralds sprinkled water over their hands for rinsing,
the young men brimmed the mixing bowls with wine,
they tipped first drops for the god in every cup,
then poured full rounds for all.†p. 433.0
- So is the herald Medon—the one who always
tended me in the house when I was little—
spare him too.†p. 450.5
- The herald pricked up his anxious ears at that ...
cautious soul, he cowered, trembling, under a chair—
wrapped in an oxhide freshly stripped—to dodge black death.†p. 450.6
- He jumped in a flash from there, threw off the smelly hide
and scuttling up to Telemachus, clutching his knees,
the herald begged for life in words that fluttered:
"Here I am, dear boy—spare me!†p. 450.8
- But now, as they fell to supper in the lodge,
Rumor the herald sped like wildfire through the city,
crying out the news of the suitors' bloody death and doom,
and massing from every quarter as they listened, kinsmen milled
with wails and moans of grief before Odysseus' palace.†p. 481.3
- They strode into the crowds; amazement took each man
but the herald Medon spoke in all his wisdom:
"Hear me, men of Ithaca.†p. 482.2
Definitions:
-
(1)
(herald as in: heralds the coming of...) a sign that something will happen -- especially something important and good
or:
to announce or welcome -- especially with enthusiasm -
(2)
(herald as in: announced by herald & trumpet) a person who announces important news -- especially a king's representative
-
(3)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) More rarely, herald can also refer to an official whose specialty is heraldry (the study of coats of arms -- symbols once used to signify the right to bear arms).
Historically a herald was a person who made announcements at jousting matches, or (much more rarely) any prestigious assistant in a dignified setting such as a courthouse or royal palace.