Heading
The went along the rugged path and came close to the city. They arrived at the spring- nicely worked, beautiful flowing- from which the inhabitants of the city drew their water. Ithakos and Neritos and Polyktor had boxed it in.
The city spring is where they arrive first. As we saw earlier in Scroll 3, it must be somewhat upstream from the city to have the clearest water for consumption. The spring is located north of the city. The two had to walk the last part of their trip south-bound. To get in that position they must have left the pig farm north-bound, avoiding the steep hills pigs don't like. They walked a route that is much longer than the route over Hermes Hill.
Now we have to look for a shallow path leading the porkers along a lot of water and acorns to feast on, before we reach the city spring, where the people of Ithaca City drew their water.
It is to be expected that Eumaios brought the porkers up to his hut in the evening to walk directly from his hut to the city.
Now we have to look for a shallow path leading the porkers along a lot of water and acorns to feast on, before we reach the city spring, where the people of Ithaca City drew their water.
It is to be expected that Eumaios brought the porkers up to his hut in the evening to walk directly from his hut to the city.
Odussey Book 17 line 186-190 Barry B Powell
Pigfarm
Heading
As we calculated earlier, each day two porkers are produced. It is to be expected that Eumaios left today with 2 porkers. One for the palace and one for the market. Usualy three of Eumaios boys go off with the droves of pigs and, a fourth is sent to deliver the porkers to the city. A fifth, usualy Eumaios, is cleaning the sties and is keeping watch over the farm.
At the farm there are four groups of pigs:
1- 360 hoggs (9 droves of 40),
2- a deminishing group of boars (1 drove of 40?),
3- 20 sows with piglets, if able to walk (1 drove),
4- 40 pregnant sows (1 drove of 40).
That is in total 12 droves, 4 droves a man, so they had to make four short rounds a day.
The groups must be kept apart, so this is not an easy job for 3 men. In order to feed all groups, short distances can be made. So, to let Eumaios' porkers feast on acorns, the route must be further away from the usual routes. Eumaios is just doing that, he leads the porkers through rich territory where the other pigs don't graze. Additional, pigs don't like steep slopes. A shallow path is welcome. But where to look? Did Homer write about this route? Only a few details.
At the farm there are four groups of pigs:
1- 360 hoggs (9 droves of 40),
2- a deminishing group of boars (1 drove of 40?),
3- 20 sows with piglets, if able to walk (1 drove),
4- 40 pregnant sows (1 drove of 40).
That is in total 12 droves, 4 droves a man, so they had to make four short rounds a day.
The groups must be kept apart, so this is not an easy job for 3 men. In order to feed all groups, short distances can be made. So, to let Eumaios' porkers feast on acorns, the route must be further away from the usual routes. Eumaios is just doing that, he leads the porkers through rich territory where the other pigs don't graze. Additional, pigs don't like steep slopes. A shallow path is welcome. But where to look? Did Homer write about this route? Only a few details.
Palace
Spring
Steep hills