Livestock market
Odyssey Book 22 line 385-386 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 16 line 237-243 Barry B Powell
Odyssey Book 16 line 237-243 Barry B Powell
A flock of sheep
Eumaios is quite the opposite of Melanthios, as they slowly walked along. Eumaios took his time for the pigs to be in good condition on arrival. Not only for the palace, but most probably also for the livestock market in the city.
The production of two pigs a day is to much of meat for the usual household of the palace. The most of them are female slaves running it. Homer writes:
The production of two pigs a day is to much of meat for the usual household of the palace. The most of them are female slaves running it. Homer writes:
There are fifty slave women in your house whom we have taught to do their work, to card wool and to bear the lot of slaves.
But even now as suitors almost triple the numbers, one pig a day is sufficient. Let's count:
Free walking cattle
Beside Penelope and Telemachos (2) there are:
Female slaves (50)
Heralds like Rumor (about 3)
Herders like Eumaios and Melanthios (about 5)
Strangers like Theoklymenos and Odysseus (about 5)
and Guards at the gate (about 5)
Total usual household: about 70 people.
One pig feeds about 100 feasting people and there is sheep, goat and cattle available also. One pig in 3 days is sufficient for the palace if 50% of the meat consumed is pork.
Female slaves (50)
Heralds like Rumor (about 3)
Herders like Eumaios and Melanthios (about 5)
Strangers like Theoklymenos and Odysseus (about 5)
and Guards at the gate (about 5)
Total usual household: about 70 people.
One pig feeds about 100 feasting people and there is sheep, goat and cattle available also. One pig in 3 days is sufficient for the palace if 50% of the meat consumed is pork.
The suitors are adding 118 people, making the total number of consumers at the palace a 188 people.
A pig and a goat would be sufficient. Eumaios must have left a pig at the livestock market in the city.
Usually the livestock market is to be found at the edge of the city, along the road they had come from. That will be the road leading from the spring.
The same is to be expected for the fish market towards the sea. The corn market near the acres. The market for herbs, honey and game near the hills. Fruits, vegetables and olives, near the fields. Hides and leather downstream at the river.
Let's take a look at the the roads leading to the city.
A pig and a goat would be sufficient. Eumaios must have left a pig at the livestock market in the city.
Usually the livestock market is to be found at the edge of the city, along the road they had come from. That will be the road leading from the spring.
The same is to be expected for the fish market towards the sea. The corn market near the acres. The market for herbs, honey and game near the hills. Fruits, vegetables and olives, near the fields. Hides and leather downstream at the river.
Let's take a look at the the roads leading to the city.
From Doulichion here are fifty-two choice youths, and six servants in attendance. From Same there are twenty-four men, from Zakynthos there are twinty youths of Achaeans, and from Ithaca itself there are twelf, all best men, and there is the herald Medon, and the divine singer, and two aides skilled at cutting meats.