ἠύτε κούρη
οἰόθεν ἀσπασίως πολιὴν τροφὸν ἀμφιπεσοῦσα
μύρεται.[[165]]
The Nurse and the Grown Son
Outside of Homer, we do not find the nurse as actively engaged in duties towards the grown son as towards the daughter. Eurycleia continued her care of Telemachus until he came to man’s estate. She accompanied him to his chamber, folded and smoothed his clothes, and having hung them up, carefully closed the door after her.[[166]] She welcomed him as a son on his return from Pylos,[[167]] and is sought by him as his faithful friend.[[168]] She gently reproved him for having blamed his mother where there was no blame,[[169]] yet she was anxious to see him established in his rights.[[170]] She is the first to recognize her old master and former nursling, Odysseus.[[171]] On the recognition, he addresses her by the old name of his childhood, μαῖα, which Telemachus also uses.[[172]]
The grief of Cilissa for Orestes shows that her love for him had endured beyond the nursery days.[[173]] The unfortunate woodcutter in Callimachus’ Demeter, who had offended the goddess, was bewailed by the nurse by whom he had been suckled.[[174]] Moschio’s nurse still retained loving thoughts of her dear child, Moschio, and was much interested in the son for the sake of the father.[[175]] The old nurse in Demosthenes’ In Evergum was welcomed by her former nursling as a safe companion for his wife during his absence, and his care of her after the robbery is an evidence of the esteem in which she was held.[[176]] A further indication of the love and gratitude evinced by young men for the nurses of their childhood is shown in the relatively large number of monuments and epigrams dedicated to them.[[177]]
The Nurse in the Household
When the nurse was not occupied with the child, she owed towards the household, duties which are specifically mentioned in Homer; but not so clearly defined in later authors. Thus the nurse of Eumaeus is engaged in washing when she is seduced by the pirates.[[178]] Eurycleia is the mainstay of the house in Ithaca, having complete charge of the domestic arrangements. In the morning, she gives her directions for the day’s work to the female slaves[[179]] over whom she has joint supervision with the mistress.[[180]] These, she taught how to perform the various works of the house—making beds, strewing couches, carding wool, setting tables and cleaning rooms. Besides, she is the stewardess of the household:
ἐν δὲ γυνὴ ταμίη νύκτας τε καὶ ἦμαρ
ἔσχ’, ἣ πάντ’ ἐφύλασσε νόου πολυιδρείῃσιν,