Hold Them Down

← The ChallengeThe Ithaca SagaOdysseus (song) →

Hold Them Down is the second song of The Ithaca Saga, during which Antinous decides he and the Suitors are done waiting for Penelope to choose a husband, and plan to take matters into their own hands.

Lyrics[]

Trigger Warning

This song contains allusions to murder and sexual assault.

Please proceed with caution!

[SUITORS]
Whoever can string the old king's bow
And shoot through twelve axes cleanly
Will be the new king, sit down at the throne
Penelope as his queen
Where is he?
Where is the man who can string this bow? Woah...

[ANTINOUS]
Screw this competition, we've been here for hours
None of us can string this, we don't have the power
Screw this damn challenge, no more delays
Can't you guys see we're being played?
This is how they

[ANTINOUS SUITORS, ALL]
Hold us down while the throne gets colder
Hold us down while we slowly age
Hold us down while the boy gets bolder
Where in the hell is our pride and our rage?!
Here and now, there's a chance for action
Here and now, we can take control
Here and now, burn it down to ashes
Channel the fire inside your soul

[ANTINOUS]
Haven't you noticed who's missing?
Don't you know the prince is not around
I heard he's on a diplomatic mission
And I heard today he comes back to town, so
I say we gather near the beaches
I say we wait 'til he arrives
Then, when he docks his ship, we can breach it
Let us leave now, today we can strike and

[ANTINOUS, SUITORS, ALL]
Hold him down 'til the boy stops shaking
Hold him down while I slit his throat
Hold him down while I slowly break his pride, his trust, his faith, and his bones
Cut him down into tiny pieces
Throw him down in the great below
When the crown wonders where the prince is
Only the ocean and I will know

[ANTINOUS]
And when the deed is done
The queen will have no one to
Stop us from breaking her bedroom door
Stop us from taking her love and more

[ANTINOUS, SUITORS, ALL]
And then we'll
Hold her down while her gate is open
Hold her down while I get a taste
Hold her down while we share her spoils
I will not let any part go to waste
Here and now, there's a chance for action (Chance for action!)
Here and now, we can take control (Take control!)
Here and now, burn it down to ashes
Channel the fire inside your soul and

Hold them down, hold them down (Hold them down! Oh!)
Hold them down, hold them down
Hold them down, hold them down (Hold them down!)
Channel the fire inside your soul, and-! (Hold them down, hold them down)

[ANTINOUS suddenly gets shot in the throat and dies]

Trivia[]

At the beginning of the song, a cello is heard in the background, trying to play the melody of how "Whoever can string my husband's old bow" in The Challenge, but failing.
- This represents that none of the suitors can string Odysseus' old bow.
When Antinous describes what he will do to Penelope, a viola (her instrument) is faintly heard in the background.
In March 2023, David Ing released a parody of this song, specifically the part where Antinous and the suitors are planning to murder Telemachus. In the parody version, Antinous is actually planning a surprise birthday party for Telemachus. The parody went on to become an inside joke throughout the fandom.
- The video that the parody was released under was animated by gigi, who went on to receive many more commissions from Jorge himself.
- On January 16, 2025, Ayron Alexander released a TikTok singing the parody's lyrics.