s: chariot. They drove out through the inner gateway and under the


s: echoing gatehouse of the outer court. Then Pisistratus lashed


s: his horses on and they flew forward nothing loath; ere long they


s: came to Pylos, and then Telemachus said:


s: "Pisistratus, I hope you will promise to do what I am going to


s: ask you. You know our fathers were old friends before us;


s: moreover, we are both of an age, and this journey has brought us


s: together still more closely; do not, therefore, take me past my


s: ship, but leave me there, for if I go to your father's house he


s: will try to keep me in the warmth of his good will towards me,


s: Pisistratus thought how he should do as he was asked, and in the


s: end he deemed it best to turn his horses towards the ship, and


s: put Menelaus's beautiful presents of gold and raiment in the


s: stern of the vessel. Then he said, "Go on board at once and tell


s: your men to do so also before I can reach home to tell my


s: father. I know how obstinate he is, and am sure he will not let


s: you go; he will come down here to fetch you, and he will not go


s: back without you.  But he will be very angry."


s: With this he drove his goodly steeds back to the city of the


s: Pylians and soon reached his home, but Telemachus called the men


s: together and gave his orders. "Now, my men," said he, "get


s: everything in order on board the ship, and let us set out home."


s: Thus did he speak, and they went on board even as he had said.


s: But as Telemachus was thus busied, praying also and sacrificing


s: to Minerva in the ship's stern, there came to him a man from a


s: distant country, a seer, who was flying from Argos because he


s: had killed a man. He was descended from Melampus, who used to


s: live in Pylos, the land of sheep; he was rich and owned a great


s: house, but he was driven into exile by the great and powerful


s: king Neleus.  Neleus seized his goods and held them for a whole


s: year, during which he was a close prisoner in the house of king


s: Phylacus, and in much distress of mind both on account of the


s: daughter of Neleus and because he was haunted by a great sorrow


s: that dread Erinys had laid upon him. In the end, however, he


s: escaped with his life, drove the cattle from Phylace to Pylos,


s: avenged the wrong that had been done him, and gave the daughter


s: of Neleus to his brother.  Then he left the country and went to


s: Argos, where it was ordained that he should reign over much


s: people. There he married, established himself, and had two


s: famous sons Antiphates and Mantius. Antiphates became father of


s: Oicleus, and Oicleus of Amphiaraus, who was dearly loved both by


s: Jove and by Apollo, but he did not live to old age, for he was


s: killed in Thebes by reason of a woman's gifts. His sons were


s: Alcmaeon and Amphilochus. Mantius, the other son of Melampus,


s: was father to Polypheides and Cleitus. Aurora, throned in gold,


s: carried off Cleitus for his beauty's sake, that he might dwell


s: among the immortals, but Apollo made Polypheides the greatest


s: seer in the whole world now that Amphiaraus was dead. He


s: quarrelled with his father and went to live in Hyperesia, where


s: His son, Theoclymenus, it was who now came up to Telemachus as


s: he was making drink-offerings and praying in his ship.


s: "Friend," said he, "now that I find you sacrificing in this


s: place, I beseech you by your sacrifices themselves, and by the


s: god to whom you make them, I pray you also by your own head and


s: by those of your followers tell me the truth and nothing but the


s: truth. Who and whence are you?  Tell me also of your town and


s: Telemachus said, "I will answer you quite truly. I am from


s: Ithaca, and my father is Ulysses, as surely as that he ever


s: lived. But he has come to some miserable end.  Therefore I have


s: taken this ship and got my crew together to see if I can hear


s: any news of him, for he has been away a long time."


s: "I too," answered Theoclymenus, "am an exile, for I have killed


s: a man of my own race. He has many brothers and kinsmen in Argos,


s: and they have great power among the Argives. I am flying to


s: escape death at their hands, and am thus doomed to be a wanderer


s: on the face of the earth.  I am your suppliant; take me,


s: therefore, on board your ship that they may not kill me, for I


s: "I will not refuse you," replied Telemachus, "if you wish to


s: join us. Come, therefore, and in Ithaca we will treat you


s: On this he received Theoclymenus' spear and laid it down on the


s: deck of the ship. He went on board and sat in the stern, bidding


s: Theoclymenus sit beside him; then the men let go the hawsers.


s: Telemachus told them to catch hold of the ropes, and they made


s: all haste to do so. They set the mast in its socket in the cross


s: plank, raised it and made it fast with the forestays, and they


s: hoisted their white sails with sheets of twisted ox hide.


s: Minerva sent them a fair wind that blew fresh and strong to take


s: the ship on her course as fast as possible. Thus then they


s: Presently the sun set and darkness was over all the land.  The


s: vessel made a quick passage to Pheae and thence on to Elis,


s: where the Epeans rule. Telemachus then headed her for the flying


s: islands, {132} wondering within himself whether he should escape


s: Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd were eating their supper in


s: the hut, and the men supped with them. As soon as they had had


s: to eat and drink, Ulysses began trying to prove the swineherd


s: and see whether he would continue to treat him kindly, and ask


s: him to stay on at the station or pack him off to the city; so he


s: "Eumaeus, and all of you, to-morrow I want to go away and begin


s: begging about the town, so as to be no more trouble to you or to


s: your men. Give me your advice therefore, and let me have a good


s: guide to go with me and show me the way. I will go the round of


s: the city begging as I needs must, to see if any one will give me


s: a drink and a piece of bread. I should like also to go to the


s: house of Ulysses and bring news of her husband to Queen


s: Penelope. I could then go about among the suitors and see if out


s: of all their abundance they will give me a dinner. I should soon


s: make them an excellent servant in all sorts of ways.  Listen and


s: believe when I tell you that by the blessing of Mercury who


s: gives grace and good name to the works of all men, there is no


s: one living who would make a more handy servant than I should--to


s: put fresh wood on the fire, chop fuel, carve, cook, pour out


s: wine, and do all those services that poor men have to do for


s: The swineherd was very much disturbed when he heard this.


s: "Heaven help me," he exclaimed, "what ever can have put such a


s: notion as that into your head? If you go near the suitors you


s: will be undone to a certainty, for their pride and insolence


s: reach the very heavens. They would never think of taking a man


s: like you for a servant. Their servants are all young men, well


s: dressed, wearing good cloaks and shirts, with well looking faces


s: and their hair always tidy, the tables are kept quite clean and


s: are loaded with bread, meat, and wine. Stay where you are, then;


s: you are not in anybody's way; I do not mind your being here, no


s: more do any of the others, and when Telemachus comes home he


s: will give you a shirt and cloak and will send you wherever you


s: Ulysses answered, "I hope you may be as dear to the gods as you


s: are to me, for having saved me from going about and getting into


s: trouble; there is nothing worse than being always on the tramp;


s: still, when men have once got low down in the world they will go


s: through a great deal on behalf of their miserable bellies.


s: Since, however, you press me to stay here and await the return


s: of Telemachus, tell me about Ulysses' mother, and his father


s: whom he left on the threshold of old age when he set out for


s: Troy. Are they still living or are they already dead and in the


s: "I will tell you all about them," replied Eumaeus, "Laertes is


s: still living and prays heaven to let him depart peacefully in


s: his own house, for he is terribly distressed about the absence


s: of his son, and also about the death of his wife, which grieved


s: him greatly and aged him more than anything else did. She came


s: to an unhappy end {133} through sorrow for her son: may no


s: friend or neighbour who has dealt kindly by me come to such an


s: end as she did. As long as she was still living, though she was


s: always grieving, I used to like seeing her and asking her how


s: she did, for she brought me up along with her daughter Ctimene,


s: the youngest of her children; we were boy and girl together, and


s: she made little difference between us. When, however, we both


s: grew up, they sent Ctimene to Same and received a splendid dowry


s: for her. As for me, my mistress gave me a good shirt and cloak


s: with a pair of sandals for my feet, and sent me off into the


s: country, but she was just as fond of me as ever. This is all


s: over now. Still it has pleased heaven to prosper my work in the


s: situation which I now hold. I have enough to eat and drink, and


s: can find something for any respectable stranger who comes here;


s: but there is no getting a kind word or deed out of my mistress,


s: for the house has fallen into the hands of wicked people.


s: Servants want sometimes to see their mistress and have a talk


s: with her; they like to have something to eat and drink at the


s: house, and something too to take back with them into the


s: country. This is what will keep servants in a good humour."


s: Ulysses answered, "Then you must have been a very little fellow,


s: Eumaeus, when you were taken so far away from your home and


s: parents. Tell me, and tell me true, was the city in which your


s: father and mother lived sacked and pillaged, or did some enemies


s: carry you off when you were alone tending sheep or cattle, ship


s: you off here, and sell you for whatever your master gave them?"


s: "Stranger," replied Eumaeus, "as regards your question: sit


s: still, make yourself comfortable, drink your wine, and listen to


s: me. The nights are now at their longest; there is plenty of time


s: both for sleeping and sitting up talking together; you ought not


s: to go to bed till bed time, too much sleep is as bad as too


s: little; if any one of the others wishes to go to bed let him


s: leave us and do so; he can then take my master's pigs out when


s: he has done breakfast in the morning. We too will sit here


s: eating and drinking in the hut, and telling one another stories


s: about our misfortunes; for when a man has suffered much, and


s: been buffeted about in the world, he takes pleasure in recalling


s: the memory of sorrows that have long gone by. As regards your


s: "You may have heard of an island called Syra that lies over


s: above Ortygia, {134} where the land begins to turn round and


s: look in another direction. {135} It is not very thickly peopled,


s: but the soil is good, with much pasture fit for cattle and


s: sheep, and it abounds with wine and wheat.  Dearth never comes


s: there, nor are the people plagued by any sickness, but when they


s: grow old Apollo comes with Diana and kills them with his


s: painless shafts. It contains two communities, and the whole


s: country is divided between these two. My father Ctesius son of


s: Ormenus, a man comparable to the gods, reigned over both.


s: "Now to this place there came some cunning traders from


s: Phoenicia (for the Phoenicians are great mariners) in a ship


s: which they had freighted with gewgaws of all kinds.  There


s: happened to be a Phoenician woman in my father's house, very


s: tall and comely, and an excellent servant; these scoundrels got


s: hold of her one day when she was washing near their ship,


s: seduced her, and cajoled her in ways that no woman can resist,


s: no matter how good she may be by nature. The man who had seduced


s: her asked her who she was and where she came from, and on this


s: she told him her father's name. 'I come from Sidon,' said she,


s: 'and am daughter to Arybas, a man rolling in wealth. One day as


s: I was coming into the town from the country, some Taphian


s: pirates seized me and took me here over the sea, where they sold


s: me to the man who owns this house, and he gave them their price


s: "The man who had seduced her then said, 'Would you like to come


s: along with us to see the house of your parents and your parents


s: themselves? They are both alive and are said to be well off.'


s: "'I will do so gladly,' answered she, 'if you men will first


s: swear me a solemn oath that you will do me no harm by the way.'


s: "They all swore as she told them, and when they had completed


s: their oath the woman said, 'Hush; and if any of your men meets


s: me in the street or at the well, do not let him speak to me, for


s: fear some one should go and tell my master, in which case he


s: would suspect something. He would put me in prison, and would


s: have all of you murdered; keep your own counsel therefore; buy


s: your merchandise as fast as you can, and send me word when you


s: have done loading. I will bring as much gold as I can lay my


s: hands on, and there is something else also that I can do towards


s: paying my fare. I am nurse to the son of the good man of the


s: house, a funny little fellow just able to run about. I will


s: carry him off in your ship, and you will get a great deal of


s: money for him if you take him and sell him in foreign parts.'


s: "On this she went back to the house. The Phoenicians stayed a


s: whole year till they had loaded their ship with much precious


s: merchandise, and then, when they had got freight enough, they


s: sent to tell the woman. Their messenger, a very cunning fellow,


s: came to my father's house bringing a necklace of gold with amber


s: beads strung among it; and while my mother and the servants had


s: it in their hands admiring it and bargaining about it, he made a


s: sign quietly to the woman and then went back to the ship,


s: whereon she took me by the hand and led me out of the house. In


s: the fore part of the house she saw the tables set with the cups


s: of guests who had been feasting with my father, as being in


s: attendance on him; these were now all gone to a meeting of the


s: public assembly, so she snatched up three cups and carried them


s: off in the bosom of her dress, while I followed her, for I knew


s: no better. The sun was now set, and darkness was over all the


s: land, so we hurried on as fast as we could till we reached the


s: harbour, where the Phoenician ship was lying. When they had got


s: on board they sailed their ways over the sea, taking us with


s: them, and Jove sent then a fair wind; six days did we sail both


s: night and day, but on the seventh day Diana struck the woman and


s: she fell heavily down into the ship's hold as though she were a


s: sea gull alighting on the water; so they threw her overboard to


s: the seals and fishes, and I was left all sorrowful and alone.


s: Presently the winds and waves took the ship to Ithaca, where


s: Laertes gave sundry of his chattels for me, and thus it was that


s: ever I came to set eyes upon this country."


s: Ulysses answered, "Eumaeus, I have heard the story of your


s: misfortunes with the most lively interest and pity, but Jove has


s: given you good as well as evil, for in spite of everything you


s: have a good master, who sees that you always have enough to eat


s: and drink; and you lead a good life, whereas I am still going


s: about begging my way from city to city."


s: Thus did they converse, and they had only a very little time


s: left for sleep, for it was soon daybreak. In the mean time


s: Telemachus and his crew were nearing land, so they loosed the


s: sails, took down the mast, and rowed the ship into the harbour.


s: {136} They cast out their mooring stones and made fast the


s: hawsers; they then got out upon the sea shore, mixed their wine,


s: and got dinner ready. As soon as they had had enough to eat and


s: drink Telemachus said, "Take the ship on to the town, but leave


s: me here, for I want to look after the herdsmen on one of my


s: farms. In the evening, when I have seen all I want, I will come


s: down to the city, and to-morrow morning in return for your


s: trouble I will give you all a good dinner with meat and wine."


s: Then Theoclymenus said, 'And what, my dear young friend, is to


s: become of me? To whose house, among all your chief men, am I to


s: repair? or shall I go straight to your own house and to your


s: "At any other time," replied Telemachus, "I should have bidden


s: you go to my own house, for you would find no want of


s: hospitality; at the present moment, however, you would not be


s: comfortable there, for I shall be away, and my mother will not


s: see you; she does not often show herself even to the suitors,


s: but sits at her loom weaving in an upper chamber, out of their


s: way; but I can tell you a man whose house you can go to--I mean


s: Eurymachus the son of Polybus, who is held in the highest


s: estimation by every one in Ithaca. He is much the best man and


s: the most persistent wooer, of all those who are paying court to


s: my mother and trying to take Ulysses' place. Jove, however, in


s: heaven alone knows whether or no they will come to a bad end


s: As he was speaking a bird flew by upon his right hand--a hawk,


s: Apollo's messenger. It held a dove in its talons, and the


s: feathers, as it tore them off, {138} fell to the ground midway


s: between Telemachus and the ship. On this Theoclymenus called him


s: apart and caught him by the hand.  "Telemachus," said he, "that


s: bird did not fly on your right hand without having been sent


s: there by some god. As soon as I saw it I knew it was an omen; it


s: means that you will remain powerful and that there will be no


s: house in Ithaca more royal than your own."


s: "I wish it may prove so," answered Telemachus. "If it does, I


s: will show you so much good will and give you so many presents


s: that all who meet you will congratulate you."


s: Then he said to his friend Piraeus, "Piraeus, son of Clytius,


s: you have throughout shown yourself the most willing to serve me


s: of all those who have accompanied me to Pylos; I wish you would


s: take this stranger to your own house and entertain him


s: And Piraeus answered, "Telemachus, you may stay away as long as


s: you please, but I will look after him for you, and he shall find


s: As he spoke he went on board, and bade the others do so also and


s: loose the hawsers, so they took their places in the ship. But


s: Telemachus bound on his sandals, and took a long and doughty


s: spear with a head of sharpened bronze from the deck of the ship.


s: Then they loosed the hawsers, thrust the ship off from land, and


s: made on towards the city as they had been told to do, while


s: Telemachus strode on as fast as he could, till he reached the


s: homestead where his countless herds of swine were feeding, and


s: where dwelt the excellent swineherd, who was so devoted a


s: Meanwhile Ulysses and the swineherd had lit a fire in the hut


s: and were were getting breakfast ready at daybreak, for they had


s: sent the men out with the pigs. When Telemachus came up, the


s: dogs did not bark but fawned upon him, so Ulysses, hearing the


s: sound of feet and noticing that the dogs did not bark, said to


s: "Eumaeus, I hear footsteps; I suppose one of your men or some


s: one of your acquaintance is coming here, for the dogs are


s: The words were hardly out of his mouth before his son stood at


s: the door. Eumaeus sprang to his feet, and the bowls in which he


s: was mixing wine fell from his hands, as he made towards his


s: master. He kissed his head and both his beautiful eyes, and wept


s: for joy. A father could not be more delighted at the return of


s: an only son, the child of his old age, after ten years' absence


s: in a foreign country and after having gone through much


s: hardship. He embraced him, kissed him all over as though he had


s: come back from the dead, and spoke fondly to him saying:


s: "So you are come, Telemachus, light of my eyes that you are.


s: When I heard you had gone to Pylos I made sure I was never going


s: to see you any more. Come in, my dear child, and sit down, that


s: I may have a good look at you now you are home again; it is not


s: very often you come into the country to see us herdsmen; you


s: stick pretty close to the town generally. I suppose you think it


s: better to keep an eye on what the suitors are doing."


s: "So be it, old friend," answered Telemachus, "but I am come now


s: because I want to see you, and to learn whether my mother is


s: still at her old home or whether some one else has married her,


s: so that the bed of Ulysses is without bedding and covered with


s: "She is still at the house," replied Eumaeus, "grieving and


s: breaking her heart, and doing nothing but weep, both night and


s: As he spoke he took Telemachus' spear, whereon he crossed the


s: stone threshold and came inside. Ulysses rose from his seat to


s: give him place as he entered, but Telemachus checked him; "Sit


s: down, stranger," said he, "I can easily find another seat, and


s: there is one here who will lay it for me."


s: Ulysses went back to his own place, and Eumaeus strewed some


s: green brushwood on the floor and threw a sheepskin on top of it


s: for Telemachus to sit upon. Then the swineherd brought them


s: platters of cold meat, the remains from what they had eaten the


s: day before, and he filled the bread baskets with bread as fast


s: as he could. He mixed wine also in bowls of ivy-wood, and took


s: his seat facing Ulysses.  Then they laid their hands on the good


s: things that were before them, and as soon as they had had enough


s: to eat and drink Telemachus said to Eumaeus, "Old friend, where


s: does this stranger come from? How did his crew bring him to


s: Ithaca, and who were they?--for assuredly he did not come here


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "My son, I will tell


s: you the real truth. He says he is a Cretan, and that he has been


s: a great traveller. At this moment he is running away from a


s: Thesprotian ship, and has taken refuge at my station, so I will


s: put him into your hands. Do whatever you like with him, only


s: "I am very much distressed," said Telemachus, "by what you have


s: just told me. How can I take this stranger into my house? I am


s: as yet young, and am not strong enough to hold my own if any man


s: attacks me. My mother cannot make up her mind whether to stay


s: where she is and look after the house out of respect for public


s: opinion and the memory of her husband, or whether the time is


s: now come for her to take the best man of those who are wooing


s: her, and the one who will make her the most advantageous offer;


s: still, as the stranger has come to your station I will find him


s: a cloak and shirt of good wear, with a sword and sandals, and


s: will send him wherever he wants to go. Or if you like you can


s: keep him here at the station, and I will send him clothes and


s: food that he may be no burden on you and on your men; but I will


s: not have him go near the suitors, for they are very insolent,


s: and are sure to ill treat him in a way that would greatly grieve


s: me; no matter how valiant a man may be he can do nothing against


s: numbers, for they will be too strong for him."


s: Then Ulysses said, "Sir, it is right that I should say something


s: myself. I am much shocked about what you have said about the


s: insolent way in which the suitors are behaving in despite of


s: such a man as you are. Tell me, do you submit to such treatment


s: tamely, or has some god set your people against you? May you not


s: complain of your brothers--for it is to these that a man may


s: look for support, however great his quarrel may be? I wish I


s: were as young as you are and in my present mind; if I were son


s: to Ulysses, or, indeed, Ulysses himself, I would rather some one


s: came and cut my head off, but I would go to the house and be the


s: bane of every one of these men. {139} If they were too many for


s: me--I being single-handed--I would rather die fighting in my own


s: house than see such disgraceful sights day after day, strangers


s: grossly maltreated, and men dragging the women servants about


s: the house in an unseemly way, wine drawn recklessly, and bread


s: wasted all to no purpose for an end that shall never be


s: And Telemachus answered, "I will tell you truly everything.


s: There is no enmity between me and my people, nor can I complain


s: of brothers, to whom a man may look for support however great


s: his quarrel may be. Jove has made us a race of only sons.


s: Laertes was the only son of Arceisius, and Ulysses only son of


s: Laertes. I am myself the only son of Ulysses who left me behind


s: him when he went away, so that I have never been of any use to


s: him. Hence it comes that my house is in the hands of numberless


s: marauders; for the chiefs from all the neighbouring islands,


s: Dulichium, Same, Zacynthus, as also all the principal men of


s: Ithaca itself, are eating up my house under the pretext of


s: paying court to my mother, who will neither say point blank that


s: she will not marry, nor yet bring matters to an end, so they are


s: making havoc of my estate, and before long will do so with


s: myself into the bargain. The issue, however, rests with heaven.


s: But do you, old friend Eumaeus, go at once and tell Penelope


s: that I am safe and have returned from Pylos. Tell it to herself


s: alone, and then come back here without letting any one else


s: know, for there are many who are plotting mischief against me."


s: "I understand and heed you," replied Eumaeus; "you need instruct


s: me no further, only as I am going that way say whether I had not


s: better let poor Laertes know that you are returned. He used to


s: superintend the work on his farm in spite of his bitter sorrow


s: about Ulysses, and he would eat and drink at will along with his


s: servants; but they tell me that from the day on which you set


s: out for Pylos he has neither eaten nor drunk as he ought to do,


s: nor does he look after his farm, but sits weeping and wasting


s: "More's the pity," answered Telemachus, "I am sorry for him, but


s: we must leave him to himself just now. If people could have


s: everything their own way, the first thing I should choose would


s: be the return of my father; but go, and give your message; then


s: make haste back again, and do not turn out of your way to tell


s: Laertes. Tell my mother to send one of her women secretly with


s: the news at once, and let him hear it from her."


s: Thus did he urge the swineherd; Eumaeus, therefore, took his


s: sandals, bound them to his feet, and started for the town.


s: Minerva watched him well off the station, and then came up to it


s: in the form of a woman--fair, stately, and wise. She stood


s: against the side of the entry, and revealed herself to Ulysses,


s: but Telemachus could not see her, and knew not that she was


s: there, for the gods do not let themselves be seen by everybody.


s: Ulysses saw her, and so did the dogs, for they did not bark, but


s: went scared and whining off to the other side of the yards. She


s: nodded her head and motioned to Ulysses with her eyebrows;


s: whereon he left the hut and stood before her outside the main


s: wall of the yards. Then she said to him:


s: "Ulysses, noble son of Laertes, it is now time for you to tell


s: your son: do not keep him in the dark any longer, but lay your


s: plans for the destruction of the suitors, and then make for the


s: town. I will not be long in joining you, for I too am eager for


s: As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand. First she


s: threw a fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoulders; then she


s: made him younger and of more imposing presence; she gave him


s: back his colour, filled out his cheeks, and let his beard become


s: dark again. Then she went away and Ulysses came back inside the


s: hut. His son was astounded when he saw him, and turned his eyes


s: away for fear he might be looking upon a god.


s: "Stranger," said he, "how suddenly you have changed from what


s: you were a moment or two ago. You are dressed differently and


s: your colour is not the same. Are you some one or other of the


s: gods that live in heaven? If so, be propitious to me till I can


s: make you due sacrifice and offerings of wrought gold. Have mercy


s: And Ulysses said, "I am no god, why should you take me for one?


s: I am your father, on whose account you grieve and suffer so much


s: As he spoke he kissed his son, and a tear fell from his cheek on


s: to the ground, for he had restrained all tears till now. But


s: Telemachus could not yet believe that it was his father, and


s: "You are not my father, but some god is flattering me with vain


s: hopes that I may grieve the more hereafter; no mortal man could


s: of himself contrive to do as you have been doing, and make


s: yourself old and young at a moment's notice, unless a god were


s: with him. A second ago you were old and all in rags, and now you


s: are like some god come down from heaven."


s: Ulysses answered, "Telemachus, you ought not to be so


s: immeasurably astonished at my being really here. There is no


s: other Ulysses who will come hereafter. Such as I am, it is I,


s: who after long wandering and much hardship have got home in the


s: twentieth year to my own country. What you wonder at is the work


s: of the redoubtable goddess Minerva, who does with me whatever


s: she will, for she can do what she pleases. At one moment she


s: makes me like a beggar, and the next I am a young man with good


s: clothes on my back; it is an easy matter for the gods who live


s: in heaven to make any man look either rich or poor."


s: As he spoke he sat down, and Telemachus threw his arms about his


s: father and wept. They were both so much moved that they cried


s: aloud like eagles or vultures with crooked talons that have been


s: robbed of their half fledged young by peasants. Thus piteously


s: did they weep, and the sun would have gone down upon their


s: mourning if Telemachus had not suddenly said, "In what ship, my


s: dear father, did your crew bring you to Ithaca? Of what nation


s: did they declare themselves to be--for you cannot have come by


s: "I will tell you the truth, my son," replied Ulysses. "It was


s: the Phaeacians who brought me here. They are great sailors, and


s: are in the habit of giving escorts to any one who reaches their


s: coasts. They took me over the sea while I was fast asleep, and


s: landed me in Ithaca, after giving me many presents in bronze,


s: gold, and raiment. These things by heaven's mercy are lying


s: concealed in a cave, and I am now come here on the suggestion of


s: Minerva that we may consult about killing our enemies. First,


s: therefore, give me a list of the suitors, with their number,


s: that I may learn who, and how many, they are. I can then turn


s: the matter over in my mind, and see whether we two can fight the


s: whole body of them ourselves, or whether we must find others to


s: To this Telemachus answered, "Father, I have always heard of


s: your renown both in the field and in council, but the task you


s: talk of is a very great one: I am awed at the mere thought of


s: it; two men cannot stand against many and brave ones. There are


s: not ten suitors only, nor twice ten, but ten many times over;


s: you shall learn their number at once. There are fifty-two chosen


s: youths from Dulichium, and they have six servants; from Same


s: there are twenty-four; twenty young Achaeans from Zacynthus, and


s: twelve from Ithaca itself, all of them well born. They have with


s: them a servant Medon, a bard, and two men who can carve at


s: table. If we face such numbers as this, you may have bitter


s: cause to rue your coming, and your revenge.  See whether you


s: cannot think of some one who would be willing to come and help


s: "Listen to me," replied Ulysses, "and think whether Minerva and


s: her father Jove may seem sufficient, or whether I am to try and


s: "Those whom you have named," answered Telemachus, "are a couple


s: of good allies, for though they dwell high up among the clouds


s: they have power over both gods and men."


s: "These two," continued Ulysses, "will not keep long out of the


s: fray, when the suitors and we join fight in my house.  Now,


s: therefore, return home early to-morrow morning, and go about


s: among the suitors as before. Later on the swineherd will bring


s: me to the city disguised as a miserable old beggar. If you see


s: them ill treating me, steel your heart against my sufferings;


s: even though they drag me feet foremost out of the house, or


s: throw things at me, look on and do nothing beyond gently trying


s: to make them behave more reasonably; but they will not listen to


s: you, for the day of their reckoning is at hand.  Furthermore I


s: say, and lay my saying to your heart; when Minerva shall put it


s: in my mind, I will nod my head to you, and on seeing me do this


s: you must collect all the armour that is in the house and hide it


s: in the strong store room. Make some excuse when the suitors ask


s: you why you are removing it; say that you have taken it to be


s: out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no longer what it


s: was when Ulysses went away, but has become soiled and begrimed


s: with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are afraid


s: Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and that they


s: may do each other some harm which may disgrace both banquet and


s: wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts people to use


s: them. But leave a sword and a spear apiece for yourself and me,


s: and a couple of oxhide shields so that we can snatch them up at


s: any moment; Jove and Minerva will then soon quiet these people.


s: There is also another matter; if you are indeed my son and my


s: blood runs in your veins, let no one know that Ulysses is within


s: the house--neither Laertes, nor yet the swineherd, nor any of


s: the servants, nor even Penelope herself. Let you and me exploit


s: the women alone, and let us also make trial of some other of the


s: men servants, to see who is on our side and whose hand is


s: "Father," replied Telemachus, "you will come to know me by and


s: by, and when you do you will find that I can keep your counsel.


s: I do not think, however, the plan you propose will turn out well


s: for either of us. Think it over. It will take us a long time to


s: go the round of the farms and exploit the men, and all the time


s: the suitors will be wasting your estate with impunity and


s: without compunction.  Prove the women by all means, to see who


s: are disloyal and who guiltless, but I am not in favour of going


s: round and trying the men. We can attend to that later on, if you


s: really have some sign from Jove that he will support you."


s: Thus did they converse, and meanwhile the ship which had brought


s: Telemachus and his crew from Pylos had reached the town of


s: Ithaca. When they had come inside the harbour they drew the ship


s: on to the land; their servants came and took their armour from


s: them, and they left all the presents at the house of Clytius.


s: Then they sent a servant to tell Penelope that Telemachus had


s: gone into the country, but had sent the ship to the town to


s: prevent her from being alarmed and made unhappy. This servant


s: and Eumaeus happened to meet when they were both on the same


s: errand of going to tell Penelope. When they reached the House,


s: the servant stood up and said to the queen in the presence of


s: the waiting women, "Your son, Madam, is now returned from


s: Pylos"; but Eumaeus went close up to Penelope, and said


s: privately all that her son had bidden him tell her. When he had


s: given his message he left the house with its outbuildings and


s: The suitors were surprised and angry at what had happened, so


s: they went outside the great wall that ran round the outer court,


s: and held a council near the main entrance.  Eurymachus, son of


s: "My friends," said he, "this voyage of Telemachus's is a very


s: serious matter; we had made sure that it would come to nothing.


s: Now, however, let us draw a ship into the water, and get a crew


s: together to send after the others and tell them to come back as


s: He had hardly done speaking when Amphinomus turned in his place


s: and saw the ship inside the harbour, with the crew lowering her


s: sails, and putting by their oars; so he laughed, and said to the


s: others, "We need not send them any message, for they are here.


s: Some god must have told them, or else they saw the ship go by,


s: On this they rose and went to the water side. The crew then drew


s: the ship on shore; their servants took their armour from them,


s: and they went up in a body to the place of assembly, but they


s: would not let any one old or young sit along with them, and


s: Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spoke first.


s: "Good heavens," said he, "see how the gods have saved this man


s: from destruction. We kept a succession of scouts upon the


s: headlands all day long, and when the sun was down we never went


s: on shore to sleep, but waited in the ship all night till morning


s: in the hope of capturing and killing him; but some god has


s: conveyed him home in spite of us.  Let us consider how we can


s: make an end of him. He must not escape us; our affair is never


s: likely to come off while he is alive, for he is very shrewd, and


s: public feeling is by no means all on our side. We must make


s: haste before he can call the Achaeans in assembly; he will lose


s: no time in doing so, for he will be furious with us, and will


s: tell all the world how we plotted to kill him, but failed to


s: take him. The people will not like this when they come to know


s: of it; we must see that they do us no hurt, nor drive us from


s: our own country into exile. Let us try and lay hold of him


s: either on his farm away from the town, or on the road hither.


s: Then we can divide up his property amongst us, and let his


s: mother and the man who marries her have the house. If this does


s: not please you, and you wish Telemachus to live on and hold his


s: father's property, then we must not gather here and eat up his


s: goods in this way, but must make our offers to Penelope each


s: from his own house, and she can marry the man who will give the


s: most for her, and whose lot it is to win her."


s: They all held their peace until Amphinomus rose to speak.  He


s: was the son of Nisus, who was son to king Aretias, and he was


s: foremost among all the suitors from the wheat-growing and well


s: grassed island of Dulichium; his conversation, moreover, was


s: more agreeable to Penelope than that of any of the other


s: suitors, for he was a man of good natural disposition. "My


s: friends," said he, speaking to them plainly and in all honestly,


s: "I am not in favour of killing Telemachus. It is a heinous thing


s: to kill one who is of noble blood. Let us first take counsel of


s: the gods, and if the oracles of Jove advise it, I will both help


s: to kill him myself, and will urge everyone else to do so; but if


s: they dissuade us, I would have you hold your hands."


s: Thus did he speak, and his words pleased them well, so they rose


s: forthwith and went to the house of Ulysses, where they took


s: Then Penelope resolved that she would show herself to the


s: suitors. She knew of the plot against Telemachus, for the


s: servant Medon had overheard their counsels and had told her; she


s: went down therefore to the court attended by her maidens, and


s: when she reached the suitors she stood by one of the


s: bearing-posts supporting the roof of the cloister holding a veil


s: before her face, and rebuked Antinous saying:


s: "Antinous, insolent and wicked schemer, they say you are the


s: best speaker and counsellor of any man your own age in Ithaca,


s: but you are nothing of the kind. Madman, why should you try to


s: compass the death of Telemachus, and take no heed of suppliants,


s: whose witness is Jove himself?  It is not right for you to plot


s: thus against one another.  Do you not remember how your father


s: fled to this house in fear of the people, who were enraged


s: against him for having gone with some Taphian pirates and


s: plundered the Thesprotians who were at peace with us? They


s: wanted to tear him in pieces and eat up everything he had, but


s: Ulysses stayed their hands although they were infuriated, and


s: now you devour his property without paying for it, and break my


s: heart by wooing his wife and trying to kill his son. Leave off


s: To this Eurymachus son of Polybus answered, "Take heart, Queen


s: Penelope daughter of Icarius, and do not trouble yourself about


s: these matters. The man is not yet born, nor never will be, who


s: shall lay hands upon your son Telemachus, while I yet live to


s: look upon the face of the earth. I say--and it shall surely


s: be--that my spear shall be reddened with his blood; for many a


s: time has Ulysses taken me on his knees, held wine up to my lips


s: to drink, and put pieces of meat into my hands. Therefore


s: Telemachus is much the dearest friend I have, and has nothing to


s: fear from the hands of us suitors. Of course, if death comes to


s: him from the gods, he cannot escape it." He said this to quiet


s: her, but in reality he was plotting against Telemachus.


s: Then Penelope went upstairs again and mourned her husband till


s: Minerva shed sleep over her eyes. In the evening Eumaeus got


s: back to Ulysses and his son, who had just sacrificed a young pig


s: of a year old and were helping one another to get supper ready;


s: Minerva therefore came up to Ulysses, turned him into an old man


s: with a stroke of her wand, and clad him in his old clothes


s: again, for fear that the swineherd might recognise him and not


s: keep the secret, but go and tell Penelope.


s: Telemachus was the first to speak. "So you have got back,


s: Eumaeus," said he. "What is the news of the town? Have the


s: suitors returned, or are they still waiting over yonder, to take


s: "I did not think of asking about that," replied Eumaeus, "when I


s: was in the town. I thought I would give my message and come back


s: as soon as I could. I met a man sent by those who had gone with


s: you to Pylos, and he was the first to tell the news to your


s: mother, but I can say what I saw with my own eyes; I had just


s: got on to the crest of the hill of Mercury above the town when I


s: saw a ship coming into harbour with a number of men in her. They


s: had many shields and spears, and I thought it was the suitors,


s: On hearing this Telemachus smiled to his father, but so that


s: Then, when they had finished their work and the meal was ready,


s: they ate it, and every man had his full share so that all were


s: satisfied. As soon as they had had enough to eat and drink, they


s: laid down to rest and enjoyed the boon of sleep.


s: When the child of morning, rosy-fingered Dawn, appeared,


s: Telemachus bound on his sandals and took a strong spear that


s: suited his hands, for he wanted to go into the city.  "Old


s: friend," said he to the swineherd, "I will now go to the town


s: and show myself to my mother, for she will never leave off


s: grieving till she has seen me. As for this unfortunate stranger,


s: take him to the town and let him beg there of any one who will


s: give him a drink and a piece of bread. I have trouble enough of


s: my own, and cannot be burdened with other people. If this makes


s: him angry so much the worse for him, but I like to say what I


s: Then Ulysses said, "Sir, I do not want to stay here; a beggar


s: can always do better in town than country, for any one who likes


s: can give him something. I am too old to care about remaining


s: here at the beck and call of a master.  Therefore let this man


s: do as you have just told him, and take me to the town as soon as


s: I have had a warm by the fire, and the day has got a little heat


s: in it. My clothes are wretchedly thin, and this frosty morning I


s: shall be perished with cold, for you say the city is some way


s: On this Telemachus strode off through the yards, brooding his


s: revenge upon the suitors. When he reached home he stood his


s: spear against a bearing-post of the cloister, crossed the stone


s: floor of the cloister itself, and went inside.


s: Nurse Euryclea saw him long before any one else did. She was


s: putting the fleeces on to the seats, and she burst out crying as


s: she ran up to him; all the other maids came up too, and covered


s: his head and shoulders with their kisses.  Penelope came out of


s: her room looking like Diana or Venus, and wept as she flung her


s: arms about her son. She kissed his forehead and both his


s: beautiful eyes, "Light of my eyes," she cried as she spoke


s: fondly to him, "so you are come home again; I made sure I was


s: never going to see you any more. To think of your having gone


s: off to Pylos without saying anything about it or obtaining my


s: consent.  But come, tell me what you saw."


s: "Do not scold me, mother," answered Telemachus, "nor vex me,


s: seeing what a narrow escape I have had, but wash your face,


s: change your dress, go upstairs with your maids, and promise full


s: and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if Jove will only grant


s: us our revenge upon the suitors. I must now go to the place of


s: assembly to invite a stranger who has come back with me from


s: Pylos. I sent him on with my crew, and told Piraeus to take him


s: home and look after him till I could come for him myself."


s: She heeded her son's words, washed her face, changed her dress,


s: and vowed full and sufficient hecatombs to all the gods if they


s: would only vouchsafe her revenge upon the suitors.


s: Telemachus went through, and out of, the cloisters spear in


s: hand--not alone, for his two fleet dogs went with him.  Minerva


s: endowed him with a presence of such divine comeliness that all


s: marvelled at him as he went by, and the suitors gathered round


s: him with fair words in their mouths and malice in their hearts;


s: but he avoided them, and went to sit with Mentor, Antiphus, and


s: Halitherses, old friends of his father's house, and they made


s: him tell them all that had happened to him. Then Piraeus came up


s: with Theoclymenus, whom he had escorted through the town to the


s: place of assembly, whereon Telemachus at once joined them.


s: Piraeus was first to speak: "Telemachus," said he, "I wish you


s: would send some of your women to my house to take away the


s: "We do not know, Piraeus," answered Telemachus, "what may


s: happen. If the suitors kill me in my own house and divide my


s: property among them, I would rather you had the presents than


s: that any of those people should get hold of them. If on the


s: other hand I managed to kill them, I shall be much obliged if


s: With these words he took Theoclymenus to his own house.  When


s: they got there they laid their cloaks on the benches and seats,


s: went into the baths, and washed themselves.  When the maids had


s: washed and anointed them, and had given them cloaks and shirts,


s: they took their seats at table. A maid servant then brought them


s: water in a beautiful golden ewer, and poured it into a silver


s: basin for them to wash their hands; and she drew a clean table


s: beside them. An upper servant brought them bread and offered


s: them many good things of what there was in the house. Opposite


s: them sat Penelope, reclining on a couch by one of the


s: bearing-posts of the cloister, and spinning. Then they laid


s: their hands on the good things that were before them, and as


s: soon as they had had enough to eat and drink Penelope said:


s: "Telemachus, I shall go upstairs and lie down on that sad couch,


s: which I have not ceased to water with my tears, from the day


s: Ulysses set out for Troy with the sons of Atreus. You failed,


s: however, to make it clear to me before the suitors came back to


s: the house, whether or no you had been able to hear anything


s: "I will tell you then truth," replied her son. "We went to Pylos


s: and saw Nestor, who took me to his house and treated me as


s: hospitably as though I were a son of his own who had just


s: returned after a long absence; so also did his sons; but he said


s: he had not heard a word from any human being about Ulysses,


s: whether he was alive or dead. He sent me, therefore, with a


s: chariot and horses to Menelaus. There I saw Helen, for whose


s: sake so many, both Argives and Trojans, were in heaven's wisdom


s: doomed to suffer.  Menelaus asked me what it was that had


s: brought me to Lacedaemon, and I told him the whole truth,


s: whereon he said, 'So, then, these cowards would usurp a brave


s: man's bed? A hind might as well lay her new-born young in the


s: lair of a lion, and then go off to feed in the forest or in some


s: grassy dell. The lion, when he comes back to his lair, will make


s: short work with the pair of them, and so will Ulysses with these


s: suitors. By father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo, if Ulysses is


s: still the man that he was when he wrestled with Philomeleides in


s: him--if he is still such, and were to come near these suitors,


s: they would have a short shrift and a sorry wedding. As regards


s: your question, however, I will not prevaricate nor deceive you,


s: but what the old man of the sea told me, so much will I tell you


s: in full. He said he could see Ulysses on an island sorrowing


s: bitterly in the house of the nymph Calypso, who was keeping him


s: prisoner, and he could not reach his home, for he had no ships


s: nor sailors to take him over the sea.' This was what Menelaus


s: told me, and when I had heard his story I came away; the gods


s: then gave me a fair wind and soon brought me safe home again."


s: With these words he moved the heart of Penelope. Then


s: "Madam, wife of Ulysses, Telemachus does not understand these


s: things; listen therefore to me, for I can divine them surely,


s: and will hide nothing from you. May Jove the king of heaven be


s: my witness, and the rites of hospitality, with that hearth of


s: Ulysses to which I now come, that Ulysses himself is even now in


s: Ithaca, and, either going about the country or staying in one


s: place, is enquiring into all these evil deeds and preparing a


s: day of reckoning for the suitors. I saw an omen when I was on


s: the ship which meant this, and I told Telemachus about it."


s: "May it be even so," answered Penelope; "if your words come


s: true, you shall have such gifts and such good will from me that


s: all who see you shall congratulate you."


s: Thus did they converse. Meanwhile the suitors were throwing


s: discs, or aiming with spears at a mark on the levelled ground in


s: front of the house, and behaving with all their old insolence.


s: But when it was now time for dinner, and the flock of sheep and


s: goats had come into the town from all the country round, {140}


s: with their shepherds as usual, then Medon, who was their


s: favourite servant, and who waited upon them at table, said, "Now


s: then, my young masters, you have had enough sport, so come


s: inside that we may get dinner ready. Dinner is not a bad thing,


s: They left their sports as he told them, and when they were


s: within the house, they laid their cloaks on the benches and


s: seats inside, and then sacrificed some sheep, goats, pigs, and a


s: heifer, all of them fat and well grown. {141} Thus they made


s: ready for their meal. In the meantime Ulysses and the swineherd


s: were about starting for the town, and the swineherd said,


s: "Stranger, I suppose you still want to go to town to-day, as my


s: master said you were to do; for my own part I should have liked


s: you to stay here as a station hand, but I must do as my master


s: tells me, or he will scold me later on, and a scolding from


s: one's master is a very serious thing. Let us then be off, for it


s: is now broad day; it will be night again directly and then you


s: "I know, and understand you," replied Ulysses; "you need say no


s: more. Let us be going, but if you have a stick ready cut, let me


s: have it to walk with, for you say the road is a very rough one."


s: As he spoke he threw his shabby old tattered wallet over his


s: shoulders, by the cord from which it hung, and Eumaeus gave him


s: a stick to his liking. The two then started, leaving the station


s: in charge of the dogs and herdsmen who remained behind; the


s: swineherd led the way and his master followed after, looking


s: like some broken down old tramp as he leaned upon his staff, and


s: his clothes were all in rags.  When they had got over the rough


s: steep ground and were nearing the city, they reached the


s: fountain from which the citizens drew their water. This had been


s: made by Ithacus, Neritus, and Polyctor. There was a grove of


s: water-loving poplars planted in a circle all round it, and the


s: clear cold water came down to it from a rock high up, {143}


s: while above the fountain there was an altar to the nymphs, at


s: which all wayfarers used to sacrifice. Here Melanthius son of


s: Dolius overtook them as he was driving down some goats, the best


s: in his flock, for the suitors' dinner, and there were two


s: shepherds with him. When he saw Eumaeus and Ulysses he reviled


s: them with outrageous and unseemly language, which made Ulysses


s: "There you go," cried he, "and a precious pair you are. See how


s: heaven brings birds of the same feather to one another. Where,


s: pray, master swineherd, are you taking this poor miserable


s: object? It would make any one sick to see such a creature at


s: table. A fellow like this never won a prize for anything in his


s: life, but will go about rubbing his shoulders against every


s: man's door post, and begging, not for swords and cauldrons {144}


s: like a man, but only for a few scraps not worth begging for. If


s: you would give him to me for a hand on my station, he might do


s: to clean out the folds, or bring a bit of sweet feed to the


s: kids, and he could fatten his thighs as much as he pleased on


s: whey; but he has taken to bad ways and will not go about any


s: kind of work; he will do nothing but beg victuals all the town


s: over, to feed his insatiable belly. I say, therefore--and it


s: shall surely be--if he goes near Ulysses' house he will get his


s: head broken by the stools they will fling at him, till they turn


s: On this, as he passed, he gave Ulysses a kick on the hip out of


s: pure wantonness, but Ulysses stood firm, and did not budge from


s: the path. For a moment he doubted whether or no to fly at


s: Melanthius and kill him with his staff, or fling him to the


s: ground and beat his brains out; he resolved, however, to endure


s: it and keep himself in check, but the swineherd looked straight


s: at Melanthius and rebuked him, lifting up his hands and praying


s: "Fountain nymphs," he cried, "children of Jove, if ever Ulysses


s: burned you thigh bones covered with fat whether of lambs or


s: kids, grant my prayer that heaven may send him home. He would


s: soon put an end to the swaggering threats with which such men as


s: you go about insulting people--gadding all over the town while


s: your flocks are going to ruin through bad shepherding."


s: Then Melanthius the goatherd answered, "You ill conditioned cur,


s: what are you talking about? Some day or other I will put you on


s: board ship and take you to a foreign country, where I can sell


s: you and pocket the money you will fetch.  I wish I were as sure


s: that Apollo would strike Telemachus dead this very day, or that


s: the suitors would kill him, as I am that Ulysses will never come


s: With this he left them to come on at their leisure, while he


s: went quickly forward and soon reached the house of his master.


s: When he got there he went in and took his seat among the suitors


s: opposite Eurymachus, who liked him better than any of the


s: others. The servants brought him a portion of meat, and an upper


s: woman servant set bread before him that he might eat. Presently


s: Ulysses and the swineherd came up to the house and stood by it,


s: amid a sound of music, for Phemius was just beginning to sing to


s: the suitors. Then Ulysses took hold of the swineherd's hand, and


s: "Eumaeus, this house of Ulysses is a very fine place. No matter


s: how far you go, you will find few like it. One building keeps


s: following on after another. The outer court has a wall with


s: battlements all round it; the doors are double folding, and of


s: good workmanship; it would be a hard matter to take it by force


s: of arms. I perceive, too, that there are many people banqueting


s: within it, for there is a smell of roast meat, and I hear a


s: sound of music, which the gods have made to go along with


s: Then Eumaeus said, "You have perceived aright, as indeed you


s: generally do; but let us think what will be our best course.


s: Will you go inside first and join the suitors, leaving me here


s: behind you, or will you wait here and let me go in first? But do


s: not wait long, or some one may see you loitering about outside,


s: and throw something at you.  Consider this matter I pray you."


s: And Ulysses answered, "I understand and heed. Go in first and


s: leave me here where I am. I am quite used to being beaten and


s: having things thrown at me. I have been so much buffeted about


s: in war and by sea that I am case-hardened, and this too may go


s: with the rest. But a man cannot hide away the cravings of a


s: hungry belly; this is an enemy which gives much trouble to all


s: men; it is because of this that ships are fitted out to sail the


s: seas, and to make war upon other people."


s: As they were thus talking, a dog that had been lying asleep


s: raised his head and pricked up his ears. This was Argos, whom


s: Ulysses had bred before setting out for Troy, but he had never


s: had any work out of him. In the old days he used to be taken out


s: by the young men when they went hunting wild goats, or deer, or


s: hares, but now that his master was gone he was lying neglected


s: on the heaps of mule and cow dung that lay in front of the


s: stable doors till the men should come and draw it away to manure


s: the great close; and he was full of fleas. As soon as he saw


s: Ulysses standing there, he dropped his ears and wagged his tail,


s: but he could not get close up to his master. When Ulysses saw


s: the dog on the other side of the yard, he dashed a tear from his


s: eyes without Eumaeus seeing it, and said:


s: "Eumaeus, what a noble hound that is over yonder on the manure


s: heap: his build is splendid; is he as fine a fellow as he looks,


s: or is he only one of those dogs that come begging about a table,


s: "This hound," answered Eumaeus, "belonged to him who has died in


s: a far country. If he were what he was when Ulysses left for


s: Troy, he would soon show you what he could do.  There was not a


s: wild beast in the forest that could get away from him when he


s: was once on its tracks. But now he has fallen on evil times, for


s: his master is dead and gone, and the women take no care of him.


s: Servants never do their work when their master's hand is no


s: longer over them, for Jove takes half the goodness out of a man


s: As he spoke he went inside the buildings to the cloister where


s: the suitors were, but Argos died as soon as he had recognised


s: Telemachus saw Eumaeus long before any one else did, and


s: beckoned him to come and sit beside him; so he looked about and


s: saw a seat lying near where the carver sat serving out their


s: portions to the suitors; he picked it up, brought it to


s: Telemachus's table, and sat down opposite him. Then the servant


s: brought him his portion, and gave him bread from the


s: Immediately afterwards Ulysses came inside, looking like a poor


s: miserable old beggar, leaning on his staff and with his clothes


s: all in rags. He sat down upon the threshold of ash-wood just


s: inside the doors leading from the outer to the inner court, and


s: against a bearing-post of cypress-wood which the carpenter had


s: skilfully planed, and had made to join truly with rule and line.


s: Telemachus took a whole loaf from the bread-basket, with as much


s: meat as he could hold in his two hands, and said to Eumaeus,


s: "Take this to the stranger, and tell him to go the round of the


s: suitors, and beg from them; a beggar must not be shamefaced."


s: So Eumaeus went up to him and said, "Stranger, Telemachus sends


s: you this, and says you are to go the round of the suitors


s: begging, for beggars must not be shamefaced."


s: Ulysses answered, "May King Jove grant all happiness to


s: Telemachus, and fulfil the desire of his heart."


s: Then with both hands he took what Telemachus had sent him, and


s: laid it on the dirty old wallet at his feet. He went on eating


s: it while the bard was singing, and had just finished his dinner


s: as he left off. The suitors applauded the bard, whereon Minerva


s: went up to Ulysses and prompted him to beg pieces of bread from


s: each one of the suitors, that he might see what kind of people


s: they were, and tell the good from the bad; but come what might


s: she was not going to save a single one of them. Ulysses,


s: therefore, went on his round, going from left to right, and


s: stretched out his hands to beg as though he were a real beggar.


s: Some of them pitied him, and were curious about him, asking one


s: another who he was and where he came from; whereon the goatherd


s: Melanthius said, "Suitors of my noble mistress, I can tell you


s: something about him, for I have seen him before. The swineherd


s: brought him here, but I know nothing about the man himself, nor


s: On this Antinous began to abuse the swineherd. "You precious


s: Have we not tramps and beggars enough already to pester us as we


s: sit at meat? Do you think it a small thing that such people


s: gather here to waste your master's property--and must you needs


s: And Eumaeus answered, "Antinous, your birth is good but your


s: words evil. It was no doing of mine that he came here. Who is


s: likely to invite a stranger from a foreign country, unless it be


s: one of those who can do public service as a seer, a healer of


s: hurts, a carpenter, or a bard who can charm us with his singing?


s: Such men are welcome all the world over, but no one is likely to


s: ask a beggar who will only worry him. You are always harder on


s: Ulysses' servants than any of the other suitors are, and above


s: all on me, but I do not care so long as Telemachus and Penelope


s: But Telemachus said, "Hush, do not answer him; Antinous has the


s: bitterest tongue of all the suitors, and he makes the others


s: Then turning to Antinous he said, "Antinous, you take as much


s: care of my interests as though I were your son. Why should you


s: want to see this stranger turned out of the house? Heaven


s: forbid; take something and give it him yourself; I do not grudge


s: it; I bid you take it. Never mind my mother, nor any of the


s: other servants in the house; but I know you will not do what I


s: say, for you are more fond of eating things yourself than of


s: "What do you mean, Telemachus," replied Antinous, "by this


s: swaggering talk? If all the suitors were to give him as much as


s: I will, he would not come here again for another three months."


s: As he spoke he drew the stool on which he rested his dainty feet


s: from under the table, and made as though he would throw it at


s: Ulysses, but the other suitors all gave him something, and


s: filled his wallet with bread and meat; he was about, therefore,


s: to go back to the threshold and eat what the suitors had given


s: him, but he first went up to Antinous and said:


s: "Sir, give me something; you are not, surely, the poorest man


s: here; you seem to be a chief, foremost among them all; therefore


s: you should be the better giver, and I will tell far and wide of


s: your bounty. I too was a rich man once, and had a fine house of


s: my own; in those days I gave to many a tramp such as I now am,


s: no matter who he might be nor what he wanted. I had any number


s: of servants, and all the other things which people have who live


s: well and are accounted wealthy, but it pleased Jove to take all


s: it was a long voyage and I was undone by it. I stationed my


s: keep guard over them, while I sent out scouts to reconnoitre


s: "But the men disobeyed my orders, took to their own devices, and


s: their wives and children captives. The alarm was soon carried to


s: the city, and when they heard the war-cry, the people came out


s: at daybreak till the plain was filled with soldiers horse and


s: foot, and with the gleam of armour. Then Jove spread panic among


s: my men, and they would no longer face the enemy, for they found


s: the rest alive to do forced labour for them; as for myself, they


s: gave me to a friend who met them, to take to Cyprus, Dmetor by


s: name, son of Iasus, who was a great man in Cyprus. Thence I am


s: come hither in a state of great misery."


s: Then Antinous said, "What god can have sent such a pestilence to


s: plague us during our dinner? Get out, into the open part of the


s: your insolence and importunity; you have begged of all the


s: others, and they have given you lavishly, for they have


s: abundance round them, and it is easy to be free with other


s: people's property when there is plenty of it."


s: On this Ulysses began to move off, and said, "Your looks, my


s: fine sir, are better than your breeding; if you were in your own


s: house you would not spare a poor man so much as a pinch of salt,


s: for though you are in another man's, and surrounded with


s: abundance, you cannot find it in you to give him even a piece of


s: This made Antinous very angry, and he scowled at him saying,


s: "You shall pay for this before you get clear of the court." With


s: these words he threw a footstool at him, and hit him on the


s: right shoulder blade near the top of his back. Ulysses stood


s: firm as a rock and the blow did not even stagger him, but he


s: shook his head in silence as he brooded on his revenge. Then he


s: went back to the threshold and sat down there, laying his well


s: "Listen to me," he cried, "you suitors of Queen Penelope, that I


s: may speak even as I am minded. A man knows neither ache nor pain


s: if he gets hit while fighting for his money, or for his sheep or


s: his cattle; and even so Antinous has hit me while in the service


s: of my miserable belly, which is always getting people into


s: trouble. Still, if the poor have gods and avenging deities at


s: all, I pray them that Antinous may come to a bad end before his


s: "Sit where you are, and eat your victuals in silence, or be off


s: elsewhere," shouted Antinous. "If you say more I will have you


s: dragged hand and foot through the courts, and the servants shall


s: The other suitors were much displeased at this, and one of the


s: young men said, "Antinous, you did ill in striking that poor


s: wretch of a tramp: it will be worse for you if he should turn


s: out to be some god--and we know the gods go about disguised in


s: all sorts of ways as people from foreign countries, and travel


s: about the world to see who do amiss and who righteously." {146}


s: Thus said the suitors, but Antinous paid them no heed.


s: Meanwhile Telemachus was furious about the blow that had been


s: given to his father, and though no tear fell from him, he shook


s: his head in silence and brooded on his revenge.


s: Now when Penelope heard that the beggar had been struck in the


s: banqueting-cloister, she said before her maids, "Would that


s: Apollo would so strike you, Antinous," and her waiting woman


s: Eurynome answered, "If our prayers were answered not one of the


s: suitors would ever again see the sun rise." Then Penelope said,


s: "Nurse, {147} I hate every single one of them, for they mean


s: nothing but mischief, but I hate Antinous like the darkness of


s: death itself. A poor unfortunate tramp has come begging about


s: the house for sheer want. Every one else has given him something


s: to put in his wallet, but Antinous has hit him on the right


s: Thus did she talk with her maids as she sat in her own room, and


s: in the meantime Ulysses was getting his dinner.  Then she called


s: for the swineherd and said, "Eumaeus, go and tell the stranger


s: to come here, I want to see him and ask him some questions. He


s: seems to have travelled much, and he may have seen or heard


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "If these Achaeans,


s: Madam, would only keep quiet, you would be charmed with the


s: history of his adventures. I had him three days and three nights


s: with me in my hut, which was the first place he reached after


s: running away from his ship, and he has not yet completed the


s: story of his misfortunes. If he had been the most heaven-taught


s: minstrel in the whole world, on whose lips all hearers hang


s: entranced, I could not have been more charmed as I sat in my hut


s: and listened to him. He says there is an old friendship between


s: his house and that of Ulysses, and that he comes from Crete


s: where the descendants of Minos live, after having been driven


s: hither and thither by every kind of misfortune; he also declares


s: that he has heard of Ulysses as being alive and near at hand


s: among the Thesprotians, and that he is bringing great wealth


s: "Call him here, then," said Penelope, "that I too may hear his


s: story. As for the suitors, let them take their pleasure indoors


s: or out as they will, for they have nothing to fret about. Their


s: corn and wine remain unwasted in their houses with none but


s: servants to consume them, while they keep hanging about our


s: house day after day sacrificing our oxen, sheep, and fat goats


s: for their banquets, and never giving so much as a thought to the


s: quantity of wine they drink. No estate can stand such


s: recklessness, for we have now no Ulysses to protect us. If he


s: were to come again, he and his son would soon have their


s: As she spoke Telemachus sneezed so loudly that the whole house


s: resounded with it. Penelope laughed when she heard this, and


s: said to Eumaeus, "Go and call the stranger; did you not hear how


s: my son sneezed just as I was speaking?  This can only mean that


s: all the suitors are going to be killed, and that not one of them


s: shall escape. Furthermore I say, and lay my saying to your


s: heart: if I am satisfied that the stranger is speaking the truth


s: I shall give him a shirt and cloak of good wear."


s: When Eumaeus heard this he went straight to Ulysses and said,


s: "Father stranger, my mistress Penelope, mother of Telemachus,


s: has sent for you; she is in great grief, but she wishes to hear


s: anything you can tell her about her husband, and if she is


s: satisfied that you are speaking the truth, she will give you a


s: shirt and cloak, which are the very things that you are most in


s: want of. As for bread, you can get enough of that to fill your


s: belly, by begging about the town, and letting those give that


s: "I will tell Penelope," answered Ulysses, "nothing but what is


s: strictly true. I know all about her husband, and have been


s: partner with him in affliction, but I am afraid of passing


s: through this crowd of cruel suitors, for their pride and


s: insolence reach heaven. Just now, moreover, as I was going about


s: the house without doing any harm, a man gave me a blow that hurt


s: me very much, but neither Telemachus nor any one else defended


s: me. Tell Penelope, therefore, to be patient and wait till


s: sundown. Let her give me a seat close up to the fire, for my


s: clothes are worn very thin--you know they are, for you have seen


s: them ever since I first asked you to help me--she can then ask


s: The swineherd went back when he heard this, and Penelope said as


s: she saw him cross the threshold, "Why do you not bring him here,


s: Eumaeus? Is he afraid that some one will ill-treat him, or is he


s: shy of coming inside the house at all? Beggars should not be


s: To this you answered, O swineherd Eumaeus, "The stranger is


s: quite reasonable. He is avoiding the suitors, and is only doing


s: what any one else would do. He asks you to wait till sundown,


s: and it will be much better, madam, that you should have him all


s: to yourself, when you can hear him and talk to him as you will."


s: "The man is no fool," answered Penelope, "it would very likely


s: be as he says, for there are no such abominable people in the


s: When she had done speaking Eumaeus went back to the suitors, for


s: he had explained everything. Then he went up to Telemachus and


s: said in his ear so that none could overhear him, "My dear sir, I


s: will now go back to the pigs, to see after your property and my


s: own business. You will look to what is going on here, but above


s: all be careful to keep out of danger, for there are many who


s: bear you ill will. May Jove bring them to a bad end before they


s: "Very well," replied Telemachus, "go home when you have had your


s: dinner, and in the morning come here with the victims we are to


s: sacrifice for the day. Leave the rest to heaven and me."


s: On this Eumaeus took his seat again, and when he had finished


s: his dinner he left the courts and the cloister with the men at


s: table, and went back to his pigs. As for the suitors, they


s: presently began to amuse themselves with singing and dancing,


s: for it was now getting on towards evening.


s: Now there came a certain common tramp who used to go begging all


s: over the city of Ithaca, and was notorious as an incorrigible


s: glutton and drunkard. This man had no strength nor stay in him,


s: but he was a great hulking fellow to look at; his real name, the


s: one his mother gave him, was Arnaeus, but the young men of the


s: place called him Irus, {148} because he used to run errands for


s: any one who would send him. As soon as he came he began to


s: insult Ulysses, and to try and drive him out of his own house.


s: "Be off, old man," he cried, "from the doorway, or you shall be


s: dragged out neck and heels. Do you not see that they are all


s: giving me the wink, and wanting me to turn you out by force,


s: only I do not like to do so? Get up then, and go of yourself, or


s: Ulysses frowned on him and said, "My friend, I do you no manner


s: of harm; people give you a great deal, but I am not jealous.


s: There is room enough in this doorway for the pair of us, and you


s: need not grudge me things that are not yours to give. You seem


s: to be just such another tramp as myself, but perhaps the gods


s: will give us better luck by and by. Do not, however, talk too


s: much about fighting or you will incense me, and old though I am,


s: I shall cover your mouth and chest with blood. I shall have more


s: peace tomorrow if I do, for you will not come to the house of


s: Irus was very angry and answered, "You filthy glutton, you run


s: both hands about you, and knock your teeth out of your head like


s: so many boar's tusks. Get ready, therefore, and let these people


s: here stand by and look on. You will never be able to fight one


s: Thus roundly did they rate one another on the smooth pavement in


s: front of the doorway, {149} and when Antinous saw what was going


s: on he laughed heartily and said to the others, "This is the


s: finest sport that you ever saw; heaven never yet sent anything


s: like it into this house.  The stranger and Irus have quarreled


s: and are going to fight, let us set them on to do so at once."


s: The suitors all came up laughing, and gathered round the two


s: ragged tramps. "Listen to me," said Antinous, "there are some


s: goats' paunches down at the fire, which we have filled with


s: blood and fat, and set aside for supper; he who is victorious


s: and proves himself to be the better man shall have his pick of


s: the lot; he shall be free of our table and we will not allow any


s: The others all agreed, but Ulysses, to throw them off the scent,


s: said, "Sirs, an old man like myself, worn out with suffering,


s: cannot hold his own against a young one; but my irrepressible


s: belly urges me on, though I know it can only end in my getting a


s: drubbing. You must swear, however that none of you will give me


s: a foul blow to favour Irus and secure him the victory."


s: They swore as he told them, and when they had completed their


s: oath Telemachus put in a word and said, "Stranger, if you have a


s: mind to settle with this fellow, you need not be afraid of any


s: one here. Whoever strikes you will have to fight more than one.


s: I am host, and the other chiefs, Antinous and Eurymachus, both


s: of them men of understanding, are of the same mind as I am."


s: Every one assented, and Ulysses girded his old rags about his


s: loins, thus baring his stalwart thighs, his broad chest and


s: shoulders, and his mighty arms; but Minerva came up to him and


s: made his limbs even stronger still. The suitors were beyond


s: measure astonished, and one would turn towards his neighbour


s: saying, "The stranger has brought such a thigh out of his old


s: rags that there will soon be nothing left of Irus."


s: Irus began to be very uneasy as he heard them, but the servants


s: girded him by force, and brought him [into the open part of the


s: court] in such a fright that his limbs were all of a tremble.


s: Antinous scolded him and said, "You swaggering bully, you ought


s: never to have been born at all if you are afraid of such an old


s: broken down creature as this tramp is. I say, therefore--and it


s: shall surely be--if he beats you and proves himself the better


s: man, I shall pack you off on board ship to the mainland and send


s: you to king Echetus, who kills every one that comes near him. He


s: will cut off your nose and ears, and draw out your entrails for


s: This frightened Irus still more, but they brought him into the


s: middle of the court, and the two men raised their hands to


s: fight. Then Ulysses considered whether he should let drive so


s: hard at him as to make an end of him then and there, or whether


s: he should give him a lighter blow that should only knock him


s: down; in the end he deemed it best to give the lighter blow for


s: fear the Achaeans should begin to suspect who he was. Then they


s: began to fight, and Irus hit Ulysses on the right shoulder; but


s: Ulysses gave Irus a blow on the neck under the ear that broke in


s: the bones of his skull, and the blood came gushing out of his


s: mouth; he fell groaning in the dust, gnashing his teeth and


s: kicking on the ground, but the suitors threw up their hands and


s: nearly died of laughter, as Ulysses caught hold of him by the


s: foot and dragged him into the outer court as far as the


s: gate-house. There he propped him up against the wall and put his


s: staff in his hands. "Sit here," said he, "and keep the dogs and


s: pigs off; you are a pitiful creature, and if you try to make


s: yourself king of the beggars any more you shall fare still


s: Then he threw his dirty old wallet, all tattered and torn over


s: his shoulder with the cord by which it hung, and went back to


s: sit down upon the threshold; but the suitors went within the


s: cloisters, laughing and saluting him, "May Jove, and all the


s: other gods," said they, "grant you whatever you want for having


s: put an end to the importunity of this insatiable tramp. We will


s: take him over to the mainland presently, to king Echetus, who


s: Ulysses hailed this as of good omen, and Antinous set a great


s: goat's paunch before him filled with blood and fat.  Amphinomus


s: took two loaves out of the bread-basket and brought them to him,


s: pledging him as he did so in a golden goblet of wine. "Good luck


s: to you," he said, "father stranger, you are very badly off at


s: present, but I hope you will have better times by and by."


s: To this Ulysses answered, "Amphinomus, you seem to be a man of


s: good understanding, as indeed you may well be, seeing whose son


s: you are. I have heard your father well spoken of; he is Nisus of


s: Dulichium, a man both brave and wealthy. They tell me you are


s: his son, and you appear to be a considerable person; listen,


s: therefore, and take heed to what I am saying. Man is the vainest


s: of all creatures that have their being upon earth. As long as


s: heaven vouchsafes him health and strength, he thinks that he


s: shall come to no harm hereafter, and even when the blessed gods


s: bring sorrow upon him, he bears it as he needs must, and makes


s: the best of it; for God almighty gives men their daily minds day


s: by day. I know all about it, for I was a rich man once, and did


s: much wrong in the stubbornness of my pride, and in the


s: confidence that my father and my brothers would support me;


s: therefore let a man fear God in all things always, and take the


s: good that heaven may see fit to send him without vain glory.


s: Consider the infamy of what these suitors are doing; see how


s: they are wasting the estate, and doing dishonour to the wife, of


s: one who is certain to return some day, and that, too, not long


s: hence.  Nay, he will be here soon; may heaven send you home


s: quietly first that you may not meet with him in the day of his


s: coming, for once he is here the suitors and he will not part


s: With these words he made a drink-offering, and when he had drunk


s: he put the gold cup again into the hands of Amphinomus, who


s: walked away serious and bowing his head, for he foreboded evil.


s: But even so he did not escape destruction, for Minerva had


s: doomed him to fall by the hand of Telemachus. So he took his


s: seat again at the place from which he had come.


s: Then Minerva put it into the mind of Penelope to show herself to


s: the suitors, that she might make them still more enamoured of


s: her, and win still further honour from her son and husband. So


s: she feigned a mocking laugh and said, "Eurynome, I have changed


s: my mind, and have a fancy to show myself to the suitors although


s: I detest them. I should like also to give my son a hint that he


s: had better not have anything more to do with them. They speak


s: "My dear child," answered Eurynome, "all that you have said is


s: true, go and tell your son about it, but first wash yourself and


s: anoint your face. Do not go about with your cheeks all covered


s: with tears; it is not right that you should grieve so


s: incessantly; for Telemachus, whom you always prayed that you


s: might live to see with a beard, is already grown up."


s: "I know, Eurynome," replied Penelope, "that you mean well, but


s: do not try and persuade me to wash and to anoint myself, for


s: heaven robbed me of all my beauty on the day my husband sailed;


s: nevertheless, tell Autonoe and Hippodamia that I want them. They


s: must be with me when I am in the cloister; I am not going among


s: the men alone; it would not be proper for me to do so."


s: On this the old woman {150} went out of the room to bid the


s: maids go to their mistress. In the meantime Minerva bethought


s: her of another matter, and sent Penelope off into a sweet


s: slumber; so she lay down on her couch and her limbs became heavy


s: with sleep. Then the goddess shed grace and beauty over her that


s: all the Achaeans might admire her. She washed her face with the


s: ambrosial loveliness that Venus wears when she goes dancing with


s: the Graces; she made her taller and of a more commanding figure,


s: while as for her complexion it was whiter than sawn ivory. When


s: Minerva had done all this she went away, whereon the maids came


s: in from the women's room and woke Penelope with the sound of


s: "What an exquisitely delicious sleep I have been having," said


s: she, as she passed her hands over her face, "in spite of all my


s: misery. I wish Diana would let me die so sweetly now at this


s: very moment, that I might no longer waste in despair for the


s: loss of my dear husband, who possessed every kind of good


s: quality and was the most distinguished man among the Achaeans."


s: With these words she came down from her upper room, not alone


s: but attended by two of her maidens, and when she reached the


s: suitors she stood by one of the bearing-posts supporting the


s: roof of the cloister, holding a veil before her face, and with a


s: staid maid servant on either side of her. As they beheld her the


s: suitors were so overpowered and became so desperately enamoured


s: of her, that each one prayed he might win her for his own bed


s: "Telemachus," said she, addressing her son, "I fear you are no


s: longer so discreet and well conducted as you used to be. When


s: you were younger you had a greater sense of propriety; now,


s: however, that you are grown up, though a stranger to look at you


s: would take you for the son of a well to do father as far as size


s: and good looks go, your conduct is by no means what it should


s: be. What is all this disturbance that has been going on, and how


s: came you to allow a stranger to be so disgracefully ill-treated?


s: What would have happened if he had suffered serious injury while


s: a suppliant in our house? Surely this would have been very


s: "I am not surprised, my dear mother, at your displeasure,"


s: replied Telemachus, "I understand all about it and know when


s: things are not as they should be, which I could not do when I


s: was younger; I cannot, however, behave with perfect propriety at


s: all times. First one and then another of these wicked people


s: here keeps driving me out of my mind, and I have no one to stand


s: by me. After all, however, this fight between Irus and the


s: stranger did not turn out as the suitors meant it to do, for the


s: stranger got the best of it. I wish Father Jove, Minerva, and


s: Apollo would break the neck of every one of these wooers of


s: yours, some inside the house and some out; and I wish they might


s: all be as limp as Irus is over yonder in the gate of the outer


s: court. See how he nods his head like a drunken man; he has had


s: such a thrashing that he cannot stand on his feet nor get back


s: to his home, wherever that may be, for he has no strength left


s: Thus did they converse. Eurymachus then came up and said, "Queen


s: Penelope, daughter of Icarius, if all the Achaeans in Iasian


s: Argos could see you at this moment, you would have still more


s: suitors in your house by tomorrow morning, for you are the most


s: admirable woman in the whole world both as regards personal


s: To this Penelope replied, "Eurymachus, heaven robbed me of all


s: my beauty whether of face or figure when the Argives set sail


s: for Troy and my dear husband with them. If he were to return and


s: look after my affairs, I should both be more respected and show


s: a better presence to the world. As it is, I am oppressed with


s: care, and with the afflictions which heaven has seen fit to heap


s: upon me. My husband foresaw it all, and when he was leaving home


s: he took my right wrist in his hand--'Wife,' he said, 'we shall


s: not all of us come safe home from Troy, for the Trojans fight


s: well both with bow and spear. They are excellent also at


s: fighting from chariots, and nothing decides the issue of a fight


s: sooner than this. I know not, therefore, whether heaven will


s: send me back to you, or whether I may not fall over there at


s: Troy. In the meantime do you look after things here. Take care


s: of my father and mother as at present, and even more so during


s: my absence, but when you see our son growing a beard, then marry


s: whom you will, and leave this your present home.' This is what


s: he said and now it is all coming true. A night will come when I


s: shall have to yield myself to a marriage which I detest, for


s: Jove has taken from me all hope of happiness. This further


s: grief, moreover, cuts me to the very heart. You suitors are not


s: wooing me after the custom of my country. When men are courting


s: a woman who they think will be a good wife to them and who is of


s: noble birth, and when they are each trying to win her for


s: himself, they usually bring oxen and sheep to feast the friends


s: of the lady, and they make her magnificent presents, instead of


s: eating up other people's property without paying for it."


s: This was what she said, and Ulysses was glad when he heard her


s: trying to get presents out of the suitors, and flattering them


s: with fair words which he knew she did not mean.


s: Then Antinous said, "Queen Penelope, daughter of Icarius, take


s: as many presents as you please from any one who will give them


s: to you; it is not well to refuse a present; but we will not go


s: about our business nor stir from where we are, till you have


s: married the best man among us whoever he may be."


s: The others applauded what Antinous had said, and each one sent


s: his servant to bring his present. Antinous's man returned with a


s: large and lovely dress most exquisitely embroidered. It had


s: twelve beautifully made brooch pins of pure gold with which to


s: fasten it. Eurymachus immediately brought her a magnificent


s: chain of gold and amber beads that gleamed like sunlight.


s: Eurydamas's two men returned with some earrings fashioned into


s: three brilliant pendants which glistened most beautifully; while


s: king Pisander son of Polyctor gave her a necklace of the rarest


s: workmanship, and every one else brought her a beautiful present


s: Then the queen went back to her room upstairs, and her maids


s: brought the presents after her. Meanwhile the suitors took to


s: singing and dancing, and stayed till evening came. They danced


s: and sang till it grew dark; they then brought in three braziers


s: {151} to give light, and piled them up with chopped firewood


s: very old and dry, and they lit torches from them, which the


s: maids held up turn and turn about. Then Ulysses said:


s: "Maids, servants of Ulysses who has so long been absent, go to


s: the queen inside the house; sit with her and amuse her, or spin,


s: and pick wool. I will hold the light for all these people. They


s: may stay till morning, but shall not beat me, for I can stand a


s: The maids looked at one another and laughed, while pretty


s: Melantho began to gibe at him contemptuously. She was daughter


s: to Dolius, but had been brought up by Penelope, who used to give


s: her toys to play with, and looked after her when she was a


s: child; but in spite of all this she showed no consideration for


s: the sorrows of her mistress, and used to misconduct herself with


s: "Poor wretch," said she, "are you gone clean out of your mind?


s: Go and sleep in some smithy, or place of public gossips, instead


s: of chattering here. Are you not ashamed of opening your mouth


s: before your betters--so many of them too? Has the wine been


s: getting into your head, or do you always babble in this way? You


s: seem to have lost your wits because you beat the tramp Irus;


s: take care that a better man than he does not come and cudgel you


s: about the head till he pack you bleeding out of the house."


s: "Vixen," replied Ulysses, scowling at her, "I will go and tell


s: Telemachus what you have been saying, and he will have you torn


s: With these words he scared the women, and they went off into the


s: body of the house. They trembled all over, for they thought he


s: would do as he said. But Ulysses took his stand near the burning


s: braziers, holding up torches and looking at the people--brooding


s: the while on things that should surely come to pass.


s: But Minerva would not let the suitors for one moment cease their


s: insolence, for she wanted Ulysses to become even more bitter


s: against them; she therefore set Eurymachus son of Polybus on to


s: gibe at him, which made the others laugh.  "Listen to me," said


s: he, "you suitors of Queen Penelope, that I may speak even as I


s: am minded. It is not for nothing that this man has come to the


s: house of Ulysses; I believe the light has not been coming from


s: the torches, but from his own head--for his hair is all gone,


s: Then turning to Ulysses he said, "Stranger, will you work as a


s: servant, if I send you to the wolds and see that you are well


s: paid? Can you build a stone fence, or plant trees? I will have


s: you fed all the year round, and will find you in shoes and


s: clothing. Will you go, then? Not you; for you have got into bad


s: ways, and do not want to work; you had rather fill your belly by


s: "Eurymachus," answered Ulysses, "if you and I were to work one


s: against the other in early summer when the days are at their


s: longest--give me a good scythe, and take another yourself, and


s: let us see which will last the longer or mow the stronger, from


s: dawn till dark when the mowing grass is about. Or if you will


s: plough against me, let us each take a yoke of tawny oxen,


s: well-mated and of great strength and endurance: turn me into a


s: four acre field, and see whether you or I can drive the


s: straighter furrow. If, again, war were to break out this day,


s: give me a shield, a couple of spears and a helmet fitting well


s: upon my temples--you would find me foremost in the fray, and


s: would cease your gibes about my belly. You are insolent and


s: cruel, and think yourself a great man because you live in a


s: little world, and that a bad one. If Ulysses comes to his own


s: again, the doors of his house are wide, but you will find them


s: narrow when you try to fly through them."


s: Eurymachus was furious at all this. He scowled at him and cried,


s: "You wretch, I will soon pay you out for daring to say such


s: things to me, and in public too. Has the wine been getting into


s: your head or do you always babble in this way? You seem to have


s: lost your wits because you beat the tramp Irus." With this he


s: caught hold of a footstool, but Ulysses sought protection at the


s: knees of Amphinomus of Dulichium, for he was afraid. The stool


s: hit the cupbearer on his right hand and knocked him down: the


s: man fell with a cry flat on his back, and his wine-jug fell


s: ringing to the ground. The suitors in the covered cloister were


s: now in an uproar, and one would turn towards his neighbour,


s: saying, "I wish the stranger had gone somewhere else, bad luck


s: to him, for all the trouble he gives us. We cannot permit such


s: disturbance about a beggar; if such ill counsels are to prevail


s: we shall have no more pleasure at our banquet."


s: On this Telemachus came forward and said, "Sirs, are you mad?


s: Can you not carry your meat and your liquor decently?  Some evil


s: spirit has possessed you. I do not wish to drive any of you


s: away, but you have had your suppers, and the sooner you all go


s: The suitors bit their lips and marvelled at the boldness of his


s: speech; but Amphinomus the son of Nisus, who was son to Aretias,


s: said, "Do not let us take offence; it is reasonable, so let us


s: make no answer. Neither let us do violence to the stranger nor


s: to any of Ulysses' servants.  Let the cupbearer go round with


s: the drink-offerings, that we may make them and go home to our


s: rest. As for the stranger, let us leave Telemachus to deal with


s: him, for it is to his house that he has come."


s: Thus did he speak, and his saying pleased them well, so Mulius


s: of Dulichium, servant to Amphinomus, mixed them a bowl of wine


s: and water and handed it round to each of them man by man,


s: whereon they made their drink-offerings to the blessed gods:


s: Then, when they had made their drink-offerings and had drunk


s: each one as he was minded, they took their several ways each of


s: Ulysses was left in the cloister, pondering on the means whereby


s: with Minerva's help he might be able to kill the suitors.


s: Presently he said to Telemachus, "Telemachus, we must get the


s: armour together and take it down inside. Make some excuse when


s: the suitors ask you why you have removed it. Say that you have


s: taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, inasmuch as it is no


s: longer what it was when Ulysses went away, but has become soiled


s: and begrimed with soot. Add to this more particularly that you


s: are afraid Jove may set them on to quarrel over their wine, and


s: that they may do each other some harm which may disgrace both


s: banquet and wooing, for the sight of arms sometimes tempts


s: Telemachus approved of what his father had said, so he called


s: nurse Euryclea and said, "Nurse, shut the women up in their


s: room, while I take the armour that my father left behind him


s: down into the store room. No one looks after it now my father is


s: gone, and it has got all smirched with soot during my own


s: boyhood. I want to take it down where the smoke cannot reach


s: "I wish, child," answered Euryclea, "that you would take the


s: management of the house into your own hands altogether, and look


s: after all the property yourself. But who is to go with you and


s: light you to the store-room? The maids would have done so, but