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Thus having spoken, he took a stool: but Ulysses sat down at the knees of Dulichian Amphinomus, fearing Eurymachus: and he struck the cup-bearer on his right hand; and the bowl, falling on the ground, resounded; but he, groaning, fell supine in the dust. And the suitors made a tumult in the dark palace; and thus some one said, looking to another near him:

"Would that the stranger, wandering, had perished elsewhere, before he came [here]; then would he not have caused so great a tumult. But now we are contending about a beggar; nor will there be any delight in an excellent banquet, since the worst things prevail."

Then the sacred might of Telemachus addressed them: "Sirs, ye are mad, and no longer eat and drink in quiet: some one of the gods irritates you. But having feasted well, go home, and lie down, when your mind commands you; but I drive no one away." "18

Thus he spoke; and they all biting their lips with their teeth, marvelled at Telemachus for what he boldly spoke. But Amphinomus, the illustrious son of king Nisus, son of Aretias, harangued and addressed them:

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My friends, no one surely attacking [him] with hostile words, would be angry with what has been spoken justly. Neither insult the stranger any more, nor any other of the servants who are in the house of divine Ulysses. But come, let the cup-bearer make the first offerings with the cups, that having made libations, we going home may lie down : and let us leave the stranger in the palace of Ulysses for Telemachus to take care of: for he has come to his kind house."

Thus he spoke; and he spoke words pleasing to all of them. And the hero Mulius, the Dulichian herald, mixed a bowl for them; but he was the servant of Amphinomus; and he distributed to all in succession: and they having made libations to the blessed gods, drank sweet wine. But when they had made libations, and drunk as much as their mind wished, each went to his own home to lie down to rest.

18 i. e. go when you choose.

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During the night Ulysses and Telemachus remove the arms from the hall to an upper chamber. Ulysses then gives a feigned account of himself to Penelope. Euryclea, while washing his feet, recognises him by a scar on his knee; then follows an account of the way in which he was wounded by a boar while hunting in Parnassus.

BUT divine Ulysses was left in the palace, meditating destruction for the suitors with Minerva. And he immediately addressed to Telemachus winged words:

"Telemachus, it behoves [thee] to lay up all the warlike arms within; but to deceive the suitors with mild words, when desiring them they inquire of thee; [saying], I have placed them out of the smoke; since they are no longer like unto those which Ulysses once left, when going to Troy, but are become soiled, as much as the vapour of fire has reached them. But the deity has put this still greater matter in my mind, lest by chance intoxicated, having made a quarrel amongst you, ye should wound one another, and disgrace the feast, and the wooing; for the steel itself draws on a man.

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Thus he spoke; and Telemachus obeyed his dear father: and calling out the nurse Euryclea, he addressed her:

"Nurse, come now, shut the women in the palace, whilst I lay up the beautiful arms of my sire in the chamber, which the smoke besmears, not taken care of in the house, whilst my sire is absent: but I was yet a child; but now I wish to lay them up, where the vapour of fire will not reach them."

But him the dear nurse Euryclea addressed in turn: "Would that, my child, thou wouldst at length assume prudence to thyself, to take care of thy house, and to guard all thy possessions. But come, who then going with thee, shall carry a light? Thou dost not suffer the handmaidens, who would have given light, to come forward."

But her prudent Telemachus answered in turn: “This stranger [will]: for I will not allow him to be without employment, whoever touches my food, although having come from afar."

Xoivi is properly a measure containing two sextarii; and from thence signifies any thing that is measured, or, as it is here used, food in general. See Eustathius.

Thus he spoke; but the word was unwinged:2 and she shut the gates of the well-built palace. But Ulysses and his glorious son hastening, carried in the helmets, and embossed shields, and sharp spears: and Pallas Minerva before [them], holding a golden lamp, gave a very beautiful light. Then Telemachus quickly addressed his sire:

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O father, truly I behold this a great marvel with mine eyes: the walls of the palace, and the beautiful intercolumniations,3 and the fir-tree beams, and the lofty columns, shine altogether before mine eyes, as with burning fire. Certainly some god is within, [of those] who possess the wide heaven." But him much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer: "Be silent; and restrain thy thoughts, nor make inquiries: this indeed is the right of the gods who possess Olympus. But do thou go and lie down; and I will remain here, that I may still excite the handmaidens and thy mother: but she mourning will ask me concerning every thing."

Thus he spoke; and Telemachus went through out of the palace to his chamber to lie down, (shining under the light of torches,) where he before lay down, when sweet sleep came upon him. There indeed he at that time also lay down, and waited for divine morn. But divine Ulysses was left in the palace meditating destruction for the suitors, with Minerva. And prudent Penelope came from her chamber, like unto Diana, and golden Venus: for her indeed they placed a seat near the fire, upon which she sat, turned with ivory and silver; which formerly the artificer Icmalius wrought, and under it he put a footstool for the feet, joined to it, upon which a large fleece was spread. There then prudent Penelope sat down. And white-armed handmaidens came from the palace and they took away much bread, and the tables, and the cups, from which the over-violent men drank. And they threw the fire from the hearths upon the ground; and heaped up much other wood upon them, to be a light and to give warmth. And Melantho a second time chided Ulysses:

"O stranger, still wilt thou trouble us here, ranging through the house in the night? and wilt thou watch the women?

2 See on xvii. 57.

3 I prefer this interpretation, but the student may take choice among τὰ μεταξὺ τῶν δοκῶν, οι διαφράγματα ἢ διαστήματα μεταξὺ τῶν κιόνων. Eustath.

·But depart out of doors, wretched one, and enjoy thy meal: or soon, ay, stricken with a torch, thou shalt go out of doors."

But her much-planning Ulysses, sternly regarding, addressed: "Impudent woman, why dost thou thus press upon me with angered mind? is it because I am squalid, and am clothed on my body in bad garments? and beg through the people? for necessity presses upon me. But such are beggars and wanderers. For I also, once wealthy, inhabited an opulent house amongst men, and I often gave to such a wanderer, whoever he might be, and whatever he came wanting. And I had innumerable servants, and many other things, by which men live well and are called opulent: but Jove, the son of Saturn, destroyed me; for he somehow willed [to do so]. Therefore, woman, [beware] lest thou lose all thy beauty, with which thou art now adorned amongst the women-servants, for fear thy mistress, enraged with thee, should be wroth, or Ulysses should return: for there is still some share of hope. But even if he has perished, and is no longer able to return, yet by the will of Apollo he has now such a son, Telemachus; and no one of the women acting impiously in the palace will escape him: since he is no longer of such an age." Thus he spoke; but prudent Penelope heard him; and she chided her handmaiden, and spoke, and addressed her:

"In no wise, O bold, O shameless one, shalt thou escape me, doing a heinous deed, which thou shalt atone with thine head. For thou knewest full well, since thou didst hear from me myself, that I intend to inquire of the stranger in my palace concerning my husband, since I am continually grieved."

She spoke, and addressed the housekeeper, Eurynome: "O Eurynome, bring a seat and [spread] a skin upon it, that the stranger sitting down may tell me, and hear from me; for I wish to inquire of him."

Thus she spoke; and she very quickly bringing a wellpolished seat, set it down, and spread a skin upon it: there then much-enduring divine Ulysses sat down. And to them prudent Penelope began discourse:

"O stranger, I myself will first ask of thee, who art thou? from whence art thou amongst men? where are thy city and parents?"

But her much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer:

"O lady, no one of mortals over the boundless earth would find fault with thee; for thy fame reaches the wide heaven, as of some blameless king, who, godlike, ruling over many and mighty men, upholds equity: and the dark earth produces wheat and barley, and the trees are heavy laden with fruit; and it brings forth strong sheep, and the sea furnishes fish on account of his good government; and the people are virtuous under him. Now therefore inquire of me the other things in thine house but do not ask my race and paternal land, lest thou shouldst the more fill my mind with pains, as I call things to my recollection: but I am a man of much grief; nor is it at all fit that I should sit in another person's house mourning and wailing; since it is worse to grieve for ever without ceasing; for fear any one of the servants should blame me, or even thou thyself; and should say that I increase my tears, having my mind heavy with wine."

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But him prudent Penelope thus answered: "Stranger, of a truth the immortals destroyed my excellence, and form, and person, when the Grecians embarked for Ilium; and amongst them was my husband Ulysses. If he indeed coming should manage my property, so would my fame be greater and more honourable but now I am grieved; for the deity has made so many evils rush upon me. [For as many chiefs as rule over the islands, Dulichium, and Samos, and woody Zacynthus, and those who govern in western Ithaca itself, these woo me against my will, and waste away mine house.] Therefore I have no regard for strangers, or for suppliants, or at all for heralds, who are public officers: but regretting Ulysses I am melted away in my dear heart. And they hasten on my marriage; but I wind deceits: first of all the deity inspired my mind to weave a large garment in the palace, having begun5 a large web, slender and round; but I straightway addressed them: Youths, my suitors, since divine Ulysses has died, do ye remain, urging my marriage; until I shall finish this garment, (that my threads may not perish in vain,) a shroud for the hero Laertes, for the time when the destructive fate of long-sleeping death shall seize on him. Lest some one of the Grecian women amongst the people should be indignant with me, if he, who having possessed many things,

i. e. plan, devise.

5 Literally, "having set up."

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