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notice to depart； and feast at one another's houses； turn and turn
about； at your own cost。 If on the other hand you choose to persist in
spunging upon one man； heaven help me； but Jove shall reckon with
you in full； and when you fall in my father's house there shall be
no man to avenge you。〃
The suitors bit their lips as they heard him； and marvelled at the
boldness of his speech。 Then； Antinous； son of Eupeithes； said； 〃The
gods seem to have given you lessons in bluster and tall talking； may
Jove never grant you to be chief in Ithaca as your father was before
you。〃
Telemachus answered； 〃Antinous； do not chide with me； but； god
willing； I will be chief too if I can。 Is this the worst fate you
can think of for me？ It is no bad thing to be a chief； for it brings
both riches and honour。 Still； now that Ulysses is dead there are many
great men in Ithaca both old and young； and some other may take the
lead among them； nevertheless I will be chief in my own house； and
will rule those whom Ulysses has won for me。〃
Then Eurymachus； son of Polybus； answered； 〃It rests with heaven
to decide who shall be chief among us； but you shall be master in your
own house and over your own possessions； no one while there is a man
in Ithaca shall do you violence nor rob you。 And now； my good
fellow； I want to know about this stranger。 What country does he
come from？ Of what family is he； and where is his estate？ Has he
brought you news about the return of your father； or was he on
business of his own？ He seemed a well…to…do man； but he hurried off so
suddenly that he was gone in a moment before we could get to know
him。〃
〃My father is dead and gone；〃 answered Telemachus； 〃and even if some
rumour reaches me I put no more faith in it now。 My mother does indeed
sometimes send for a soothsayer and question him； but I give his
prophecyings no heed。 As for the stranger； he was Mentes； son of
Anchialus； chief of the Taphians； an old friend of my father's。〃 But
in his heart he knew that it had been the goddess。
The suitors then returned to their singing and dancing until the
evening； but when night fell upon their pleasuring they went home to
bed each in his own abode。 Telemachus's room was high up in a tower
that looked on to the outer court； hither； then； he hied； brooding and
full of thought。 A good old woman； Euryclea； daughter of Ops； the
son of Pisenor； went before him with a couple of blazing torches。
Laertes had bought her with his own money when she was quite young； he
gave the worth of twenty oxen for her； and shewed as much respect to
her in his household as he did to his own wedded wife； but he did
not take her to his bed for he feared his wife's resentment。 She it
was who now lighted Telemachus to his room； and she loved him better
than any of the other women in the house did； for she had nursed him
when he was a baby。 He opened the door of his bed room and sat down
upon the bed； as he took off his shirt he gave it to the good old
woman； who folded it tidily up； and hung it for him over a peg by
his bed side； after which she went out； pulled the door to by a silver
catch； and drew the bolt home by means of the strap。 But Telemachus as
he lay covered with a woollen fleece kept thinking all night through
of his intended voyage of the counsel that Minerva had given him。
BOOK II。
NOW when the child of morning； rosy…fingered Dawn； appeared；
Telemachus rose and dressed himself。 He bound his sandals on to his
comely feet； girded his sword about his shoulder； and left his room
looking like an immortal god。 He at once sent the criers round to call
the people in assembly； so they called them and the people gathered
thereon； then； when they were got together； he went to the place of
assembly spear in hand… not alone； for his two hounds went with him。
Minerva endowed him with a presence of such divine comeliness that all
marvelled at him as he went by； and when he took his place' in his
father's seat even the oldest councillors made way for him。
Aegyptius； a man bent double with age； and of infinite experience；
the first to speak His son Antiphus had gone with Ulysses to Ilius；
land of noble steeds； but the savage Cyclops had killed him when
they were all shut up in the cave； and had cooked his last dinner
for him； He had three sons left； of whom two still worked on their
father's land； while the third； Eurynomus； was one of the suitors；
nevertheless their father could not get over the loss of Antiphus； and
was still weeping for him when he began his speech。
〃Men of Ithaca；〃 he said； 〃hear my words。 From the day Ulysses
left us there has been no meeting of our councillors until now； who
then can it be； whether old or young； that finds it so necessary to
convene us？ Has he got wind of some host approaching； and does he wish
to warn us； or would he speak upon some other matter of public moment？
I am sure he is an excellent person； and I hope Jove will grant him
his heart's desire。〃
Telemachus took this speech as of good omen and rose at once； for he
was bursting with what he had to say。 He stood in the middle of the
assembly and the good herald Pisenor brought him his staff。 Then；
turning to Aegyptius； 〃Sir；〃 said he； 〃it is I； as you will shortly
learn； who have convened you； for it is I who am the most aggrieved。 I
have not got wind of any host approaching about which I would warn
you； nor is there any matter of public moment on which I would
speak。 My grieveance is purely personal； and turns on two great
misfortunes which have fallen upon my house。 The first of these is the
loss of my excellent father； who was chief among all you here present；
and was like a father to every one of you； the second is much more
serious； and ere long will be the utter ruin of my estate。 The sons of
all the chief men among you are pestering my mother to marry them
against her will。 They are afraid to go to her father Icarius；
asking him to choose the one he likes best； and to provide marriage
gifts for his daughter； but day by day they keep hanging about my
father's house； sacrificing our oxen； sheep； and fat goats for their
banquets； and never giving so much as a thought to the quantity of
wine they drink。 No estate can stand such recklessness； we have now no
Ulysses to ward off harm from our doors； and I cannot hold my own
against them。 I shall never all my days be as good a man as he was；
still I would indeed defend myself if I had power to do so； for I
cannot stand such treatment any longer； my house is being disgraced
and ruined。 Have respect； therefore； to your own consciences and to
public opinion。 Fear； too； the wrath of heaven； lest the gods should
be displeased and turn upon you。 I pray you by Jove and Themis； who is
the beginning and the end of councils； ＇do not＇ hold back； my friends；
and leave me singlehanded… unless it be that my brave father Ulysses
did some wrong to the Achaeans which you would now avenge on me； by
aiding and abetting these suitors。 Moreover； if I am to be eaten out
of house and home at all； I had rather you did the eating
yourselves； for I could then take action against you to some
purpose； and serve you with notices from house to house till I got
paid in full； whereas now I have no remedy。〃
With this Telemachus dashed his staff to the ground and burst into
tears。 Every one was very sorry for him； but they all sat still and no
one ventured to make him an angry answer； save only Antinous； who
spoke thus：
〃Telemachus； insolent braggart that you are； how dare you try to
throw the blame upon us suitors？ It is your mother's fault not ours；
for she is a very artful woman。 This three years past； and close on
four； she has been driving us out of our minds； by encouraging each
one of us； and sending him messages without meaning one word of what
she says。 And then there was that other trick she played us。 She set
up a great tambour frame in her room； and began to work on an enormous
piece of fine needlework。 'Sweet hearts；' said she； 'Ulysses is indeed
dead； still do not press me to marry again immediately； wait… for I
would not have skill in needlework perish unrecorded… till I have
completed a pall for the hero Laertes； to be in readiness against
the time when death shall take him。 He is very rich； and the women
of the place will talk if he is laid out without a pall。'
〃This was what she said； and we assented； whereon we could see her
working on her great web all day long； but at night she would unpick
the stitches again by torchlight。 She fooled us in this way for
three years and we never found her out； but as time wore on and she
was now in her fourth year； one of her maids who knew what she was
doing told us； and we caught her in the act of undoing her work； so
she had to finish it whether she would or no。 The suitors；
therefore； make you this answer； that both you and the Achaeans may
understand…'Send your mother away； and bid her marry the man of her
own and of her father's choice'； for I do not know what will happen if
she goes on plaguing us much longer with the airs she gives herself on
the score of the accomplishments Minerva has taught her； and because
she is so c