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grieving continually。 I shall have one of the servants or even
yourself complaining of me； and saying that my eyes swim with tears
because I am heavy with wine。〃
Then Penelope answered； 〃Stranger； heaven robbed me of all beauty；
whether of face or figure； when the Argives set sail for Troy and my
dear husband with them。 If he were to return and look after my affairs
I should be both more respected and should show a better presence to
the world。 As it is； I am oppressed with care； and with the
afflictions which heaven has seen fit to heap upon me。 The chiefs from
all our islands… Dulichium； Same； and Zacynthus； as also from Ithaca
itself； are wooing me against my will and are wasting my estate。 I can
therefore show no attention to strangers； nor suppliants； nor to
people who say that they are skilled artisans； but am all the time
brokenhearted about Ulysses。 They want me to marry again at once；
and I have to invent stratagems in order to deceive them。 In the first
place heaven put it in my mind to set up a great tambour…frame in my
room； and to begin working upon an enormous piece of fine
needlework。 Then I said to them； 'Sweethearts； Ulysses is indeed dead；
still； do not press me to marry again immediately； wait… for I would
not have my skill in needlework perish unrecorded… till I have
finished making a pall for the hero Laertes； to be ready 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 I
said； and they assented； whereon I used to keep working at my great
web all day long； but at night I would unpick the stitches again by
torch light。 I fooled them in this way for three years without their
finding it out； but as time wore on and I was now in my fourth year；
in the waning of moons； and many days had been accomplished； those
good…for…nothing hussies my maids betrayed me to the suitors； who
broke in upon me and caught me； they were very angry with me； so I was
forced to finish my work whether I would or no。 And now I do not see
how I can find any further shift for getting out of this marriage。
My parents are putting great pressure upon me； and my son chafes at
the ravages the suitors are making upon his estate； for he is now
old enough to understand all about it and is perfectly able to look
after his own affairs； for heaven has blessed him with an excellent
disposition。 Still； notwithstanding all this； tell me who you are
and where you come from… for you must have had father and mother of
some sort； you cannot be the son of an oak or of a rock。〃
Then Ulysses answered； 〃madam； wife of Ulysses； since you persist in
asking me about my family； I will answer； no matter what it costs
me： people must expect to be pained when they have been exiles as long
as I have； and suffered as much among as many peoples。 Nevertheless；
as regards your question I will tell you all you ask。 There is a
fair and fruitful island in mid…ocean called Crete； it is thickly
peopled and there are nine cities in it： the people speak many
different languages which overlap one another； for there are Achaeans；
brave Eteocretans； Dorians of three…fold race； and noble Pelasgi。
There is a great town there； Cnossus； where Minos reigned who every
nine years had a conference with Jove himself。 Minos was father to
Deucalion； whose son I am； for Deucalion had two sons Idomeneus and
myself。 Idomeneus sailed for Troy； and I； who am the younger； am
called Aethon； my brother； however； was at once the older and the more
valiant of the two； hence it was in Crete that I saw Ulysses and
showed him hospitality； for the winds took him there as he was on
his way to Troy； carrying him out of his course from cape Malea and
leaving him in Amnisus off the cave of Ilithuia； where the harbours
are difficult to enter and he could hardly find shelter from the winds
that were then xaging。 As soon as he got there he went into the town
and asked for Idomeneus； claiming to be his old and valued friend； but
Idomeneus had already set sail for Troy some ten or twelve days
earlier； so I took him to my own house and showed him every kind of
hospitality； for I had abundance of everything。 Moreover； I fed the
men who were with him with barley meal from the public store； and
got subscriptions of wine and oxen for them to sacrifice to their
heart's content。 They stayed with me twelve days； for there was a gale
blowing from the North so strong that one could hardly keep one's feet
on land。 I suppose some unfriendly god had raised it for them； but
on the thirteenth day the wind dropped； and they got away。〃
Many a plausible tale did Ulysses further tell her； and Penelope
wept as she listened； for her heart was melted。 As the snow wastes
upon the mountain tops when the winds from South East and West have
breathed upon it and thawed it till the rivers run bank full with
water； even so did her cheeks overflow with tears for the husband
who was all the time sitting by her side。 Ulysses felt for her and was
for her； but he kept his eyes as hard as or iron without letting
them so much as quiver； so cunningly did he restrain his tears。
Then； when she had relieved herself by weeping； she turned to him
again and said： 〃Now； stranger； I shall put you to the test and see
whether or no you really did entertain my husband and his men； as
you say you did。 Tell me； then； how he was dressed； what kind of a man
he was to look at； and so also with his companions。〃
〃Madam；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃it is such a long time ago that I can
hardly say。 Twenty years are come and gone since he left my home；
and went elsewhither； but I will tell you as well as I can
recollect。 Ulysses wore a mantle of purple wool； double lined； and
it was fastened by a gold brooch with two catches for the pin。 On
the face of this there was a device that showed a dog holding a
spotted fawn between his fore paws； and watching it as it lay
panting upon the ground。 Every one marvelled at the way in which these
things had been done in gold； the dog looking at the fawn； and
strangling it； while the fawn was struggling convulsively to escape。
As for the shirt that he wore next his skin； it was so soft that it
fitted him like the skin of an onion； and glistened in the sunlight to
the admiration of all the women who beheld it。 Furthermore I say；
and lay my saying to your heart； that I do not know whether Ulysses
wore these clothes when he left home； or whether one of his companions
had given them to him while he was on his voyage； or possibly some one
at whose house he was staying made him a present of them； for he was a
man of many friends and had few equals among the Achaeans。 I myself
gave him a sword of bronze and a beautiful purple mantle； double
lined； with a shirt that went down to his feet； and I sent him on
board his ship with every mark of honour。 He had a servant with him； a
little older than himself； and I can tell you what he was like； his
shoulders were hunched； he was dark； and he had thick curly hair。
His name was Eurybates； and Ulysses treated him with greater
familiarity than he did any of the others； as being the most
like…minded with himself。〃
Penelope was moved still more deeply as she heard the indisputable
proofs that Ulysses laid before her； and when she had again found
relief in tears she said to him； 〃Stranger； I was already disposed
to pity you； but henceforth you shall be honoured and made welcome
in my house。 It was I who gave Ulysses the clothes you speak of。 I
took them out of the store room and folded them up myself； and I
gave him also the gold brooch to wear as an ornament。 Alas！ I shall
never welcome him home again。 It was by an ill fate that he ever set
out for that detested city whose very name I cannot bring myself
even to mention。〃
Then Ulysses answered； 〃Madam； wife of Ulysses； do not disfigure
yourself further by grieving thus bitterly for your loss； though I can
hardly blame you for doing so。 A woman who has loved her husband and
borne him children； would naturally be grieved at losing him； even
though he were a worse man than Ulysses； who they say was like a
god。 Still； cease your tears and listen to what I can tell I will hide
nothing from you； and can say with perfect truth that I have lately
heard of Ulysses as being alive and on his way home； he is among the
Thesprotians； and is bringing back much valuable treasure that he
has begged from one and another of them； but his ship and all his crew
were lost as they were leaving the Thrinacian island； for Jove and the
sun…god were angry with him because his men had slaughtered the
sun…god's cattle； and they were all drowned to a man。 But Ulysses
stuck to the keel of the ship and was drifted on to the land of the
Phaecians； who are near of kin to the immortals； and who treated him
as though he had been a god； giving him many presents； and wishing
to escort him home safe and sound。 In fact Ulysses would have been
here long ago； had he not thought better to go from land to land
gathering wealth； for there is no man living who is so wily as he
is； there is no one can compare with him。 Pheidon king of the
Thesprotians told me all this； and he