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bring the contest to an end。〃
Melanthius lit the fire； and set a seat covered with sheep skins
beside it。 He also brought a great ball of lard from what they had
in the house； and the suitors warmed the bow and again made trial of
it； but they were none of them nearly strong enough to string it。
Nevertheless there still remained Antinous and Eurymachus； who were
the ringleaders among the suitors and much the foremost among them
all。
Then the swineherd and the stockman left the cloisters together； and
Ulysses followed them。 When they had got outside the gates and the
outer yard； Ulysses said to them quietly：
〃Stockman； and you swineherd； I have something in my mind which I am
in doubt whether to say or no； but I think I will say it。 What
manner of men would you be to stand by Ulysses； if some god should
bring him back here all of a sudden？ Say which you are disposed to do…
to side with the suitors； or with Ulysses？〃
〃Father Jove；〃 answered the stockman； 〃would indeed that you might
so ordain it。 If some god were but to bring Ulysses back； you should
see with what might and main I would fight for him。〃
In like words Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that Ulysses might
return； when； therefore； he saw for certain what mind they were of；
Ulysses said； 〃It is I； Ulysses； who am here。 I have suffered much；
but at last； in the twentieth year； I am come back to my own
country。 I find that you two alone of all my servants are glad that
I should do so； for I have not heard any of the others praying for
my return。 To you two； therefore； will I unfold the truth as it
shall be。 If heaven shall deliver the suitors into my hands； I will
find wives for both of you； will give you house and holding close to
my own； and you shall be to me as though you were brothers and friends
of Telemachus。 I will now give you convincing proofs that you may know
me and be assured。 See； here is the scar from the boar's tooth that
ripped me when I was out hunting on Mount Parnassus with the sons of
Autolycus。〃
As he spoke he drew his rags aside from the great scar； and when
they had examined it thoroughly； they both of them wept about Ulysses；
threw their arms round him and kissed his head and shoulders； while
Ulysses kissed their hands and faces in return。 The sun would have
gone down upon their mourning if Ulysses had not checked them and
said：
〃Cease your weeping； lest some one should come outside and see us；
and tell those who a are within。 When you go in； do so separately； not
both together； I will go first； and do you follow afterwards； Let this
moreover be the token between us； the suitors will all of them try
to prevent me from getting hold of the bow and quiver； do you；
therefore； Eumaeus； place it in my hands when you are carrying it
about； and tell the women to close the doors of their apartment。 If
they hear any groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the house；
they must not come out； they must keep quiet； and stay where they
are at their work。 And I charge you； Philoetius； to make fast the
doors of the outer court； and to bind them securely at once。〃
When he had thus spoken； he went back to the house and took the seat
that he had left。 Presently； his two servants followed him inside。
At this moment the bow was in the hands of Eurymachus； who was
warming it by the fire； but even so he could not string it； and he was
greatly grieved。 He heaved a deep sigh and said； 〃I grieve for
myself and for us all； I grieve that I shall have to forgo the
marriage； but I do not care nearly so much about this； for there are
plenty of other women in Ithaca and elsewhere； what I feel most is the
fact of our being so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we cannot
string his bow。 This will disgrace us in the eyes of those who are yet
unborn。〃
〃It shall not be so； Eurymachus；〃 said Antinous； 〃and you know it
yourself。 To…day is the feast of Apollo throughout all the land； who
can string a bow on such a day as this？ Put it on one side… as for the
axes they can stay where they are； for no one is likely to come to the
house and take them away： let the cupbearer go round with his cups；
that we may make our drink…offerings and drop this matter of the
bow； we will tell Melanthius to bring us in some goats to…morrow…
the best he has； we can then offer thigh bones to Apollo the mighty
archer； and again make trial of the bow； so as to bring the contest to
an end。〃
The rest approved his words； and thereon men servants poured water
over the hands of the guests； while pages filled the mixing…bowls with
wine and water and handed it round after giving every man his
drink…offering。 Then； when they had made their offerings and had drunk
each as much as he desired； Ulysses craftily said：
〃Suitors of the illustrious queen； listen that I may speak even as I
am minded。 I appeal more especially to Eurymachus； and to Antinous who
has just spoken with so much reason。 Cease shooting for the present
and leave the matter to the gods； but in the morning let heaven give
victory to whom it will。 For the moment； however； give me the bow that
I may prove the power of my hands among you all； and see whether I
still have as much strength as I used to have； or whether travel and
neglect have made an end of it。〃
This made them all very angry； for they feared he might string the
bow； Antinous therefore rebuked him fiercely saying； 〃Wretched
creature； you have not so much as a grain of sense in your whole body；
you ought to think yourself lucky in being allowed to dine unharmed
among your betters； without having any smaller portion served you than
we others have had； and in being allowed to hear our conversation。
No other beggar or stranger has been allowed to hear what we say among
ourselves； the wine must have been doing you a mischief； as it does
with all those drink immoderately。 It was wine that inflamed the
Centaur Eurytion when he was staying with Peirithous among the
Lapithae。 When the wine had got into his head he went mad and did
ill deeds about the house of Peirithous； this angered the heroes who
were there assembled； so they rushed at him and cut off his ears and
nostrils； then they dragged him through the doorway out of the
house； so he went away crazed； and bore the burden of his crime；
bereft of understanding。 Henceforth； therefore； there was war
between mankind and the centaurs； but he brought it upon himself
through his own drunkenness。 In like manner I can tell you that it
will go hardly with you if you string the bow： you will find no
mercy from any one here； for we shall at once ship you off to king
Echetus； who kills every one that comes near him： you will never get
away alive； so drink and keep quiet without getting into a quarrel
with men younger than yourself。〃
Penelope then spoke to him。 〃Antinous；〃 said she； 〃it is not right
that you should ill…treat any guest of Telemachus who comes to this
house。 If the stranger should prove strong enough to string the mighty
bow of Ulysses； can you suppose that he would take me home with him
and make me his wife？ Even the man himself can have no such idea in
his mind： none of you need let that disturb his feasting； it would
be out of all reason。〃
〃Queen Penelope；〃 answered Eurymachus； 〃we do not suppose that
this man will take you away with him； it is impossible； but we are
afraid lest some of the baser sort； men or women among the Achaeans；
should go gossiping about and say； 'These suitors are a feeble folk；
they are paying court to the wife of a brave man whose bow not one
of them was able to string； and yet a beggarly tramp who came to the
house strung it at once and sent an arrow through the iron。' This is
what will be said； and it will be a scandal against us。〃
〃Eurymachus；〃 Penelope answered； 〃people who persist in eating up
the estate of a great chieftain and dishonouring his house must not
expect others to think well of them。 Why then should you mind if men
talk as you think they will？ This stranger is strong and well…built；
he says moreover that he is of noble birth。 Give him the bow； and
let us see whether he can string it or no。 I say… and it shall
surely be… that if Apollo vouchsafes him the glory of stringing it；
I will give him a cloak and shirt of good wear； with a javelin to keep
off dogs and robbers； and a sharp sword。 I will also give him sandals；
and will see him sent safely whereever he wants to go。〃
Then Telemachus said； 〃Mother； I am the only man either in Ithaca or
in the islands that are over against Elis who has the right to let any
one have the bow or to refuse it。 No one shall force me one way or the
other； not even though I choose to make the stranger a present of
the bow outright； and let him take it away with him。 Go； then；
within the house and busy yourself with your daily duties； your
loom； your distaff； and the ordering of your servants。 This bow is a
man's matter； and mine above all others； for it is I who am master
here。〃
She went wondering back into the house； and laid her son's saying in
her heart。 Then going upstairs with her handmaids into her room； she
mourned her dear husband till Minerva sent sweet sleep over her
eyelids。
The swineherd