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of cattle maddened by the gadfly in early summer when the days are
at their longest。 As eagle…beaked； crook…taloned vultures from the
mountains swoop down on the smaller birds that cower in flocks upon
the ground； and kill them； for they cannot either fight or fly； and
lookers on enjoy the sport… even so did Ulysses and his men fall
upon the suitors and smite them on every side。 They made a horrible
groaning as their brains were being battered in； and the ground
seethed with their blood。
Leiodes then caught the knees of Ulysses and said； 〃Ulysses I
beseech you have mercy upon me and spare me。 I never wronged any of
the women in your house either in word or deed； and I tried to stop
the others。 I saw them； but they would not listen； and now they are
paying for their folly。 I was their sacrificing priest； if you kill
me； I shall die without having done anything to deserve it； and
shall have got no thanks for all the good that I did。〃
Ulysses looked sternly at him and answered； 〃If you were their
sacrificing priest； you must have prayed many a time that it might
be long before I got home again； and that you might marry my wife
and have children by her。 Therefore you shall die。〃
With these words he picked up the sword that Agelaus had dropped
when he was being killed； and which was lying upon the ground。 Then he
struck Leiodes on the back of his neck； so that his head fell
rolling in the dust while he was yet speaking。
The minstrel Phemius son of Terpes… he who had been forced by the
suitors to sing to them… now tried to save his life。 He was standing
near towards the trap door； and held his lyre in his hand。 He did
not know whether to fly out of the cloister and sit down by the
altar of Jove that was in the outer court； and on which both Laertes
and Ulysses had offered up the thigh bones of many an ox； or whether
to go straight up to Ulysses and embrace his knees； but in the end
he deemed it best to embrace Ulysses' knees。 So he laid his lyre on
the ground the ground between the mixing…bowl and the silver…studded
seat； then going up to Ulysses he caught hold of his knees and said；
〃Ulysses； I beseech you have mercy on me and spare me。 You will be
sorry for it afterwards if you kill a bard who can sing both for
gods and men as I can。 I make all my lays myself； and heaven visits me
with every kind of inspiration。 I would sing to you as though you were
a god； do not therefore be in such a hurry to cut my head off。 Your
own son Telemachus will tell you that I did not want to frequent
your house and sing to the suitors after their meals； but they were
too many and too strong for me； so they made me。〃
Telemachus heard him； and at once went up to his father。 〃Hold！〃
he cried； 〃the man is guiltless； do him no hurt； and we will Medon
too； who was always good to me when I was a boy； unless Philoetius
or Eumaeus has already killed him； or he has fallen in your way when
you were raging about the court。〃
Medon caught these words of Telemachus； for he was crouching under a
seat beneath which he had hidden by covering himself up with a freshly
flayed heifer's hide； so he threw off the hide； went up to Telemachus；
and laid hold of his knees。
〃Here I am； my dear sir；〃 said he； 〃stay your hand therefore； and
tell your father； or he will kill me in his rage against the suitors
for having wasted his substance and been so foolishly disrespectful to
yourself。〃
Ulysses smiled at him and answered； 〃Fear not； Telemachus has
saved your life； that you may know in future； and tell other people；
how greatly better good deeds prosper than evil ones。 Go； therefore；
outside the cloisters into the outer court； and be out of the way of
the slaughter… you and the bard… while I finish my work here inside。〃
The pair went into the outer court as fast as they could； and sat
down by Jove's great altar； looking fearfully round； and still
expecting that they would be killed。 Then Ulysses searched the whole
court carefully over； to see if anyone had managed to hide himself and
was still living； but he found them all lying in the dust and
weltering in their blood。 They were like fishes which fishermen have
netted out of the sea； and thrown upon the beach to lie gasping for
water till the heat of the sun makes an end of them。 Even so were
the suitors lying all huddled up one against the other。
Then Ulysses said to Telemachus； 〃Call nurse Euryclea； I have
something to say to her。〃
Telemachus went and knocked at the door of the women's room。 〃Make
haste；〃 said he； 〃you old woman who have been set over all the other
women in the house。 Come outside； my father wishes to speak to you。〃
When Euryclea heard this she unfastened the door of the women's room
and came out； following Telemachus。 She found Ulysses among the
corpses bespattered with blood and filth like a lion that has just
been devouring an ox； and his breast and both his cheeks are all
bloody； so that he is a fearful sight； even so was Ulysses
besmirched from head to foot with gore。 When she saw all the corpses
and such a quantity of blood； she was beginning to cry out for joy；
for she saw that a great deed had been done； but Ulysses checked
her； 〃Old woman；〃 said he； 〃rejoice in silence； restrain yourself； and
do not make any noise about it； it is an unholy thing to vaunt over
dead men。 Heaven's doom and their own evil deeds have brought these
men to destruction； for they respected no man in the whole world；
neither rich nor poor； who came near them； and they have come to a bad
end as a punishment for their wickedness and folly。 Now； however； tell
me which of the women in the house have misconducted themselves； and
who are innocent。〃
〃I will tell you the truth； my son；〃 answered Euryclea。 〃There are
fifty women in the house whom we teach to do things； such as carding
wool； and all kinds of household work。 Of these； twelve in all have
misbehaved； and have been wanting in respect to me； and also to
Penelope。 They showed no disrespect to Telemachus； for he has only
lately grown and his mother never permitted him to give orders to
the female servants； but let me go upstairs and tell your wife all
that has happened； for some god has been sending her to sleep。〃
〃Do not wake her yet；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃but tell the women who
have misconducted themselves to come to me。〃
Euryclea left the cloister to tell the women； and make them come
to Ulysses； in the meantime he called Telemachus； the stockman； and
the swineherd。 〃Begin；〃 said he； 〃to remove the dead； and make the
women help you。 Then； get sponges and clean water to swill down the
tables and seats。 When you have thoroughly cleansed the whole
cloisters； take the women into the space between the domed room and
the wall of the outer court； and run them through with your swords
till they are quite dead； and have forgotten all about love and the
way in which they used to lie in secret with the suitors。〃
On this the women came down in a body； weeping and wailing bitterly。
First they carried the dead bodies out； and propped them up against
one another in the gatehouse。 Ulysses ordered them about and made them
do their work quickly； so they had to carry the bodies out。 When
they had done this； they cleaned all the tables and seats with sponges
and water； while Telemachus and the two others shovelled up the
blood and dirt from the ground； and the women carried it all away
and put it out of doors。 Then when they had made the whole place quite
clean and orderly； they took the women out and hemmed them in the
narrow space between the wall of the domed room and that of the
yard； so that they could not get away： and Telemachus said to the
other two； 〃I shall not let these women die a clean death； for they
were insolent to me and my mother； and used to sleep with the
suitors。〃
So saying he made a ship's cable fast to one of the bearing…posts
that supported the roof of the domed room； and secured it all around
the building； at a good height； lest any of the women's feet should
touch the ground； and as thrushes or doves beat against a net that has
been set for them in a thicket just as they were getting to their
nest； and a terrible fate awaits them； even so did the women have to
put their heads in nooses one after the other and die most
miserably。 Their feet moved convulsively for a while； but not for very
long。
As for Melanthius； they took him through the cloister into the inner
court。 There they cut off his nose and his ears； they drew out his
vitals and gave them to the dogs raw； and then in their fury they
cut off his hands and his feet。
When they had done this they washed their hands and feet and went
back into the house； for all was now over； and Ulysses said to the
dear old nurse Euryclea； 〃Bring me sulphur； which cleanses all
pollution； and fetch fire also that I may burn it； and purify the
cloisters。 Go； moreover； and tell Penelope to come here with her
attendants； and also all the maid servants that are in the house。〃
〃All that you have said is true；〃 answered Euryclea； 〃but let me
bring you some clean clothes… a shirt and cloak。 Do not keep these
rags on your back any longer。 It is not right。〃
〃First light