That he will do without delay, and there

Will rise in wrath to tell them how we planned
His death by violence, and failed; and they
Who hear assuredly will not approve

The plotted mischief. They may drive us forth
With outrage from our country to a land
Of strangers. Let us be the first to strike,

be.

And slay him in the fields or on the way,
And, taking his possessions to ourselves,
Share equally his wealth. Then may we give
This palace to his mother, and the man
Whom she shall wed, whoever he may
Or if this plan mislike you, and ye choose
That he should live, and keep the fair estate
That was his father's, let us not go on
Thronging the palace to consume his wealth
In revelry, but each with liberal gifts
Woo her from his own dwelling; and let him
Who gives most generously, and whom fate
Most favors, take the lady as his bride."

455

460

465

470

He spake, and all were mute. Amphinomus, 475

The illustrious son of royal Nisus, rose.

The grandson of Aretias, it was he

Who led the suitors from Dulichium's fields,

Grassy and rich in corn. Penelope

481

Liked best his words, for generous was his thought,
And with a generous purpose thus he spake :-
"Nay, friends, not mine is the advice to slay
Telemachus. It is a fearful thing

To take a royal life. Then let us first

Inquire the pleasure of the gods.
The oracles of mighty Jupiter

For if

485

Approve it, I would do the deed myself,

Or bid another do it; but if they

Consent not, 't is my counsel to forbear."

He spake, and all approved. At once they rose,

And, entering the palace, sat them down

On shining thrones. Meantime Penelope
Had formed the purpose to appear before

The arrogant suitors, for the news was brought
Into her chamber of the plot to slay

Her son; the herald Medon overheard,

And told her all. So to the hall she went
With her attendant maids. The glorious dame
Drew near the suitor-train, and took her stand
Beside a column of the stately pile,

And with a delicate veil before her cheeks

Began to speak, and chid Antinoüs thus :-
"Antinoüs, mischief-plotter, insolent!

The rumor is that thou excellest all
Of thy own age among the Ithacans

In understanding and in speech. Yet such
Thou never wert. Ferocious as thou art,
Why seek the death of my Telemachus,

491

495

500

505

And treat with scorn the suppliants of whose prayer Jove is the witness? An unholy thing

510

It is when men against their fellow-men

Plot mischief. Dost thou then forget that once

Thy father came to us a fugitive,

515

In terror of the people, who were wroth
Because he joined the Taphian pirate-race,
And plundered the Thesprotians, our allies.
The people would have slain him, and have torn
His heart out, and have pillaged his large wealth;
Ulysses checked their rage, and held them back,
Fierce as they were. Now thou dost waste his
goods

Most shamefully, and woo his wife, and slay
His son, and multiply my woes. Cease now,
I charge thee, and persuade the rest to cease."
Eurymachus, the son of Polybus,

Replied: "O daughter of Icarius, sage
Penelope, take heart; let no such thought
Possess thy mind. There is no man on earth,
Nor will there be, who shall lay violent hands
Upon Telemachus, thy son, while I

Am living, and yet keep the gift of sight.

I say, and will perform it, his black blood
Shall flow and bathe my spear. Ulysses oft,
Spoiler of realms, would take me on his knee,
And put the roasted meats into my hands,
And give me ruddy wine. I therefore hold
Telemachus of all mankind most dear,
And I will bid him have no fear of death
From any of the suitors. If it come,

Sent by the gods, he cannot then escape."

520

525

530

535

So spake he to appease her, while he planned, 540

The murder of her son. The queen went up
To the fair upper chambers, and there wept
Ulysses, her dear spouse, till o'er her lids
The blue-eyed Pallas poured the balm of sleep.
At evening to Ulysses and his son
The noble swineherd went, while busily
They made the supper ready, having slain
A porker one year old. Then instantly

Stood Pallas by Ulysses, and put forth

545

Her wand and touched him, making him again
Old, and clad sordidly in beggar's weeds,
Lest that the swineherd, knowing at a look
His master, might not keep the knowledge locked
In his own breast, but, hastening forth, betray
The secret to the chaste Penelope.

550

Then to the swineherd said Telemachus :
"Noble Eumæus, welcome; what reports
Are in the town? Have those large-minded men,
The suitors, left their ambush and returned,
Or are they waiting yet for me to pass?"

And thus, Eumæus, thou didst make reply:
"Of that, indeed, I never thought to ask,
In going through the town. My only care
Was to return, as soon as I had given

555

560

My message, with such speed as I could make. 565
I met a messenger, a herald sent

By thy companions, who was first to tell
Thy mother of thy safe return. Yet this
I know, for I beheld it with my eyes.

When outside of the city, where the hill

Of Hermes stands, I saw a gallant bark
Entering the port, and carrying many men.
Heavy it was with shields and two-edged spears;
'T was they, I thought, and yet I cannot tell."
He spake; Telemachus the valiant looked
Upon his father with a smile unmarked

By good Eumæus. When their task was done,
And the board spread, they feasted.

lacked

His portion of the common meal.

No one

Their thirst

580

And hunger satisfied, they laid them down

To rest, and so received the gift of sleep.

Now

BOOK XVII.

OW when the rosy-fingered Morn looked forth,

The daughter of the Dawn, — Telemachus,
The dear son of the great Ulysses, bound
The shapely sandals underneath his feet,
And took the massive spear that fitted well
His grasp, and, as he stood in act to go
Up to the town, bespake the swineherd thus:
"Father, I hasten to the town, that there
My mother may behold me; for I think

She will not cease to grieve, and fear, and weep,

5

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