come here by land〃'
To this you answered； O swineherd Eumaeus； 〃My son； I will tell
you the real truth。 He says he is a Cretan； and that he has been a
great traveller。 At this moment he is running away from a
Thesprotian ship； and has refuge at my station； so I will put him into
your hands。 Do whatever you like with him； only remember that he is
your suppliant。〃
〃I am very much distressed；〃 said Telemachus； 〃by what you have just
told me。 How can I take this stranger into my house？ I am as yet
young； and am not strong enough to hold my own if any man attacks
me。 My mother cannot make up her mind whether to stay where she is and
look after the house out of respect for public opinion and the
memory of her husband； or whether the time is now come for her to take
the best man of those who are wooing her； and the one who will make
her the most advantageous offer； still； as the stranger has come to
your station I will find him a cloak and shirt of good wear； with a
sword and sandals； and will send him wherever he wants to go。 Or if
you like you can keep him here at the station； and I will send him
clothes and food that he may be no burden on you and on your men；
but I will not have him go near the suitors； for they are very
insolent； and are sure to ill…treat him in a way that would greatly
grieve me； no matter how valiant a man may be he can do nothing
against numbers； for they will be too strong for him。〃
Then Ulysses said； 〃Sir； it is right that I should say something
myself。 I am much shocked about what you have said about the
insolent way in which the suitors are behaving in despite of such a
man as you are。 Tell me； do you submit to such treatment tamely； or
has some god set your people against you？ May you not complain of your
brothers… for it is to these that a man may look for support；
however great his quarrel may be？ I wish I were as young as you are
and in my present mind； if I were son to Ulysses； or； indeed；
Ulysses himself； I would rather some one came and cut my head off； but
I would go to the house and be the bane of every one of these men。
If they were too many for me… I being single…handed… I would rather
die fighting in my own house than see such disgraceful sights day
after day； strangers grossly maltreated； and men dragging the women
servants about the house in an unseemly way； wine drawn recklessly；
and bread wasted all to no purpose for an end that shall never be
accomplished。〃
And Telemachus answered； 〃I will tell you truly everything。 There is
no emnity between me and my people； nor can I complain of brothers； to
whom a man may look for support however great his quarrel may be。 Jove
has made us a race of only sons。 Laertes was the only son of
Arceisius； and Ulysses only son of Laertes。 I am myself the only son
of Ulysses who left me behind him when he went away； so that I have
never been of any use to him。 Hence it comes that my house is in the
hands of numberless marauders； for the chiefs from all the
neighbouring islands； Dulichium； Same； Zacynthus； as also all the
principal men of Ithaca itself； are eating up my house under the
pretext of paying court to my mother； who will neither say point blank
that she will not marry； nor yet bring matters to an end； so they
are making havoc of my estate； and before long will do so with
myself into the bargain。 The issue； however； rests with heaven。 But do
you； old friend Eumaeus； go at once and tell Penelope that I am safe
and have returned from Pylos。 Tell it to herself alone； and then
come back here without letting any one else know； for there are many
who are plotting mischief against me。〃
〃I understand and heed you；〃 replied Eumaeus； 〃you need instruct
me no further； only I am going that way say whether I had not better
let poor Laertes know that you are returned。 He used to superintend
the work on his farm in spite of his bitter sorrow about Ulysses；
and he would eat and drink at will along with his servants； but they
tell me that from the day on which you set out for Pylos he has
neither eaten nor drunk as he ought to do； nor does he look after
his farm； but sits weeping and wasting the flesh from off his bones。〃
〃More's the pity；〃 answered Telemachus； 〃I am sorry for him； but
we must leave him to himself just now。 If people could have everything
their own way； the first thing I should choose would be the return
of my father； but go； and give your message； then make haste back
again； and do not turn out of your way to tell Laertes。 Tell my mother
to send one of her women secretly with the news at once； and let him
hear it from her。〃
Thus did he urge the swineherd； Eumaeus； therefore； took his
sandals； bound them to his feet； and started for the town。 Minerva
watched him well off the station； and then came up to it in the form
of a woman… fair； stately； and wise。 She stood against the side of the
entry； and revealed herself to Ulysses； but Telemachus could not see
her； and knew not that she was there； for the gods do not let
themselves be seen by everybody。 Ulysses saw her； and so did the dogs；
for they did not bark； but went scared and whining off to the other
side of the yards。 She nodded her head and motioned to Ulysses with
her eyebrows； whereon he left the hut and stood before her outside the
main wall of the yards。 Then she said to him：
〃Ulysses； noble son of Laertes； it is now time for you to tell
your son： do not keep him in the dark any longer； but lay your plans
for the destruction of the suitors； and then make for the town。 I will
not be long in joining you； for I too am eager for the fray。〃
As she spoke she touched him with her golden wand。 First she threw a
fair clean shirt and cloak about his shoulders； then she made him
younger and of more imposing presence； she gave him back his colour；
filled out his cheeks； and let his beard become dark again。 Then she
went away and Ulysses came back inside the hut。 His son was
astounded when he saw him； and turned his eyes away for fear he
might be looking upon a god。
〃Stranger；〃 said he； 〃how suddenly you have changed from what you
were a moment or two ago。 You are dressed differently and your
colour is not the same。 Are you some one or other of the gods that
live in heaven？ If so； be propitious to me till I can make you due
sacrifice and offerings of wrought gold。 Have mercy upon me。〃
And Ulysses said； 〃I am no god； why should you take me for one？ I am
your father； on whose account you grieve and suffer so much at the
hands of lawless men。〃
As he spoke he kissed his son； and a tear fell from his cheek on
to the ground； for he had restrained all tears till now。 but
Telemachus could not yet believe that it was his father； and said：
〃You are not my father； but some god is flattering me with vain
hopes that I may grieve the more hereafter； no mortal man could of
himself contrive to do as you have been doing； and make yourself old
and young at a moment's notice； unless a god were with him。 A second
ago you were old and all in rags； and now you are like some god come
down from heaven。〃
Ulysses answered； 〃Telemachus； you ought not to be so immeasurably
astonished at my being really here。 There is no other Ulysses who will
come hereafter。 Such as I am； it is I； who after long wandering and
much hardship have got home in the twentieth year to my own country。
What you wonder at is the work of the redoubtable goddess Minerva； who
does with me whatever she will； for she can do what she pleases。 At
one moment she makes me like a beggar； and the next I am a young man
with good clothes on my back； it is an easy matter for the gods who
live in heaven to make any man look either rich or poor。〃
As he spoke he sat down； and Telemachus threw his arms about his
father and wept。 They were both so much moved that they cried aloud
like eagles or vultures with crooked talons that have been robbed of
their half fledged young by peasants。 Thus piteously did they weep；
and the sun would have gone down upon their mourning if Telemachus had
not suddenly said； 〃In what ship； my dear father； did your crew
bring you to Ithaca？ Of what nation did they declare themselves to be…
for you cannot have come by land？〃
〃I will tell you the truth； my son；〃 replied Ulysses。 〃It was the
Phaeacians who brought me here。 They are great sailors； and are in the
habit of giving escorts to any one who reaches their coasts。 They took
me over the sea while I was fast asleep； and landed me in Ithaca；
after giving me many presents in bronze； gold； and raiment。 These
things by heaven's mercy are lying concealed in a cave； and I am now
come here on the suggestion of Minerva that we may consult about
killing our enemies。 First； therefore； give me a list of the
suitors； with their number； that I may learn who； and how many； they
are。 I can then turn the matter over in my mind； and see whether we
two can fight the whole body of them ourselves； or whether we must
find others to help us。〃
To this Telemachus answered； 〃Father； I have always heard of your
renown both in the field and in council； but the task you talk of is a
very great one： I am awed at the mere thought of it； two men cannot
stand against many and brave ones。 There are not ten suitors only； nor
twice ten； but ten many times over； you shall learn their number at
once。 There are fifty…two chosen youths from Dulichium； and they
have six servants； from Same there are twenty…four； twenty young
Achaeans from Zacynthus； and twelve from Ithaca itself； all of them
well born。 They have with them a servant Medon； a bard； and two men
who can carve at table。 If we face such numbers as this； you may
have bitter cause to rue your coming； and your revenge。 See whether
you cannot think of some one who would be willing to come and help
us。〃
〃Listen to me；〃 replied Ulysses； 〃and think whether Minerva and
her father Jove may seem sufficient； or whether I am to try and find
some one else as well。〃
〃Those whom you have named；〃 answered Telemachus； 〃are a couple of
good allies； for though they dwell high up among the clouds they
have power over both gods and men。〃
〃These two；〃 continued Ulysses； 〃will not keep long out of the fray；
when the suito