ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF TO TELEMACHUS.
Meanwhile Ulysses and the had a fire in the and were were at daybreak, for they had sent the men out with the pigs. When Telemachus came up, the dogs did not but upon him, so Ulysses, the of and noticing that the dogs did not bark, said to Eumaeus:
“Eumaeus, I footsteps; I one of your men or some one of your is here, for the dogs are upon him and not barking.”
The were out of his mouth his son at the door. Eumaeus to his feet, and the in which he was mixing from his hands, as he his master. He his and his eyes, and for joy. A father not be more at the return of an only son, the child of his old age, after ten years’ in a country and after having gone through much hardship. He him, him all over as though he had come from the dead, and spoke to him saying:
“So you are come, Telemachus, light of my that you are. When I you had gone to Pylos I sure I was going to see you any more. Come in, my dear child, and down, that I may have a good look at you now you are home again; it is not very often you come into the country to see us herdsmen; you close to the town generally. I you think it to keep an on what the are doing.”
“So be it, old friend,” answered Telemachus, “but I am come now I want to see you, and to learn my mother is still at her old home or some one else has married her, so that the of Ulysses is without and with cobwebs.”
“She is still at the house,” Eumaeus, “grieving and her heart, and doing nothing but weep, night and day continually.”
As he spoke he took Telemachus’ spear, he the and came inside. Ulysses rose from his seat to give him place as he entered, but Telemachus him; “Sit down, stranger,” said he, “I can easily another seat, and there is one here who will it for me.”
Ulysses to his own place, and Eumaeus some green on the and a on top of it for Telemachus to upon. Then the them platters of cold meat, the from what they had the day before, and he the with as fast as he could. He mixed also in of ivy-wood, and took his seat Ulysses. Then they their hands on the good that were them, and as soon as they had had to eat and drink Telemachus said to Eumaeus, “Old friend, where this come from? How did his him to Ithaca, and who were they?—for he did not come here by land.”
To this you answered, O Eumaeus, “My son, I will tell you the truth. He says he is a Cretan, and that he has been a great traveller. At this moment he is away from a Thesprotian ship, and has taken at my station, so I will put him into your hands. Do you like with him, only that he is your suppliant.”
“I am very much distressed,” said Telemachus, “by what you have just told me. How can I take this into my house? I am as yet young, and am not to my own if any man me. My mother cannot make up her mind to where she is and look after the house out of respect for public opinion and the memory of her husband, or the time is now come for her to take the best man of those who are her, and the one who will make her the most offer; still, as the has come to your station I will him a and shirt of good wear, with a and sandals, and will send him he wants to go. Or if you like you can keep him here at the station, and I will send him and food that he may be no 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 him in a way that would me; no how a man may be he can do nothing against numbers, for they will be too for him.”
Then Ulysses said, “Sir, it is right that I should say something myself. I am much about what you have said about the way in which the are in despite of such a man as you are. Tell me, do you submit to such 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, great his may be? I wish I were as as you are and in my present mind; if I were son to Ulysses, or, indeed, Ulysses himself, I would some one came and cut my off, but I would go to the house and be the of every one of these men.139 If they were too many for me—I being single-handed—I would die in my own house than see such day after day, maltreated, and men the about the house in an way, recklessly, and all to no purpose for an end that shall be accomplished.”
And Telemachus answered, “I will tell you everything. There is no me and my people, can I complain of brothers, to a man may look for support great his may be. Jove has us a 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 him when he away, so that I have been of any use to him. Hence it comes that my house is in the hands of marauders; for the from all the islands, Dulichium, Same, Zacynthus, as also all the men of Ithaca itself, are up my house under the of paying to my mother, who will neither say point blank that she will not marry, yet to an end, so they are making of my estate, and 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 here without any one else know, for there are many who are against me.”
“I and you,” Eumaeus; “you need me no further, only as I am going that way say I had not let Laertes know that you are returned. He used to the work on his farm in of his 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 as he ought to do, he look after his farm, but and the from off his bones.”
“More’s the pity,” answered Telemachus, “I am sorry for him, but we must him to himself just now. If people have their own way, the thing I should choose would be the return of my father; but go, and give your message; then make again, and do not turn out of your way to tell Laertes. Tell my mother to send one of her with the news at once, and let him it from her.”
Thus did he the swineherd; Eumaeus, therefore, took his sandals, them to his feet, and started for the town. Minerva him well off the station, and then came up to it in the of a woman—fair, stately, and wise. She against the of the entry, and herself to Ulysses, but Telemachus not see her, and not that she was there, for the gods do not let themselves be by everybody. Ulysses saw her, and so did the dogs, for they did not bark, but and off to the other of the yards. She her and to Ulysses with her eyebrows; he left the and her the main of the yards. Then she said to him:
“Ulysses, son of Laertes, it is now time for you to tell your son: do not keep him in the dark any longer, but your plans for the of the suitors, and then make for the town. I will not be long in joining you, for I too am for the fray.”
As she spoke she touched him with her wand. First she a clean shirt and about his shoulders; then she him and of more presence; she gave him his colour, out his cheeks, and let his dark again. Then she away and Ulysses came the hut. His son was when he saw him, and his away for he might be looking upon a god.
“Stranger,” said he, “how you have from what you were a moment or two ago. You are and your colour is not the same. Are you some one or other of the gods that live in heaven? If so, be to me till I can make you and of gold. Have upon me.”
And Ulysses said, “I am no god, why should you take me for one? I am your father, on account you and so much at the hands of men.”
As he spoke he his son, and a tear from his on to the ground, for he had all till now. But Telemachus not yet that it was his father, and said:
“You are not my father, but some god is me with that I may the more hereafter; no man of himself to do as you have been doing, and make old and 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 from heaven.”
Ulysses answered, “Telemachus, you ought not to be so at my being here. There is no other Ulysses who will come hereafter. Such as I am, it is I, who after long and much have got home in the year to my own country. What you wonder at is the work of the Minerva, who with me she will, for she can do what she pleases. At one moment she makes me like a beggar, and the next I am a man with good on my back; it is an easy for the gods who live in to make any man look either rich or poor.”
As he spoke he sat down, and Telemachus his arms about his father and wept. They were so much moved that they like or with that have been of their by peasants. Thus did they weep, and the sun would have gone upon their if Telemachus had not said, “In what ship, my dear father, did your you to Ithaca? Of what nation did they themselves to be—for you cannot have come by land?”
“I will tell you the truth, my son,” Ulysses. “It was the Phaeacians who me here. They are great sailors, and are in the of to any one who their coasts. They took me over the sea while I was fast asleep, and me in Ithaca, after me many presents in bronze, gold, and raiment. These by heaven’s are in a cave, and I am now come here on the of Minerva that we may 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 over in my mind, and see we two can the whole of them ourselves, or we must others to help us.”
To this Telemachus answered, “Father, I have always of your in the and in council, but the you talk of is a very great one: I am at the of it; two men cannot against many and ones. There are not ten only, twice ten, but ten many times over; you shall learn their number at once. There are fifty-two from Dulichium, and they have six servants; from Same there are twenty-four; twenty Achaeans from Zacynthus, and twelve from Ithaca itself, all of them well born. They have with them a Medon, a bard, and two men who can at table. If we such numbers as this, you may have to your coming, and your revenge. See you cannot think of some one who would be to come and help us.”
“Listen to me,” Ulysses, “and think Minerva and her father Jove may sufficient, or I am to try and some one else as well.”
“Those you have named,” answered Telemachus, “are a of good allies, for though they high up among the clouds they have power over gods and men.”
“These two,” Ulysses, “will not keep long out of the fray, when the and we join in my house. Now, therefore, return home early to-morrow morning, and go about among the as before. Later on the will me to the city as a old beggar. If you see them me, your against my sufferings; though they me out of the house, or at me, look on and do nothing trying to make them more reasonably; but they will not to you, for the day of their is at hand. Furthermore I say, and my saying to your heart; when Minerva shall put it in my mind, I will my to you, and on me do this you must all the that is in the house and it in the store room. Make some when the ask you why you are it; say that you have taken it to be out of the way of the smoke, as it is no longer what it was when Ulysses away, but has and with soot. Add to this more particularly that you are Jove may set them on to over their wine, and that they may do each other some which may and wooing, for the of arms sometimes people to use them. But a and a for and me, and a of so that we can them up at any moment; Jove and Minerva will then soon these people. There is also another matter; if you are my son and my blood in your veins, let no one know that Ulysses is the house—neither Laertes, yet the swineherd, any of the servants, Penelope herself. Let you and me the alone, and let us also make trial of some other of the men servants, to see who is on our and hand is against us.”
“Father,” Telemachus, “you will come to know me by and by, and when you do you will that I can keep your counsel. I do not think, however, the plan you will turn out well for either of us. Think it over. It will take us a long time to go the of the and the men, and all the time the will be your with and without compunction. Prove the by all means, to see who are and who guiltless, but I am not in of going and trying the men. We can to that later on, if you have some from Jove that he will support you.”
Thus did they converse, and meanwhile the ship which had Telemachus and his from Pylos had the town of Ithaca. When they had come the they the ship on to the land; their came and took their from them, and they left all the presents at the house of Clytius. Then they sent a to tell Penelope that Telemachus had gone into the country, but had sent the ship to the town to prevent her from being and unhappy. This and Eumaeus to meet when they were on the same of going to tell Penelope. When they the House, the up and said to the queen in the presence of the waiting women, “Your son, Madam, is now returned from Pylos”; but Eumaeus close up to Penelope, and said privately all that her son had him tell her. When he had his message he left the house with its and to his pigs again.
The were and angry at what had happened, so they the great that ran the court, and a near the main entrance. Eurymachus, son of Polybus, was the to speak.
“My friends,” said he, “this of Telemachus’s is a very matter; we had sure that it would come to nothing. Now, however, let us a ship into the water, and a together to send after the others and tell them to come as fast as they can.”
He had done speaking when Amphinomus in his place and saw the ship the harbour, with the her sails, and by their oars; so he laughed, and said to the others, “We need not send them any message, for they are here. Some god must have told them, or else they saw the ship go by, and not overtake her.”
On this they rose and to the water side. The then the ship on shore; their took their from them, and they up in a to the place of assembly, but they would not let any one old or along with them, and Antinous, son of Eupeithes, spoke first.
“Good heavens,” said he, “see how the gods have saved this man from destruction. We a of upon the all day long, and when the sun was we on to sleep, but waited in the ship all night till in the of and killing him; but some god has him home in of us. Let us how we can make an end of him. He must not us; our is likely to come off while he is alive, for he is very shrewd, and public is by no means all on our side. We must make he can call the Achaeans in assembly; he will no time in doing so, for he will be with us, and will tell all the world how we plotted to kill him, but failed to take him. The people will not like this when they come to know of it; we must see that they do us no hurt, drive us from our own country into exile. Let us try and of him either on his farm away from the town, or on the road hither. Then we can up his property us, and let his mother and the man who marries her have the house. If this not you, and you wish Telemachus to live on and his father’s property, then we must not here and eat up his in this way, but must make our offers to Penelope each from his own house, and she can the man who will give the most for her, and it is to win her.”
They all their peace until Amphinomus rose to speak. He was the son of Nisus, who was son to king Aretias, and he was among all the from the wheat-growing and well of Dulichium; his conversation, moreover, was more to Penelope than that of any of the other suitors, for he was a man of good natural disposition. “My friends,” said he, speaking to them and in all honestly, “I am not in of killing Telemachus. It is a thing to kill one who is of blood. Let us take of the gods, and if the of Jove it, I will help to kill him myself, and will else to do so; but if they us, I would have you your hands.”
Thus did he speak, and his pleased them well, so they rose and to the house of Ulysses, where they took their seats.
Then Penelope that she would herself to the suitors. She of the plot against Telemachus, for the Medon had their and had told her; she therefore to the by her maidens, and when she the she by one of the bearing-posts supporting the of the a her face, and Antinous saying:
“Antinous, and schemer, they say you are the best and of any man your own age in Ithaca, but you are nothing of the kind. Madman, why should you try to the death of Telemachus, and take no of suppliants, is Jove himself? It is not right for you to plot thus against one another. Do you not how your father to this house in of the people, who were against him for having gone with some Taphian and the Thesprotians who were at peace with us? They wanted to tear him in pieces and eat up he had, but Ulysses their hands although they were infuriated, and now you his property without paying for it, and my by his wife and trying to kill his son. Leave off doing so, and stop the others also.”
To this Eurymachus son of Polybus answered, “Take heart, Queen Penelope of Icarius, and do not trouble about these matters. The man is not yet born, will be, who shall hands upon your son Telemachus, while I yet live to look upon the of the earth. I say—and it shall surely be—that my shall be with his blood; for many a time has Ulysses taken me on his knees, up to my to drink, and put pieces of meat into my hands. Therefore Telemachus is much the friend I have, and has nothing to from the hands of us suitors. Of course, if death comes to him from the gods, he cannot it.” He said this to her, but in he was against Telemachus.
Then Penelope again and her husband till Minerva sleep over her eyes. In the Eumaeus got to Ulysses and his son, who had just a pig of a year old and were helping one another to supper ready; Minerva therefore came up to Ulysses, him into an old man with a of her wand, and him in his old again, for that the might him and not keep the secret, but go and tell Penelope.
Telemachus was the to speak. “So you have got back, Eumaeus,” said he. “What is the news of the town? Have the returned, or are they still waiting over yonder, to take me on my way home?”
“I did not think of about that,” Eumaeus, “when I was in the town. I I would give my message and come as soon as I could. I met a man sent by those who had gone with you to Pylos, and he was the to tell the news to your mother, but I can say what I saw with my own eyes; I had just got on to the of the hill of Mercury above the town when I saw a ship into with a number of men in her. They had many and spears, and I it was the suitors, but I cannot be sure.”
On this Telemachus to his father, but so that Eumaeus not see him.
Then, when they had their work and the was ready, they ate it, and every man had his full so that all were satisfied. As soon as they had had to eat and drink, they to and the of sleep.
