Chapter XXV: Book XX

_Ulysses converses with Eumæus, and with his herdsman
Philœtius--The suitors again maltreat him--Theoclymenus
foretells their doom and leaves the house_.

Ulysses made himself a bed of an untanned ox-hide in the
vestibule and covered himself with sheep skins; then
Eurynome threw a cloak over him. He saw the women who
misbehaved themselves with the suitors go giggling out of
the house, and was sorely tempted to kill them then and 6
there, but he restrained himself. He kept turning round
and round, as a man turns a paunch full of blood and fat
before a hot fire to cook it, and could get no rest till
Minerva came to him and comforted him, by reminding him
that he was now in Ithaca.

"That is all very well," replied Ulysses, "but suppose I 36
do kill these suitors, pray consider what is to become
of me then? Where am I to fly to from the revenge their
friends will take upon me?"

"One would think," answered Minerva, "that you might 44
trust even a feebler aid than mine; go to sleep; your
troubles shall end shortly."

Ulysses then slept, but Penelope was still wakeful, and 54
lamented her impending marriage, and her inability to
sleep, in such loud tones that Ulysses heard her, and
thought she was close by him.

It was now morning and Ulysses rose, praying the while 91
to Jove. "Grant me," he cried, "a sign from one of the
people who are now waking in the house, and another sign
from outside it."

Forthwith Jove thundered from a clear sky. There came 102
also a miller woman from the mill-room, who, being
weakly, had not finished her appointed task as soon as 110
the others had done; as she passed Ulysses he heard her
curse the suitors and pray for their immediate death.
Ulysses was thus assured that he should kill them.

The other women of the house now lit the fire, and 122
Telemachus came down from his room.

"Nurse," said he, "I hope you have seen that the stranger 129
has been duly fed and lodged. My mother, in spite of her
many virtues, is apt to be too much impressed by inferior
people, and to neglect those who are more deserving."

"Do not find fault, child," said Euryclea, "when there is 134
no one to find fault with. The stranger sat and drank as
much wine as he liked. Your mother asked him if he would
take any more bread, but he said he did not want any.
As for his bed, he would not have one, but slept in the
vestibule on an untanned hide, and I threw a cloak over
him myself."

Telemachus then went out to the place of assembly, and 144
his two dogs with him. "Now, you women," said Euryclea,
"be quick and clean the house down. Put the cloths on the
seats, sponge down the tables; wash the cups and mixing
bowls, and go at once, some of you, to fetch water from
the fountain. It is a feast day, and the suitors will be
here directly." So twenty of them went for water, and
others busied themselves setting things straight about
the house.

The men servants then came and chopped wood. The women 160
came back from the fountain, and Eumæus with them,
bringing three fine pigs, which he let feed about the
yards. When he saw Ulysses he asked him how he was
getting on, and Ulysses prayed that heaven might avenge
him upon the suitors.

Then Melanthius came with the best goats he had, and made 172
them fast in the gate-house. When he had done this he
gibed at Ulysses, but Ulysses made him no answer.

Thirdly came Philœtius with a barren heifer and some fat 185
goats for the suitors. These had been brought over for
him by the boatmen who plied for all comers. When he
saw Ulysses, he asked Eumæus who he was, and said he
was very like his lost master. Then he told Ulysses how
well his old master had treated him, and how well also he
had served his old master. Alas! that he was no longer
living. "We are fallen," said he, "on evil times, and I
often think that though it would not be right of me to
drive my cattle off, and put both myself and them under
some other master while Telemachus is still alive, yet
even this would be better than leading the life I have to
lead at present. Indeed I should have gone off with them
long ago, if I did not cling to the hope that Ulysses may
still return."

"I can see," said Ulysses, "that you are a very honest 226
and sensible person. Therefore I will swear you a solemn
oath that Ulysses will be here immediately, and if you
like you shall see him with your own eyes kill the
suitors."

While they were thus conversing the suitors were again 240
plotting the murder of Telemachus, but there appeared an
unfavourable omen, so Amphinomus said they had better go
to the house and get dinner ready, which they accordingly
did. When they were at table, Eumæus gave them their
cups, Philœtius handed round the bread and Melantheus
poured them out their wine. Telemachus purposely set
Ulysses at a little table on the part of the cloister
that was paved with stone, and told the suitors that it
should be worse for any of them who molested him. "This,"
he said, "is not a public house, but it is mine, for it
has come to me from Ulysses."

The suitors were very angry but Antinous checked them. 268
"Let us put up with it," said he; "if Jove had permitted,
we should have been the death of him ere now." Meanwhile,
it being the festival of Apollo, the people of the town
were bearing his holy hecatomb about the streets.

The servants gave Ulysses an equal portion with what 279
they gave the others, for Telemachus had so bidden them.
Presently one of the suitors named Ctesippus observed
this and said, "I see the stranger has as good a portion
as any one else. I will give him a better, that he may
have something to give the bath-woman or some other of 296
the servants in the house"--and with this he flung a
cow's heel at Ulysses' head.

Ulysses smiled with a grim Sardinian[36] smile, and bowed 302
his head so that the heel passed over it and hit the
wall. Telemachus rebuked Ctesippus very fiercely, and
all were silent till Agelaus tried to calm them saying,
"What Telemachus has said is just: let us not answer.
Nevertheless I would urge him to talk quietly with his
mother and tell her that as long as there was any chance
of Ulysses coming back there was nothing unreasonable in
her deferring a second marriage; but there is now no hope
of his return, and if you would enjoy your own in peace,
tell her to marry the best man among us and the one who
will make her the most advantageous offer."

"Nay," answered Telemachus, "it is not I that delay her 328
marriage. I urge her to it, but I cannot and will not
force her."

Then Minerva made the suitors break out into a forced 345
hysterical laughter, and the meats which they were eating
became all smirched with blood. Their eyes were filled
with tears and their hearts were oppressed with terrible
forebodings. Theoclymenus saw that all was wrong, and
said, "Unhappy men, what is it that ails you? There is a
shroud of darkness drawn over you from head to foot, your
cheeks are wet with tears; the air is alive with wailing
voices; the walls and roof beams drip blood; the gate
of the cloisters, and the yard beyond them are full of
ghosts trooping down into the night of hell; the sun is
blotted out from heaven, and a blighting gloom is over
all the land."

The suitors laughed at him, and Eurymachus said, "If you 358
find it so dark here, we had better send a man with you
to take you out into the open."

"I have eyes," he answered, "that can guide, and feet 363
that can take me from the doom that I see overhanging
every single one of you." On this he left them and went
back to the house of Piræus.

Then one of the suitors said, "Telemachus, you are very 375
unfortunate in your guests. You had better ship both the
stranger and this man off to the Sicels and sell them."
Telemachus made no answer, but kept his eye on his father
for any signal that he might make him.

Penelope had had a seat placed for her overlooking the 387
cloister, and heard all that had passed. The dinner had
been good and plentiful and there had been much laughter,
for they had slaughtered many victims, but little did
they guess the terrible supper which the goddess and a
strong man were preparing for them.