Chapter VI: Book I

_The council of the gods--Telemachus and the suitors in
the house of Ulysses_.

Tell me, oh Muse, of that ingenious hero who met with
many adventures while trying to bring his men home after
the Sack of Troy. He failed in this, for the men perished
through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the
Sun, and he himself, though he was longing to get back
to his wife, was now languishing in a lonely island, the
abode of the nymph Calypso. Calypso wanted him to marry
her, and kept him with her for many years, till at last
all the gods took pity upon him except Neptune, whose son
Polyphemus he had blinded.

Now it so fell out that Neptune had gone to pay a visit 21
to the Ethiopians, who lie in two halves, one half
looking on to the Atlantic and the other on to the Indian
Ocean. The other gods, therefore, held a council, and
Jove made them a speech about the folly of Ægisthus in 35
wooing Clytemnestra and murdering Agamemnon: finally,
yielding to Minerva, he consented that Ulysses should
return to Ithaca.

"In that case," said Minerva, "we should send Mercury to 80
Calypso to tell her what, we have settled. I will also go
to Ithaca and embolden Ulysses' son Telemachus to dismiss
the suitors of his mother Penelope, who are ruining him
by their extravagance. Furthermore, I will send him to
Sparta and Pylos to seek news of his father, for this
will get him a good name."

The goddess then winged her way to the gates of Ulysses' 96
house, disguised as an old family friend, and found
the suitors playing draughts in front of the house
and lording it in great style. Telemachus, seeing her
standing at the gate, went up to her, led her within,
placed her spear in the spear-stand against a strong
bearing-post, brought her a seat, and set refreshments
before her.

Meanwhile the suitors came trooping into the sheltered 114
cloisters that ran round the inner court; here, according
to their wont, they feasted: and when they had done
eating they compelled Phemius, a famous bard, to sing
to them. On this Telemachus began talking quietly to
Minerva: he told her how his father's return seemed now
quite hopeless, and concluded by asking her name and
country.

Minerva said she was Mentes, chief of the Taphians, and 178
was on her way to Temesa[3] with a cargo of iron, which
she should exchange for copper. She told Telemachus
that her ship was lying outside the town, under Mt. 186
Neritum,[4] in the harbour that was called Rheithron.[5]
"Go," she added, "and ask old Laertes, who I hear is now 189
living but poorly in the country and never comes into the
town; he will tell you that I am an old friend of your
father's."

She then said, "But who are all these people whom I 224
see behaving so atrociously about your house? What is
it all about? Their conduct is enough to disgust any
right-minded person."

"They are my mother's suitors," answered Telemachus, and 230
come from the neighbouring islands of Dulichium, Same,
and Zacynthus, as well as from Ithaca itself. My mother
does not say she will not marry again and cannot bring
her courtship to an end. So they are ruining me."

Minerva was very indignant, and advised him to fit out 252
a ship and go to Pylos and Sparta, seeking news of his
father. "If," she said, "you hear of his being alive, you
can put up with all this extravagance for yet another
twelve months. If on the other hand you hear of his
death, return at once, send your mother to her father's, 276
and by fair means or foul kill the suitors."

Telemachus thanked her for her advice, promised to take 306
it, and pressed her to prolong her visit. She explained
that she could not possibly do so, and then flew off into
the air, like an eagle.

Phemius was still singing: he had chosen for his subject 325
the disastrous return of the Achæans from Troy. Penelope
could hear him from her room upstairs, and came down into
the presence of the suitors holding a veil before her
face, and waited upon by two of her handmaids, one of
whom stood on either side of her. She stood by one of the
bearing-posts that supported the roof of the cloisters,
and bade Phemius change his theme, which she found too
painful as reminding her of her lost husband.

Telemachus reasoned with her, and ended by desiring her 345
to go upstairs again. "Go back," he said, "within the
house and see to your daily duties, your loom, your
distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for speech is
man's matter, and mine above all others, for it is I who
am master here."

On this Penelope went back, with her women, wondering 360
into the house, and as soon as she was gone Telemachus
challenged the suitors to meet him next day in full
assembly, that he might formally and publicly warn them
to leave his house.

Antinous and Eurymachus, their two leaders, both 383
rejoined; but presently night fell, and the whole body
of suitors left the house for their own several abodes.
When they were gone, his old nurse Euryclea conducted
Telemachus by torch light to his bedroom, in a lofty
tower, which overlooked the outer courtyard and could be
seen from far and near.

Euryclea had been bought by Laertes when she was quite 430
young; he had given the worth of twenty oxen for her, and
she was made as much of in the house as his own wife was,
but he did not take her to his bed, for he respected his
wife's displeasure. The good old woman showed Telemachus
to his room, and waited while he undressed. She took his
shirt from him, folded it carefully up, and hung it on a
peg by his bed side. This done, she left him to dream all
night of his intended voyage.