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father's house； sacrificing our oxen； sheep； and fat goats for their
banquets； and never giving so much as a thought to the quantity of
wine they drink。 No estate can stand such recklessness； we have now no
Ulysses to ward off harm from our doors； and I cannot hold my own
against them。 I shall never all my days be as good a man as he was；
still I would indeed defend myself if I had power to do so； for I
cannot stand such treatment any longer； my house is being disgraced
and ruined。 Have respect； therefore； to your own consciences and to
public opinion。 Fear； too； the wrath of heaven； lest the gods should
be displeased and turn upon you。 I pray you by Jove and Themis； who is
the beginning and the end of councils； ＇do not＇ hold back； my friends；
and leave me singlehanded… unless it be that my brave father Ulysses
did some wrong to the Achaeans which you would now avenge on me； by
aiding and abetting these suitors。 Moreover； if I am to be eaten out
of house and home at all； I had rather you did the eating
yourselves； for I could then take action against you to some
purpose； and serve you with notices from house to house till I got
paid in full； whereas now I have no remedy。〃
With this Telemachus dashed his staff to the ground and burst into
tears。 Every one was very sorry for him； but they all sat still and no
one ventured to make him an angry answer； save only Antinous； who
spoke thus：
〃Telemachus； insolent braggart that you are； how dare you try to
throw the blame upon us suitors？ It is your mother's fault not ours；
for she is a very artful woman。 This three years past； and close on
four； she has been driving us out of our minds； by encouraging each
one of us； and sending him messages without meaning one word of what
she says。 And then there was that other trick she played us。 She set
up a great tambour frame in her room； and began to work on an enormous
piece of fine needlework。 'Sweet hearts；' said she； 'Ulysses is indeed
dead； still do not press me to marry again immediately； wait… for I
would not have skill in needlework perish unrecorded… till I have
completed a pall for the hero Laertes； to be in readiness against
the time when death shall take him。 He is very rich； and the women
of the place will talk if he is laid out without a pall。'
〃This was what she said； and we assented； whereon we could see her
working on her great web all day long； but at night she would unpick
the stitches again by torchlight。 She fooled us in this way for
three years and we never found her out； but as time wore on and she
was now in her fourth year； one of her maids who knew what she was
doing told us； and we caught her in the act of undoing her work； so
she had to finish it whether she would or no。 The suitors；
therefore； make you this answer； that both you and the Achaeans may
understand…'Send your mother away； and bid her marry the man of her
own and of her father's choice'； for I do not know what will happen if
she goes on plaguing us much longer with the airs she gives herself on
the score of the accomplishments Minerva has taught her； and because
she is so clever。 We never yet heard of such a woman； we know all
about Tyro； Alcmena； Mycene； and the famous women of old； but they
were nothing to your mother； any one of them。 It was not fair of her
to treat us in that way； and as long as she continues in the mind with
which heaven has now endowed her； so long shall we go on eating up
your estate； and I do not see why she should change； for she gets
all the honour and glory； and it is you who pay for it； not she。
Understand； then； that we will not go back to our lands； neither
here nor elsewhere； till she has made her choice and married some
one or other of us。〃
Telemachus answered； 〃Antinous； how can I drive the mother who
bore me from my father's house？ My father is abroad and we do not know
whether he is alive or dead。 It will be hard on me if I have to pay
Icarius the large sum which I must give him if I insist on sending his
daughter back to him。 Not only will he deal rigorously with me； but
heaven will also punish me； for my mother when she leaves the house
will calf on the Erinyes to avenge her； besides； it would not be a
creditable thing to do； and I will have nothing to say to it。 If you
choose to take offence at this； leave the house and feast elsewhere at
one another's houses at your own cost turn and turn about。 If； on
the other hand； you elect to persist in spunging upon one man；
heaven help me； but Jove shall reckon with you in full； and when you
fall in my father's house there shall be no man to avenge you。〃
As he spoke Jove sent two eagles from the top of the mountain； and
they flew on and on with the wind； sailing side by side in their own
lordly flight。 When they were right over the middle of the assembly
they wheeled and circled about； beating the air with their wings and
glaring death into the eyes of them that were below； then； fighting
fiercely and tearing at one another； they flew off towards the right
over the town。 The people wondered as they saw them； and asked each
other what an this might be； whereon Halitherses； who was the best
prophet and reader of omens among them； spoke to them plainly and in
all honesty； saying：
〃Hear me； men of Ithaca； and I speak more particularly to the
suitors； for I see mischief brewing for them。 Ulysses is not going
to be away much longer； indeed he is close at hand to deal out death
and destruction； not on them alone； but on many another of us who live
in Ithaca。 Let us then be wise in time； and put a stop to this
wickedness before he comes。 Let the suitors do so of their own accord；
it will be better for them； for I am not prophesying without due
knowledge； everything has happened to Ulysses as I foretold when the
Argives set out for Troy； and he with them。 I said that after going
through much hardship and losing all his men he should come home again
in the twentieth year and that no one would know him； and now all this
is coming true。〃
Eurymachus son of Polybus then said； 〃Go home； old man； and prophesy
to your own children； or it may be worse for them。 I can read these
omens myself much better than you can； birds are always flying about
in the sunshine somewhere or other； but they seldom mean anything。
Ulysses has died in a far country； and it is a pity you are not dead
along with him； instead of prating here about omens and adding fuel to
the anger of Telemachus which is fierce enough as it is。 I suppose you
think he will give you something for your family； but I tell you…
and it shall surely be… when an old man like you； who should know
better； talks a young one over till he becomes troublesome； in the
first place his young friend will only fare so much the worse… he will
take nothing by it； for the suitors will prevent this… and in the
next； we will lay a heavier fine； sir； upon yourself than you will
at all like paying； for it will bear hardly upon you。 As for
Telemachus； I warn him in the presence of you all to send his mother
back to her father； who will find her a husband and provide her with
all the marriage gifts so dear a daughter may expect。 Till we shall go
on harassing him with our suit； for we fear no man； and care neither
for him； with all his fine speeches； nor for any fortune…telling of
yours。 You may preach as much as you please； but we shall only hate
you the more。 We shall go back and continue to eat up Telemachus's
estate without paying him； till such time as his mother leaves off
tormenting us by keeping us day after day on the tiptoe of
expectation； each vying with the other in his suit for a prize of such
rare perfection。 Besides we cannot go after the other women whom we
should marry in due course； but for the way in which she treats us。〃
Then Telemachus said； 〃Eurymachus； and you other suitors； I shall
say no more； and entreat you no further； for the gods and the people
of Ithaca now know my story。 Give me； then； a ship and a crew of
twenty men to take me hither and thither； and I will go to Sparta
and to Pylos in quest of my father who has so long been missing。
Some one may tell me something； or （and people often hear things in