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nymphs； saying； 〃Naiad nymphs； daughters of Jove； I made sure that I
was never again to see you； now therefore I greet you with all
loving salutations； and I will bring you offerings as in the old days；
if Jove's redoubtable daughter will grant me life； and bring my son to
manhood。〃
〃Take heart； and do not trouble yourself about that；〃 rejoined
Minerva； 〃let us rather set about stowing your things at once in the
cave； where they will be quite safe。 Let us see how we can best manage
it all。〃
Therewith she went down into the cave to look for the safest
hiding places； while Ulysses brought up all the treasure of gold；
bronze； and good clothing which the Phaecians had given him。 They
stowed everything carefully away； and Minerva set a stone against
the door of the cave。 Then the two sat down by the root of the great
olive； and consulted how to compass the destruction of the wicked
suitors。
〃Ulysses；〃 said Minerva； 〃noble son of Laertes； think how you can
lay hands on these disreputable people who have been lording it in
your house these three years； courting your wife and making wedding
presents to her； while she does nothing but lament your absence；
giving hope and sending your encouraging messages to every one of
them； but meaning the very opposite of all she says'
And Ulysses answered； 〃In good truth； goddess； it seems I should
have come to much the same bad end in my own house as Agamemnon did；
if you had not given me such timely information。 Advise me how I shall
best avenge myself。 Stand by my side and put your courage into my
heart as on the day when we loosed Troy's fair diadem from her brow。
Help me now as you did then； and I will fight three hundred men； if
you； goddess； will be with me。〃
〃Trust me for that；〃 said she； 〃I will not lose sight of you when
once we set about it； and I would imagine that some of those who are
devouring your substance will then bespatter the pavement with their
blood and brains。 I will begin by disguising you so that no human
being shall know you； I will cover your body with wrinkles； you
shall lose all your yellow hair； I will clothe you in a garment that
shall fill all who see it with loathing； I will blear your fine eyes
for you； and make you an unseemly object in the sight of the
suitors； of your wife； and of the son whom you left behind you。 Then
go at once to the swineherd who is in charge of your pigs； he has been
always well affected towards you； and is devoted to Penelope and
your son； you will find him feeding his pigs near the rock that is
called Raven by the fountain Arethusa； where they are fattening on
beechmast and spring water after their manner。 Stay with him and
find out how things are going； while I proceed to Sparta and see
your son； who is with Menelaus at Lacedaemon； where he has gone to try
and find out whether you are still alive。〃
〃But why；〃 said Ulysses； 〃did you not tell him； for you knew all
about it？ Did you want him too to go sailing about amid all kinds of
hardship while others are eating up his estate？〃
Minerva answered； 〃Never mind about him； I sent him that he might be
well spoken of for having gone。 He is in no sort of difficulty； but is
staying quite comfortably with Menelaus； and is surrounded with
abundance of every kind。 The suitors have put out to sea and are lying
in wait for him； for they mean to kill him before he can get home。 I
do not much think they will succeed； but rather that some of those who
are now eating up your estate will first find a grave themselves。〃
As she spoke Minerva touched him with her wand and covered him
with wrinkles； took away all his yellow hair； and withered the flesh
over his whole body； she bleared his eyes； which were naturally very
fine ones； she changed his clothes and threw an old rag of a wrap
about him； and a tunic； tattered； filthy； and begrimed with smoke； she
also gave him an undressed deer skin as an outer garment； and
furnished him with a staff and a wallet all in holes； with a twisted
thong for him to sling it over his shoulder。
When the pair had thus laid their plans they parted； and the goddess
went straight to Lacedaemon to fetch Telemachus。
BOOK XIV。
ULYSSES now left the haven； and took the rough track up through
the wooded country and over the crest of the mountain till he
reached the place where Minerva had said that he would find the
swineherd； who was the most thrifty servant he had。 He found him
sitting in front of his hut； which was by the yards that he had
built on a site which could be seen from far。 He had made them
spacious and fair to see； with a free ran for the pigs all round them；
he had built them during his master's absence； of stones which he
had gathered out of the ground； without saying anything to Penelope or
Laertes； and he had fenced them on top with thorn bushes。 Outside
the yard he had run a strong fence of oaken posts； split； and set
pretty close together； while inside lie had built twelve sties near
one another for the sows to lie in。 There were fifty pigs wallowing in
each sty； all of them breeding sows； but the boars slept outside and
were much fewer in number； for the suitors kept on eating them； and
die swineherd had to send them the best he had continually。 There were
three hundred and sixty boar pigs； and the herdsman's four hounds；
which were as fierce as wolves； slept always with them。 The
swineherd was at that moment cutting out a pair of sandals from a good
stout ox hide。 Three of his men were out herding the pigs in one place
or another； and he had sent the fourth to town with a boar that he had
been forced to send the suitors that they might sacrifice it and
have their fill of meat。
When the hounds saw Ulysses they set up a furious barking and flew
at him； but Ulysses was cunning enough to sit down and loose his
hold of the stick that he had in his hand： still； he would have been
torn by them in his own homestead had not the swineherd dropped his ox
hide； rushed full speed through the gate of the yard and driven the
dogs off by shouting and throwing stones at them。 Then he said to
Ulysses； 〃Old man； the dogs were likely to have made short work of
you； and then you would have got me into trouble。 The gods have
given me quite enough worries without that； for I have lost the best
of masters； and am in continual grief on his account。 I have to attend
swine for other people to eat； while he； if he yet lives to see the
light of day； is starving in some distant land。 But come inside； and
when you have had your fill of bread and wine； tell me where you
come from； and all about your misfortunes。〃
On this the swineherd led the way into the hut and bade him sit
down。 He strewed a good thick bed of rushes upon the floor； and on the
top of this he threw the shaggy chamois skin… a great thick one… on
which he used to sleep by night。 Ulysses was pleased at being made
thus welcome； and said 〃May Jove； sir； and the rest of the gods
grant you your heart's desire in return for the kind way in which
you have received me。〃
To this you answered； O swineherd Eumaeus； 〃Stranger； though a still
poorer man should come here； it would not be right for me to insult
him； for all strangers and beggars are from Jove。 You must take what
you can get and be thankful； for servants live in fear when they
have young lords for their masters； and this is my misfortune now； for
heaven has hindered the return of him who would have been always
good to me and given me something of my own… a house； a piece of land；
a good looking wife； and all else that a liberal master allows a
servant who has worked hard for him； and whose labour the gods have
prospered as they have mine in the situation which I hold。 If my
master had grown old here he would have done great things by me； but
he is gone； and I wish that Helen's whole race were utterly destroyed；
for she has been the death of many a good man。 It was this matter that
took my master to Ilius； the land of noble steeds； to fight the
Trojans in the cause of kin Agamemnon。〃
As he spoke he bound his girdle round him and went to the sties
where the young sucking pigs were penned。 He picked out two which