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are all aglow as with a flaming fire。 Surely there is some god here
who has come down from heaven。〃
〃Hush；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃hold your peace and ask no questions； for
this is the manner of the gods。 Get you to your bed； and leave me here
to talk with your mother and the maids。 Your mother in her grief
will ask me all sorts of questions。〃
On this Telemachus went by torch…light to the other side of the
inner court； to the room in which he always slept。 There he lay in his
bed till morning； while Ulysses was left in the cloister pondering
on the means whereby with Minerva's help he might be able to kill
the suitors。
Then Penelope came down from her room looking like Venus or Diana；
and they set her a seat inlaid with scrolls of silver and ivory near
the fire in her accustomed place。 It had been made by Icmalius and had
a footstool all in one piece with the seat itself； and it was
covered with a thick fleece： on this she now sat； and the maids came
from the women's room to join her。 They set about removing the
tables at which the wicked suitors had been dining； and took away
the bread that was left； with the cups from which they had drunk。 They
emptied the embers out of the braziers； and heaped much wood upon them
to give both light and heat； but Melantho began to rail at Ulysses a
second time and said； 〃Stranger； do you mean to plague us by hanging
about the house all night and spying upon the women？ Be off； you
wretch； outside； and eat your supper there； or you shall be driven out
with a firebrand。〃
Ulysses scowled at her and answered； 〃My good woman； why should
you be so angry with me？ Is it because I am not clean； and my
clothes are all in rags； and because I am obliged to go begging
about after the manner of tramps and beggars generall？ I too was a
rich man once； and had a fine house of my own； in those days I gave to
many a tramp such as I now am； no matter who he might be nor what he
wanted。 I had any number of servants； and all the other things which
people have who live well and are accounted wealthy； but it pleased
Jove to take all away from me； therefore； woman； beware lest you too
come to lose that pride and place in which you now wanton above your
fellows； have a care lest you get out of favour with your mistress；
and lest Ulysses should come home； for there is still a chance that he
may do so。 Moreover； though he be dead as you think he is； yet by
Apollo's will he has left a son behind him； Telemachus； who will
note anything done amiss by the maids in the house； for he is now no
longer in his boyhood。〃
Penelope heard what he was saying and scolded the maid； 〃Impudent
baggage； said she； 〃I see how abominably you are behaving； and you
shall smart for it。 You knew perfectly well； for I told you myself；
that I was going to see the stranger and ask him about my husband； for
whose sake I am in such continual sorrow。〃
Then she said to her head waiting woman Eurynome； 〃Bring a seat with
a fleece upon it； for the stranger to sit upon while he tells his
story； and listens to what I have to say。 I wish to ask him some
questions。〃
Eurynome brought the seat at once and set a fleece upon it； and as
soon as Ulysses had sat down Penelope began by saying； 〃Stranger； I
shall first ask you who and whence are you？ Tell me of your town and
parents。〃
〃Madam；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃who on the face of the whole earth can
dare to chide with you？ Your fame reaches the firmament of heaven
itself； you are like some blameless king； who upholds righteousness；
as the monarch over a great and valiant nation： the earth yields its
wheat and barley； the trees are loaded with fruit； the ewes bring
forth lambs； and the sea abounds with fish by reason of his virtues；
and his people do good deeds under him。 Nevertheless； as I sit here in
your house； ask me some other question and do not seek to know my race
and family； or you will recall memories that will yet more increase my
sorrow。 I am full of heaviness； but I ought not to sit weeping and
wailing in another person's house； nor is it well to be thus
grieving continually。 I shall have one of the servants or even
yourself complaining of me； and saying that my eyes swim with tears
because I am heavy with wine。〃
Then Penelope answered； 〃Stranger； heaven robbed me of all beauty；
whether of face or figure； when the Argives set sail for Troy and my
dear husband with them。 If he were to return and look after my affairs
I should be both more respected and should show a better presence to
the world。 As it is； I am oppressed with care； and with the
afflictions which heaven has seen fit to heap upon me。 The chiefs from
all our islands… Dulichium； Same； and Zacynthus； as also from Ithaca
itself； are wooing me against my will and are wasting my estate。 I can
therefore show no attention to strangers； nor suppliants； nor to
people who say that they are skilled artisans； but am all the time
brokenhearted about Ulysses。 They want me to marry again at once；
and I have to invent stratagems in order to deceive them。 In the first
place heaven put it in my mind to set up a great tambour…frame in my
room； and to begin working upon an enormous piece of fine
needlework。 Then I said to them； 'Sweethearts； Ulysses is indeed dead；
still； do not press me to marry again immediately； wait… for I would
not have my skill in needlework perish unrecorded… till I have
finished making a pall for the hero Laertes； to be ready 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 I
said； and they assented； whereon I used to keep working at my great
web all day long； but at night I would unpick the stitches again by
torch light。 I fooled them in this way for three years without their
finding it out； but as time wore on and I was now in my fourth year；
in the waning of moons； and many days had been accomplished； those
good…for…nothing hussies my maids betrayed me to the suitors； who
broke in upon me and caught me； they were very angry with me； so I was
forced to finish my work whether I would or no。 And now I do not see
how I can find any further shift for getting out of this marriage。
My parents are putting great pressure upon me； and my son chafes at
the ravages the suitors are making upon his estate； for he is now
old enough to understand all about it and is perfectly able to look
after his own affairs； for heaven has blessed him with an excellent
disposition。 Still； notwithstanding all this； tell me who you are
and where you come from… for you must have had father and mother of
some sort； you cannot be the son of an oak or of a rock。〃
Then Ulysses answered； 〃madam； wife of Ulysses； since you persist in
asking me about my family； I will answer； no matter what it costs
me： people must expect to be pained when they have been exiles as long
as I have； and suffered as much among as many peoples。 Nevertheless；
as regards your question I will tell you all you ask。 There is a
fair and fruitful island in mid…ocean called Crete； it is thickly
peopled and there are nine cities in it： the people speak many
different languages which overlap one another； for there are Achaeans；
brave Eteocretans； Dorians of three…fold race； and noble Pelasgi。
There is a great town there； Cnossus； where Minos reigned who every
nine years had a conference with Jove himself。 Minos was father to
Deucalion； whose son I am； for Deucalion had two sons Idomeneus and
myself。 Idomeneus sailed for Troy； and I； who am the younger； am
called Aethon； my brother； however； was at once the older and the more
valiant of the two； hence it was in Crete that I saw Ulysses and
showed him hospitality； for the winds took him there as he was on
his way to Troy； carrying him out of his course from cape Malea and
leaving him in Amnisus off the cave of Ilithuia； where the harbours
are difficult to enter and he could hardly find shelter from the winds
that were then xaging。 As soon as he got there he went into the town
and asked for Idomeneus； claiming to be his old and valued friend； but
Idomeneus had already set sail for Troy some ten or twelve days
earlier； so I took hi