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I am well able to form my own opinion about one and all of them；
hold your tongue and leave everything to heaven。〃
As he said this Euryclea left the cloister to fetch some more water；
for the first had been all spilt； and when she had washed him and
anointed him with oil； Ulysses drew his seat nearer to the fire to
warm himself； and hid the scar under his rags。 Then Penelope began
talking to him and said：
〃Stranger； I should like to speak with you briefly about another
matter。 It is indeed nearly bed time… for those； at least； who can
sleep in spite of sorrow。 As for myself； heaven has given me a life of
such unmeasurable woe； that even by day when I am attending to my
duties and looking after the servants； I am still weeping and
lamenting during the whole time； then； when night comes； and we all of
us go to bed； I lie awake thinking； and my heart comes a prey to the
most incessant and cruel tortures。 As the dun nightingale； daughter of
Pandareus； sings in the early spring from her seat in shadiest
covert hid； and with many a plaintive trill pours out the tale how
by mishap she killed her own child Itylus； son of king Zethus； even so
does my mind toss and turn in its uncertainty whether I ought to
stay with my son here； and safeguard my substance； my bondsmen； and
the greatness of my house； out of regard to public opinion and the
memory of my late husband； or whether it is not now time for me to
go with the best of these suitors who are wooing me and making me such
magnificent presents。 As long as my son was still young； and unable to
understand； he would not hear of my leaving my husband's house； but
now that he is full grown he begs and prays me to do so； being
incensed at the way in which the suitors are eating up his property。
Listen； then； to a dream that I have had and interpret it for me if
you can。 I have twenty geese about the house that eat mash out of a
trough； and of which I am exceedingly fond。 I dreamed that a great
eagle came swooping down from a mountain； and dug his curved beak into
the neck of each of them till he had killed them all。 Presently he
soared off into the sky； and left them lying dead about the yard；
whereon I wept in my room till all my maids gathered round me； so
piteously was I grieving because the eagle had killed my geese。 Then
he came back again； and perching on a projecting rafter spoke to me
with human voice； and told me to leave off crying。 'Be of good
courage；' he said； 'daughter of Icarius； this is no dream； but a
vision of good omen that shall surely come to pass。 The geese are
the suitors； and I am no longer an eagle； but your own husband； who am
come back to you； and who will bring these suitors to a disgraceful
end。' On this I woke； and when I looked out I saw my geese at the
trough eating their mash as usual。〃
〃This dream； Madam；〃 replied Ulysses； 〃can admit but of one
interpretation； for had not Ulysses himself told you how it shall be
fulfilled？ The death of the suitors is portended； and not one single
one of them will escape。〃
And Penelope answered； 〃Stranger； dreams are very curious and
unaccountable things； and they do not by any means invariably come
true。 There are two gates through which these unsubstantial fancies
proceed； the one is of horn； and the other ivory。 Those that come
through the gate of ivory are fatuous； but those from the gate of horn
mean something to those that see them。 I do not think； however； that
my own dream came through the gate of horn； though I and my son should
be most thankful if it proves to have done so。 Furthermore I say…
and lay my saying to your heart… the coming dawn will usher in the
ill…omened day that is to sever me from the house of Ulysses； for I am
about to hold a tournament of axes。 My husband used to set up twelve
axes in the court； one in front of the other； like the stays upon
which a ship is built； he would then go back from them and shoot an
arrow through the whole twelve。 I shall make the suitors try to do the
same thing； and whichever of them can string the bow most easily；
and send his arrow through all the twelve axes； him will I follow； and
quit this house of my lawful husband； so goodly and so abounding in
wealth。 But even so； I doubt not that I shall remember it in my
dreams。〃
Then Ulysses answered； 〃Madam wife of Ulysses； you need not defer
your tournament； for Ulysses will return ere ever they can string
the bow； handle it how they will； and send their arrows through the
iron。〃
To this Penelope said； 〃As long； sir； as you will sit here and
talk to me； I can have no desire to go to bed。 Still； people cannot do
permanently without sleep； and heaven has appointed us dwellers on
earth a time for all things。 I will therefore go upstairs and
recline upon that couch which I have never ceased to flood with my
tears from the day Ulysses set out for the city with a hateful name。〃
She then went upstairs to her own room； not alone； but attended by
her maidens； and when there； she lamented her dear husband till
Minerva shed sweet sleep over her eyelids。
BOOK XX。
ULYSSES slept in the cloister upon an undressed bullock's hide； on
the top of which he threw several skins of the sheep the suitors had
eaten； and Eurynome threw a cloak over him after he had laid himself
down。 There； then； Ulysses lay wakefully brooding upon the way in
which he should kill the suitors； and by and by； the women who had
been in the habit of misconducting themselves with them； left the
house giggling and laughing with one another。 This made Ulysses very
angry； and he doubted whether to get up and kill every single one of
them then and there； or to let them sleep one more and last time
with the suitors。 His heart growled within him； and as a bitch with
puppies growls and shows her teeth when she sees a stranger； so did
his heart growl with anger at the evil deeds that were being done： but
he beat his breast and said； 〃Heart； be still； you had worse than this
to bear on the day when the terrible Cyclops ate your brave
companions； yet you bore it in silence till your cunning got you
safe out of the cave； though you made sure of being killed。〃
Thus he chided with his heart； and checked it into endurance； but he
tossed about as one who turns a paunch full of blood and fat in
front of a hot fire； doing it first on one side and then on the other；
that he may get it cooked as soon as possible； even so did he turn
himself about from side to side； thinking all the time how； single
handed as he was； he should contrive to kill so large a body of men as
the wicked suitors。 But by and by Minerva came down from heaven in the
likeness of a woman； and hovered over his head saying； 〃My poor
unhappy man； why do you lie awake in this way？ This is your house：
your wife is safe inside it； and so is your son who is just such a
young man as any father may be proud of。〃
〃Goddess；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃all that you have said is true； but
I am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill these wicked
suitors single handed； seeing what a number of them there always
are。 And there is this further difficulty； which is still more
considerable。 Supposing that with Jove's and your assistance I succeed
in killing them； I must ask you to consider where I am to escape to
from their avengers when it is all over。〃
〃For shame；〃 replied Minerva； 〃why； any one else would trust a worse
ally than myself； even though that ally were only a mortal and less
wise than I am。 Am I not a goddess； and have I not protected you
throughout in all your troubles？ I tell you plainly that even though
there were fifty bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us； you
should take all their sheep and cattle； and drive them away with
you。 But go to sleep； it is a very bad thing to lie awake all night；
and you shall be out of your troubles before long。〃
As she spoke she shed sleep over his eyes； and then went back to
Olympus。
While Ulysses was thus yielding himself to a very deep slumber
that eased the burden of his sorrows； his admirable wife awoke； and
sitting up in her bed began to cry。 When she had relieved herself by
weeping she prayed to Diana sa