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the bow。 Then he sat down on the seat from which he had risen； and
Antinous said：
〃Come on each of you in his turn； going towards the right from the
place at which the。 cupbearer begins when he is handing round the
wine。〃
The rest agreed； and Leiodes son of OEnops was the first to rise。 He
was sacrificial priest to the suitors； and sat in the corner near
the mixing…bowl。 He was the only man who hated their evil deeds and
was indignant with the others。 He was now the first to take the bow
and arrow； so he went on to the pavement to make his trial； but he
could not string the bow； for his hands were weak and unused to hard
work； they therefore soon grew tired； and he said to the suitors；
〃My friends； I cannot string it； let another have it； this bow shall
take the life and soul out of many a chief among us； for it is
better to die than to live after having missed the prize that we
have so long striven for； and which has brought us so long together。
Some one of us is even now hoping and praying that he may marry
Penelope； but when he has seen this bow and tried it； let him woo
and make bridal offerings to some other woman； and let Penelope
marry whoever makes her the best offer and whose lot it is to win
her。〃
On this he put the bow down； letting it lean against the door；
with the arrow standing against the tip of the bow。 Then he took his
seat again on the seat from which he had risen； and Antinous rebuked
him saying：
〃Leiodes； what are you talking about？ Your words are monstrous and
intolerable； it makes me angry to listen to you。 Shall； then； this bow
take the life of many a chief among us； merely because you cannot bend
it yourself？ True； you were not born to be an archer； but there are
others who will soon string it。〃
Then he said to Melanthius the goatherd； 〃Look sharp； light a fire
in the court； and set a seat hard by with a sheep skin on it； bring us
also a large ball of lard； from what they have in the house。 Let us
warm the bow and grease it we will then make trial of it again； and
bring the contest to an end。〃
Melanthius lit the fire； and set a seat covered with sheep skins
beside it。 He also brought a great ball of lard from what they had
in the house； and the suitors warmed the bow and again made trial of
it； but they were none of them nearly strong enough to string it。
Nevertheless there still remained Antinous and Eurymachus； who were
the ringleaders among the suitors and much the foremost among them
all。
Then the swineherd and the stockman left the cloisters together； and
Ulysses followed them。 When they had got outside the gates and the
outer yard； Ulysses said to them quietly：
〃Stockman； and you swineherd； I have something in my mind which I am
in doubt whether to say or no； but I think I will say it。 What
manner of men would you be to stand by Ulysses； if some god should
bring him back here all of a sudden？ Say which you are disposed to do…
to side with the suitors； or with Ulysses？〃
〃Father Jove；〃 answered the stockman； 〃would indeed that you might
so ordain it。 If some god were but to bring Ulysses back； you should
see with what might and main I would fight for him。〃
In like words Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that Ulysses might
return； when； therefore； he saw for certain what mind they were of；
Ulysses said； 〃It is I； Ulysses； who am here。 I have suffered much；
but at last； in the twentieth year； I am come back to my own
country。 I find that you two alone of all my servants are glad that
I should do so； for I have not heard any of the others praying for
my return。 To you two； therefore； will I unfold the truth as it
shall be。 If heaven shall deliver the suitors into my hands； I will
find wives for both of you； will give you house and holding close to
my own； and you shall be to me as though you were brothers and friends
of Telemachus。 I will now give you convincing proofs that you may know
me and be assured。 See； here is the scar from the boar's tooth that
ripped me when I was out hunting on Mount Parnassus with the sons of
Autolycus。〃
As he spoke he drew his rags aside from the great scar； and when
they had examined it thoroughly； they both of them wept about Ulysses；
threw their arms round him and kissed his head and shoulders； while
Ulysses kissed their hands and faces in return。 The sun would have
gone down upon their mourning if Ulysses had not checked them and
said：
〃Cease your weeping； lest some one should come outside and see us；
and tell those who a are within。 When you go in； do so separately； not
both together； I will go first； and do you follow afterwards； Let this
moreover be the token between us； the suitors will all of them try
to prevent me from getting hold of the bow and quiver； do you；
therefore； Eumaeus； place it in my hands when you are carrying it
about； and tell the women to close the doors of their apartment。 If
they hear any groaning or uproar as of men fighting about the house；
they must not come out； they must keep quiet； and stay where they
are at their work。 And I charge you； Philoetius； to make fast the
doors of the outer court； and to bind them securely at once。〃
When he had thus spoken； he went back to the house and took the seat
that he had left。 Presently； his two servants followed him inside。
At this moment the bow was in the hands of Eurymachus； who was
warming it by the fire； but even so he could not string it； and he was
greatly grieved。 He heaved a deep sigh and said； 〃I grieve for
myself and for us all； I grieve that I shall have to forgo the
marriage； but I do not care nearly so much about this； for there are
plenty of other women in Ithaca and elsewhere； what I feel most is the
fact of our being so inferior to Ulysses in strength that we cannot
string his bow。 This will disgrace us in the eyes of those who are yet
unborn。〃
〃It shall not be so； Eurymachus；〃 said Antinous； 〃and you know it
yourself。 To…day is the feast of Apollo throughout all the land； who
can string a bow on such a day as this？ Put it on one side… as for the
axes they can stay where they are； for no one is likely to come to the
house and take them away： let the cupbearer go round with his cups；
that we may make our drink…offerings and drop this matter of the
bow； we will tell Melanthius to bring us in some goats to…morrow…
the best he has； we can then offer thigh bones to Apollo the mighty
archer； and again make trial of the bow； so as to bring the contest to
an end。〃
The rest approved his words； and thereon men servants poured water
over the hands of the guests； while pages filled the mixing…bowls with
wine and water and handed it round after giving every man his
drink…offering。 Then； when they had made their offerings and had drunk
each as much as he desired； Ulysses craftily said：
〃Suitors of the illustrious queen； listen that I may speak even as I
am minded。 I appeal more especially to Eurymachus； and to Antinous who
has just spoken with so much reason。 Cease shooting for the present
and leave the matter to the gods； but in the morning let heaven give
victory to whom it will。 For the moment； however； give me the bow that
I may prove the power of my hands among you all； and see whether I
still have as much strength as I used to have； or whether travel and
neglect have made an end of it。〃
This made them all very angry； for they feared he might string the
bow； Antinous therefore rebuked him fiercely saying； 〃Wretched
creature； you have not so much as a grain of sense in your whole body；
you ought to think yourself lucky in being allowed to dine unharmed
among your betters； without having any smaller portion served you than
we others have had； and in being allowed to hear our conversation。
No other beggar or stranger has been allowed to hear what we say among
ourselves； the wine must have been doing you a mischief； as it does
with all those drink immoderately。 It was wine that inflamed the
Centaur Eurytion when he was staying with Peirithous among the
Lapithae。 When the wine had got into his head he went mad and did
ill deeds about the house of Peirithous； this angered the heroes who
were there assembled； so they rushed at him and cut off his e