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soft bed as you deserve。 You will know very well when morning comes
from the streams of Oceanus； and it is time for you to be driving in
your goats for the suitors to feast on。〃
There； then； they left him in very cruel bondage； and having put
on their armour they closed the door behind them and went back to take
their places by the side of Ulysses； whereon the four men stood in the
cloister； fierce and full of fury； nevertheless； those who were in the
body of the court were still both brave and many。 Then Jove's daughter
Minerva came up to them； having assumed the voice and form of
Mentor。 Ulysses was glad when he saw her and said； 〃Mentor； lend me
your help； and forget not your old comrade； nor the many good turns he
has done you。 Besides； you are my age…mate。〃
But all the time he felt sure it was Minerva； and the suitors from
the other side raised an uproar when they saw her。 Agelaus was the
first to reproach her。 〃Mentor；〃 he cried； 〃do not let Ulysses beguile
you into siding with him and fighting the suitors。 This is what we
will do： when we have killed these people； father and son； we will
kill you too。 You shall pay for it with your head； and when we have
killed you； we will take all you have； in doors or out； and bring it
into hotch…pot with Ulysses' property； we will not let your sons
live in your house； nor your daughters； nor shall your widow
continue to live in the city of Ithaca。〃
This made Minerva still more furious； so she scolded Ulysses very
angrily。 〃Ulysses；〃 said she； 〃your strength and prowess are no longer
what they were when you fought for nine long years among the Trojans
about the noble lady Helen。 You killed many a man in those days； and
it was through your stratagem that Priam's city was taken。 How comes
it that you are so lamentably less valiant now that you are on your
own ground； face to face with the suitors in your own house？ Come
on； my good fellow； stand by my side and see how Mentor； son of
Alcinous shall fight your foes and requite your kindnesses conferred
upon him。〃
But she would not give him full victory as yet； for she wished still
further to prove his own prowess and that of his brave son； so she
flew up to one of the rafters in the roof of the cloister and sat upon
it in the form of a swallow。
Meanwhile Agelaus son of Damastor； Eurynomus； Amphimedon；
Demoptolemus； Pisander； and Polybus son of Polyctor bore the brunt
of the fight upon the suitors' side； of all those who were still
fighting for their lives they were by far the most valiant； for the
others had already fallen under the arrows of Ulysses。 Agelaus shouted
to them and said； 〃My friends； he will soon have to leave off； for
Mentor has gone away after having done nothing for him but brag。
They are standing at the doors unsupported。 Do not aim at him all at
once； but six of you throw your spears first； and see if you cannot
cover yourselves with glory by killing him。 When he has fallen we need
not be uneasy about the others。〃
They threw their spears as he bade them； but Minerva made them all
of no effect。 One hit the door post； another went against the door；
the pointed shaft of another struck the wall； and as soon as they
had avoided all the spears of the suitors Ulysses said to his own men；
〃My friends； I should say we too had better let drive into the
middle of them； or they will crown all the harm they have done us by
us outright。〃
They therefore aimed straight in front of them and threw their
spears。 Ulysses killed Demoptolemus； Telemachus Euryades； Eumaeus
Elatus； while the stockman killed Pisander。 These all bit the dust；
and as the others drew back into a corner Ulysses and his men rushed
forward and regained their spears by drawing them from the bodies of
the dead。
The suitors now aimed a second time； but again Minerva made their
weapons for the most part without effect。 One hit a bearing…post of
the cloister； another went against the door； while the pointed shaft
of another struck the wall。 Still； Amphimedon just took a piece of the
top skin from off Telemachus's wrist； and Ctesippus managed to graze
Eumaeus's shoulder above his shield； but the spear went on and fell to
the ground。 Then Ulysses and his men let drive into the crowd of
suitors。 Ulysses hit Eurydamas； Telemachus Amphimedon； and Eumaeus
Polybus。 After this the stockman hit Ctesippus in the breast； and
taunted him saying； 〃Foul…mouthed son of Polytherses； do not be so
foolish as to talk wickedly another time； but let heaven direct your
speech； for the gods are far stronger than men。 I make you a present
of this advice to repay you for the foot which you gave Ulysses when
he was begging about in his own house。〃
Thus spoke the stockman； and Ulysses struck the son of Damastor with
a spear in close fight； while Telemachus hit Leocritus son of Evenor
in the belly； and the dart went clean through him； so that he fell
forward full on his face upon the ground。 Then Minerva from her seat
on the rafter held up her deadly aegis； and the hearts of the
suitors quailed。 They fled to the other end of the court like a herd
of cattle maddened by the gadfly in early summer when the days are
at their longest。 As eagle…beaked； crook…taloned vultures from the
mountains swoop down on the smaller birds that cower in flocks upon
the ground； and kill them； for they cannot either fight or fly； and
lookers on enjoy the sport… even so did Ulysses and his men fall
upon the suitors and smite them on every side。 They made a horrible
groaning as their brains were being battered in； and the ground
seethed with their blood。
Leiodes then caught the knees of Ulysses and said； 〃Ulysses I
beseech you have mercy upon me and spare me。 I never wronged any of
the women in your house either in word or deed； and I tried to stop
the others。 I saw them； but they would not listen； and now they are
paying for their folly。 I was their sacrificing priest； if you kill
me； I shall die without having done anything to deserve it； and
shall have got no thanks for all the good that I did。〃
Ulysses looked sternly at him and answered； 〃If you were their
sacrificing priest； you must have prayed many a time that it might
be long before I got home again； and that you might marry my wife
and have children by her。 Therefore you shall die。〃
With these words he picked up the sword that Agelaus had dropped
when he was being killed； and which was lying upon the ground。 Then he
struck Leiodes on the back of his neck； so that his head fell
rolling in the dust while he was yet speaking。
The minstrel Phemius son of Terpes… he who had been forced by the
suitors to sing to them… now tried to save his life。 He was standing
near towards the trap door； and held his lyre in his hand。 He did
not know whether to fly out of the cloister and sit down by the
altar of Jove that was in the outer court； and on which both Laertes
and Ulysses had offered up the thigh bones of many an ox； or whether
to go straight up to Ulysses and embrace his knees； but in the end
he deemed it best to embrace Ulysses' knees。 So he laid his lyre on
the ground the ground between the mixing…bowl and the silver…studded
seat； then going up to Ulysses he caught hold of his knees and said；
〃Ulysses； I beseech you have mercy on me and spare me。 You will be
sorry for it afterwards if you kill a bard who can sing both for
gods and men as I can。 I make all my lays myself； and heaven visits me
with every kind of inspiration。 I would sing to you as though you were
a god； do not therefore be in such a hurry to cut my head off。 Your
own son Telemachus will tell you that I did not want to frequent
your house and sing to the suitors after their meals； but they were
too many and too strong for me； so they made me。〃
Telemachus heard him； and at once went up to his father。 〃Hold！〃
he cried； 〃the man is guiltless； do him no hurt； and we will Medon
too； who was always good to me when I was a boy； unless Philoetius
or Eumaeus has already killed him； or he has fallen in your way when
you were raging about the court。〃
Medon caught these words of Telemachus； for he was crouching under a
seat beneath which he had hidden by covering himself u