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seat beneath which he had hidden by covering himself up with a freshly
flayed heifer's hide； so he threw off the hide； went up to Telemachus；
and laid hold of his knees。
〃Here I am； my dear sir；〃 said he； 〃stay your hand therefore； and
tell your father； or he will kill me in his rage against the suitors
for having wasted his substance and been so foolishly disrespectful to
yourself。〃
Ulysses smiled at him and answered； 〃Fear not； Telemachus has
saved your life； that you may know in future； and tell other people；
how greatly better good deeds prosper than evil ones。 Go； therefore；
outside the cloisters into the outer court； and be out of the way of
the slaughter… you and the bard… while I finish my work here inside。〃
The pair went into the outer court as fast as they could； and sat
down by Jove's great altar； looking fearfully round； and still
expecting that they would be killed。 Then Ulysses searched the whole
court carefully over； to see if anyone had managed to hide himself and
was still living； but he found them all lying in the dust and
weltering in their blood。 They were like fishes which fishermen have
netted out of the sea； and thrown upon the beach to lie gasping for
water till the heat of the sun makes an end of them。 Even so were
the suitors lying all huddled up one against the other。
Then Ulysses said to Telemachus； 〃Call nurse Euryclea； I have
something to say to her。〃
Telemachus went and knocked at the door of the women's room。 〃Make
haste；〃 said he； 〃you old woman who have been set over all the other
women in the house。 Come outside； my father wishes to speak to you。〃
When Euryclea heard this she unfastened the door of the women's room
and came out； following Telemachus。 She found Ulysses among the
corpses bespattered with blood and filth like a lion that has just
been devouring an ox； and his breast and both his cheeks are all
bloody； so that he is a fearful sight； even so was Ulysses
besmirched from head to foot with gore。 When she saw all the corpses
and such a quantity of blood； she was beginning to cry out for joy；
for she saw that a great deed had been done； but Ulysses checked
her； 〃Old woman；〃 said he； 〃rejoice in silence； restrain yourself； and
do not make any noise about it； it is an unholy thing to vaunt over
dead men。 Heaven's doom and their own evil deeds have brought these
men to destruction； for they respected no man in the whole world；
neither rich nor poor； who came near them； and they have come to a bad
end as a punishment for their wickedness and folly。 Now； however； tell
me which of the women in the house have misconducted themselves； and
who are innocent。〃
〃I will tell you the truth； my son；〃 answered Euryclea。 〃There are
fifty women in the house whom we teach to do things； such as carding
wool； and all kinds of household work。 Of these； twelve in all have
misbehaved； and have been wanting in respect to me； and also to
Penelope。 They showed no disrespect to Telemachus； for he has only
lately grown and his mother never permitted him to give orders to
the female servants； but let me go upstairs and tell your wife all
that has happened； for some god has been sending her to sleep。〃
〃Do not wake her yet；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃but tell the women who
have misconducted themselves to come to me。〃
Euryclea left the cloister to tell the women； and make them come
to Ulysses； in the meantime he called Telemachus； the stockman； and
the swineherd。 〃Begin；〃 said he； 〃to remove the dead； and make the
women help you。 Then； get sponges and clean water to swill down the
tables and seats。 When you have thoroughly cleansed the whole
cloisters； take the women into the space between the domed room and
the wall of the outer court； and run them through with your swords
till they are quite dead； and have forgotten all about love and the
way in which they used to lie in secret with the suitors。〃
On this the women came down in a body； weeping and wailing bitterly。
First they carried the dead bodies out； and propped them up against
one another in the gatehouse。 Ulysses ordered them about and made them
do their work quickly； so they had to carry the bodies out。 When
they had done this； they cleaned all the tables and seats with sponges
and water； while Telemachus and the two others shovelled up the
blood and dirt from the ground； and the women carried it all away
and put it out of doors。 Then when they had made the whole place quite
clean and orderly； they took the women out and hemmed them in the
narrow space between the wall of the domed room and that of the
yard； so that they could not get away： and Telemachus said to the
other two； 〃I shall not let these women die a clean death； for they
were insolent to me and my mother； and used to sleep with the
suitors。〃
So saying he made a ship's cable fast to one of the bearing…posts
that supported the roof of the domed room； and secured it all around
the building； at a good height； lest any of the women's feet should
touch the ground； and as thrushes or doves beat against a net that has
been set for them in a thicket just as they were getting to their
nest； and a terrible fate awaits them； even so did the women have to
put their heads in nooses one after the other and die most
miserably。 Their feet moved convulsively for a while； but not for very
long。
As for Melanthius； they took him through the cloister into the inner
court。 There they cut off his nose and his ears； they drew out his
vitals and gave them to the dogs raw； and then in their fury they
cut off his hands and his feet。
When they had done this they washed their hands and feet and went
back into the house； for all was now over； and Ulysses said to the
dear old nurse Euryclea； 〃Bring me sulphur； which cleanses all
pollution； and fetch fire also that I may burn it； and purify the
cloisters。 Go； moreover； and tell Penelope to come here with her
attendants； and also all the maid servants that are in the house。〃
〃All that you have said is true；〃 answered Euryclea； 〃but let me
bring you some clean clothes… a shirt and cloak。 Do not keep these
rags on your back any longer。 It is not right。〃
〃First light me a fire；〃 replied Ulysses。
She brought the fire and sulphur； as he had bidden her； and
Ulysses thoroughly purified the cloisters and both the inner and outer
courts。 Then she went inside to call the women and tell them what
had happened； whereon they came from their apartment with torches in
their hands； and pressed round Ulysses to embrace him； kissing his
head and shoulders and taking hold of his hands。 It made him feel as
if he should like to weep； for he remembered every one of them。
BOOK XXIII。
EURYCLEA now went upstairs laughing to tell her mistress that her
dear husband had come home。 Her aged knees became young again and
her feet were nimble for joy as she went up to her mistress and bent
over her head to speak to her。 〃Wake up Penelope； my dear child；〃
she exclaimed； 〃and see with your own eyes something that you have
been wanting this long time past。 Ulysses has at last indeed come home
again； and has killed the suitors who were giving so much trouble in
his house； eating up his estate and ill…treating his son。〃
〃My good nurse；〃 answered Penelope； 〃you must be mad。 The gods
sometimes send some very sensible people out of their minds； and
make foolish people become sensible。 This is what they must have
been doing to you； for you always used to be a reasonable person。
Why should you thus mock me when I have trouble enough already…
talking such nonsense； and waking me up out of a sweet sleep that
had taken possession of my eyes and closed them？ I have never slept so
soundly from the day my poor husband went to that city with the
ill…omened name。 Go back again into the women's room； if it had been
any one else； who had woke me up to bring me such absurd news I should
have sent her away with a severe scolding。 As it is； your age shall
protect you。〃
〃My dear child；〃 answered Euryclea； 〃I am not mocking you。 It is
quite true as I tell you that Ulysses is come home again。 He was the
stranger whom they all kept on treating so badly in the cloist