one of those who should wash well, eat well, and lie soft at nightas old men have a right to do; but tell me, and tell me true, whosebondman are you, and in whose garden are you working? Tell me alsoabout another matter. Is this place that I have come to really Ithaca?I met a man just now who said so, but he was a dull fellow, and hadnot the patience to hear my story out when I was asking him about anold friend of mine, whether he was still living, or was already deadand in the house of Hades. Believe me when I tell you that this mancame to my house once when I was in my own country and never yet didany stranger come to me whom I liked better. He said that his familycame from Ithaca and that his father was Laertes, son of Arceisius.I received him hospitably, making him welcome to all the abundanceof my house, and when he went away I gave him all customarypresents. I gave him seven talents of fine gold, and a cup of solidsilver with flowers chased upon it. I gave him twelve light cloaks,and as many pieces of tapestry; I also gave him twelve cloaks ofsingle fold, twelve rugs, twelve fair mantles, and an equal numberof shirts. To all this I added four good looking women skilled inall useful arts, and I let him take his choice."His father shed tears and answered, "Sir, you have indeed come tothe country that you have named, but it is fallen into the hands ofwicked people. All this wealth of presents has been given to nopurpose. If you could have found your friend here alive in Ithaca,he would have entertained you hospitably and would have requiredyour presents amply when you left him- as would have been only rightconsidering what you have already given him. But tell me, and tellme true, how many years is it since you entertained this guest- myunhappy son, as ever was? Alas! He has perished far from his owncountry; the fishes of the sea have eaten him, or he has fallen a preyto the birds and wild beasts of some continent. Neither his mother,nor I his father, who were his parents, could throw our arms about himand wrap him in his shroud, nor could his excellent and richly doweredwife Penelope bewail her husband as was natural upon his death bed,and close his eyes according to the offices due to the departed. Butnow, tell me truly for I want to know. Who and whence are you- tell meof your town and parents? Where is the ship lying that has brought youand your men to Ithaca? Or were you a passenger on some other man'sship, and those who brought you here have gone on their way and leftyou?""I will tell you everything," answered Ulysses, "quite truly. I comefrom Alybas, where I have a fine house. I am son of king Apheidas, whois the son of Polypemon. My own name is Eperitus; heaven drove meoff my course as I was leaving Sicania, and I have been carried hereagainst my will. As for my ship it is lying over yonder, off theopen country outside the town, and this is the fifth year sinceUlysses left my country. Poor fellow, yet the omens were good forhim when he left me. The birds all flew on our right hands, and bothhe and I rejoiced to see them as we parted, for we had every hope thatwe should have another friendly meeting and exchange presents."A dark cloud of sorrow fell upon Laertes as he listened. He filledboth hands with the dust from off the ground and poured it over hisgrey head, groaning heavily as he did so. The heart of Ulysses wastouched, and his nostrils quivered as he looked upon his father;then he sprang towards him, flung his arms about him and kissed him,saying, "I am he, father, about whom you are asking- I have returnedafter having been away for twenty years. But cease your sighing andlamentation- we have no time to lose, for I should tell you that Ihave been killing the suitors in my house, to punish them for theirinsolence and crimes.""If you really are my son Ulysses," replied Laertes, "and havecome back again, you must give me such manifest proof of your identityas shall convince me.""First observe this scar," answered Ulysses, "which I got from aboar's tusk when I was hunting on Mount Parnassus. You and my motherhad sent me to Autolycus, my mother's father, to receive thepresents which when he was over here he had promised to give me.Furthermore I will point out to you the trees in the vineyard whichyou gave me, and I asked you all about them as I followed you roundthe garden. We went over them all, and you told me their names andwhat they all were. You gave me thirteen pear trees, ten appletrees, and forty fig trees; you also said you would give me fifty rowsof vines; there was corn planted between each row, and they yieldgrapes of every kind when the heat of heaven has been laid heavyupon them."Laertes' strength failed him when he heard the convincing proofswhich his son had given him. He threw his arms about him, andUlysses had to support him, or he would have gone off into a swoon;but as soon as he came to, and was beginning to recover his senses, hesaid, "O father Jove, then you gods are still in Olympus after all, ifthe suitors have really been punished for their insolence and folly.Nevertheless, I am much afraid that I shall have all the townspeopleof Ithaca up here directly, and they will be sending messengerseverywhere throughout the cities of the Cephallenians."Ulysses answered, "Take heart and do not trouble yourself aboutthat, but let us go into the house hard by your garden. I have alreadytold Telemachus, Philoetius, and Eumaeus to go on there and get dinnerready as soon as possible."Thus conversing the two made their way towards the house. Whenthey got there they found Telemachus with the stockman and theswineherd cutting up meat and mixing wine with water. Then the oldSicel woman took Laertes inside and washed him and anointed him withoil. She put him on a good cloak, and Minerva came up to him andgave him a more imposing presence, making him taller and stouterthan before. When he came back his son was surprised to see himlooking so like an immortal, and said to him, "My dear father, someone of the gods has been making you much taller and better-looking."Laertes answered, "Would, by Father Jove, Minerva, and Apollo,that I were the man I was when I ruled among the Cephallenians, andtook Nericum, that strong fortress on the foreland. If I were stillwhat I then was and had been in our house yesterday with my armour on,I should have been able to stand by you and help you against thesuitors. I should have killed a great many of them, and you would haverejoiced to see it."Thus did they converse; but the others, when they had finished theirwork and the feast was ready, left off working, and took each hisproper place on the benches and seats. Then they began eating; byand by old Dolius and his sons left their work and came up, fortheir mother, the Sicel woman who looked after Laertes now that he wasgrowing old, had been to fetch them. When they saw Ulysses and werecertain it was he, they stood there lost in astonishment; butUlysses scolded them good-naturedly and said, "Sit down to yourdinner, old man, and never mind about your surprise; we have beenwanting to begin for some time and have been waiting for you."Then Dolius put out both his hands and went up to Ulysses. "Sir,"said he, seizing his master's hand and kissing it at the wrist, "wehave long been wishing you home: and now heaven has restored you to usafter we had given up hoping. All hail, therefore, and may the godsprosper you. But tell me, does Penelope already know of your return,or shall we send some one to tell her?""Old man," answered Ulysses, "she knows already, so you need nottrouble about that." On this he took his seat, and the sons ofDolius gathered round Ulysses to give him greeting and embrace him oneafter the other; then they took their seats in due order near Doliustheir father.While they were thus busy getting their dinner ready, Rumour wentround the town, and noised abroad the terrible fate that hadbefallen the suitors; as soon, therefore, as the people heard of itthey gathered from every quarter, groaning and hooting before thehouse of Ulysses. They took the dead away, buried every man his own,and put the bodies of those who came from elsewhere on board thefishing vessels, for the fishermen to take each of them to his ownplace. They then met angrily in the place of assembly, and when theywere got together Eupeithes rose to speak. He was overwhelmed withgrief for the death of his son Antinous, who had been the first mankilled by Ulysses, so he said, weeping bitterly, "My friend, thisman has done the Achaeans great wrong. He took many of our best menaway with him in his fleet, and he has lost both ships and men; now,moreover, on his return he has been killing all the foremost men amongthe Cephallenians. Let us be up and doing before he can get away toPylos or to Elis where the Epeans rule, or we shall be ashamed ofourselves for ever afterwards. It will be an everlasting disgrace tous if we do not avenge the murder of our sons and brothers. For my ownpart I should have no mote pleasure in life, but had rather die atonce. Let us be up, then, and after them, before they can cross overto the mainland."He wept as he spoke and every one pitied him. But Medon and the bardPhemius had now woke up, and came to them from the house of Ulysses.Every one was astonished at seeing them, but they stood in themiddle of the assembly, and Medon said, "Hear me, men of Ithaca.Ulysses did not do these things against the will of heaven. I myselfsaw an immortal god take the form of Mentor and stand beside him. Thisgod appeared, now in front of him encouraging him, and now goingfuriously about the court and attacking the suitors whereon theyfell thick on one another."On this pale fear laid hold of them, and old Halitherses, son ofMastor, rose to speak, for he was the only man among them who knewboth past and future; so he spoke to them plainly and in allhonesty, saying,"Men of Ithaca, it is all your own fault that things have turned outas they have; you would not listen to me, nor yet to Mentor, when webade you check the folly of your sons who were doing much wrong in thewantonness of their hearts- wasting the substance and dishonouring thewife of a chieftain who they thought would not return. Now, however,let it be as I say, and do as I tell you. Do not go out againstUlysses, or you may find that you have been drawing down evil onyour own heads."This was what he said, and more than half raised a loud shout, andat once left the assembly. But the rest stayed where they were, forthe speech of Halitherses displeased them, and they sided withEupeithes; they therefore hurried off for their armour, and whenthey had armed themselves, they met together in front of the city, andEupeithes led them on in their folly. He thought he was going toavenge the murder of his son, whereas in truth he was never to return,but was himself to perish in his attempt.Then Minerva said to Jove, "Father, son of Saturn, king of kings,answer me this question- What do you propose to do? Will you setthem fighting still further, or will you make peace between them?"And Jove answered, "My child, why should you ask me? Was it not byyour own arrangement that Ulysses came home and took his revengeupon the suitors? Do whatever you like, but I will tell you what Ithink will be most reasonable arrangement. Now that Ulysses isrevenged, let them swear to a solemn covenant, in virtue of which heshall continue to rule, while we cause the others to forgive andforget the massacre of their sons and brothers. Let them then allbecome friends as heretofore, and let peace and plenty reign."This was what Minerva was already eager to bring about, so downshe darted from off the topmost summits of Olympus.Now when Laertes and the others had done dinner, Ulysses began bysaying, "Some of you go out and see if they are not getting close upto us." So one of Dolius's sons went as he was bid. Standing on thethreshold he could see them all quite near, and said to Ulysses, "Herethey are, let us put on our armour at once."They put on their armour as fast as they could- that is to sayUlysses, his three men, and the six sons of Dolius. Laertes also and