Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/258

222 "To me, O stranger, thou appearest just now a different man from what thou wast before, thou hast other garments, and thy complexion is no longer the same. Thou art certainly some god, [of those] who possess the wide heaven. But be propitious, that to thee we may offer grateful sacrifices, and wrought golden presents: and spare us."

But him much-enduring Ulysses immediately answered: "I am no god: why likenest thou me to the immortals? but I am thy father, for whose sake, thou mourning, dost suffer many griefs, having endured the violence of men."

Thus having spoken, he kissed his son, and from his cheeks he dropped a tear on the ground; but before he had restrained himself without ceasing. But Telemachus, (for he by no means believed that it was his father,) immediately answering in words addressed him:

"Thou art not my father Ulysses; but a deity cheats me, that still more lamenting I may mourn: for a mortal man could not have contrived these things by his own mind, except when a god himself coming upon him should easily, if he wished, make him young or old: for thou lately wast certainly old, and wast clothed in unseemly guise, but now thou art like unto the gods, who possess the wide heaven."

But him much-contriving Ulysses addressed in answer: "O Telemachus, it is not right that thou shouldst beyond measure marvel and be astonished at thy dear father being within. For no other Ulysses will any more come here. But I, who am such, having suffered ills, and wandered much, have come in the twentieth year to my paternal land. But this is the work of the huntress Minerva, who made me such a one, as she wishes;—for she has the power—at one time like unto a beggar, at another again like unto a young man, and to one that has beautiful garments around his body. But it is easy for the gods, who possess the wide heaven, both to exalt and to debase a mortal man."

Thus having spoken, he sat down; but Telemachus, throwing himself round his excellent father, wept, shedding a tear. And upon both of them a desire of mourning arose, and they wept shrilly, more violently than eagles, or crooked-taloned vultures, from whom countrymen have taken their young,