Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/296

260 But depart out of doors, wretched one, and enjoy thy meal: or soon, ay, stricken with a torch, thou shalt go out of doors."

But her much-planning Ulysses, sternly regarding, addressed: "Impudent woman, why dost thou thus press upon me with angered mind? is it because I am squalid, and am clothed on my body in bad garments? and beg through the people? for necessity presses upon me. But such are beggars and wanderers. For I also, once wealthy, inhabited an opulent house amongst men, and I often gave to such a wanderer, whoever he might be, and whatever he came wanting. And I had innumerable servants, and many other things, by which men live well and are called opulent: but Jove, the son of Saturn, destroyed me; for he somehow willed [to do so]. Therefore, woman, [beware] lest thou lose all thy beauty, with which thou art now adorned amongst the women-servants, for fear thy mistress, enraged with thee, should be wroth, or Ulysses should return: for there is still some share of hope. But even if he has perished, and is no longer able to return, yet by the will of Apollo he has now such a son, Telemachus; and no one of the women acting impiously in the palace will escape him: since he is no longer of such an age."

Thus he spoke; but prudent Penelope heard him; and she chided her handmaiden, and spoke, and addressed her:

"In no wise, O bold, O shameless one, shalt thou escape me, doing a heinous deed, which thou shalt atone with thine head. For thou knewest full well, since thou didst hear from me myself, that I intend to inquire of the stranger in my palace concerning my husband, since I am continually grieved."

She spoke, and addressed the housekeeper, Eurynome: "O Eurynome, bring a seat and [spread] a skin upon it, that the stranger sitting down may tell me, and hear from me; for I wish to inquire of him."

Thus she spoke; and she very quickly bringing a well-polished seat, set it down, and spread a skin upon it: there then much-enduring divine Ulysses sat down. And to them prudent Penelope began discourse:

"O stranger, I myself will first ask of thee, who art thou? from whence art thou amongst men? where are thy city and parents?"

But her much-planning Ulysses addressed in answer: