Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/341

294—329. and Telemachus wounded Leiocritus, son of Evenor, with a spear, in the middle of the belly, and he drove the brass entirely through; and he fell on his face, and smote the earth with his whole forehead. Then Minerva held up her man-destroying Ægis on high from the roof; and their minds were fluttered. And they fled through the palace, like herding cattle, upon which a swift gad-fly has rushed, and thrown into confusion, in the spring time, when the days are long. They, like as crooked-clawed, bow-beaked vultures, coming from the mountains, pounce upon the birds which go along, crouching at the nets in the plain, but they, leaping upon them, destroy them, nor is there any defence, or escape; and men rejoice in the prey: so they, rushing upon the suitors in the house, struck them upon all sides; and there arose an unseemly mourning from them, while their heads were stricken; and the whole pavement bubbled with gore. And Leiodes rushing seized the knees of Ulysses, and supplicating him, spoke winged words:

"I implore thee, O Ulysses; and do thou reverence me, and pity me; for I do not think that to any of the women in the palace I have spoken or done any thing wicked: but I even restrained the other suitors, whoever did such things. But they did not obey me, so as to keep off their hands from evil deeds. Therefore through their wickedness they have drawn on an unseemly fate. But I, a soothsayer amongst them, having done nothing, will fall. Thus are there no thanks hereafter for good deeds."

But him much-counselling Ulysses sternly regarding, addressed: "If indeed thou dost profess to be a soothsayer amongst them, oftentimes then thou must have prayed in the palace, that the end of a sweet return might be far from me, and that my dear wife might follow thee, and bring forth children [to thee]: therefore shalt thou not escape sad-slumbering death."

Thus having spoken, he took in his strong hand a sword, lying down, which Agelaus, when slain, threw from him upon the ground; with this he smote him in the middle of the neck. And the head of him crying out was mixed in the dust.