Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/351

171—210. come, nurse, strew a bed for me, that I may lie down by myself: for surely her mind is of steel in her breast."

But him prudent Penelope addressed in turn: "Sir, I neither magnify thee at all, nor disregard thee, nor do I very much wonder at thee: but I very well know, what a one thou wast, when thou didst depart from Ithaca in a long-oared ship. But come, Euryclea, strew a dense bed for him without the well-reared chamber, which he himself made. There place for him a thick bed, and throw clothing on it, fleeces, and cloaks, and beautiful rugs."

Thus indeed she spoke, trying her husband; but Ulysses grieving addressed his wife, who knew prudent things:

"O lady; very grievous indeed is this word thou hast uttered. Who has placed my bed elsewhere? difficult would it be even for one who is very skilful, except the deity himself, coming, were with ease, if he wished it, to put it in another place. No living mortal among men alive, even if he were in the vigour of youth, would easily move it away; since a great sign is wrought in the well-worked bed; which I laboured, nor any one else. There was a thick-leaved shrub of olive within the court, in full vigour, and flourishing; and it was thick, like as a pillar: I, putting a chamber round this, built it, until I finished it with close-set stones, and roofed it well above: and I placed on it glued doors, closely fitted. And then I cut off the leaves of the thick-leaved olive; and lopping off the trunk from the root, I polished it round with brass, well and skilfully, and straightened it according to a rule, working out a bed-post; and I bored all with a wimble. And beginning from this I polished the bed until I finished it, variegating it with gold and silver and ivory, and I stretched out the thong of an ox shining with purple. Thus I show thee this sign; nor do I at all know, lady, whether the bed is still firm, or some one of men has now placed it elsewhere, cutting off the root of the olive."

Thus he spoke; but her knees and dear heart were loosed, as she recognised the signs which Ulysses told her evidently. Then weeping she ran straight forward, and threw her hands around the neck of Ulysses, and kissed his head, and addressed him:

"Lour not upon me, O Ulysses, since in other things indeed thou art especially prudent among men; but the gods