Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/360

324 three years she escaped notice by deceit, and persuaded the Grecians. But when the fourth year came, and the hours advanced, [the months waning, and many days were completed,] then indeed some one of the women, who knew it well, told us, and we found her unravelling the splendid web. Thus she finished it, although not willing, by necessity. When she showed the robe—having wove the mighty web, washing it, like unto the sun or the moon—then an evil deity brought Ulysses from some where or other to the extremity of the country, where the swineherd inhabited a dwelling. There came the beloved son of divine Ulysses, arriving with a black ship from sandy Pylos. And they, having contrived evil death for the suitors, came to the illustrious city; Ulysses indeed last, but Telemachus first led the way. And the swineherd brought him, having evil garments on his body, like unto a wretched beggar and an old man, [leaning upon a staff: but evil garments were put round his body]. Nor was any one of us able to know him being [present], having appeared on a sudden, not even those [of us] who were the oldest: but we chided him with evil words and with blows. And he then being beaten and chided in his own palace endured it with a patient mind; but when the counsel of Ægis-bearing Jove aroused him, with Telemachus taking the very beautiful arms, he placed them in a chamber, and fastened the bolts; and he through his great cunning ordered his wife to place the bow and hoary steel for the suitors, as a subject of contest for us, ill-fated, and a beginning of death. Nor was any one of us able to stretch the string of the sturdy bow, but we were very deficient [in strength]. But when the mighty bow came to the hands of Ulysses, then we all rebuked him with words, that he should not give him the bow, although he spoke very many things: but Telemachus alone urging commanded him. And much-enduring divine Ulysses received it in his hand, and he easily bent the bow, and sent [the shaft] through the steel. And he stood going up on the threshold, and he poured out the swift arrows, looking about terribly: and he smote king Antinous. And then he sent forth his grievous shafts against others, taking aim opposite: and they fell near one another. But it was evident that some one of the gods was an ally to him. For immediately following upon us with their might through the dwelling, they slew us