  Telemachus returns to the city, and relates to his mother the principal passages of his voyage; Ulysses, conducted by EumÆus, arrives there also, and enters among the suitors, having been known only by his old dog Argus, who dies at his feet. The curiosity of Penelope being excited by the account which EumÆus gives her of Ulysses, she orders him immediately into her presence, but Ulysses postpones the interview till evening, when the suitors having left the palace, there shall be no danger of interruption. EumÆus returns to his cottage. us castHis eye around, and seeing vacant there The seat which the dispenser of the feast Was wont to occupy while he supplied The num’rous guests, planted it right before Telemachus, and at his table sat, On which the herald placed for him his share Of meat, and from the baskets gave him bread. Soon after him, Ulysses enter’d slow The palace, like a squalid beggar old, Staff-propp’d, and in loose tatters foul attired. Within the portal on the ashen sill He sat, and, seeming languid, lean’d against A cypress pillar by the builder’s art Polish’d long since, and planted at the door. Then took Telemachus a loaf entire Forth from the elegant basket, and of flesh And, beck’ning close the swine-herd, charged him thus. These to the stranger; whom advise to ask Some dole from ev’ry suitor; bashful fear Ill suits the mendicant by want oppress’d. He spake; EumÆus went, and where he sat Arriving, in wing’d accents thus began. Telemachus, oh stranger, sends thee these, And counsels thee to importune for more The suitors, one by one; for bashful fear Ill suits the mendicant by want oppress’d. To whom Ulysses, ever-wise, replied. Jove, King of all, grant ev’ry good on earth To kind Telemachus, and the complete Accomplishment of all that he desires! He said, and with both hands outspread, the mess Receiving as he sat, on his worn bag Disposed it at his feet. Long as the bard Chaunted, he ate, and when he ceas’d to eat, Then also ceas’d the bard divine to sing. And now ensued loud clamour in the hall And tumult, when Minerva, drawing nigh To Laertiades, impell’d the Chief Crusts to collect, or any pittance small At ev’ry suitor’s hand, for trial’s sake Of just and unjust; yet deliv’rance none From evil she design’d for any there. From left to right Petitioning, with outstretch’d hands, the throng, As one familiar with the beggar’s art. They, pitying, gave to him, but view’d him still With wonder, and enquiries mutual made Who, and whence was he? Then the goat-herd rose Melanthius, and th’ assembly thus address’d. Hear me, ye suitors of th’ illustrious Queen! This guest, of whom ye ask, I have beheld Elsewhere; the swine-herd brought him; but himself I know not, neither who nor whence he is. So he; then thus AntinoÜs stern rebuked The swine-herd. Ah, notorious as thou art, Why hast thou shewn this vagabond the way Infested with these troublers of our feasts? Deem’st it a trifle that such numbers eat At thy Lord’s cost, and hast thou, therefore, led This fellow hither, found we know not where? To whom, EumÆus, thou didst thus reply. AntinoÜs! though of high degree, thou speak’st Not wisely. What man to another’s house Repairs to invite him to a feast, unless He be of those who by profession serve The public, prophet, healer of disease, Ingenious artist, or some bard divine Whose music may exhilarate the guests? These, and such only, are in ev’ry land Call’d to the banquet; none invites the poor, Who much consume, and no requital yield. But thou of all the suitors roughly treat’st Ulysses’ servants most, and chiefly me; Yet thee I heed not, while the virtuous Queen Dwells in this palace, and her godlike son. To whom Telemachus, discrete, replied. Peace! answer not verbose a man like him. AntinoÜs hath a tongue accustom’d much To tauntings, and promotes them in the rest. Then, turning to AntinoÜs, quick he said— AntinoÜs! as a father for his son Takes thought, so thou for me, who bidd’st me chase The stranger harshly hence; but God forbid! Impart to him. I grudge not, but myself Exhort thee to it; neither, in this cause, Fear thou the Queen, or in the least regard Whatever menial throughout all the house Of famed Ulysses. Ah! within thy breast Dwells no such thought; thou lov’st not to impart To others, but to gratify thyself. To whom AntinoÜs answer thus return’d. High-soaring and intemp’rate in thy speech How hast thou said, Telemachus? Would all As much bestow on him, he should not seek Admittance here again three months to come. So saying, he seized the stool which, banqueting, He press’d with his nice feet, and from beneath The rest all gave to him, with bread and flesh Filling his wallet, and Ulysses, now, Returning to his threshold, there to taste The bounty of the Greeks, paused in his way Beside AntinoÜs, whom he thus address’d. Kind sir! vouchsafe to me! for thou appear’st Not least, but greatest of the Achaians here, ?? d? p?? t?? ep???a???? ?e?? es? Eustathius, and Clarke after him, understand an aposiopesis here, as if the speaker meant to say—what if there should be? or—suppose there should be? But the sentence seems to fall in better with what follows interpreted as above, and it is a sense of the passage not unwarranted by the opinion of other commentators. See Schaufelbergerus. |
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