121) Homer Odyssey 18.69

   But when they had sworn and made an end of the oath, [60] among them spoke again the strong and mighty Telemachus: 
   -Stranger, if your heart and your proud spirit ask you beat off this fellow, then fear not you any man of all the Achaeans, for whoever strikes you shall have to fight with more than you. 
   Your host am I, and the princes assent to this matter, [65] Antinous and Eurymachus, men of prudence both. 
   So he spoke, and they all praised his words. 
   But Ulysses girded his old clothes about his loins and showed his thighs, comely and great, and his broad shoulders came to view, and his chest and mighty arms. 
   And Athena [70] drew near and made greater the limbs of the shepherd of the people. 
   Then all the suitors marveled exceedingly, and thus would one speak with a glance at his neighbor: 
   -Right soon shall Irus, un-Irused, have a bane of his own bringing, such a thigh does yon old man show from beneath his old clothes. 

   Then Ulysses of many wiles answered him, and said: 
   [125] -Amphinomus, really you seem to me to be a man of prudence; and such a man, too, was your father, for I have heard of his fair fame, that Nisus of Dulichium was a brave man and a wealthy. 
   From him, they say, you are sprung, and you seem a man soft of speech. 
   Wherefore I will tell you, and do you give heed and listen. 
   [130] Nothing feebler does earth nurture than man, of all things that on earth are breathing and moving. 
   For he thinks that he will never suffer evil in time to come, so long as the Gods give him prosperity and his knees are quick; but when again the blessed Gods decree him sorrow, [135] this too he bears in sore despite with steadfast heart; for the spirit of men upon the earth is even such as the day which the father of Gods and men brings upon them. 
   For I, too, was once like to be prosperous among men, but many deeds of wantonness I wrought, yielding to my might and my strength, [140] and trusting in my father and my brethren. 
   Wherefore let no man whosoever be lawless at any time, but let him keep in silence whatever gifts the Gods give. 
   Yes, for I see the suitors devising wantonness, wasting the wealth and dishonoring the wife [145] of a man who, I tell you, will not long be away from his friends and his native land; no, he is very near. 
   But may some God lead you forth hence to your home, and may you not meet him when he comes home to his dear native land. 
   For not without bloodshed, it seems to me, [150] will the suitors and he part one from the other when once he comes beneath his roof. 
   So he spoke, and pouring a libation, drank of the honey-sweet wine, and then gave back the cup into the hands of the marshal of the people. 
   But Amphinomus went through the living room with a heavy heart, bowing his head; for his spirit boded bane. 
   [155] Yet even so he did not escape his fate, but him, too, did Athena set in bonds so that he might be slain outright at the hands of Telemachus and by his spear. 
   So he sat down again on the chair from which he had risen. 

   Then the Goddess, bright-eyed Athena, put it in the heart of the daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, [160] to show herself to the suitors, that she might set their hearts a-flutter and win greater honor from her husband and her son than before this time. 
   Then she laughed a meaningless laugh and spoke, and addressed the nurse: 
   -Eurynome, my heart longs, though it has never longed before, [165] to show myself to the suitors, hateful though they are. 
   Also I would say a word to my son that will be for his profit, namely, that he should not consort ever with the overweening suitors, who speak him fair but have evil plans thereafter. 

   Then wise Penelope answered her again: 
   -Eurynome, amuse me not thus in your love to wash my body and anoint me with oil. 
   [180] All beauty of mine have the Gods, that hold Olympus, destroyed since the day when my lord departed in the hollow ships. 
   But ask Autonoe and Hippodameia come to me, that they may stand by my side in the living room. 
   Alone I will not go among men, for I am ashamed.
   [185] So she spoke, and the old woman went forth through the chamber to bear news to the women, and ask them come. 
   Then again the Goddess, bright-eyed Athena, took other counsel. 
   On the daughter of Icarius she shed sweet sleep, and she leaned back and slept [190] there on her couch, and all her joints were relaxed. 
   And meanwhile the fair Goddess was giving her immortal gifts, that the Achaeans might marvel at her. 
   With balm she first made fair her beautiful face, with balm ambrosial, such as that wherewith Cytherea, of the fair crown, anoints herself when she goes into the lovely dance of the Graces; [195] and she made her taller, too, and statelier to behold, and made her whiter than new-sawn ivory. 
   Now when she had done this the fair Goddess departed, and the white-armed handmaids came forth from the chamber and drew near with sound of talking. 

   Then wise Telemachus answered her: 
   -My mother, in this matter I take it not ill that you are filled with anger. 
   Yet of myself I know in my heart and understand each thing, the good and the evil, whereas before this time I was but a child. 
   [230] But I am not able to plan all things wisely, for these men here frustrate my will, keeping by me, one on this side and one on that, with evil purpose, and I have none to help me. 
   Nevertheless, I can tell you, this battle between the stranger and Irus fell not out according to the mind of the suitors, but the stranger proved the better man. 
   [235] I would, O father Zeus, and Athena, and Apollo, that even now the suitors were thus subdued in our living rooms, and were hanging their heads, some in the court and some within the living room, and that each man's limbs were loosened, even as Irus now sits over there by the gate of the court, [240] hanging his head like a drunken man, and cannot stand erect upon his feet, or go home to whatsoever place he is accustomed to go, because his limbs are loosened. 

   Then with an angry glance from beneath his brows Ulysses of many wiles answered her: 
   -Presently shall I go over there, you shameless thing, and tell Telemachus, since you speak thus, that on the spot he may cut you limb from limb. 
   [340] So he spoke, and with his words scattered the women, who fled through the living room, and the limbs of each were loosened beneath her in terror, for they thought that he spoke truth. 
   But Ulysses took his stand by the burning braziers to give light, and looked upon all the men. 
   [345] Yet other things was the heart within him pondering -- things that were not to be unfulfilled. 
   But Athena would in no wise suffer the proud suitors to abstain from bitter outrage, that pain might sink yet deeper into the heart of Ulysses , son of Laertes. 

   So goodly Ulysses was left behind in the living room, planning with Athena's aid the slaying of the suitors, and he straightway spoke winged words to Telemachus: 
   -Telemachus, the weapons of war you must needs lay away within [5] one and all, and when the suitors miss them and question you, you must beguile them with gentle words, saying: 'Out of the smoke have I laid them, since they are no longer like those which of old Ulysses left behind him, when he went forth to Troy, but are all befouled, so far as the breath of fire has reached them. [10] And furthermore this greater fear has a God put in my heart, unless unfortunately, when heated with wine, you may set a quarrel afoot among you, and wound one another, and so bring shame on your feast and on your wooing. For of itself does the iron draw a man to it.'

   [30] Then the two sprang up, Ulysses and his glorious son, and set about bearing within the helmets and the bossy shields and the sharp-pointed spears; and before them Pallas Athena, bearing a golden lamp, made a most beautiful light. 
   [35] Then Telemachus suddenly spoke to his father, and said: 
   -Father, truly this is a great marvel that my eyes behold; certainly the walls of the house and the fair beams and cross-beams of fir and the pillars that reach on high, glow in my eyes as with the light of blazing fire. 
   [40] Surely some God is within, one of those who hold broad heaven.
   Then Ulysses of many wiles answered him, and said: 
   -Hush, check your thought, and ask no question; this, I tell you, is the way of the Gods that hold Olympus. 

   So he spoke, and Telemachus went forth through the living room by the light of blazing torches to go to his chamber to lie down, where he had before this time been accustomed to rest, when sweet sleep came upon him. 
   [50] There now too he lay down and waited for the bright Dawn. 
   But goodly Ulysses was left behind in the living room, planning with Athena's aid the slaying of the suitors. 

   This scar the old dame, when she had taken the limb in the flat of her hands, knew by the touch, and she let fall the foot. Into the basin the leg fell, and the brazen vessel rang. [470] Over it tilted, and the water was spilled upon the ground. 
   Then upon her soul came joy and grief in one moment, and both her eyes were filled with tears and the flow of her voice was checked. But she touched the chin of Ulysses, and said: 
   -Really you are Ulysses , dear child, and I knew you not, [475] till I had handled all the body of my lord. 
   She spoke, and with her eyes looked toward Penelope, fain to show her that her dear husband was at home. 
   But Penelope could not meet her glance nor understand, for Athena had turned her thoughts aside.