141) Homer Odyssey 22.213

   But the suitors on the other side shouted aloud in the living room, and first Agelaus, son of Damastor, rebuked Athena, saying: 
   -Mentor, let not Ulysses beguile you with his words to fight against the suitors and bear aid to himself. 
   [215] For in this wise, it seems to me, shall our will be brought to pass: when we have killed these men, father and son, thereafter shall you too be slain with them, such deeds are you minded to do in these living rooms: with your own head shall you pay the price. 
   But when with the sword we have stripped you of your might, [220] all the possessions that you has within doors and in the fields we will mingle with those of Ulysses, and will not suffer your sons or your daughters to dwell in your living rooms, nor your faithful wife to fare at large in the city of Ithaca. 

   So he spoke, and Athena waxed the more wroth at heart, [225] and she rebuked Ulysses  with angry words: 
   -Ulysses, no longer has you steadfast might nor any valor, such as was your when for high-born Helen of the white arms you did for nine years battle with the Trojans unceasingly, and many men you slew in dread conflict, [230] and by your counsel was the broad-wayed city of Priam taken. 
   How is it that now, when you has come to your house and your own possessions, you shrink with wailing from playing the man, and that against the suitors? 
   Nay, friend, come to this place and take your stand by my side, and see my deeds, that you may know what manner of man [235] Mentor, son of Alcimus, is to repay kindness in the middle of the enemy. 
   She spoke, but did not give him strength utterly to turn the course of the battle, but still made trial of the might and valor of Ulysses and his glorious son; and for herself, [240] she flew up to the roof-beam of the smoky living room, and sat there in the guise of a swallow to look upon. 

   [255] So he spoke, and they all hurled their spears, as he bade, eagerly; but Athena made all vain. 
   One man smote the door-post of the well-built living room, another the close-fitting door, another's ashen spear, heavy with bronze, struck upon the wall. 

   [260] But when they had avoided the spears of the suitors, first among them spoke the much-enduring goodly Ulysses: 
   -Friends, now I give the word that we too cast our spears into the throng of the suitors, who are minded to slay us in addition to their former wrongs. 
   [265] So he spoke, and they all hurled their sharp spears with sure aim. 
   Ulysses smote Demoptolemus, Telemachus Euryades, the swineherd Elatus, and the herdsmen of the cattle slew Peisander. 
   So these all at the same moment bit the vast floor with their teeth, [270] and the suitors drew back to the innermost part of the living room. But the others sprang forward and drew forth their spears from the dead bodies. 
   Then again the suitors hurled their sharp spears eagerly, but Athena made them vain, many as they were. 
   One man [275] smote the door-post of the well-built living room, another the close-fitting door, another's ashen spear, heavy with bronze, struck upon the wall. But Amphimedon smote Telemachus on the hand by the wrist, a grazing blow, and the bronze tore the surface of the skin. And Ctesippus with his long spear [280] grazed the shoulder of Eumaeus above his shield, but the spear flew over and fell upon the ground. 
   Then once more Ulysses, the wise and crafty-minded, and his company hurled their sharp spears into the throng of the suitors, and again Ulysses, the sacker of cities, smote Eurydamas, and Telemachus Amphimedon, the swineherd Polybus, [285] and thereafter the herdsman of the cattle smote Ctesippus in the breast, and boasted over him, saying: 
   -Son of Polytherses, you lover of revilings, never more at all do you speak big, yielding to folly, but leave the matter to the Gods, since really they are mightier far. 
   [290] This is your gift of welcome to match the hoof which of late you gave to godlike Ulysses, when he went begging through the house. 

   But Ulysses wounded the son of Damastor in close fight with a thrust of his long spear, and Telemachus wounded Leiocritus, son of Evenor, [295] with a spear-thrust full upon the groin, and drove the bronze clean through, and he fell headlong and struck the ground full with his forehead. 
   Then Athena held up her aegis, the bane of mortals, on high from the roof, and the minds of the suitors were panic-stricken, and they fled through the living rooms like a herd of cows [300] that the darting gad-fly falls upon and drives along in the season of spring, when the long days come. 
   And even as vultures of crooked talons and curved beaks come forth from the mountains and dart upon smaller birds, which scour the plain, flying low beneath the clouds, [305] and the vultures pounce upon them and slay them, and they have no defense or way of escape, and men rejoice at the chase; even so did those others set upon the suitors and smite them left and right through the living room. And therefrom rose hideous groaning as heads were smitten, and all the floor swam with blood. 

   First they bathed and put on their tunics, and the women arrayed themselves, and the divine minstrel took the hollow lyre and aroused in them the desire [145] of sweet song and goodly dance. 
   So the great living room resounded all about with the tread of dancing men and of fair-girdled women; and thus would one speak who heard the noise from without the house: 
   -Aye, really some one has wedded the queen wooed of many. [150] Cruel she was, nor had she the heart to keep the great house of her wedded husband to the end, even till he should come. 
   So they would say, but they knew not how these things were. 
   Meanwhile the housewife Eurynome bathed the great-hearted Ulysses in his house, and anointed him with oil, [155] and cast about him a fair cloak and a tunic; and over his head Athena  shed abundant beauty, making him taller to look upon and mightier, and from his head she made locks to flow in curls like the hyacinth flower. 

   And as when a man overlays silver with gold, [160] a cunning workman whom Hephaestus and Pallas Athena have taught all manner of craft, and full of grace is the work he produces, even so the Goddess shed grace on his head and shoulders, and forth from the bath he came, in form like unto the immortals. 
   Then he sat down again on the chair from which he had risen, [165] opposite his wife; and he spoke to her and said: 
   -Strange lady! to you beyond all women have the dwellers on Olympus given a heart that cannot be softened. 
   No other woman would harden her heart as you do, and stand aloof from her husband who after many grievous toils [170] had come to her in the twentieth year to his native land. 
   Nay come, nurse, strew me a couch, that all alone I may lay me down, for truly the heart in her breast is of iron. 

   So she spoke, and in his heart aroused yet more the desire for lamentation; and he wept, holding in his arms his dear and true-hearted wife. 
   And welcome as is the sight of land to men that swim, whose well-built ship Poseidon [235] has smitten on the sea as it was driven on by the wind and the swollen wave, and but few have made their escape from the gray sea to the shore by swimming, and thickly are their bodies crusted with brine, and gladly have they set foot on the land and escaped from their evil case; even so welcome to her was her husband, as she gazed upon him, [240] and from his neck she could in no wise let her white arms go. 
   And now would the rosy-fingered Dawn have arisen upon their weeping, had not the Goddess, bright-eyed Athena, taken other counsel. 
   The long night she held back at the end of its course, and likewise stayed the golden-throned Dawn at the streams of Oceanus, and would not suffer her [245] to yoke her swift-footed horses that bring light to men, Lampus and Phaethon, who are the colts that bear the Dawn. 

   Then again the Goddess, bright-eyed Athena, took other counsel. 
   [345] When she judged that the heart of Ulysses had had its fill of dalliance with his wife and of sleep, straightway she roused from Oceanus golden-throned Dawn to bring light to men; and Ulysses rose from his soft couch, and gave charge to his wife, saying: 
   [350] -Wife, by now have we had our fill of many trials, you and I, you here, mourning over my troublous journey home, while as for me, Zeus and the other Gods bound me fast in sorrows far from my native land, all eager as I was to return. 
   But now that we have both come to the couch of our desire, [355] do you care for the wealth that I have within the living rooms; as for the flocks which the insolent suitors have wasted, I shall myself get me many as booty, and others will the Achaeans give, until they fill all my folds; but I truly will go to my well-wooded farm [360] to see my noble father, who for my sake is sore distressed, and on you, wife, do I lay this charge, wise though you are.
   Straightway at the rising of the sun will report go abroad concerning the suitors whom I slew in the living rooms. Therefore go you up to your upper chamber with your handmaids, [365] and remain there. Look you on no man, nor ask a question. 

   He spoke, and girt about his shoulders his beautiful armor, and roused Telemachus and the cowherd and the swineherd, and bade them all take weapons of war in their hands. 
   They did not disobey, but clad themselves in bronze, [370] and opened the doors, and went forth, and Ulysses led the way. 
   By now there was light over the earth, but Athena hid them in night, and swiftly led them forth from the city.