’So I spake, and he apprehended a thought in
his heart, such an one as he was in counsel and in
fight. So he whispered and spake to me, saying:
’"Be silent now, lest some other Achaeans hear
thee.” Therewith he raised his head upon
his elbow, and spake, saying: “Listen,
friends, a vision from a god came to me in my sleep.
Lo, we have come very far from the ships; I would
there were one to tell it to Agamemnon, son of Atreus,
shepherd of the host, if perchance he may send us hither
a greater company from the ships.”
’So spake he, and Thoas, son of Andraemon, rose
up quickly and cast off his purple mantle. And
he started to run unto the ships, but I lay gladly
in his garment, and the golden-throned Dawn showed
her light. Oh! that I were young as then and
my might steadfast! Then should some of the swineherds
in the homestead give me a mantle, alike for love’s
sake and for pity of a good warrior. But now they
scorn me for that sorry raiment is about my body.’
Then didst thou make answer, O swineherd Eumaeus:
’Old man, the tale that thou hast told in his
praise is very good, and so far thou hast not misspoken
aught, nor uttered a word unprofitably. Wherefore
for this night thou shalt lack neither raiment nor
aught else that is the due of a hapless suppliant,
when he has met them that can befriend him. But
in the morning thou shalt go shuffling in thine own
rags, for there are not many mantles here or changes
of doublet; for each man hath but one coat. But
when the dear son of Odysseus comes, he himself will
give thee a mantle and doublet for raiment, and send
thee whithersoever thy heart and spirit bid.’
With that he sprang up and set a bed for Odysseus
near the fire, and thereon he cast skins of sheep
and goats. There Odysseus laid him down and Eumaeus
cast a great thick mantle over him, which he had ever
by him for a change of covering, when any terrible
storm should arise.
So there Odysseus slept, and the young men slept beside
him. But the swineherd had no mind to lie there
in a bed away from the boars. So he made him
ready to go forth and Odysseus was glad, because he
had a great care for his master’s substance
while he was afar. First he cast his sharp sword
about his strong shoulders, then he clad him in a
very thick mantle, to keep the wind away; and he caught
up the fleece of a great and well-fed goat, and seized
his sharp javelin, to defend him against dogs and
men. Then he went to lay him down even where
the white-tusked boars were sleeping, beneath the
hollow of the rock, in a place of shelter from the
North Wind.
Pallas sends home Telemachus from Lacedaemon
with the
presents given him by Menelaus. Telemachus
landed, goes
first to Eumaeus.
Now Pallas Athene went to the wide land of Lacedaemon,
to put the noble son of the great-hearted Odysseus
in mind of his return, and to make him hasten his
coming. And she found Telemachus, and the glorious
son of Nestor, couched at the vestibule of the house
of famous Menelaus. The son of Nestor truly was
overcome with soft sleep, but sweet sleep gat not
hold of Telemachus, but, through the night divine,
careful thoughts for his father kept him wakeful.
And grey-eyed Athene stood nigh him and spake to him,
saying:
