So she spake, and the steadfast goodly Odysseus smiled, and quickly he spake to Telemachus winged words:  ’Telemachus, leave now thy mother to make trial of me within the chambers; so shall she soon come to a better knowledge than heretofore.  But now I go filthy, and am clad in vile raiment, wherefore she has me in dishonour, and as yet will not allow that I am he.  Let us then advise us how all may be for the very best.  For whoso has slain but one man in a land, even that one leaves not many behind him to take up the feud for him, turns outlaw and leaves his kindred and his own country; but we have slain the very stay of the city, the men who were far the best of all the noble youths in Ithaca.  So this I bid thee consider.’

Then wise Telemachus answered him, saying:  ’Father, see thou to this, for they say that thy counsel is far the best among men, nor might any other of mortal men contend with thee.  But right eagerly will we go with thee now, and I think we shall not lack prowess, so far as might is ours.’

And Odysseus of many counsels answered him saying:  ’Yea now, I will tell on what wise methinks it is best.  First, go ye to the bath and array you in your doublets, and bid the maidens in the chambers to take to them their garments.  Then let the divine minstrel, with his loud lyre in hand, lead off for us the measure of the mirthful dance.  So shall any man that hears the sound from without, whether a wayfarer or one of those that dwell around, say that it is a wedding feast.  And thus the slaughter of the wooers shall not be noised abroad through the town before we go forth to our well-wooded farm-land.  Thereafter shall we consider what gainful counsel the Olympian may vouchsafe us.’

So he spake, and they gave good ear and hearkened to him.  So first they went to the bath, and arrayed them in doublets, and the women were apparelled, and the divine minstrel took the hollow harp, and aroused in them the desire of sweet song and of the happy dance.  Then the great hall rang round them with the sound of the feet of dancing men and of fair-girdled women.  And whoso heard it from without would say: 

’Surely some one has wedded the queen of many wooers.  Hard of heart was she, nor had she courage to keep the great house of her wedded lord continually till his coming.’

Even so men spake, and knew not how these things were ordained.  Meanwhile, the house-dame Eurynome had bathed the great-hearted Odysseus within his house, and anointed him with olive-oil, and cast about him a goodly mantle and a doublet.  Moreover Athene shed great beauty from his head downwards, and made him greater and more mighty to behold, and from his head caused deep curling locks to flow, like the hyacinth flower.  And as when some skilful man overlays gold upon silver, one that Hephaestus and Pallas Athene have taught all manner of craft, and full of grace is his handiwork, even so did Athene shed grace about his head and shoulders, and forth from the bath he came, in form like to the immortals.  Then he sat down again on the high seat, whence he had arisen, over against his wife, and spake to her, saying: