sitting upon hides of oxen, which they themselves had slain. There with them were heralds and busy servants; some mixed wine and water in the cups, but others cleansed the tables with much-perforated sponges, and set them out, and cut up much meat. Her did godlike Telemachus see much the first, for he sat among the suitors sorrowing in his heart, eyeing[1] in his mind his excellent father, if coming from any where he should make a scattering of the suitors in the house, and should obtain honour himself and rule over his halls. Meditating on these things, whilst sitting amongst the suitors, he beheld Minerva. He then went straight to the portico, and was indignant in mind that a stranger should stand at the gates for a long time. And standing near her, he took hold of her right hand, and received her brazen spear; and addressing her, [thus] spoke winged words.
"Welcome, stranger; thou shalt be kindly received by us, but after thou hast obtained thy supper, thou shalt then relate what it behoves thee."
Thus having spoken, he led the way, and Pallas Minerva followed. And when they were within the lofty house, he took her spear, and placed it against a tall column within the well-polished armoury, where also stood many other spears of patient Ulysses: and leading her he seated her on a beauteous, variegated throne, spreading a cloth[2] under her; and there was a footstool beneath her feet. And he himself placed near her a variously-worked seat, apart from the other[3] suitors, for fear the stranger, being troubled with the clamour, should be uncomfortable at his meal, coming amongst haughty men, and that he might inquire of him[4] concerning his absent sire.
- ↑ Shakspeare, "in my mind's eye." So Buttman renders Od. V. 81, Ὀδυσῆα ὀσσομένη, "having Ulysses always in her mind's eye." Lex. p. 445.
- ↑ λίτα is shown by Wolf to be the plural number, therefore the epithets must belong to θρόνον. See Loewe.
- ↑ This does not mean that he was himself a suitor, but is a phrase common in Greek. So Milton,
Adam, goodliest of men
Since born his sons, &c. - ↑ Minerva has hitherto been mentioned in the feminine gender; but
of the game consisted in driving one piece, called Penelope, which was placed between the two halves of something like a modern backgammon board, twice out of its place by means of another. The winner was supposed to have some chance of gaining Penelope.
