these, Eurynomus, Was of the suitor train; the others took Charge of their father’s acres. Never yet Had he forgotten his lost son or ceased To grieve for him, and as he spoke he wept
“Hear, men of Ithaca, what I shall say.
No council, no assembly, have we held Since great Ulysses in his roomy ships Departed from our isle.
Who now is he That summons us? On which of our young men Or elders presses this necessity?
Is it belike that one of you has heard Of an approaching foe, and can declare The tidings clearly? Or would he propose And urge some other matter which concerns The public weal?
A just and generous mind I deem is his, and ’tis my hope that Jove Will bring to pass the good at which he aims.”
As thus he spake Ulysses’ son rejoiced In his auspicious words, nor longer kept His seat, but, yielding to an inward force, Rose midst them all to speak, while in his hand Pisenor, the sagacious counsellor And herald, placed the sceptre. Then he turned To the old man, Aegyptius, speaking thus:—
“O aged man, not far from thee is he Who called this council, as thou soon shalt know Mine chiefly is the trouble; I have brought No news of an approaching foe, which I Was first to hear, and would declare to all, Nor urge I other matters which concern The public weal; my own necessity— The evil that has fallen on my house— Constrains me; it is twofold. First, that I Have lost an excellent father, who was king Among you, and ruled o’er you with a sway As gentle as a father’s. Greater yet Is the next evil, and will soon o’erthrow My house and waste my substance utterly.