Such was his prayer, and straightway Pallas stood, In form and voice like Mentor, by his side, And thus accosted him with winged words:—
“Telemachus, thou henceforth shalt not lack Valor or wisdom. If with thee abides Thy father’s gallant spirit, as he was In deed and word, thou wilt not vainly make This voyage. But if thou be not in truth The son of him and of Penelope, Then I rely not on thee to perform What thou dost meditate. Few sons are like Their fathers: most are worse, a very few Excel their parents. Since thou wilt not lack Valor and wisdom in the coming time, Nor is thy father’s shrewdness wanting quite In thee, great hope there is that happily This plan will be fulfilled. Regard not then The suitor train, their purposes and plots. Senseless are they, as little wise as just, And have no thought of the black doom of death Now drawing near to sweep them in a day To their destruction. But thy enterprise Must suffer no delay. So much am I Thy father’s friend and thine, that I will cause A swift barque to be fitted out for sea, And will myself attend thee. Go now hence Among the suitors, and make ready there The needful stores, and let them all be put In vessels—wine in jars, and meal, the strength Of man, in close thick skins—while I engage, Among the people here, a willing crew. Ships are there in our seagirt Ithaca Full many, new and old, and I will choose The best of these, and see it well equipped. Then will we drag it down to the broad sea.”
Thus Pallas spake, the child of Jupiter. Telemachus obeyed the heavenly voice, And stayed not; home he hastened, where he saw Sadly the arrogant suitors in the hall, Busily flaying goats and roasting swine. Antinoüs, laughing, came to meet the youth. And fastened on his hand, and thus he spake:—
“Telemachus, thou youth of lofty speech And boundless in abuse, let neither word Nor deed that may displease thee vex thy heart, But gayly