And now I tell thee what will yet be done, Should he approve himself the better man, And conquer. I will have thee sent on board A galley to Epirus, and its king, The foe of all men living, Echetus, And he will pare away thy nose and ears With the sharp steel, and, wrenching out the parts Of shame, will cast them to be torn by dogs.”
He spake, and Irus shook through all his frame With greater terror, yet they dragged him on Into the midst. Both champions lifted up Their arms. The godlike, much-enduring man, Ulysses, pondered whether so to strike His adversary that the breath of life Might leave him as he fell, or only smite To stretch him on the earth. As thus he mused, The lighter blow seemed wisest, lest the Greeks Should know who dealt it. When the hands of both Were thus uplifted, Irus gave a blow On his right shoulder, while Ulysses smote Irus beneath the ear, and broke the bone Within, and brought the red blood from his mouth. He fell amid the dust, and shrieked and gnashed His teeth, and beat with jerking feet the ground. The suitor-train threw up their hands and laughed Till breathless, while Ulysses seized his feet And drew him o’er the threshold to the court And the porch doors, and there, beside the wall, Set him to lean against it, gave a staff Into his hands, and said in winged words:—
“Sit there, and scare away the dogs and swine, But think not, wretched creature, to bear rule Over the stranger and the beggar tribe, Or worse than this may happen to thee yet.”
He spake, and o’er his shoulders threw the scrip That yawned with chinks, and by a twisted thong Was fastened; then he turned to take his seat Upon the threshold, while the suitor-train Went back into the palace with gay shouts Of laughter, and bespake him blandly thus:—
“Stranger, may Jove and all the other gods Grant thee what thou desirest, and whate’er Is pleasant to thee! Thou hast put an end To this importunate beggar’s rounds among The people. We shall send him off