at once Into Epirus, and to Echetus, Its king, the foe of every living man.”
So talked the suitors, and the omen made Ulysses glad. Meantime Antinoüs placed The mighty paunch before the victor, filled With blood and fat, and from the canister Amphinomus brought forth two loaves, and raised A golden cup and drank to him, and said:—
“Hail, guest and father! happy be thy days Henceforth, though dark with many sorrows now!”
Ulysses, the sagacious, answered thus: “Amphinomus, thou seemest most discreet, And such thy father is, of whom I hear A worshipful report, the good and rich Dulichian Nisus. Thou, as I am told, Art son to him, and thou art seemingly A man of pertinent speech. I therefore say To thee, and bid thee hear and mark me well, No being whom earth nourishes to breathe Her air and move upon her face is more The sport of circumstance than man. For while The gods give health, and he is strong of limb, He thinks no evil in the coming days Will overtake him. When the blessed gods Visit him with afflictions, these he bears Impatiently and with a fretful mind. Such is the mood of man, while yet he dwells On earth; it changes as the All-Father gives The sunshine or withholds it. I was once Deemed fortunate among my fellow-men, And many things that were unjust I did; For in my strength and in my father’s power, And valor of my brothers, I had put My trust. Let no man, therefore, dare to be Unjust in aught, but tranquilly enjoy Whatever good the gods vouchsafe to give. Yet are these suitors guilty of foul wrong, Wasting the substance and dishonoring The