wife of one who will not, as I deem, Remain long distant from his friends and home, But is already near. O, may some god Remove thee from this danger to thy home! Nor mayst thou meet him when he shall return To his own land. For when he comes once more Beneath this roof, and finds the suitors here, Not without bloodshed will their parting be.”
He spake, and, pouring out a part, he drank The wine, and gave the goblet to the prince, Who crossed the hall, and sorrowfully shook His head, for now already did his heart Forebode the coming evil.
Not by this Did he escape his death. Minerva laid A snare for him, that he might fall beneath, The strong arm of Telemachus. He went And took the seat from which he lately rose.
Then blue-eyed Pallas moved Penelope, Sage daughter of Icarius, to appear Before the suitors, that their base intent Might be more fully seen, and she might win More honor from her husband and her son. Wherefore she forced a laugh, and thus began:—
“Eurynomè, I would at length appear, Though not till now, before the suitor-train, Detested as they are. I there would speak A word of timely warning to my son, And give him counsel not to trust himself Too much among the suitors, who are fair In speech, but mean him foully in their hearts.”
Eurynomè, the household matron, said:
“Assuredly, my child, thou speakest well. Go now, and warn thy son, and keep back naught. First bathe, and, ere thou go, anoint thy cheeks, Nor show them stained with tears. It is not well To sorrow without end. For now thy son Is grown, and thou beholdest him at length What thou didst pray the gods, when he was born, That he might yet become, a bearded man.”