“Now, father, will I bring to thee a shield, Two javelins, and a helmet wrought of brass, Well fitted to the temples. I will case Myself in armor, and will also give Arms to the swineherd, and to him who tends The beeves; for men in armor combat best.”
And wise Ulysses answered: “Bring them then, And quickly, while I yet have arrows here For my defence, lest, when I am alone, They drive me from my station at the door.”
He spake. Obedient to his father’s word, Telemachus was soon within the room In which the glorious arms were laid. He took Four bucklers thence, eight spears, and helmets four Of brass, each darkened with its horsehair crest, And bore them forth, and quickly stood again Beside his father. But he first encased His limbs in brass; his followers also put Their shining armor on, and took their place Beside the wise Ulysses, eminent In shrewd devices. He, while arrows yet Were ready to his hand, with every aim Brought down a suitor; side by side they fell. But when the shafts were spent, the archer-king Leaned his good bow beside the shining wall, Against a pillar of the massive pile, And round his shoulders slung a fourfold shield, And crowned his martial forehead with a helm Wrought fairly, with a heavy horsehair crest That nodded gallantly above, and took In hand the two stout lances tipped with brass.
In the strong wall there was a postern door, And, near the outer threshold of the pile, A passage from it to a narrow lane, Closed with well-fitting doors. Ulysses bade The noble swineherd take his station there. And guard it well, as now the only way Of entrance. Agelaüs called aloud To all his fellows, and bespake them thus:—
“Friends! will no one among you all go up To yonder postern door, and make our plight Known to the people? Then the alarm would spread, And this man haply will have shot his last.”
Melanthius, keeper of the goats, replied: “Nay, noble Agelaüs; ’tis too near The palace gate; the entrance of the lane Is narrow, and a single