Dost thou, then, think that, should this stranger bend, Proud as he is of his great strength of arm, The mighty bow that once Ulysses bore, He leads me hence a bride? No hope of that Is in his heart, and let no one of you Who banquet here allow a thought like that To vex him; ’tis a thing that cannot be.”
Then to the queen, Eurymachus, the son Of Polybus, replied:
“We do not fear, Sage daughter of Icarius, that this man Will lead thee hence a bride; it cannot be. We fear the speech of men and women both. The very meanest of the Achaian race Will say: ‘Degenerate men are these, who seek To wed the consort of a glorious chief, Not one of whom can draw the bow he bore; And now there comes a wandering beggar-man, Who draws the bow with ease, and sends a shaft Through all the rings of steel.’ Thus will they speak, And this will be to us a cause of shame!”