Eurydamas; his son Struck down Amphimedon; the swineherd took The life of Polybus; the herdsman smote Ctesippus, driving through his breast the spear, And called to him, and gloried o’er his fall:—
“O son of Polytherses, prompt to rail!
Beware of uttering, in thy foolish pride, Big words hereafter; leave it to the gods, Mightier are they than we.
See, I repay The hospitable gift of a steer’s foot, Which once the great Ulysses from thy hand Received, as he was passing through this hall.”
Thus spake the keeper of the horned herd. Meantime, Ulysses slew Damastor’s son With his long spear, in combat hand to hand. Telemachus next smote Evenor’s son, Leiocritus. He sent the brazen spear Into his bowels; through his body passed The weapon, and he fell upon his face. His forehead struck the floor. Then Pallas held On high her fatal aegis. From the roof She showed it, and their hearts grew wild with fear. They fled along the hall as flees a herd Of kine, when the swift gadfly suddenly Has come among them, and has scattered them In springtime, when the days are growing long. Meantime, like falcons with curved claws and beaks, That, coming from the mountain summits, pounce Upon the smaller birds, and make them fly Close to the fields among the snares they dread, And seize and slay, nor can the birds resist Or fly, and at the multitude of prey The fowlers’ hearts are glad; so did the four Smite right and left the suitors hurrying through The palace-hall, and fearful moans arose As heads were smitten by the sword, and all The pavement swam with blood. Leiodes then Sprang forward to Ulysses, clasped his knees, And supplicated him with winged words:—
“I come, Ulysses, to thy knees. Respect And spare me. Never have I said or done, Among the women of thy household, aught That could be blamed, and I essayed to check The wrongs of other suitors. Little heed They gave my counsels, nor withheld their hands From evil deeds, and