“Give ear, ye men of Ithaca, and know That not without the approval of the gods Ulysses hath done this. I saw, myself, One of the immortals taking part with him, In all things like to Mentor. Now the god Standing before Ulysses strengthened him For combat, and now drove the routed band Of suitors through the hall; in heaps they fell.”
He spake, and all who heard were pale with fear. The aged hero, Halitherses, son Of Mastor, then came forward; he alone Knew what was past and what was yet to come, And, wisely judging, to the assembly said:—
“Hear now my words, ye men of Ithaca. Through your own wrong all this has come to pass. To me ye would not hearken, nor obey When Mentor, shepherd of the people, spake.
On the mad doings of your sons ye put No curb, nor checked the guilty insolence That dared to waste the substance and insult The consort of a man of eminent worth, Who, so they thought, would nevermore return.
Now be it as I counsel; let us not Go forth to draw down evil on our heads.”
He spake; but more than half the assembly rushed Abroad with shouts; the others kept their place Together. Ill the augur’s speech had pleased The most. Eupeithes had persuaded them.
They flew to arms, and when they had put on The glittering brass, they mustered in close ranks Before the spacious city. At their head Eupeithes led them on, who madly deemed Himself the avenger of his slaughtered son.
Yet he from that encounter nevermore Was to return; his fate o’ertook him there.
Then Pallas thus addressed Saturnian Jove: