bring you some clean clothes… a shirt and cloak。 Do not keep these
rags on your back any longer。 It is not right。〃
〃First light me a fire；〃 replied Ulysses。
She brought the fire and sulphur； as he had bidden her； and
Ulysses thoroughly purified the cloisters and both the inner and outer
courts。 Then she went inside to call the women and tell them what
had happened； whereon they came from their apartment with torches in
their hands； and pressed round Ulysses to embrace him； kissing his
head and shoulders and taking hold of his hands。 It made him feel as
if he should like to weep； for he remembered every one of them。
BOOK XXIII。
EURYCLEA now went upstairs laughing to tell her mistress that her
dear husband had come home。 Her aged knees became young again and
her feet were nimble for joy as she went up to her mistress and bent
over her head to speak to her。 〃Wake up Penelope； my dear child；〃
she exclaimed； 〃and see with your own eyes something that you have
been wanting this long time past。 Ulysses has at last indeed come home
again； and has killed the suitors who were giving so much trouble in
his house； eating up his estate and ill…treating his son。〃
〃My good nurse；〃 answered Penelope； 〃you must be mad。 The gods
sometimes send some very sensible people out of their minds； and
make foolish people become sensible。 This is what they must have
been doing to you； for you always used to be a reasonable person。
Why should you thus mock me when I have trouble enough already…
talking such nonsense； and waking me up out of a sweet sleep that
had taken possession of my eyes and closed them？ I have never slept so
soundly from the day my poor husband went to that city with the
ill…omened name。 Go back again into the women's room； if it had been
any one else； who had woke me up to bring me such absurd news I should
have sent her away with a severe scolding。 As it is； your age shall
protect you。〃
〃My dear child；〃 answered Euryclea； 〃I am not mocking you。 It is
quite true as I tell you that Ulysses is come home again。 He was the
stranger whom they all kept on treating so badly in the cloister。
Telemachus knew all the time that he was come back； but kept his
father's secret that he might have his revenge on all these wicked
people。
Then Penelope sprang up from her couch； threw her arms round
Euryclea； and wept for joy。 〃But my dear nurse；〃 said she； 〃explain
this to me； if he has really come home as you say； how did he manage
to overcome the wicked suitors single handed； seeing what a number
of them there always were？〃
〃I was not there；〃 answered Euryclea； 〃and do not know； I only heard
them groaning while they were being killed。 We sat crouching and
huddled up in a corner of the women's room with the doors closed； till
your son came to fetch me because his father sent him。 Then I found
Ulysses standing over the corpses that were lying on the ground all
round him； one on top of the other。 You would have enjoyed it if you
could have seen him standing there all bespattered with blood and
filth； and looking just like a lion。 But the corpses are now all piled
up in the gatehouse that is in the outer court； and Ulysses has lit
a great fire to purify the house with sulphur。 He has sent me to
call you； so come with me that you may both be happy together after
all； for now at last the desire of your heart has been fulfilled； your
husband is come home to find both wife and son alive and well； and
to take his revenge in his own house on the suitors who behaved so
badly to him。〃
〃'My dear nurse；〃 said Penelope； 〃do not exult too confidently
over all this。 You know how delighted every one would be to see
Ulysses come home… more particularly myself； and the son who has
been born to both of us； but what you tell me cannot be really true。
It is some god who is angry with the suitors for their great
wickedness； and has made an end of them； for they respected no man
in the whole world； neither rich nor poor； who came near them； who
came near them； and they have come to a bad end in consequence of
their iniquity。 Ulysses is dead far away from the Achaean land； he
will never return home again。〃
Then nurse Euryclea said； 〃My child； what are you talking about？ but
you were all hard of belief and have made up your mind that your
husband is never coming； although he is in the house and by his own
fire side at this very moment。 Besides I can give you another proof；
when I was washing him I perceived the scar which the wild boar gave
him； and I wanted to tell you about it； but in his wisdom he would not
let me； and clapped his hands over my mouth； so come with me and I
will make this bargain with you… if I am deceiving you； you may have
me killed by the most cruel death you can think of。〃
〃My dear nurse；〃 said Penelope； 〃however wise you may be you can
hardly fathom the counsels of the gods。 Nevertheless； we will go in
search of my son； that I may see the corpses of the suitors； and the
man who has killed them。〃
On this she came down from her upper room； and while doing so she
considered whether she should keep at a distance from her husband
and question him； or whether she should at once go up to him and
embrace him。 When； however； she had crossed the stone floor of the
cloister； she sat down opposite Ulysses by the fire； against the
wall at right angles ＇to that by which she had entered＇； while Ulysses
sat near one of the bearing…posts； looking upon the ground； and
waiting to see what his wife would say to him when she saw him。 For
a long time she sat silent and as one lost in amazement。 At one moment
she looked him full in the face； but then again directly； she was
misled by his shabby clothes and failed to recognize him； till
Telemachus began to reproach her and said：
〃Mother… but you are so hard that I cannot call you by such a
name… why do you keep away from my father in this way？ Why do you
not sit by his side and begin talking to him and asking him questions？
No other woman could bear to keep away from her husband when he had
come back to her after twenty years of absence； and after having
gone through so much； but your heart always was as hard as a stone。〃
Penelope answered； 〃My son； I am so lost in astonishment that I
can find no words in which either to ask questions or to answer
them。 I cannot even look him straight in the face。 Still； if he really
is Ulysses come back to his own home again； we shall get to understand
one another better by and by； for there are tokens with which we two
are alone acquainted； and which are hidden from all others。〃
Ulysses smiled at this； and said to Telemachus； 〃Let your mother put
me to any proof she likes； she will make up her mind about it
presently。 She rejects me for the moment and believes me to be
somebody else； because I am covered with dirt and have such bad
clothes on； let us； however； consider what we had better do next。 When
one man has killed another； even though he was not one who would leave
many friends to take up his quarrel； the man who has killed him must
still say good bye to his friends and fly the country； whereas we have
been killing the stay of a whole town； and all the picked youth of
Ithaca。 I would have you consider this matter。〃
〃Look to it yourself； father；〃 answered Telemachus； 〃for they say
you are the wisest counsellor in the world； and that there is no other
mortal man who can compare with you。 We will follow you with right
good will； nor shall you find us fail you in so far as our strength
holds out。〃
〃I will say what I think will be best；〃 answered Ulysses。 〃First
wash and put your shirts on； tell the maids also to go to their own
room and dress； Phemius shall then strike up a dance tune on his lyre；
so that if people outside hear； or any of the neighbours； or some
one going along the street happens to notice it； they may think
there is a wedding in the house； and no rumours about the death of the
suitors will get about in the town； before we can escape to the
woods upon my own land。 Once there； we will settle which of the
courses heaven vouchsafes us shall seem wisest。〃
Thus did he speak； and they did even as he had said。 First they
washed and put their shirts on； while the women got ready。 Then
Phemius took his lyre and set them all longing for sweet song and
stately dance。 The house re…echoed with the sound of men and women
dancing； and the people outside said； 〃I suppose the queen has been
getting married at last。 She ought to be ashamed of herself for not
continuing to protect her husband's property until he comes home。〃
This was what they said； but they did not know what it was that
had been happening。 The upper servant Eurynome washed and anointed
Ulysses in his own house and gave him a shirt and cloak； while Minerva
made him look taller and stronger than before； she also made the
hair grow thick on the top of his head； and flow down in curls like
hyacinth blossoms； she glorified him about the head and shoulders just
as a skilful workman who has studied art of all kinds under Vulcan
or Minerva… and his work is full of beauty… enriches a piece of silver
plate by gilding it。 He came from the bath l