or Minerva… and his work is full of beauty… enriches a piece of silver
plate by gilding it。 He came from the bath looking like one of the
immortals； and sat down opposite his wife on the seat he had left。 〃My
dear；〃 said he； 〃heaven has endowed you with a heart more unyielding
than woman ever yet had。 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 come； nurse； get a
bed ready for me； I will sleep alone； for this woman has a heart as
hard as iron。〃
〃My dear；〃 answered Penelope； 〃I have no wish to set myself up；
nor to depreciate you； but I am not struck by your appearance； for I
very well remember what kind of a man you were when you set sail
from Ithaca。 Nevertheless； Euryclea； take his bed outside the bed
chamber that he himself built。 Bring the bed outside this room； and
put bedding upon it with fleeces； good coverlets； and blankets。〃
She said this to try him； but Ulysses was very angry and said；
〃Wife； I am much displeased at what you have just been saying。 Who has
been taking my bed from the place in which I left it？ He must have
found it a hard task； no matter how skilled a workman he was； unless
some god came and helped him to shift it。 There is no man living；
however strong and in his prime； who could move it from its place； for
it is a marvellous curiosity which I made with my very own hands。
There was a young olive growing within the precincts of the house；
in full vigour； and about as thick as a bearing…post。 I built my
room round this with strong walls of stone and a roof to cover them；
and I made the doors strong and well…fitting。 Then I cut off the top
boughs of the olive tree and left the stump standing。 This I dressed
roughly from the root upwards and then worked with carpenter's tools
well and skilfully； straightening my work by drawing a line on the
wood； and making it into a bed…prop。 I then bored a hole down the
middle； and made it the centre…post of my bed； at which I worked
till I had finished it； inlaying it with gold and silver； after this I
stretched a hide of crimson leather from one side of it to the
other。 So you see I know all about it； and I desire to learn whether
it is still there； or whether any one has been removing it by
cutting down the olive tree at its roots。〃
When she heard the sure proofs Ulysses now gave her； she fairly
broke down。 She flew weeping to his side； flung her arms about his
neck； and kissed him。 〃Do not be angry with me Ulysses；〃 she cried；
〃you； who are the wisest of mankind。 We have suffered； both of us。
Heaven has denied us the happiness of spending our youth； and of
growing old； together； do not then be aggrieved or take it amiss
that I did not embrace you thus as soon as I saw you。 I have been
shuddering all the time through fear that someone might come here
and deceive me with a lying story； for there are many very wicked
people going about。 Jove's daughter Helen would never have yielded
herself to a man from a foreign country； if she had known that the
sons of Achaeans would come after her and bring her back。 Heaven put
it in her heart to do wrong； and she gave no thought to that sin；
which has been the source of all our sorrows。 Now； however； that you
have convinced me by showing that you know all about our bed （which no
human being has ever seen but you and I and a single maid servant； the
daughter of Actor； who was given me by my father on my marriage； and
who keeps the doors of our room） hard of belief though I have been I
can mistrust no longer。〃
Then Ulysses in his turn melted； and wept as he clasped his dear and
faithful wife to his bosom。 As the sight of land is welcome to men who
are swimming towards the shore； when Neptune has wrecked their ship
with the fury of his winds and waves… a few alone reach the land；
and these； covered with brine； are thankful when they find
themselves on firm ground and out of danger… even so was her husband
welcome to her as she looked upon him； and she could not tear her
two fair arms from about his neck。 Indeed they would have gone on
indulging their sorrow till rosy…fingered morn appeared； had not
Minerva determined otherwise； and held night back in the far west；
while she would not suffer Dawn to leave Oceanus； nor to yoke the
two steeds Lampus and Phaethon that bear her onward to break the day
upon mankind。
At last； however； Ulysses said； 〃Wife； we have not yet reached the
end of our troubles。 I have an unknown amount of toil still to
undergo。 It is long and difficult； but I must go through with it；
for thus the shade of Teiresias prophesied concerning me； on the day
when I went down into Hades to ask about my return and that of my
companions。 But now let us go to bed； that we may lie down and enjoy
the blessed boon of sleep。〃
〃You shall go to bed as soon as you please；〃 replied Penelope；
〃now that the gods have sent you home to your own good house and to
your country。 But as heaven has put it in your mind to speak of it；
tell me about the task that lies before you。 I shall have to hear
about it later； so it is better that I should be told at once。〃
〃My dear；〃 answered Ulysses； 〃why should you press me to tell you？
Still； I will not conceal it from you； though you will not like BOOK
it。 I do not like it myself； for Teiresias bade me travel far and
wide； carrying an oar； till I came to a country where the people
have never heard of the sea； and do not even mix salt with their food。
They know nothing about ships； nor oars that are as the wings of a
ship。 He gave me this certain token which I will not hide from you。 He
said that a wayfarer should meet me and ask me whether it was a
winnowing shovel that I had on my shoulder。 On this； I was to fix my
oar in the ground and sacrifice a ram； a bull； and a boar to
Neptune； after which I was to go home and offer hecatombs to all the
gods in heaven； one after the other。 As for myself； he said that death
should come to me from the sea； and that my life should ebb away
very gently when I was full of years and peace of mind； and my
people should bless me。 All this； he said； should surely come to
pass。〃
And Penelope said； 〃If the gods are going to vouchsafe you a happier
time in your old age； you may hope then to have some respite from
misfortune。〃
Thus did they converse。 Meanwhile Eurynome and the nurse took
torches and made the bed ready with soft coverlets； as soon as they
had laid them； the nurse went back into the house to go to her rest；
leaving the bed chamber woman Eurynome to show Ulysses and Penelope to
bed by torch light。 When she had conducted them to their room she went
back； and they then came joyfully to the rites of their own old bed。
Telemachus； Philoetius； and the swineherd now left off dancing； and
made the women leave off also。 They then laid themselves down to sleep
in the cloisters。
When Ulysses and Penelope had had their fill of love they fell
talking with one another。 She told him how much she had had to bear in
seeing the house filled with a crowd of wicked suitors who had
killed so many sheep and oxen on her account； and had drunk so many
casks of wine。 Ulysses in his turn told her what he had suffered；
and how much trouble he had himself given to other people。 He told her
everything； and she was so delighted to listen that she never went
to sleep till he had ended his whole story。
He began with his victory over the Cicons； and how he thence reached
the fertile land of the Lotus…eaters。 He told her all about the
Cyclops and how he had punished him for having so ruthlessly eaten his
brave comrades； how he then went on to Aeolus； who received him
hospitably and furthered him on his way； but even so he was not to
reach home； for to his great grief a hurricane carried him out to
sea again； how he went on to the Laestrygonian city Telepylos； where
the people destroyed all his ships with their crews； save himself
and his own ship only。 Then he told of cunning Circe and her craft；
and how he sailed to the chill house of Hades； to consult the ghost of
the Theban prophet Teiresias； and how he saw his old comrades in arms；
and his mother who bore him and brought him up when he was a child；
how he then heard the wondrous singing of the Sirens； and went on to
the wandering rocks and terrible Charybdis and to Scylla； whom no
man had ever yet passed in safety； how his men then ate the cattle
of the sun…god； and how Jove therefore struck the ship with his
thunderbolts； so that all his men perished together； himself alone
being left alive； how at last he reached the Ogygian island and the
nymph Calypso； who kept him there in a cave； and fed him； and wanted
him to marry her； in which case she intended making him immortal so
that he should never grow old； but she could not persuade him to let
her do so； and how after much suffering he had found his way to the
Phaeacians； who had treated him as though he had been a god； and
sent him back in a ship to his own country after having given him
gold； bronze； and raiment in great abundance。 This was the last
thing about which he told her； for here a deep sleep took hold upon
him a