Stories from the Odyssey | Page 8

make an end of these wild doings in
my house. I will bear it no longer, but will publish your evil deeds to
the ears of gods and men."
Among the suitors there was a certain Antinous, a tall and stout fellow,
of commanding presence, who was looked up to by the others as a sort
of leader, being the boldest and most brutal in the band. And now he
answered for the rest "Heaven speed thy boasting, young braggart!" he
cried in rude and jeering tones. "It will be a happy day for the men of
Ithaca when they have thee for their king."
"I claim not the kingdom," answered Telemachus firmly, "but I am
resolved to be master in my own house."
By the side of Antinous sat Eurymachus, who was next to him in power
and rank. This was a smooth and subtle villain, not less dangerous than
Antinous, but glib and plausible of speech. And he too made answer
after his kind: "Telemachus, thou sayest well, and none can dispute thy
right. But with thy good leave I would ask thee concerning the stranger.
He seemed a goodly man; but why did he start up and leave us so
suddenly? Did he bring any tidings of thy father?"
"There can be no tidings of him," answered Telemachus sadly, "except
that we shall never see him again. And as to this stranger, it was
Mentes, a friend of my father's, and prince of the Taphians."
Night was now coming on, the suitors departed to their homes, and
Telemachus, who meditated an early start next day, retired early to his
chamber. The room where he slept stood in the courtyard, apart from
the house, and was reached by a stairway. He was attended by an aged
dame, Eurycleia, who had nursed him in his infancy. And all night long
he lay sleepless, pondering on the perils and the adventures which
awaited him.

The Assembly; The Voyage of Telemachus

I
At the first peep of dawn Telemachus was afoot, and summoning the
heralds he ordered them to make proclamation of an assembly to be
held in a public place in the town of Ithaca. Then he went down to the
place of assembly, with two favourite hounds following close at his
heels; and when he arrived he found the princes and elders of the
people already gathered together. All eyes were turned to the gallant
lad, as he sat down on his father's seat among the noblest of the sons of
Ithaca. Never had he worn so princely an air, or seemed so worthy of
his mighty sire.
Then the old chieftain Ægyptus began the debate; he was bent double
with age, and one of his sons, Antiphus, had followed Odysseus to
Troy, while another, Eurynomus, was among the suitors of Penelope. It
was of Antiphus that he thought, as he stood up and made harangue
among the elders:
"Who has summoned us hither, and what is his need? Never have we
met together in council since the day when Odysseus set sail from
Ithaca. Hath any tidings come of the return of those who followed him
to Troy, or is it some other business of public moment which has called
us hither? But whoever sent out this summons, I doubt not he is a
worthy man, and may Zeus accomplish his purpose, whatever it be."
Such chance sayings were regarded as a sign of Heaven's will, and
Telemachus rejoiced in spirit at the old man's blessing. And forthwith
he stood up in the midst, and, taking the sceptre from the herald's hand,
rushed at once into the subject of which his mind was full.
"Behold me here, old man," he said, addressing Ægyptus. "It is I who
have called you together, and surely not without a cause. Is it not
enough that I have lost my brave father, whose gentleness and
loving-kindness ye all knew, when he was your king? But must I sit
still, day after day, and see the fattest of my flocks and herds
slaughtered, and the red wine poured out wastefully, by these men who
have come to woo my mother? Take shame to yourselves, and restrain
them; fear the reproach of men, and the wrath of Heaven, and suffer me
not thus to be evilly entreated, unless ye harbour revengeful thoughts
against my father, for some wrong which he has done you."
He had spoken thus far, when tears choked his voice, and flinging the
sceptre on the ground he returned to his seat. There was a general

feeling of compassion among his hearers, and not one of the suitors
ventured to answer him, save only Antinous, who began in his wonted
style of brutal insolence, upbraiding Telemachus in violent terms, and
throwing all