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this shall not be so, and thou thyself too knowest it. For
to-day the feast of the archer god is held in the land, a
holy feast. Who at such a time would be bending bows? Nay,
set it quietly by; what and if we should let the axes all
stand as they are? None methinks will come to the hall of
Odysseus, son of Laertes, and carry them away. Go to now,
let the wine-bearer pour for libation into each cup in
turn, that after the drink-offering we may set down the
curved bow. And in the morning bid Melanthius, the
goatherd, to lead hither the very best goats in all his
herds, that we may lay pieces of the thighs on the altar of
Apollo the archer, and assay the bow and make an end of the
contest.'

So spake Antinous, and the saying pleased them well. Then
the henchmen poured water on their hands, and pages crowned
the mixing-bowls with drink, and served out the wine to
all, when they had poured for libation into each cup in
turn. But when they had poured forth and had drunken to
their hearts' desire, Odysseus of many counsels spake among
them out of a crafty heart, saying:

'Hear me, ye wooers of the renowned queen, that I may say
that which my heart within me bids. And mainly to
Eurymachus I make my prayer and to the godlike Antinous,
forasmuch as he has spoken even this word aright, namely,
that for this present ye cease from your archery and leave
the issue to the gods; and in the morning the god will give
the victory to whomsoever he will. Come therefore, give me
the polished bow, that in your presence I may prove my
hands and strength, whether I have yet any force such as
once was in my supple limbs, or whether my wanderings and
needy fare have even now destroyed it.'

So spake he and they all were exceeding wroth, for fear
lest he should string the polished bow. And Antinous
rebuked him, and spake and hailed him:

'Wretched stranger, thou hast no wit, nay never so little.
Art thou not content to feast at ease in our high company,
and to lack not thy share of the banquet, but to listen to
our speech and our discourse, while no guest and beggar
beside thee hears our speech? Wine it is that wounds thee,
honey sweet wine, that is the bane of others too, even of
all who take great draughts and drink out of measure. Wine
it was that darkened the mind even of the Centaur, renowned
Eurytion, in the hall of high-hearted Peirithous, when he
went to the Lapithae; and after that his heart was darkened
with wine, he wrought foul deeds in his frenzy, in the
house of Peirithous. Then wrath fell on all the heroes, and
they leaped up and dragged him forth through the porch,
when they had shorn off his ears and nostrils with the
pitiless sword, and then with darkened mind he bare about
with him the burden of his sin in foolishness of heart.
Thence was the feud begun between the Centaurs and mankind;
but first for himself gat he hurt, being heavy with wine.
And even so I declare great mischief unto thee if thou
shalt string the bow, for thou shalt find no courtesy at
the hand of anyone in our land, and anon we will send thee
in a black ship to Echetus, the maimer of all men, and
thence thou shalt not be saved alive. Nay then, drink at
thine ease, and strive not still with men that are younger
than thou.'

Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Antinous, truly it is not
fair nor just to rob the guests of Telemachus of their due,
whosoever he may be that comes to this house. Dost thou
think if yonder stranger strings the great bow of Odysseus,
in the pride of his might and of his strength of arm, that
he will lead me to his home and make me his wife? Nay he
himself, methinks, has no such hope in his breast; so, as
for that, let not any of you fret himself while feasting in
this place; that were indeed unmeet.'

Then Eurymachus, son of Polybus, answered her, saying:
'Daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope, it is not that we deem
that he will lead thee to his home,--far be such a thought
from us,--but we dread the speech of men and women, lest
some day one of the baser sort among the Achaeans say:
"Truly men far too mean are wooing the wife of one that is
noble, nor can they string the polished bow. But a stranger
and a beggar came in his wanderings, and lightly strung the
bow, and shot through the iron." Thus will they speak, and
this will turn to our reproach.'

Then wise Penelope answered him: 'Eurymachus, never can
there be fair fame in the land for those that devour and
dishonour the house of a prince, but why make ye this thing
into a reproach? But, behold, our guest is great of growth
and well-knit, and avows him to be born the son of a good
father. Come then, give ye him the polished bow, that we
may see that which is to be. For thus will I declare my
saying, and it shall surely come to pass. If he shall
string the bow and Apollo grant him renown, I will clothe
him in a mantle and a doublet, goodly raiment, and I will
give him a sharp javelin to defend him against dogs and
men, and a two-edged sword and sandals to bind beneath his
feet, and I will send him whithersoever his heart and
spirit bid him go.'

Then wise Telemachus answered her, saying: 'My mother, as
for the bow, no Achaean is mightier than I to give or to
deny it to whomso I will, neither as many as are lords in
rocky Ithaca nor in the isles on the side of Elis, the
pastureland of horses. Not one of these shall force me in
mine own despite, if I choose to give this bow, yea once
and for all, to the stranger to bear away with him. But do
thou go to thine own chamber and mind thine own
housewiferies, the loom and distaff, and bid thine
handmaids ply their tasks. But the bow shall be for men,
for all, but for me in chief, for mine is the lordship in
the house.'

Then in amaze she went back to her chamber, for she laid up
the wise saying of her son in her heart. She ascended to
her upper chamber with the women her handmaids, and then
was bewailing Odysseus, her dear lord, till grey-eyed
Athene cast sweet sleep upon her eyelids.

Now the goodly swineherd had taken the curved bow, and was
bearing it, when the wooers all cried out upon him in the