Now resourceful Odysseus stripped his rags from him, and sprang
up atop the great threshold, holding his bow and the quiver
filled with arrows, and scattered out the swift shafts before him
on the ground next his feet, and spoke his word to the suitors:
5 ‘Here is a task that has been achieved, without any deception.
Now I shall shoot at another mark, one that no man yet
has struck, if I can hit it and Apollo grants me the glory.’
He spoke, and steered a bitter arrow against Antinoös.
He was on the point of lifting up a fine two-handled
10 goblet of gold, and had it in his hands, and was moving it
so as to drink of the wine, and in his heart there was no thought
of death. For who would think that one man, alone in a company
of many men at their feasting, though he were a very strong one,
would ever inflict death upon him and dark doom? But Odysseus,
15 aiming at this man, struck him in the throat with an arrow,
and clean through the soft part of the neck the point was driven.
He slumped away to one side, and out of his stricken hand fell
the goblet, and up and through his nostrils there burst a thick jet
of mortal blood, and with a thrust of his foot he kicked back
20 the table from him, so that all the good food was scattered
on the ground, bread and baked meats together; but all the suitors
clamored about the house when they saw that the man was fallen,
sprang up from their seats and ranged about the room, throwing
their glances every way all along the well-built walls,
Odysseus reveals himself
25 but there was never a shield there nor any strong spear for them.
But they scolded Odysseus in words full of anger, saying:
‘Stranger, it is badly done to hit men. You will never
achieve any more trials. Now your sudden destruction is certain,
for now you have struck down the man who was far the greatest
30 of the youth of Ithaka. For that the vultures shall eat you.’
Each spoke at random, for they thought he had not intended
to kill the man, poor fools, and they had not yet realized
how over all of them the terms of death were now hanging.
But looking darkly upon them resourceful Odysseus answered:
35 ‘You dogs, you never thought that I would any more come back
from the land of Troy, and because of that you despoiled my household,
and forcibly took my serving women to sleep beside you,
and sought to win my wife while I was still alive, fearing
neither the immortal gods who hold the wide heaven,
40 nor any resentment sprung from men to be yours in the future.
Now upon all of you the terms of destruction are fastened.’
So he spoke, and the green fear took hold of all of them,
and each man looked about him for a way to escape sheer death.
Only Eurymachos spoke up and gave him an answer:
45 ‘If in truth you are Odysseus of Ithaka, come home,
what you have said is fair about all the wickedness done you
by the Achaians, much in your house and much in the country.
But now the man is down who was responsible for all
this, Antinoös. It was he who pushed this action,
50 not so much that he wanted the marriage, or cared for it,
but with other things in mind, which the son of Kronos would not
grant him: to lie in wait for your son and kill him, and then
be king himself in the district of strong-founded Ithaka.
Now he has perished by his own fate. Then spare your own
55 people, and afterward we will make public reparation
for all that has been eaten and drunk in your halls, setting
each upon himself an assessment of twenty oxen.
We will pay it back in bronze and gold to you, until your heart
is softened. Till then, we cannot blame you for being angry.’
60 Then looking darkly at him resourceful Odysseus answered: ‘Eurymachos, if you gave me all your father's possessions,
all that you have now, and what you could add from elsewhere,
even so, I would not stay my hands from the slaughter,
The battle begins
until I had taken revenge for all the suitors' transgression.
65 Now the choice has been set before you, either to fight me
or run, if any of you can escape death and its spirits.
But I think not one man will escape from sheer destruction.’
So he spoke, and the others' knees, and the heart within them,
went slack, but Eurymachos cried a second time, to the suitors:
70 ‘Dear friends, now this man will not restrain his invincible
hands, but since he has got the polished bow and the quiver,
he will shoot at us from the smooth threshold, until he has killed us
one and all. Then let us all remember our warcraft.
Draw your swords and hold the table before you, to ward off
75 the arrows of sudden death; let us all make a rush against him
together, and try to push him back from the doors and the threshold,
and go through the town. So the hue and cry could be most quickly
raised, and perhaps this man will now have shot for the last time.’
So he spoke aloud, and drew from his side the sharp sword,
80 brazen, and edged on either side, and made a rush at him,
crying his terrible cry. At the same time, noble Odysseus
shot an arrow, and struck him in the chest, by the nipple,
and the speeding arrow fixed in his liver, and his sword tumbled
out of his hand on the floor, as he, sprawling over the table,
85 doubled and fell, and on the floor the good food was scattered,
and the two-handled goblet. He struck the ground with his forehead
in his paroxysm of pain, and kicking with both feet
rattled the chair, and over his eyes the death mist drifted.
Amphinomos, springing forward to face glorious Odysseus,
90 made a rush against him, and drew his sharp sword, thinking
he might be forced to give way from the doors; but now Telemachos
was too quick with a cast of the brazen spear from behind him
between the shoulders, and drove it through to the chest beyond it.
He fell, thunderously, and took the earth full on his forehead.
95 Telemachos sprang away, and left behind the far-shadowing
spear where it was in Amphinomos, turning back, for fear
that as he pulled out the far-shadowing spear, some other Achaian
might drive at him in an outrush, or else strike him from close up.
He went on the run, and very soon he reached his dear father,
100 and stood there close beside him and addressed him in winged words:
‘Father, now I will go and bring you a shield, and two spears,
and a helmet all of bronze fitting close to your temples.
The battle continues
I too will go and put on armor, and give the swineherd
and oxherd more to wear. It is better for us to be armored.’
105 Then in turn resourceful Odysseus spoke to him in answer: ‘Run and fetch them, while I have arrows still to defend me,
or else, while I am alone, they might force me from the doorway.’
So he spoke, and Telemachos obeyed his dear father,
and went on his way to the inner room, where glorious armor
110 was stored away, and took from inside four shields, and eight spears,
and four helmets plated with bronze and crested with horsehair,
and carried them back, and very soon he reached his dear father.
He was the first of all to put the bronze armor upon him,
and in the same way the two serving men put on their magnificent
115 arms, and stood beside the wise, resourceful Odysseus.
Odysseus, while he still had arrows left to defend him,
kept aiming at the suitors in his house; and every
time he hit his man, and they dropped one after another.
But when there were no more arrows left for the king's archery,
120 he set the bow so it leaned against a pillar sustaining
the strong-built palace, there by the shining walls, then himself
threw across his shoulders the shield of the fourfold oxhide.
Over his mighty head he set the well-fashioned helmet,
with the horsehair crest, and the plumes nodded terribly above it.
125 Then he caught up two powerful spears edged with the bright bronze.
There was a side door in the strongly-constructed wall, and also,
next the edge of the threshold into the well-made palace,
a way through the alley, with the door leaves fitting it closely.
Odysseus told the noble swineherd to take a position
130 near this, and watch it. Only one at a time could attack there.
Agelaos cried aloud to all of the suitors:
‘Dear friends, could not one man slip away, through the side door,
and tell the people? So the hue and cry could be most quickly
raised, and perhaps this man will now have shot for the last time.’
135 Then in turn Melanthios the goatherd answered him: ‘It cannot be, illustrious Agelaos. The fine doors
to the court are terribly close, the mouth of the alley is difficult
to force; one man could hold against all, if he were a fighter.
Come rather, let me bring you arms from inside the chamber
140 to arm you in; for there, I believe, and in no other
place, Odysseus and his glorious son have hidden them.’
Melanthios brings arms to the suitors
So Melanthios the goatherd spoke, and climbed through
to Odysseus' inner chambers by the vents in the great hall.
From there he took out a dozen heavy shields, and as many
145 spears, and as many brazen helmets crested with horsehair,
and went on his way, and quickly handed them to the suitors.
Then the knees of Odysseus went slack, and the heart within him,
as he saw them putting the armor about them, and shaking
the long spears in their hands; he thought it was monstrous
150 treason, and he spoke now in winged words to Telemachos:
‘Telemachos, some one of the women here in the palace,
or Melanthios, has made an evil attack upon us.’
Then the thoughtful Telemachos said to him in answer:
‘Father, it was my own mistake, and there is no other
155 to blame. I left the door of the chamber, which can close tightly,
open at an angle. One of these men was a better observer
than I. Go now, noble Eumaios, and close the chamber
door, and see if it is one of the women doing this,
or Melanthios, son of Dolios, which is what I think.’
160 Now as these two were conversing thus with each other, Melanthios the goatherd went back into the chamber
to bring more splendid armor, but the noble swineherd sighted him.
Quickly he spoke a word to Odysseus standing close by him:
‘Son of Laertes and seed of Zeus, resourceful Odysseus,
165 there is that deadly man again, the one we suspected,
on his way into the chamber. Now give me your true instructions,
whether, if I prove stronger than he is, I am to kill him,
or bring him back here to you, so he can pay for the many
transgressions, all that he has devised in your house against you.’
170 Then resourceful Odysseus spoke in turn and answered him: ‘Telemachos and I will hold off the haughty suitors,
for all their fury, here inside the palace; you two
twist the feet of Melanthios and his arms behind him,
put him away in the chamber and fasten boards behind him,
175 then make him secure with a braided rope, and hoist him upward
along the high column, till you fetch him up to the roof beams.
Thus, while he still stays alive, he will suffer harsh torment.’
So he spoke, and they listened well to him and obeyed him.
They went into the chamber. He was there, but he did not see them.
180 Now, he was searching out weapons, deep in the back of the chamber,
Melanthios tied up
and they stood there waiting for him behind the columns, on either
side, until Melanthios the herdsman of goats came over
the sill. In one hand he was holding a splendid helmet,
and in the other the ancient shield, all fouled with mildew,
185 of the hero Laertes, which he had carried when he was a young man.
It had been lying there, and the stitches were gone on the handstraps.
Now they sprang out and seized him, caught hold of his hair and dragged him
in, and threw him down on the floor, there in his anguish
of heart, and in the hurtful bond they securely fastened
190 his feet and arms, twisted all the way back, obeying the orders
given by great, enduring Odysseus, the son of Laertes.
Then they made him secure with a braided rope, and hoisted him
high on the column, until they fetched him up to the roof beams.
Then you spoke and jeered at him, O swineherd Eumaios:
195 ‘Now the whole night long, Melanthios, you shall keep watch
wakefully, laid, as you deserve, to rest on a soft bed,
well aware of the young Dawn throned in gold as she rises
up from the Ocean rivers, at the time when you used to drive in
goats to the palace, so as to make a feast for the suitors.’
200 So they left him there, trussed up in his horrible bindings. The herdsmen closed the shining door, and put on their armor,
and went and stood beside the wise, resourceful Odysseus.
There both sides stood, breathing valor, the four men holding
the threshold, but inside the house were many and brave men.
205 Now to these men came the daughter of Zeus, Athene,
likening herself in voice and appearance to Mentor.
Odysseus was happy when he saw her, and hailed her, saying:
‘Mentor, help me from hurt, and remember me, your companion
and friend, who have done you much good. We two grew up together.’
210 He spoke so, but thought it was Athene, leader of armies. On the other side in the palace the suitors cried out against her,
and first to threaten was Agelaos, son of Damastor;
‘Mentor, never let Odysseus by talking persuade you
to fight against the suitors and defend him. Consider
215 what we propose to do, and I think it will be accomplished.
When we kill these men, the son and the father, you too
shall be killed in their company, for what you are trying
to do here in the palace. You shall pay for it with your own head.
Athene helps Odysseus and his party
But when with the bronze we have taken away the lives of all of you,
220 all the possessions which are yours, both here and elsewhere,
we shall count in with those of Odysseus, nor will we suffer
your sons to go on living here in your halls, nor your daughters
and loving wife to go about in the town of Ithaka.’
He spoke, and Athene in her heart grew still more angry,
225 and she scolded Odysseus in words full of anger, saying:
‘No longer, Odysseus, are the strength and valor still steady
within you, as when, for the sake of white-armed, illustrious
Helen, you fought nine years with the Trojans, ever relentless;
and many men you killed there in the dreaded encounter,
230 and by your counsel the wide-wayed city of Priam was taken.
How is it now, when you have come back to your own possessions
and house, you complain, instead of standing up to the suitors?
Come here, friend, and watch me at work, and standing beside me
see what kind of man is Mentor the son of Alkimos,
235 and how against your enemies he repays your kindness.’
She spoke, but did not yet altogether turn the victory
their way. She still was putting to proof the strength and courage
alike of Odysseus and his glorious son; and she now,
likening herself to a swallow in their sight, shot up
240 high aloft, and perched on a beam of the smoky palace.
Now Agelaos, son of Damastor, urged on the suitors,
with Demoptolemos, Amphimedon, and Peisandros
the son of Polyktor, Eurynomos, and the wise Polybos.
For these in warcraft were by far the best of the suitors
245 who still were alive and fighting for their lives; but others
had already fallen before the bow and the showering arrows.
To these Agelaos spoke, directing his words to all of them:
‘Dear friends, now this man will have to stay his invincible
hands, since Mentor, after doing some empty boasting,
250 has gone, and these are left alone in the front doorway.
Now, do not all of you throw your long spears at the same time
at him, but let us six throw first with our spears, and it may be
Zeus will grant that we strike Odysseus and win the glory.
We care nothing about the others, once this man has fallen.’
255 So he spoke, and all six aimed their spears, as he told them, and threw, but Athene made vain all their casts, so that
one man threw his spear against the pillar sustaining
Defeat and death of all the suitors
the strong-built palace, another into the door, close-fitted.
One ash spear heavy with bronze was driven into the side wall.
260 But then, after they had avoided the spears of the suitors,
much-enduring great Odysseus began speaking to them:
‘Dear friends, now I would say it was the time for our turn
to throw our spears into the midst of the suitors, furious
as they are to kill us, and add to former evils committed.’
265 So he spoke, and they all aimed their sharp spears and threw them straight ahead. Demoptolemos was killed by Odysseus,
Euryades by Telemachos, Elatos by the swineherd,
Peisandros by Philoitios, the herdsman of oxen.
But when all these had fallen, and bit with their teeth the great earth,
270 the suitors drew away into the corner of the palace,
and the others rushed, and plucked their spears from the fallen bodies.
Once again the suitors aimed at them with their sharp spears,
and threw, but Athene made vain most of their casts, so that
one man threw his spear against the pillar sustaining
275 the strong-built palace, another into the door, close-fitted.
One ash spear heavy with bronze was driven into the side wall.
But Amphimedon struck Telemachos on the wrist, with a glancing
blow, and the bronze ripped the outermost skin; and also
Ktesippos with his long spear hit Eumaios over
280 the shield, and scratched his shoulder, but the spear flew over, and landed
void. Then the company of wise, devious-devising
Odysseus threw their spears into the mass of the suitors.
This time Odysseus, stormer of cities, struck down Eurydamas;
Telemachos hit Amphimedon; the swineherd, Polybos.
285 Then Philoitios, herdsman of oxen, struck Ktesippos
full in the chest, and spoke a word of vaunting over him:
‘O son of Polytherses, lover of mockery, never
speak loud and all at random in your recklessness. Rather
leave all speech to the gods, since they are far stronger than you are.
290 Here is your guest gift, in exchange for that hoof you formerly
gave to godlike Odysseus, as he went about through the palace.’
So spoke the herdsman of horn-curved oxen; but now Odysseus
stabbed Agelaos, son of Damastor, from close, with the long spear,
while Telemachos stabbed Leokritos, son of Euenor,
295 in the midmost belly with the spear, and drove the bronze clean through.
End of the battle
He fell then headlong, and took the earth full on his forehead.
And now Athene waved the aegis, that blights humanity,
from high aloft on the roof, and all their wits were bewildered;
and they stampeded about the hall, like a herd of cattle
300 set upon and driven wild by the darting horse fly
in the spring season, at the time when the days grow longer;
but the other men, who were like hook-clawed, beak-bent vultures,
descending from the mountains to pounce upon the lesser birds;
and these on the plain, shrinking away from the clouds, speed off,
305 but the vultures plunge on them and destroy them, nor is there any
defense, nor any escape, and men are glad for the hunting;
so these men, sweeping about the palace, struck down
the suitors, one man after another; the floor was smoking
with blood, and the horrible cries rose up as their heads were broken.
310 Leodes rushed in and caught the knees of Odysseus, and spoke to him in winged words and in supplication:
‘I am at your knees, Odysseus. Respect me, have mercy;
for I claim that never in your halls did I say or do anything
wrong to any one of the women, but always was trying
315 to stop any one of the other suitors who acted in that way.
But they would not listen to me and keep their hands off evil.
So by their own recklessness they have found a shameful
death, but I was their diviner, and I did nothing;
but I must fall, since there is no gratitude for past favors.’
320 Then looking darkly at him spoke resourceful Odysseus: ‘If you claim to be the diviner among these people,
many a time you must have prayed in my palace, asking
that the completion of my sweet homecoming be far off
from me, that my dear wife would go off with you, and bear you
325 children. So you cannot escape from sorry destruction.’
So he spoke, and in his heavy hand caught up a sword
that was lying there on the ground where Agelaos had dropped it
when he was killed. With this he cut through the neck at the middle,
and the head of Leodes dropped in the dust while he was still speaking.
330 Phemios the singer, the son of Terpias, still was skulking away from death. He had been singing among the suitors
under compulsion, and stood with the clear-toned lyre in his hands
by the side door, and his heart was pondering one of two courses:
either to slip out of the hall to the altar of mighty
The singer and herald spared
335 Zeus of the court, and crouch at the structure, where once Odysseus
and Laertes had burned up the thighs of many oxen,
or rush up and make entreaty at the knees of Odysseus.
Then in the division of his heart this way seemed best to him,
to seize hold of the knees of Odysseus, son of Laertes.
340 Thereupon he laid the hollowed lyre on the ground,
between the mixing bowl and the chair with its nails of silver,
but he himself rushed in and caught the knees of Odysseus,
and spoke to him in winged words and in supplication:
‘I am at your knees, Odysseus. Respect me, have mercy.
345 You will be sorry in time to come if you kill the singer
of songs. I sing to the gods and to human people, and I am
taught by myself, but the god has inspired in me the song-ways
of every kind. I am such a one as can sing before you
as to a god. Then do not be furious to behead me.
350 Telemachos too, your own dear son, would tell you, as I do,
that it was against my will, and with no desire on my part,
that I served the suitors here in your house and sang at their feasting.
They were too many and too strong, and they forced me to do it.’
So he spoke, and the hallowed prince Telemachos heard him.
355 Quickly then he spoke to his father, who stood close by him:
‘Hold fast. Do not strike this man with the bronze. He is innocent.
And let us spare Medon our herald, a man who has always
taken care of me when I was a child in your palace;
unless, that is, Philoitios or the swineherd has killed him,
360 or unless he came in your way as you stormed through the palace.’
So he spoke, and Medon, a man of prudent thoughts, heard him;
for he had hidden under a chair, and put on about him
the hide of an ox, freshly skinned, so avoiding black death.
He came out quickly from under the chair, and took off the oxhide,
365 and then rushed in and caught hold of the knees of Telemachos,
and spoke to him in winged words and in supplication:
‘Here I am, dear friend. Hold fast, and speak to your father,
before—since he is so strong—he destroys me with the tearing
bronze, in anger over the suitors, who kept ruining
370 his goods in his palace and, like fools, paid you no honor.’
Then resourceful Odysseus smiled upon him and answered:
‘Do not fear. Telemachos has saved you and kept you
alive, so you may know in your heart, and say to another,
Eurykleia summoned
that good dealing is better by far than evil dealing.
375 But go out now from the palace and sit outside, away from
the slaughter, in the courtyard, you and the versatile singer,
so that I can do in the house the work that I have to.’
So he spoke, and the two went away, outside the palace,
and sat down both together beside the altar of mighty
380 Zeus, looking all about them, still thinking they would be murdered.
Odysseus looked about his own house, to see if any
man still was left alive, escaping the black destruction;
but he saw them, one and all in their numbers, lying fallen
in their blood and in the dust, like fish whom the fishermen
385 have taken in their net with many holes, and dragged out
onto the hollow beach from the gray sea, and all of them
lie piled on the sand, needing the restless salt water;
but Helios, the shining Sun, bakes the life out of them.
Like these, the suitors now were lying piled on each other.
390 Then at last resourceful Odysseus said to Telemachos:
‘Telemachos, come now, summon in the nurse, Eurykleia,
so that I can say what is on my mind to say to her.’
So he spoke, and Telemachos obeyed his dear father.
He opened the door and called out to the nurse, Eurykleia:
395 ‘Rise and come here, aged woman, you who watch over
all that the serving women do here in our palace.
Come here. My father calls you. He has something to tell you.’
So he spoke, and she had no winged words for an answer,
but she opened the doors of the strong-built great hall, and went
400 on inside, but Telemachos went ahead, leading her.
There she found Odysseus among the slaughtered dead men,
spattered over with gore and battle filth, like a lion
who has been feeding on an ox of the fields, and goes off
covered with blood, all his chest and his flanks on either
405 side bloody, a terrible thing to look in the face; so
now Odysseus' feet and the hands above them were spattered.
She, when she saw the dead men and the endless blood, began then
to raise the cry of triumph, having seen it was monstrous
work, but Odysseus checked her and held her, for all her eagerness,
410 and spoke to her and addressed her in winged words, saying:
‘Keep your joy in your heart, old dame; stop, do not raise up
the cry. It is not piety to glory so over slain men.
Punishment of the faithless maids
These were destroyed by the doom of the gods and their own hard actions,
for these men paid no attention at all to any man on earth
415 who came their way, no matter if he were base or noble.
So by their own recklessness they have found a shameful
death. Now assemble here the women who are in the palace,
both those who have done me no honor, and those who are innocent.’
Then the beloved nurse Eurykleia said to him in answer:
420 ‘So, my child, I will tell you the whole truth of the matter.
You have fifty serving women here in your palace,
and these I have taught to work at their own tasks, the carding
of wool, and how to endure their own slavery. Of these
fifty, twelve in all have taken to immorality.
425 They pay no attention to me, or even to Penelope.
Telemachos is but lately come of age, and his mother
would not let him be in charge of the serving women.
But come, let me go up to the shining upper chamber
and tell your wife. Some god has sent down a sleep upon her.’
430 Then resourceful Odysseus spoke in turn and answered her: ‘Do not waken her yet, but tell those women who have been
shameful in their devisings to come here to my presence.’
So he spoke, and the old woman went through the palace,
bringing the message to the women and urging them onward.
435 But Odysseus, calling Telemachos and the oxherd
and swineherd to him, spoke to them in winged words, saying:
‘Begin the work of carrying out the bodies, and tell
the women to help, and after that to wash the beautiful
chairs and tables clean, with water and porous sponges.
440 Then, after you have got all the house back in good order,
lead all these maidservants out of the well-built palace
between the round-house and the unfaulted wall of the courtyard,
and hew them with the thin edge of the sword, until you have taken
the lives from all, and they forget Aphrodite, the goddess
445 they had with them when they lay secretly with the suitors.’
So he spoke, and the women all in a huddle came out,
with terrible cries of sorrow, and the big tears falling.
First they carried away the bodies of all the dead men,
and laid them under the portico of the well-built courtyard,
450 stacking them on each other. Odysseus himself directed them
and Melanthios
and hurried them on. They carried the bodies out. They had to.
Then, after they had done this, the women washed the beautiful
chairs and tables clean, with water and porous sponges.
After this Telemachos, the oxherd and the swineherd,
455 scraped out the floor of the strongly constructed house, with shovels,
and the women carried the scrapings way, and piled them outside.
But after they had got all the house back in good order,
leading the maidservants out of the well-built palace,
between the round-house and the unfaulted wall of the courtyard,
460 they penned them in a strait place from which there was no escaping.
Now the thoughtful Telemachos began speaking among them:
‘I would not take away the lives of these creatures by any
clean death, for they have showered abuse on the head of my mother,
and on my own head too, and they have slept with the suitors.’
465 So he spoke, and taking the cable of a dark-prowed ship, fastened it to the tall pillar, and fetched it about the round-house;
and like thrushes, who spread their wings, or pigeons, who have
flown into a snare set up for them in a thicket, trying
to find a resting place, but the sleep given them was hateful;
470 so their heads were all in a line, and each had her neck caught
fast in a noose, so that their death would be most pitiful.
They struggled with their feet for a little, not for very long.
They took Melanthios along the porch and the courtyard.
They cut off, with the pitiless bronze, his nose and his ears,
475 tore off his private parts and gave them to the dogs to feed on
raw, and lopped off his hands and feet, in fury of anger.
Then, after they had washed their own hands and feet clean,
they went into the house of Odysseus. Their work was ended.
But Odysseus said to the beloved nurse, Eurykleia:
480 ‘Bring me brimstone, old dame, the cure of evils, and bring me
fire, so I can sulphur the hall, and tell Penelope
to come here now, together with her attendant women,
and tell all the serving maids to come here to the palace.’
485 Then the beloved nurse Eurykleia said to him in answer: ‘All this you have said, my child, was fair and orderly.
But come now, let me bring you out a mantle and tunic,
and do not stand thus here in the hall, with your broad shoulders
covered over with rags as they are. That would be scandalous.’
490 Then resourceful Odysseus spoke in turn and answered her:
Odysseus cleans the palace
‘Before all this, let me have the fire in my palace.’
He spoke, and the dear nurse Eurykleia did not disobey him. She brought him out the fire and brimstone; and then Odysseus
cleaned his palace, house and courtyard alike, with sulphur.
495 The old woman went off through the fine house of Odysseus, to take the message to the women and tell them to gather.
They came from the main house, and in their hands held torches,
and all the serving women clung to Odysseus, and greeted him,
and made much of him, and kissed him on his head and his shoulders
500 and hands, admiring him, and sweet longing for lamentation
and tears took hold of him. He recognized all these women.