His father replied:  “Admire, but fear not, and know me to be at all parts substantially thy father, who in the inner powers of his mind, and the unseen workings of a father’s love to thee, answers to his outward shape and pretence!  There shall no more Ulysseses come here.  I am he that after twenty years absence, and suffering a world of ill, have recovered at last the sight of my country earth.  It was the will of Minerva that I should be changed as you saw me.  She put me thus together; she puts together or takes to pieces whom she pleases.  It is in the law of her free power to do it:  sometimes to shew her favourites under a cloud, and poor, and again to restore to them their ornaments.  The gods raise and throw down men with ease.”

Then Telemachus could hold out no longer, but he gave way now to a full belief and persuasion, of that which for joy at first he could not credit, that it was indeed his true and very father, that stood before him; and they embraced, and mingled their tears.

Then said Ulysses, “Tell me who these suitors are, what are their numbers, and how stands the queen thy mother affected to them?”

“She bears them still in expectation,” said Telemachus, “which she never means to fulfil, that she will accept the hand of some one of them in second nuptials.  For she fears to displease them by an absolute refusal.  So from day to day she lingers them on with hope, which they are content to bear the deferring of, while they have entertainment at free cost in our palace.”

Then said Ulysses, “Reckon up their numbers that we may know their strength and ours, if we having none but ourselves may hope to prevail against them.”

“O father,” he replied, “I have oft-times heard of your fame for wisdom, and of the great strength of your arm, but the venturous mind which your speeches now indicate moves me even to amazement:  for in no wise can it consist with wisdom or a sound mind, that two should try their strengths against a host.  Nor five, or ten, or twice ten strong are these suitors, but many more by much:  from Dulichium came there fifty and two, they and their servants, twice twelve, crossed the seas hither from Samos, from Zacynthus twice ten, of our native Ithacans, men of chief note, are twelve who aspire to the bed and crown of Penelope, and all these under one strong roof, a fearful odds against two!  My father, there is need of caution, lest the cup which your great mind so thirsts to taste of vengeance, prove bitter to yourself in the drinking.  And therefore it were well that we should bethink us of some one who might assist us in this undertaking.”

“Thinkest thou,” said his father, “if we had Minerva and the king of skies to be our friends, would their sufficiencies make strong our part; or must we look out for some further aid yet?”

“They you speak of are above the clouds,” said Telemachus, “and are sound aids indeed; as powers that not only exceed human, but bear the chiefest sway among the gods themselves.”